Dominant Moufflons proud of unbeaten record

2011-05-04

THE Cyprus International Rugby team will play Luxembourg on Saturday in the closing game of the season which should see the Moufflons emerge as the dominant team in their European division.

The hosts have won only one of their matches this year, beating Finland 18-10, but losing to Greece and Bulgaria.

If form is anything to go by, then Cyprus shouldn’t have a problem – having defeated Greece 33-13, Bulgaria 55-8 and Finland by the huge margin of 70-10.

Even in the unlikely event of the Moufflons being beaten, they would still remain top of their division, having attained maximum points in the campaign including 3 bonus points awarded because of a high try count, which puts them 7 points above nearest rivals, Bulgaria.

Elections: full steam ahead

2011-05-04

FOUR hundred and twelve hopefuls islandwide yesterday submitted their candidacy for the May 22 parliamentary elections where 56 deputies’ seats are up for grabs.

Registrations took place at designated points in the main districts.

In addition to the 412 candidates, nine others registered to represent the Maronite, Latin and Armenian religious communities, which have observer status at the House. There are five Maronite candidates  and two each in the Latin and Armenian communities.

From the 412 candidates, six are independent, with three hoping to get a Limassol seat, with two others in Nicosia and one in Paphos. Ten political parties are participating, four of which are new.

Our View: Archbishop’s political hopes for Church are misplaced

2011-05-04

SEVERAL newspapers interpreted the latest interview given by Archbishop Chrysostomos as a signal that he would be seeking a much more active political role. He was no longer satisfied with making a political pronouncement every few weeks and funding fringe, anti-solution groups; instead he wanted the Church to play a leading part in shaping policy on the Cyprus problem.

Elections: rivalries put aside for a couple of hours

2011-05-04

AT THE Hilton Park in Nicosia, the room was buzzing with candidates from 10 different parties joking and smiling for the cameras and giving statements to journalists.

There was an increased police presence at the hotel but they were mainly there to  guide traffic in the car park.

The event was covered live by CyBC television and there was plenty of time for candidates to submit their applications between 9.30am and  12:30pm.

This was definitely more of a social event and many of the candidates were relaxing on sofas or moving chairs around to sit with their colleagues. If it was a day for electioneering it certainly was not a day for conflict.

Elections: lucky break for ZYGOS

2011-05-04

ZYGOS Independent Citizens Movement got a lucky break yesterday when despite having missed the deadline, were allowed to submit an application to receive party status.

Attorney-general, Petros Clerides, had ruled on Monday that ZYGOS would not be registered, during a meeting with the Interior Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Lazaros Savvides.

Clerides’ decision seemed to be irrevocable. It was stated that any application on handed in after Monday would be rejected.

Be that as it may, ZYGOS was proudly one of the parties which yesterday officially submitted their candidates with spokesman, John Cannas, saying that he was happy their application was given the last-minute approval.

Getaway driver tells of moments after murder

2011-05-04

THE MAN who allegedly drove the getaway motorcycle on the night of the murder of media boss Andis Hadjicostis yesterday described in detail the moments after the hit and how he and his shooter accomplice fled the scene.

Fanos Hadjigeorgiou told the Nicosia Criminal Court how he and Gregoris Xenofontos, the alleged shooter, had scouted the neighbourhood around the victim’s house and prepared all their moves the night before the murder.

Hadjigeorgiou has been placed in a witness protection programme and has had all charges against him dropped in exchange for testifying against the other four defendants.

Public works affecting hotel trade

2011-05-04

HOTELIERS IN Paphos said yesterday that trade is being adversely affected by the construction of six wave breakers in the sea in Yeroskipou.

The Louis Phaethon Beach hotel in Kato Paphos is situated closest to the six wave barrier, being constructed to protect the Yeroskipou coast.

Louis spokesman Michael Maratheftis told the Cyprus Mail: “We have had numerous complaints from visitors and tour operators, about the noise and disruption being caused by the sea works in the area.”

The work on the wave breakers began last October, but ran into problems when winter storms in December battered the coast and destroyed construction.

Work on the project had to start again and the municipality of Yeroskipou has cited this as the reason for delays.

Challenge to CB governor a recent phenomenon

2011-05-04

THE QUESTIONING of the executive powers of the Central Bank governor by members of the board is threatening the status and authority of the regulator itself, spilling over into the realm of business.

An appeal submitted to the Supreme Court last year challenged the CB’s decision to fine a group of individuals on the grounds that the decision was invalid as it was taken by the CB governor.

One of the main arguments cited in the appeal reads: “The decision under challenge was taken by a non-competent instrument. Jurisdiction for such decisions belongs to the board of directors of the Central Bank and not to its Governor.”

Why is the government playing Pilate on bin Laden?

2011-05-04

DISY DEPUTY Christos Stylianides yesterday questioned why the government had yet to release a statement on the death of Osama bin Laden, suggesting it didn’t share in the relief of the rest of the Western world.

The government played down the issue, saying it couldn’t release a statement on everything. Its views on the matter were fully aligned with those of the EU, it added.

Stylianides, who is running again for parliament in this month’s election, said the government’s silence following US President Barack Obama’s announcement on Sunday night that bin Laden had been killed by US forces in Pakistan aroused curiosity.

Spend a minute to save a life

2011-05-04

SAVE A LIFE today by simply showing up at the Keravnos building in Strovolos, between 5pm and 7pm, to give blood in order to find a bone marrow donor for a young man in need of a transplant.

The procedure will only take about one to two minutes and is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 45.

For anyone that cannot attend today they can visit the Karaiskakio Foundation any day or pay a visit to their outpatient’s in Engomi.

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.