MOST NEWSPAPERS and television stations have united in demanding the withdrawal of the circular distributed by the Chief of Police, Michalis Papageorgiou, barring officers from having contacts with reporters and warning that violators would face disciplinary action. The head of the Union of Journalists called for the immediate withdrawal of the circular, while the justice minister publicly undermined the Chief by declaring on Thursday that no officer would be in trouble for having contacts with news reporters.

THE WEEKEND publication of the testimony of a key witness in the Andis Hadjicostis murder investigation could allow three people accused of the crime to walk free, it emerged yesterday.

Politis newspaper’s decision to print the entire contents of Theophanis Hadjigeorgiou’s seven-page statement incriminating TV presenter Elena Skordelli, 42, her brother Tasos Krasopoulis, 37, and Andreas Gregoriou, 33, could result in the declaration of an “unfair trial”.

Branded “irresponsible” and “inexcusable” by senior police sources, the newspaper could very well have contributed towards allowing the three accused to go home.

ANGLERS are being brought in to help rescue a critically endangered Cyprus water snake that has lived on the island for thousands of years, but now faces a major threat from a snappy fish with a big appetite.

As of next Monday, when the amateur fishing season begins, anglers will be allowed to fish again in a picturesque reservoir which has been overrun by largemouth bass, an invasive fish species which gobbles up virtually everything that moves in the murky depths.

That includes frogs, a staple in the diet of the demure snake, Natrix natrix cypriaca, which breeds on the banks of the Xyliatos Reservoir, which has been closed for fishing for around six years.

An exceptionally rainy January and continuing bad weather took the water-levels in the island’s dams to over 50 per cent capacity at the weekend, the Meteorological Service announced yesterday.

The news came as a storm-front lashed the island yesterday afternoon, bringing torrential rain to most areas, and hail and snow in the Troodos mountain-range. The bad weather made many roads dangerous to use, and some almost impassable.

A small tornado hit Tseri (Nicosia), ripping the roof off a house in Omirou Street and depositing it on two cars parked in the driveway, flattening them. According to initial police reports, the house next door also suffered some damage.

NEARLY 2,000 new cancer patients registered with the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre last year marking a three per cent increase from 2008.

Specifically the number of new cancer cases was 1,858, with an average increase of 155 new patients per month, the Centre said.

Eighty-two per cent of all new cancer cases were Greek Cypriot compared to 81 per cent in 2008 and 84 per cent in 2007.

In 2009, the number of Greek Cypriot patients increased by 66 patients (1,516 new patients compared to 1,450 in 2008), Turkish Cypriot patients increased by 29 (136 compared to 107 in 2008) and third country nationals increased by 11 (53 compared to 42 in 2008). Meanwhile the number of new cases that affected EU citizens was down 48 (153 compared to 201 in 2008).

THE VOTES are in and Cyprus’ entry in the 55th Eurovision song contest has been chosen.

On Sunday night, CYBC voters and a panel of music judges chose their favourite song, “Life Looks Better in the Spring”, performed by Jon Lilygreen and The Islanders and composed by Nasos Lamprianidis and Melis Constantinou. The song is a guitar led ballad with a gospel backing group.

“Angel”, sung by Zeno Zintilis and composed by Konstantinos Christoforou came second, and in third place was “Goodbye”, performed by Hovig Demirjlan. Out of 75 initial entries, 10 were short-listed for the final on Sunday night, when CYBC viewers could cast their votes.

SEVENTY per cent of potato crops suffered extensive damage in the Famagusta district, farmers complained yesterday.

AKEL deputy Yiannakis Gabriel told reporters the damage caused to crops due to the past three nights’ freezing temperatures had brought about irreversible damage. He said the damage was 80 to 90 per cent complete and had been verified by Agriculture department officials who had visited the area.

Gabriel said the Farmers’ Organisation and the Agriculture Ministry had to make a record of the damages so that the farmers could be compensated as soon as possible after going to enormous expense to invest in their crops. Without compensation potato farmers would be unable to support their families, he added.

NEGOTIATIONS with companies interested in supplying Cyprus with liquefied natural gas (LNG) are to commence in March, an official said yesterday.

“After an initial assessment we’ve come up with a short list…and now we’re almost ready for the next stage, which are the talks with the interested companies,” said Costas Ioannou, chairman of the Natural Gas Public Corporation (DEFA).

DEFA is the administrator of the government’s natural gas energy policy, and among other things is tasked with inviting and evaluating tenders for the supply of natural gas.

Last December it received expressions of interest for the supply of LNG from 13 companies, including, according to Commerce Minister Antonis Paschalides, “giants” of the industry.