THE CHANCES of there being oil and natural gas reserves in the seas surrounding Cyprus are high according to initial data from seismic surveys, Industry Minister George Lillikas announced yesterday.

ELECTION buffs, don’t hold your breath: from the looks of it, there’s going to be no TV debate pitting the top politicians in the land against each other. False alarm.

A MAN was yesterday remanded for five days by a Nicosia Court on suspicion of attempting to burgle a church and attacking a priest.

The thin, bearded 35-year-old man from Georgia is set to be charged by Nicosia CID with four counts of attempted burglary and assault. His defence lawyer did not object to the prosecution’s request for a five-day remand.

CYPRUS has the highest rate of marriage in the EU, but the island is also above the average when it comes to divorces, according to a new Eurostat survey on family in the Union.

A MAN from Cameroon yesterday told a Nicosia judge that he wanted political asylum, just as the judge was about to sentence him for entering the island illegally.

A HOUSEMAID was yesterday remand in custody for a further three days on suspicion of stealing from her late employer.

The petite 31-year-old Filipina was first remanded for three days last Friday, after Judge Charalambos Charalambous agreed with defence lawyer Pavlos Erotokritou’s objection to the prosecution request for an eight-day remand.

TURKISH Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat has sent a new letter to UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan complaining that President Tassos Papadopoulos was rejecting the idea of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

DISY yesterday accused an unspecified political party of pre-booking seats on Cyprus Airways flights from Greece so as to thwart its student supporters from flying home to vote in this Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

The Cyprus cricket league takes off with the first round match between WSBA and Sri Lanka CC teams at the Happy Valley grounds in Episkopi today at 11.