Till debt do us part: divorce soars in recession

2011-12-08

THE number of couples divorcing has soared for the first time in almost a decade as a result of the economic crisis.

Shock figures today revealed a five per cent leap in marital breakdowns to almost 114,000 last year, after they fell for most of the Noughties.

They show that four out of 10 couples will never reach their silver anniversary – and one in 12 marriages from 2005 is already over. Divorce specialists said the financial crisis and economic downturn over the past three years had put huge strains on relationships.

French senate holds tough debate on foreigner vote

2011-12-08

FRENCH politicians clashed in the Senate today over whether to let non-EU immigrants vote in local elections, with conservatives vowing to stamp out a left-wing initiative that many of them once said was a good idea.

The posturing and rhetoric in parliament showed how each side sought to signal its position on the sensitive matter of national identity to supporters, five months before a presidential election.

“Do you really think it’s because you are voting or can vote that you are integrated?” Prime Minister Francois Fillon told lawmakers in a speech. “Do you think countries that have expanded the right to vote have resolved their integration issues? Look at Britain and the Netherlands.”

Fear and speculation in Iran over military strike

2011-12-08

THE threat of military strikes on Iran has upturned the quiet and comfortable lives once enjoyed by many Iranians, ushering in a new era of struggle and fear.

Like many Iranians, Maryam Sofi says the West and Iran are locked in a dangerous game. “I don’t think we can know just yet if war will break out, but I am concerned for my family and my country,” says university teacher Sofi, 42, a mother of two.

“I cannot sleep at night, thinking about destruction and bloodshed if Israel and America attack Iran.”

The United States and Israel have not ruled out military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails to resolve a dispute over a programme they suspect is aimed at developing atomic weapons.

Rooney's UEFA ban reduced to two games after appeal

2011-12-08

ENGLAND striker Wayne Rooney’s ban at next year’ Euro 2012 finals was reduced from three to two games following an appeal heard by UEFA today.

The 26-year-old Manchester United striker was originally banned for three matches following his sending off for kicking opponent Miodrag Dzudovic in their final qualifier against Montenegro in October.

“The three-match suspension levelled against Wayne Rooney is now suspended, with the third game of the suspension, suspended for four years, so Wayne will be available for the final group game of the European championship against Ukraine,” Adrian Bevington, the managing director of Club England, told reporters at UEFA’s headquarters.

EAC gets budget to pay for temporary power

2011-12-08

 

THE HOUSE plenum today unanimously approved the €24.5 million supplementary fund to the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) pledged by the state to cover the set-up and rental cost of mobile generators at Vassilikos.

The €24.5 million is part of a Cabinet pledge to give the EAC €49 million to cover rental costs for a year.

The first half of the bundle will go towards covering the costs between September this year and February next year.

The government hopes to recover the money from the European Union Solidarity Fund as assistance following the July 11 blast at Mari which incapacitated Vassilikos power station.

Ship runs aground in bad weather

2011-12-08

A LARGE commercial ship was forced onto the rocks in Paphos during a bout of severe weather early this morning.

No-one was hurt in the incident, and the crew of seven was lifted to safety by a police helicopter.

The Captain and First Engineer remained on board but according to a Peyia police spokesman, this poses no danger.

“If it were dangerous, the captain and his engineer would vacate the ship.”

According to police, the ship, which was en route from Limassol to Rhodes, was caught up in strong winds and crashed onto the rocks at around 4 to 5am.

The incident took place in the Sea Caves area of Paphos between Coral Bay and St. George’s Island, with the ship running aground approximately 15m from the shore.

Putin says US stoked Russian protests

2011-12-08

 

PRIME Minister Vladimir Putin accused the United States today of stirring up protests against his 12-year rule and said foreign countries were spending hundreds of millions of dollars to influence Russian elections.

In his first public remarks about daily demonstrations over allegations that Sunday’s election was slanted to favour his ruling party, Putin said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had encouraged Kremlin opponents by criticising the vote.

“She set the tone for some opposition activists, gave them a signal, they heard this signal and started active work,” Putin told supporters as he laid out plans for his campaign to return to the presidency in a March election.

Eroglu gloomy over talks

2011-12-08

TURKISH CYPRIOT leader Dervis Eroglu foresees a gloomy ending to the ongoing peace talks and hopes the UN chief will take the “necessary steps”, according to Turkish Cypriot press reports. 

Yesterday’s daily Kibris said Eroglu showed great pessimism on the prospects of a positive outcome from the tripartite meeting to take place in New York at the end of January with President Demetris Christofias and the UN chief.  

Speaking during a meeting with the Paphos Turkish Union on Tuesday, Eroglu said: “I think that the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will see in January that there can be no solution on the island and will take the necessary steps.” 

Youths arrested for attack on students

2011-12-08

 

FIVE YOUTHS, including a serving officer of the National Guard, were arrested yesterday in connection with an attack on students voting at the University of Nicosia on Tuesday late afternoon.  

A group of around 15 black-clad assailants wearing helmets and wielding bats and crowbars stormed the hall where student elections were taking place at the university at around 5.30pm on Tuesday. 

One helmet-wearing intruder used pepper spray on students, others threw chairs around while their collaborators stole four of the ten ballot boxes in the hall. Five people went to hospital for treatment after inhaling the spray. 

According to police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos, the assailants entered and left the hall in formation. 

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.