CyprusScene.com

Hello, my friends, New Year is just arriving and we have been working hard and are bringing a larger online e-newspaper for your enjoyment and, we looking forward to publishing more news and reviews from Northern Cyprus in the coming year. I am still planning to make CyprusScene more effective in its quest to support the TRNC and drive for Recognition so those interested in helping me and CyprusScene, please email me at kyreniacommentator@cyprusscene.com We thank our contributors for their continued support in helping make CyprusScene an interesting and entertaining publication and we look forward to receiving more news and reviews as early as possible so we can share them with our readers and followers worldwide. Issue 274 is now complete and you can download your free PDF file of this week’s e-newspaper by clicking below: For those readers who wish to read past news and reviews from our wide selection of e-newspapers, please click below in the listing to make your selection. Chri...

Already a great many nests are here! Pine Processionary Caterpillars are already forming lots of nests in the Pine trees of the northern slopes of the Kyrenia mountains. Nests normally form in the new year and processions of caterpillars traditionally begin in late spring but Researchers have identified that climate change across southern Europe is responsible for these creatures developing much earlier.   The pine processionary is a moth of the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae in the family Notodontidae, known for the irritating hairs of its caterpillars, their processions, and the economic damage they cause in coniferous forests. Source: Wikipedia As many will know, these caterpillars destroy Pine trees by eating the Pine needles and thus preventing photo-synthesis. In extreme cases this can kill whole trees. The concern that all dog owners and parents of small children have is that when the caterpillars start their processions  the tiny hairs that cover their bodies can cause a sever...

By Richard Beale…. With myself having a rare Saturday afternoon off, I scanned the local football fixtures and was surprised to see a match being played at Tatlısu, in fact on paper an exciting match in prospect “ a “local Derby” between the League leaders Dipkarpaz and their rival 3rd place Yenierenköy. Why the match was being played at a neutral venue I do not know maybe Dipkarpaz Stadium cannot be used for disciplinary reasons or its not suitable for football. Result: NORTHERLAND DİPKARPAZ SK 3 ZELLA ESTATE YENIERENKÖY 1  Saturday December 30; Digiturk BTM League 1 Red Group : Tatlısu Rauf Raif Denktaş Stadium. I was expecting a large crowd, the stands to be decked out with the two teams colours, I expected a noisy atmosphere between these local rivals. I was hugely disappointed a smallish crowd and in the first half the football failed to ignite as well. There were plenty of effort and commitment from both sides but goal chances were minimal. In the 15th minute I thought ...

Readers mail …. From Susie L Ford ….. Quiz mistress …. Hello Readers, Who could believe it was the last quiz of the year ALREADY - where has 2023 gone? So all of the local quizzers that could make, it gathered at our quiz venue the Diiva Restaurant in Esentepe on Thursday 28th December 2023 where the atmosphere was fantastic and it was warm and full of quizzers! The rounds were Easy 5, Danger Zone, Music Round, Tabletop, The Letter Round which this week was Water-related trivia, and Bump. Multiple Choice and EBP! The results were: - 1st         Here’s Johnny - 2nd       Dunne and Dusted - 3rd        Who Let The Dogs Out - 4th        Joint - Shebells and the Fork Handles - And the Famous Lemon went to the Foundations! We also held our End of Year presentation for the Quizzers 2023 who were! 1st        Dunne and  Dusted 2nd      The Shebells 3rd       Here’s Johnny The Clueless lemons certificate went to IBO - may he rest in peace and we will go an...

By Chris Elliott…. What’s worse than drip, drip which springs into running water and you stand there looking at the roof thinking what do I do now? In my youth, I had done some home plumbing but now in later years, I had no wish to try and clamber on the roof of a building to try and fix the leak. My late partner Margaret had used Abuzer Biçer Cyprus Plumber from Catalkoy for a few jobs so I gave him a call and he was quick to visit me and soon fixed a small but for me, a major problem so I was a happy bunny again. Looking at his Facebook page he has a wide range of services or products he can provide and is well worthwhile contact for anybody with a plumbing problem. https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/30/thank-you-to-abuzer-bicer-cyprus-plumber-for-helping-me/

By Richard Beale…. Was it too many Christmas Pud, maybe it was too warm of an afternoon, a large playing area or was it simply that Binatlı were the better team and wanted to win it more? I was told that this was by far Binatlı’s best performance of the season and I can tell you this was Esentepe's worst performance of the season. Result: BİNATLI YSK 2 ESENTEPE KKSK 1 Thursday December 29, 2023 ; AKSA League 1: Güzelyurt Üner Berkalp Stadium. Weather: Warm and sunny. A long journey to Güzelyurt is even longer when you lose and your team plays poorly. Still around 20 plus and 8 ex-pats turned out to support the team, and being a work day the attendance was low maybe no more than 100 people inside the large stadium so there was no atmosphere. The home team looked “pumped up” straightaway whereas Esentepe looked nervous especially at the back making individual errors notably when trying to play the ball from a goal kick Ala Premiership etc. After only 5 minutes a cross from the righ...

Readers mail.... From Peter Campbell… On completion of my tour of duty in Royal Air Force (RAF) Germany in December 1982, I was posted to RAF Chivenor in North Devon and took up my post in January 1983. I was due to retire from the RAF in December 1987, and there was a possibility that I may be invited to extend beyond that time due to a shortage of Engineering Officers in the RAF. So, Pam and I started looking at the possibility of buying a house in the area and planning our future here. However, on one fateful Wednesday evening in April, I went for a drink in the Station Water Sports Club on the far edge of the airfield, here I overheard a conversation about two RAF Officers who were going to take early retirement and set up a holiday sailing business in North Cyprus, I had taken up sailing as a hobby during my tour of duty in Singapore at RAF Changi in the mid 60’s and had become quite proficient at the sport, I had achieved the Royal Yachting Association position of Coach/Exami...

Readers mail…. From Steve Collard….CESV/112…. Our CESV/112, Civil Emergency Service Volunteers group has a WhatsApp page for our members where we can communicate and discuss our ongoing projects but from time to time members raise urgent issues where help is needed. Recently one of our members posted a copy of a driving licence of a man who was in the Lefkoşa State Hospital where they were trying to locate his relatives or friends as he had no other means of identification with him. Over the years the CESV/112 group has been involved in many incidents where people have gone missing and we have been involved in coordinated searches but also we have had many requests for help to identify people and this past year alone we have had 4 cases and in the latest one we were able to find and share more information about him. Now we are all concerned for our privacy and possible miss use of our private information and anybody that has a passport knows that in the back is a page where you...

  Readers mail…. From Steve Collard….CESV/112….. Last month we carried out further CESV/112 training when we gave training to children aged 4-5 at the Alternative Nature Time school in Lefkoşa and the CQUALS French school on Girne. We gave basic first aid training and explained to the children what to do in an emergency and who to call together with Emergency telephone numbers. We then allowed them to put plasters on the Resus dummies and we also attended the English School of Kyrenia sports day where we demonstrated various injuries with loads of hypochondriac kids all claiming they had major injuries and wanting to be treated. LOL More courses are planned for 2024 and. thank you for your support and we hope you had a Merry Christmas and send our best wishes for a Happy New Year. Regards Steve   https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/29/more-cesv-112-training-for-children-and-how-to-care-for-others/

Readers mail… From Susie L Ford… We had a really nice ending to the year 2023 at the Moonshine Restaurant in Esentepe on Tuesday 26th December with SuMart’s Karaoke with friends old and new singing their hearts out, bless them! I would like to just a quick thank you to all our singers who have joined us this year at our Karaoke events and a big thank you to Cuma Kaya, Furkan and Mehmet Bilir and the Moonshine team for their brilliant service, great food, and hospitality!  We will return with Karaoke on Tuesday 2nd of January 2024 at  8.00 pm and don’t forget we are starting Bingo on Wednesday the 3rd, January at 2.00 pm. Please remember to book your places and bring your pens and some change if you can please Happy New Year Moonshine SUSIE Q and MARTIN  Please go to my Facebook page to see more pictures and news of entertainment events.                                         https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/28/sumarts-26th-december-karaoke-at-the-moonshine-restaurant/

Reader's Humour Mail from A.A.Wisley Facing a worldwide woke-storm, as a result of allowing an androgynous pixie-like person to wear the Crown of the most beautiful French human-person, the competition organisers have conducted a re-run.  Competitors were limited to women, men who thought they were women, women who thought they were women, anyone who had met a woman and hedgehogs who declared themselves to be transgender women (either way). The jury, composed of leaders from the "NotHer" movement, Brickwall, Free Willies and LGBRXSZ+3 unanimously selected a replacement winner. (S)he wins a lifetime's supply of  Veet and oestrogen cream.  The winner was not a hedgehog and the result is being appealed by the Droits des Animaux movement. Source (French): La Sauce Bearnaise https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/27/miss-france-2023-part-2/

The 'Children's Art Course,' conducted by instructor Şenol Özdevrim as part of the Girne Municipality Culture & Art Courses, has commenced its new term activities. Held every Saturday between 10:00 and 12:00 at the Girne Municipality Culture Centre, the event provides art education to students aged 5-13.  This special course aims to introduce children to the world of art and enhance their creativity. Students will have the opportunity to discover and improve their talents in the field of art and to express themselves through painting, handicrafts, clay work, and other artistic activities. To apply for the course, those interested can contact the Girne Municipality Culture and Art Department via the email address 'kultursanat.girnebelediyesi@gmail.com' or by calling 0392 650 0100 or 0533 849 89 47. The education will continue throughout the year, providing participants with an environment to enhance their artistic abilities and gain new experiences. Source (T...

Girne Municipality organized its second Christmas Bazaar event last weekend, following the first one held on December 16-17. The event started on Saturday, December 23, at 11:00 in Ramadan Cemil Square. The activities began as soon as the booths opened and continued with Santa Claus distributing gifts at 14:00. The event featured a performance by the 'Family Band Cyprus' at 16:00 and continued with Nice Kabeya's Christmas songs at 19:00, concluding at 20:00. The Bazaar continued on Sunday, December 24, starting again at 11:00 in Ramadan Cemil Square. After the opening of the booths, Santa Claus distributed more gifts at 14:00, followed by a dance performance by 'Kyrenia Tango Argentino' at 15:00. The day continued with a performance by 'Serdar Tui̇ksal Quintet' at 16:00. Throughout the event, food and beverage stalls, as well as gift shops, welcomed visitors. Balloon distribution and face painting activities for children were also organized. End-Of-Year Walk...

Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) has published the first issue of ARUCAD Journal, an academic publication focusing on art, design, communication, music, and performing arts. The digital publication aims to provide an innovative platform for researchers, academics, and practitioners to share innovative research, critical analyses, and creative works in their respective fields. ARUCAD Journal will focus on a broad range of topics, including architecture, interior design and environmental design, industrial design, visual arts, graphic design, advertising, film, photography, theatre, dance, and music. The publication aims to play a key role in reflecting the complex interactions between different creative disciplines by promoting collaboration among them. With a focus on the impact of cultural factors on theory and practice, ARUCAD Journal plans to be published annually, encouraging the transfer of knowledge between academia and industry professionals. The first i...

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Öncü Keçeli, responded to a question regarding the “Maritime Spatial Planning” approved by the Council of Ministers of the Greek Cypriot Administration on 20 December 2023. According to the written statement of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Keçeli pointed out that the areas specified in the “Maritime Spatial Planning”, which is based on a European Union directive and is prepared by all member states, violates the rights of both Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Keçeli also reminded that Türkiye has registered the outer limits of its continental shelf in the Mediterranean to the United Nations as early as 2004 and most recently in 2020. Source: TRNC Public Information Office   https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/27/trnc-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-slams-maritime-spatial-planning/

The Girne Municipality Theatre Groups staged two different plays simultaneously in two cities. On December 23 and 24, at Girne Municipality Chamber Theatre, the children's play titled 'Kar Kraliçesi' (Snow Queen), was performed in Russian and received great acclaim. Meanwhile, 'Mozart ve Salieri,' staged at Güzelyurt AKM, earned full marks from the audience. 'Mozart ve Salieri' was performed as part of the 'Bekir Kara 19th Theatre Days,' which Güzelyurt Municipality is presenting between November 2023 and March 2024. The play, written by Russian author Aleksandr Pushkin and directed by Ufuk Aydoğan, was watched by Güzelyurt Mayor, Mahmut Özçınar, Municipal Council Members, and theatre enthusiasts. At the end of the play, Güzelyurt Mayor, Mahmut Özçınar, presented a plaque to director Ufuk Aydoğan to commemorate the night. Source (Turkish): Girne Municipality https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/26/girne-municipality-theatre-group-plays-staged-in-guzelyurt...

By Richard Beale…. It took until injury time for Esentepe to finally secure the 3 points to dispatch 4th place Çanakkale and celebrate an early Christmas present in the last home match of the year. Result: ESENTEPE KKSK 3 DEMS. CONS ÇANAKKALE TSK 0 Saturday December 23, 2023 ; AKSA League 1 ; Esentepe Erdal Barut Stadium Weather ; Cold, Sunny occasional cloud. Shame the last home game of the year, resulted in a disappointing crowd, very few making the journey from Famagusta but at least there was a good ex pat turnout again. Esentepe in second place, Çanakkale in 4th place, Esentepe though not at their best, their togetherness, team spirit and hard work overcame a very disappointing Çanakkale side. The visitors rarely troubled Osman in the home goal, who really only had to deal with a couple of crosses. Despite taking an early lead, Esentepe did not make the game safe until injury time, the visitors though limited in their opportunities still could have snatched an equalise...

A remembrance ceremony was held yesterday 25th December 2023 for the martyrs of Küçük Kaymaklı and Martyr Hüseyin Ruso. During the speech given at the ceremony, President Ersin Tatar pointed out to the rightful fight given by the Turkish Cypriot people against the cruel attacks carried out by the Greek Cypriots in order to realise ENOSİS in line with the Akritas Plan. Tatar expressed that the Turkish Cypriots lived under difficult circumstances including cruelty until the Peace Operation in 1974 and that the noble struggle of the Turkish Cypriots took its place in history as an important page. One of the symbolic names of our struggle for existence, Physical Education teacher Hüseyin Ruso, was killed in 1953 as a result of the attacks carried out by Greek Cypriots while he was trying to ensure that the civilians could be taken to Hamitköy safely. Source: TRNC Public Information Office https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/26/martyrs-of-kucuk-kaymakli-and-martyr-huseyin-ruso-remembere...

By Richard Beale…. 3 matches, 3 defeats a very rare occurrence for the Esentepe youngsters, as the wheels have seen to come off the Esentepe wagon. Results: ESENTEPE KKSK U21 0 DEMS.CON. ÇANAKKALE TSK U21 1 A lone goal by ÖZEL DEMİRİZ in the 8th minute condemned Esentepe to a third straight defeat. Esentepe good start to the season have gone off the rails in recent matches, confidence has drained from the side. This is mainly due to injuries to the team Atakan, Kaya, and Ibrahim all missing. The only goal was scored by ÖZEL through his shot beating goalkeeper Can but appeared to get stuck on the goal line in the mud, Ahmet managed to prevent the ball from crossing the line but the ball rebounded to Özel to score. Esentepe were well off their game rarely threatening as both teams struggled to cope with the tacky surface after overnight and early morning rain. Esentepe had their best spell of the match in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. In the 49th minute a clever ...

The martyrs of Türkeli (Ayvasıl) were commemorated with a ceremony held in Lefkoşa Tekke Garden. The ceremony was attended by President Ersin Tatar, the Speaker of the TRNC Assembly Zorlu Töre, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, President of the Supreme Court Narin Ferdi Şefik, the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Lefkoşa Metin Feyzioğlu, Commander of the Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus Major General Sebahattin Kılınç, Commander of the Cyprus Turkish Security Forces Major General Osman Aytaç, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, representatives from combatant associations, military officers and relatives of martyrs. In addition to President Ersin Tatar, President of the Martyrs' Families and War Veterans' Association Gürsel Benan also made a speech at the ceremony.Source: TRNC Public Information Office https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/25/2023-ayvasil-martyrs-commemoration/

The martyrs who were killed in the Greek-Greek Cypriots attacks on 24th December 1963 in the Kumsal district of Lefkoşa were commemorated on 24th December at the Museum of Barbarism Martyrdom.  In his speech at the ceremony, TRNC President Ersin Tatar stated that a barbarism that is rare in the history was experienced 60 years ago. He noted that Mürüvvet İlhan, the first wife of Major İlhan, and his children Kutsi, Murat and Hakan were among the Kumsal martyrs who were barbarously murdered 60 years ago, and drew attention that the main purpose was to destroy the Turkish Cypriot people and to annex the island to Greece within the framework of the Akritas plan.  President Tatar said that the Turkish Cypriot people, the founding partner of the Republic of Cyprus, stood firm against all this violence and struggled to maintain its existence on the basis of sovereignty.  Source: TRNC Public Information Office https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/25/lefkosa-kumsal-martyrs-commemorated/

I wish all our Christian friends a Merry Christmas. May this auspicious occasion further the spirit of solidarity, peace, and cooperation between nations and peoples. Christmas is a poignant time of reflection, carrying out good deeds, and visiting and remembering loved ones. I wish to reiterate my upmost appreciation to the expat communities of our country for their impeccable work across different areas and charities. May Christmas bring blessings, good health, and prosperity for all. Source: PRESIDENCY OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHER CYPRUS https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/25/trnc-president-ersin-tatars-2023-christmas-message/

Yes thank you Multimax for all of your help and getting me back on line early Christmas Day which was a great present and I wish you all Mutlu Yillar By Chris Elliott…. We live in a world now where we just accept that we can communicate with anybody anywhere in the world so when you lose your internet connection you have a major problem and in my case as a publisher of news and reviews through CyprusScene for a worldwide readership, it’s a major issue. For my designing and publishing, I carry out this work using a PC and although I can still communicate on my mobile phone on a different internet link, this is just not suitable for designing and publishing on CyprusScene so when my PC signal goes down it’s a major problem. Of course, our use of the internet can be interrupted partially or completely for short periods but a major outage in my case is a real issue. On Friday last in the late afternoon my internet access disappeared so I called Multimax my Internet Service Provid...

Readers mail …. From Susie L Ford ….. Quiz mistress …. Hello Readers, We had a banging good night at Diiva Restaurant in Esentepe for Susie's Christmas Quiz on Thursday 21st December with a full house where we had lots of lots of quizzers in wonderful outfits including Santa’s jumpers, tinsel, and bright colours and to cap it all there was lots of laughter and banter as always! The rounds were all to do with Christmas of course and consisted of, Easy 5, Multiple Choice, Guess What I Am game, 2 Table Tops, Music Round, Danger Zone, and Bump & EBP! The results were: 1st           Frosty’s  Force 2nd         We  Noel  It All 3rd          Tinsel Tits 4th          The Grinch Gang 5th          Sugar Plum  Fairies 6th          Naughty  Nutcrackers 7th         Candy Cane  Crushers And Susie’s Famous Christmas Lemon went to Lil Drummer Dudes! Thank you all for joining us and to Kate Bell and Malcolm Gannaway for all their much-appreciated help. Also...

  Girne Mayor Murat Şenkul, along with Municipal Council Members and local neighbourhood heads, attended the New Year's dinner where Mayor Şenkul chatted with everyone and individually wished a happy new year to all members. During his speech at the dinner, Girne Mayor Murat Şenkul said, "I wish everyone a happy and peaceful year. Our biggest wish is to organize these events not with decreasing numbers but increasing every year. Organizing such events as Girne Municipality is not a favour but our debt to you," thanking everyone who participated. Approximately 500 members who attended the dinner had a great day, enjoying themselves to the fullest. Source (Turkish): Girne Municipality https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/21/girne-municipality-second-springs-new-years-dinner/

By Chris Elliott… I published an article thanking Pit Stop from Çatalköy for coming to my home and repairing a flat tyre on my car and I suspect it had been caused by the viscous thorns on the Bougainvillea cuttings dumped in front of my car click here Today 24 hours after publishing my article, I see that the dumped garden rubbish in front of my home has been removed and the road cleaned and made tidy by I don’t know who, but seeing marks on the road made by perhaps a mechanical device, this may have been the Girne Municipality, if so, then congratulations for caring for our environment and quickly removing garden rubbish dumped by others. https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/21/thank-you-for-clearing-away-dumped-garden-rubbish/

The table tennis championship organized by the Northern Cyprus University Sports Federation (KKÜSF) and held recently at their Federation Hall has concluded. In the ladies' competition, with the Arkın University of Creative Arts and Design (ARUCAD) ladies' team emerged as champions.  The ARUCAD men's team did not quite match the ladies but took an honourable third place on the winner's podium. Source (Turkish): Arkın University of Creative Arts and Design (Arucad) https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/21/arucad-ladies-are-table-tennis-champions/

The Public Service Commission attended the '2nd Istanbul Human Resources Forum’ and the Workshop for the Establishment of the “Turkic World Human Resources Development Institute” within the framework of the OTS. Permanent members Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and observer members Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkmenistan were invited to the 2nd Istanbul Human Resources Forum, which was organised by the Human Resources Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye on 14 December 2023 in Istanbul with the theme of "Society 5.0". Source: TRNC Public Information Office https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/20/psb-attends-2nd-istanbul-human-resources-forum/

The Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (TCCC) attended the 39th General Assembly of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCIA) held in Doha, the capital of Qatar. According to the information provided by the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, evaluations were made regarding the opportunities for trade and economic cooperation among Islamic countries at the General Assembly held with the participation of the heads of business organizations of 28 countries. Within the scope of the General Assembly activities, a Cooperation Protocol was signed between the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organization of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASK) as the Azerbaijan representative and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce. TCCC delegation also made a presentation on investment opportunities in Northern Cyprus within the context of the 39th General Assembly of ICCIA. Source: TRNC Public Information Office https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/20/tccc-attends-the-general-a...

Following the decision of the Council of Ministers, published in the Official Gazette on December 14, prohibiting heavy vehicles from traveling east-west on Semih Sancar Street, in Girne  between 16:30 and 19:00, the first checks were carried out on Tuesday, December 19.  The inspections, conducted in collaboration between Girne Police Department Traffic teams and Girne Municipality Traffic Supervision teams, resulted in fines issued to 2 vehicles. According to the statement made by Girne Municipality, regular inspections will be carried out to enforce the regulation with the aim of relieving traffic flow on Semih Sancar Street during busy hours, covering a two-and-a-half-hour period. Fines of 1x the Minimum Wage Girne Municipality emphasized that it is forbidden for heavy vehicles (trucks, lorries, construction machinery, etc.) to be on the route from the New Harbour lights to the municipal building between 16:30 and 19:00, and drivers who do not comply with this rule will be subjec...

By Chris Elliott…. Last week after finishing our online CyprusScene.com e-newspaper I decided to treat myself with some challenges and went to my car to go to my archery club but as I attempted to drive away my steering was shuddering so I had to go back again into my small parking place. So what was the problem? I had a flat nearside front tyre which was unexpected as I had had 4 new tyres fitted some weeks ago by Pit Stop, Çatalköy and as it was too dark to think about changing the tyre instead of going to archery, I had to make do with watching TV. Early Saturday I went out to my car and as I was getting the spare wheel and tools out of the car my neighbour who was passing kindly helped me change the wheel but sadly the spare tyre was under inflated so I was not willing to drive my car. So what do I do know, simply I made a phone call and followed up with a WhatsApp message to Pit Stop telling them about my problem and they said a man is coming in 20 minutes. Sure enough, ...

Reader's Mail from A.A.Wisley The other day, pottering along the Old Coast Road, now little more than a potholed track, I heard the sound of a car rapidly approaching me from around the bend. It appeared suddenly sweeping past me in a blur of red metalwork. I thought to myself, “That was just like Mr Toad, in his red Rolls-Royce, whizzing around narrow country lanes at top speed.” Whilst Mr Toad did have a number of crashes and encounters with the police, he did employ a frequently used safety device; one which now seems to be coming back into fashion. In his day there were no airbags but these are only of any use if you do have an accident. What Mr Toad used was something intended to avoid accidents. It worked by emitting a series of pulses of compressed air travelling at more than 500 mph which, he hoped, would cause any approaching vehicle or pedestrian to scatter to one side. It is called a horn. Today the self-important red SUV driver will blast his horn, as he approach...

Readers mail…. From Ralph Kratzer (TFR)…. I would like to share with your readers some news we recently sent to our members. Dear members of TFR! The year 2023 is drawing to an end but we are already planning for 2024! First of all, our annual Glühwein / Mulled Wine event last Friday was again a full success... thank you, all members who contributed home-made goodies which were all delicious! At their weekly get-together at BlueSong restaurant in Lapta, TFR -The Foreign Residents in the TRNC- made a donation of 22,000TL to Heartbeat Cancer Charity which will be used for equipment at the Children's Oncology Ward in Lefkoşa State Hospital. This included a contribution by Creditwest Bank Çatalköy. Pamela Tschersich, our Events Manager, and Richard "Brad" Bradley, acting as Santa Claus, presented the donation to Heartbeat Chairman Issy Atahasan and also present at the event was Joanne Hickey from Creditwest Bank. The money donated came from the proceeds of our...

President Ersin Tatar attended the state ceremony organised for the martyr Erdoğan Derviş, whose remains were found, identified and buried in the Tekke Garden Martyrdom through the efforts of the Committee on Missing Persons. In his speech at the ceremony, President Tatar emphasised the importance of the ceremony organised for martyr Erdoğan Derviş, not letting him be forgotten, noting down the struggle of the martyrs in history, and the respect shown to their families. Tatar expressed that Derviş lost his life at a young age for the just struggle of the Turkish Cypriots. Stating that the Turkish Cypriots suffered a lot prior to 1974 and hundreds of people lost their lives, President Tatar thanked the Committee on Missing Persons for their efforts. Source: TRNC Public Information Office https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/19/president-tatar-attends-state-ceremony-for-martyr-erdogan-dervis/

By Richard Beale, additional reporting by Malcolm Curtis…. A hard-fought away point for Esentepe, who was again not at their best but as they say “Win your home matches, draw your away matches, that’s promotion form “. Result ; MORMENEŞKE GBSK 1 ESENTEPE KKSK 1 Sunday December 17, 2023; AKSA League 1 : Cemal Balses Stadium. Weather; Mild sunny, occasional cloud. A huge crowd, a big Esentepe following, a very good turnout by the ex-pats, shame the match didn’t really ignite until the last 20 minutes. From an Esentepe point of view a good away point, as I keep saying not an easy place to come to and get anything. Esentepe were without striker Deniz KIbar who failed to recover from an injury his place being taken by Ali Avcısoyu. It was Ali who put in Esentepe's first effort in the 4th minute shooting a shot just past the left-hand post. Esentepe started brightly a deep free kick from Mahmut bounced high in the area where Semih headed a good chance straight at the goal...

The Municipality of Girne brought together local and foreign residents with the Christmas Bazaar event held on December 16-17. The event kicked off on Saturday, December 16, at 11:00 in Ramazan Cemil Square. The activities began with the opening of the stands and were enriched at 13:00 with the 'Kyrenia Tango Kyrenia' dance show. Santa Claus distributed gifts at 14:00, and at 15:00, the Niyal Öztürk Trio took the stage. The event continued throughout the day and concluded at 20:00 pm. The festivities continued on Sunday, December 17, starting again at 11:00 in Ramazan Cemil Square. Following the opening of the stands, the 'Girne Municipality Dance Academy' Spring Fairy dance show delighted the audience. Santa Claus distributed gifts again at 14:00, and at 15:00, the 'Family Band Cyprus' performed on stage. Throughout the event, food and beverage stalls, as well as gift shops, welcomed visitors, while balloon distribution and face painting activities were organiz...

President Ersin Tatar has inaugurated his photographic exhibition titled “Through the Lens of President Ersin Tatar” that is showcasing 50 unique photographs at the Near East University (NEU), İrfan Günsel Congress Centre Exhibition Hall in Lefkoşa.President Tatar and First Lady Sibel Tatar were joined at the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday 13th Decem,ber 2023 by NEU Founding Rector Suat Günsel, NEU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Presidential Administrative Department Director Osman Çağakan, Presidential Consultant and Political Affairs Director Halit Bağman,  advisors of the President, NEU officials, academics, students and many guests. Addressing the participants, President Tatar spoke about his passion for photography and said: “I remember from when I was of young age that I would snap photographs using my Kodac camera, then I would take the film to be processed, which would take 15 days. Only then would I find out how the photographs came out.” President Tatar said he has be...

Readers mail…. From Laurence Floyd... Hi everyone Firstly may I wish you all a very enjoyable festive season, and hope you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. I am pleased to be able to advise the dates for our Supper Club events scheduled for 2024, all of course in support of Tulips, and the wonderful work they do here in supporting Cancer sufferers. - Thursday March 21st - The world's No1 tribute to Frank Sinatra, Mr Stephen Triffitt. All details to follow soon - Wednesday June 26th - artists to be confirmed - Wednesday September 11th - Tina Turner show with Dancers Looking forward to seeing many of you in the New Year! Best regards Laurence   https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/18/supper-club-events-for-2024/

By Richard Beale….. The High-flying Esentepe Young Team were brought down to earth as they suffered their second successive defeat slipping down the table to 3rd place. Result ; MORMENEŞKE GBSK U21 2 ESENTEPE KKSK U21 1. Sunday December 17 ; AKSA League U21. Cemal Balses Stadium. It wasn't a great day for the Esentepe youngsters not only did they lose the match they also lost their Captain ATAKAN KAR after only 5 minutes with a serious shoulder injury. Atakan was taken to a Hospital in Famagusta where he will undergo surgery. We wish him all the best. Esentepe took the lead in the 22nd minute with a header from top scorer DURSUN ALI KARAL. Mormeneşke equalised from the penalty spot through ISMAIL ŞENGÜN in the 33rd minute. The winner also came from the penalty spot scored by HÜSEYİN AYNALI in the 70th minute. To see more pictures please visit my Facebook page https://cyprusscene.com/2023/12/18/the-esentepe-young-team-lose-again/