THE REVELATIONS about the multiple pensions collected by former deputies, ministers and civil servants have justifiably caused a lot of public anger and resentment. It is a scandalously unjust arrangement, passed secretly in 1988 by the very people who would benefit from it – politicians and top-ranked civil servants.

TWO PAKISTANIS have been arrested on suspicion of having links to radical Islamic groups after a tipoff from a foreign intelligence agency, authorities said yesterday.

Police said the men, in their late thirties were arrested during a raid on their home in Nicosia in the early hours of Wednesday.  Laptops and documents were confiscated for examination.

“The information we have suggests that they are linked to Islamic extremists or extremist organisations,” said police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos. The men had been under surveillance for several weeks.

THIEVES broke into a Limassol home belonging to a Russian couple and made off with some €130,000 in cash and jewellery, police said yesterday.

The couple who are permanent residents, noticed the burglary when they returned to their home in the upmarket Lefkothea area on Thursday evening.

Police said the perpetrators gained entry through an aluminum window on the ground floor.

The luxury house has been recently renovated and the alarm system and security cameras had not been activated yet.

They went to the bedroom and used a crowbar to open the metal safe, which is fixed on cement in a cupboard.

The burglars stole €101,000 in €500 bills, a phone worth €6,500 and sundry expensive jewellery.

THE VETERINARY Services are planning to launch an investigation into the shocking maltreatment of four pit-bull terriers, which were discovered in terrible condition at an abandoned home in Engomi.

The Services are awaiting a report by the Nicosia Animal Welfare Committee (NAWC), expected to be handed over on Monday, before taking further action, an official assured the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

The abuse was uncovered when Sharon Becket of the Nicosia Dog Shelter received a call by a concerned member of the public about four pit-bull terriers living in dire condition at an abandoned home in Engomi, Nicosia.

A COMPLEX case filled with accusations, frantic car chases, hidden evidence and freshly-killed prey was exposed yesterday by game wardens on patrol in Mammari.

At around 12.30am yesterday, game wardens heard shots being fired in an area where hunting is not permitted.

A police spokesman said: “The wardens rushed to the scene and after canvassing the area for two hours they noticed a car suspiciously driving through the area.” The spokesman said that the wardens then asked the car to stop but the driver refused to comply and sped off.

“About an hour later and after an intense car chase we finally intercepted the car but upon searching the vehicle and the four men that were in it, we found no solid evidence of any crime” he said.

RAIN and a drop in temperature are on the way starting tomorrow, according to the meteorological service.

“We will see a change on Sunday, expecting isolated showers with a drop in temperature,” said meteorological service official Marios Theophilou.

Up till now the weather has been unseasonably warm, with temperatures up to seven degrees higher than the norm.

Today the weather will be mainly clear with periods of high cloud, with temperatures reaching 26 degrees in the mainland, 23 on the coast and 20 in the mountains.

THE Constantinos and Eleni cemetery in Nicosia has recently been subject to a number of thefts, an employee revealed yesterday.

According to the employee the thieves have been taking anything and everything, from flowers and plants as well as buckets and sweeping brushes, apparently “leaving nothing.” These objects are worthless but of sentimental value to relatives of the deceased.

These relatives have begun leaving written notes telling the thieves not to steal from gravestones as ‘God is watching them and will punish them for it’. They are also calling upon the church authorities to take action so that the thieves are arrested.

EUROCYPRIA (ECA) pilots yesterday described as unacceptable a government proposal for compensation after the airline went bust last month.

The proposal has not been officially handed over to the staff yet but some information was leaked to the media following its submission to the cabinet yesterday.

“It is not what was expected. It is not fair for all employees,” the chairman of ECA pilots Andreas Kalos said. “It cannot be accepted as is.”

Kalos said the staff expected the official proposal on Monday but was unsure if it would be a take-it-or-leave-it offer.

“I think it will be open for discussion but I am not sure.”