Thanasis Nicolaou , ‘feared for his life’ in army camp, court hears
Fact: Thanasis Nicolaou was found dead under Alassa bridge in September 2005, and his death was ruled as a suicide by a forensic pathologist.
investigation
National guardsman Thanasis Nicolaou was strangled, judge rules (Update 4)
Fact: The death of national guardsman Thanasis Nicolaou in 2005 was ruled as a result of strangulation and not suicide by a judge.
Man arrested for defrauding elderly woman
Fact: A 61-year-old man was arrested in connection with a telephone scam where an 83-year-old woman lost €650.
Child arrested for string of burglaries
A 16-year-old child was arrested in connection with a string of break-ins, thefts, car thefts, and cases of vandalism in Nicosia. The child admitted to committing the crimes he is accused of and confessed to three other burglaries and thefts that police had not yet connected him to.
Cyprus contributes to busting EU cryptocurrency scam
Fact: Cyprus played a crucial role in busting an Austrian cryptocurrency scam that resulted in six arrests across three EU countries.
Austrians arrested in Cyprus for international cryptocurrency scam
Six Austrians have been arrested in Austria, Cyprus, and Czechia for an online cryptocurrency scam involving a fraudulent initial coin offering (ICO) in December 2017. Authorities seized over €500,000 in cryptocurrency, €250,000 in fiat currency, two cars, and a luxury property worth €1.4 million. The scammers posed as a legitimate trading company offering a new cryptocurrency and defrauded investors before disappearing in February 2018. Europol and Eurojust supported the investigation, with Europol providing analytical support and deploying a specialist to Cyprus, and Eurojust setting up a coordination centre for real-time communication among participating authorities.
Agios Sylas fire under control, but authorities on alert due to strong winds
Firefighters have managed to control a wildfire that broke out in the Agios Sylas industrial area of Limassol, burning through approximately six square kilometers of land. Strong winds forecasted for the following day could still pose a challenge to their efforts. The threat of rekindling remains high, and firefighting forces are working through the night to secure the area. Additional resources have been mobilized, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
High-profile suspects back in court over fake diploma scandal
– Two high-profile suspects in the north’s fake diploma scandal appeared in court in Morphou.
– Serdal Gunduz threatened the university’s vice rector and forced him to sign degree certificates obtained through illegal means.
– Gunduz holds residence permits in Greece and Russia, making him a flight risk.
– Sefa Karahasan’s degree certificate was signed by someone other than the university’s rector.
– Karahasan was given a 100,000TL bail with two guarantors.
– Opposition party CHP deputy leader criticized the government for appointing Karahasan as TRT’s Cyprus correspondent.
– The fake diploma scandal involved multiple high-profile figures in the north’s education system.
– Turkey’s higher education council announced intentions to prepare a report on the state of the north’s education system.
– Former ‘education minister’ Kemal Durust was arrested for fraudulently obtaining money and his wife was arrested for receiving a fake diploma.
Hope fades for 44 trapped in collapsed South Africa building
44 construction workers are trapped under a collapsed building in George, South Africa. 8 people have been confirmed dead, 29 are alive, and 16 are in critical condition. Rescue efforts are ongoing with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs being used. President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an investigation into the causes of the collapse.
Saint Habakkuk monks sue Church over unpaid wages
Three monks from the Habakkuk Monastery have taken legal action against the Church of Cyprus for failing to pay their salaries. Despite sending a letter demanding payment, the Church did not respond, leading the monks to file private criminal cases at the Nicosia District Court. The monks are seeking redress through the legal system to secure their rightful earnings, as they have no other means of support. The first court appearance is expected to be scheduled soon, giving the Church an opportunity to respond to the allegations.