Front Page Headlines
They’re testing our patience and limits
The return of students and workers to schools and businesses with rapid tests or PCR.
- They openend ‘Limnes’: Chain of cases in ‘Pournara’
Confirmation from ‘Glafcos’
Crucial two months for energy with the results of the drill expected in March. The drill ship Stena Forth got to work.
- They’re only discussing two states
- Signatures for the raising of 600 ‘cheap’ homes
- Police requesting the prosecution of 5 people for the Al Jazeera video
- 585 migrants out of Pournara due to tens of coronavirus cases: Alarm at the centre in Kokkinotrimithia
It closed its ears to students, parents and educators regarding the four-monthly (exams)
OELMEK is threatening with strong measures.
- Bicommunal choir: The ‘maestro of peace’ Lena Melanidou died
- 600 migrants from ‘Pournara’ to ‘Limnes’
Weekly tests, also for double jabbed
Validity of SafePass for those who have already had virus cut to just three months.
- Over 600 migrants moved out of Pournara after Covid outbreak
Four-monthly exams will happen
Despite reactions. The Education Minister is not backing down. Parents and educators supporting students – Educators also warning of strong measures.
- We’re not making it, TCs are shouting: Poll confirms the tragic financial situation of the occupied areas
- Alarm: Tens of coronavirus cases at ‘Pournara’ too
Main News
Appraisal drilling underway at Glaucus-2
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Energy
OVERVIEW
Appraisal drilling has begun at the Glaucus-2 site in offshore block 10 of the island’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Ministry of Energy said Tuesday according to the dailies.
The exploration licence is held by the consortium of ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Cyprus (Offshore) Limited, and Qatar Petroleum International Upstream LLC.
Work at the site is being carried out by the Stena Forth drill ship.
In February 2019 ExxonMobil and partner Qatar Petroleum announced a discovery following the drilling of the Glaucus-1 well, with an estimated 5-8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The current appraisal, or follow-up, drilling will give a clearer picture of the reservoir’s resource potential.
Exxon’s drilling programme in block 10, which could include more exploratory drilling in 2022, will be conducted in an area neither claimed by Turkey nor licensed by the Turkish Cypriots.
Hundreds transferred from Pournara to Limnes due to Covid outbreak
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Authorities on Tuesday transferred around 600 migrants from an overcrowded reception centre in Kokkinotrimithia to a facility near Kofinou, in the district of Larnaca, after an outbreak of the coronavirus.
An Interior Ministry spokesperson said all those considered contacts of the cases detected in the previous days were being transported to Limnes to be quarantined in line with health protocols. Pournara continues to house some 2,000 migrants.
Over 80 infections had been reportedly detected at Pournara over the past few days. Those infected have been transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Larnaca.
Around 600 who were considered contacts were transported to Limnes on Tuesday morning using around 30 army trucks. Politis reports that Limnes was foreseen to be able to host around 600 people.
The facility at Limnes had been constructed to host migrants whose applications were rejected and were in the process of repatriation. It has been mostly empty since its competition a few months ago.
Haravgi reports that the living conditions are no better than Pournara, since recent winds have already destroyed four prefabricated houses built there. Moreover, the camp was refused EU funding after it was shown to not abide by necessary criteria, while health spaces in the camp are limited, the paper adds.
Bicommunal choir conductor dies
Cyprus Mail, Phileleftheros
CBMs
OVERVIEW
Condolences poured in from both sides of the divide for the death on Tuesday of the co-conductor of the Bicommunal Choir for Peace Lena Melanidou.
“We lost our conductor Lena Melanidou. We lost the sister, the friend, the soul of our choir,” the group said in a statement.
Melanidou was a founding member and co-conductor of the choir since 1998. She reportedly died in hospital from a serious health issue.
The choir’s other co-conductor Kursat Tilki in a message on social media said Melanidou was now “an angel of peace.” He said Melanidou would live on in the hearts and songs of the bicommunal choir which she called family.
AKEL bode farewell “to the maestro of peace”, saying her death was a huge loss for the cultural events of Cyprus but especially for the rapprochement movement. “Lena […] inspired dozens of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to sing the cause of peace and hope for the reunification of Cyprus,” the party said.
DISY too said Melanidou was a visionary “with a great contribution both to the cultural events of our country and to the efforts for the rapprochement of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.”