By Alix Norman

If there’s one time of the year when we really should be thinking about our health, it’s now. I write this sentence with utter sincerity as I sniffle over my keyboard, and it begins to occur to me that maybe my sporadic diet of peanut butter sandwiches snatched on the run is not really helping my health. What I should be eating is farm fresh, chemically free fruits and veggies. Exactly the stuff, in fact, that will be sold at the Heaven on Earth Christmas Farmers and Crafters Market this coming Saturday.

Organised by couple Caroline Evans and Clement Rhein, the market has been running for several months now, and is based on the premises of the Heaven on Earth Herb Garden in Pano Akourdaleia, a bit of a destination for the dietary discerning in itself. “The garden is based in the old schoolyard,” says Caroline who, as a trained herbalist, naturopath and nutrition consultant, manages the garden on a day-to-day basis. “We cultivate herbs, growing and harvesting them organically, there’s a working apothecary, and we distil essential oils and inform visitors of their uses. And we get a lot of groups coming up to enjoy our healthy teas, coffees and cakes in our café, enjoying the peace of the surroundings. It really is a beautiful place,” she adds. “The energy in the garden is simply amazing.” A vitality which, one imagines, will be even more exciting this coming Saturday at the Christmas Farmers and Crafters Market.

“The Farmers Market is all about going back to the roots of nature, keeping ourselves healthy through what we eat,” explains Clement who, as an osteopath, brings his vast expertise on health matters to the venture. “It’s an opportunity for the consumer to interact with the man behind the produce. You’re getting local foods grown in a natural environment, there’s no genetic modification so the quality is always great. And there’s a transparency which is all important: you know what you’re eating, and this is paramount in terms of your health.”

“We’ve got so far away from knowing where our food comes from,” Caroline continues. “And that’s why so many people get sick, lacking the nutrients they really need.” As an expert in the field, she’s able to explain how nature provides seasonal cures for our various ailments, and if we’re eating the right foods at the right times of the year, our body will benefit hugely: “Basically we’re empowering people to become their own doctors, giving them the knowledge to be able to treat themselves; what to eat to strengthen the kidneys for the colder months, for example, and how to treat the lungs as we move into the springtime.”

It’s not a radical idea, this premise that nature provides, but it certainly seems to get a bit lost in the hectic weekly dash down the supermarket aisles. “It’s not by chance that we have certain types of veg growing at certain times of the year,” Clement twinkles. “Our aim is to have the broadest amount of produce possible, and always seasonal stuff,” he adds, mentioning the many local farmers who sell their wares at the market. “It’s not just fresh free range eggs and chemical free tomatoes,” he says. “There’s a huge range of vegetables and fruits, lots of pies, tarts and chutneys, olive oils and nuts, plenty of cheeses and breads…”

And then there’s the gentleman from Agros who makes traditional herbal zivania (which I’m fairly sure would cure my sniffles in – literally – a shot!), the Aphrodite Rock microbrewery and their astounding variety of beers and representatives from many of the local wineries. And this coming Saturday will be even more special, with the inclusion – for the first time – of a Crafters section to the market.

The emphasis – asin the Farmers Market – is on quality, the exhibitors bringing authentic craftsmanship to the event: everything from beautiful handmade tavli sets to handcrafted walking sticks, aromatic herbal soaps to exquisite examples of weaving, handbags made from recycled denim and rocking horses carved from gorgeous woods. With tables under the trees, coffee on the porch and produce sold by the hands that grew it, the event promises to be as far from the faceless fury of stressful Saturday shopping as you can get. So do your body and your future a favour, and head on down to the market this weekend; if we really are what we eat, then you’re guaranteed a healthy winter.

Heaven on Earth Herbals Christmas Farmers and Crafters Mar13ket

Saturday, December 21, 10am to 2pm
The gardens are open from Wednesdays to Sundays between 10am and 4pm, and there are numerous events throughout the year, including a Farmers Market every first Sunday of the month, ‘Learn About Your Body Workshops’, Creative Herbies Summer Kids’ Club, volunteer garden days and a number of additional courses. For more information visit www.heavenonearthherbals.com, email info@heavenonearthherbals.com or call 99 993412

Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as Tottenham Hotspur manager on Monday as two Premier League thrashings in three weeks exposed the side’s frailties despite a transfer outlay of over 100 million pounds during the summer.

Spurs were humiliated 5-0 by Liverpool in front of their own fans on Sunday, having been thrashed 6-0 by Manchester City last month, and the club announced the Portuguese coach’s departure “by mutual consent” in a statement on their website (www.tottenhamhotspur.com).

The former Porto coach, who took over in July 2012, lasted longer than in his previous job at Chelsea, where he was sacked eight months into his first season.

Spurs brought in a host of new players including Roberto Soldado – for 26 million pounds – Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen and Paulinho with the transfer booty received from the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a world record 100 million euros ($137.30 million).

The vast number of new faces of varied nationalities have seemed to make it difficult for Villas-Boas to settle on a preferred side, resulting in an inconsistent season for the club.

A paltry return of 15 goals in 16 league matches has left the fans frustrated, while some appalling defending contributed to the Man City and Liverpool heavy defeats.

Although they are going strong in the Europa League and Capital One Cup, they are seventh in the league, eight points behind local rivals and leaders Arsenal.

Following Sunday’s defeat Villas-Boas was questioned about the players he is working with and said:

“We had worked hard to build a strong team and we are happy with the signings.

“The players we have are top quality and we have to work hard to bond them together. We have been extremely unfortunate with injuries.”

Pressed on his future, he said: “It’s not my call. I can’t control that. I have to get down to work. That’s the only thing I can focus on. The call on that decision is not mine. I won’t resign and I’m not a quitter. The only thing I can do is work hard with the players and try and get the results back on track.”

Instead, he was not given the chance and becomes the fifth Premier League manager to lose his job this season after Paolo Di Canio (Sunderland), Ian Holloway (Crystal Palace), Martin Jol (Fulham) and Steve Clarke (West Bromwich Albion).

A 33-year-old Nicosia man fired a single shot in the air with an assault rifle outside parliament on Monday afternoon, police said.

No injuries have been reported.

The  man was arrested by police officers and is being questioned.

The reasons behind the shooting were not immediately known.

By Ayla Jean Yackley and Tulay Karadeniz

TURKEY and the European Union signed an agreement on Monday allowing EU governments to send back illegal immigrants crossing into Europe from Turkey in a move highlighting a thaw in relations with the 28-member bloc.

Turkey lies on a major route for illegal migration into Europe from Africa and the Middle East, and some in western Europe fear Turkish membership would widen the bloc’s borders too far to the fringes of Iran, Iraq and Syria.

At a ceremony in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom also signed an accord to enter into discussions on dropping visa requirements for Turks visiting Europe.

The agreements are a fresh sign of improved ties between Ankara and the EU after they began a new round of membership talks last month following a three-year hiatus.

“A new process in Turkish-EU relations is beginning,” Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech at the ceremony.

“With our signatures today, the European doors are being opened for visa-free travel by Turkish citizens.”

Turkey began negotiations to join the EU in 2005, 18 years after applying. But a series of political obstacles, notably over the divided island of Cyprus, and resistance to Turkish membership in Germany and France, have slowed progress.

Negotiations had most recently been delayed by the bloc in protest over a Turkish crackdown on anti-government demonstrations over the summer.

Malmstrom said she hoped the readmission agreement would be ratified by the two sides without delay and substantial progress would soon be made in the visa liberalisation dialogue, although she declined to be drawn on a timeframe.

“This autumn there has been a new launch in relations … (The agreement) can contribute to building trust and can lead to new types of co-operation,” she told Reuters.

Turkey has provisionally closed just one of 35 chapters it must negotiate with the EU to bring its laws into line with the 28-nation bloc’s standards. It has 13 other chapters open.

Erdogan rejected what he said was an impression in Europe that Turks would surge into the EU if requirements were lifted.

“If EU visas are abolished, neither Turkey nor EU member countries will experience the slightest problem … We are coming to take on a burden, not to be a burden,” he said.

Talks on the “readmission agreement” to send back illegal immigrants had been stalled for years, largely due to Turkish distrust over the EU’s willingness to ease visa rules.

Malmstrom said the number of irregular migrants travelling into Europe from Turkey had been steadily falling to around 20,000 this year from more than three times that number in 2010, partly due to better border co-operation with Greece and the economic crisis making Europe less appealing.

Where do you live?
In Pissouri Bay above my Gallery – Barefoot Designs Art Gallery – with my partner Alan, my dog Nigel and my cat Phil.

Best childhood memory?
Walking round the outline of the shadow of my parents’ house (in Herefordshire, UK) on warm summer evenings.

Most frequented restaurant and absolute favourite dish?
Yialos Fish Tavern in the Bay – best Kleftiko I’ve had on the island!

What food would you really turn your nose up to?
Can’t eat mushrooms… they are absolutely not natural to me!

What did you have for breakfast?
Normally a poached egg on toast – or toast and marmalade – with a pot of Earl Grey tea.

Would you class yourself as a day or night person? What’s your idea of the perfect night/day out?
I’m both… but I cope better with early mornings than late nights as I get older! Best daytime would be under the sea, diving, best night would be eating dinner with good friends and drinking wonderful wine.

Best book ever read?
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers… the title says it all really… it’s a must read.

Favourite film of all time?
Star Wars – Return of the Jedi. It’s simply the best bit of cinema that has ever been made.

Favourite holiday destination (or best holiday ever taken)?
Rome in Italy. I have many good friends there, I love the culture, the people, the food, the wine… everything really.

What music are you listening to in the car at the moment?
I listen to a massive variety of things in the car, but my most upbeat stuff is Michael Jackson… I love him.

What is always in your fridge?
Unsalted butter, garlic, red onions, milk & white wine.

Dream house: rural retreat or urban dwelling? Where would it be, what would it be like?
I’d love to live in my friends Andie & Rob’s home in Lofou. It’s my dream house… a wonderful old building they have lovingly restored and beautifully modernised, it has to be seen to be believed! It’s actually for sale and, if I won the euro millions, I’d buy it immediately!

If you could pick anyone at all (alive or dead) to go out for the evening with, who would it be?
My partner Alan, he makes me laugh, smile and makes life worth living.

If the world is ending in 24 hours what would you do?
Find all the people I love and spend one final day with them on the beach – rain or shine.

What is your greatest fear?
Loneliness.

Tell me a joke
What’s brown, prickly and squirts jam at you? A hedgehog eating a doughnut.

Find extraordinary and inventive Christmas presents made from recycled articles, as well as Samantha’s innovative paintings, at Barefoot Designs on the main street in Pissouri Bay. Mention you read it in the Sunday Mail! www.facebook.com/BarefootDesignsArtGallery, Barefoot Designs Art Gallery, Pissouri Bay, Limassol, Cyprus

By Timothy Heritage and Katya Golubkova

RUSSIA signalled on Monday it was about to agree a loan and gas deal with Ukraine to help Kiev stave off economic chaos and keep it in its former Soviet master’s orbit.

In Kiev, the opposition went ahead with preparations for another big rally for Tuesday against what they see as moves by President Viktor Yanukovich to sell out national interests to Russia after backing away from a landmark deal with the European Union that would have shifted their country westwards.

An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a credit would be agreed at talks with Yanukovich in Moscow on Tuesday, and a Ukrainian minister said a deal was likely on lower prices for Russian gas.

Yanukovich has turned to Moscow for money after spurning the chance of joining a free trade pact with the EU, despite the risk of protests against him swelling.

“The situation in Ukraine is now such that without loans, from one side or another, they will simply fail to maintain economic stability,” Andrei Belousov, an economic adviser to Putin, told Interfax news agency. “I do not rule out that, if there is a request, a credit could be provided (to Ukraine).”

Russia’s Finance Ministry confirmed talks on a loan were under way, and Ukrainian Energy Minister Eduard Stavitsky said there was a great probability a deal could be reached on reducing the price of Russian energy supplies to Ukraine.

Agreement on Tuesday would be seen in Moscow as a move keeping Ukraine in its political and economic orbit, more than two decades after the Soviet Union collapsed, and preventing a historic Westward shift by Kiev.

The EU’s enlargement chief said on Twitter on Sunday the 28-nation bloc was halting work on a trade and political pact with the country of 46 million because the deeds of Yanukovich and his government were “further and further apart”.

Stefan Fuele’s words suggested the EU had lost patience with Kiev’s demands for financial aid and was irritated by the ‘bidding war’ with Russia over Ukraine. But divisions emerged in Brussels as other officials said the door remained open.

“I think making policy on the basis of a Twitter notice by Mr Fuele is perhaps not the best way of approaching this issue,” Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans said.

Ukraine is seeking help to cover an external funding gap of $17 billion next year – almost the level of the central bank’s depleted currency reserves.

Belousov did not say how much Russia, whose own economy is stuttering badly, would offer Ukraine. But sources in Ukraine said the deal could be worth $15 billion, with Russian providing about $3-5 billion up front.

The most Brussels has so far offered Ukraine is 610 million euros ($837.56 million) but EU officials are in discussion with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial institutions on ways to help Ukraine.

Apart from loans, Ukraine is seeking a lower price for Russian gas – now at around $400 per 1,000 cubic metres – to help it cope with its debt burden.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov was quoted as saying on Sunday that he hoped a deal on a cheaper price for gas deliveries would soon be concluded. A reduction of at least 10-15 per cent is likely, sources in Kiev said.

Tuesday’s talks are intended to conclude a “substantial package” of agreements to chart out a road map to removing trade barriers for Ukraine with Russia, both sides say.

Yanukovich may be attempting to keep the attention of both Moscow and Brussels to strike as good a deal as possible to handle its huge debt and outstanding gas payments to Moscow.

But it is a hazardous manoeuvre running the risk of alienating both parties and there is not certainty Ukraine can avoid default or a currency crisis.

Securing an agreement with Ukraine would be hailed in Russia as a geopolitical victory for Putin, who regards Ukraine as vital to his dream of creating a political and economic union stretching from the Pacific to the EU’s eastern borders.

But Yanukovich is not expected to sign Ukraine up for a Russia-led customs union which Putin sees as the basis for his planned Eurasian Union stretching from the borders of Poland to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Holding out on membership on the customs union could be Yanukovich’s last bargaining chip as he tries to balance East against West and secure a good enough deal to be able to survive the protests in Kiev and win a presidential election in 2015.

In Kiev, the main protest camp had thinned out again on Monday after about 200,000 people protested on Sunday. A few thousand people were listening to prayers, speeches and songs, trying to warm themselves after snowfall during the night.

But these numbers could swell again on Tuesday. Leaders of Yanukovich’s Party of Regions expressed dissatisfaction with the economic crisis and urged Azarov to take action against ministers who had ‘underestimated’ the effects on the economy of trying to strike a deal with the EU.

A bomb went off on Monday under a police officer’s car in Nicosia, Police Chief Michalis Papageorgiou confirmed.

The car, as well as two more vehicles belonging to the officer’s family, were damaged but no injuries were reported.

Papageorgiou said the force was on alert “from the first moment” following the incident.

“We are trying to establish what’s going on, what the possible motive is and whether that motive can be attributed to the officer’s police duties – in which case we should all be shaken – or whether it was connected to the officer’s personal life,” Papageorgiou said.

He said certain suspicions as to the culprits had been expressed by the officer in question.

“Our primary objective is to confirm the reason for this incident and, certainly, what lies behind it all.”

Papageorgiou said if the motive was attributed to the officer’s duties, more measures would be taken in the appropriate direction.

“However if it is attributed to his private life then other measures will be taken,” he added.

Harvard University on Monday warned of “unconfirmed reports” of explosives planted at four buildings on its Cambridge, Massachusetts campus.

The school said it evacuated the ScienceCenter, Thayer Sever and Emerson Halls.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the buildings have been evacuated while the report is investigated,” the Ivy League school said on its Web site.

Harvard’s campus is located in a crowded urban area adjoining Boston.

Turkish police detained the sons of three cabinet ministers and several well-known businessmen as part of investigations into alleged corruption on Tuesday, state officials said, in a blow to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan months ahead of elections.

Police carried out dawn raids in the main commercial city Istanbul, detaining at least 18 people including prominent business figures, and searched the headquarters of state-run Halkbank in the capital Ankara, state officials and banking sources said. Halkbank shares fell some five percent.

Turkish commentators saw the hand of powerful Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen behind the operation, whose network of followers holds influential positions in institutions from the police and secret services to the judiciary.

Erdogan and Gulen have been locked in an acrimonious row in recent weeks over government plans to abolish private “prep” schools, many of which are run by Gulen’s Hizmet (“Service”) movement and provide funding and new followers.

“It is a very bold move by the movement, one that you can’t possibly ignore. It is a battle to curb each other’s power,” said Ahmet Sik, a journalist detained for a year over his book on Gulen’s life and influence.

Gulen could not challenge Erdogan at the polls and has said he has no plans for a party. But with his influence, not least in the AK Party, he could undermine the authority of a man who has dominated politics for a decade. Erdogan’s decline, though yet a distant prospect, would create huge uncertainty.

Turkey holds local polls in 2014 that will be a test of Erdogan’s power after a year that has seen unprecedented protests and riots against what some opponents see as an authoritarian style of government. He retains enormous popularity, especially in his Anatolian heartland.

Tuesday’s operation, launched by the chief prosecutor’s office in Istanbul, consisted of three separate investigations, according to the website of the mainstream daily Hurriyet.

Halkbank’s HQ’s in Ankara were also searched

One involved Halkbank, one of Turkey’s biggest banks, whose offices were searched. Halkbank officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Police also searched the headquarters of the Agaoglu Group of construction magnate Ali Agaoglu, 59, its chief executive Hasan Rahvali told Reuters.

“We are talking about a wide-scoping investigation here. It is not focused on Ali Agaoglu,” Hasan Rahvali, the chief executive of Agaoglu Group, said.

“This investigation is related to claims of bribery against some public officials. They searched the company in the early hours this morning but could not find any criminal evidence.”

He said Ali Agaoglu had been asked by the police to come and make a statement as part of the investigation.

A third investigation focused on the mayor of Istanbul’s Fatih district and the three ministers’ sons, the newspaper said.

DEEPENING POLITICAL ROW

The sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Environment and City Planning Minister Erdogan Bayraktar were detained, according to state officials in Ankara and Turkish newspaper reports.

Officials from the three ministries could not immediately be reached for comment.

Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu

Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu told reporters the investigation was continuing and he could not comment. Officials from Erdogan’s ruling AK Party could not immediately be reached and police

also declined to comment.

The developments, and fears of a deepening political row, weighed on Turkish markets. The main stock index was down 2 percent at 73,350 points, well below a 0.19 percent rise in the wider emerging markets index.

“These are fairly seismic developments. I guess inevitably people will link these to internal AK Party fissures and the battle between Erdogan supporters and the Gulen movement,” said Timothy Ash, head of emerging markets research at Standard Bank. “The gloves will now be off.”

Gulen runs a network of schools and other social facilities across the Middle East, Asia and Africa from a compound in the United States. He moved to the United States in 1999 after being charged with attempting to undermine the secular state.

He was subsequently acquitted but has remained in Pennsylvania, an enigmatic figure who gives little hint of his intentions in Turkish politics but is viewed with caution in all areas of the state.

Erdogan has incensed Gulen’s movement with plans to abolish the “prep” schools. Istanbul member of parliament Hakan Sukur, a former international footballer and well-known follower of Gulen, quit the AK Party on Monday in protest.

Erdogan was first elected in 2002 and has introduced sweeping reforms that have broken the political power of the military and stimulated the economy. Some secularists accuse him of imposing islamist values, something he denies.

The movement has helped Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party win a growing share of the vote in three successive elections over the past decade.

But there have long been ideological differences, with many of Gulen’s followers seeing him as a more progressive and pro-Western influence on Turkey than Erdogan, whose views on issues from abortion to alcohol consumption have triggered growing accusations of interference in Turkish private life.

Since he came to power, Erdogan has built his own body of wealthy loyalists, largely from the same religiously minded professional and business class that revere Gulen. The rift between the two sides risks fracturing their support base ahead of local and presidential elections next year.

ELEVEN cars, of an estimated total value of €130,000 were destroyed by a fire in the very early hours on Tuesday at a car dealership in Deftera, police said. The fire started at around 1am at the dealership, belonging to a 36-year-old, and was later extinguished by fire-fighters, but not before the damage was done.

Police confirmed the fire was caused by arson.

Lakatamia police station is investigating.

In a separate case a car valued at around €5,000 was destroyed by a fire while it was parked outside a block of flats in Nicosia at around 2.40am on Wednesday, police said. Initial examinations carried out at the scene indicate a case of arson.

Nicosia CID is looking into the case.

A 35-year-old foreign national was found dead in his apartment during the early hours of Tuesday, police said.

According to reports there were no signs of a break-in and the 35-year-old had no visible injuries. Investigations are continuing to confirm his identity.

An autopsy will be carried out on Tuesday to establish the cause of death, police said.

This follows the case of a 27-year-old Romanian man who was found dead in his bed on Sunday afternoon in Xylofagou. An autopsy on the 27-year-old is also due to be carried out on Tuesday.

Police are looking for Giorgos Yiallouris, 43 and Elias Triantafyllides, 35, both from Nicosia in connection with a case of illegally possessing a revolver and burglary.

Police have been searching for the pair since October.

The offences were committed in the Nicosia district during this year, police said.

Yiallouris is described as being of normal build, 1.75m in height with short black hair and dark coloured eyes.

Triantafyllides is described as being of slim build, 1.75m in height, bald with light-coloured eyes.

Anyone who may know of their whereabouts is asked to get in touch with Morphou CID, their closest police station, or the Citizen’s helpline on 1460.

Yiallouris is labelled A on the photograph and Triantafyllides is labelled B.

By Alix Norman

Cupcakes and cookies and brownies. And flavours to make any mouth water: chocolate orange, salted caramel and mint, cappuccino, chilli chocolate and vanilla buttercream. And once, maple syrup buttercream with crunchy bacon bits! “Whatever a customer requests, we can make,” laughs Eleni. “We’re always in the process of testing new flavours and trying new things!” She makes it all sound so easy, but in reality, building Auntie Eli’s American Style Cakes into a booming bakery business was a long, hard slog (with a little help from businessman Stelios Haji-Ioannou).

“My family moved back to Cyprus in 1995,” she says. “We’d always been in the restaurant business, and I’d been waiting tables in New York since I was eight, running the coat check at ten. We weren’t a wealthy family, we moved around a lot and my father passed away when I was young. So I learnt at an early age the importance of family, and the need to work rather than ride my bike in the street with the other kids. Not,” she adds with a laugh, “that we could have afforded a bike!”

At a time when many are still trying to maintain the semblance of wealth in a collapsing economy, Eleni’s transparency is a breath of fresh air. “I’m not going to lie about my past,” she says with a matter of fact air. “It’s just the way it is. When we started Auntie Eli’s, we had no back up, no money and I was out of a job. We started from zero.”
The ‘we’ she refers to is herself and husband Panayiotis Onisiforou, who has stood by her through thick and thin, learning to bake and to run the shop when Eli decided to set up the business. “I started Auntie Eli’s on a whim,” she says. “One morning I saw an empty shop for rent. By the afternoon, I had the keys, and we’d got an appointment with the bank for a loan. Which was turned down”.

Anyone else might have given up at this point. But not Eleni. “Whatever I put my mind to, I do,” she says, the spirit of her early upbringing in Queens ringing to the fore. “We stayed up all night putting together a business plan, and were waiting for the bank manager as he opened the door the following morning. He laughed when he saw me. “‘You’re never going to give up, are you?’ he asked, and I told him that although I couldn’t tell him exactly what would happen, I would work to the end. He gave us the money.”

What followed was a rush of tiling and plaster boarding, as Eleni and Panayiotis watched ‘How To’ DIY videos by night, and refitted the shop themselves by day. Friends piled in to lend a hand, and in a few short weeks, Auntie Eli’s was up and running. “The loan has disappeared almost immediately, what with kitchen equipment and rent,” says Eleni, “so we were actually starting from minus zero this time! But I completely believed it would work; I was 100 per cent positive.” And she was right: friends spread the word about this delicious new bakery, passers by dropped in to find their taste buds titillated with cinnamon buns and brownies and Eleni often stood in the street enticing customers into the shop with one of her 30-odd cupcake varieties.

“The work was good,” she says, always positive. “But once you’re paying for electricity, social insurance and rent you find you’re taking nothing home at the end of the month. At one point, we just found we couldn’t cover our overheads, so we moved in with my mother and put our house up for rent. We even started talking about moving back to New York.”
Undaunted, Eleni came up with a plan: “I’d been good friends with Piril Senturk Halim, a colleague of mine from Kyrenia, for some time,” she relates, “and though we have separate shops we work very closely together, sharing customers, exchanging recipes and learning from each other. I’d heard about the Stelios Haji-Ioannou award, offering one million euros over five years to various bicommunal ventures as part of his ‘promise for peace in Cyprus’. And Piril and I decided to go for it, putting together a bicommunal bakery book and running for the award in its fourth year.”

They lost. “But when I put my mind to something, I do it,” says Eleni again. “And I just saw losing as a motive to try harder. If you don’t try, you can’t win, right?” The two perfected their book of baking recipes and decorating tutorials, and entered Auntie Eli’s Cake Story again the following – and final – year.

“And in 2012 we won!” Eleni exclaims in delight. “Stelios himself presented us with a humongous cheque, and Piril and I both burst into tears! It was the most amazing feeling,” she says, explaining that it gave her the proof she needed that she was doing something right, the justification that positivity and family can pull through no matter the circumstances. “Part of the money has gone towards producing the book, which will be released in the near future,” she says, “and the rest allowed us to finally be debt free and helped us move to better premises.

“The award made it so much easier for us,” she says, “though we would have kept going even if we hadn’t won!”

These days, there’s so much custom with all the orders for personalised 3D cakes, special flavours of cupcakes, brownies, éclairs and the like, that Auntie Eli’s is moving swiftly into a bright future. “We’re looking at partnerships now, and talking about expanding our team,” she says with an eye, perhaps, on opening another outlet. “It’s been an incredible journey. But it just proves that if you trust your family, work hard and never give up, anything is possible. Even crunchy bacon bits in a cupcake!”

Auntie Eli’s American Style Cakes
FiliouTsigaridi street, close to Finikoudes in Larnaca and across the street from the Social insurance Offices. Open Tuesday to Friday 9.30-6pm, and on Saturday for pre-orders only. Specific orders can be placed in advance. Tel: 24 665595 or 99 309420, auntieelis@hotmail.com or visit Facebook page Auntie Elis American Style Cakes

by Voula Andreou

Situated in the heart of downtown Larnaca, D’Oro is a new café/bar slowly gaining attention for its positive ambiance and unique coffee. While rather similar in concept to many other establishments in Larnaca, D’Oro is beginning to make a name for itself in a highly competitive market due to its versatility.

D’Oro is a warm and relaxing place in the mornings, available to those who have just finished, or are taking a break from, their morning jog on the beach, or those on the way to work with doors opening from 7am. A morning offer has also recently been created, giving those who arrive before midday a coffee of their choice and a croissant for just €2 – a rather refreshing touch considering most other café’s prices. The coffee served is Miscela D’Oro, a rich blend hard to find at any other establishment.

The café tends to gather a fair crowd during lunchtime too, with countless offices and schools nearby looking to grab a quick bite in their limited timeframe. Don’t expect anything too elaborate but the snacks on offer certainly do the trick, and at reasonable prices. The Club Sandwich is probably the best option at just under €5 while sandwiches and burgers are also on offer, all served with fries. If you are looking for a healthier option, a variety of salads are available. If you fancy a cocktail a little later in the evening, all of the common favorites can be found for €6 as well as wines and spirits.

There is always an event of some sort happening too, most weekends see a well-known local DJ pitch up to play a set while the occasional cards tournament is also hosted. Live football matches are screened throughout the week while there is free wi-fi available to all customers.

D’Oro Café Bar

Where: G. Afxentiou & L. Vyronos corner, Larnaca

When: Monday – Sunday 7am–2am

Contact: 99 277771

Two of four pistes on Mount Olympus in Troodos, are open to skiers, according to the Cyprus Ski Federation & Club.

Sun Valley I (Aphrodite) and North Face II (Hera) slopes are open, with lifts operating from 9am to 4pm daily during the winter period.

Pistes Sun Valley II (Hermes) and North Face I (Dias) remain closed.

The maximum snow depth is 60 cm and temperatures in the area are around -2˚C.

Roads to Troodos and the ski-slopes are open to cars with four-wheel drive or snowchains. However, the police urge all drivers to exercise extreme caution when driving to Troodos due to road conditions.

Skiing equipment for non-members of the Cyprus Ski Federation & Club is available for rent from the Sun Valley ski shop at Mt Olympus.

Renting ski equipment cost varies from as little as €14 for children and €17 for adults for afternoon-only rentals (after 1 pm) to €16 for children and €24 for adults for full-day rentals, not including a ski lift pass (daily pass €20 and afternoon-only pass €12).

Some 3 billion barrels of oil may lie in deepwater strata between Cypriot and Israeli offshore fields, US-based Noble Energy disclosed on Monday.

“Significant exploration potential remains on the Company’s acreage position in the Eastern Mediterranean, with approximately 3 billion barrels of gross unrisked oil potential in the deep Mesozoic play in both Cyprus and Israel and four trillion cubic feet gross of natural gas potential in Cyprus. Current plans are to resume exploration drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean in late 2014 or early 2015,” Noble said during a conference it hosted in Houston, Texas.

‘Unrisked’ is industry jargon for a crude estimate of reserves that does not factor in probabilities. It is a preliminary assessment derived from geological data from seismic surveys.

The news from Houston coincided with reports in the press here that Cyprus’ Block 12 may hold estimated oil reserves of between 1.2 and 1.4 billion barrels.

Phileleftheros reports that the reserves would translate into revenues of approximately €60bn for Cyprus.

Israeli news site Globes reported last month that updated estimates at Israel’s Leviathan field gave a 25 per cent probability of finding 1.5 billion barrels of oil beneath gas-bearing strata.

The Leviathan and Tamar fields in Israel, and Aphrodite in Cyprus, are the largest projects in which Noble Energy is involved in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Assuming 1.5 billion barrels are in Leviathan, the bulk of the remainder might presumably lie in Aphrodite.

In April 2010 the US Geological Survey estimated a mean of 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil and a mean of 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas in the Levant Basin using a geology-based assessment methodology.

A 33-YEAR-OLD Nicosia man has been charged by police for the illegal transportation of an assault rifle and explosive material after he fired a single shot in the air with a military-issued assault rifle outside parliament on Monday afternoon.

A little after 3pm on Monday the man turned up outside parliament and fired the shot before handing the gun and himself over to police on duty at the legislature.

No injuries were reported.

Police spokesman Andreas Angelides said that once police had concluded their investigations, the man would be called to appear before court.

“We will prepare a file on the man and it will be sent to legal services. The rifle was confiscated as evidence by the police,” he said.

Angelides added that the man had not undergone any psychological evaluation nor was there any plan to evaluate him.

The rifle used was issued by the National Guard as part of the man’s military reservist obligations.

Employees at Sigma TV have threatened to take legal action against the channel owners after they were informed they would not receive a 13^th salary this year.

In a statement, trade unions SEK and PEO said the decision was taken during  Sigma TV staff’s general assembly.

“It was decided that the personnel would take legal measures, after having asked the labour ministry to take all the necessary measures, so that the employer can be prosecuted and a 13^th salary paid as well as any other punishment which needs to be handed out,” the unions said.

SEK and PEO added that although it had been made clear to the employer by the labour ministry’s mediation service that any unilateral decision not to pay the 13^th salary would result in a caution, they went ahead with it anyway.

Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou said earlier this month that any employer who refuses to pay the 13^th salary was committing a criminal offence and could be taken to court.

It’s madness trying to remake Carrie, the 1976 horror classic directed by Brian DePalma – not because it’s a great film (though it is), but because it’s an almost-terrible great film. The whole thing is perched within a hair’s-breadth of absurdity. Everything’s cartoonish; DePalma uses the Psycho killer-in-the-shower music, lapses into purposely lame comedy and overdoes everything, from Carrie’s blissful Cinderella moment at the prom to her bloody revenge on those who tricked her – yet the film has such audacity and verve (and such a strong visual sense) it becomes unforgettable. Trying to repeat something so mercurial is like expecting lightning to strike twice. Unsurprisingly, this remake fails.

Does it matter? That’s a familiar dilemma – because Carrie is geared for the multiplex audience, and the multiplex audience are mostly teens who may not even know that the movie is a remake, much less seen the original. Should a review turn into a comparison? On the one hand, it’s an occupational hazard for critics to discuss films in terms of other films, much to the annoyance of readers; if you’re seeing Film X, why should you care that it’s not as good as Film Y (which you haven’t seen, and don’t intend to)? True; on the other hand, it seems daft to pretend that Carrie 1.0 doesn’t exist – especially when the remake itself brings up the comparison, by trading on the first film’s reputation, and when older films are so widely available. You could literally – literally! – rent or download the 1976 Carrie in the time it’d take you to drive to the cinema for the 2013 Carrie.

I have the older film on DVD, and watched (or re-watched) it the evening before seeing the remake, so maybe I’m biased – but the remake struck me as crushingly dull, leaching all the mystery out of the original even while copying it almost scene-for-scene. The most obvious difference is that things get over-explained now. Sue (Gabriella Wilde), the fair-minded classmate who tries to help poor, bullied, telekinetic Carrie (Chloe Grace Moretz), gets a little speech making clear that she feels guilty and wants to make up for what she did. Later, when she asks her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to the prom, Tommy offers various sensible objections (surely Carrie will say no, etc) and Sue duly counters them: “What girl doesn’t want a magical prom night? Maybe I can give that up for her”.

None of this was in the original. DePalma simply had Sue asking Tommy, then cut to something else – and he was right. First, it kept her motives a little ambiguous. Second, it moved the story along. Third, and most important, it made everything seem a little strange and more volatile. The whole point of Carrie ’76 was its naked emotion; it felt hormonally charged, like its teenage characters. Once you start spelling everything out, the passions are smothered. A related problem is that the script imports details from the original, then feels compelled to ‘justify’ them for a 2013 audience. It may be true that no teacher would dare slap a student in 2013, or say the word “shitty” in front of kids. Fine; but then leave them out, instead of copying them and making a big deal out of it.

Almost every detail bothered me in Carrie 2.0. Why change things so that Tommy admires Carrie’s poem instead of vice versa? You lose something valuable, viz. the suggestion that he’s only nice to her to feed his own narcissism. But the huge, the unbridgeable difference lies in the portrayal of Carrie herself. Sissy Spacek in 1976 gave (in my humble opinion) one of the greatest performances in cinema. Her Carrie was creepy and beautiful, girlish, weak, adorable at times – I love her giggly “I don’t have a crowd” – desperately poignant in the scenes with her abusive mother (now played by Julianne Moore). Chloe Grace Moretz is a fine actress in the right role – plus she’s a real-life teenager, unlike Spacek – but she’s badly miscast here. She has far too much self-confidence, looks blank when she’s trying to look withdrawn, and can’t entirely shed that adolescent know-it-all snarkiness. She seems ready to roll her eyes at her mother’s religious mania (Mum gets more screen time here, yet seems more irrelevant); “That’s not even in the Bible!” she scoffs, then actually quotes Scripture back at her.

I think I know what’s going on. The audience has changed in 37 years. The new Carrie is aimed at youngsters (ironically, the special-effects gore-fest in the last half-hour guarantees an ‘18’ rating), therefore it (a) makes Carrie more intelligible, less of a freak, (b) dwells on the relationships more, spelling everything out, and (c) behaves more like a teen movie, less like Gothic horror. This is a terrible remake, taking a fevered pop masterpiece and making it more explicable – more banal, more ordinary – in a hundred little ways, yet I don’t really know how to deal with it, consumer guide-wise. If you haven’t seen the 1976 Carrie, and you don’t have ready access to a DVD shop or a computer, and you’re trapped in the multiplex with friends who absolutely insist on seeing the remake and won’t be dissuaded … well, you might as well give it a shot. Has praise ever been any fainter?

DIRECTED BY Kimberly Peirce

STARRING Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde

US 2013           100 mins

A 54-year old man reported on Wednesday that his apartment in Larnaca was burgled, and €200.000 stolen.

According to police, the man left his apartment at 9am on Tuesday and came back after midnight, only to discover it had been broken into and the cash he had stashed in a cupboard was gone. He told police the money was his company’s earnings for the last two months.