Current Events

Cyprus?s Forest Department has announced that the lightning-induced forest fires that had broken out have been contained.

The announcement was made in a press statement, which stated that the first fire started at around 10:25 in the morning in Karvounas when lightning struck a tree.

A passer-by saw the fire and reported it, which led to the deployment of 2 fire engines and 13 firefighters. The fire was doused in 15 minutes before it had any chance to spread.

Another fire occurred ten minutes later in Evrychou?s Lachani area. This too was contained within ten minutes and prevented from spreading. Unlike the previous incident, this only needed 1 engine and 5 firefighters to get the job done.

This was a stellar example of how a quick response can prevent an incidental fire from turning into a big disaster.

A scooter accident that occurred in Larnaca has left a teenage boy fighting for his life.

The accident, which occurred close to noon, had the boy riding the scooter in Aradippou and heading for Livadia?s livestock region, when he lost his balance, fell on the road, and suffered numerous serious injuries.

He was taken to the general hospital in Larnaca first, but since his injuries were too severe, he was shifted to Nicosia?s Makarios hospital.

The boy, aged 13, is currently under treatment in the latter hospital’s pediatric ICU.

According to the doctors, the boy is in critical condition. He has suffered severe head trauma, a fracture of the occipital bone, a hematoma, as well as a major hemorrhage.

The Bank of Cyprus and the Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society have announced that the yearly Christodoula March has been postponed on account of extreme weather conditions.

While not taken lightly, the decision was made to make sure that all involved – including organizers, volunteers, and participants are safe and the event is held in suitable conditions.

The march is now postponed by one week, when the weather and conditions are expected to be suitable for all.

The event endeavors to support cancer victims as well as their families by offering services for free.

The Organizers of the event have reiterated that the reschedule is only a small setback, and that the event shall continue to stand as a symbol of support and solidarity to send the clear message that no one will deal with cancer on their own.

Over four thousand pigs will be killed at a pig facility in Palaiometocho due to the ongoing outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

According to Sotiria Georgiadou, a spokeswoman for the Veterinary Services, the government is investigating the matter to see how it turns out. She said that the pigs will get the same treatment as any other animal infected by the deadly virus.

The report has overturned the perception that the virus has largely been contained outside of the goat and sheep units in south Nicosia and Larnaca. Before this development, it was widely believed that the outbreak was mostly confined, which is now no longer the case.

According to Dr Dimitris Epaminondas, President of the Pancyprian Veterinary Association, said they are waiting to see how the strategy shall change based on this new information. As for the new outbreak sites, they have informed the police and are helping set up borders and disinfection zones, along with isolating three units.

She also said that special attention is being paid to the pigs, since they spread the virus faster than other animals.

Until now, over thirty-four thousand cattle, sheep, and goats have been killed.

Cyprus has imported vaccines – so far, 73.5% cattle and 56.3% of goats and sheep have received their second dose. Vaccination of pigs is also currently underway.

Cyprus?s Council of Ministers has approved a special Easter allowance for pensioners on a low income.

The deputy ministry of social welfare said that over ten thousand people received the allowance, bringing the total amount of benefits to ?2,512,500.

They further confirmed that this criteria was used to provide support in 2024, as well as in 2025.

Specifically, single-person homes with ?7,000 or less and two-person homes with ?12,000 or less of annual income will qualify for the Easter allowance.

The decision is being welcomed by several families, who can use the allowance at a busy time.

Cyprus?s Fire Department responded to fifty-four incidents within twenty-four hours on Easter Day.

Andreas Kettis, a spokesperson for the fire department, stated that twelve of them were calls for special assistance, while forty-two of these were fires. Out of the latter forty-two, thirty-seven had their origins in the lambradjies (i.e., Easter bonfires).

One call came from Paphos, six from Larnaca and Limassol each, and twenty-three from Nicosia. One of the cases required the EMAK special operations unit for assistance.

Kettis added that on the following Saturday, more calls were made from Larnaca and Nicosia, many of them involving waste materials.

One of the more noteworthy incidents involved two fire engines responding to a 1:22 am fire at an abandoned home in Limassol. The fire originated from waste material located within the house, which spread to the rooftop and led to part of it collapsing. Firefighters were forced to break the part of the roof still standing to extinguish the fire.

Pig farmers in Cyprus have suffered great losses due to the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease, but the government has come up with a way to support them.

In the latest development, the Cypriot government has approved a scheme worth ?340,000 to help support pig farmers affected by the outbreak.

The announcement was made by the Ministry of Agriculture, which explained that there would be a payout of ?54 for every pig a farmer sent for slaughtering – capped at a maximum of 50 Thousand Euros per beneficiary.

The Ministry of Agriculture?s budget will fund the scheme in its entirety.

The aim of the scheme is to ensure pig farms don?t end up closing due to the health crisis, a smoother recovery of production systems, and a better state of liquidity overall. This, in turn, would help stabilize the market and prevent a spiral crashout.

Those eligible include both companies and individuals (primarily, farmers) who have taken part in the yearly Pig Farming Survey.

The Cyprus Police conducted an overnight countrywide crackdown on crime, which resulted in the issuance of over 170 fines.

Specially coordinated patrols were conducted in major locations in urban spaces to flush out criminal activity as well as reinforce public order.

The police stopped and checked over four hundred cars and five-hundred-and-forty-two individuals, including both passengers and drivers.

Twenty-five different premises were checked, and four complaints were recorded for breach of permit.

Fifty-one of the one-hundred-and-seventy violations were for speeding. Two out of the 146 people tested for alcohol and narcotics tested positive. Ten vehicles were seized, while one person was booked for committing traffic violations and for illegally possessing property.

Cyprus Post has announced that it will not send any parcels to the US for some time on account of customs? ill-handling of packages.

The announcement was made as part of a press release, where a spokesperson for the Cyprus Post explained that any efforts made by them were not reciprocated by their American counterparts.

As a result of this, the problem has not been solved, and therefore, any items other than documents will not be mailed to the United States.

According to Cyprus Post, the measure has been taken to protect senders? items. They are working on a new way to send parcels, however, which shall be announced at a future date.

The UNDP has confirmed that the restoration work on the historic Limnia windmill is now complete.

Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage?s co-chair Ali Tuncay spoke about the project, emphasizing how it has helped preserve the important facets of Cyprus?s rural economy and classic production systems.

Specifically, he explains how structures like it form to showcase the island nation?s way of producing goods, and how well they have endured the centuries in staying consistent with production by adapting to the environment.

Limnia is located between Trikomo and Famagusta.

It used to be populated by Greek Cypriots till the 1974 invasion drove them out. Turkish Cypriots who were ousted from Larnaca now live in the village.

Disturbances in the Middle East have led to multiple flights getting canceled, causing disruption to the travel industry, as well as people?s plans.

Specifically, thirty-seven flights arriving to and departing from Larnaca airport have been cancelled.

This includes nineteen departures and eighteen arrivals from and to Larnaca Airport.

Meanwhile, flights going from and to Paphos Airport shall continue as usual, the singular flight bound for Haifa.

Those whose flights have been cancelled have been asked to contact their respective travel agents or airlines to receive the latest updates.

Children First, which observes child health and behavior have released their findings, which reveals that most Cypriot children aged 6 and 7 have a screen time higher than their safety limits.

According to the WHO guidelines, children between the ages of 5 and 13 must not have a screen time that is more than 2 hours per day.

However, the survey revealed that children spent over 90 minutes watching content daily, in addition to 45 minutes and 90 minutes of gaming per day in the weekdays and weekends respectively.

The study mentioned that this level of screen exposure can cause digital addiction, which in turn may cause physical and mental health issues.

More specifically, children using screens for over 120 minutes can cause lack of mental wellness, lessened self-esteem, strained family bonds, and higher degree of sedentary lifestyle, which in turn can lead to obesity and being overweight.

The observatory was founded in 2022 and is operated by Cyprus University of Technology and the University of Cyprus. Its job is to monitor the health as well as environmental factors for children across twenty-two schools in the island nation.

They report children’s individual data to parents securely, and report the total data to the scientific community at large and of course to the authorities.

The research further revealed that children?s behavior largely also depends upon that of their parents – and screen time is no exception.

To no one?s surprise, children often imitate their parents and parents who use screens when they shouldn’t tend to have children who do the same.

The observatory recommends that simple acts like regularized breaks, consistent exercise, a wholesome daily routine and encouraging engaging work can easily cut down the need to take to a screen to spend time.

A Lebanese national was arrested at Larnaca airport on grounds of terrorism.

The man, aged 25, had an outstanding German warrant against him for the same reason.

He had started his journey from Beirut, and intended to run through Cyprus to reach yet another European nation.

Cypriot authorities have detained him on the basis of a provisional arrest warrant – the end goal being to extradite him to Germany. The court has remanded him custody of the few days he is to remain on the island nation until then.

Any further information, if available, has not been released so far.

An elderly retired man has lost over 90,000 Euros in almost 7 months.

The process started when certain unidentified people reached out to him on social media and convinced him to ?invest? in cryptocurrencies.

In reality, the man was simply transferring his money to an account set up by the miscreants – and within the span of months had transferred around a whopping 90,000 Euros.

It is only after these people cut off communicating did the man realize that he might have been the victim of a scam.

The Paphos Police?s Economic Crimes Unit is currently investigating the case.

Scams of all kinds have been rampant lately, which is why the police are actively urging people to be vigilant, especially when making monetary transactions involving the internet.

Over and above anything, people should never share their personal details like bank account card information and password to anything that needs one to anyone for any reason.

YKAN, the special squad of the Cyprus Police that deals with drug-related offences has seized a package of over 6 kilograms of drugs.

Specifically, a total of 6.72 kilograms of cannabis were packed into 6 plastic bags in roughly an equal volume.

Cyprus Police could detect the illegal narcotics due to cooperation from the government of the country from which the package was sent.

Further Investigation is currently underway.

Cyprus cancelled an upcoming EU meeting in Nicosia after a British military base there was hit by a drone.

A spokesperson for the Cypriot EU Presidency Team made the announcement, explaining that they have decided to postpone the talks to a future date.

The aim of the meeting was to talk informally about the upcoming budget for the European Union.

The news comes after Cyprus confirmed that Iran?s ?Shahed? drone hit a British military base on the island. Some minor damage was caused.

The spokesperson who officially made the confirmation made sure to let it be known that Cyprus was not meant as the target of the attack.

This comes weeks after President Nikos Christodoulides statement that Cyprus shall not participate in military operations of any kind.

President Christodoulides also spoke with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. von der Leyen made it clear through her social media posts that the European Union will stand by every single one of its members should they be under threat.

Meanwhile, the second meeting of EU ministers to be held in the country has not been postponed. The aim of this meeting is to have ministers from all over the bloc discussing cultural goods trafficking and the larger topic of cultural rights.

An on-road collision led to the death of a young motorcyclist in Nicosia.

Christos Tsamis Tsangaris, aged 25, a resident of Pallouriotissa, died due to his motorbike colliding with another?s at high speed. The other motorcycle was being driven by a 19-year-old.

The collision led to both motorbikes overturning, although the former one immediately collided again with a car parked nearby.

Both riders were admitted to the General Hospital in Nicosia – the 25-year-old was pronounced dead-on-arrival, while the 19-year-old suffered minor injuries and was later given a discharge.

The police checked the latter for drugs and alcohol – both came out negative. Nonetheless an arrest warrant was issued and the younger man was taken into custody.

The mishap occurred in the evening in Aglandjia?s Larnakos Avenue. Further investigation is currently underway.

Cyprus? Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas has said that the defense is taking every possible measure to safeguard the island nation in light of the Iran war.

He said this in a statement to the Cyprus News Agency, right after Iran declared both the Cypriot Navy and the Air Force as ?terrorists? by extension of declaring the same of all EU members.

This declaration was made after the European Union and the Council of Europe declared the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.

Cyprus, which currently sits in the chair, is the one that formally adopted the declaration.

Geadis Geadi, the MEP of Ilam, had very famously said in this discussion how the large number of missiles that had Israel as its target were seen in Cyprus? skies. He had said then that the unfolding situation poses a huge threat to the entire area, especially Europe and the West at large.

This was followed by a motion to condemn the Iranian government. An overwhelming 524 MEPs voted in support, 3 against, while 4 abstained.

All of Cypriot MEPs ? Akel?s Giorgos Georgiou, Disy?s Michalis Hadjipantela, Costas Mavrides and Loucas Fourlas, and independents Geadi and Fidias Panayiotou voted to support the motion.

A police check executed countrywide has led to the arrest of 7 individuals for a litany of crimes, which include unlawful employment, driving without a driver?s license, illegal residency, violating traffic rules, and not abiding by the instructions of an officer of the law.

The Police said that they patrolled numerous urban spaces, and overall stopped 234 cars, checked 274 passengers and drivers, and raided 29 areas.

Traffic stops led them to ninety-one registered complaints – forty-seven of them were for speeding, four were for traffic violations, and one each was registered for driving under the influence and one for vehicle seizure. Meanwhile, the raids led to the registration of three cases where people were operating businesses without a permit.

According to the police, the aim of the large-scale operation was to reduce criminal activity, maintain law and order, and improve safety within the larger community.

Cyprus is set to receive over half a million vaccines to combat the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The request was put forward by Maria Panayiotou, the Agriculture Minister of Cyprus to Christophe Hansen and Oliv?r V?rhelyi, the agriculture and health commissioners, respectively. The latter then approved their request.

Panayiotou said that V?rhelyi shall be visiting Cyprus for reasons other than this, but will endeavor to include it in his agenda.

V?rhelyi also said that this was the amount of vaccines available right now. He took to X (formerly, Twitter) to explain that the top priority right now is to help farmers do their job by stopping the outbreak as swiftly as possible. He also mentioned that the EU will support the island nation through other means, such as compensation and funding.

Vaccines were also delivered to the breakaway Northern Cyprus. V?rhelyi said that it?s too soon to tell what kind of impact that has had yet.

The EU also confirmed they will be assigning an ?EUVET? team, who are subject matter experts in this field. Once their job is done, they will report their findings to the Standing Committee on Animal Health. They reiterated that the focus right now is on managing the crisis, regardless of its origin.