THE GOVERNMENT did its best to keep things in perspective, but reports of British "spying" activity on the island yesterday threatened to take on a life of their own.

FACED with the threat of temporary closure of a top hotel, the government yesterday decided retroactively to grant planning permission for an extension to Limassol’s Le Meridien.

Work on Le Meridien’s new wing began three months ago, on November 21, even though the necessary planning permission had not been granted.

A GOLF course is to be created on state forest land in the Ayia Napa area, the government announced yesterday.

The Cabinet has decided that some 500 donums of forest land are to be leased to a consortium of hoteliers who want to build a golf course to attract winter tourists to the island’s east coast area.

A HIGH-ranking Cyprus Airways employee is in hot water after reports that she was living a lavish life at the expense of the company.

According to yesterday’s Politis, the woman, who was posted in an overseas bureau, allegedly fiddled her expenses to the tune of £50,000, passing off as company expenses her own personal spending.

TOURISM Minster Nicos Rolandis yesterday told the House Finance Committee that a loan would be needed cover the three-month interim before the CTO saw any money from the reintroduction of a tourism service provision tax.

President Clerides yesterday assured the Cyprus Shipping Council that the state would do everything in its power to improve the `flag of convenience’ image of the Cyprus registry.

THE CYPRUS equity market trimmed some of Wednesday’s gains with a 1.14 per cent decline yesterday as traded
value hit its lowest level this year.

The all-share index dropped 7.41 points to 610.22 on thin trading volumes of £14.7 million, a figure traders said had not been seen on the market in months.

FOUR MORE Greek Cypriots have lodged cases against Turkey to the European Court of Human Rights for their loss of property since the invasion.

The appeals were lodged by Demetra Kakogianni, Yiannoulla Wakefield née Kakogianni, Stella Soulliotis and Dr Demetris Soulliotis.

A PRIZE stallion thought to have been poisoned earlier this month has been exhumed for further forensic testing.

Nicosia police yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that five-year-old Eaton Square had been exhumed on Wednesday afternoon in order for blood and urine samples to be taken.