This week in history
THIS week last year the government was urged to establish a “crisis desk” in the face of further record falls in the value of the Turkish lira — although a TRNC minister said people should “continue to put their trust” in the currency. The TL plunged against major currencies ahead of an expected decision by ratings agency Fitch that it could downgrade Turkey’s investor grade to “junk” level. The British pound hit a new high of 4.86TL according to the TRNC Central Bank, with the US dollar reaching 3.84TL. The euro was changing hands for 4.12TL.
Also this week in 2017, a Christmas deluge which battered the north coast and flooded homes countrywide was to speed up the long-awaited National Physical Plan. Tourism and Environment Ministry undersecretary İsmet Esenyel told Cyprus Today that he had turned off TV news about the disaster and shed tears for the lack of infrastructure, town planning and construction standards.
This week in 2013, a Bill allowing municipalities to put down stray animals if they could not home them was approved by MPs. The Animal Welfare Bill, passed by Parliament in a unanimous vote, was aimed at bringing regulations into line with the European Union. Activists, however, said they would campaign to have the measure scrapped before it became law.
This week in 2008, a £15 million rescue package was being sought to restore Girne’s Dome Hotel to its former glory. Once a mecca for visiting royalty, film stars and British expats, the Dome had fallen on hard times in recent years and was running at a £1 million-a-year loss. Built in 1939 by a Greek Cypriot hotelier family, the Dome was administered by Evkaf, the religious and cultural foundation which was seeking a “white knight” as a 50 per cent shareholder who could fund an urgent restoration programme for the 300-bed seafront property.
This week in 1998, his wedding day became a nightmare for bridegroom Mustafa Öztekiner when, hours before the ceremony, his parents leapt on him and used a syringe to drug him because they opposed his choice of wife. By the time the fiancé regained consciousness, the marriage appointment had passed and dejected bride Serpil Ordu, 26, was still a spinster following a six-month engagement.
On this very day, January 6 1992, the United States Government advised doctors to suspend the use of silicone breast implants pending an investigation into their safety. The move raised fears around the world that silicone breast implants could leak or rupture, causing injury or illness.
On January 10 1985, an electric tricycle capable of 15mph drove into a safety row on its first day on the road. The Sinclair C5 — launched by computer millionaire Sir Clive Sinclair — was designed for short journeys and could be driven by anyone over the age of 14, so sparking safety concerns. The Sinclair C5 was a commercial disaster, with only some 12,000 being produced.