Schumacher still chasing his dreams

2011-03-16

Stirling Moss stifled a guffaw when asked about Michael Schumacher’s chances of celebrating another race win, let alone an eighth Formula One crown, this season.

“(Can he) Win? No, of course not,” the Briton told Reuters last month, a note of incredulity entering the voice of the 81-year-old widely regarded as the greatest driver never to win the world championship.

“I think going back (to F1) was a mistake. I think he’s done a tremendous amount for motor racing, most of all by getting Ferrari when they were doing nothing and bringing them back to the top.

“But I think now it’s going to be very difficult, I think he’s going to be lucky to get on the podium actually,” added the man who took the first of his 16 grand prix wins with Mercedes 56 years ago.

Police sweep uncovers prostitution ring

2011-03-16

A HIGH-RANKING police officer, an Asian woman and two pensioners were arrested yesterday on suspicion of running a prostitution ring in old Nicosia following a raid for illegal immigrants in which 28 women and 18 men were rounded up.

The two pensioners, aged 68 and 70, are believed to run a number of brothels in the old town.

Police Spokesman Michalis Katsounotos yesterday said 75 policemen had participated in the early-morning sting during which extensive information and evidence was gathered.

During the raid, 46 people were rounded up, mainly from countries of the Middle and Far East. Among them was a 15-year-old girl from China.

AG ordered deportation of trafficking victim

2011-03-16

THE ATTORNEY-general has ordered the deportation of the victim and alleged perpetrator of rape, trafficking, sexual and work exploitation and unlawful detention.

Attorney-general Petros Clerides yesterday refused to speak to the Cyprus Mail about the decision to deport both Indian nationals – the suspect, 35, and the victim, 20, who ended up pregnant after a gang rape. Asked to provide any information on the case, Clerides replied: “I don’t remember and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said yesterday police had initially completed the file against the suspect and handed it over to Clerides who gave instructions to deport both the suspect and the victim.

Woman found dead in wastewater after being tied to concrete block

2011-03-16

A MISSING woman was yesterday found dead in a gruesome state at a pig farm in the Limassol district where she had been working, beaten and tied to a concrete block thrown into a lake of wastewater.

The 37-year-old woman from Sri Lanka was reported missing from her workplace at the pig farm in Monagroulli, where she worked the last year and a half, on the afternoon of March 3.

Police were notified yesterday afternoon of her possible location when work colleagues spotted a hand popping out of the lake of wastewater at the pig farm.

‘Skordelli wanted to own majority stake in Sigma’

2011-03-16

TV PRESENTER and murder suspect Elena Skordelli was in the spotlight yesterday, as a prosecution witness told of her “desperate plea” to become the majority shareholder in private television channel Sigma because she felt “persecuted” and “wronged” by her colleagues.

The revelations were made by George Foka – the manager of Yiannis Athienitis’ group of companies, Alfa-Sigma EMS Ltd – as the trial into the murder of Sigma boss Andis Hadjicostis continued.

‘People don’t know where to complain’

2011-03-16

CONSUMERS still do not know where to address their complaints, authorities warned on occasion of yesterday’s World Consumer Rights Day.

“Is it possible to expect effective checks and an immediate crack down of bleak consumer-related happenings when three different ministries (commerce, health, and agriculture) issues deal with matters of consumers’ health and protection?” DISY’s Lefteris Christoforou asked.

Around 12,000 consumer complaints are filed every year with various different bodies.

The government must “take immediate measures and abandon its passive attitude, which is only making the problem worse,” EDEK’s trade union DEOK said of the lack of healthy and unadulterated competition in Cyprus.

Water price hike may be next says Nicosia’s Board chief

2011-03-16

Water prices will be reviewed but any increase will be reasonable according to the head of the Nicosia Water Board yesterday.

Argyris Papanastasiou made the statement at a press conference held in light of the upcoming Water Day, marked each year on March 22.

“With the interest and protection of the consumer in mind, the increase of fees and charges is expected to be reasonable,” said Papanastasiou.

He went on to explain that the reason for the price hike was due to the government’s increase from 77 cents to 82 cents per cubic metre in the sale price of water to the various district water boards.

Whatever you do, don’t mention the teeth implants

2011-03-16

A SPOKESWOMAN for Sigma TV yesterday rushed to defend the sudden interruption of its talk show Me tin Elita (With Elita) after the Deputy’s Attorney-general’s teeth implant scandal came up.

The show was cut off while Health Minister Christos Patsalides was being interviewed over the phone and was being quizzed about scandal.

The show’s host, Elita Michaelides, had been in the middle of interviewing Patsalides on the ministry’s lack of an efficient system for sending patients abroad, when the show’s psychologist – Vasilis Michaelides – mentioned the “scandalous handlings of the Health Ministry” in the case of Akis Papasavvas’ teeth implants.

Turkey’s nuclear plant would pose a danger for Cyprus

2011-03-16

THE APOCALYPTIC events in Japan may not be as far removed from Cyprus as we think, given Turkey’s intention to build a nuclear plant in Akkuyu, Environment Commissioner, Charalambos Theopemptou warned yesterday.

Akkuyu is close to the active Ecemis fault line and as such the whole area is vulnerable to earthquakes.

“Radiation may be transferred via air or sea and in the case of leakage, it would certainly reach and contaminate the island,” Theopemptou warned. Radiation exposure has long-lasting effects on people’s health and may result to death or chronic illnesses of those exposed and their children, Theopemptou said.

EDEK’s Yiannakis Omirou chimed in to ask that a campaign be launched in Cyprus to prevent the construction of Akkuyu’s nuclear plant.

Christofias concludes visit to Israel and Palestinian territories

2011-03-16

PRESIDENT DEMETRIS Christofias yesterday ended his first official visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, describing Israel as one of Cyprus’ “most important strategic partners” while expressing support for the creation of an independent, viable, sovereign Palestinian state.

The president returned last night from his tour of the troubled region after appearing to have struck the right balance between historic allies, the Palestinians, and potential new energy partner, Israel.

Relations between Israel and Cyprus have seen a significant improvement in recent times, particularly following the deterioration of Israeli-Turkish relations last year when Israeli forces killed Turkish activists in international waters.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.