BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER GIVES REASSURANCE OVER BREXIT CONCERNS

Cyprus Mail 27 February - article by Bejay Browne

British High Commissioner Matthew Kidd visited Paphos on Tuesday to answer questions causing concern to British residents over Brexit.

Paphos is home to the largest number of Britons on the island and the first of the meetings took place for Peyia residents, followed by a second larger one to a packed audience at the Phoenix Social club in Paphos. Similar events are also taking place in other towns.

Speaking at the event, Kidd said: “The package of finance, Irish border, and citizens’ rights (although a way to implement it has yet to be agreed), was decided in December, and it will be turned into a legal text”.

Kidd stressed that the agreed package was fairly straightforward process, as fortunately both sides held similar views.The aim is to complete it by June to give time to Britain and other EU member states to complete the ratification process in time to be in force on March 29 next year, he added.

“We didn’t want our expats to lose acquired rights and also the Cyprus, Spanish and other governments didn’t want their citizens’ acquired rights to be lost either,” he told the audience.

He assured that anyone who has acquired rights to live in another EU member state will at Brexit keep those rights, and they will apply to their children even if they are born after the Brexit date.

“Pension rights will also be preserved as they are now, access and rights to healthcare will continue as they are now, as will the rights to social security,” he added.

However, British Vice Consul, Christina Smith stressed the need for British residents in Cyprus to ensure that all their paperwork is in order and added that after a five year period, MEUI forms can be converted into MEU3 forms. (Both are yellow). 

She advised that residents that have been in Cyprus for over five years and meet the criteria should take all of the necessary paperwork to immigration in order to be given the MEU3 form, which is the best available option available to British residents.

She added that ARC holders with an ‘alien’ stamp in passports or alien registration books should, if they haven’t already, convert these into yellow slips (registration) at immigration and they should be able to convert this into an MEU3 straight away, as they can show that they have a history of remaining in Cyprus for a set period of time.

Kidd noted that Cyprus wants to continue to be an attractive option for people moving to the island, purchasing homes and starting up businesses.

“Cyprus is also one of only two countries that export more than 10 per cent of their goods to Britain, the other is Ireland and there are close links with the city of London’s financial operations,” he said.

The pair also answered questions from the audience on topics including health care in both Cyprus and the UK, pensions, renewal of British passports and applying for Cyprus passports.

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PEYIA DEVELOPMENT SPARKS ENVIRONMENT PROTEST

From Cyprus Mail 28 February - article by Evie Andreou and Bejay Browne

Scores of protesters gathered on Wednesday outside parliament during President Nicos Anastasiades’ swearing in ceremony in a bid to remind the president and his administration of their obligations to preserve the environment.

The protest, organised by Save Akamas/Save Cyprus initiative and supported by a large number of environmentalist groups, was sparked by the construction of villas in the Peyia sea caves area, a birthing habitat of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), which is an endangered species.

Top of the lists of concerns are the threats from development projects to Cyprus’ Natura 2000 sites which are part of the network of nature protection areas within the European Union.

Around eighty protesters also gathered at the sea caves area in Peyia at the same time.

The peaceful protest took place close to one the villas being built almost over the marine protected area of the sea caves below.

The protesters outside parliament carried banners and chanted slogans ‘Hands off the Akamas,’ ‘SOS sea caves’, and ‘Akamas belongs to our children’.

Some addressed MPs in song, singing their own words to the tune of the White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army: ‘May you be eaten by kourkounes (marbled spinefoot fish), may you be eaten by snakes, may you be eaten by turtles, may you be eaten by seals ’.

Protesters said they were calling on the government to step up and prioritise the environment.
“We claim our right and that of our children for a clean environment, an environment for all,” said Yiannis. He added that the protest was sparked by the recent development at the Peyia sea caves.

“This is not a development (the construction of villas) in the best interest of the environment, but for other interests. I believe we represent a large part of Cyprus residents who want to live in a beautiful country,” he said.

Protester posing as Paralimni Mayor Theodoros Pyrillis

A woman with a cardboard mask with the face of Paralimni mayor, Theodoros Pyrillis, holding a toy bulldozer, said she was protesting against the mayor’s actions over several beaches in his area.

Protesters said they wanted the new government to know that they would not tolerate the continual violation of people’s rights to a clean environment nor the destruction of its natural heritage.

“We are not here just for the sea caves, but that was the last straw,” said Maria Hadjimichael, member of the Save Akamas group.

She added that the last five years had seen a constant violation of national and European legislation on the environment.

“We are here for entire of Akamas, the Hanoutaris Cliffs where there for the last two years there has been an illegal farm built by Kykkos monastery, the illegal quarry action in Adroulikou, the Akamas master plan, the illegal interventions we see daily at the Protaras beaches, the Ayia Thekla marina, which is in protected area,” she said.

“We are here to let them know we will not allow this to continue”.

“I am against developing the environment for hotels and tourist places,” Dada Gunamuktananda said.

Speaking on behalf of the Ananda Marga yoga and meditation group, he said that humans “should have a very harmonious relationship with the environment and we should preserve this natural and beautiful spaces as much as we can”.

Jobs, he said, can be provided in so many different ways.

During the protest, a number of MPs went to talk to the protesters.

The Save Akamas group said they expect that the provisions of the EU directives and the Cypriot legislation on nature conservation will be respected ‘without any rebates, deviations and loopholes’.

They also call for proper assessment of all projects and programmes concerning areas near or within Natura 2000 sites and which are likely to have significant negative impact before granting planning and building permits.

The group called for conservation and management decrees for all Natura 2000 sites.
“These decrees should include binding measures and essential terms for the conservation and management of all sites listed in the Natura 2000 Network in Cyprus,” the group said.

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Iranian bodybuilder Hossein Rajaei

Country: Iran

Birthdate: 1986

Height: +180cm/5'11''

Competition weight: ?

Off season weight: ?

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Efendi'nin Gözü 5/5

Efendi'nin Gözü 5/5

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A Deck of Cards to Read, Not Play With

A visit to The Mysterious Bookshop at 58 Warren Street in Tribeca, New York City, is a gift that keeps on giving.

When we were there for Baker Street Irregulars & Friends Weekend in January, Ann saw and later bought a box of Mysterious Classics Cards created for the store. The 62 cards highlight books published between 1828 and 1950. They are cards to look at, not play games with. One of the cards describes the theme of the deck this way: 

“A collection of illustrations of the most colorful, important, or interesting original dust jackets or covers of classic mystery, crime, suspense, and espionage fiction. Each full-color card also contains a description placing it in historical context.”

Most of the significant mystery writers in that 122-year period are represented in the cards, making for a fascinating variety of subgenres.

Because the cards are in chronological order, The Hound of the Baskervilles comes in at No. 6. The first five, books published before the Hound, are:

1.      Mémoires de Vidocq.

2.      Revelations of a Lady Detective.

3.      The Mystery of Edwin Drood, by Charles Dickens.

4.      The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson.

5.      The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, by Fergus Hume.

Edgar Allen Poe, who invented the detective story, and Emile Gaboriau, whose hero Holmes called “a miserable bungler,” don’t get cards. Presumably that is for artistic reasons.

I’ve greatly enjoyed looking at the cards, which you can purchase here. For me they are a reminder that Sherlock Holmes is part of a detective story tradition that includes both predecessors and successors. I have read many of their adventures with great enjoyment over the years.

But only one name comes to my mind when someone refers to “The Great Detective.”

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5 Beautiful Waterfalls in Thailand

Dear fellow traveler, are you planning to visit Thailand? Then you should put these amazing waterfalls on your destination list. Here are 5 beautiful waterfalls that you can find in Thailand. 

1. Erawan Waterfall

Source Pic: thailandtravel.co

Erawan Waterfall is located in Kanchanburi Province, Thailand, precisely at Erawan National Park. What's interesting about this waterfall is because it has seven levels of waterfall. The water is blue and filled with fishes. 

2. Klong Plu Waterfall

Source Pic: tripadvisor.co.za

Klong Plu Waterfall is an interesting waterfalls. This waterfall can be reached by walking a little to get there. Well, you have to walk through the dense rainforest, right next to the flowing mountain stream. Swimming or just bathing are activities that you can do here. This waterfall is one of the best things in Koh Chang.

3. Khlong Chao Waterfall

Source Pic: Kohkoodalone.wordpress.com

Klong Chao Waterfall flows throughout the year and offers a nice swimming spot. The waterfall is easy to reach by motorbike, bicycle, taxi or even by foot. Just follow the signs or rent a kayak and paddle up the Klong Jao River

4. Khun Korn Waterfall

Source Pic: thailandtravelhub.com

Khoon Korn waterfall Botanical Garden is located in the area of Tambon Mae Korn and Tambon Huay Chompoo which falls within the left side of Pa Mae Kok National Forest Reserves. At an impressive 70 metres, Khun Korn waterfall is by far the talles waterfall in Chiang Rai.

5. Khlong Yai Kee Watefall

Source Pic: tripadvisor.ie 

This waterfall is located in The North West of Koh Kood and offers a nice spot for swimming and relaxing in nature. To get there, just follow the signs and road that leads to Soneva Kiri, Bann Makok or Captain Hook resort. The best time to visit this waterfall is from August till January. Keep in mind that there are no shops around.

So, what are you waiting for? ;)

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