13th Century frescoes coming home

2011-09-25

TWO 13th Century frescoes stolen from a church in the north of the island after the 1974 Turkish invasion will be returning to Cyprus from the United States next year, the Church of Cyprus said.

“It is with great joy and deep emotion that the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus announces the return of the frescoes of the Saint Themonianos Church in Lysi … by the Menil Foundation in Houston, Texas,” a statement said.

The frescoes had been acquired by the Menil Collection on behalf of the Church of Cyprus in 1984 and had been on loan under an agreement that ends in February 2012.

According to Josef Helfenstein, director of the Menil Collection, Dominique de Menil was struck by their beauty and immediately understood their historical significance. 

Tales from the coffee shop: Some answers will remain a mystery

2011-09-25

WHEN some three years ago the cops carried out a sting operation at a Strovolos massage parlour at which paid for sex was also being offered, the newspapers reported that the action was also caught on film.

CCTV had been installed in the room where the hanky-panky took place and the footage was saved on a computer in the office of the suspected pimp who was arrested together with his Russian wife and a young Moldovan woman. 

Once the police had gone through the footage, they leaked to the press that state officials, unknowingly starred in what could be described as amateur porn videos. Needless to say, the names of the officials filmed showing off their sexual prowess, were never made public, because the cops would be guilty of violating personal data.

Our View: Not out of the woods yet over drilling saga

2011-09-25

 

THE GOVERNMENT and its AKEL cheerleaders may have been a bit too quick to celebrate a victory in the oil-drilling saga. True, the Noble Energy rig arrived at the Aphrodite Block as scheduled and commenced drilling this week, without any interference from the Turkish navy, anchored a safe distance away. But it may be wishful thinking to conclude that Prime Minister Erdogan was bluffing when he was issuing his threats and would now let the matter go.

Oil and gas business requires more competence than capital

2011-09-25

THE exploration and exploitation of probable hydrocarbon reserves in Cyprus’s Exclusive Economic Zone requires knowhow and specialisation proportional to their size, qualifications which are currently not available on the island, a petroleum industry expert said. 

As drilling in Block 12 has a “very high chance” of making a discovery of similar magnitude to that in Israel’s Leviathan and may therefore put Cyprus on the world energy map, the country must ensure the acquisition and transfer of knowhow in a similar way to how Norway acted when it made its discoveries in the North Sea, Pierre Godec — former senior manager at the French energy giant Elf and current director of Petro Resource Ltd., an energy company with operations in Cyprus — said. 

First section of highway into Nicosia to be finished next month

2011-09-25

WORKS along the main artery leading into the city from the Nicosia-Limassol highway, at the GSP stadium, will be completed by the end of October, according to head of the Public Works Department, Alecos Michaelides.

“By the end of the month, traffic will be able to pass underneath the roundabout normally,” said Michaelides explaining that the roundabout on top will allow drivers to go anywhere they want. “For example if someone coming from Limassol wants to go to Latsia they will simply do a half turn on the roundabout and head towards the Latsia turn off,” he added.

According to Michaelides the main artery into the city will be fully operational except for a few minor sections near Latsia that are left to be completed.

More arrests in Fanieros case

2011-09-25

AUTHORITIES have arrested two suspects thought to be linked to Larnaca businessman Antonis Fanieros who is currently in custody in connection with a long list of alleged offences, including participation in a criminal organisation.

Police said one of the suspects, a 44-year-old Cypriot man has been remanded in custody for eight days while the second one, a foreign EU national, will be deported.

The two were arrested in connection with an arson attack against vehicles belonging to a security firm.

Police have issued arrest warrants for two more suspects connected to the case.

Fanieros is also suspected of being involved in the attack, along with a string of other alleged offences including extortion, assault and abduction.

Romanian killed on Dhali-Potamia road

2011-09-25

A 35-YEAR-old Romanian man was killed yesterday in what authorities believe to be a road accident on the Dhali to Potamia road.

The man was found at around 7.20am and was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said the incident happened some six hours earlier.

The car the man was driving apparently veered off course and overturned repeatedly before coming to a halt in a field, police said.

Police are asking anyone who knows about the incident to contact the nearest police station or call the force’s hotline: 1460.

Science for the fearful masses

2011-09-25

LIKE FAR too many of us, my relationship with science is a rocky one. It is a world I fear to enter. All of which made me the perfect candidate to visit Friday’s ‘Science Revealed!’ event, organised by the Research Promotion Foundation (RPF).

Housed at the cosy Ammochostos Gate within Nicosia’s old city, the event aimed to demystify science and to entertain its mostly young audience. The extensive use of monitors and visual information provided a very interactive ambiance, and there were no white lab coats in sight. 

New blades of glory

2011-09-25

ICE skaters in Paphos will now be able to enjoy the sport year round as a new ice-skating rink opens its doors to the public for the first time.

 The permanent rink, brainchild of Paphos businessman and architectural engineer Vangelis Mavronicolas, is 150 sq. metres and based in Kato Paphos’ Old Carob store Haroupomylos. 

 Paphians previously had flocked to a temporary rink set up in the town hall gardens last winter and, until today, many skaters had to travel to the permanent rink at Limassol’s My Mall.

 Mavronicolas, 49, said the idea for the rink had come to him only recently, given his daughter’s delight in the activity.

BirdLife documentary captures island’s wild areas

2011-09-25

PEOPLE of all ages can now discover some of the island’s hidden wildlife treasures through a new documentary released by BirdLife Cyprus. 

The hour-long film Important areas for Birds and other wildlife in Cyprus not only captures the island’s unique native creatures but also educates viewers on key local wildlife habitats. 

“It’s aimed at the public at large and, rather than focusing on species it focuses on areas,” said BirdLife’s Martin Hellicar, adding the film will feature a range of wildlife such as birds, lizards and snakes.

“People will be surprised by the amazing wildlife and fantastic landscapes.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.