Cyprus in brief.

Cocaine arrest at Paphos airport

A 30-year-old Greek Cypriot from Limassol was arrested yesterday for possession of 400g of a substance believed to be cocaine, following his arrival at Paphos airport from Amsterdam.

The suspected drugs were found during in four separate packages that had been hidden in the sides of the man's suitcase.

Police reports said that in a voluntary statement, the man confessed that he had brought the drugs in on behalf of third parties, whom he refused to name.

The suspect was remanded in custody by Paphos District Court today. Paphos Drugs Squad is continuing its investigation.

Credit card spending down 3%

CREDIT CARD transactions in Cyprus fell by three per cent year-on-year in the first ten months of 2009, according to official data.

Credit card clearing agency JCC said that domestic transactions with credit cards conducted between January and October fell to e1/41.5 billion. Last month, the value of transactions fell four per cent year-on-year to e1/4142.12 million.

The statistics recorded a sharp decline in credit spending by foreign card holders, with transactions down by 17 per cent year-on-year in Jan-Oct to e1/4365.48m, while in the month of October, credit card spending by visitors fell by 17 per cent year-on-year to e1/445.58m.

Tourism accounts for about 11 per cent of Cyprus' gross domestic product. The economy is in recession after recording two successive quarters of negative growth this year.

Its earnings from tourism fell by 16.1 per cent in the first nine months of 2009. A surge in the value of the euro against the pound over the past year has made Cyprus a significantly more expensive destination for tourists from Britain, its biggest market.

Promote European brotherhood for cash prizes

THE THIRD annual European Charlemagne Youth Prize has been launched, offering e1/410,000 worth of prizes for young role models. The competition targets young people, aged between 16 and 30, who have been involved with projects helping to promote understanding between peoples from different European countries. The deadline for submitting projects is January 22, 2010.

The Youth Prize is jointly organised by the European Parliament and the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. The winning projects should serve as role models for young people living in Europe and offer practical examples of Europeans living together as one community.

Youth exchange programmes, artistic and internet projects with a European dimension are among the projects selected.

The three winning projects will be awarded funding of e1/45,000, e1/43,000, and e1/42,000 respectively. They will also be invited to visit the European Parliament.

Last year, the Polish youth project 'YOUrope Needs YOU!' was awarded the first prize. Through a series of high school workshops run by university students, this project uses informal methods to convey to teenagers interesting facts about Europe.

n Application forms are available on the European Parliament's Office website. For further information, go to www.charlemagneyouthprize.eu, or contact Nikos Salliarelis, [e-mail], or call [phone].

Youngsters give a breath of life to kids in need

By Patrick Dewhurst

CHILD LUNG charity, the Breathing Life Trust, this week launched an awareness raising competition called Art for Life.

The competition aims to let children express how much they care about other children who are suffering by creating works of art and writing poetry.

The theme of this year's competition is love and how it can comfort and heal those in need.

"Children's creativity reminds us of the enormity of love, compassion and friendship which exists between children.

"Art for Life is their voice and their means to help other children who have to face struggles in their lives," said John Mouskos, chairman of the Breathing Life Trust.

As part of the Art for Life competition, teachers and students will be invited to hospitals to meet with doctors. It is hoped that this will lead to greater understanding and form lasting friendships. Prizes of up to e1/41,000 will be awarded various charities on the winners' behalf.

The 2010 competition has been dedicated to the memory of youngster Costakis Perdikos, who died from a lung condition.

"Seldom has a child shown such courage and will to survive when faced with the terrible reality of living with a severe lung condition." Mouskos added.

Art works will appear in the media around the world, and have already appeared in the new paediatric pulmonary ward in Nicosia's Makarios III hospital, opened by the Breathing Life Trust last month.

Speaking at the ward's launch, Mouskos said, "The centre has been created to give hope to children with breathing disorders. It has been a significant achievement, because it provides world class facilities to the general public. I am confident that what we have here will be a reference point for all of the Eastern Mediterranean."

n The competition closes on March 1, 2010, when a panel of judges will select a first, second and third place for each category. There will be six art categories and five poetry categories. To enter, images and poems can be submitted to the Art for Life website: www.breathinglife.org

Entrants are invited to visit Makarios III Hospital for inspiration. For more information about visits, call Dr Panicos Yiallouros on 22-405000 or email: [e-mail]

Copyright Cyprus Mail 2009

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