Fowler sees hope for young guns at Augusta

2011-03-25

American Rickie Fowler feels the recent lack of form displayed by established winners ahead of next month’s U.S. Masters gives the sport’s younger generation, including himself, a chance for glory.

Phil Mickelson, a three-time winner at Augusta and the defending champion, has yet to win this year, and Tiger Woods, a four-time Masters winner, is without a tour win since 2009.

While nobody is ruling out either Woods or Mickelson at Augusta there is a feeling that the field is wide open for a young challenger to make their name.

CY fights back for London route with ‘one plus one’ offer

2011-03-25

 

A DAY after Aegean Airlines trumpeted a raft of cheap flight deals from Larnaca, including a one-way fare of €102 to and from Heathrow, Cyprus Airways (CY) announced a ‘buy one, get one free’ offer in a race to beat out the new competition.

CY said that passengers who purchase a ticket to London will receive (more or less) a complimentary ticket, to any of the national carrier’s destinations.

The offer is valid for tickets issued between March 27 and April 30 and for trips to London completed until June 30. The complimentary ticket will be issued by CY, and the free trip must be carried out between September 20 and December 10 on flights operated by CY. The offer applies for both economy and business class.

Our View: West must go back to drawing board to help Libyan rebels

2011-03-25

THE QUESTION everyone is asking after six days of bombardment of Libyan targets by coalition forces is, ‘what happens next?’ The alliance has destroyed Colonel Gaddafi’s air defences and the UN-sanctioned no-fly zone is fully operational. Now, a stalemate is looking to be the most likely outcome, with rebels controlling the east part of the country and troops loyal to Gaddafi the west.

Bulk of town planning amnesty law passed

2011-03-25

PARLIAMENT yesterday passed the bulk of the ‘town planning amnesty’ legislation aimed at tackling the morass of title-less properties on the island.

By a unanimous vote, the House approved the amended laws on town planning, roads and structures, and immovable property (tenure, registration and valuation) as submitted by the Interior Ministry. Eleventh-hour amendments proposed by the parties were discussed but rejected.

MPs had hoped to pass the entire package, which consists of five items in total, but two of the items are still pending at the House Legal Affairs Committee.

The new legislation essentially provides for ‘legalizing’ real estate property that lacks a title deed due to town-planning or building irregularities.

Woman in custody after knife attack

2011-03-25

A 23-YEAR-OLD woman from the village of Argaka, Paphos was yesterday detained on suspicion of repeatedly stabbing a man, 42, on Tuesday.

The victim, who is from the village of Argaka, is in serious condition after suffering over a dozen stab wounds to various parts of his body.

The 42-year-old works for the suspect’s father who owns a gas distribution company.

The woman, who denies any involvement in the incident, was yesterday remanded in custody for eight days.

According to police, the victim was found in a pool of blood following a frantic call he made to his Romanian girlfriend before losing consciousness.

During that call he had named the suspect as the perpetrator of the attack.

‘I was afraid for my life’ says trial witness

2011-03-25

A PROSECUTION witness in the trial for the murder of media boss Andis Hadjicostis yesterday identified two people implicated in the case in security footage recorded shortly before the January 2010 murder.

Costas Proestou recognised defendant Gregoris Xenofontos – the alleged shooter – meet prosecution witness Fanos Hadjigeorgiou at 7.30 pm near the entrance of the apartment building where Hadjigeorgiou lived.

Hadjicostis was gunned down shortly afterwards outside his Engomi home.

The defence had tried to throw the footage out, suggesting that Xenofontos had been recorded illegally.

Defence attorney Robertos Vrahimis yesterday submitted questions in writing asking whether his client’s right to privacy had been violated.

Ancient olive tree marks Nicosia roundabout

2011-03-25

AN ANCIENT olive tree has become the focal point of the roundabout opposite the Presidential Palace, marking the centre of town, as well as raising awareness of how precious water is.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) have undertaken the new design of the roundabout and once it is completed in about three weeks time it will be presented to the Municipality of Nicosia.

One of the main reasons the olive tree was chosen as a symbol, was not only because it is a tree that represents Cyprus and peace, but because it needs very little water. “This is one of the reasons we chose it,” said KEVE official Socrates Iracleous,

KEVE: we must regain our credit standing

2011-03-25

ENTREPRENEURS yesterday urged the state to set the ambitious goal of attaining a triple ‘A’ credit rating so that Cyprus may join the small group of financial powerhouses that effectively rule Europe.

“In this day and age, countries with the highest credit ability are the most powerful and it is them which effectively predetermine the EU’s future,” said Manthos Mavromatis, chairman of the chamber of commerce and industry (KEVE).  “We firmly believe that it is not impossible and it is within our potential, as long as we have the vision … and the political will to take all necessary measures to correct the wrongs of the economy.”

Credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded Cyprus by two notches to A2 last month, and rival Standard & Poor’s cut its rating to A.

‘Most expensive house in Cyprus’ going for €25 million

2011-03-25

A LIMASSOL seafront house boasting seven bedrooms and bathrooms and five separate levels all with their own facilities is going for €25 million in the Amathus area.

The house is the ultimate recreation centre containing a home cinema and dancing area, a billiard room, a winter garden and even an aquarium.

The master bedroom allows people to enjoy a panoramic view spanning 180 degrees.

The building takes up an area of 3,264 square metres, which explains how the architects even managed to fit in what is basically a personal gym area with an indoor swimming pool (in addition to the outdoors one); solarium, sauna, steam and mud bath rooms and of course a gym as well.

Modernising the tax system will have to wait

2011-03-25

THE current state of public finances may not favour a reform of the tax system, Manthos Mavromatis, chairman of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) has said.

He was responding to proposals to modernise the system which were submitted to the Ministry of Finance by Phdias Pilides, president of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency ahead of the March 11 meeting of the euro area leaders.

At their meeting, the euro zone leaders reached an agreement on the ‘pact for the euro’, based on proposals of the EU President Herman van Rompuy. The pact provides among other things that a common corporate tax base will be developed in the euro zone.

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.