CHINESE BUFFET LUNCH - Kamares Club - 30 July

CHINESE BUFFET LUNCH

Kamares Club, Tala

Thursday 30 July - 1230 to 1500

€10 pp - booking and menu choice must be booked by Wednesday 29 July - either at Kamares Reception or on 26 880576

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TRAVELLING IN EUROPE THIS SUMMER - LINK TO REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY

Travelling in Europe this summer?  Not sure what the current requirements of that country are regarding entry?

Click on https://reopen.europa.eu/en/ - and select the Country.   Please also note that the language shown on the site can be changed if required.

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HOT WEATHER PROMPTS FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE RED ALERT

Cyprus Mail 27 July 2020 - by Annette Chrysostomou

The forestry department on Monday issued a red level forestry alert for the day, warning the hot weather increases the risk of forest fires to a very dangerous level, where major damage is likely and accidents leading to fires can happen easily.

The alert warns it is forbidden to light fires, to throw cigarette butts and to light matches, offences which are punishable by steep fines of up to €50,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 10 years.

Anybody who notices smoke or a fire is urged to immediately contact the forestry department at 1407 or the fire services at 112.

The alert followed a yellow weather warning issued by the Met office for high temperatures on Monday, which are expected to reach 41C inland.

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CORONAVIRUS - LIMASSOL MAYOR 'DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL LOCKDOWN'

Cyprus Mail 27 July 2020 - by Andria Kades

Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides

A mobile unit in Limassol will increase the number of tests carried out there in restaurants, virologist Dr Leontios Kostrikis said on Monday, as the city’s mayor said a localised lockdown was something he did not want to think about.

Speaking to CyBC radio, Kostrikis said there are currently four chains in Limassol, three of which are active and the fourth which is unknown.

“The epicentre is at the Limassol Marina and began at the gym. This case spread in society and then a case was found at a restaurant in the marina and then a shipping company in Limassol.

“They seem to be independent for now,” Kostrikkis said but the infections seem to have started with foreigners who work in shipping companies in Limassol.

He said that at the Marina restaurant four cases were delivery employees. “If everyone wore masks then we wouldn’t have these infections,” he said.

Currently, all scenarios are on the table, he added and as a first step there will be an increase in testing at Limassol restaurants, with a mobile unit collecting samples.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides called on the public to behave seriously and responsibly “to protect everything we have built all this time in Limassol.”

As a last result would be repeating measures of the past, the mayor said. “I don’t even want to talk about a lockdown.”

“It isn’t a matter of me being worried, we are concerned. We are concerned until this whole situation with the coronavirus blows over.”

Asked why he thought there was a spike in the number of cases in certain points of Limassol, Nicolaides said people across Cyprus, not only in Limassol, relaxed.

Limassol in particular carried an additional risk “as it is a city with heavy traffic to and from abroad, due to the fact that there are foreigners who work and travel back and forth.”

The mayor said there may be consequent announcements on action to be taken, perhaps making mention to groups of people that appear to have “let go” a bit too much.

“Seriousness, responsibility, individual protection measures and social distancing are needed, to protect everything we have built in Limassol.”

Nicolaides called on people with symptoms to contact their GP.

Last week, clusters of cases were found in Limassol, with five employees in Wagamama restaurant testing positive.

Five cases were identified on Saturday which were contacts of people who tested positive in Limassol earlier in the week. Four are contacts of one of the two people tested positive on Friday.

The fifth case is a contact of one of the people who tested positive on Thursday, which was itself a contact of a woman who tested positive on Tuesday.

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CORONAVIRUS - UK MOVED INTO CATEGORY B [from 1 August]

27-07-2020 10:09

UK falls under Category B from 1 August 2020

The Ministry of Health, following a relevant decision taken during a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee with the members of the Advisory Scientific Committee, under the President of the Republic, on 3 July, 2020, announces that, after assessing the epidemiological risk of countries with COVID-19, the United Kingdom is classified as Category B, with effect from 1 August 2020. It is recalled that passengers coming from Category B countries are required to have undergone a laboratory test at least in the last 72 hours before departure and to have a Certificate, proving a negative PCR test for the virus. It is further clarified that passengers from Category B countries falling into the following categories may undergo the molecular examination upon arrival in the Republic: a) Cypriot citizens and members of their families (their foreign spouses, minor children and their parents); b) all those legally residing in the Republic; c) persons allowed under the Vienna Convention; d) persons, regardless of nationality, who are allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus, after a special permit from the Republic of Cyprus as determined by the Quarantine Law - Decree No. 30 of 2020, and e) persons, regardless of nationality, in the country of residence of whom no laboratory analysis service (public or private) is provided to those wishing to travel to the Republic of Cyprus and upon relevant announcement. It is noted that the cost of the test is covered by the travelers themselves and in addition these people should remain at home under self-isolation until the result is issued. Finally, it is emphasized that all passengers, regardless of nationality, are required to apply for a CyprusFlightPass (https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/) within the last 24 hours before the departure of their flight. In addition, for the purposes of ensuring public health and for epidemiology monitoring, a COVID-19 molecular laboratory tests will be performed on passengers of selected arriving flights. (EH)

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RENEWAL OF UNFICYP MANDATE SET TO BE APPROVED ON TUESDAY

in-cyprus 27 July 2020 - by Annie Charalambous

The draft resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is expected to be approved on Tuesday.

This is what CNA reported on Monday, adding that the draft is currently in the silent procedure at the Security Council and is to be sent to the plenary for approval on Tuesday.

The draft resolution is a revised version of Resolution 2506 of January 2020, with additions concerning issues that arose during the coronavirus pandemic and the cooperation the Security Council wishes to see if a similar situation emerges in the future.

The Council focuses on cooperation between the two sides, the operation of crossing points, and the work of the technical committees.

On the proposed creation of an effective mechanism for direct military contacts between the two sides and interested parties, the Council calls for its timely implementation and encourages the sides to become involved.

The proposal was made by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar in May. The Security Council also requests updates from the leaders of the two communities.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.

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NEW DHEKELIA SBA POLICE CHIEF ARRIVES DURING LOCKDOWN

in-cyprus 27 July 2020 - by Annie Charalambous

After enjoying a successful 30-year career working as a police officer in the Northamptonshire Police, new Dhekelia Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Sean Bell, has taken over his duties in Cyprus during lockdown.

But after arriving in Cyprus to be greeted by two weeks self-isolation and a subsequent island-wide lockdown as a result of COVID-19, it hasn’t been the smoothest of transitions for the North Wales born officer, a press release on Monday also said.

Face to face meetings with his staff were replaced by video calls on Skype and whilst not being the ideal way to meet his new team, the divisional commander explained it did have its benefits.

“It was not ideal obviously, but at the very least, I was able to jump on to the morning briefs and meet my team that way and that was far more useful than having 14 days locked away with nothing to do but unpack.”

For many new members of the Bases community, arriving in Cyprus can feel like a huge culture shift but for the vastly experienced veteran, who’s duties have previously included managing the policing at the world-famous Silverstone Grand Prix – which saw more than 300,000 people go through its gates on race weekend – Cyprus feels more like a home away from home.

He explained: “My family and I have visited Cyprus between seven and eight times previously, so we know the island very well indeed. We love the people, we love the culture, the weather obviously and the food, so I was delighted to be able to continue my policing career out here in the SBAs.”

Chief Superintendent Bell’s previous visits to Cyprus have taken him more frequently to the Paphos region, so he is now keen to sample what Dhekelia has to offer, both professionally and personally.

“From a working perspective, this is a very different challenge to what I have experienced before,” he continued. “The ESBA has a number of policing issues which I have not faced in my career before, bird trapping for example is one.

“I must admit, my knowledge of the subject was very limited prior to looking into the job but I have made a point of increasing that since I knew I would be coming here.

“The Administration and the officers here have been working extremely hard in getting the problem under control and I can see that they have done an amazing job in tackling it.

“We need to make sure we do not let up, the problem clearly still exists and we must make sure we don’t take our foot of the pedal and continue with the great work that has been done previously to eliminate the problem.”

Now the divisional commander has been able to firmly establish himself in the ESBA after the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, he said he looks forward to meeting more members of the community he serves and working alongside his “professional team of officers”.

“As a divisional commander, I hope I can bring my experience of working in the UK for the past 30 years to the team here and share as much of my knowledge as I can. The officers I have working here have already impressed me with their work ethic and attitude and I am looking forward to working alongside them.

“I am also excited to meet more members of the SBA community, those living in the villages and the community leaders who we liaise with regularly. This job is all about community policing and I want to make sure we continue to have a close working relationship with all of them.”

 

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FLORIDA RECORDS 9,300 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES, BLOWS PAST NEW YORK

in-cyprus 27 July 2020 - by Annie Charalambous

Florida on Sunday became the second state after California to overtake New York, the worst-hit state at the start of the U.S. novel coronavirus outbreak, according to a Reuters tally.

Total COVID-19 cases in the Sunshine State rose by 9,300 to 423,855 on Sunday, just one place behind California, which now leads the country with 448,497 cases. New York is in third place with 415,827 cases.

Still, New York has recorded the most deaths of any U.S. state at more than 32,000 with Florida in eighth place with nearly 6,000 deaths.

On average, Florida has added more than 10,000 cases a day in July while California has been adding 8,300 cases a day and New York has been adding 700 cases.

The surge in Florida has continued as the state’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has repeatedly said he will not make mask-wearing mandatory and that schools must reopen in August.

On the contrary, New York state has managed to get the virus under control, with stores and restaurants shuttered and the wearing of masks mandatory.

The rise in cases also comes as President Donald Trump is pushing to re-open U.S. schools in the fall, despite teachers’ and families’ concerns that children could contract or transmit the disease should they return to the classroom.

After New York, Texas has the most total coronavirus cases at 391,000. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Tropical Storm Hanna, which made landfall on Saturday as a Category 1 hurricane, was especially challenging as it was sweeping through an area of the state that has been the worst hit by the coronavirus.

For the tenth time in July, Alaska set a record for a one-day rise in cases, with 234 new infections on Sunday, bringing the state’s total to 3,100. Oklahoma hit a record for new cases five times in July, with 1,204 new infections on Sunday bringing the state’s total to 31,285. More than 146,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 – nearly a quarter of the global total — and there are nearly 4.2 million confirmed cases in the country, or at least 1 in 79 people have been infected.

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MONDAY JULY 27 - CORONAVIRUS GLOBAL UPDATE

in-cyprus 27 July 2020 - by Josephine Koumettou

Last updated: 26/07/2020 18:59

Just as European summer tourism was reviving, Spain has been hit by a rise in coronavirus cases and several European countries are taking steps to stop their citizens bringing the illness home, including Britain, which imposed a 14-day quarantine on travellers from Spain this weekend.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, click here.

EUROPE

* Spain is safe for tourists and Spaniards, the government insisted on Sunday after Britain abruptly imposed a two-week quarantine on travellers returning from there, a decision that filled holidaymakers with dismay.

* Spain’s COVID-19 death toll could be nearly 60% higher than the official figure of 28,432, according to an investigation by El Pais newspaper published on Sunday.

AMERICAS

* President Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans in the Senate are set to unveil a $1 trillion U.S. coronavirus relief bill on Monday that includes reduced federal unemployment benefits, with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin saying he believes they can work with Democrats to move quickly on the legislation.

* Coronavirus cases in Latin America for the first time have surpassed the combined infections in the United States and Canada, a Reuters tally showed on Sunday, amid a surge of infections in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Argentina.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Australia reached a grim milestone, recording its highest ever daily tally of coronavirus deaths, as authorities in Victoria state battled scores of clusters of infection and intensified efforts to trace their contacts.

* Vietnam reintroduced social distancing measures in the central city of Danang after the country reported four locally transmitted coronavirus cases over the past two days.

* Taiwan resumed an island-hopping ocean cruise on Sunday, joining a handful of places in the world to restart voyages after the pandemic brought the industry to a virtual standstill.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged people on Saturday to observe health protocols and practice social distancing during upcoming Muslim festivities, as a health official said there had been a surge in coronavirus infections in a major holy city.

* The number of people to test positive for coronavirus in Israel topped 60,000 on Saturday as the government struggles to contain a resurgence in infection rates.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* Moderna Inc said on Sunday it has received an additional $472 million from the U.S. government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support development of its coronavirus vaccine.

* People who are obese or overweight are at increased risk of death or severe illness from COVID-19, a report by Public Health England (PHE) said on Saturday as the government prepares to introduce measures to confront the problem.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* A pick-up in leisure trips and easing European travel restrictions are driving demand for business jet flights this summer, fueling cautious hopes for a rebound in an industry hit hard by the pandemic, executives and forecasters said.

* South Africa has doubled to six months the term of loans to small and medium-sized businesses to help them survive the COVID-19 recession and made other changes to make the credit easier to access, the treasury said on Sunday.

(Reuters)

Pictured: A health worker gets the temperature of residents at the area of a newly found coronavirus infected patient in Da Nang city, Vietnam July 26, 2020. Quoc Dung/VNA via REUTERS

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Seung Min Kim

Seung Min Kim

Competition Fall 2019