Hamilton ends Vettel’s winning streak

2011-04-17

 

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton roared to victory in the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday to deny Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel a fifth win in a row.

Germany’s Vettel finished runner-up and 5.1 seconds behind the Briton, who narrowly avoided starting from the pit lane due to a pre-race engine scare, while Vettel’s Australian Red Bull team mate Mark Webber took third after starting 18th.

“That was amazing, thank you so much!” yelled Hamilton, whooping with delight after his first win since Belgium in August last year.

The 26-year-old, triumphant in Shanghai on his way to the title in 2008, was the first driver to win twice in China since the race made its debut on the calendar in 2004.

Title deeds fight heads to Europe

2011-04-17

 

FED-UP property buyers have decided to change tack and pursue their title deeds through Brussels, arguing that the holding back of the deeds violates the EU directive on unfair commercial practices.

The Sunday Mail has seen copies of letters which are being sent to the EU Commission and also to British Prime Minister David Cameron from UK MEPs, which they and the Cyprus Property Action Group (CPAG) hope could prompt some action.

It is expected that most or all of the 72 MEPs will sign the letters which are part of a coordinated plan, said CPAG’s Denis O’Hare, who believes the move could be a “title-deeds game-changer”.

Speech blasted by other parties

2011-04-17

THE PRESIDENT’S call for unity on the home front during his televised press conference on Friday met a wave of criticism from opposition parties yesterday.

EDEK leader Yiannakis Omirou accused President Demetris Christofias of employing the wrong strategy in the talks. His handling of the Cyprus problem coupled with Turkish intransigence have led the talks to stalemate and deadlock, putting the negotiations on the ‘respirator’, he said.

During his televised address, Christofias called for unity on the home front, saying that internal bickering only served to harm Greek Cypriot interests at the negotiating table.

Police officers demonstrate to support colleague

2011-04-17

ABOUT 100 police association (SAK) members protested yesterday in a show of support for their suspended colleague and representative Andreas Symeou amid criticism by the police spokesman that they were missing the mark.

“Today’s protest is at odds with its goal,” police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said.

The protesters carried banners against “gagging SAK’s unionist on police wages” and in favour of the “supporter of police rights.”

Symeou himself said last week he was being persecuted for being a unionist, an accusation repeatedly denied by police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos as well as from police chief Michalis Papageorgiou.

Nicosia needs public transport not more roads

2011-04-17

NO MORE roads are needed in Nicosia while public transport must be improved if the city is to avoid decline, a panel of experts concluded yesterday at a conference on town planning.

“Stop building roads! More roads generate more traffic,” civil engineer Andreas Markides warned.

A multitude of cars parked everywhere and anywhere in the city, a lack of green space, pavements and pedestrian areas are also plaguing Nicosia, Markides said.

In Nicosia, 98 per cent of people get around in their own car according to Markides. If authorities came down hard on illegal parking, this would generate a lot of income which could be ploughed into public transport, Markides added.

Mystery over why ID cards stopped for non Cypriots

2011-04-17

AS OF last Friday, Cyprus ID cards are no longer being issued to European and foreign residents of Cyprus but no one in the Interior Ministry is able to say why.

It is also unclear whether this is a permanent move or not. Following complaints from Paphos residents who were told they were no longer able to apply for ID cards, the Cyprus Mail contacted Paphos district officer, Andreas Christodoulides.

He said he was unaware of any changes in the law, but after investigation, confirmed that a circular had been sent out to all offices in Cyprus suspending the issue of ID cards to non Cypriots.

Two stolen Byzantine icons recovered by Church

2011-04-17

TWO 18TH century Byzantine icons depicting the Apostles Andreas and Iacovos have been located in Germany and recovered by the Church of Cyprus.

A statement by the Representation of the Church of Cyprus to the EU said the two icons, which are the work of the School of Iconography of St. Heraklidion, were located in Dusseldorf.

Their origin, said the Church of Cyprus’ statement, is believed to be a monastery or church in the occupied north. Reports suggest they may have come from the Monastery of Ayios Anastasios in Peristeronopigi, Famagusta.

They were taken out of Cyprus illegally and were up for sale in Europe.

Bomb at carwash

2011-04-17

A BOMB explosion caused extensive damage at a car wash owned by a 24-year-old man from Limassol yesterday.

In the early hours of the morning, the bomb went off at the car wash, causing damage to the establishment as well as two cars parked nearby.

Members of Limassol CID and explosives experts arrived at the scene, where they established that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device referred to as a pipe bomb.

The place was sealed and put under guard until morning light when CID officers returned to re-examine the scene.

Drugs heist

2011-04-17

POLICE YESTERDAY arrested a 25-year-old man after finding drugs and stolen jewellery in his car in Limassol in the early hours of the morning.

According to a police statement, at around 3.30am yesterday, a vehicle driven by the 25-year-old in the Yermasoyia area was stopped. During a search of the car, police said they found 2g of cannabis, a number of gold necklaces, rings, chains for the neck and wrist, and two watches.

The 25-year-old reportedly told investigators that the items were the product of four burglaries.

He was due in court yesterday for a remand hearing. Limassol CID is looking for more items they believe have been stolen by the 25-year-old.

Car arson

2011-04-17

A CAR was damaged by arson yesterday in the early hours of the morning in Nicosia. According to police, an explosion went off at around 4.15am damaging the car, owned by a 50-year-old resident of Nicosia.

Police investigators who arrived at the scene concluded that the explosion was caused by a factory made fire cracker which was placed on the windshield of the car.

Nicosia CID is investigating.

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.