AMONG the as-yet uncounted boxes carrying food and essential items donated in lieu of a ticket by attendees of Monday’s CyprusAid concert in Nicosia – organised and supported by unpaid volunteers – was an unsigned card.“With boundless love. We are not scared of anyone. We will turn our country into paradise again,” said the message, read out to reporters in a busy distribution and collection point at the market in Nicosia’s old town yesterday.Two full days after the CyprusAid concert on Monday, volunteers were still busy sorting out items donated by the 20,000 attendees. At the market yesterday, brown carton boxes written on with permanent markers described their contents: milk, pasta, diapers, pulses and water, among other items... 1 comment

THE recent developments in the bailout crisis, and the ensuing uncertainty regarding the levy on bank deposits, has further jeopardised efforts to help poor families, volunteers said yesterday.Paphos business-woman Pavlina Patsalou who heads up the group of volunteers which she started with Paphos councillor George Sofokleous to help what has now grown to over 400 families, said the news of bail-in of depositors has come as a terrible shock.Whatever would be ultimately decided, the immediate future for all Cyprus would be difficult in the coming weeks, Pataslou said... Read on