Royal Ascot to rein in dress standards

2012-01-18

For centuries, the Ascot race meeting has been one of Britain’s premier social occasions, patronised by royalty and attended by the cream of society in all their finery.

But upper-class eyebrows have been raised in recent years by what many race-goers perceive as a distinct lowering of the tone when it comes to the standard of dress.

Short, strapless dresses, jeans and even shorts have increasingly been spotted amongst the top hats and tails – and now the organisers are fighting back.

They have issued new guidelines about what is and what is not acceptable for ladies and gentlemen to wear to Ascot.

Perry comments upset Turkey’s government

2012-01-18

 

Rick Perry’s comment that Turkey is ruled by “Islamic terrorists” is the latest gaffe by a Republican White House hopeful on foreign policy, which has been a minefield for the candidates vying to oppose President Barack Obama’s re-election this year.

Whether it was former contender Herman Cain’s making fun of “Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan, Newt Gingrich saying Palestinians are an “invented people,” or apocalyptic rhetoric on Iran, the candidates have made a series of inflammatory statements that have drawn fire from allies and major trading partners.

Hiring freeze difficult for busy police

2012-01-18

 

THE GOVERNMENT hiring freeze makes the work of the police even harder, especially in light of Cyprus assuming the EU presidency in the second half of the year, the island’s top policeman said.

Michalis Papageorgiou said the force’s job this year will be very difficult since beyond normal duties it would have to step up security due to the presidency, which starts in July and the campaign ahead of the February 2013 presidential elections.

The chief said the hiring freeze has left vacant 152 positions, which would have helped the police better respond to its duties.

While demand for policing increased, the force’s personnel and equipment decreased, Papageorgiou said, adding that he has requested for the police to be exempted from the freeze.

Italy enthralled by ship’s tale of two captains

2012-01-18

The Coast Guard officer who ordered the captain of the capsized Italian cruise ship to go back aboard unwittingly became an instant hero on Wednesday, credited with saving the national honour on one of its darkest nights.

Italy has become enthralled with the tale of two captains.

One is Coast Guard Captain Gregorio De Falco, who furiously ordered the skipper of the Costa Concordia to return to his ship and oversee the rescue operations.

The other is Captain Francesco Schettino – whom newspapers have branded a coward for fleeing in the face of adversity and who is now under house arrest, accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.

Cyprus inflation rises to 4.2 per cent, as eurozone inflation falls to 2.7 per cent

2012-01-18

Cyprus annual inflation reaches 4.2 per cent in December 2011

Annual inflation in Cyprus recorded an increase during the month of December 2011, while subsideing on average in the EU and the Eurozone. 

According to Eurostat data the annual inflation rate rose to 4.2 per cent in Cyprus, up from 4 per cent in November. 

Euro area annual inflation was 2.7 per cent in December 2011, down from three per cent in November, while a year earlier the rate was 2.2 per cent. 

EU annual inflation was three per cent in December 2011, down from 3.4 per cent in November. A year earlier, the rate was 2.7 per cent. 

Baghdatis knocked out of Australian Open, destroys four racquets

2012-01-18

Marcos Baghdatis has lost to Swiss opponent Stanislas Wawrinka inthe second round of the Australian Open in Melbourne, losing 7-6 6-4 5-7 6-1.

Baghdatis, who was an Australian Open runner up in 2006, destroyed four racquets during the match, after falling two sets down to 21st seed Wawrinka. (See video below)

Full report to follow…

 

Other Australian Open men’s singles second round results (prefix denotes seeding)

LET NICOSIA

2012-01-18

FLAT FOR RENT. We have a fully furnished flat for rent. It is situated near DEBENHAMS (ex WOOLWORTH). It comprises of three bedrms, kitchen, living and dining room, two toilets and bathroom. It also has central heating, air-condition and solar heater. Price €750.00. For information call 22433191 (office hours)

 

Strike to hit 5,000 passengers

2012-01-18

THIRTY-five flights and 5,000 people will be affected today by a four-hour air traffic controller (ATC) strike after last-ditch efforts failed to avert it.

The strike will affect both the Republic’s airports – Larnaca and Paphos – starting at 1pm.

Twenty-three flights – 12 departures and 11 arrivals – concern Larnaca while five departures and seven arrivals were scheduled to use Paphos airport between 1pm and 5pm.

Airport operator Hermes spokesman Adamos Aspris said an estimated 5,000 people will be affected by the ATC strike and urged the public to be in touch with the airlines and travel agents to avoid further inconvenience.

Aspris expressed regret over the developments and warned of the negative consequences the strike would have.

Our View: National unity maybe but no sign of intelligent decisions

2012-01-18

A DEGREE of the national unity that President Christofias craves was achieved at Monday’s National Council meeting. It was the first time in years that the party leaders had taken a united stand with regard to the peace talks, prompting the government spokesman to say that the consensus would strengthen the president’s position at Greentree.

Denktash laid to rest

2012-01-18

 

THOUSANDS of Turkish Cypriot mourners were joined by nearly all of Turkey’s political elite yesterday as they flocked to the streets in the north of Nicosia to pay their last respects to former Turkish Cypriot leader and founder of the ‘TRNC’ Rauf Denktash who died last Friday after a prolonged illness aged 88. 

“He was our father; we owe our existence to him,” a tearful fifty-six year-old Huseyin Pasha told the Cyprus Mail minutes after Denktash had been laid to rest in a memorial site on the northern edge of the divided capital. 

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.