Germans and Dutch to resume rivalry at Euro 2012

2011-12-02

Traditional rivals Germany and Netherlands will lock horns yet again at the Euro 2012 finals next year after the two neighbours were drawn together yesterday in the toughest group of the 16-nation tournament.

The two will play each other on June 13 in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv in Group B, which also includes two other difficult-to-beat western European nations, Portugal and Denmark.

The tournament, being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, will open on June 8 in Warsaw when the Poles take on 2004 champions Greece. Russia and Czech Republic are also in Group A which has a distinctly eastern feel.

Robber hits bank in Aglandjia

2011-12-02

17:20 POLICE have launched a manhunt to find the culprit behind an armed robbery that took place at Emporiki Bank in Aglandjia today at noon. The robbery was the second in just 24 hours, with Yeri’s Co-op Bank suffering the same fate on Thursday.

Police said they were on the lookout for a Cypriot man around 40 to 45 years old, between 1.70m and 1.75 m tall, with a pale complexion. His image was caught on CCTV however.  The culprit managed to escape on foot with over €4,000.

The man in question entered the bank on Larnaca Avenue and threatened staff with a knife.

The surrounding area was cordoned off by police, who are calling any members of the  public who may have information on his whereabouts to come forward.

Government and opposition agree on austerity

2011-12-02

16:40 THE GOVERNMENT and opposition agreed on Friday to a new economic austerity package to arrest fiscal deterioration and the island’s possible slide into seeking an EU bailout.

Party leaders and government agreed to introduce a two-year freeze in wages in the broad public sector, an additional tax on private-sector earnings and additional savings in state spending, officials said.  

Asked about the possibility of Cyprus having to seek a bailout, Finance Minister Kikis Kazamias said: “I am optimistic that we will avoid it”.

Read more here: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/kazamias-cyprus-will-solve-its-own-fiscal-problems/20111203

Germany's Merkel fights for euro

2011-12-02

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Friday for rapid EU treaty change to remedy the root causes of the euro zone’s debt crisis but warned that Europeans faced a long, hard “marathon” to restore lost credibility.

Outlining a long-term approach to tighter fiscal integration in the single currency area, with tougher budget discipline, she dismissed quick fixes such as massive Fed-style money printing by the European Central Bank or issuing joint euro zone bonds.

“Resolving the sovereign debt crisis is a process, and this process will take years,” Merkel told parliament, vowing to defend the euro, which she said was stronger than Germany’s former deutschemark.

Cyprus to be evaluated for Schengen

2011-12-02

15:43 CYPRUS will be evaluated a the end of December 2013 by the European Commission in order to join the Schengen Agreement, Director of Division of Schengen, Consular Affairs and Crisis Management at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andreas Zenonos said on Friday.

Speaking to the press, Zenonos said that according to a decision taken recently by the Cabinet, preparations by the Foreign Ministry as well as the other Ministries and Services of the Republic, must be concluded by December 31, 2013 so that Cyprus can be evaluated by the Commission.

The aim is for Cyprus to join the Treaty by 2016.

Cyprus has already been evaluated in two areas out of a total of five that are set as prerequisite to join the pact.

You can read the Cyprus Mail pdf edition here

2011-12-02

Cyprus and Qatar deal could happen soon

2011-12-02

 

CYPRUS and Qatar are poised to finalise a long awaited agreement to develop the land opposite the Hilton hotel in Nicosia, some six months after they signed a basic framework agreement, and three years after the initial memorandum of understanding.

According to stockwatch.com.cy, finance minister Kikis Kazamias is due to meet with representatives of Qatari state firm, Qatari Diar, and the six-member council  tasked with fleshing out the legal, technical and financial details of the project in the morning.

Qatari Diar is an investment vehicle wholly owned by the Qatar Investment Authority. It has separate management and leadership, but it is chaired by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al -Thani, who also controls the QIA.

Tigers beat Crusaders in big Cyprus rugby match

2011-12-02

12:40 ON a cold winter’s night, it was strange to be watching a rugby match in Cyprus, with conditions more English than Cypriot as the top two teams on the island kicked off for a league match for the first time under floodlights on Thursday.

There was no score in a closely fought contest for the first half hour before the Limassol Crusaders gave away a penalty in front of the posts and Paphos Tigers fly-half Jack Bilton duly scored.

The Crusaders fought back and their scrum-half, Demitris Maratheftis, kicked a speculative ball into midfield which bounced kindly for him and he was able to re-gather and, with a fine burst of speed, broke two tackles to score the first try of the match.

40,000 vehicles without an MOT…madness.

2011-12-02

There is some good news for the many long suffering travelers that have to make frequent visits to Brussels. It’s finally been announced that Cyprus Airways will re-introduce direct flights to Brussels before the island’s EU Presidency in the second half of 2012.

So hopefully the days of hanging around for connections in Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Frankfurt and Athens are finally over.  It’s reported that the airline will operate six direct flights a week as from June.

Let’s just hope that when the Presidency is over, the airline can keep at least one or two direct flights, as opposed to scrapping the service altogether as they did last year.

 GOT AN MOT JOHN?

AEK keep hopes alive after win over Maccabi

2011-12-02

12:11 GONZALO Garcia and Gorka Pintado scored a goal apiece to move AEK Larnaca within a point of Maccabi Haifa, keeping alive their Europa League qualification hopes on Thursday night at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia.

Garcia opened the scoring in the 14th minute when he pounced on a loose ball and broke clear before firing low past Bojan Saranov in Maccabi’s goal.

AEK extended their lead six minutes after the interval. Quick thinking by Pintado on the right flank saw the forward get the better of Saranov, brilliantly disguising his shot as a cross and beating the goalkeeper at his near post.

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.