Evangelos Florakis blast kills 12

The massive blast at the Evangelos Florakis naval base of confiscated Iranian munitions killed at least 12 people this morning and knocked out the island’s largest power station, officials said.

Witnesses said metal rained down on a nearby motorway and the explosion was felt for miles around in the olive groves and small farming villages that surround the Evangelos Florakis navy base on the south coast.

Cyprus’s defence minister and army chief both resigned hours after the explosion, a government spokesman said.

The Iranian armaments were the cargo from the Monchegorsk, a ship Cyprus intercepted in 2009 sailing from Iran to Syria in violation of U.N. sanctions on Iran.

Defence Minister, Army Chief quit after blast

Cyprus’s defence minister and army chief resigned after munitions dump blast that killed 12 people on Monday, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said.

The explosion happened at a military base where confiscated Iranian munitions were being held. It shut down the island’s largest power station, causing widespread power cuts.

“The explosion occured in material held since 2009 by the Republic from an Iranian vessel which was sailing to Syria…there are 12 dead and 62 injured,” Stefanou said.

He said that defence minister Costas Papacostas and army chief Petros Tsalikidis had submitted their resignations, which were accepted by President Demetris Christofias.

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Quiet all rounder

Cyprus born scientist Eleftherios Diamandis was recently awarded for his contribution to medical science. But what kind of person makes a good researcher asks THEO PANAYIDES

 

Making light work

Energy alchemist Alicia Smith says through people power anything is possible, a message she hopes to spread through seminars in July. NAOMI LEACH meets her

The uprising in Egypt, conflict in Libya, ongoing violence in Yemen and the Japanese tsunami. Human revolution and natural disaster have characterised 2011 already. With the ancient Mayan doomsday of 2012 fast approaching too, it’s not a huge leap to surmise we are living in apocalyptic times. But change even of an apocalyptic scale doesn’t always have to be a bad thing.

“Apocalypse, to take the original Greek meaning is ‘to lift the veil’ and has been turned to mean something else. When the veil is lifted everything becomes more apparent. We see that separations among people, family and friends aren’t real.

Ditching the plastic

A recent study reveals Cypriot shoppers use an alarming amount of plastic bags says NAOMI LEACH

Be honest. Do you think twice when you get to a shop counter and the assistant bags up your goods, takes your money and waves you on your way? If you do it’s more likely to be buyer’s regret about the price than a serious consideration of what material your shopping bags are made of.

If you live in Cyprus, you are likely to pick up an average of three plastic bags a day. That’s an unbelievable half a million plastic bags being consumed in Cyprus daily. These shocking findings were unveiled this week in the Consumer Habits Survey conducted by the Europrism Research Centre in Cyprus.