Baghdatis blows it against Dolgopolov

2011-09-21

MARCOS Baghdatis threw away a one-set lead to crash out of the Moselle Open in Metz to Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 7-6, 5-7, 3-6 last night.

There was one break of serve apiece in the opening set which eventually had to be decided in the tie-break. 

It was the Cypriot number one who kept his cool as he claimed his ninth breaker of the 2011 season to take the opening set, after restricting the third-seeded Dolgopolov to five points in the process.

However, Baghdatis then failed to build on his momentum in the second set as the unorthodox Ukrainian took control of the match and converted his only break chance of the set, while saving all three break point opportunities on his serve, to level the scores.

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2011-09-21

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Uni of Cyprus and Energy Regulator to collaborate on energy issues

2011-09-21

AN AGREEMENT between the Energy Regulator (CERA) and Cyprus University aims to help Cyprus recover from the costly energy crisis it was plunged into following the July 11 naval base blast which knocked out half of the island’s electricity production.

The two bodies aim to promote development and activities relating to energy and development, focus on renewable energy sources and create an array of academic programmes to encourage research on energy issues. 

Postgraduate students, for example, will be able to research issues which will be directly relevant to CERA’s interests while staff and students will be able to train and study at either institution. 

Ground broken by offshore drilling platform

2011-09-21

NOBLE Energy broke ground yesterday in exploratory drilling for natural gas off Cyprus’ southern coast, as the government again defended the Republic’s right to exploit the country’s natural resources.

The drill of the ‘Homer Ferrington’ oil rig penetrated the seabed, at a sea depth of 1,700 m, said Energy Service director Solon Kassinis.

Drilling would continue to the depth of around 5.8km below sea level, and the process could take up to two or three months, he said.

“It’s going well, without any glitches,” Kassinis told the Cyprus Mail.

During this time samples will be taken from the bedrock and analyzed for their hydrocarbon content and quality.

‘I’m just a citizen who cares about his city’

2011-09-21

Papadopoulos’ stepson Constantinos Yiorkadjis throws hat into the ring for Nicosia mayor

WITH A promise to clean up Nicosia bringing it out of its current slump by tackling problems such as safety and parking, Constantinos Yiorkadjis announced plans yesterday to stand as candidate for Nicosia mayor in the December municipal elections.

“Nicosia unfortunately does not live up to its role either as a modern city or as a capital city and everyday it is being discredited,” he said.

Police investigation of Mari blast coming to an end

2011-09-21

THE POLICE have amassed over 600 testimonies and will deliver a report to the Attorney-General by the end of the month in relation to the criminal investigation into the deadly July 11 Mari blast, police chief Michalis Papageorgiou said yesterday.

The police will hand over about 31 files to the Attorney-General who can then choose to start criminal proceedings against specific individuals, Papageorgiou added.

The police investigation was carried out at the same time as Polys Polyviou’s public interviews of high profile officials in relation to the political responsibility of the blast events. Thirteen people were killed when confiscated munitions held at the Evangelos Flourakis naval base in Mari, exposed to the elements for over two years, finally exploded.

Sigma shareholder denies being moral instigator behind murder

2011-09-21

 

SIGMA shareholder Rea Andronikou yesterday denied being the moral instigator behind the murder of media owner Andis Hadjicostis at the ongoing trial.

Under cross-examination, Andronikou, a witness for the state prosecution, was badgered by the defence regarding the nature of her ties to two of the persons standing trial for murder – television presenter Elena Skordelli and Skordelli’s brother Tasos Krasopoulis.

Earlier, Andronikou, whose family held 17 per cent of shares in Sigma, told the court that Skordelli was sounding out Sigma stockholders with a view to gradually amassing a controlling stake in the channel.

The defence, in turn, has accused Andronikou of guiding Skordelli and her brother into buying one fifth of the television channel’s shares.

Police searching for fan who targeted officers during Monday football violence

2011-09-21

POLICE yesterday said they were searching for a fan who had thrown what is believed to be firecrackers against members of the force during violence arising from Monday night’s Apollon-AEK football match in Limassol.

In a written statement yesterday, police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said three minutes before the final whistle, Apollon fans threw three explosives onto the pitch, with the resulting deafening blast injuring a sergeant and a constable who were on duty in front of the Apollon stands.

‘Contraception is no longer a taboo, get informed’

2011-09-21

‘CONTRACEPTION is no longer a taboo, get informed’ was the slogan featured on giveaways handed out yesterday, as the Cyprus Family Planning Association (CFPA) kicked off a week of sexual health awareness-raising.

“Young people have a right to access credible and unbiased information on contraception with the goal of preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),” said Margarita Kapsou, President of CFPA’s Board of Directors, at a press conference yesterday, held ahead of World Contraception Day on September 26. 

Young people becoming sexually active in “the absence of a systematic and evidence-based Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), constitutes a genuine problem that needs to be addressed”, she added.

Schoolteachers’ unions to protest next week

2011-09-21

PRIMARY and secondary school teachers’ unions (POED and OELMEK respectively) will meet today to finalise plans for industrial action highlighting the impact of government austerity measures on their members.

POED head Philios Phylactou said yesterday the date of their proposed two-hour strike would be decided in the coming week, and will likely take place before next Friday.

“We will meet with OELMEK (today) and we hope to announce the date and the hour of the strike on Thursday, and it will take place next week,” he said.

Phylactou said teachers were taking industrial action as they were “easy targets” for government cutbacks, and to raise awareness of the effects of the economic crisis among those less affected.

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.