NOBODY can complain about the Agriculture Ministry’s decision to put an end to water supply cuts endured by all over the last couple of years. It was not easy, especially during the summer months, when demand was high and houses in some areas were left without water for days because of a variety of problems caused by the supply interruptions. In the end, people adapted to the new conditions by installing additional water tanks, putting on their washing machines at night and using the dishwasher more sparingly.

U.N. SPECIAL Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer yesterday reiterated that the location of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visits had “no implications whatsoever” on UN policy regarding recognition of the Cyprus Republic.

Regarding the uproar over Ban’s visit to the ‘presidential palace’ of Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Monday, he said: “The UN recognises the Republic of Cyprus. It has done throughout.

“Nothing that the SG did and nowhere that the SG went during his visit to Cyprus had any bearing on that and had any bearing on UN resolutions. Not at all.”

Speaking after a meeting with DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades, Downer stressed that the really important thing for Cyprus and Cypriots is the negotiations.

THE POLICE never intended to deprive the media of their right to access sources of information, Justice Minister Loucas Louca said yesterday following a dispute sparked when the chief of police issued a circular banning non-designated members of the force from talking to reporters.

The issue was discussed in a meeting with the participation of the chief of police Michalis Papageorgiou,  publishers, the journalists union and other media representatives.

Luka said the right of reporters to access sources of information would be supported.

“There was never any intention to deprive this right,” Louca said after the meeting, noting that everyone must respect the law and the institutions.

NATIONAL CARRIER Cyprus Airways (CY) has instructed its lawyers to appeal a court ruling that ordered the airline to pay the remainder of a pilot’s wage cut, which came as part of the restructuring plan adopted in 2005.

The decision threatens to add further woes to the airline, in that it now faces the possibility of the rest of its pilot staff seeking compensation for the wage cuts implemented the last five years.

A Labour Court ruled on Tuesday that CY had wrongly cut the wages of pilot Chrysanthos Hadjichrysanthou in 2005 and ordered that the airline pay him the remainder, €13,000, roughly representing the 10 per cent cut from his original wage.

THE HEARING of the high profile Conor O’Dwyer assault case has been postponed for another week.

O’Dwyer flew in from the UK to attend proceedings Larnaca District Court yesterday, only to be told that his case had again been moved to a later date.

Legal action was brought by O’Dwyer after he claimed that a property developer, his son and another man beat him up following an incident outside a disputed house in early 2007.

Father-of-two O’Dwyer, 39, has been flying back and forth from England since January 2009 to be present at court hearings, only to be faced with a series of obstacles and adjournments.

O’Dwyer spent a week in Larnaca hospital after the alleged attack and says the incident has blighted his family life.

A YOUNG couple yesterday escaped a prison sentence and was instead fined over €1,000 each after they pleaded guilty to drunk and disorderly charges and assaulting police officers during the line of duty.

The incident was one the pair bitterly regretted and the relief etched on the 26-year-old woman’s face as Nicosia District Judge Yiota Kyriakidou gave out her sentence was clearly visible.

The 24-year-old man and his girlfriend were fined €1,300 and €2,200 respectively, to be paid in €250 monthly instalments starting March 1.

The woman was fined more because she also pleaded guilty to the charge of assault and causing actual bodily harm to the police officers.

A 22-YEAR-OLD Egyptian man yesterday denied he’d been involved in the beating and robbery of compatriot last week.

Speaking through an Arabic translator the lanky, dark-haired suspect told Nicosia district judge Lefteris Panteli he had not even been at the scene of the alleged crime last Saturday.

“I wasn’t where the crime was committed. I was with a friend and I didn’t leave my house from Friday to Monday. On Saturday, I invited friends to my house who can act as witnesses if you want,” the young man said.

The 22-year-old went on to say that another suspect already in police custody for the same crime had contacted him just before he was arrested and had told him the police were coming for him.

“I told him I had done nothing,” he said.

A 25-YEAR-OLD Pakistani man accused of illegally working said he had only worked for an hour and that he hadn’t even known his political asylum application had been denied at the time.

The young man, who will remain in police custody until his trial, told the court that he hadn’t even heard back from authorities regarding his asylum application when he had sought employment at a Nicosia construction site last year.

The 25-year-old worker was told that he his temporary residency had also expired following the denial of his asylum application and yet he had remained in Cyprus without securing permission from the Civil Registry and Migration department.

“How do you plead?” the state prosecutor asked.