Air strikes silence Gaddafi’s guns at besieged city

2011-03-23

Western warplanes silenced Muammar Gaddafi’s artillery and tanks besieging the rebel-held town of Misrata on Wednesday after an American admiral warned that the Libyan leader’s armour was now in the cross-hairs.

Breathing defiance, Gaddafi earlier said Western powers who carried out a fourth night of air strikes on Libya to protect civilians under a U.N. mandate were “a bunch of fascists who will end up in the dustbin of history.”

The Western powers enforcing the U.N. resolution with their military might are struggling to agree on a coherent command structure including NATO after Washington said it wanted to hand over leadership of the campaign in the coming days.

Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79

2011-03-23

Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor, one of the most alluring actresses of the 20th century, died on Wednesday at age 79, her publicists said.

She died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles surrounded by her four children after having been hospitalized six weeks ago with congestive heart failure, a statement from publicist Sally Morrison said.

“My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humor, and love. Though her loss is devastating to those of us who held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to our world,” son Michael Wilding said in a statement.

 

All round athletes are the future of golf

2011-03-23

All-round athletes with experience of other sports who can bring physical power and balance to their technique are the future of golf, South African Ernie Els said on Tuesday.

Els’ comments came after Gary Woodland, who switched to golf from a basketball scholarship while at college and played competitive baseball in his youth, won his first U.S. PGA Tour title at the Transitions Championship on on Sunday.

“Now the guys are athletic, they look after themselves, they are hitting it over 300 yards and they can keep control of the golf ball. I think that’s the future,” said three-times major champion and former world number one Els.

APOEL hot favourites to take Cyprus title after regular season

2011-03-23

APOEL finished the regular season with a 12-point cushion over arch-rivals Omonia after a convincing 2-0 victory over AEL in the final round of the national championship at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia over the weekend.

However, the press conference after the match probably brought more excitement than the game itself as AEL’s Dutch coach Raymond Atteveld laid into the match officials.

“We knew that it would be difficult to play against APOEL on their home ground. It is hard to play 11 against 11, never mind 12 or even 13 against 11 as we had to do today.”

APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic wouldn’t be provoked into reacting however, as he patiently waited for his turn to speak.

Not enough done to combat colon cancer

2011-03-23

COLON cancer is the third most frequent  type of the disease in Cyprus as over 200 cases are recorded each year with only a 50 per cent survival rate, it emerged yesterday.

Speaking at a news conference to mark the European month for colon cancer, the chairwoman of the island’s cancer patients association Dr. Anna Ahilleoudi said more than 400,000 Europeans are diagnosed with this type of cancer every year with 212,000 dying from the disease.

Ahilleoudi stressed that colon cancer is treatable when diagnosed early.

“Colon cancer can be prevented, tackled and treated when it is diagnosed on time,” Ahilleoudi said. “We believe it is sad to lose lives due to ignorance or the absence of a suitable population monitoring program for this cancer.”

‘Vice ring is being investigated objectively’

2011-03-23

A HIGH-RANKING police officer arrested in connection with a prostitution ring last week is being treated like any other suspect, Police Chief Michalis Papageorgiou said yesterday.

“We are saddened that there is a member of police involved,” Papageorgiou told reporters. “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty but the fact that he is a member of the police does not affect us at all; the particular case is investigated with full objectivity and determination.”

The officer, a senior at the Aliens and Immigration Unit, was last week remanded in custody for seven days along with a 72-year-old pensioner.

Helios trial stalled over video testimony

2011-03-23

IN THE ongoing Helios trial, the Nicosia Criminal Court has deferred a decision on a motion to admit the remote testimony of two USA-based witnesses.

The court said it would deliver its decision on April 5. It had heard arguments for and against the motion during a previous hearing.

The motion was filed by the Attorney-general’s office (the prosecution) and involves the summoning of two Boeing experts to testify via teleconference. The witnesses are considered key to the prosecution’s case.

The trial has stalled on this point for over a month.

Security seminar readying for EU presidency

2011-03-23

SECURITY issues were tackled yesterday at an educational seminar at the Cyprus Police Academy in readiness for Cyprus assuming the EU presidency in the second half of 2012.

The main issues raised were those of organisation and cooperation between authorities on security issues, as well as developing contingency plans in the event of danger.

Speakers at the seminar included deputy security manager of the European Council’s Security Division, Alexandro Legein, manager of the Belgian Crisis Centre, Alain Leferve and members of the Cyprus Police Force.

Delegates also visited the International Conference Centre in Nicosia where the meetings will be taking place.

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.