Bank of Cyprus: maintaining a leading role in the environmental, social and governance pillars
Bank of Cyprus is focusing its efforts on fighting climate change, which is the biggest challenge that humanity faces.
Europe
For Öcalan who insists on…
Abdullah Öcalan, the Kurdish leader, has been in solitary confinement on Imrali island since 1999, with no communication since March 2021. Despite his efforts for peace in the Middle East, European leaders remain silent on his situation and human rights violations. Ibrahim Bilmez, Öcalan’s lawyer, urges Europe to recognize Öcalan’s efforts and demand his release to help bring peace to the region.
Russian stocks hit highest in over two years
Russia’s benchmark stock index reached its highest level since February 2022 on Monday, while the rouble also strengthened slightly against the U.S. dollar. The MOEX Russian index rose 0.9% to 3,361.5 points, the strongest since Feb. 24, 2022. The dollar-denominated RTS index also increased by 0.9% to 1,147.5 points. The rouble was 0.2% higher at 92.29 to the dollar. There are concerns of potential weakening in the rouble in the upcoming days due to the end of a favorable month-end tax period and possible demand for dollars and euros in the U.S. and Europe after Easter. The rouble also saw changes against the euro and yuan. Brent crude oil, a key export for Russia, dropped 0.3% to .71 a barrel.
Turkey election monitors say ‘more needs to be done’ to ensure freedom of expression
Turkey’s local elections were competitive, with the opposition winning a significant victory over President Erdogan’s AK Party. The elections were held in a polarized environment, raising concerns about freedom of expression. The Council of Europe called for more efforts to ensure a fair and democratic political and media environment in Turkey.
ELAM takes cues from Italian far-right during ECR gathering
The ECR Conference in Nicosia, promoted by ELAM, focused on immigration and criticized the European Union. ELAM aims to follow the model of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party. Delegations from 22 countries attended the conference, discussing challenges facing Europe. Marinos Sizopoulos of EDEK warned of “genocidal plans brewing” and emphasized the need for a democratic solution to the Cyprus issue.
Erdogan’s rival leads in Istanbul in high-stakes Turkey vote
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu led a challenger from President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party in local elections, potentially boosting the Turkish opposition. In Ankara, incumbent opposition mayor Mansur Yavas declared victory over his AK Party challenger. Violence erupted in some cities in eastern Turkey related to the election of neighborhood officials. Imamoglu had 50% support compared to 41.26% for AK Party challenger Murat Kurum. The CHP is leading nationwide by almost 39% of the votes. Analysts suggest that a poor showing for AKP could loosen Erdogan’s control of Turkey. Imamoglu’s win could signal potential change in Turkey’s political landscape.
Passport checks for air travellers lifted as Bulgaria and Romania join EU, ’s Schengen
Fact: Airports in Sofia and Bucharest have removed passport check points for those departing to or arriving from most European Union member states as Bulgaria and Romania partially joined the Schengen open-travel zone.
Xanthos Sarris. The “Eureka” of success!
Fact: Xanthos Sarris founded the EUREKA company in 1959 after discovering the potential of a whitening product.
British govt official attends Elam event
A serving member of the British government attended an event held by far-right party Elam.
Canada’s mild winter disrupts key ice road to remote Arctic diamond mines
An unusually warm winter in Canada has delayed the opening of a 400-kilometer ice road used by mining companies to access their diamond mines in the Arctic. The delay is the longest in recent years and is due to climate change and the El Nino climate pattern. The warm winter could risk an early closure of the ice road, impacting the transportation of goods to the mines. The lack of infrastructure in the region is a challenge, and mining companies are pushing for a mega infrastructure project to unlock the mineral riches in the area.