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Friday, April 5, 2013

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Draghi: Cyprus to blame for turmoil ECB boss says proposal to hit small savers was not very ‘smart’

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HE EUROPEAN Central Bank yesterday put the blame for initial market turmoil over Cyprus’ bailout squarely on the government, and pledged that taxing depositors would not become normal procedure.

ECB President Mario Draghi said Cyprus’ bailout was “no template”, a statement designed to ease market fears that bank deposits would in future be fair game for international lenders seeking to help struggling eurozone countries.

But he was also scathing about the island’s initial plan to impose a levy on insured as well as uninsured bank depositors, even though the move was rubberstamped by the EU in the early hours of March 16. Draghi said the finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund had wanted Cyprus to help pay for its €10 billion with a levy on wealthy depositors only.

Cyprus, however, had initially also sought to charge those with €100,000 or less even though they had a bank deposit guarantee. “That was not smart, to say the least, and was quickly corrected (by eurozone finance ministers),” Draghi said.

The move was not reversed by eurozone minsters however, it was rejected by the Cyprus parliament.

Draghi said depositors with guarantees should be sacrosanct, but that it was best not to touch any depositors if possible. “You have a pecking order, ideally insured depositors should be the very last cat-

egory to be touched. The (European) Commission draft directive (on banking) foresees exactly this.

“There isn’t actually a specific distinction between categories of bondholders and uninsured depositors in the draft directive. But basically the point is that you, if you can, don’t touch uninsured depositors,” Draghi said.

He also said it would be of no help to Cyprus if it left the eurozone, as some have floated. “What was wrong with Cyprus’s economy doesn’t stop being wrong if they are outside the euro,” he said. Draghi also sought to soothe concerns that charging depositors - called a “bail in” - would now be imposed on other troubled countries.

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who heads the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, caused a stir in March when he told Reuters that the Cyprus bailout, including depositor levies, could be replicated in future.

Draghi insisted this was not the case. “Cyprus is no template,” he said. “I am absolutely sure that the chairman of the Eurogroup has been misunderstood.”

Dijsselbloem however clearly states that Cyprus would be used as a template but later backtracked when markets became spooked.

Draghi also rejected yesterday the notion that the ECB bankers wield inordinate power over elected officials, as for example in the

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BANK EMPLOYEES ‘FEAR FOR THE FUTURE’

Bank staff staged a demonstration in Nicosia yesterday following a two-hour strike earlier in the day to demand protection of their provident funds and jobs (Christos Theodorides) SEE STORY PAGE 5

‘Mass deletion of data’ on former BoC execs’ computers

By George Psyllides DELETION of data allegedly took place on computers belonging to senior Bank of Cyprus (BoC) executives, according to the leaked findings of a probe into the circumstances that forced the island’s biggest lenders to seek state assistance.

Alvarez and Marsal, the firm tasked with investigating why Bank of Cyprus and Laiki sought state assistance, said the information provided by BoC was incomplete and data deleting software were found on the computers of two senior executives.

“Our computer forensic technologists have found that the computers of two

employees, (former CEO) Mr. (Andreas) Eliades and (senior manager group treasury and private banking) Christakis Patsalides, have had wiping software loaded, which is not part of the standard software installations at the BoC,” A&M said. “Mass deletion of data appears to have been undertaken on the Patsalides computer on October 18, 2012.”

A&M’s findings were handed over to parliament on Wednesday.

The firm said some deletion had taken place after a data preservation notice was issued to BoC by the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) on August 21, 2012.

Investigators found no e-mail files, mailboxes or user documents on Eliades’ desktop computer. This, according to

the firm, could suggest that the computer was not used by Eliades or the hard drive was formatted or wiped by BoC IT after the former CEO left the bank or it was wiped using data removal software such as CCleaner installed on the computer. A&M said there were more gaps in the data collection.

“We had significant gaps in the e-mail data received from BoC for the period 2007 to 2010, a key period for our scope of investigation,” the firm said. The reason was the lack of an e-mail archiving process before late in 2010 or early 2011, the time when e-mail systems were upgraded.

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Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Home PICTURE OF THE DAY

Weather Paralimni

Nicosia 25

18 Troodos

24 24

Larnaca

22

24

Paphos

Limassol

TODAY: Mainly clear and sunny. Temperatures will reach 25C inland, 24C in the south and east, 22C in the west, and 18C over higher ground OUTLOOK: Mostly settled over the weekend, with elevated levels of dust in the atmosphere YESTERDAY:

Max Temp Nicosia 21 Larnaca 23 Limassol 23 Paphos 20 Paralimni 24 Prodromos 13

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Min 14 15 16 16 15 6

Humidity 53% 65% 58% 68% 53% 86%

SUNRISE: 06:28am

SUNSET: 7:11pm

Pollution Medium/Low Medium/Medium Medium/Low Medium Low Low

Air quality in Cyprus is assessed with the aid of a network of nine advanced monitoring stations. Data is recorded hourly.

Information provided by the Air Quality Section of the Department of Labour Inspection (DLI)

Worldwide Athens Budapest Bucharest Brussels Cairo Copenhagen Damascos Dublin Frankfurt Geneva Istanbul London

22 6 19 5 28 7 25 5 7 9 19 7

Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Clear Clear Clear Cloudy Cloudy Clear Mist Cloudy Clear

Madrid Manchester Moscow Oslo Paris Prague Rome Sarajevo Sofia Stockholm Tel Aviv Vienna

12 6 5 3 8 2 14 8 16 5 22 4

Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Clear Clear Cloudy Cloudy Light Rain Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Snow

EXCHANGE

€

1.2895

€

0.8534

For a full list of exchange rates, see page 12

CHEMISTS NICOSIA

G. Ktena, 14 Spyrou Kyprianou Ave. Tel: 22760951, 22492381 (H) Y. Toumba, 86C Athalassa & Dorion Ave, Strovolos. Tel: 22313677, 22499681 (H) Ch. Nicolaou, 145 Kyrenia Ave, Anglanja. Tel: 22335477, 22450313 (H) E. Korfiati, 31 Kantaras, Tel: 22324205, 22354014 E. Kontopoullou, 36, Grigorni Afxentiou, Tel: 22770150, 97627448 LIMASSOL

D. Mavroyiannis, 228 Makarios Ave. Tel: 25361626, 25359224 (H) G. I. Kamenidou, 255E Fr.

Rousvelt Tel: 25715315, 25715716 (H) D. Filippou, 22 Ierou Lochou Kapsalos, Tel: 25335455, 25333867 (H) LARNACA

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C. Papadopoullou,83 Ellados Ave. Tel: 26931339, 26653684 (H) PARALIMNI

A. Mavroyiannou, 216 Gr. Dighenis St. Tel: 23828880, 23829202 (H)

Activists of the women’s rights movement Femen face riot policemen during a topless protest near Tunisia’s Embassy in Paris on April 4, 2013. Femen staged a day of “topless jihad” yesterday in various European cities in support of Amina, a Tunisian woman who caused a scandal when she published topless photos of herself online in March (AFP)

QUICK CROSSWORD 2356 Across

Down

1 Bathe (4) 8 Supervising (10) 9 Zone (4) 10 Observe (8) 12 Sky-blue (5) 13 Everyone (3) 16 New (6) 17 Directing a blow (6) 18 Flatfish (3) 21 Hasten (5) 22 Plucked instrument (8) 24 Italian island (4) 25 Hint (10) 26 Pour (4)

2 Hoarseness (10) 3 Driver (8) 4 Trial (6) 5 Shore (5) 6 Short skirt (4) 7 Leer (4) 11 Open to attack (10) 13 Say further (3) 14 Chemist’s workroom (3) 15 Insolent (8) 19 Put air into (6) 20 Horse (5) 22 Sit (4) 23 Jason’s ship (4)

For cryptic crossword and answers to the previous quick crossword see page 21

ON THIS DAY APRIL 5 1930

35 years ago, Friday April 5, 1978

In an act of civil disobedience, Mohandas Gandhi breaks British law after marching to the sea and making salt.

President Kyprianou yesterday told the new US Ambassador Stone that Cyprus wants American friendship and was ready to do its utmost in this direction but there was a need for substantive response. The president made a strong appeal for the revision of the Carter Administration’s decision to seek the lifting of the US arms embargo.

1951 Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are sentenced to death for performing espionage for the Soviet Union.

45 years ago, Sunday April 5, 1968 1955 Winston Churchill resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom amid indications of failing health.

Cyprus Mail Established 1945. Number 21,500 NICOSIA 24 Vass. Voulgaroctonou, P.O. Box 21144, 1502 Nicosia Tel: 22-818585, Fax: 22-676385 email: mail@cyprus-mail.com LIMASSOL 5A Nicolaou, Pentadromos Centre, Thessaloniki St, Tel: 25-761117, Fax: 25-761141 email: cyprusmail@cytanet.com.cy LARNACA Tel: 24-652243, Fax: 24-659982 PAPHOS 62 Apostolou Pavlou Avenue, Office 2, 8046 Paphos, Tel: 26 911383 Fax : 26 221049 email: paphos@cyprus-mail.com

WHAT THE MAIL SAID

1976 One of the world’s richest men Howard Hughes dies on a plane to Houston, Texas, having spent two decades in seclusion.

1999 Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am flight 103 in 1988 are handed over for eventual trial in the Netherlands.

Troops and police went into action with teargas in Washington this afternoon as a new wave of firebombing and looting hit the city. The troops, with bayonets fixed and wearing gas masks, moved in to disperse crowds and protect fireman fighting three huge blazes in a ghetto area.

They also pumped gas into stores to drive out looters.

55 years ago, Monday April 5, 1958 Cheryl Turner, 14 year-old daughter of screen star, Lana Turner, will appear in a juvenile court in Hollywood tomorrow after confessing she stabbed to death her mother’s friend, 42 year-old minor gangster, Johnny Stompanato.

Cheryl has been in jail over the weekend booked on a holding charge peculiar to California law called suspicion of murder.

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

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Kykkos land deal turns sour Nicosia prime plot at centre of dispute with Greek state

By Elias Hazou THE MONASTERY of Kykkos has secured a court injunction blocking the sale of a plot of land in Nicosia that was offered to the Greek government more than 10 years ago.

In 1998 the monastery – one of the wealthiest dioceses in Cyprus – struck a deal with the Greek government, under which the former would donate four acres on condition that an embassy was built at the location.

However the acreage was deemed not to be large enough, because the Greek government also planned to build the ambassador’s residence on the same site.

An agreement was therefore made where the monastery would donate the original four acres and sell four more acres for €500,000.

The land in question sits in prime real estate across the Kykkos Metochi, near the Russian and US embassies.

But the agreement stipulated that, if the purpose of the donation – building an embassy – was not fulfilled in 10 years’ time, then the Greek government would return the land and the monastery would pay back the €500,000 plus interest.

Things apparently went sour two months ago when Greece’s ministry of finance decided to put the plot up for sale and issued a call for tenders, with a submission deadline of March 19.

In early March Kykkos monastery moved legally to block the sale, which it said was in breach of its agreement with the Greek government. On March 12 the monastery secured an injunction from Nicosia district court.

The next court hearing is reportedly scheduled for today, where lawyers representing the Greek government will seek to annul the injunction.

A number of Cypriot developers bid for the land. One of the companies belonged to the Loutsios family, in-laws of the President, who have been in the news of late after it transpired that they moved millions of euros abroad shortly before the Eurogroup meeting that decided a haircut on bank deposits.

In response to those reports, the family issued a statement explaining that the money – some €6.5m – was transferred to an account in a London bank for the purpose of concluding a land deal with the Greek government. It turns out this is the same land.

The Loutsios family had also said that if their bid was not successful, they would repatriate the money back to Cyprus and suffer the haircut on deposits of over €100,000.

That was intended to dispel any notion that the cash was moved abroad for any reason other than for the land deal.

It seems that the Loutsios family will now have to make good on their promise: earlier this week the relevant body in Greece decided to award the tender to another company, Tofarco Limited, one of the

Nikiforos, then Abbot of Kykkos, agreed to help out at the time by offering the land largest land developers in Cyprus, for €8.3m. However the actual sale cannot proceed unless the injunction in Cyprus is lifted.

Tofarco, the successful bidder, declined any comment yesterday. Costas Velaris, the lawyer for Kykkos monastery, told Phileleftheros that the 1998 deal was brokered by the then President of the Hellenic

Republic Costis Stefanopoulos and former Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos. During a visit to Cyprus that year, Stefanopoulos had broached the subject of the Greek embassy here acquiring self-owned premises. Nikiforos, then Abbot of Kykkos, agreed to help out by offering the land.

Velaris told the paper that

in 2009 the Kykkos monastery queried the Greek government as to its intentions, and were assured the embassy would be erected at the site but at a later date.

Should the monastery succeed in thwarting the sale of the plot by the Greek government, it would then be able to sell the land itself, particularly now that there are suitors.

Depositor lawsuit threat against EU, IMF and Cyprus A LEADING law firm has threatened to take the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund and the Cyprus Republic to court unless the Eurogroup decision which led to a haircut on deposits is reviewed.

In a letter addressed to multiple recipients yesterday, Georgiades & Mylonas Advocates and Legal Consultants demand the immediate release of their client’s money in Laiki Bank and the lifting of any restrictions on deposits.

The lawyers are acting on behalf of Elena Yavorskaya, who held approximately €3.4m in five bank accounts in Laiki Limassol, money that has been frozen since the decision to wind down the bank.

Their letter is addressed to the President of the

European Commission Jose Barroso, President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi, President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde, Attorney-general Petros Clerides, Central Bank governor Panicos Demetriades, and Laiki (Popular) Bank.

It says that when their client visited Laiki Bank to find out details about her deposits, “she was informed that her accounts are frozen and that only €100,000 is guaranteed. They further told her that she will only be entitled to withdraw up to this amount subject to the temporary restrictions imposed by the Central Bank of Cyprus.

“She was also informed that she will probably

lose the rest of her money without any remedies... and without her being at fault for the bad financial situation of the bank... this amounts to a serious infringement of her human rights.”

The letter goes on to say that the client had “no reason to believe she would end up losing her money in a manner which usually occurs in corrupt, undemocratic, developing third world countries where the rule of law does not apply.”

The lawyers inform those concerned that unless they respond to their client’s request within seven days by settling the matter out of court, “we will proceed with legal action against you without any further warning. They add that several other clients are considering taking similar legal action.

Draghi: Cyprus to blame for turmoil (continued from front page) case that the ECB threatened to cut off Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) to Laiki unless a bailout programme was agreed.

“We acted exactly within our mandate,” the ECB chief said. “We would have been acting politically if we had not done this. ELA could be extended only to solvent and viable banks. In the absence of a programme, these banks would not have been solvent and viable, and at that time the governing council assessed there was no programme in place [for Cyprus].

On all other occasions, there was a programme in place.”

“Cyprus events show that we are ready to act within our mandate. When the governing council objected to ELA, it did that within its mandate.

It did not replace what could have been fiscal action.”

Responding to another question, Draghi went on to say that ELA was the responsibility of the national central banks, not of the ECB – perhaps in a bid to shift blame away from the ECB for having okayed billions in emergency funding to Laiki while the bank was on the brink of collapse.

ELA funding, however, does need approval from the ECB, which is the ultimate financier. Moreover, in July last year – long before a preliminary bailout deal was clinched – Laiki was neck-deep in ELA, to the tune of some €9bn, and continued receiving these funds thereafter.

In May 2012, the state underwrote €1.8 billion to float the stricken bank. But in July of the same year, Cyprus’ sovereign debt was rated junk, meaning it could not be held as collateral for underwriting the bank, and it’s understood that at that point Laiki was therefore technically insolvent.

In June Nicosia formally requested assistance from the EU, and it’s likely that with this in mind the ECB agreed to continue providing emergency funds to Laiki. The ECB did threaten to cut off ELA in November, at which point the previous administration was forced to agree a draft memorandum for a rescue package.

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Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Home Round-the-clock psychological support being offered Focus on hypertension for World Health Day

By Poly Pantelides

THE HEALTH ministry is offering psychological support to those dealing with anxiety and depression because of the financial crisis and is due to launch a round-the-clock psychological support hotline.

“The population of Cyprus will have to immediately adjust to a new financial reality. The experience of other countries that have dealt with similar problems, with the most recent and closest to our own situation being that of Greece, has shown there will be consequences in the physical and mental

health of the people,” a health ministry official Olga Kalakouta said yesterday during a conference on World Health Day. Children, teenagers and healthcare beneficiaries can seek psychological support through mental health services. The ministry is doing away with waiting lists, and has said that people will be referred to a specialist immediately.

From Monday, a hotline will be available round-the-clock. The goal is to respond to the psychological consequences of the crisis. Officials will provide immediate psychological support, try to contain stress and depression

and refer callers to support centres.

“According to a plethora of indicators, health (or the absence of health) is not merely the result but one of the main coefficients of financial growth and poverty reduction,” Kalakouta said.

The ministry has said also that it would introduce focused support at a later stage for the vulnerable, such as children and pensioners, and will implement measures to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted or infectious diseases and to strengthen action against narcotics, among others.

To find out about psychological sup-

port offered to children and teenagers call: 22-378268/9 (Nicosia); 25-873608 (Limassol); 24-813164/174 (Larnaca) 26-803275/490 (Paphos).

There are also outpatient clinics in the following districts: Paphos, 26-803269/273; Paralimni, 23815091/87/88/89; Larnaca, 24-822428; Limassol, 25-305333. In Nicosia there are three separate outpatient clinics in Engomi, 22-809005; Strovolos; 22305723; and Aglandjia, 22-444466.

For the hotline (launching this coming Monday) call 22-603263 if you are in Nicosia, Larnaca or Famagusta.

For Paphos and Limassol call 25801107/106.

Health sector income to grow Ministry hopes to bring in some €60m from changes laid out in troika MoU

By Poly Pantelides THE HEALTH minister yesterday sought to explain how the new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the troika differed from the one agreed in November with the previous government.

Petros Petrides said the main difference was that now, public servants would have to contribute 1.5 per cent of their gross salaries towards what was formerly totally free health care for them.

He said also that families with three or more dependents could choose to be under the state system, again by paying in 1.5 per cent of gross salary. Dependents are offspring up to the age of 21 and any adults who are fully dependent on a guardian.

Income criteria have been

set under a unified system for all subsidised state health care beneficiaries, with those who earn higher still eligible to go to the state sector by paying in set fees.

Some sufferers of chronic diseases will also be eligible for subsidised state care.

The income criteria start at €15,400 yearly for individuals, sliding upwards to €30,750 for a four-member family, with a further increase of €1,700 per additional dependent.

“Because we could all understand that the defined income criteria were set too low, and as a consequence a large portion of today’s beneficiaries would lose their rights, we tried, and it seems have accomplished, keeping around 200,000 members of the public in state health care,” Petrides said.

Some 660,000 people were theoretically eligible for

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Health Minister Petros Petrides at a news conference yesterday state healthcare beforehand, Petrides added.

Of those, most would opt to use the private sector, he added. However, over the last couple of years many had started increasingly relying on state healthcare as the crisis impacted their ability to go private. Most of the other changes were agreed on in the November memorandum and a bill was already submitted in Parliament.

This includes a symbolic amount of €0.50 for lab tests and for each medicine subscriptions, capped at a maximum of €10 for all subscriptions issued on a two-month period.

Patients visiting the acci-

dent and emergency department will have to pay €10, a move which the health ministry hopes will limit abuse of the system: some 60 per cent of those passing through the country’s emergency departments each year were not thought to have an urgent problem, Petrides said.

Non-beneficiaries will continue having access to state health care, with hospital charges rising by 30 per cent to come closer to actual costs. But charges will be capped on income criteria, Petrides said.

Under the latest draft MoU agreement, the Cabinet has agreed to implement a restructuring plan for state

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hospitals and rationalise payments.

“Waste and abuse in hospitals has been known to us for years,” Petrides said, adding that the proposed changes in hospital charges were part of efforts to contain that.

Implementing the national health scheme (NHS) will have to wait until an actuarial study – that is over four years old – is updated, Petrides said.

The health ministry hopes to bring in some €60 million from introducing hospital charges and wage contributions, which will go towards the IT-infrastructure necessary for the NHS, Petrides said.

By Poly Pantelides YESTERDAY marked World Health Day, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has dedicated to focusing attention to raised blood pressure or hypertension, a leading cause of deaths from heart attacks and strokes.

The WHO estimates that one in three adults worldwide have raised blood pressure. According to the WHO, hypertension is responsible for at least 45 per cent of deaths due to heart disease and 51 per cent of deaths due to stroke.

Some 17 million people die each year across the world from cardiovascular disease and hypertension complications account for 9.4 million deaths worldwide each year, the WHO said.

In Cyprus, 2,119 people died from cardiovascular disease in 2011, a rise from 2010 when 1,928 died, the 2012 report from the Health Monitoring Unit said. The report did not specify how many of those people who died also had raised blood pressure.

But in 2011, 39.2 per cent of all deaths in Cyprus were attributed to cardiovascular disease, higher than the roughly 30 per cent world-wide. In Cyprus and the world, more people die each year from cardiovascular disease than from any other cause.

Health Minister Petros Petrides said that in the context of raising awareness, health professionals would visit primary and secondary schools to explain the risks of hypertension to children, and doctors and nurses in all of Cyprus’ general hospitals were offering free blood pressure tests.

A diet high in salt and fat, alcohol use, smoking and inactivity can all contribute to the development of hypertension, which does not necessary carry symptoms hence its moniker “the silent killer”. “If no action is taken to reduce exposure to these factors, cardiovascular disease incidence, including hypertension, will increase,” the WHO said.

The good news is that “healthy eating, regular physical exercise and avoiding smoking” can prevent hypertension, Petrides said.

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

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Bank staff say they fear for the future ‘Nobody really knows what will happen and if they do know they certainly haven’t told the bank employees’

By Peter Stevenson

Bank staff outside Parliament

(Christos Theodorides)

BANK staff across Cyprus held a two-hour strike from 12.30pm until 2.30pm yesterday before marching on Parliament from their union ETYK’s headquarters as part of a protest to protect their pension funds and jobs.

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the House around 4pm chanting: ‘Provident Funds belong to our children’ and ‘Get your hands off our provident funds and our jobs’. Banners saying: ‘You are murdering our future and our dreams’ and ‘Years of hard work are being given a haircut’ were carried by angry demonstrators.

“We feel disappointed and desperate because we could lose both our jobs and our provident funds,” 33-yearold Laiki Bank employee

Anthi Pourou said. “We came here in the hope that we could make a difference that the MPs will hear us and meet our demands,” she added.

Asked whether she felt something was achieved by the two hour strike she replied: “We showed we have some form of power too and we are enough people to affect a change.”

A 35-year-old Bank of Cyprus employee, Marios, said he understood that people would end up losing their jobs or would have to take pay cuts but felt it was unacceptable for workers’ provident funds to be touched.

“Taking money from our provident funds is like stealing money right out of our pockets as we have spent years contributing to the fund ourselves,” he said.

Feelings of insecurity and worry filled 37-year-old Bank of Cyprus employee, Yiannos Assiotis. “Nobody

really knows what will happen and if they do know they certainly haven’t told us,” he said. “I have worked for Bank of Cyprus for 13 years and contributed to my provident fund for that long also so all I really want is that to be saved as it is a cushion I would be able to live with if I end up losing my job,” he added.

New Finance Minister, Haris Georgiades met officials from trade union SEK to present proposals regarding the provident funds.

General-secretary of SEK, Nicos Moiseos said the union would look at the minister’s proposals before submitting their own.

ETYK announced in a written statement on Wednesday that it was concerned because despite the government’s promises “issues that regard our future and the future of our children are still pending.”

The Federation of Employ-

ers and Industrialists (OEV) condemned the strike.

“During this period when unemployment in Cyprus is rising and businesses are trying to survive within very difficult conditions, strikes destabilise the situation and worsen morale even more,” the statement said.

It said businessmen and employees in the private sector were living the nightmare of losing their savings, their investments and their jobs. “It is inconceivable that while the economy is falling to pieces, ETYK are organising strikes,” OEV said.

The Federation believes that unions should instead contribute to the restoration of peace and trust in the banking sector. “Strikes put more pressure on a very fragile sector at a time when it needs stability more than ever,” OEV concluded.

(See editorial page 13)

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Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Home ‘Mass deletion of data’ on former BoC execs’ computers (continued from front page) No e-mail backups were performed before the upgrade, the report said. A&M said its team was not authorised to issue subpoenas or compel anyone to attend an interview or compel the production documents and data if they did not work for an entity supervised by the CBC. However, any conduct identified as suspicious will be surrendered to the attorney-general, A&M said, citing the CBC. A&M looked into how BoC accumulated

€2.4 billion worth of Greek government bonds (GGBs), later suffering huge losses because of that. It also looked into BoC’s expansion to Romania and Russia. The investigation of Laiki however, does not appear to be as detailed or in-depth.

A&M appeared – at least from the leaked documents – to have focused only on Laiki’s merger with Greek lender Marfin Egnatia Bank (MEB), and only from the side of the CBC. There was also no reference to the lender’s GGB holdings,

most of which – €2.0 billion – had been held by MEB before the merger. It was not immediately known why the probe did not appear to have touched upon any other aspects of the Laiki debacle, especially since according to a statement by CBC Governor Panicos Demetriades – attached to the A&M report – “Next matters to be addressed include the Cyprus Popular Bank acquisition of GGBs and international expansion, along with oversight by the CBC and status supervision.”

‘CBC could not have stopped Laiki merger’

By George Psyllides THE Central Bank of Cyprus could not do much, under the current legal and regulatory framework, to stop the cross-border merger between Laiki and Greece’s Marfin Egnatia that effectively led to the former’s downfall, an investigation has found.

“The structure of the regulation and legislation is such that under the Mergers Directive the bank did not require any authorisation from the CBC (Central Bank of Cyprus), this resulted in the bank being able to transfer the assets and liabilities to Cyprus without approval from the CBC,” a findings report said.

The CBC was left with one option, the firm said, either to accept the conversion of the Greek subsidiary or force the bank to cease operations in Greece. “Given the desire to maintain the bank’s headquarters in Cyprus and the perceived regulatory benefits, the CBC notified the BOG (Bank of Greece) of the creation of Marfin Popular Bank’s branch in Greece.” The merger meant the Cypriot government had to include the liabilities of the Greek operations when asked to bail out Laiki in the summer of 2012.

The previous administration had blamed former Central Bank governor Athanasios Orphanides for the debacle, suggesting that he should have stopped the merger from going through. That came after the heavy losses the lender incurred from a write-down on Greek debt decided by the EU, including Cyprus, in 2011.

The report was compiled by global forensics and dispute services provider Alvarez and Marsal, which had been tasked with probing the reasons why the island’s two biggest banks were forced to seek state assistance.

Excerpts from the hefty report were leaked to the media despite it being classified as

“strictly private and confidential.” According to the report, revoking the approval could have had a significant impact on the Cypriot banking system as the CBC would have needed to set out the reasons for its refusal, such as the need to safeguard the interests of the depositors.

“Mr. Costas Poullis, former head of supervision at CBC, stated in his interview that revoking the approval for MPB to operate a branch in Greece, and therefore essentially terminating the bank’s operations in Greece, was not an option as it would have had a significant impact on the confidence of the banking sector,” the report said. After the conversion, the CBC enforced stricter capital requirements on the bank, Poullis said.

Marfin Egnatia brought with it some €2.0 billion in Greek Government Bonds – Laiki already had €1.0 billion – €800 million in loans to various entities for the purpose of investing in Marfin Investment Group (MIG), loans granted to the MIG group on favourable terms – e.g. low interest, long term repayment – and deterioration of profits by 68 per cent due to low margin and an increase in provisions for non-performing loans.

Following the merger, when supervision moved to Cyprus, the CBC required MPB to hold 1.56 billion of additional capital against its sovereign bond portfolio, and €2.1 billion against its loan portfolio, 51 per cent of which was in Greece.

“Based on the findings of the investigation, it would appear that the current regulation and legislation does not provide sufficient support to the CBC where a Cypriot bank wishes to convert an existing foreign subsidiary into a branch,” the Alvarez and Marsal report said.

The firm recommended a review of the framework and consideration of amendments that would give the CBC more power when dealing with such cases.

FUNERAL It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of our beloved husband, father and grand father

BOGHOS ERAMIAN The funeral will take place on Saturday 6th of April 2013 at 2:30 pm at the Armenian Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church in Acropolis, Nicosia.

Family: Aschen Stephan, Liana, Peter Shake

According to A&M there was limited recognition at the BoC that a default could actually take place

BoC’s bond bonanza A&M: no good reason for the number of Greek bonds

By George Psyllides A PROBE into the acquisition by Bank of Cyprus (BoC) of €2.4 billion worth of Greek debt found that there was no clear justification or rationale for the decision to accumulate such a high number of bonds, ultimately forcing the lender to seek state assistance.

Global forensic and dispute services provider Alvarez and Marsal said BoC documents did not clearly specify the rationale of acquiring such a large amount, which later caused heavy losses due to the EU decision to write-down Greek debt (GGB).

In its report, the firm said that despite the lack of formal documentation, it appeared that the decision had been driven by the management’s desire to deliver net income interest and profit growth.

“Based on emails and activity in 2009, it appears that BoC pursued an “absolute

yield” strategy where they took advantage of selling opportunities to generate disposal gains, especially as reporting periods approached,” the report said.

BoC incurred a €1.9 billion loss because of the writedown towards the end of 2011. Until 2009, BoC held less than €500 million worth of GGBs but during the first half of the year their holdings spiked to €1.75 billion.

“During 2009, BoC appears to have actively traded GGBs such that by the end of October 2009, BoC’s holding had been divested to around €30 million,” the report said. The lender’s GGB portfolio remained at a negligible level throughout November 2009.

In fact, on December 10, 2009, Yiannis Kypri, group chief general manager at the time, informed the market that BoC’s exposure to GGBs had dropped to €100 million. However, on the same day, BoC started repurchasing GGBs, with its portfolio rising to almost

In the District Court of Paphos Probate Jurisdiction Application No. 74/2013 In the matter of ELSIE OLIVER, deceased of Pafos Notice is hereby given that after the expiration of eight days from today, application will be made in the Probate Registry of Pafos for the grant of probate of the estate of ELSIE OLIVER deceased of Pafos Andreas Demetriades & Co LLC Advocates

€2.4 billion by June 2010. The report said the bank’s treasury department invested in the highest yielding bonds, including longer maturity inflation linked paper, which resulted in BoC ultimately suffering higher losses.

“BoC became reliant on Treasury profits and its GGB strategy, with the equivalent of almost 30 per cent of profits before tax coming from GGB related activity,” the report said. The increases in GGB holdings had been approved by ALCO, the committee responsible for market risk management, but without any documented rationale or evidence to support the levels approved.

The report said there was a dominance of senior executives, particularly CEO Andreas Eliades and Nicolas Karydas, group general manager risk management and markets, “resulting in a culture whereby senior management decisions were not challenged.”

Both Eliades and Karydas were members of the executive decision making committees and those risk committees designed to monitor the bank’s activities.

And some of the non executive board members did not have banking experience, exceeded the allowable credit facilities, and appeared not to have received adequate training. Karydas holding the dual role of general manager risk management and general manager marketers, “did not constitute best practice and posed potential conflict of interest.”

“The inherent conflicts arising from senior executives’ participation in all major strategic and risk management bodies, at both executive and board level, possibly prevented these committees from sufficiently questioning the investment in GGBs and the subsequent decision to maintain the portfolio despite the deteriorating GGB market,” the firm said.

Regarding the lender’s risk management processes, the firm said “with the benefit of hindsight, there was clearly an inability to adequately consider the risk associated with the purchase of GGBs, and in particular there was limited recognition that a default could actually take place.”

A&M said the CBC supervision department was potentially under-resourced in terms of numbers and experienced staff. It said the CBC would not have been aware that BoC significantly increased its GGB holdings between December 2009 and March 2010, until after the event. Despite requesting details of the banks’ sovereign bond holdings, the CBC did not have any formal asset concentration monitoring in place and as such, BoC’s high concentration of GGBs was not in breach of any regulatory limits.

“The CBC formally requested information regarding BoC’s holdings of GGBs in March 2010,” but did not receive any written response.

“The CBC did not follow up on this on a timely basis; the reason for which is unclear.”

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

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Home

‘Seismic assault on the economy’

Toddler’s aunt pleads not guilty to kidnapping THE 35-YEAR-OLD aunt of the 18-month-old toddler, Stavros Styllis, who was kidnapped on February 15 from his grandmother’s house in Ypsonas, pleaded not guilty to the charge yesterday at Limassol Criminal Court.

She is accused of abduction and exposure and conspiracy to commit a felony.

There are a total of 40 witness statements relating to the case, which will resume on April 24. The court gave the prosecution ten days to hand over all of the forensic evidence from the Institute of Neurology and Genetics to the defence.

That evidence includes DNA taken from the 35-year-old’s car, the fingerprint report and an analysis of the photographic and video evidence.

The court set the aunt’s bail at €100,000 under the condition that she reports to Polemidia police station three times a week. Her name will also be put on the stop list.

The boy’s disappearance on February 15 had sparked a massive search, mounted by Cypriot police, a police helicopter, British bases police, the National Guard and Civil Defence, Ypsonas municipal workers, and members of the public.

The publicity given to the disappearance eventually led to the boy’s accidental discovery at a cemetery on the afternoon of the same day.

Michalis Sarris says Cyprus facing ‘very unfavourable’ outlook in near term

By Michele Kambas CYPRUS should brace itself for an extended period of difficulty in the near term after sealing a bailout deal forcing it to forgo much of its banking sector, the former finance minister said.

Michalis Sarris, who stepped down as finance minister just five weeks into the job on Tuesday, said in an interview that Cyprus had made mistakes, but said lenders and European Union partners had treated Cyprus unfairly.

“Clearly... mistakes were made, there was excessive growth in bank credit, in government spending. But I don’t think it needed to come to this. “I think this could have been corrected without this really seismic assault on the Cyprus economy,” he said.

Sarris’ comments came a day after he wrapped up bailout negotiations. He stepped down stating his job was done, and that his position was untenable since a probe into the island’s economic demise was likely to include his term too as head of Laiki Bank before he became minister.

Under terms of the bailout deal the island’s budget deficit is expected to reach 2.4 per cent of gross domestic product this year, with

Former Finance Minister Michalis Sarris believes Cyprus was treated ‘unfairly’ by its lenders (R)

the primary deficit growing to 4.25 per cent in 2014.

Those deficit targets in nominal terms and as a percentage of GDP imply that international lenders expect the economy to contract almost 8 per cent in 2013, shrink by a further 3 per cent in 2014 and return to around 1 per cent growth in 2015 and 2016.

Bailout talks were overshadowed by accusations the island’s banking sector, at about eight times GDP, was opaque and facilitating money laundering.

“They basically really accused us that we were sitting back and printing money, having a lot of foreign firms coming through Cyprus, offering them services and having a good time.

I think that was unfair,” Sarris said.

Signing the bailout deal was critical, since it removed a “protracted period of uncertainty which was killing the economy”. But, Sarris said, “the prospects for the economy in the next few months are really very very unfavourable”.

“I think the restrictive conditions are tending to offset any restoration of confidence that could have propelled consumption and investment spending that are key to recovery.

“So we are looking at an extended period of difficulty.”

(R)

“the informed choice for secondary education”

The Senior School Entrance Exam Wednesday 10th April at 1.30pm “Senior School Sports’ Day”

We are now accepting applications to Year 7 for academic year 2013-14, as well as for older year groups where there are places still available. Please feel free to call 2266 0156 or apply online at www.theseniorschool.com

Closing date for applications Monday 8th April 2013 Students wishing to study AS/A2 levels in our 6th Form are invited to join our vibrant student body in September We offer: > A wide range of AS/A2 level subjects: Maths, Literature, The Arts, The Sciences, Accounting, Business, Economics, Travel & Tourism, The Humanities, Greek, French, Spanish, PE, Computing and more. > A positive learning environment with well qualified and experienced teachers > Personalised and individualised student support > Computerised & supervised 6th Form Private Study Suite > The first School in Cyprus with a flourishing “Faculty of Arts” covering Drama, Music and Art at AS & A2 Levels > Careers and UCAS entry advice

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Britain

Britain must keep Trident nuclear deterrent, says PM DAVID Cameron has issued a stark warning against any move to abandon Britain’s Trident deterrent in the face of the growing nuclear threat from North Korea and Iran.

The Prime Minister said it would be “foolish” to leave the country defenceless at a time when the “highly unpredictable and aggressive” regime in North Korea was developing ballistic missiles which could eventually threaten Europe.

His comments came as the United States said it was moving an advanced missile system to the Pacific island of Guam as Pyongyang continued to ratchet up the rhetoric against South Korea and its American ally.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Cameron said such “evolving threats” underlined the need for the UK to maintain the ultimate deterrent.

“We need our nuclear deterrent as much today as we did when a previous British government embarked on it over six decades ago. Of course, the world has changed dramatically. The Soviet Union no longer exists. But the nuclear threat has not gone away,” he said.

“In terms of uncertainty and potential risk it has, if anything, increased.”

Cameron said Iran was continuing to defy the will of the international community over its nuclear programme while North Korea may already be building a nuclear arsenal.

“The highly unpredictable and aggressive regime in North Korea recently conducted its third nuclear test and could already have enough fissile material to produce more than a dozen nuclear weapons,” he said.

“Last year North Korea unveiled a long-range ballistic missile which it claims can reach the whole of the United States. If this became a reality it would also affect the whole of Europe, including the UK.” He went on: “Does anyone seriously argue that it would be wise for Britain, faced with this evolving threat today, to surrender our deterrent?”

His comments underline the Conservatives’ commitment to a like-for-like replacement for the ageing Trident submarine fleet while their Liberal Democrat coalition partners are seeking a cheaper alternative.

Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vengeance at Faslane

www.cansforkids.org

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La Maison du Vin

A police van believed to be transporting Mick or Mairead Philpott leaves Nottingham Crown Court yesterday

Life for blaze father

By Lucy Bogustawski and Dave Higgens MICK Philpott was described as a “disturbingly dangerous man” with “no moral compass” as he was sentenced to life in jail yesterday for killing six of his children in a house fire.

He and his wife Mairead, along with their friend Paul Mosley, were each found guilty of six counts of manslaughter on Tuesday after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

Judge Mrs Justice Thirlwall said Philpott was the “driving force” behind the plot as she ordered him to serve a minimum of 15 years in prison, and told him: “You are a disturbingly dangerous man. Your guiding principle is what Mick Philpott wants, Mick Philpott gets. You have no moral compass.”

Mairead Philpott and Mosley were both jailed for 17 years.

Philpott looked down at the floor, wiping tears from his eyes, as the judge passed sentence. Mairead Philpott wept as she was jailed.

‘Disturbingly dangerous’ dad gets life for killing six of his children in house fire Mosley showed no reaction, sitting motionless and looking over at public gallery.

Family members in the public gallery applauded as the judge finished her sentencing.

One shouted: “Die, Mick, die”. Another said: “See you, Mairead. Hope you enjoy life on your own”. “Your own babies,” another called out.

In response, Philpott smiled and made an obscene gesture as he was led from the dock.

Philpott, 56, his 32-year-old wife and Mosley, 46, were all found guilty of killing Jade Philpott, 10, and her brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, Jayden, five, and Duwayne, 13, in the fire at their home in Victory Road, Allenton, Derby, in the early hours of May 11 last year.

The trio started the fire in an attempt to frame Philpott’s ex, 29-year-old Lisa

Willis, after she left the family home with her children three months earlier.

The judge described the plot to set fire to the house and rescue the children as “a wicked and dangerous plan” that was “outside the comprehension of any right-thinking person”.

She said there was “no precedent” for the case, describing it as a “uniquely grave set of offences”.

Philpott had become “obsessed” with Willis and, after she left, did everything to get her back, said Mrs Justice Thirlwall.

She told him: “You could not stand the fact that she had crossed you. You were determined to make sure she came back and you began to put together your plan.”

Philpott treated women as his “chattels”, the judge told him, adding: “You barked or-

ders and they would obey. You were the kingpin, No-one else mattered.”

The judge also said Philpott used his conviction for attempting to murder a girlfriend in 1978 to terrify other women.

She said: “You have repeatedly used that conviction as a means of controlling other women, terrified as to what you would do to them.”

The six children were subjected to a terrifying ordeal, Mrs Justice Thirlwall went on.

“Their terror was the price they were going to pay for your callous selfishness. In fact, they paid with their six young lives.”

She added: “Mercifully, the deaths were swift and, it would appear, without pain.”

The judge told Mairead Philpott, who will serve half of her sentence in jail, that she believed her grief was real.

However, she added: “You put Michael Philpott above your children and, as a result, they have died.”

It emerged in court that unemployed Philpott was on bail for a violent road rage incident at the time of the children’s deaths.

Sex shame artist’s prints pulled FCO attacks ‘paralysis’ sentence THE Tate has removed more than 30 prints by disgraced artist Graham Ovenden from its online collection after he was found guilty of a string of sex offences against children.

Ovenden was found guilty at Truro Crown Court on Tuesday of six charges of indecency with a child and one count of indecent assault.

A Tate spokeswoman said: “Graham Ovenden is an artist of note, whose work has been widely shown over more than 40 years. However, following his conviction at Truro Crown Court, Tate is seeking further information and is reviewing the online presentation of those editioned prints by him that are held in the national collection.”

The 34 prints were given to the Tate in 1975 as part of a larger gift of around 3,000 works.

They include work inspired by Alice In Wonderland and images of naked young girls.

The 70-year-old’s artwork was much celebrated in galleries across the world at the height of his commercial popularity and regularly included portraits of nude children.

Ovenden told police he was one of the “two or three great printers” in the world, but the court heard that his portraiture formed part of a ruse for abusing girls, making them dress in Victorian clothing before removing it and committing indecent acts.

THE reported sentencing to paralysis for a Saudi man for a crime he committed as a 14-year-old has been condemned as “grotesque” by the Foreign Office (FCO).

The punishment, which was reportedly handed down to 24year-old Ali al-Khawahir for stabbing his friend in the back 10 years ago, should not be carried out, the FCO said.

Al-Khawahir will be paralysed from the waist down unless he pays one million Saudi riyals (£177,000) in compensation to the victim, according to Amnesty International, who quoted reports in Saudi Arabian media.

An FCO spokesman said: “We are deeply concerned by reports that a Saudi Arabian court has sentenced a man to be paralysed in retribution for causing the paralysis of a friend when he was 14 years old.

“We urge the Saudi authorities to ensure that this grotesque punishment is not carried out.

“Such practices are prohibited under international law and have no place in any society.”

Amnesty condemned the punishment as “utterly shocking”.

A similar sentence of paralysis imposed in Saudi Arabia in 2010 is not known to have been carried out, the charity said.

If implemented, the paralysis sentence would contravene the UN Convention against Torture and the Principles of Medical Ethics adopted by the UN General Assembly, Amnesty said.

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

9

Europe EUROPE TODAY Portugal resignation PORTUGAL’S Parliamentary Affairs Minister Miguel Relvas, a senior cabinet member close to the prime minister, resigned yesterday in a new sign of political unease before an important court decision.

The reason for the resignation was not immediately given, but Relvas, one of the most unpopular figures in the cabinet, has long faced allegations that he obtained his university degree without completing the required course credits.

Expresso weekly newspaper said on its web site an investigation by the education ministry into Relvas’s degree had accelerated his decision to step down.

He quit a day after the government easily defeated a no-confidence motion brought by the opposition Socialists in parliament over Portugal’s austerity policies under an EU/IMF bailout.

Although defeated, the motion united all the opposition in parliament against the austerity drive, adding to concerns the government’s budgettightening measures required by the bailout may suffer defeat in the Constitutional Court.

Ukraine turmoil LAWMAKERS loyal to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich caused political uproar yesterday when they stormed out of parliament where the opposition was blocking proceedings and set up a rival assembly in a nearby building.

The deputies from the ruling Party of the Regions, which with communist allies holds a majority, moved into their new premises and began voting on laws in a move denounced by one opposition leader as a Sovietstyle coup d’etat.

The tactic plunged Ukraine into fresh turmoil that was certain to rebound on its already damaged image with Western institutions and governments.

Museum reopening REMBRANDT’S masterpiece The Night Watch is back in pride of place at the newly-renovated Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam as the gallery prepares to reopen after a massive 10-year, 375 million euro (£318 million) renovation.

The building also houses works by Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and thousands of other Dutch cultural and artistic artefacts.

Nightclub artist stands up for ex PM Berlusconi Says was pressured to testify against him

By Manuela D’Alessandro THE nightclub dancer at the centre of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s sex trial staged a dramatic protest outside the court yesterday, alleging that she had been unfairly pressured as part of a campaign against Berlusconi.

Karima El Mahroug’s emotional and at times contradictory statement in defence of Berlusconi follows a protest by parliamentarians from his party outside the court last month as the media magnate tries to have the trial moved away from Milan.

The charges against Berlusconi, which he denies, include paying for sex with El Mahroug, better known under her stage name “Ruby the Heartstealer”, when she was a minor.

She has always denied being a prostitute or having sex with the 76-year-old billionaire during the now-notorious

“bunga bunga” evenings at his villa outside Milan, where numerous witnesses have said she was a regular guest.

Carrying a large sign reading “The Ruby case: Are you not interested in the truth any more?”, she said she had been used as part of a deliberate campaign against Berlusconi by magistrates and sections of the press.

‘WAR’ AGAINST EX PM “Today I realise that there is a war under way against him that I do not feel part of, but which has dragged me in and injures me,” she said, reading a prepared statement. “I do not want to be a victim of this situation.”

El Mahroug demanded to be allowed to testify in open court but declined to explain to reporters why she had avoided summons to appear at previous hearings. As recently as December, she failed to appear in court, later turning up in Mexico, where she

Florence mayor issues challenge to Bersani FLORENCE mayor Matteo Renzi launched a clear challenge to Italian centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani yesterday, calling for a government coalition with former premier Silvio Berlusconi or new elections in June.

Bersani won a majority in the lower house but not the Senate in February elections, leaving his centre-left group unable to govern alone. He failed last week in efforts to forge a viable majority in parliament after his overtures to the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement were rebuffed.

Renzi, 38, who lost to Bersani last December in a vote to be the centre-left election candidate, gave interviews to several Italian newspapers saying he was ready to be a candidate in new leadership primaries.

Renzi had previously hesitated to challenge Bersani, a former communist politician who threw away a 10-point opinion poll lead in the February 24-25 election which left Italy in political deadlock.

But in recent days he has become outspoken in attacking Bersani’s line that a “grand coalition” alliance with scandal-plagued centre-right leader Berlusconi is unthinkable.

Another option to emerge from the impasse is a technocrat government sponsored by President Giorgio Napolitano, but this is opposed by both centre left and centre right.

“We cannot stop here waiting for Bersani to get support ... It is ridiculous to stick with a frozen task. We must

Outspoken: Florence mayor Matteo Renzi do something: a government formed by the president, a grand coalition, or we must return to vote,” Renzi told La Repubblica daily.

The Florence mayor, who had been widely expected by analysts to make his move after Bersani’s failure to secure a workable majority, rejected suggestions party primaries could not be organised by June, saying they could be held within two months.

Berlusconi’s centre-right People of Freedom party (PDL) has repeatedly called for Bersani to join them in a coalition or go back to the ballot box in June, although analysts say there is a diminishing chance that an election can be held by then.

A new election held under the current electoral law would run a high risk of producing another deadlock but there is thought to be no prospect of changing it before a June election.

said she was on holiday.

The trial has been suspended while judges consider Berlusconi’s request to transfer it away from Milan, where he says magistrates are waging a vendetta against him. The next hearing is due on April 22.

Berlusconi is also appealing against a four-year sentence for tax fraud, and his legal problems further complicate the political standoff that arose when elections in February left no party able to form a government.

El Mahroug, her voice breaking at times, said she had been publicly humiliated by the implication that she was a prostitute and said that investigators had exploited her vulnerability to attack Berlusconi, leader of Italy’s main centre-right party.

She said she faced “real and

Exotic dancer Karima El Mahroug, nicknamed Ruby the Heart Stealer, speaks to journalists in front of Milan’s courthouse yesterday (AFP) genuine psychological torture” from magistrates once they realised that she would not provide evidence against Berlusconi.

“I felt used by sections of the press and judges which had a common objective, to hurt people who had helped me,” she said.

“My suffering is also the fault of those judges ... who described me as a prostitute

even though I always denied having sexual relations for money and above all having them with Silvio Berlusconi.”

As well as the charge of paying for sex with a person under the age of 18 years, Berlusconi is also accused of abusing the powers of his office by getting El Mahroug released from custody in 2010 when she was held on an unrelated theft charge.

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

10

World

China mobilises to fight the new strain of bird flu Japan, HK, Vietnam take precautionary steps

By Ben Blanchard

Afghan volunteers and soldiers carry victims of a Taliban suicide attack towards a helicopter in Farah province yesterday. In related news, gunfire from a helicopter operated

by NATO forces killed four Afghan police officers in the eastern province of Ghazni, a

district police chief said yesterday. Civilian casualties are a source of friction between President Hamid Karzai and his international allies, and the mistaken killing of members of the Afghan security forces is likely to compound Afghan government anger (AFP)

US to send defensive arms to Guam over N. Korea threat THE United States said it would soon send a missile defence system to Guam to defend it from North Korea, as the U.S. military adjusts to what Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called a “real and clear danger” from Pyongyang.

Hours later, South Korea’s

Yonhap news agency said North Korea had moved what appeared to be a midrange Musudan missile to its east coast. It was not clear if the North planned to fire the rocket or was just putting it on display as a show of force.

North Korea also barred entry to a joint industrial

complex it shares with the South for a second day yesterday and said it would shut the zone if Seoul continued to insult it.

Events on the Korean peninsula are unnerving financial markets long used to the rhetoric North Korea hurls at Seoul and Washington.

CHINA said it was mobilising resources nationwide to combat a new strain of deadly bird flu that has killed four people, as Japan and Hong Kong stepped up vigilance against the virus and Vietnam banned imports of Chinese poultry.

The H7N9 bird flu strain does not appear to be transmitted from human to human, but authorities in Hong Kong raised a preliminary alert and said they were taking precautions at the airport.

In Japan, airports have put up posters at entry points warning all passengers from China to seek medical attention if they suspect they have bird flu.

A total of 11 people in China have been confirmed to have contracted H7N9, all in the east of the country.

Another person died yesterday, in Shanghai, bringing the number of deaths to four, state media said. Xinhua news agency said the victim was a 48-year-old man who worked delivering poultry. “(China) will strengthen its leadership in combating the virus ... and coordinate and deploy the entire nation’s health system to combat the virus,” the Health Ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday on its website.

In Hong Kong, authorities activated the preliminary “Alert Response Level” under a preparedness plan for an in-

A chicken is injected with the H5N1 bird flu vaccine in Guangxi Zhuang fluenza pandemic, which calls for close monitoring of chicken farms, vaccination, culling drills, and a suspension of imports of live birds from the mainland.

All passengers on flights in and out of Hong Kong were being asked to notify flight attendants or airport staff if they were feeling unwell.

Vietnam said it had banned poultry imports from China, citing the risk from H7N9.

In Beijing, the Health Ministry said the government would swiftly communicate details of the new strain to the outside world and its own people, following complaints it had been too slow to report on the outbreak and suspicion of a cover-up.

Chinese internet users and some newspapers have questioned why it took so long for

the government to announce the new cases, especially as two of the victims fell ill in February. The government has said it needed time to correctly identify the virus.

In 2003, authorities initially tried to cover up an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which emerged in China and killed about 10 per cent of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide.

China “will continue to openly and transparently maintain communication and information channels with the World Health Organisation and relevant countries and regions, strengthen monitoring and preventative measures”, the ministry said in a statement.

Flu experts across the world are studying samples isolated from the patients to assess the human pandemic potential of the strain.

Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been circulating for many years and can be transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human, but not generally from human to human.

So far, this lack of humanto-human transmission also appears to be a feature of the H7N9 strain.

However, China has yet to find any animals infected with H7N9, meaning how humans got it remains a mystery.

See also HEALTH : “Scientists race to gauge pandemic risk of new bird flu” Page 15

$1.7m Templeton prize for Tutu SOUTH African anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu has won the 2013 Templeton Prize worth $1.7 million for helping inspire people around the world by promoting forgiveness and justice, organisers said yesterday.

A leading human rights activist of the late 20th century, the former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town played a pivotal role in the downfall of apartheid and subsequently worked to heal wounds in South Africa’s traumatised society.

Tutu, 81, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for standing up against white-minority rule.

He remains a prominent campaigner for peace and human rights.

The Templeton award was announced as his friend and fellow Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela was fighting pneumonia in a third health scare in four months for South Africa’s first black president.

Established in 1972 by the late Americanborn investor and philanthropist John Templeton, the annual prize - worth more, in monetary terms, than the Nobel - honours a living person “who has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension”.

“When you are in a crowd and you stand out from the crowd it’s usually because you are being carried on the shoulders of others,” Tutu was quoted as saying in a statement released by the US-based foundation.

“I want to acknowledge all the wonderful people who accepted me as their leader at

Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for opposing apartheid in South Africa home and so to accept this prize in a representative capacity.”

Last year’s Templeton Prize went to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader. Other recent winners include British astrophysicist Martin Rees and Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor.

The foundation, whose first award went to Mother Teresa in 1973, praised Tutu as a moral voice for people around the world”.

“Desmond Tutu calls upon all of us to recognise that each and every human being is unique in all of history and, in doing so, to embrace our own vast potential to be agents for spiritual progress and positive change,” it said. “Not only does he teach this idea, he lives it.”

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

11

World WORLD TODAY

Palestinian women watch the funeral of Amer Nassar, 17, and Naji Belbisi, 18, in the West Bank village of Anabta near Tulkarm yesterday

Yingluck safe A THAI anti-graft body said it had found no irregularities in an asset disclosure by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, effectively removing any question that she might have to step down, a prospect which unsettled Bangkok markets yesterday.

“The National Anti-Corruption Commission has found no discrepancies in its initial investigations into these allegations but we will keep evidence as background for any future investigations,” Klanarong Chanthick, a member of the committee, said in a televised statement.

“The Prime Minister will be able to continue in her position as normal. There will be no impact on her political position,” he told Reuters after giving the statement.

Gun control bill CONNECTICUT lawmakers voted yesterday to approve a new guncontrol bill in response to last December’s shooting at a school in Newtown in which 20 children and six adults were killed.

After nearly eight hours of debate that lasted until early yesterday morning, the House voted 105-44 in favour of the bill, which supporters described as one of the toughest in the United States.

It followed a 26-10 vote in the Senate Wednesday evening. Governor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat who pushed for passage of the law, was expected to sign it yesterday.

Capriles attack VENEZUELA’S opposition presidential candidate tore into government leaders on Wednesday as false revolutionaries lining their pockets while professing faith to the late Hugo Chavez’s radical socialism.

Trailing in opinion polls ahead of the April 14 vote, Henrique Capriles is attacking acting President Nicolas Maduro and other senior officials as a corrupt and incompetent coterie unable to solve Venezuelans’ basic problems.

Thousands attend West Bank funerals

By Noah Browning THOUSANDS of mourners turned out yesterday for the funerals of three Palestinians, including two teenagers killed

by Israeli army gunfire in some of the worst violence in the occupied West Bank in years.

The upsurge in unrest was triggered on Tuesday by the death of Maysara Abu Hamdeya, a 64-year-old prisoner serving a life term in an Israeli jail and suffering from cancer.

Palestinian officials accused Israel of delaying treatment for Abu Hamdeya and gave him full military honours at a funeral yesterday in Hebron, where masked gunmen fired into the air as his body arrived at a mosque in the divided West Bank city.

In disturbances that followed his death, four Palestin-

ian youths threw firebombs at an Israeli checkpoint near Tulkarm in the northern West Bank on Wednesday, the army said. Soldiers returned fire and killed two teenagers from the nearby town of Anabta - Amer Nassar, 17, and Naji Belbisi, 18.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel’s use of lethal force showed that it wanted to “provoke chaos” in the Palestinian Territories and avoid any moves toward a peace deal.

The wave of violence erupted two weeks after US President Barack Obama paid his first official visit to the region, urg-

ing the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume long-stalled peace talks but offering no initiative to break the deadlock.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to travel to Jerusalem again next week to review the stalemate.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israeli forces had killed nine Palestinians, most of them in clashes in the West Bank, so far this year, compared with three in the same period in 2012.

The bodies of Nassar and Belbisi, their blood-stained faces clearly visible, were carried on stretchers through the

packed streets of Anabta, held aloft by uniformed members of the Palestinian security forces. “O martyrs rest, rest.

We will continue the struggle,” the crowds chanted as the lifeless teenagers passed by.

After their funeral, dozens of Palestinian riot police barred youths with rocks and petrol bombs from the Israeli watchtower near where Nassar and Belbisi were killed.

Masked protesters blocked a main road into the nearby city of Nablus and threw stones at an Israeli checkpoint. After Abu Hamdeya’s funeral in Hebron, scores of youths clashed with Israeli forces, causing several light injuries.

Israeli officials urged Palestinian leaders to push for calm, and dismissed suggestions that a third uprising, or Intifada, was brewing in the West Bank.

EGYPT’S planning minister said yesterday the government expects to reach a final agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a $4.8-billion loan within two weeks, the state news agency MENA reported.

Ashraf al-Araby also said that Cairo had not requested an increase in the amount of the loan, needed to avert a deepening economic crisis.

An IMF delegation resumed long-delayed negotiations with Egypt on Wednesday and government officials have said the team is expected to stay until April 15.

The IMF has set no timeline for a deal and some private economists are sceptical that an agreement can be reached before parliamentary elections later this year because of the need to implement unpopular tax rises and subsidy cuts.

After two years of political upheaval, foreign currency reserves have fallen to critically low levels, limiting Egypt’s ability to buy wheat, of which it is the world’s biggest importer, and fuel.

Foreign reserves dipped further to $13.4 billion at end-March, the central bank reported, down from $13.5 billion a month earlier, equivalent to less than three months’ imports.

Cairo must convince the global lender it is serious about reforms aimed at boosting growth and curbing an unaffordable budget deficit. That implies tax hikes and politically risky cuts in state subsidies for fuel and food, including bread.

The government reached a preliminary agreement with the IMF on the loan last November, but went back on implementing the economic conditions in December amid political unrest over the extent of President Mohamed Mursi’s powers.

PKK leader urges unarmed pull-out, claims Turkish newspaper JAILED Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his fighters to leave Turkey without their weapons under a peace process to end a decades-old insurgency, the Yeni Safak daily reported yesterday.

THIS WEEK IN YOUR

WIN

Dead include two teenagers killed on Wednesday night

Egyptian IMF loan agreement expected in two weeks

A weapons-free withdrawal by Ocalan’s Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), as sought by the government, would be a significant step towards ending a conflict which has killed more than 40,000 people.

Yeni Safak, which is close to the

SundayMail

A NIGHT FOR TWO WITH BREAKFAST AT

ENTER OUR COMPETITION (living page 28)

government, said Ocalan gave the message on Wednesday to a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) which visited him in his prison on Imrali island, south of Istanbul.

Ocalan’s call to the PKK, to be

delivered to its leadership in the Qandil mountains of northern Iraq, would amount to a concession in a dispute over pullout terms laid down by Ankara.

The report could not immediately be confirmed.

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

12

Business France is not ‘sick man of Europe’

ECB is ‘ready to act’ to help languishing economy

FRANCE urged Germany yesterday to grant it more time to hit its public deficitcutting target, but denied it was turning into the new “sick man of Europe” even as data pointed to a deepening French downturn.

France has acknowledged it will miss a 2013 goal of bringing its deficit down to 3 per cent of output and wants its EU partners - and notably Germany, the eurozone’s largest economy - to give it another year to meet the target.

Speaking at an event in the border city of Strasbourg to mark the Franco-German partnership, Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici asked German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble not to risk hobbling the French economy by insisting on more austerity.

“I need Germany to understand this,” he said, adding he knew Schaeuble - was also at the event - did understand this appeal because Germany “needs a strong France” by its side.

But Schaeuble deflected the call by insisting Berlin did not see budgetary rigour as incompatible with growth. “We need to stop this debate which says you have to choose between austerity and growth,” he said, while adding that growth was nonetheless “indispensable”.

Paris and Berlin have long differed on what dose of fiscal discipline is needed in the currency bloc, which is struggling to return to economic health after a 2008/2009 downturn that was compounded by a sovereign debt crisis.

Berlin, anxious to see southern Europe get its finances in order, fears eurozone countries will start easing belttightening efforts.

Paris frets about the impact of budget cuts on weak economies. Its government has acknowledged it will not hit a target of 0.8 per cent growth this year.

ECB keeps interest rates at 0.75 per cent

By Sakari Suoninen and Eva Kuehnen EUROPEAN Central Bank President Mario Draghi opened the door yesterday to an interest rate cut as soon as next month, saying his bank stands “ready to act” to boost the recessionhit eurozone economy.

Speaking at news conference after the ECB held rates at a record low 0.75 per cent, the highest level among the world’s major central banks, Draghi said discussion at the monthly meeting had been extensive and the consensus was to hold fire.

But he added that the ECB was studying the economic climate closely because there was no certainty the eurozone economy would pick up.

“In the coming weeks, we will monitor very closely all the incoming information on economic and monetary developments, and assess the impact on the outlook for price stability,” he said.

Draghi’s predecessor, JeanClaude Trichet, used a stock of coded phrases to signal future policy actions, something his successor has not previously indulged in. One of those phrases was “monitor very closely” although in the Frenchman’s era it more often presaged an interest rate rise two months’ hence.

Draghi also opened the way for the ECB to take fresh ‘nonstandard measures’ - steps other than classic rate moves,

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi listens during the monthly ECB news conference in Frankfurt yesterday such as government bond purchases or funding operations like the twin 3-year loans it offered banks just over a year ago. “We are considering both standard and non-standard measures and we are thinking 360 degrees on the non-standard measures,” he said.

German government bond and eurozone interest rate futures extended gains with market participants saying Draghi’s comments laid the ground for a rate cut in coming months.

“In a nutshell, a rate cut or additional non-standard measures cannot be ruled out in May,” said Annalisa Piazza

Rates

Buying Selling Pound St

0.8534 0.8450

US Dollar

1.2895 1.2767

Australian $

1.2426 1.2120

Canadian Dol.

1.3186 1.2860

Swiss Fr

1.2221 1.2075

Denmark Kr

7.5464 7.3600 121.5298 120.0802

Norwegian Kr

7.5650 7.3782

Polish Zloty

4.2487

4.1437

Romanian Leu 4.5150 4.3380 Russian Ruble 41.1075 40.0925 Swedish Kr

downside risks,” Draghi said.

As the world recovers from the financial crisis, the ECB has lent less support to the economy than its peers in Japan, the United States and Britain, which have launched massive asset purchase programmes with new money and cut rates closer to zero.

The Bank of Japan went a step further yesterday. Its new governor, Haruhiko Kuroda, shocked markets with a radical overhaul of its policymaking, adopting a new balance sheet target and pledging to double its government bond holdings in two years as it seeks to end nearly two dec-

ades of deflation.

Japan is intent on pushing inflation higher, lifting the country out of decades of deflation and minimal growth. The scope of the changes drove the yen lower and knocked the 10year bond yield to its lowest in a decade.

Some countries, particularly emerging economies, have already complained about policies which drive currencies lower, threatening a destabilising race to the bottom.

The ECB is unlikely to pursue a similar path, although a stronger euro is the last thing a recession-mired economy requires.

No new stimulus funds from BoE

These Bank of Cyprus rates for telegraphic transfer transactions (spot deals) apply to yesterday, but provide a good guide to today’s value against the euro.

Japan Yen

at Newedge Strategy.

The ECB is mandated to deliver inflation just below 2 per cent. In March, it fell to 1.7 per cent. Draghi said inflation was “edging down, well below 2 per cent”.

A survey released earlier yesterday showed the eurozone’s economic decline dragged on unabated in March, marked by a huge drop in French business activity that outstripped even the downturns in Spain and Italy.

“Weak economic activity has extended into the early part of the year and a gradual recovery is projected for the second half of the year subject to

8.4692 8.2600

Bank of England governor Mervyn King and two other policymakers backed restarting the BoE’s asset-buying quantitative easing programme in February and March

THE Bank of England decided not to pump fresh money into its stagnant economy yesterday, despite a new remit that gives it more leeway to disregard above-target inflation.

Further stimulus may still be on its way, however, after Chancellor George Osborne tweaked the central bank’s mandate two weeks ago.

He gave the bank stronger backing to ignore the series of one-off factors that have kept inflation above target for most of the time since the financial crisis.

The remit also paves the way for a broader review of the Bank of England’s monetary policy when Mark Carney, who currently heads Canada’s central bank, succeeds Bank Governor Mervyn King in July.

But for now there is no majority on the ninemember Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to add to the £375 billion of government bonds it bought between March 2009 and October 2012, in line with economists’ expectations. Interest rates remained at a record-low 0.5 per cent.

The British central bank’s decision contrasts with that of the Bank of Japan, which has been under more overt political pressure to stimulate its economy. It shocked markets earlier yesterday when it pledged to double its government bond holdings within two years.

Although King and two other policymakers backed restarting the BoE’s asset-buying quantitative easing programme in February and March, there has been no sign of a sof-

tening in the opposition of the other six members, who are more concerned about inflation and sterling weakness.

Sterling strengthened slightly against the dollar and June gilt futures fell to a session low after the bank’s decision, as economists had seen a slim chance of action this month.

But economists think more stimulus is likely later in 2013, either when the central bank publishes a quarterly update to its economic forecasts next month or after Carney’s arrival.

“Although the MPC left policy on hold again today, we suspect that the decision was still a close one. And while the chances of more asset purchases in May have perhaps declined, we still think Mark Carney’s arrival in July could jump-start the committee into action,” said Samuel Tombs of Capital Economics.

Britain’s economy has stagnated over the past two years as it struggles to move away from government spending and financial services and towards exports after the financial crisis. After a 0.3 per cent contraction in the last three months of 2012, it risks tipping into its third recession in less than five years - though a March services survey released yesterday suggested it may eke out 0.1 per cent economic growth.

The Bank will not publish details of the policy discussion at the two-day MPC meeting until April 17.

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

13

Opinion

Banks may have collapsed but the union is still calling the shots BANK EMPLOYEES quit work at noon yesterday so they could take part in a demonstration, organised by their union ETYK which demands that bank provident funds were fully protected and bank jobs secured. The unions have not lost their arrogance, despite the collapse of the economy. Unions of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus have demanded that their provident fund deposits in Laiki, worth €27 million and those in the Bank of Cyprus (€15 million) were saved by the state.

As we had warned last week, the government was making a big mistake in saving some deposits in Laiki – universities, schools and the Laiki provident fund – because it set a precedent and hundreds of equally ‘deserving’ account holders would, justifiably, demand special treatment. Why was it acceptable to save the provident fund of Laiki employees from Laiki and not the EAC’s?

And did the Larnaca Bishopric not have a right to demand an exemption of the deposit of a fund for orphans?

Once a bank is resolved, there is no justice or fairness for depositors, but the state made a big mistake in exempting some accounts. Why should Laiki employees’ provident funds be saved, when everyone else who had deposits in Laiki will lose their money? Of course, after this victory ETYK has upped its demands, now seeking that their members’ provident fund at the Bank of Cyprus is not subject to the haircut that all other deposits would suffer.

It was granted one exemption by the government, now it is demanding another and we would not be surprised if the government did not oblige again, imposing bigger losses on the other Bank of Cyprus depositors to satisfy ETYK, so its members would lose nothing of the obscenely high retirement gratuity (in the region of €500,000) they receive and 90 per cent of which is contributed by the bank. Even if they received half, they should be grateful as the rest would go back to the bank.

Of course, no politician would have the guts to stand up and say this; on the contrary, they are all demanding the provident funds are saved, regardless of what this means.

And once the provident funds are safeguarded ETYK will push for the other demand it was making at yesterday’s demonstration to be satisfied – no job losses. The Bank of Cyprus which has been forced to take on all Laiki’s staff could be pressured by the politicians to keep everyone on the payroll. The two biggest banks may have collapsed but the bank employees union is still calling the shots.

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Uncertain quest for a new growth model C

YPRUS’ bank restructuring, a condition for international aid it needed to stave off bankruptcy, will force the Mediterranean island to scramble for new ways to generate wealth. If it fails, international lenders may have to do what they wanted to avoid and which Germany and its northern European allies may baulk at - give Cyprus more money.

Nicosia will get €10 billion over three years from the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund. In return, it will halve its dominant banking sector and hit large depositors to help recapitalise what is left of it.

Because financial services played a vital role in the island’s economy - accounting for 9.2 per cent of GDP and 5.1 per cent of jobs in 2012 according to EU statistics service Eurostat - the fallout will deliver a devastating blow.

Deficit targets agreed between the eurozone and Cyprus in a memorandum of understanding imply that the economy will contract almost 8 per cent this year and another 3.0 per cent in 2014. It is forecast to return to growth in 2015, a view some economists see as optimistic.

“The nature of the rescue has made things worse. That already makes me think if, like in Greece, we will have a series of revisions to growth and therefore to the financing needs of the country,” said Nick Kounis, economist at ABN Amro.

Greece has been bailed out twice by the eurozone and IMF since 2010 after projections for debt-cutting and a return to growth consistently proved too optimistic. The eurozone argued it could not lend Nicosia additional money to recapitalise its oversized banking sector, because Cyprus will not be able to repay more than €10 billion.

Apart from the direct impact on GDP from winding down the second biggest bank Laiki, and the destruction of a banking model designed to lure funds from abroad, the economy will suffer from a ripple effect across related industries, especially tourism. Added to that there is the impact of more than a week of unplanned bank holidays and a confidence shock among consumers and investors to factor in. “The outlook for the

Analysis Jan Strupczewski Cyprus economy is very bad,” said Christoph Weil, economist at Commerzbank. “I see no new model for the economy, I would expect Cypriot GDP to shrink in three years by more than 10 per cent,” he said.

“Investors will not come back to Cyprus in the coming years because of the bank experience, I don’t know anyone who would give Cypriot banks new money and that will not change in the coming years,” he said.

That could have implications beyond Cypriot borders. The head of Greece’s biggest business group said on Wednesday that the Cyprus crisis could tip Greece into an even deeper recession this year.

“Greece is directly affected by the Cyprus crisis and based on some estimates this may chop up to one percentage point off GDP,” Dimitris Daskalopoulos, head of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEB), told reporters. Greece’s economy is in its sixth straight year of decline as Athens applies bailout-imposed austerity policies which have pushed unemployment above 26 per cent, the highest rate in the 17-nation eurozone.

That experience puts a big question mark over the prediction that Cyprus will return to growth in two years’ time.

Recognising the size of the challenge, the European Commission is putting together a special task force to come up with new ideas to help the Cyprus economy, as it did for Greece. Yet even more damage to growth comes with every day of capital controls, imposed by the government last week to stop money flowing out of the island.

“The major fear is that the Cypriot banking system will not be able to be a proper financial intermediary to the economy, which would have an additional downward impact on growth,” said Zsolt Darvas, economist at the Bruegel think tank.

The Cypriot economy relies mainly on services, as manufacturing accounts for around 6 per cent of gross domestic product, agriculture for some

International lenders believe tourism has the best shot 2.3 per cent and construction makes up 6.2 per cent. Transport, restaurants, hotels and shops produce 23 per cent of the country’s wealth and employ a third of the workforce and another 22 per cent comes from public administration, defence, health and education.

The real estate sector provides a further 11.6 per cent.

Cyprus has also found natural gas off its coast and once the deposits are documented, the island can build an industry around gas exports. But these are more medium-term plans with estimates that it will not come onstream before 2018 at the earliest.

None of these sectors appears able to grow quickly enough to replace the missing contribution from financial services, although Cyprus and its international lenders believe tourism has the best shot and will prepare a study on how to make it more attractive. Yet even there, economists point to strong competition for tourists from Greece and Turkey in the region and in the end, growth needs investment and invest-

ment needs confidence. “Just the uncertainty about the future tends to be a killer in terms of activity,” said ABN Amro’s Kounis. “Who is going to invest in Cyprus now?”

Some economists believe that Cyprus will still be in recession in 2015 and possibly longer, raising the question of new loans for Nicosia, on top of the agreed 10 billion – precisely what the eurozone wanted to avoid.

“If the growth assumptions are wrong and the demise of the financial industry has a bigger effect and growth does not pick up, there is a risk of second round negotiations with more money to be thrown at Cyprus,” said Gilles Moec, economist at Deutsche Bank.

One senior eurozone official involved in the preparation of the Cyprus bailout said the assumptions for the programme were sufficiently pessimistic for now. “Everybody wanted a programme that is sufficiently credible from the start, that will not have to be revised every six months, for now the programme still holds,” the official said.

LETTER to the Editor Cyprus still has a solid and prosperous future My extensive experience in business, but particularly in the forex market, has taught me to expect to find challenges in the business environment. Without a doubt, Cyprus’ reputation as a financial centre has been damaged. However this has been more as a result of rumours and uncertainty surrounding the deal, rather than direct financial losses.

I feel that, although painful now, the bailout does address one of the biggest problems in the Cyprus economy – the size of its banking sector. As a result it leaves behind an admittedly wounded, although funda-

mentally stronger (and smaller) banking system upon which to build the economy.

What’s important is that the country quickly rebounds and gets back on track, taking the steps needed to secure the future of the country and the economy.

I believe that the Cyprus government and Mr Anastasiades have done everything in their power to minimize the negative financial impact on Cyprus.

The country has all the prerequisites to emerge even stronger from the current crisis: a significant amount of educated, experienced professionals in the financial sector,

a friendly business environment, a proactive and discerning new government, the prospect of future gas proceeds, and a perfect geographical position.

While there’s no doubt that Cyprus will face tough times ahead, I believe that the country still has a solid and prosperous future, and can emerge from this even stronger. I remain committed to my investment in Cyprus.

Andrey Dashin, founder of Cyprus-based forex broker ForexTime (FXTM)

14

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Showbiz

Meat Loaf says he’s on his final tour after 35 years

Two men convicted of Joss Stone murder plot

Legendary American rocker quitting the road

A MAN was jailed for life this week for plotting to rob and kill international pop star Joss Stone.

Kevin Liverpool, 35, was told by a judge at Exeter Crown Court in Britain that he would have to serve a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and eight months before he could be considered for parole.

Liverpool and co-accused Junior Bradshaw, 32, harboured deep hatred for the soul singer. The defendants, both of St Stephen’s Close, Longsight, Manchester were convicted by a jury of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to rob after just four hours’ deliberations following a three-week trial.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC, The Recorder of Exeter, told Liverpool: “You intended to rob her and kill her and dump her body in the river, according to your words, and then leave the country with your accomplice Junior Bradshaw.”

Sentencing on Bradshaw was adjourned until a later date.

The judge told Liverpool: “It is clear from your text messages on your phone that from as early as November 2010 you had been planning to rob someone from what you hoped would be in excess of £1 million.

By Edward Baran AFTER more than 35 years of touring, American rocker Meat Loaf is quitting the road.

Meat Loaf, whose 1977 Bat Out Of Hell remains one of the biggest selling albums, said his Last At Bat tour starting in Britain this week and heading through Europe, would be his last, after struggling with health problems in recent years.

While other ageing rockers like the Rolling Stones are returning to the lucrative tour circuit, Meat Loaf said he has had enough.

“This is really it ... I just don’t want to travel anymore,” the portly singer told Reuters TV in an interview before his tour through Britain, Germany and the Netherlands.

“I outweigh (Mick) Jagger by about 100 pounds (45 kgs) and that counts for something. He hasn’t seen the wear and tear.”

Meat Loaf, whose real name is Marvin Lee Aday, cancelled a European Tour in 2007 after being diagnosed with a cyst on his vocal chords, saying he received some “vicious” reaction to this.

He then sparked further fears for his health in 2011 when he collapsed on stage. He later blamed the

Meat Loaf, whose 1977 Bat Out Of Hell remains one of the biggest selling albums, said his Last At Bat tour starting in Britain this week and heading through Europe, would be his last

TARGET blackouts on past concussion injuries and his health issues on asthma.

Last year he underwent a knee replacement operation from which he is still recovering and is due to have an operation on his other knee shortly.

Meat Loaf said his health was “fine” but it was important to be able to perform to your best.

“When your name is on the marque, you either get the glory or you get the hits,” said the rocker,

dressed all in black, who has also appeared in a list of movies, including cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

“Over the years, a lot of stones and a lot of arrows have been flying my way.

You expect that.”

In the Last at Bat tour, Meat Loaf will perform his greatest hits in the first half of the show such as Dead Ringer for Love and I’d Lie For You. In the second half he will perform, in order, the seven

songs from his Bat Out Of Hell album which has sold around 45 million copies to date.

Meat Loaf did not rule out performing live again, such as in Las Vegas, particularly after releasing his 13th album, Brave and Crazy, that is currently in the pipeline.

The rocker said he was working on this album with Jim Steinman, the reclusive producer and songwriter behind his biggest hits with whom he last worked on his 1993 album

Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell.

But Meat Loaf cautioned fans that if he cried while singing Crying Out Loud, the closing song of Bat Out Of Hell while on tour, this was not due to sadness at quitting touring.

“Even in rehearsal when I go to sing it I start crying so it’s not like when you see me in the show and I am crying it’s like “oh I bet he...”. I would do it in rehearsal, I can’t help myself,” he said.

Fallon set to succeed Walken not into technology Leno on Tonight Show

By Chris Michaud LATE NIGHT talk show host Jimmy Fallon will assume one of the most visible positions in U.S. television next year as new host of The Tonight Show, succeeding Jay Leno who held the job for more than two decades, NBC said.

Leno “will wrap up what will be 22 years of headlining the iconic late-night show in spring 2014,” NBC said in a statement, adding that Fallon would “transition into new hosting duties on The Tonight Show” after Leno ends his run.

The network said it was moving the show from its Burbank studio, outside Los Angeles, to New York, where it began in 1954, capping weeks of speculation about the succession plans.

Leno, 62, who was replaced by Conan O’Brien in 2009 in a public relations debacle for the network only to return a few months later, congratulated Fallon.

“I hope you’re as lucky as me and hold on to the job until you’re the old guy,” he said.

Fallon, 38, who started out on the long-running Saturday Night Live comedy show in 1998, said: “I’m really excited to host a show that starts today instead of tomorrow,” referring to his current program’s post-midnight start time.

“We are purposefully making this change when Jay is numberone, just as Jay replaced Johnny Carson when he was numberone,” said Steve Burke, NBC Universal’s CEO.

Christopher Walken has appeared in more than 100 movies

CHRISTOPHER Walken doesn’t own a mobile phone or computer.

The 70-year-old actor has been in more than 100 movies and appeared in music videos by recording artists such as Madonna, Fatboy Slim and Journey but the film star admits that when he’s not working, he prefers to live a “quiet life” and study “film scripts” and is a self-confessed technophobe.

Speaking to the Metro Newspaper, Walken - who is married to casting director Georgianne Walken - said: “I don’t have any of those things (mobile phone or computer). I just prefer to live a quiet life. But my wife does, so I can still access them.”

The screen icon shows no sign of slowing down and after completing filming on A Late Quartet he is now working on The Power of Few and Gods Behaving Badly.

By January 2011 you wanted a semi-automatic handgun and you had identified Joss Stone as the target. You had no reason to target her except that she was a wealthy young woman as she was a successful singer.

“You assumed as she was a friend of the royal family she would be able to give you money of that sort of amount. She was a random target that you choose because she was a popular singer who you thought was wealthy.”

The judge said that Liverpool had recruited Bradshaw into the scheme. He also branded Liverpool as “dangerous” and said the public needed protection from people like him.

“Life imprisonment is what it says,” the judge told Liverpool. “It is an indefinite sentence and you will not be released before it is considered safe for you to be released.”

The judge said he was considering passing a hybrid sentence on Bradshaw, meaning he would receive a custodial sentence but would most likely serve it in a secure psychiatric unit.

In a statement after the verdicts, Stone said: “I’d like to thank everyone for all their support and kind wishes. I am relieved the trial is now over and that these men are no longer in a position to cause harm to anyone.”

Superintendent Steve Parker, who led the investigation, welcomed the convictions. “This has been a long and difficult investigation,” he said.

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

15

Health

Health

bites

Baldness linked to heart disease BALD men have a higher risk of developing heart disease than men with a full head of hair - but only those who are thinning on top rather than men with a receding hairline, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Japan found that men who had lost most of their hair were a third more likely (32 per cent) to develop coronary heart disease (CHD) than those who retained a full head of hair.

Bald or extensively balding men aged between 55 and 60 were 44 per cent more likely to develop coronary artery disease, according to the study published in the online journal BMJ Open.

The researchers from Japan examined six studies, including three studies that tracked the health of balding men for at least 11 years, involving 37,000 men.

They found that the link between CHD and baldness de-

pends on the severity of the baldness.

The authors note that the explanation of the link is “unclear” but say that it has been previously suggested that classical coronary risk factors such as age, hypertension and smoking might influence both conditions.

Sleep hormone diabetes link probed LOW levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, more than doubles the risk of diabetes in women, a study has found.

Researchers made the connection after analysing data on 740 women with and without the disease.

Melatonin, a popular remedy for jet lag, is best known for its role in helping to control the body’s sleep-wake cycle.

But it also has many other biological functions, including some linked to the blood sugar hormone insulin.

None of the women taking part in the study had diabetes at the start. Over a 12-year period, researchers identified 370 who developed Type-2 diabetes and compared them with a matched 370 who did not.

Melatonin secretion varied widely among the participants.

Women who produced the least were more than twice as likely to develop diabetes as those who secreted the most.

Whether or not the same association is seen in men remains to be investigated.

Measles concern as UK cases leap 25% A MEASLES epidemic with children most at risk shows no sign of ending in the UK after a 25 per cent jump in new cases reported over the Easter break.

An urgent appeal for parents to ensure their children have the vital MMR jab was renewed as the number of confirmed cases hit 541.

Concerned health experts said 109 new cases were reported in the last week and warned again the contagious virus is a potential killer.

The measles epidemic centred on Swansea, south Wales, has underlined the need for children to have vital protection.

But there is increasing concern that pleas for thousands of unvaccinated children to get the MMR jab are not being acted on.

Public Health Wales (PHW) warned before Easter that measles was spreading “at an alarming rate.” It is concerned that take-up of the vital vaccination is far too slow, putting lives at risk at the height of an epidemic.

Dr Marion Lyons, PHW director of health protection, has repeatedly warned that measles can leave unprotected children brain-damaged or dead.

Scientists race to gauge the risks of new bird flu

Longer life for oily fish eaters

WHO says human cases of H7N9 flu are serious and unique

EATING oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can add years to your life, a study has shown.

Higher blood levels of omega-3 reduce the chances of dying from heart disease by more than a third, according to the research. They cut the overall risk of dying by as much as 27 per cent.

Scientists found that people with the largest amounts of the fatty acids in their blood lived on average 2.2 years longer than those with lower levels.

“Although eating fish has long been considered part of a healthy diet, few studies have assessed blood omega-3 levels and total deaths in older adults,” said lead researcher Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, from the Harvard School of Public Health in the US. “Our findings support the importance of adequate blood omega-3 levels for cardiovascular health, and suggest that later in life these benefits could actually extend the years of remaining life.”

The scientists analysed 16 years of data from around 2,700 US adults aged 65 and older taking part in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).

Three key omega-3 fatty acids, both separately and together, were associated with a significantly reduced risk of death.

One, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) , was linked to a 40 per cent lower risk of death due to coronary heart disease. This was especially true for deaths caused by heart rhythm disturbances.

Another omega-3 compound, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) was strongly associated with a lower risk of death from stroke.

The third type of omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was linked to a reduced risk of non-fatal heart attack.

Overall, participants with the highest levels of all three types of fatty acid had a 27 per cent lower risk of death from all causes.

By Kate Kelland GENETIC sequence data on a deadly strain of bird flu previously unknown in people show the virus has already acquired some mutations that might make it more likely to cause a human pandemic, scientists say.

But there is no evidence so far that the H7N9 flu - now known to have infected nine people in China, killing three - is spreading from person to person, and there is still a chance it might peter out and never fully mutate into a human form of flu.

Just days after authorities in China announced they had identified cases of H7N9, flu experts in laboratories across the world are picking through the DNA sequence data of samples isolated from the patients to assess its pandemic potential.

One of the world’s top flu experts, Ab Osterhaus, who is based at the Erasmus Medical Centre in The Netherlands, says the sequences show some genetic mutations that should put authorities on alert and entail increased surveillance in animals and humans.

“The virus has to a certain extent already adapted to mammalian species and to humans, so from that point of view it’s worrisome,” he said.

“Really we should keep a very close eye on this.”

China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission confirmed on Sun-

A nurse uses a body temperature detector in a hospital in Shanghai, China where patients have been treated day that three people had been infected with the new H7N9 flu, with two deaths of men in Shanghai aged 87 and 27 who fell sick in late February. Chinese authorities have in the past days confirmed another six cases, including another fatal one.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the cases of H7N9 are “of concern” because they are the first in humans.

“That makes it a unique event, which the World Health Organization is taking seriously,” the Genevabased United Nations health agency said.

Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been circulating for many years and can be transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human, but not from human to human.

So far, this lack of humanto-human transmission also appears to be a feature of the H7N9 strain.

Flu viruses are classified based on two types of protein found on their surface, haemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which are abbreviated to H and N. Although it is very early days, scientists says initial analysis also suggests H7N9 does not appear to make birds particularly ill - in other words it is what is known as a low pathogenic avian influenza, of LPAI. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean it will be mild in humans, says Wendy Barclay, a flu virology expert at Britain’s Imperial College London.

“We can’t be complacent.

We have to be cautious,” she said, stressing that other H5

and H7 flu subtypes have been able to mutate from LPAI to the more dangerous highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as they circulate in various hosts, particularly in chickens.

Its mildness in birds could also mean H7N9 is a “silent spreader” - harder to detect than highly pathogenic flu strains such as H5N1 that can wipe out entire flocks of wild birds or domestic poultry and are therefore far more visible.

“It’s a sort of double-edged sword, because if and when it becomes highly pathogenic and all the chickens start dying, that’s very bad for the poultry farmers, but it means we can see much more easily where the virus is,” Barclay said.

“At the moment, we can’t see where this virus is com-

ing from. We don’t know yet what animal source is feeding this.”

Finding that source, and tracking the genetic mutations to see if, how and when this new strain might gain the ability to spark a human pandemic are now the priorities for researchers in China and around the world, Barclay and Osterhaus said.

Ian Jones, a professor of virology at Britain’s University of Reading, said the heightened awareness of flu and of the possibility that unusual respiratory diseases may turn out to be new strains of flu means more cases get referred to hospitals.

“It’s quite possible these cases ... are being detected because flu is way up there” on disease priority lists, he said.

CYPRUS MAIL Fr

16

Film

Pitch Perfect

SUMMARIES Beautiful Creatures (See page opposite)

Our rating:

Pitch Perfect (See page opposite) Our rating: N/A

(the title character), crosses the desert, meets a pirate, and a few other things on a trip that takes him from Africa to Paris.

Directed by Remi Bezancon and Jean-Christophe Lie. DUBBED INTO GREEK. (Kids’ cartoon, 78 mins.)

Our rating: N/A

G.I. Joe: Retaliation After a deadly surprise attack on a team of G.I. Joes in the field near North Korea, the survivors swear revenge. The attack seems to emanate from the highest levels within the government itself. Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Lady Jaye (Adrienne Palicki) and Mouse (Joseph Mazzello) enlist the help of retired Col. Joe Colton (Bruce Willis) to track down the threat, facing off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence. Also starring D.J. Cotrona and Channing Tatum.

Directed by Jon M. Chu. In 3D. (Sci-fi action, 110 mins.)

Our rating:

Jack the Giant Slayer Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is a hapless farm boy who finds a pouch of magic seeds and inadvertently grows a gargantuan beanstalk that pierces the clouds and extends all the way up to a sky world populated by giants. When the beanstalk grows, Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson), the heir to the realm of King Brahmwell (Ian McShane), is in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is caught in the vines and carried into the sky. Jack, along with Isabelle’s protectors Elmont (Ewan McGregor) and Crawe (Eddie Marsan) and

on his various relationships threatens to become intolerable.

Also starring Danny Huston, Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel. Directed by Sacha Gervasi.

(Drama, 98 mins.)

Our rating:

The Last Stand Diabolical drug-cartel boss Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) busts out of FBI custody and heads for the Mexican border.

His plan is to cross over near the small town of Sommerton, and there’s only one man who can thwart him: the town’s pencilpushing sheriff Ray Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger), armed with nothing more than years of experience as an LA narcotics cop and a team of inexperienced sidekicks. Also starring Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville and Peter Stormare.

Directed by Kim Jee-woon.

(Action thriller, 107 mins.)

Our rating:

Identity Thief G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) travels from the Colorado home he shares with his wife Trish (Amanda Peet) and two daughters to Florida. His goal is to track down the woman who stole his identity, trashed his credit rating, and cost him his job. She’s Diana (Melissa McCarthy), y), a fat,, foul-mouthed cartoon creature who wallows in excess as she adds to Sandy’s debt – but, having confronted his nemesis, Sandy soon finds various events (including two mob enforcers and a bounty hunter) conspiring to force them on a road trip together. Also starring John Cho. Directed by Seth Gordon. (Comedy, 111 mins.)

Our rating:

The Sessions At the age of 38, San Francisco poet and journalist Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes), who has been confined to an iron lung since childhood polio, decides he wants to lose his virginity before he dies. With the help of his therapist and his priest, he contacts Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt), a professional ‘sex surrogate’ – but otherwise a typical mother with a teenager, a house and a husband. An unusual relationship evolves between Cheryl and Mark as she takes him on his journey.

Based on a true story. Also starring William H. Macy, Moon Bloodgood and Adam Arkin.

Directed by Ben Lewin. (Drama, 95 mins.)

Our rating:

Zarafa A grandfather tells his grandchildren the story of Maki, a young boy who escapes from slave traders, befriends a giraffe

her would-be groom Roderick (Stanley Tucci), head off in pursuit. Unfortunately, Roderick has an agenda that doesn’t involve rescuing Isabelle. In 3D. Directed by Bryan Singer.

(Fantasy adventure, 114 mins.)

Our rating:

Oz the Great and Powerful Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a travelling circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. At first he thinks he’s hit the jackpot: fame and fortune are his for the taking. That all changes, however, when he meets three

witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he’s the great wizard everyone’s been expecting as per the prophecy. Nonetheless, he’s all they’ve got – and, as their new king, he’s expected to save them from evil. He is after all, the great and powerful Oz. Also starring Zach Braff. Directed by Sam Raimi. In 3D. (Adventure fantasy, 130 mins.)

Our rating:

Mama A man, having shot his ex-wife, kidnaps his two young daughters (aged one and three), and wanders with the kids through the woods till they come to a dilapidated cabin. Once inside, he prepares a double murdersuicide – but something emerges from the dark to snatch him away. Five years later, the girls, Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse), now eight and six, have been discovered living on their own in the cabin.

Feral, and frightened of people, they’re eventually released into the custody of their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his goth rocker girlfriend Annabel (Jessica Chastain). But the girls

Hitchcock When Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) buys the film rights to Robert Bloch’s novel ‘Psycho’, he is a highly regarded filmmaker at Paramount. But this choice for his next film is questioned by the studio – and just about everyone else.

They don’t finance it – but he decides to make it anyway, and Paramount agrees to distribute it. Hitch and his wife Alma (Helen Mirren) have a somewhat stormy and sometimes uneasy relationship, even though Hitch recognises the enormous help he gets from her. Determined but troubled, Hitch pushes on – with Alma’s help – even as the strain

wi w itc tche hes, s, TTh heodor he odor od ora witches, Theodora ((M Mililaa Ku K nniis), s), Evanora s) Evan Ev anor nor ora (Mila Kunis),

don’t ddo onn’’t come come co me

don’t come on their own: they bring with them “Mama”, their ‘friend’ from the cabin. Directed by Andres Muschietti. (Horror, 100 mins.)

Our rating:

Barbie in the Pink Shoes Barbie is Kristyn, a ballerina with big dreams. When she tries on a pair of sparkling pink shoes, she and her best friend Hailey are whisked away to a fantastical ballet world where Kristyn discovers she must dance in her favourite ballets in order to defeat an evil Snow Queen. Directed by Owen Hurley.

DUBBED INTO GREEK. (Kids’ cartoon, 75 mins.)

Our rating: N/A

Sammy’s Great Escape Sammy and Ray, a pair of leatherback turtles, are captured by a poacher and shipped off to a spectacular aquarium show in Dubai. The kingpin of the place, Big D the seahorse, enlists them in his plans for a great escape – but, with their new friends Jimbo the bugeyed

blob fish and Lulu the snippy lobster, Annabel the sweet octopus and a whole family of penguins, Sammy and Ray hatch breakout plans of their own.

That is when little Ricky and Ella arrive, determined to break in to rescue them. Directed by Vincent Kesteloot and Ben Stassen.

DUBBED INTO GREEK. (Kids’ cartoon, 92 mins.)

Our rating: N/A

riday, April 5, 2013

17 For full cinema listings see page 18

Television

20

Crossword

21

Sport

28-32

NEW FILMS Beautiful Creatures Directed by: Richard LaGravenese Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons US 2013, 124 mins.

Showing from today at the K-Cineplex and K-Cineplex (Mall of Cyprus) in Nicosia, the Rio and K-Cineplex in Limassol, the K-Cineplex in Larnaca and the Rio in Paphos.

THE PLOT

Caesar Must Die Veteran filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani take their cameras behind the bars of a high-security prison in Rome to record the inmates preparing for a production of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’, alternating between the men rehearsing, performing and telling their stories. Winner of the Golden Bear at the 2012 Berlin Festival.

In Italian, with Greek subtitles.

(Documentary drama, 76 mins.)

Our rating:

Ratings Key Unforgettable Unmissable Recommendable Watchable Regrettable Abominable

Beautiful Creatures

Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich) is a young man who longs to escape his small Southern town. Lena (Alice Englert) is the new girl in town, beautiful and mysterious. The two fall in love – but Lena is a witch (a ‘Caster’) faced with a cosmic choice: on her 16th birthday, her true nature will emerge. Will it be light or dark? Her uncle Macon (Jeremy Irons) and other members of her family are trying to shepherd her to the light, while her mother and cousin are advocating that she embrace the dark side.

ful Creatures; a southern gothic clothes-horse, draped in Spanish moss and chiffon, and tottering through a South Carolina town still haunted by the ghosts of its civil war past. Alden Ehrenreich is the high-school insider, dreaming of escape, while Alice Englert co-stars as the kooky outcast with supernatural powers and a sulphurous old uncle in the form of Jeremy Irons. The plot is wildly silly and shot full of holes, maundering endlessly on its slow trawl towards the climax. But the cast at least play it like they mean it, and keep it honest for a spell.”

Xan Brooks, The Guardian (UK)

Hitchcock

Pitch Perfect Directed by: Jason Moore Starring: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson US 2012, 112 mins.

Showing from today at the K-Cineplex and K-Cineplex (Mall of Cyprus) in Nicosia, the Rio and K-Cineplex in Limassol, the K-Cineplex in Larnaca and the Rio in Paphos.

Beautiful Creatures

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID Pro: “The supernatural-themed, teen-targeted movie Beautiful Creatures is being marketed as the new Twilight.

This is a mistake on multiple levels. First, for movie critics, this is like being told a new sort of haemorrhoid is headed th their way. But more importan it does a disservimportant, ice to the movie: it turns out writer/dir writer/director Richard LaGravenes Gravenese’s adaptation of a young-ad young-adult fantasy series is q actually quite good…

“There are a lot of witchy special e effects in Beautiful Creatures … None of these did nearly as much for me as the Ir sight of Irons, all silky Southern mena menace, acting opposite (wh ends up playing Davis (who Giles to L Lena’s Buffy, for all Vamp you Vampire Slayer fans) or squaring off against Emma Thompso Thompson.

She plays the ch town’s chief religious zealot, who leads the charge to have Lena ban banned from the high D school. Due to some superin natural interference, Thompson gets tto display a second, very differ different side. She treats this teen movie like an actvacat ing vacation, seething and primping and relishing every It she who delivers second. It’s movie most interesting the movie’s message. ‘Love is a spell hucrea mans created to give females somethin to play with insomething stead of power’. Garcia and hav written four books Stohl have about th these witches – if this movie spawns s any sequels, maybe we’ll see more of vi that viewpoint.

I hope it does; B Beautiful Creatures is goo good fun and I want to know what happens next for L Lena the teenaged witc witch.”

Ma Mary Pols, TIME (US (US) M Mixed: ““Bereft fans of the Tw Twilight franchise ma may find a solace of sorts in Beauti-

THE PLOT Beca (Anna Kendrick), a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining ‘The Bellas’, the school’s all-girl a capella group, led by the demanding and headstrong Aubrey (Anna Camp), competing against the allboy a capella group The Treblemakers. But The Bellas are stuck in an old groove, despite Beca’s attempts to make them more energetic and relevant. Meanwhile, Beca’s budding relationship with Treblemaker member Jesse (Skylar Astin) is causing all sorts of problems.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID Pro: “Though it suggests itself as ‘Glee: The Movie’, Pitch Perfect is, pleasingly, something closer to ‘Mean Girls: The Musical’. The plot, with miscellaneous educational misfits a-singin’ their troubles away, is straight out of Glee, but it has little interest in moralising or political correctness, or trying to make you think about wheelchairs.

Instead, it has Mean Girls’ catty wit and shrewdly observed characters, not necessarily surprising given that screenwriter Kay Cannon works on Tina Fey’s 30 Rock.

It’s certainly among the best teen movies to come along in a while.

“The music side is really the less interesting area. It’s not that all the cast don’t sing very well, nor that the arrangements aren’t slickly and catchily produced; it’s just that choreographing pop hits as a large group is always going to seem a little dweeby … Much more exciting is everything in-between, which is a true ensemble comedy…

“There’s an occasional sense that a lot has been cut here in order to keep the film tight – a love triangle is hinted at then dropped –

Pitch Perfect but that’s no complaint. The haphazardness is part of the charm, skidding from one loopy set-up to the next, but never losing sight of its story … It’s the kind of silly you can only get away with when your writing is very smart. A little bit odd and very, very funny.”

Olly Richards, Empire (UK) Pro/Mixed: “The biggest challenge facing 35-and-over viewers of Pitch Perfect, the smartly executed new musical comedy, is accepting that a movie about competitive college a cappella singing could even exist – let alone be good.

“But if that’s your way of thinking, you haven’t been paying attention.

“While you were listening to rock or hip hop or watching HBO or AMC, many of your kids were grooving to Glee, American Idol or Dancing With the Stars, marking a dramatic shift in inter-generational cultural tastes…

“In this sense, Pitch Perfect is pure, processed 21st-cen-

tury schmaltz, a let’s-put-ona-show story so steeped in backlot Hollywood convention it almost embarrasses itself, with the difference being it really doesn’t care…

“Pitch Perfect pitches itself between Bridesmaids and Glee, which is to say it celebrates the low-down raunchiness of girls being girls among girls, while delivering a snap-crackle-and-pop music catharsis. Yes, folks, rock is dead, but long live showbiz.”

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) Mixed: “Theoretically, the Bring It On model can be applied to any remotely performative art. All it takes is a certain level of sass, some eye-catching performance showcases, and a plot where a talented outsider livens up a moribund group with some fresh ideas. Pitch Perfect slaps that stencil onto college a cappella singing groups, with a smattering of success. The movie is far too aware of its influences, especially when it imitates Bring It On’s sil-

ly ‘cheerocracy’-style slang with its own over-extended series of aca-neologisms. (‘Aca-scuse me?’ is possibly understandable, but ‘acaawesome’?

Really?)

But while it’s essentially a pile of familiar tropes arranged in a slightly new order, it gets the basics right enough to be functional…

“Like sports movies, dance movies, and other singing movies (the recent Queen Latifah/Dolly Parton vehicle Joyful Noise comes to mind), Pitch Perfect largely relies on the audience’s existing enthusiasm for the genre, and its assumed willingness to put up with some cardboard characters and stiff plotting if the money sequences deliver.

Pitch Perfect stacks the deck with humour from Rebel Wilson as an amiable, spacey a cappella diva who calls herself Fat Amy (‘So twiggy bitches like you don’t do it behind my back’), and Christopher Guest-style dry comedy interactions from a cappella commentators John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks.”

Tasha Robinson, The A.V. Club (US)

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

18

What’s on

films

(K) All Audiences (12/15/18) No admittance to Under-12s/ 15s/ 18s (N/A) Not Available

TELEPHONE NUMBERS: K-CINEPLEX: 77778383 RIO LIMASSOL: 25871410 RIO PAPHOS: 26207000

NICOSIA

Hitchcock (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 10.15pm

Beautiful Creatures (N/A) K-Cineplex (Screen 4) 7.50 and 10.15pm, weekends also 5.25pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 4) 5.25, 7.50 and 10.15pm, weekends also 11.30am and 3pm

The Last Stand (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 5.30 and 7.50pm

Pitch Perfect (N/A) K-Cineplex (Screen 1) at 7.50 and 10.10pm, weekends also at 5.30pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 4) at 5.30, 7.50 and 10.10pm, weekends also at 11am, 1.10pm and 3.20pm G.I. Joe: Retaliation (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) 7.45 and 10.15pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 2) 7.45 and 10.15pm The Sessions (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 5) at 8 and 10.10pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 5) at 8 and 10.10pm Zarafa (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 5.35pm, weekends also at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm Jack the Giant Slayer (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 7.45 and 10.15pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 3) at 7.45 and 10.15pm

Barbie in the Pink Shoes (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 3) (in Greek) at 5.35pm, weekends also at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm Sammy’s Great Escape (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 5) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 5) (in Greek) at 5.35pm, weekends also at 11.20am, 1.15pm and 3.20pm Caesar Must Die (in Italian, with Greek subtitles) Cine Studio, tonight at 9pm, Sunday at 8pm, Tuesday and Thursday at 9pm, presented by the Friends of the Cinema Society. Tel: 96-420491, www. ofk.org.cy

LIMASSOL Beautiful Creatures (N/A) Rio 4 at 7.45 and 10pm, weekends also at 3 and 5.20pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 4) at 7.50 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 5.25pm

CINEMA WEBSITES: K-Cineplex: http://kcineplex.com, Friends of the Cinema Society: http://www.ofk.org.cy

Pitch Perfect (N/A) Rio 3 at 7.45 and 10pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 1) at 7.50 and 10.10pm, weekends also at 5.30pm

Barbie in the Pink Shoes (K) Rio 1 (in Greek), weekends only at 3 and 4.30pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 3) (in Greek) weekends only at 5.35pm

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (12) Rio 1, weekdays at 7.45 and 10pm, weekends at 6, 8 and 10pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 2) at 7.45 and 10.15pm

Sammy’s Great Escape (K) Rio 5 (in Greek), weekends only at 3.30pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 5), weekends only at 5.35pm

The Sessions (15) Rio 6 at 8pm, weekends also at 4 and 6pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 5) at 8 and 10.10pm Zarafa (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm Jack the Giant Slayer (12) Rio 2 at 7.45 and 10pm, weekends also at 3 and 5.20pm; K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 7.45 and 10.15pm Hitchcock (12) Rio 6 at 10.10pm, weekends also at 5.30pm The Last Stand (15) Rio 5 at 7.45 and 10pm, weekends also at 5.30pm Oz the Great and Powerful (12) Rio 3, weekends only at 3 and 5.20pm

Caesar Must Die (in Italian, with Greek subtitles) Rio 5, Monday at 8.30pm, presented by the Limassol Cine Club. www.cinelesxi.org

LARNACA Beautiful Creatures (N/A) K-Cineplex (Screen 4) at 7.50 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 5.25pm Pitch Perfect (N/A) K-Cineplex (Screen 1) at 7.50 and 10.10pm, weekends also at 5.30pm G.I. Joe: Retaliation (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) at 7.45 and 10.15pm The Sessions (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 5) at 8 and 10.10pm Zarafa (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm

Jack the Giant Slayer (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 7.45 and 10.15pm Hitchcock (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 10.15pm The Last Stand (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 5.30 and 7.50pm Barbie in the Pink Shoes (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm Sammy’s Great Escape (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 5) (in Greek), weekends only at 5.35pm

PAPHOS Beautiful Creatures (N/A) Rio 1 at 5.15, 7.30 and 9.45pm, weekends also at 3pm Pitch Perfect (N/A) Rio 5 at 7.30 and 9.45pm G.I. Joe: Retaliation (12) Rio 5 at 5.30pm, weekends also at 3.30pm; Rio 7 at 7.30 and 9.45pm The Sessions (15) Rio 2 at 7.30 and 9.45pm, weekends also at 3.45 and 5.45pm

Jack the Giant Slayer (12) Rio 6, weekdays at 5.30, 7.30 and 9.45pm, weekends at 3, 5.15, 7.30 and 9.45pm Hitchcock (12) Rio 3 at 9.45pm The Last Stand (15) Rio 3, weekdays only at 7.30pm, weekends only at 6 and 7.45pm Identity Thief (12) Rio 4 at 7.30pm Oz the Great and Powerful (12) Rio 7 at 5.15pm, weekends also at 3pm Mama (15) Rio 4 at 9.45pm Barbie in the Pink Shoes (K) Rio 4 (in Greek), weekends only at 3, 4.30 and 6pm Sammy’s Great Escape (K) Rio 3 (in Greek), weekends only at 3 and 4.30pm

listings Today Theatre The Good Body XMAS Productions presents a play

by Tony award-winning playwright Eve Ensler. April 5-7 and April 12-14.

Melina Merkouri Hall, Famagusta Gate, Nicosia. 9 pm. The monologues will be performed mostly in English, with two exceptions in Greek. All net profits will go to local charities supporting Children in need and abused children, and the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Cyprus. Tel: 99-467966/22-797650 For reservations please email thegoodbodyshow@gmail.com Gethsemane A play about British public life by David Hare. April 5 until May 31. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. On specific days at 8.30pm and on Sundays at 6pm. In Greek.

Performances on April 17-19 will be with Greek and English subtitles. €12/6. Tel: 77-772717/22-864300

Other Events One Mime Retelles Show with Guerassim Dichkliev, an internationally recognised mime artist, presented within the mime tradition. April 5. Skali Aglantzias, Agiou Georgiou 15, Aglantzia, Nicosia.

8.30pm. €10/5 (under 15 years). Tel: 22-462233

Costas Gavros Ceremony for nomination of acclaimed Greek director for an Honorary Doctor of the Faculty of Letters, followed

by Q & A. April9, RSVP by April 5.

Auditorium Hall, University of Cyprus Main Campus, 75 Kallipoleos Avenue, Nicosia. 7pm. Tel: 22-894333/22894305. events@ucy.ac.cy

Tomorrow Exhibition Children’s Dialogues Group children’s art exhibition. Also workshops and events designed by the creative children educators of Aigaia team. Opens April 6, until April 30. Aigaia School of Art and Design, 81 Agion Omologiton Avenue, Nicosia. Monday Friday: 4pm-8pm. Saturday & Sunday: 10am-1pm & 4pm-7pm. Tel: 22-445757

Music The Zilla Project A night filled with blues/rock electrifying sounds. April 6. Savino Live, Watkins 9, Larnaca.11pm. Tel: 99-860304 The Sounds of Music Cyprus Symphony Orchestras educational and family concert with music from famous films and classical repertoire. April 6. Pallas Theatre, Paphos Gate, Nicosia. 4.30pm and 6pm. €5 for adults and the entrance is free for children and young people under the age of 18. Tel: 22-410181

J&B Electric Ball J&B party featuring international DJs Ashley Wallbridge and Jochen Miller, with Mirror Ball Man. April 6. Breeze Down Town, 18 Agyras, Limassol.

11.30pm. free. Tel: 70-005868

Gourouniasmata A comic take on the well-known fairy tale, with colourful new characters, live music, singing and dancing. April 6.

Rialto Theatre, Limassol. 3pm & 6pm. €10/7. In Greek. Tel: 77-777745

Theatre

Other Events

The Whore from Ohio The central stage of ETHAL presents Hanoch Levin’s black comedy. April 6-7. Technohoros ETHAL, 76 Franklin Roosevelt Avenue, Limassol. 8.30pm.

In Greek. Tel: 25-877827

The Thrillionaire Revolution A transformational weekend shaping your own financial destiny and creating a magical life with self-made multi-millionaire Nik Halik & special guests. April 6-7. Amathus Beach Hotel, Limassol. €69 limited early bird special. Tel: 70-008087. info@ thrillionairerevolutioncyprus.com www. thrillionairerevolutioncyprus.com

Playing Doctor Theatro Skala presents the contemporary American comedy by William Van Zandt and Jane Milmore. April 6 until May 26. Skala Theatre, 15 Kyriakou Matsi Street, Larnaca. On Saturdays at 8.30pm and Sunday at 6.30pm. In Greek. Tel: 24-652800 Hello An educational story aimed for preschool children. April 6. Cine Studio, (University of Nicosia), 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia. 3pm. €5 for children / €9 for adults. In Greek. Tel: 99-358663/99-621669 Are You Afraid of the Dark?

A play based on Jill Tomlinson’s fairytale aimed at helping children overcome their fears. April 6. Cine Studio, (University of Nicosia), 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia. 6pm. €5 for children / €9 for adults. In Greek. Tel: 99-358663/99-621669

Ongoing Theatre The Harley Jacket THOC’s New Stage presents play by Vasilis Katsikonouris. Until April 5.

THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. Performances at the exterior spaces of THOC’s New Theatre Building. Every two weeks Wednesday through Friday at 8.30pm. €12/10. In Greek. Tel: 77-772717 The Firebird Theatro Versus presents drama based on the play by Ariel Dorfman. Until April 7. B Municipal Market (Theatro Ena), Limassol. Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays. 8.30pm. In Greek. Tel: 96-458399

The Eulogy A black comedy that breaks the mould on what we consider a typical monologue by Greek poet, playwright Iakovos Kambanelis. Until April 20. Epigoni Theatre, Kyriakos Karaolis Square, Old Aglantzia. Every Saturday at 8.30pm.

In Greek. €8. Tel: 99-222974

The Dispute The Main Stage of THOC presents tragic comedy by Pierre de Marivaux.

Until May 17. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia.

Friday and Saturday at 8.30pm and Sunday 6pm. In Greek. €12/10. Tel: 77-772717

Tom, Dick and Harry Satiriko Theatre presents comedy by Ray and Michael Cooney. Until April 28. Vladimiros Kafkarides Cultural Centre, 11-15 Vladimiros Kafkarides Street, Aglantzia, Nicosia. On Saturdays at 8.30pm and Sundays at 6.30pm. €15/10. Tel: 22-312940/ 22-421609

Exhibitions

In the Land of Peter Pan The Puppet Group of Satiriko Theatre presents work by James Barry. Until April 28. Vladimiros Kafkarides Cultural Centre, 11-15 Vladimiros Kafkarides Street, Aglantzia, Nicosia. Every Sunday at 10.30am. In Greek. €10. Tel: 22-312940/22-421609 Gone With the Jobless A comedy performance by Marinos Hatzivasiliou who, together with other actors from the popular TV programme Patates, present a hilarious show with humour and laughter. Until May 5. Diachroniki Music Stage, 2 Yianni Koromia Street, Kaimakli, Nicosia.

Every Sunday at 9pm. €15. In Greek.

Tel: 99-783455

For a full guide to the week’s events and regular meetings, make sure you get a copy of the Sunday Mail

The Last Bride Exhibition by Asteris Gkekas inspired by female Cypriot poetry. Until April 5. ARTos Cultural and Research Foundation, 64, Ay. Omoloyites Ave, Nicosia. Tuesday-Friday: 9am-5pm.

Tel: 22-445455 Uninterrupted Stare Solo art exhibition by Nina Sumarac. Until April 6. Rouan Gallery, 28 Dodekanisou, Limassol. Monday-Saturday: 10.30am-1pm and 4.30pm-7 .30pm. Tel: 25-350845 Aphrodite Lovestoned Photography and book presentation

by Anna Würth. Until April 6. Chiaki Kamikawa Contemporary Art Gallery 10 Solonos Street, Paphos. Open Tuesday- Friday: 10am-1pm & 4pm-6pm.

Saturday: 10am-1pm. Tel: 99-311225 Constructions + Abstractions An exhibition of paintings and three dimensional constructions by British and Cypriot artists. Sculpture garden also open to the public. Until April 7.

Cyprus College of Art, 6 Eleftherias Street, Lempa, Paphos. Open daily: 11am-5pm. Tel: 99-452757

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

19

To have your event included for FREE in our listings, send details to: Arts Editor, Cyprus Mail, PO Box 21144, Nicosia. Fax: 22-676385.

Email: whatson@cyprus-mail.com Please send your information as early as possible. Include full details, a contact number and good quality photos

Strawberry tea forever

Fair treats: the First Annual Charity Strawberry Fair at the Cornaro Institute Larnaca, in aid of the Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society and Poor Children of Cyprus. From left: CyMi prus cookery demonstrations from the Yummy Cyprus group and the first pop-up pub in Cyprus will serve beer from the Aradippou Micro Brewery Ghiorkin Beers

LET ME take you down, ’cos I’m going to Strawberry Fields. Nothing is real…”

So go the lyrics to the classic Beatles number, ‘Strawberry Fields’. The Charity Strawberry Fair in Larnaca doesn’t have much in common with the song but one thing is certain “everything is real”, particularly the juicy strawberries, fun activities and the range of products for sale.

Held at the Cornaro Institute on Sunday, it will be the first annual charity Strawberry Fair in aid of the Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society and Poor Children of Cyprus. The event is not quite a celebration of all things strawberry, but rather a nod to that oh-so-British concoction, the traditional afternoon tea: with strawberries and cream, and tea in fine china cups.

The idea for a Strawberry Fair in Cyprus was brought to life by director of the College, Dr Michael Paraskos.

He explains “There was a time when every art school held an annual Strawberry Tea. The most famous of these was at the Royal College of Art in London, and for a long time we have wanted to revive the idea in Cyprus. According to the writer and lecturer “Our Strawberry Fair is about having fun, finding out ping people at a about new things and also helping rus are suftime when many people in Cyprus fering economic problems”.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be strawberries, the tasty versatile fruit will feature in the fair. Strawberries and cream will be on sale and ss of can be served either with a glass hatevsparkling white wine or tea - whatevhe first er people prefer. Look out for the pop-up pub in Cyprus, serving beer from the young geniuses at the Aradippou Micro Brewery Ghiorkin Beers.

On The Scene Other Events April showers us with offers APRIL is looking to be a very busy month for the Life Centre in Nicosia. On the agenda over the coming weeks are series of classes that focus on the abundance of human spirit and generosity towards our fellow man. All classes

perience Giving adventurous folks a chance to experience a unique and creative bar environment in a spectacular or alfresco setting for a short out. period of time is what pop-ups are all about. ve Microbreweries and their microbrews have gotten a lot of attention lately and their popularity continues to rise. Their attracmenttiveness stems from the breweries experimenturing procing with the actual flavours and manufacturing ess of their beers; local support and word-of-mouth; and the fact that the small-scale nature of microbreweries lends itself to a much more focused and friendlier type of customer service and that’s what you’ll get with Ghiorkin Beers.

The team love to experiment with herbs and add chamomile, lavender, geranium and sage and will be generously giving away free samples of their beers at the fair – there will also be a box for donations to the Anti-Cancer Society.

The Yummy Cyprus group is taking over the College Cafe to produce some of their traditional Greek and Cypriot dishes. The group will share their knowledge an you’ll be shown how to make and experience and some of the group group’s most popular recipes. You’ll also learn about the traditions behind the foods.

Artis Peter Bird will also be displaying/ Artist sel selling his work – Bird is an artist who turn discarded objects from CDs, turns feath feathers, radios to obsolete computers o into objects of beauty by deconstructing t and then decorating them with intricate desig designs.

Also ta taking part is Leoni from Splash o Colour Colour, Larnaca’s first dedicated paint your ow own ceramic studio, situated in the town c e en centre.

You don’t have to be artistic to

will be based on this theme.

A new Kids Yoga class has been added every Saturday, starting from tomorrow at 10.30am. These are fun, inspirational classes for your kids! In this imaginative series, instructors combine simple yoga poses with engaging songs and stories that increase your child’s flexibility and concentration. This playful class encourages self-expression and builds your child’s social skills. It’s synchronised with the Hatha Yoga class for adults and it is also offered every Tuesday at 5.30pm. Spaces

are limited, so please book in advance, normal coupons do not apply.

Those looking to strengthen their core muscles should take note w Pilates Class starting of the new sday April 18, all are on Thursday welcome.. On April 27, the centre is bringing yoga e studio and out of the into the park. Meet for a utdoor practice blissful outdoor olos Park at the at Strovolos a (by the tennis grass area courts).

April

paint pottery it’s all about having fun and all ag ages can take part. Why not try your han hand at creating a unique masterpiece or p personalise a gift for family or friends.

So much m treasure, so much fun – explore the ffair, packed with arts and crafts stalls, t usual stalls which sell all sorts, and the D from DVDs to knitwear. Hundreds of good no read novels and other books will be on sale and demonstrations of hobbies, such as jewellery making, mosaic, pottery and more. No fair would be complete without food and drink stands and there will be plenty to nibble on to keep those hunger pangs at bay.

Visitors to this year’s fair are invited to experience magic tricks with Penny Douglas, while the Fine Art students of the Cyprus College of Art and the universities of Northampton and Canterbury will be showing off their skills at face painting.

Let’s not forget that this is a fundraiser which includes the Toys for Children Campaign. In association with Larnaca Municipality, the fair will be collecting new and second-hand toys for distribution by the Municipality of Larnaca to poor children. If you have new or second-hand toys you would like to donate please bring them with you. Please make sure any secondhand toys are clean, complete and in working order.

Annual Charity Strawberry Fair Arts and craft stalls, secondhand books, cookery demos, kid’s face painting, antiques, hobbies and adult education info, food and much more, April 7. Cornaro Institute, Mehmet Ali Street, Larnaca (near St Lazarus Church). 11am-3pm. In aid of the Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society and poor children of Cyprus. Tel: 24-254042

offers also include Abdominal Massage and Full Body Meridian Treatment. It helps to benefit our internal organs, for tension and tightness in the body. For those who wish to cleanse and ba balance, those suffering digestiv digestive or fertility issues, this ma massage is a good detox.

In addition, tr try some Thai yoga massage sage; this un unique an and p powerful m massage

By Ledha Socratous therapy combines acupressure, gentle stretching and applied yoga. It is an ancient technique which aims to release blocked energy, restore health and harmony and bring balance to the body.

Please keep in mind that the Life Centre will be closed for the Easter Break on May 1-7, opening on Wednesday May 8.

Life Centre April Classes April 6-30. Life Centre, 4 Persefonis Street, Karyatis XIII Building, Flat 301, Acropolis, Nicosia. Tel: 22-377630. info@life-centre. org. www.life-centre.org

For a full listing of the day’s events, see facing page

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

20

Television CYBC 1 06.45 08.15

Proti Enimerosi Kali Sas Mera Local variety show, with entertainment options, cookery tips and more.

11.00 11.30

Kaftis Piperies (rpt) Istories Tou Horkou (rpt)

CYBC 2 07.00 08.00 14.00 20.00 20.10 21.00

Apo Mera Se Mera Entehnos Local cultural show.

16.00 18.00 18.15

Mazi Sto CyBC News Kaftes Piperies Live cookery show.

18.45

Paizoume Kypriaka Local game show, asking questions having to do with Cypriot dialect.

19.20

22.30

News Patates 8 Local satirical show, using comedy sketches and embarrassing TV clips to skewer local politicians.

22.00

Tete A Tete Tasos Tryfonos interviews Greek celebrities from the world of showbiz.

23.00 23.30 23.45

Local Sketch (rpt) News Repeats

News In English News In Turkish Vera

Top Gear Sixteenth season.

Episode 5: Part one of two. The trio present a compilation of highlights from the 16th series of the motoring magazine, featuring a selection of the presenters’ most outlandish stunts and a celebrity guest doing a lap in the Reasonably Priced Car. The Stig also puts a sports car through its paces on the show’s test track.

Moiraia Fengaria Local drama series inspired by Maro Kranidioti’s book ‘Otan i Moira Apofasizei’.

20.00 21.15

05.30 06.20 06.50 07.00

First season of detective drama. ‘The Crow Trap’. A murder at a remote cottage in Northumberland takes DCI Vera Stanhope back to a place full of childhood memories and reminds her of an unsolved case from earlier in her career.

Delving into the local politics surrounding a controversial proposal to dig a quarry, she and her team find motives in the unlikeliest of places.

Current affairs show.

15.30

Euronews Kids’ TV Davis Cup Cyprus vs Benin.

Local comedy series, which happens to be the longest-running show on TV.

12.00

ANTENNA

23.30

Kati Psinetai (rpt) Amateur chefs each stage a dinner party to find who will be crowned the winning host.

00.15

07.50 08.40 09.30 10.25 11.15 12.10 13.00 13.20 14.00 14.50 15.45 16.40 17.30 17.40

With News at 18.00.

18.40 19.30 20.20 21.25 22.20

Tin Patisa (rpt) Niose Me News Ekeino To Kalokairi (rpt) Laikes Paraskeves Greek music show.

00.00 00.05 00.30 01.40 02.30 03.20 04.40

More Repeats

Erotas (rpt) Proini Enimerosi Me Agapi Strivein Dia Tou Arravonos (rpt) Vodka Portokali (rpt) Lyke, Lyke Eisai Edo (rpt) Einai Stigmes (rpt) Panselinos (rpt) Tis Agapis Mahairia (rpt) Niose Me (rpt) News Mera Mesimeri Konstantinou Kai Elenis (rpt) To Kafe Tis Haras (rpt) Ta Koritsia Tou Baba (rpt) Oneiropagida (rpt) Lefta Sto Lepto Ekeino To Kalokairi (rpt)

News Sports News Vradi Me Ton Petro Kostopoulo Horis Oria (rpt) Angigma Zois (rpt) News Deal (rpt)

MEGA 06.00 06.15

Ta Epta Kaka Tis Moiras Mou Retire (rpt) Greek drama series.

07.00 08.00

Epomeni Mera (rpt) Master Chef (rpt) Greek competitive cooking reality show, open to amateur and home chefs.

09.00 10.00

Klemmena Oneira (rpt) Proino Mou Lifestyle programme features entertainment, a cookery segement with the winner of the first Greek Master Chef, music and more.

Hosted by real life couple Giorgos Liagas and Fay Skorda.

11.40 14.00

Enimerosi Tora Eheis Meson Current affairs show.

16.00

Yia Sena

18.00 18.20 19.00 20.00 21.20

News Erastis Ditikon Proastion (rpt) Epomeni Mera News Klemmena Oneira

22.20 00.00 00.10

FILM: TBA News Gimnoi Angeloi (rpt)

SIGMA 06.10 07.00 08.20 10.00 10.50 12.00 14.30 15.20 17.10 18.00 18.05 18.40

Yia Sena (rpt) Enimerosi Tora (rpt)

06.45 07.20

Vasiliki (rpt) Mila Mou (rpt) Mesimeri Kai Kati Efta Ourani Kai Sinnefa Alites (rpt) Magazino Siga Min To’ Xeres News Ti Tha Fame Simera Mama Anna Paola Latin American telenovela.

19.30

Efta Ourani Kai Sinnefa Alites

20.20 21.20

News Stin Igeia Mas

Local drama series.

Variety show, with wellknown guests pretending to have a good time for the benefit of You At Home.

00.30 00.35

Greek drama series.

01.00 03.00

Anna Paola (rpt) Protoselido Eleni

News Istories Tou Astinomou Beka (rpt)

02.25 03.15 04.00 04.30

08.30 09.05 10.00

Exelixeis Sti Showbiz Mesimeriani Meleti Best Of I Kouzina Me Ti Dina (rpt) Cooking show, with helpful tips on eating well and nutrition.

Hosted by Dina Nikolaou.

10.45 11.40 12.30 13.00 15.30 17.00 17.50 19.40

Mila (rpt) Berdema Star News Mesimeriani Meleti Kids’ TV Berdema Fotis Maria Live Mila

CAPITAL 09.00 09.25 10.00 11.00 11.30 12.30 13.25 15.35 16.25 16.55 17.45 18.15

22.00

Exelixeis Stin Showbiz FILM: Frantic An American doctor scours the seedy backstreets of Paris in search of his wife, who has mysteriously vanished from their hotel.

Thriller, with Harrison Ford and Emmanuelle Seigner. 1988.

Siga Min To’ Xeres (rpt) Mona Mia Fora (rpt) Se Fonto Kokkino (rpt) Ta Hrisopsara (rpt) Eleni (rpt) 01.10 01.50 02.20

Magikos Kosmos Akti Oneiron Ston Asterismos Tis Imeras Kouzina Me Apopsi Remington Steele Milagros Kids’ TV Top Models Kouzina Me Apopsi (rpt) Sabrina, To Koritsi Tis Agapis Akti Oneiron Pacific Blue With News at 18.30.

19.15 19.50 20.05 21.00

News Sports Time O Anthropos Tis Thalassas FILM: Hoosiers A basketball coach arrives in a small town to train a school team, but his gruelling methods soon arouse local resentment.

Drama, starring Gene Hackman. 1986

Discussions about various issues based on a woman’s life.

21.15

Greek drama series.

01.40

Kid’s TV Fotis - Maria Live Best Of Entertainment magazine featuring segments on cooking, health, fashion, lifestyle issues and more.

Popular morning show, with Eleni Menegaki.

Local talk-show.

Local drama series.

PLUS TV

23.15

FILM: Tempo An antiques smuggler uses her boyfriend’s affair as an opportunity to pay her debts to a ruthless criminal.

Crime thriller, with Melanie Griffith. 2003.

00.50

FILM: Sniper 3 An expert marksman thinks his days of secret missions are over - until he is asked to help take down an Asian crime syndicate.

Thriller, with Tom Berenger. 2004.

LTV Sports News Star News Repeats

The Descendants (Novacinema1, 17.05)

01:15 Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 02:05 The Weakest Link 02:50 EastEnders 03:20 Doctors 03:50 Famous, Rich & In The Slums 04:45 The Stephen K Amos Show 05:15 Beautiful People 05:45 My Family 06:15 The Weakest Link 07:00 3rd & Bird 07:10 Fimbles 07:30 Boogie Beebies 07:45 Tellytales 07:55 Me Too! 08:15 3rd & Bird 08:25 Fimbles 08:45 Boogie Beebies 09:00 Tellytales 09:10 Me Too! 09:30 My Family 10:00 Keeping Up Appearances 10:30 The Weakest Link 11:15 EastEnders 11:45 Doctors 12:15 Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 13:05 Famous, Rich & In The Slums 13:55 My Family 14:25 The Weakest Link 15:10 Keeping Up Appearances 15:40 EastEnders 16:10 Doctors 16:40 Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 17:30 Famous, Rich & In The Slums 18:25 The Weakest Link 19:10 EastEnders 19:40 Doctors 20:10 Casualty 21:00 My Family 21:30 2 Point 4 Children 22:00 Famous, Rich & In The Slums 22:50 Lead Balloon 23:20 Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show 23:45 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 00:30 Mad Dogs

07:00 Sunrise Earth 07:55 The Aviators 08:40 Chasing Classic Cars 09:30 Solving History With Olly Steeds 10:15 Crisis Control 11:05 Deadliest Catch 11:50 Weird Connections

12:15 Reign Of The Dinosaurs 13:05 Toughest Military Jobs 13:50 Chasing Classic Cars 14:35 1000 Places To See Before You Die 15:25 Solving History With Olly Steeds 16:10 Mythbusters 17:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 17:50 Space Pioneer 18:40 Chasing Classic Cars 19:05 Chasing Classic Cars 19:30 1000 Places To See Before You Die 20:20 Crisis Control 21:10 Solving History With Olly Steeds 22:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 22:50 Space Pioneer 23:40 Deadliest Catch 00:30 Crisis Control 01:15 Mythbusters 02:05 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 02:50 Space Pioneer 03:40 Chasing Classic Cars 04:30 Solving History With Olly Steeds 05:20 1000 Places To See Before You Die 06:10 Crisis Control

09:30 Shooting: European Championship 10:00 Curling: World Men’s Championship 10 :31 Fia World Touring Car Championship 12:00 Cycling: Tour Of The Basque Country 13:30 All Sports: Watts 14:30 All Sports: Eurosport Top 10 15:00 Cycling: Tour Of The Basque Country 18:30 Strongest Man: Champions League Martinique 19:30 All Sports: Eurosport Top 10 20:00 All Sports: Watts 21:00 Stihl Timbersports Series: World Championship Norway 22:00 Boxing 00:00 Fight Sport: Total Ko 01:00 Cycling:

Tour Of The Basque Country

05:40 Desperate Housewives 06:25 Bones 07:10 Raising Hope 07:35 Scrubs 8 08:00 Grey’s Anatomy 8 08:50 Masterchef 09:40 Desperate Housewives 7 10:25 Bones 3 11:10 Raising Hope 11:35 Scrubs 9 12:00 Happy Endings 3 12:25 Don’t Trust The B...In Apartment 23 12:50 Glee 3 13:40 Grey’s Anatomy 8 14:30 Masterchef 15:20 Desperate Housewives 7 16:05 Bones 3 16:50 Raising Hope 17:15 Scrubs 9 17:40 Grey’s Anatomy 8 18:30 Masterchef 19:20 Desperate Housewives 7 20:10 Bones 3 21:00 Happy Endings 3 21:25 Don’t Trust The B...In Apartment 23 21:50 Glee 3 22:40 Raising Hope 23:05 Scrubs 9 23:30 Happy Endings 3 23:55 Don’t Trust The B...In Apartment 23 00:20 Glee 3 01:10 Bones 3 02:00 Desperate Housewives 7 02:45 Raising Hope 03:10 Scrubs 9 03:35 Surviving Suburbia 04:00 Grey’s Anatomy 8 04:50 Masterchef

07:30 Dark City 09:30 An Education 11:30 Steelyard Blues 13:15 All The King’s Men 15:30 The Book Of Eli 17:30 Ye Olde Times 19:30 Hollywood Buzz 20:00 LTV Sports News 21:00 Freeway Killer 22:30 Hollywood Buzz (E) 23:00 The Mechanic 00:40 Hustler TV 03:10 Magic Men 04:45 My Soul To Take 06:30 LTV Sports News (E)

13:15 Music Of The Heart 15:20 Pay It Forward 17:25 Action Zone 18:00 Captain America: The First Avenger 20:10 Man On A Ledge 22:00 Intolerable Cruelty 23:45 The Perfect Storm 02:00 Coriolanus 04:05 The Brave One Mentalist 05:45 C.S.I. Miami 06:30 Closer 07:00 Kids TV 15:45 Justice League Unlimited 16:10 Legion Of Super Heroes 16:35 Young Justice 17:00 2013 Fia Erc: Canarias 17:30 Planet Speed 18:00 Barclays Premier League World 18:30 Nba Action 19:00 La Liga World 19:30 Barclays Premier League 2012-13 23:30 Barclays Premier League Preview 00:00 La Liga Show 2012-13 00:30 Spirit Of Golf 01:00 Barclays Premier League Review 02:00 La Liga Review 201213 03:00 Nba 2012-13 05:30 Planet Speed 06:00 Ironman

07:15 Privileged 08:00 Friends 08:30 Closer 09:15 Luck 10:20 One Tree Hill 11:15 Strike Back 13:00 Closer 13:45 Privileged 14:30 Closer 15:15 Luck 16:15 Big Bang Theory 16:40 2 Broke Girls 17:25 Mentalist 18:10 C.S.I. Miami 19:00 Closer 19:45 Gossip Girl 20:30 Friends 21:00 Fringe 22:30 Ncis: Los Angeles 23:15 Supernatural 00:05 Faces In The Crowd 02:00 Dead Calm 03:45 Big Bang Theory 04:10 2 Broke Girls 05:00

08:45 Weakness 10:45 Sympathy For Delicious 12:30 Arrangement 14:45 Welcome To The Rileys 16:45 Call Of The Wild 18:15 Crackie 20:00 Assassination Games 22:00 Space Cowboys 00:10 Daring! TV 04:05 Kick-Ass 06:05 Taking Lives

06:20 Love To Kill 07:50 Cine News 08:15 The Avengers 10:40 Mad On Novacinema 11:15 Do No Harm 12:50 Brake 14:25 Hollywood Buzz 15:00 Just Married 16:40 Cine News 17:05 The Descendants 19:05 Big Miracle 21:00 Ncis 22:00 Sister 23:50 Johnny English Reborn 01:35 Hemingway & Gellhorn 04:10 Cine News 04:40 Against All Odds

05:20 To Tango Ton Christougennon 07:05 The Caine Mutiny 09:10 Cine News 09:55 Kung Fu Panda 2

19:20 The Devil’s Own 21:15 Payback 23:00 The Bleeding House 00:30 Cine News 01:30 Adult Zone 03:05 Blitz 04:45 The Son Of No One

19:20 Tooth Fairy 2 21:00 Illegal 22:45 Manolete 00:20 Twins 02:05 Another Earth 03:40 Majority

1:30 Stuntbusters 2:00 NHL: New Jersey Devils At Boston Bruins 4:30 Pinks All Out Tucson From 5:30 Big Ten Men’s Golf Big Ten Match Play Championships 7:00 Academy Bernhard Langer: Full Swing 7:30 School Of Golf 8:00 The Haney Project: Michael Phelps 9:00 Golf Central International 9:30 In Play With Jimmy Roberts 10:00 MLB: Detroit Tigers At Minnesota Twins 13:00 Pinks 14:00 Car Warriors 2 Mustang 15:00 Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Big Ten Championships Session 2 At Michigan 17:00 MLB: Detroit Tigers At Minnesota Twins 18:00 PRE GAME(E)

18:45 CHAMPIONSHIP 2012-13: AEP VS OMONOIA (E) 20:45 POST GAME (E) 21:30 A DIVISION CYPRUS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP 21:45 NHL: New Jersey Devils At Boston Bruins 22:30ingside Boxing

06:00 Only Hits 08:00 MTV GreekLips 09:00 MTV Hollywood Heights 10:00 MTV Plain Jane (Commissioned Version) 11:00 Pure Local 12:00 MTV VHI Pop up Video 13:00 MTV Made 14:00 MTV Big Time Rush 14:30 MTV Victorious 15:00 MTV Hollywood Heights 16:00 MTV Crash Canyon 17:00 MTV Pranked 18:00 MTV GreekLips 19:00 Only Hits 20:00 MTV Catfish 21:00 MTV Hitlist Hellas 22:00 MTV World Stage 23:00 McCafé Music Project 23:30 MTV Savage U 00:00 MTV Jersey Shore 01:00 MTV Geordie Shore 02:00 Only Hits

07:00 Speedway 08:35 The V.I.P.S 10:35 Telefon 12:20 Sweethearts 14:10 Live A Little, Love A Little 15:35 Valley Of The Kings 17:00 A Star Is Born 20:00 The Night Of The Iguana 22:00 Pink Floyd - The Wall 23:35 The Big Sleep 01:25 Speedway 03:00 Live A Little, Love A Little 04:35 The Toast Of New Orleans

By Preston Wilder

Freeway Killer (LTV, 21.00) Based on a true story - but that still doesn’t make it right, ‘it’ being a grisly straight-to-video thriller on the odious William Bonin, a California serial killer who murdered at least 21 young men in 1979-80 (he was executed in the mid-90s). There’s a way to make such grim material palatable, and the film co-stars Michael Rooker who appeared in the superb Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer - but Henry worked because it was non-sensational and a little bit sad, whereas Bonin (Scott Anthony Leet) seems to have been glorified into a bug-eyed monster. “Most people can be done without,” he cackles in the trailer, telling an accomplice that “We’re the wolves, they [the victims] are the

sheep” - and Bonin may well have harboured such delusions of being a superman (most psychos do) but putting them onscreen is a delicate matter. Critics claim it’s actually sanitised, playing down his homosexuality (all his victims were sexually molested), but traumatised viewers may feel it already shows too much. Definitely not for all tastes. Made in 2010.

Sister (Novacinema1, 22.00) Enough with the serial killers! Drama can be forged from more modest problems - like the problems of a young boy named Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) who lives in a Swiss ski resort with his 20-something sister (Lea Seydoux). Sis, though older, is immature and irre-

Sisterr Sister

sponsible, forcing Simon to provide for them by stealing from rich skiers and selling the goods to other boys in the village, at least till things get complicated.

A much-acclaimed drama (it won the Silver Bear at Berlin) which may be a tad overrated - the characters aren’t as strong or mysterious as in the superficially similar The Kid With a Bike - but does provide a strong sense of place, an unexpected twist and a haunting, symbolic ending. Also with Gillian Anderson (yes, Agent Scully) as a foreign tourist (and mother) Simon tries to impress - and the moment where he seeks forgiveness in a fervent but unwanted hug may be the emotional high point in a low-key (but solid) drama.

Mostly in French, with Greek subtitles; made in 2012.

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

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CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 2357 1

2

3

4

PREVIOUS DAY’S SOLUTIONS

5

6

7

8 9 10

11

12 13 16

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HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9. There’s no maths involved, you solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

With the ‘X’ sudoku, the shaded X must also contain the numbers 1-9.

15

17 18 19 20

22

21

23

MEDIUM

EASY

MEDIUM

HARD

24 25

2 Rid of poison from exotic mixture in time (10) 3 Main force? (3-5) 4 Be quiet, the little stream is piercing (6) 5 The old physician’s a sucker (5) 6 One right heavy blow (4) 7 So shut out (4) 11 Being prayerful, violated no resolution (10) 13 I am quietly following the little devil (3) 14 Papal sign (3) 15 Likely to be held up when rain stops play (8) 19 Fame about now with name (6) 20 Like a goat perhaps is suffering from vertigo (5) 22 Curved grass? (4) 23 Paid to eat? (4)

Rating EASY

1 Roman day that’s incomplete (4) 8 Last but two to score (10) 9 It could erupt in Vietnam (4) 10 They give highjumpers openings (8) 12 Former lot distributed praise (5) 13 I left 50 off-colour (3) 16 Laugh or cry (6) 17 Old N African in N Devon (6) 18 For the expert (3) 21 Strained section of coach (5) 22 Help could be finer in Rose’s home (8) 24 Advanced fast (4) 25 We enrolled another worthless type (4-2-4) 26 Colleague was in the hall yesterday (4)

Rating HARD

Down

Rating HARD

Across

Rating MEDIUM

26

Answers to crossword 2356

HOROSCOPE

CRYPTIC: Across – 1 Spot the ball; 9 Salty; 10 Colossi; 11 Located; 13 Smock; 14 Son; 15 Tania; 16 Ewe; 17 Netta; 19 Rosehip; 21 Stiffer; 23 Allin; 24 Stocktaking. Down – 2 Pelican; 3 Tryst; 4 Hic; 5 Belisha; 6 Lasso; 7 Uselessness; 8 Tickled pink; 12 Donor; 15 Traffic; 16 Echelon; 18 Taint; 20 Slack; 22 Rot.

QUICK: Across – 1 Fortunately; 9 Oiler; 10 Punster; 11 Sequoia; 13 Among; 14 Ale; 15 Squad; 16 Pie; 17 Throb; 19 Turnout; 21 Rampant; 23 Amour; 24 Enchantment. Down – 2 Oblique; 3 Torso; 4 Nip; 5 Tankard; 6 Litho; 7 For starters; 8 Fragmentary; 12 Adult; 15 Sabbath; 16 Pronoun; 18 Roman; 20 Realm; 22 Tun.

ARIES March 21 - April 20

LEO July 23 - August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23 - December 21

The Moon in Gemini forges a fine link to both the Sun and Venus in your sign. These are not long lasting links, but they can be trigger points for your day, and positive ones at that. If you feel good, you will be able to convey it to people. The Sun still remains in touch with Jupiter too, so this is a day when you can feel excited about all sorts of things.

If you can do something out of the ordinary this weekend, at least for you, it can do you the world of good. So, as you muse what you will decide to do, you can benefit from considering anything which is new or novel. This may sound fanciful, but if you show some imagination, the rewards can be excellent. New people can also prove to be a boon.

Did someone drop a less than subtle hint last night? Or perhaps you have been aware of some simmering tensions today. As much as there continues to be a stellar line up of positivity in your situation, life is rarely perfect, and you may need to adjust your stance to accept this.

That said, someone can prove to be a cheerful influence at some point.

TAURUS April 21 - May 21

VIRGO August 23 - September 23

CAPRICORN December 22 - January 20

You may have ended up at right angles to someone last night. To you it may have seemed as if they were being unreasonable and unyielding. Yet they may not have meant to offend you, and it could be that you are feeling more vulnerable or raw than you might like to admit. Try not to forge any negative conclusions as your perceptions could be out of kilter.

If you have a need to be right and “correct people,” it may have left both you and someone else, rather bereft. Today is an opportunity to put things on a better footing.

Although you may be correct from a factual viewpoint, the other person may be coming from and viewing this situation completely differently. Try to understand exactly what this is.

Have you ended up out of pocket, or has any imbalance been more to do with something you aspired to being out of reach? If so, it’s true this can be galling, but try to take solace from less material aspects of your situation.

Appreciating the simple pleasantness you encounter in daily life, and your home comforts, can be worthwhile too Capricorn.

GEMINI May 22 - June 21

LIBRA September 24 - October 23

AQUARIUS January 21 - February 19

The chances are that you will have more than one option for this weekend. And it can be heartening to feel that you have some choices. A lot of very positive feedback is coming your way at present, and feeling that you are on all your friends “must include” list, can be gratifying. Indeed, all sorts of group activities can prove uplifting, even at work.

Your ruler Venus gives you so much protection on a daily basis. Yet it may not seem like that. But the down side of having her as your guiding light, is the natural passivity of this planet’s energies. This can sometimes see you be too obliging, then disappointed when it is not reciprocated.

However, this is a time when genuine good things can flow for you.

It’s true that not everyone “gets” Aquarius folk, but rather than feeling downcast about someone’s surly response, have a giggle within yourself that at least you are you.

Marvel at your uniqueness. Don’t compare yourself to others. It’s likely to be an empty exercise in futility. Instead, salute what makes you different, and enjoy the ripples this causes.

CANCER June 22 - July 22

SCORPIO October 24 - November 22

PISCES February 20 - March 20

Have some sharp words been exchanged over finances?

Or has a possessive or controlling streak come to the surface? This may not be yours, but in any close relationship it is the dynamic created between two people that is the key. Try to find the way forward. This may include cutting someone some slack. Is it time to let bygones be exactly that?

It may seem as if you are having to do all the bending in situations at present. Or perhaps you are learning new lessons about being more obliging and less focused on your own personal needs. Saturn’s transit through your sign until the end of next year, will not be easy, but if you can knuckle down there can be rewards, just different rewards.

Are your thought processes running a little bit on the low side? You may have found out that someone was indeed a disappointment. But if so, there is still plenty for you to feel upbeat about. For example, you may be gaining particular pleasure from food and drink just now, perhaps conjuring up real magic in the kitchen. Who can you invite to share it with?

22

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Advertiser

ADVERTISER helps you find what you’re looking for

Only

€14 (plus VAT)

a week for classifieds (up to 40 words)

Send your classified by fax or email and pay by credit card, cheque or cash. It couldn’t be simpler!

Nicosia - email: classified@cyprus-mail.com Limassol - email: limassol@cyprus-mail.com Paphos - email: paphos@cyprus-mail.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES NEED SECRETARY, full/part time English, Greek & Russian Lang. IT or computer Knowledge. Send CV to info@ citycellhotspot.com. Including personal photo. Citycell: www. citycellhotspot.com 25-341444 – 25-100999

JOB WANTED LADY WITH PAPERS LOOKING FOR PART-TIME JOB, office, house, apartment, hotel, or just taking care of old people or children. Has own transport.

Living in Limassol area. Please call 96832474

MISCELLANEOUS ***************************** OWNERSHIP: I am in possession of a Honda Civic saloon car first registered as BAG 839 in Cyprus in 1992. I intend to apply to the Ministry of Transport for Registration of this vehicle in my name. Any objections to this action are to be notified to the Ministry of Transport or me, Michael James Syme, (P.O.Box 65, Pareklishia 4520) with supporting evidence for an ownership counter claim by 5th June 2013 WANTED: COUPLES OF EU CITIZENS LIVING IN CYPRUS We are currently conducting research as regards European families living in Cyprus. If both you and your spouse come from the same or a different country of the EU (except Cyprus and Greece, e.g. both from Germany, or Germany and France), if you have children over 6, and if you are interested in taking part in some research financed by the University of Cyprus please contact us 96530033. Participants will complete a questionnaire and participate in a faceto-face interview. They will also receive a symbolic amount of money. ***************************** ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS CYPRUS Is drink costing you more than just money? AA could be the answer.

Meeting at the following locations/days. Call to speak to an AA member.

Ayia Napa Monday 97798043 Larnaca Tuesday (Polish spk) 96616589 Thursday 24645523

/ 99259264 Limassol Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday / Saturday 25368265 / 99559322 Nicosia Wednesday/Sunday 99013596 Paphos Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday 99916331 / 99399240 Details of meetings are available on www.aa-europe.net

****************************

SERVICES PROFESSIONAL UPHOLSTERY CLEANING, also carpets, rugs and mattresses. Special offers now available. FREE STAIN GUARD FOR LIMITED TIME For a quote call Rickys Cleaning Services on 99131044 (all areas) info@rcs-cyprus.net / www.rcs-cyprus.net ***************************** K.D.FLYSCREENS LTD. We manufacture top quality sliding screens, opening doors and roller systems. We also do repairs.

For a FREE QUOTE please contact Phone: 99119582 Website: www.kdflyscreens.com SWIFT SERVICE AND REPAIRS air-cons, commercial and domestic fridges and freezers, ice machines, cool rooms, supply and fit air-cons VRV S. Call Nik on 99579602 Limassol ***************************** DO YOU WANT A SHINY LOOKING FLOOR? Full repair & restoration of chipped, scratched, dull and stained, Marble, Terrazzo, Stone & Ceramic tiled floors and surfaces. Professional cleaning, repair & sealing of internal/external ceramic tiles & grout lines. For a free professional consultation & demonstration contact Mark at Premier on 70006766 All areas

PETS *****************************

Nicosia - tel: 22 818583 fax: 22 676385 you have seen him ***************************** HONEY is a 3 month old pincher/ terrier mix. She is very small sized and very sweet and playful. Honey is looking for a loving family to be hers forever! She will remain small sized so she is ideal for a family with an apartment! For adoptions call 99 520 511 Monday-Friday between hours 10-2 or email ndsadoptions@gmail.com *****************************

with Gas Steam Generator Extra: Stand with stainless steel shelving, extractor fan, water supply system and gas installation connections, PLUS CHAFING TRAYS & THERMO BOXES, ALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AT REDUCED PRICES. PLEASE CALL : 99622678 *****************************

FOR SALE BUSINESS/ PROPERTY/LAND

HEALTH & FITNESS FOR PRETTY WOMAN: anticellulite treatment, reflexology, aromatherapy massage against stress, back pains, headache. also spa for nails.

Tel: 99986991

PERSONAL GERMAN MAN, 50 years old, searching for a nice woman.

Mobile:00491736590562

FOR SALE MISCELLANEOUS ***************************** FOR SALE Full house of furniture etc. white goods – washing m/c, new fridge/freezer/ new water m/c, unit top Bosch dishwasher, lge fridge/freezer etc. NO Sensible offer ignored.

Please phone 99 847864 ***************************** ART AND WATCH collector purchases art works and watches in cash. Watches: only high end pieces with the original box and invoice. Art works: international artists for which the provenance can be clearly proved. Send details/pictures to laurentjones1@ gmail.com ***************************** FOR SALE: Electric Cooker, Bosch 4 ceramic hotplates and oven, used 1 1/2 year, €350 For further information contact phone 99757511 ***************************** FOR SALE – PAPHOS CATERING EQUIPMENT

LOST HUSKY – PAPHOS Answers to the name of Chico went missing on Monday the 4th of February around the International School area chipped Paphiakos Animal Welfare have advised that many large dogs have been taken from the Mesogi/Anarvagos/Ttremithousa areas. Please call 99622678 if

Limassol - tel: 25 761117 fax: 25 761141

1. Industrial freezer – CORECO Height 200cm, width 68cm, depth 58cm 2. Electrolux Freezer, model EUC3109X, width-595mm, height-1800mm, depth623mm, freezing capacity-24kg/24hours, energy class A 3. CONVOTHERM OVEN modelOBG 6.10Combi Oven-Steamer

FOR SALE plot of land with sea view. In Chlorakas area. Very quiet and private location. Title deed. Tel. 99519370. ***************************** LIMASSOL 1) GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY PLOT OF LAND FOR SALE 1,789 sq.m, IN THE AREA OF AGIA ZONI BUILDING FACTOR 140% WITH TITLE DEED. The land is located at a central point in the city, very close to various amenities and has excellent accessibility.

Tel: 96885030 owner 2) RESIDENTIAL LAND FOR SALE GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY The plot of land is located in the area of Foinikaria Total area 5,686 with a 20% Building Factor Tel: 96885030 owner ***************************** PAFOS 1) PLOTS OF LAND FOR SALE ANAVARGOS AREA GREAT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY The plots can be sold as a single unit or individually.

From 626 sq.m up to 776 sq.m with building factor 60% and title deeds. Mountain and sea view with nice villas developing around the area. Tel: 96885030 owner 2) COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FOR SALE IN KATO PAFOS 96sq.m The shop is within the ‘’Limnaria Complex’’ and faces the main road Melina Mercouri Avenue It’s in good condition with suspended ceiling, recessed lighting, VRV AC, fitted carpet, motorised shutters, CCTV and more. Tel: 96885030 owner ***************************** LAND FOR SALE MITSERO. 7 skalas. 10% build. South facing, unobstructed views. Access road, water, electricity. Fenced compound with 48sq.meter timber framed 2 bedroom unit, septic tank, grey water system, storage, workshop. €135,000 mobile 99594205 pumpitch@ hotmail.com ***************************** PLOT FOR SALE IN KATO PLATRES in a pine tree area. It comes with title deeds, 1095 square feet. Tel. 99881051. ***************************** FOR SALE LAND in Anthoupoli

Paphos - tel: 26 911383 fax: 26221049

(half plot) 288 sq.metres. for information 99621554. *****************************

FOR SALE MOTOR VEHICLES ***************************** CARS BOUGHT FOR CASH. Contact Mike on 99166532 Mike Johnson Cars e-mail mj@ mikejohnsoncars.com Web Address www.mikejohnsoncars. com *****************************

PROPERTY TO LET NICOSIA ***************************** APARTMENT FOR RENT BY OWNER: 3 bedroom, 2 and 1/2 bathroom, super luxury apartment 196 sq. m, all electrical appliances, 2 large covered parking places in a beautiful residential area in the most convenient location in Nicosia in Dasoupolis area behind Aretaieio Private Hospital. For viewing or price information call 99629213 ***************************** FLATS/HOUSES FOR RENT studio Makarios Av. €300, Kennedy furnished €300, 1 bdrm Str/ los €400, Hilton €400, 2 bdrm Lycavitos €480 fully equipped, Ag. Dometios ground floor + garden €450, Ag. Paylos rear house newly built €390, Acropolis furnished €450, 3 bdrm Ag. Omologites garden €700, Nikis Av. Furnished €500, Archangelos detached with pool €1,200, Acropolis independent ideal for office/residence €750, 4 bdrm Kwsta Theodorou new house €1,100, Mosfiloti unique villa with pool/landscaping €2,500.

99474839, 99646822.

21 PROPERTY FINDER LTD. Licenced & Registered Estate Agents A.M.627 A.A.108/E ***************************** FOR RENT a spacious two bedroom apartment, near Hilton and Central Bank. Living/dining room, sitting room, large veranda, kitchen, c/h, s/h, covered parking. Title deeds. Tel. 99519370. ***************************** HOUSES/FLATS 2 bedr. lux. flat, Ayioi Omoloyites, wooden floors €800, 3 bedr. Acropolis c/h a/c wooden floors €650, Mak/ssa 3 bedr., modern, open plan €1000 f/f €1200, Nicosia 3 bedr., f/f, luxury €1000 f/f, Latsia 2 bedr., pool €430, Strovolos f/f house 4 bedr €1300, Mak/ssa ground floor house detached €850 Photos www.markidesestates. com Markides 22- 378898 /

Larnaca - tel: 24 652243 fax: 24 659982

classified contents Employment Opportunities pg 22 Employment Miscellaneous 22 Pets 22 Lessons 22 Health & Fitness 22 Personal 22 Services 22 For Sale Miscellaneous 22 For Sale Land/ Property Business 22 For Sale Motor vehicles 22 Properties Wanted -To Let Nicosia 22 To Let Limassol 25 To Let Larnaca 25 To Let Paphos 25 To Let Protaras, Ayia Napa, Paralimni -For Sale Nicosia 27 For Sale Limassol -For Sale Larnaca -For Sale Paphos 27 For Sale Ayia Napa -For Sale Famagusta Protaras 27 For Sale Athens -Property& Home Services display ads -Churches 27

abbreviations bdrm c/h a/c s/pool f/f apt pm pw sw nw st rd p/s c/l swb r/cass e/w

bedroom central heating air conditioning swimming pool fully furnished apartment per month per week south west north west street road power steering central locking short wheel base radio cassette electric windows

Please note tel nos. that begin with: 22 = Nicosia 23 = Paralimni/Protaras 24 = Larnaca 25 = Limassol 26 = Paphos

23

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA 99464764 Reg.No. 487 E 16 ***************************** LUXURIOUS APARTMENT FOR RENT - A luxurious one floor apartment situated in central Nicosia in an area of exceptional Beauty at 3 Museum Street, is available to let. It has been recently renovated and consists of four bedrooms, two bathrooms, big dining and sitting rooms, kitchen and a huge veranda. Approximate covered area 250 sqm. Tel: 99622370. ***************************** TO LET 1 bedroom upper floor house, large veranda near restaurant Periyiali in Acropolis 5 Aeantos Street €300 call 99680208 ***************************** LUXURY HOUSES: 1. 4 bedr luxury detached house built in 3/4 of a plot, office space, central heating, full a/c, big sitting and dining area, separate big kitchen with family room and all the electrical appliances, blinds and curtains on all windows, aluminium shutters, big garden with grass,

FOR RENT 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment in Larnaca near new hospital. €400 per month including service charge and refuse collection Call 99358916

TO LET NICOSIA 3 wc, covered parking, in a quiet area – Strovolos €1000 (H4ST10051-R), (photos in the website) 2. 3 bedr luxury terraced house, 210sq.m,central heating, full a/c, marble floor in the sitting areas and solid parquet floor on stairs and bedrooms,4 wc,3 bathrooms, 2 en suite, big verandas, electrical appliances in the kitchen, 3 covered parking spaces, roof garden access, in a quiet neighbourhood on Mon Parnas hill – Engomi €800 (photos in the website).

3. 3 bedr detached house with extra room for office, 250sq.m, central heating independent, 4 a/c, big renovated kitchen with cooker and oven, big sitting and dining room with parquet floor and fireplace, 1 bathroom, 2 shower, 3 wc, 2 covered parking, double glazed windows and shutters in bedrooms, big verandas surrounded by trees and bushes off 28th October street IN the central part of Makedonitissa – €1100 (H3MAK0004-R) (photos on the

English-Painter & Decorator Fully Qualified 30 years’ Experience SUMMER OFFER 30% OFF ALL AREAS • External & Internal painting • Damp Damage Repairs • Spritez Repairs • Free Estimates + very clean work • All areas. All types of woodwork stained and preserved • All work guaranteed

Tel. Tony on 99176557

TO LET NICOSIA website) 4. 3 bedr luxury semi-detached house with character, 200sq.m, central heating, full ac, sitting and dining room with fireplace, big kitchen with cooker and oven, dishwasher and refrigerator, nice mature garden with flowers, trees and small garden with grass, covered parking, 3wc, 2 bathrooms in a quiet neighbourhood. Available middle of January. Agios Andreas €1200 - H3AAD0001-R (photos on website).

5. 3 bedr luxury house, office space, attic room, with central heating, full a/c, separate kitchen, NICELY MODERN FURNISHED, 2 verandas, in a quiet area – Lakatamia €680 (H4LAK009-R), (photos in the website).

6. 3 bedr + attic room with shower and wc luxury detached house with central heating, a/c, fireplace, modern kitchen open plan with expensive electrical appliances, blinds, garden with grass, over flow swimming

TO LET NICOSIA pool, covered parking in a quiet area. – Makedonitissa €1600 (H4MAK0023-R), (photos on the website).

7. 4 bedr luxury detached house with big sitting and dining room with parquet floor, separate big kitchen with family room and all the electrical appliances, small garden with grass and bbq area,3wc, central heating, full a/c, covered parking, in a very quiet neighbourhood – Archangelos €1200 (H4AR0017-R), (photos in the website).

8. 3 bedr +office space partially renovated detached ground floor house, 280sq.m, central heating with oil, full a/c, 3wc, separate TV room, big sitting and dining area, big verandas around the house, bbq area, covered parking, private yard near the parking.– Strovolos €1200 (H4ST10048-R), (photos in the website).

9. New modern luxury very good quality finished semi detached house built in 3 levels. Upstairs 1st level 3 bedrs all en suite+

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TO LET NICOSIA laundry room, 2nd level big attic room which can be used for office space or bedroom.

Ground floor with 2 sitting areas ,dining area and breakfast area, kitchen with all the electrical appliances, central heating, full a/c units. Basement with kitchen with cooker and oven, dishwasher, microwave and 2 refrigerators, sitting room with fireplace, and 2 bedrooms with one bathroom. Outside private fenced garden with artificial grass, bbq area and covered veranda. The house has blinds and shutters on all windows, false ceiling with spot lights throughout house, pressure system, covered parking, satellite dish, central music and network system, storage room, very good double glazed windows. Behind General flooring

TO LET NICOSIA in the centre of Makedonitissa - €2000 (H4MAK0001-R), (photos on the website).

10. 4 bedr semi detached house with central heating, 4 a/c, 3 wc, 2 bathrooms, 180sq.m, electrical appliances, small yard, bbq area, off Kostantinoupoleos street near French ambassador residence.- STROVOLOS €700 (H4ST10043-R), (photos in the website).

11. 4 bedr new luxury finished detached house with central heating independent, full a/c, 3wc, 2 bathrooms, big kitchen with cooker oven, dishwasher and big family room, aluminium shutters in all the house, separate big sitting and dining room with parquet floor, 2 covered parking, alarm system, big covered patio, SWIMMING POOL, in a newly built area near Fal-

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24

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA con school – Strovolos €2000 (photos in the website).

12. 3 bedrs luxury 2 storey, FULLY RENOVATED LISTED HOUSE with high ceilings in the centre of Nicosia, 260sq.m, 2 small attic rooms, big sitting room upstairs, big sitting room and dining area downstairs, wooden floor, kitchen with all the electrical appliances, 2 bathrooms (one en suite),3wc,CH independent, A/C, big garden – Nicosia Centre €1400 (H4NIC0002-R), (photos in the website).

13. 3 bedr upstairs and 2 separate bedrooms in the basement luxury detached house (all the bedrooms with en suite bathrooms/shower), also separate kitchen and sitting room in the basement which also has separate entrance from the house, central heating, full a/c, solid parquet floor throughout house, big sitting and dining room with fireplace, big fully equipped kitchen with breakfast area and family room, big over flow, swimming pool with covered patio area with fully equipped bar (bbq, fridge, freezer, cooker), mature garden around the house,2 parking places, alarm system near the Cyprus Conference Centre – Platy Aglantzias €3500 (H5PAG0002-R).

14. 4 bedr very big luxury semi detached house 350sq.m, with big separate basement 80sq.m with 2 rooms, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom. Consists of big sitting and dining areas upstairs, big kitchen with big family room and breakfast area, big bedrooms, 3 showers,

TO LET NICOSIA 1 bathroom, central heating, full a/c, black out blinds on all windows, cooker and oven in the kitchen, covered parking and patio with bbq in a very quiet neighbourhood close to Makarios football stadium. CAN BE RENTED FURNISHED, PARTIALLY FURNISHED OR UNFURNISHED - Makedonitissa €1500 (H4MAK0032-R), (photos in the website) 15. 4 bedrs new luxury detached house, all the bedrooms very big and all with big bathroom/ shower, sitting room upstairs, attic room with shower and wc, office space/maid’s room with shower and wc, central heating, full AC,450sq.m, big sitting and dining areas, big kitchen with sitting area and fitted cooker and oven, 6wc, 2 covered parking, yard with tiles and SWIMMING POOL, bbq area in a very quiet neighbourhood near CYBC ( RIK) station and near a neighbourhood park – Platy Aglantzias €2500 (H4AGZ0005-R), (photos in the website) For many more properties with photos visit our website at www.landtouristestates.com which is updated daily. LANDTOURIST ESTATES LTD 22422225/96-422225/96422226, www.landtouristestates.com ***************************** LUXURY FLATS: 1. 3 bedr luxury finished spacious floor apartment with very big sitting and dining areas with family room with fire place, solid parquet floor all through, central heating independent, full a/c, all the bedrooms with en suite

TO LET NICOSIA

TO LET NICOSIA

shower/bathroom, 4wc, big kitchen with all the electrical appliances, blinds on all windows, big covered veranda, covered parking, big storage room, on a small 3 storey building in a quiet neighbourhood – Agios Andreas- €1300 – A3AAD0005-R (photos on website).

2. 1 bedr spacious fully luxury renovated apartment,60sq.m, big sitting and dining room, big bedroom, fully newly modern furnished with LCD TV 32’, covered veranda, covered parking, storage heaters, full a/c, near Cyta, Laiki and Hellenic Bank headquarters – Dasoupolis €550 (photos in the website).

3. 2 bedr penthouse apartment, 100sq.m + 80sq.m veranda with flowers and bbq, big sitting and dining room with big 60” TV, storage heaters, full a/v, 2 wc, en suite bathroom/jacuzzi, roman blinds, cooker, oven, microwave, washing machine and refrigerator in the kitchen, covered parking, near Metro supermarket – Aglantzia €600 (photos in the website).

4. 2 bedr luxury ground floor apartment with central heatingindependent, full a/c, structure cabling internet and satellite network, FULLY MODERN EXPENSIVE FURNISHED, with 46”LCD TV, covered parking, double glazed windows, aluminium shutters, on Pericleous street near Klimataria traffic lights – Strovolos €650 (A2ST10054-R) (photos in the website) 5. 4 bedr new spacious luxury finished floor apartment with floor heating independent,

full a/c, 3wc, electrical appliances in the kitchen, blinds on all windows, very big 50sq.m covered veranda, fireplace, covered parking and big over floor heated covered swimming pool on the ground floor, on a small 3 storey building in a quiet neighbourhood near a playground and near Ippokration private hospital – Engomi €1500 (A4ENG0003-R) (photos in the website) 6. 1 bedr new luxury apartment in a modern building (TSENTAS),with central heating ind, 2 a/c, cooker and oven, refrigerator and washing machine in the kitchen, parquet floor, NICELY FURNISHED big covered veranda, big sitting room off Kyriakou Matsi street, 1 km from the centre €460 (A1AOM0002-R), (photos in the website).

7.

1 bedr cozy luxury apartment,60sq.m,parquet floor, nicely furnished ,all fitted electrical appliances (cooker, oven, microwave, washing machine, dishwasher, fridge), roman blinds, provisions for home cinema, big covered verandah, storage heaters, 2 a/c ,covered parking in Dasoupolis near Alpha Mega supermarket and Areteion hospital. – Dasoupoli €470 (A1DAS0009-R) (photos in the website)

8. 2 bedr spacious renovated apartment 100sq.m with separate big kitchen, air condition for hot and cold in all the rooms, covered veranda, nicely newly fully furnished , off Kyriakou Matsi street very close to the centre on foot– Agioi Omolog-

TO LET NICOSIA ites €500 (A2AOM0003-R) (photos in the website) 9. New top quality 2 bedr apartment, 93sq.m+20sq.m veranda, on a small modern building with 6 flats only. Central heating independent, full a/c, 2 bathrooms, 2wc, fully fitted kitchen with all the electrical appliances, water pressure system roller blinds and shutters on windows, big sitting and dining room, big bedrooms, covered parking and storage room, in a quiet neighbourhood near Akropolis park. AVAILABLE end of March – Acropolis €800 A2ACS0002-R (photos in the website) .

10. New luxury finished 1 bedr penthouse apartment with big verandah with nice view, in a small modern building,55sq.m,storage heaters,2 a/c, blinds on the windows, expensive electrical appliances (cooker, oven, extractor, refrigerator, washing machine, dryer), covered parking and storage room, off Kalippoleos street opposite Dessange Day Spa near the University – Lykavitos €420 (A1LYK0002-R), (photos in the website).

11. 3 bedrs luxury penthouse one floor apartment in a small building with 3 apartments,250sq.m plus big covered verandas, fire place, solid parquet floor,2 bathrooms,3 wc, cooker, oven, fridge, washing machine and dishwasher in the kitchen, CH independent, full a/c, big reception areas opening to the verandas, pressure system and 2 Pcovered with remote control entrance, walking distance to

TO LET NICOSIA the centre very close to Debenhams €1300 (A3NIC0028-R), (photos in the website) 12. 2 bedr new modern luxury finished apartment with parquet floor, central heating independent, 2 a/c, modern kitchen with all fitted expensive electrical appliances, blinds on the windows, big covered veranda, FULLY NICELY FURNISHED, covered parking in a quiet neighbourhood off Kallipoleos Street Lykavitos €700 (A2LYK0024-R) (photos on the website) 13. 3 bedr luxury penthouse apartment with central heating independent, full a/c, 2wc, big sitting and dining room with fireplace, separate kitchen, NICELY MODERN FURNISHED, big covered and uncovered veranda, covered parking, in Strovolos near the Municipal building - €650 (A3ST10014-R) (photos on the website) 14. 3 bedr spacious luxury finished apartment 150sq.m+30sq.m covered veranda, central heating independent with petrol, full wall a/c units, solid parquet floor, expensive electrical appliances in the kitchen, 3wc, curtains and blinds on windows, 3 COVERED PARKING, storage room, near Pizza Hut in Strovolos €1100 (photos in the website).

15.

3 bedrs luxury penthouse,165sq.m+80sq.m verandah with bbq, central heating ind, full AC, 3 wc, 2 bathrooms, solid parquet floor all the flat, big kitchen with dining area, fully MODERN FURNISHED, covered parking off Athalassa Avenue near

25

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA Stephanis Electrinics and English school – Strovolos €800 (A3ST10013-R) (photos in the website) 16. New luxury finished 4 bed PENTHOUSE apartment in a small modern building, 186sq. m+90sq.m big veranda with nice view, separate floor heating, fully air conditioned, 4wc, 2 en suite bedrooms with shower,1 bathroom, solid parquet floor all through, big sitting and dining areas with electric modern shutters opening to the veranda, fully equipped kitchen with expensive electrical appliances, 2 parking places (1 covered), in a very quiet neighbourhood ,near the Russian Embassy. AVAILABLE END OF MARCH –Engomi €1900 (A4ENG0005-R) (photos in the website) For many more properties with photos visit our website at www.landtouristestates.com which is updated daily. LANDTOURIST ESTATES LTD 22422225 / 96-422225 / 96422226 www.landtouristestates.com ***************************** 2 BDRM flat in the centre of Nicosia. Rent €450. For information call 99453663, 99663927.

LIMASSOL

EMBA

***************************** FOR RENT HOUSE IN AGIOS ATHANASIOS, ground floor, 3 bedrooms, 2w/c,1 bathroom.

C/H, A/C. Fully furnished. Fitted kitchen, full electrical appliances. Basement covered parking. €600 negotiable. Tel 99331318 or 96590930 ***************************** FOR RENT office of around 85m2, with partitions, kitchenette and parking in a peaceful, green yet central area at Helladion House (off. 302; 3rd floor), 5 Andrea Kalvou Str. For viewing, please call Ms. Jenny on 25-340987(3rd floor of building; office hours). For further details, please call 25-521873 after 8:00pm. ***************************** UN-DETACHED HOUSE for rent in Apshiou village, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, sitting room, bathroom with solar water heater. A/C, satellite, 15mins to roundabout. €350. Tel 25369219, work 10.30-17.30 25542968 home 99773151 ***************************** TO LET Large 4 bedroom unfurnished house in the village of Asomatos nr Akrotiri Limassol.

TO LET LIMASSOL

TO LET LARNACA

Fully A/C & Heating (storage heaters). 5 wc’s, large kitchen/ diner, lounge and sitting room.

Large loft with own shower/wc (suitable for office/playroom/ gym). Carport - prominent position in cul-de-sac - lots of parking. €850 pcm (negotiable).

Available from April 2013. Tel. 99831431 ***************************** TRADITIONAL VILLAGE STONE HOUSE IN APESHIA. Very quiet village, 20mins from Limassol. Road to heritage school/ Troodos. 2 bedrooms, office available top floor with veranda great view of mountains. Small courtyard with trees. Electric solar water. A/C-toilet in main bedroom. Semi/full furnished.

Fitted kitchen with electrical appliances, fireplace. Toilet/ shower. €550pm negotiable.

Tel 96891800. ***************************** GROUND FLOOR HOUSE, furnished renovated this year.

Laminated parke floor, and big wardrobes in the 3 bedrooms.

Rent €590.00 Tel 99497576 99886775

three double bedrooms, balcony, sea views. Bathroom.

Downstairs toilet. Free internet.

Digi box. Garden, Patios, Gazebo, Pavilion. €550 euros pcm.

Tel 99935294 www.improdiavilla.com/jr486 ***************************** FOR RENT fully furnished 1 bedroom flat near Larco hotel Larnaca. Price €370. Tel 99202543 1

BEDROOM flat in Ermou Square area Larnaca - 2 bedroom flat in Phaneromenis area Larnaca. Call 96693375 ***************************** 1. Superior Real Estate Larnaca. 3 bedroom detached unfurnished property set on a fantastic development in the village of Tersefanou. Available for immediate occupation. Ref. TLL973. Tel 24815926 2. Superior Real Estate Larnaca. 2 bedroom fully furnished apartment, nr the Metro/American Academy Larnaca. Ref. TLL1654 Please call to arrange a viewing Tel. 24815926 3.

LARNACA ***************************** IMPRESSIVE three bedroom first floor apartment, Pyla. Large lounge, balcony, separate kitchen, furnished. Flyscreens, ceiling fans, aircon. Upstairs

4.

www.superiorrealestatelarnaca.com – LARGE RANGE OF RENTAL PROPERTIES. From studio apartments to 5 bedroom villa’s for rent, all properties have detailed descriptions, professional photographs. Interactive Virtual/Video Tours. Please visit our website. www.superiorrealestatelarnaca. com www.superiorrealestatelarnaca.com - License No. 419.

UK House Offered in Exchange for Apartment or House in Cyprus A four bedroom Semi Detached house in the East Midlands, less than three miles from Clumber Park, is offered in exchange for a 2 bedroom (minimum) residential property anywhere in Cyprus. The house has been recently renovated at a cost of over £25,000.

If interested, please email Natalia Zakharova at nzah50@hotmail.com for a detailed description of my property and please include the internal size in square meters and photos of what you are offering in exchange.

INDOOR MARKET & CAR BOOT SALE FRIDAY – SATURDAY – SUNDAY FRI 8:00AM – 2:00PM

FRESH VILLAGE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES WATCH REPAIRS & JEWELLERY POTTED FLOWERS NEW & USED HANDBAGS & CLOTHES SECOND HAND BOOKS COMPUTERS & TELEPHONE ACCESSORIES SECOND HAND FURNITURE & ANTIQUES INDIAN TAKE AWAY HOME MADE FRESH CAKES & PIES

STALLHOLDERS & CAR-BOOTERS WELCOME ALL ENQUIRIES CALL: 96533839/99771532

TO LET LARNACA LANDLORDS AVERTISE YOUR PROPERTY WITH US FOR FREE. Tel. 24815926 Email. info@superiorrealestatelarnaca.com *****************************

PAPHOS PEYIA, luxury villa, 3 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, fully or part furnished, private pool, quiet location, paved garden area, sea and mountain views.

Sky satellite, €550 ono, please call: 99771532 – no agents 3 BEDR DETACHED VILLA + POOL, central heating, covered garage, garden, 2 bedrs en suite, lovely view, quiet area, furnished or unfurnished. (Near Tsada golf course) tel.99 60 33 30 KISSONERGA, 3 bedroom villa, unfurnished, 2 bedroom upstairs one with en-suite+ extra w/c upstairs, 1 bedroom downstairs with en-suite, airconditoned throughout, garage for 2 cars, storage room, swimming pool, with established garden, quiet area, beautiful mountain and sea views, euro 600 p/m – ono call: 99553741 FOR RENT a selection of 1 to 5 bedroom houses & apartments F/F & U/F Universal, Peyia, Tomb of the Kings, Tsada, Timi, Kato Paphos & Kissonerga Landlord & Owners please call 99329357 Or please view at our website www.cyprussands.com Fully Registered Company in Cyprus

TO LET PAPHOS CHLORAKAS: 3 Bedroom unfurnished villa private swimming pool, utility room, walking wardrobes, en suite shower 180 m2 covered area fenced garden fully a/c, € 575 p/m For more information’s phone 99400697 ***************************** TREMITHOUSA- Modern 2 Double Bedroom Townhouse with Stunning Sea views, Large Secluded Terrace with Open Views, Roof Garden, Fitted Kitchen, A/C, U/F 350 Euros or F/F 400 Euros TREMITHOUSA- Superb Detached 3 Bedroom Villa with Large Pool, F/F to a very High Standard, Mater En-Suite, Family Bathroom with Jacuzzi, Beautifully Fitted Kitchen, Util-

TO LET PAPHOS ity, Separate Shower room, Spectacular Mountain and Sea views, Quite Cul-De-Sac location 700 Euros KISSONERGA- Beautiful Detached U/F 3 Bedroomed Villa ,Large Pool,2 Bedrooms Upstairs Master En-suite ,Family Bathroom, modern Fitted Kitchen ,Downstairs Bedroom with En-suite Shower room, Low maintenance Garden, Large Terraces and Separate Storage Room 600 Euros TREMITHOUSA- Purpose Built Ground and First Floor 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments U/F and F/F, A/C, Parking From Only 150 Euros URGENTLY WANTED – 3 Bed-

26

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Advertiser TO LET PAPHOS room U/F 600/700

Detached

TO LET PAPHOS

Villas

MORE PROPERTIES AVAILABLE FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 99862922 ***************************** TOK’s – 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, Immaculate, very high spec top oor apartment, Luxury furnished with Flatscreen TV’s in living room and bedrooms, lift, pool, beautiful development, fantastic location ₏425 pm Lower Peyia – 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom Modern Unfurnished Villa with beautiful sea views.

Spacious villa with wood burner, utility room, white goods, storage area, alarm system, low maintenance manicured garden & private pool ₏1100 pm Lower Peyia – Good size detached 3 bedroom Villa in lovely residential no through road, separate kitchen, well maintained, large balcony, private pool and garden with sea views ₏750 pm Universal - 2 bedroom fully furnished ground oor apartment, a/c, large bedrooms, communal pool, o/s parking ₏350 Please contact us whatever your

Fun

rental requirements as we have many other properties available.

LANDLORDS/OWNERS – We always require more properties to list for waiting clients. Please call NOW: 96241965 ***************************** LOW COST, long term 3 bedroom bungalow, Polis area, Gialia village, on 3 acres of property, large variety of fruit trees, extremely private with panoramic mountain and sea views, unfurnished, swimming pool, a/c and ďŹ replace, fence around the property â‚Ź550 per month ono – available from 1st of April For more info call: 99 442485 ***************************** MR RENT PAPHOS, the leading property rental agency in Paphos ofďŹ ce: 26271858 (00357) if you have a property to rent we are the rental agency to contact offering full property management & rent collection service 1. Anarita â‚Ź375 beautifully furnished modern 2 bedroom townhouse situated on a quiet complex with air conditioned spacious gym also communal pools & well tended gardens.

Townhouse offers modern quality furniture & ďŹ ttings. Guest wc

Fashion E

TO LET PAPHOS and small patio garden. Viewings highly recommended.

Website reference number: RTL_667 2. Tombs of the Kings â‚Ź400 spacious 3 bedroom ground oor apartment (120 sq meters) conveniently located close to bus stop. Less than 10 minutes walk to tomb of the kings road & old town. Beautifully presented, fully furnished with yscreens & a/c throughout. Enclosed garden. Pets allowed at owners discretion. Website reference number: RTL_662 3. Peyia â‚Ź550 modern detached 2 bedroom villa, situated on private road. Available unfurnished though includes central heating throughout, pressurised water & security alarm system. Modern ďŹ tted kitchen & bathrooms.

Roof terrace with sea views & private pool. Website reference number: rtl_447. Also available modern detached 3 bedroom villa on this private road.

Website reference number: RTL_572

6. Kamares Tala â‚Ź850 a stunning detached villa offering 4 bedrooms plus ofďŹ ce in a quiet & private residential area with large parking bay for numerous cars and covered off street parking. Offering spacious living accommodation and breathtaking views of the sea. This property includes a lift to all 4 oors.

Lovely garden with spacious verandah & private pool. Available unfurnished. Website reference number: RTL_669

4. Mesogi â‚Ź700 spacious 4 bedroom villa plus playroom or ofďŹ ce including gas central heating. One bedroom & bathroom on ground oor. Available unfurnished. Enclosed low maintenance garden with private pool offering privacy & views over countryside. Situated in a

7. Peyia â‚Ź950 we are delighted to offer this ultra modern 4 bedroom villa with luxury furnishings & ďŹ ttings. Offering spacious accommodation with breathtaking sea views.

Finished to a very high quality. Spacious living area with modern ďŹ tted kitchen & utility

OUR LOV EL WILL BE Y DOGS THERE FOR ADO PT 11:30 - 14 ION :30

Childrens art competition Face Painting

1 14th April Sunday 11:00 - 16:00 11:

99868512 - 22357005

ESOGBA - Steliou Mavromatti 4 (behind Junior School)

8. Chloraka â‚Ź2,200 substantial luxury 4 bedroom villa, spacious (350 sq meters), beautifully designed with unique detail. Conservatory with views of landscaped gardens. Large modern ďŹ tted kitchen, living room with working ďŹ replace.

Circular dining room with vaulted dome ceiling. Stunning private pool area. Available unfurnished. Website reference numer: RTL_579

PEGEIA PAFOS 3 bedroom unfurnished villa with great sea and mountain views. Property has sitting/dining area, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, master en suite, private pool, covered parking.

Ref: 1214 â‚Ź550

Tel: 97790883 tel: 99133422 ofďŹ ce: 26271858 visit our website for many more properties www.mrrent-paphos.net email: info@mrrent-paphos. net ***************************** MANDRIA PAFOS 2 bedroom furnished bungalow within walking distance of the village.

Large bedrooms, kitchen, sitting room/dining area with ďŹ re place, large bathroom. Outside gated area and fenced off, pets welcomed Ref: 1217 â‚Ź450 AYIA MARINOUDA PAFOS 2 bedroom furnished bungalow in lovely quiet complex with communal pool. Property has ďŹ replace, off street parking, nice stone features, character property. Ref: 1224 â‚Ź500

CORAL BAY PAFOS 3 bedroom Villa offered furnished or unfurnished in a lovely private and peaceful location. Property is cosy with a small kitchen, sitting room and dining area with a ďŹ re place, ac, guest wc, 3 bedrooms master en suite, family bathroom. Nice views Ref: 842 â‚Ź750 CHLORAKA PAFOS 2 and 1 bedroom apartments in a lovely modern complex offered furnished or unfurnished with y screens, nice large kitchen, bathroom, communal pool, nice location. Ref 1219 from â‚Ź300 Please call for a free viewing on OfďŹ ce 26600450 Mobile: 97614070 many more properties on our website at www. owron.com - Your Vision is our Mission LANDLORDS IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY FOR RENT, PLEASE CALL US!!!!!! ***************************** PEYIA – 3 bedroom villa with modern quality furniture and ďŹ nishes. Central heating, sky, alarm, inďŹ nity pool and stunning sea and mountain views â‚Ź700 per month, call: 99389426 BRAND NEW APT, opposite Poseidonio Gym, near Carrefour, F/F, a/c, great quality, 1 bdrm, from â‚Ź340 p.m.Tel 99403261

PROPERTY FOR SALE NICOSIA ***************************** FOR SALE a very nice, large, two bedroom apartment near Hilton and Central Bank. Living, dining

Watch Your Capital Grow 68.3% NET GROWTH

In Op ves p o tm r t en un t ity

10% of our proceeds will be donated to CANS FOR KIDS

room villa, with private pool and amazing sea views. Has modern appliances, off-street covered parking in a nice quiet location. Pets welcome. Ref: 1206 â‚Ź800

MELANOS/CHLORAKA PAFOS Part-furnished, modern 4 bed-

NEW (Fashion samples from London) and Nearly new clothes

TO LET PAPHOS

area. One bedroom on ground oor with ensuite & kitchenette.

Guest wc. Private inďŹ nity pool & enclosed low maintenace garden. A must to see! Website reference number: RTL_670

SEA CAVES PAFOS modern bungalow offered furnished or unfurnished, 3 bedroom, master en suite shower, family bathroom, kitchen, sitting area, outside private pool, roof garden, outside shower/toilet, yscreens nice location with sea views. Ref: 1213 ₏750

Snacks and bake sale Childrens games

TO LET PAPHOS

MESOGI PAFOS 4 bedroom house offered furnished, near all amenities. Property has siting, dining area, kitchen, storage, downstairs bedroom, guest wc. Upstairs 3 additional bedrooms, master en suite, family bathroom. Off street parking, back garden with lawn Ref 1211 â‚Ź690

NICOSIA DOG SHELTER

Books and more

quiet residential area. Website reference number: RTL_618 5. Lower Chloraka â‚Ź750 spacious detached 3 bedroom villa offering stunning views of the sea.

Situated in a quiet residential street opposite orange groves.

Gated entrance, enclosed good sized low maintenance mature garden with fruit trees & private pool. Spacious living area with real ďŹ replace. Downstairs guest wc. Master bedroom with ensuite. Available fully furnished.

Website reference number: RTL_550

R FAY

Toys

TO LET PAPHOS

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27

CYPRUS MAIL Friday, April 5, 2013

Advertiser FOR SALE NICOSIA

FOR SALE PAPHOS

room, sitting room, large veranda. Spacious kitchen, c/h, s/h, covered parking. Title deed.

Tel. 99519370. ***************************** FOR SALE OFFICES, ground floor space, suitable for offices or any other business. Centrally located, off Arch. Makarios Avenue, in the Commercial Centre of Nicosia, near Hilton.

Also mezzanine, basement, small kitchen, a/c, parking. Title deeds. Tel. 99519370. ***************************** STROVOLOS, Symi street, Tseriou new one bedroom apartment, 55 sqm, large sunny balcony, air-conditioned, private parking, lift, title deeds, reduced price €95.000 (including VAT) (no offers) tel: 99266282 (no agents) ***************************** FOR SALE upper floor house 210 sq.m built on 301 sq. m land, Lapatsa area, Pereous 1a. 4 bedrooms with attic room (not finished), c/h ,4 a/c, aluminium doors& window, covered parking and storage room. Price €310.000 pm call 22431095 99330632. *****************************

rooms. Spacious living - dining room, sitting room, kitchen with all electrical appliances, breakfast room, two fireplaces, built-in bookcases, electrical shutters, a/c, swimming pool, garden, patio, garage, store room. Option for second floor.

Title deed. Adjacent to above.

Sold separately plot of land, with sea view. Title deed. Tel. 99519370. ***************************** 2 BEDROOM top floor apartment built in 2006, 75 sqm, large sunny balcony with sea views, 2 bathrooms (en-suite), communal pool, air conditioning. Small block of 9 apartments, located behind Darmart store, near the Debenhams roundabout, underground private parking, storage room and lift, reduced price: €98.000 (including VAT) with title deeds (no agents) please call: 99266282

PAPHOS FOR SALE large, beautiful, nice designed, sea view house. In Chlorakas area, very quiet and private location. 4 en-suite bed-

FOR SALE PROTARAS PROTARAS ***************************** FOR SALE special offer, €79, 000 first floor apartment in Protaras, fully furnished with 2 bedrooms and a swimming pool. Walking distance to the beach of Ayia Triada and all amenities. Tel: 97 608941. *****************************

SPECIAL OFFER In Kokkinotrimithia, 15km from Nicosia in a good area, (in the centre, opposite Maragos bakery, 41/2 acres or 7 plot with 90% building factor.

For more information please call 99673286

FOR SALE Semi-detached house in Archangelos area split level on a hill, no houses in front, 3 big bedrooms, 2 big bathrooms and TV room big lounge & dining area, fireplace, fitted kitchen, 40 sq.m. store room, C/H, A/C, solar.

For information call: 99496541

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info@centurycyprus.com

Tel: 70 000 970

28

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Sport Armstrong set for return as a swimmer LANCE Armstrong is planning to make a return to competitive sport as a swimmer this weekend.

The disgraced American cyclist, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after being part of a doping scandal, is entered for the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships which takes place at the University of Texas.

Armstrong is billed to compete in freestyle races over 500 yards, 1,000 yards and 1,650 yards at the event held in his home city of Austin.

The meeting is a US Masters Swimming event, and although he is banned for life from all competitions

that adhere to either the US AntiDoping Agency or World Anti-Doping Agency codes, which means all highprofile professional and amateur sport, the low-profile Austin event falls outside those restrictions.

The championships are open to all ages but most competitors are veteran swimmers.

Armstrong, aged 41, will be racing against swimmers mostly older than he is.

He appears on the start list for the events on the championship’s website and appeared to confirm he would race when he engaged briefly in dialogue on the races on Twit-

ter, suggesting he would struggle to break the five-minute mark for 500 yards.

US Masters Swimming executive director Rob Butcher said nobody had raised formal objections to Armstrong competing, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Butcher said: “The purpose of our organisation is to encourage adults to swim.”

Armstrong, who came clean on his doping past in a television interview in January, is due to be in action in the 1,650-yard freestyle tonight, when the three-day meeting gets under way.

The disgraced cyclist is eligible to compete in the lowprofile event in Texas despite his lifetime ban

I’ll be back, says ill Watson Briton suffering from glandular fever

By Nemanja Bjedov

By Eleanor Crooks

IN BRIEF

HEATHER Watson is confident her absence from the WTA Tour will not be a lengthy one after announcing she is suffering from glandular fever.

The 20-year-old reached the third round of the Australian Open in January but has struggled for form this season and will be replaced as British number one by Laura Robson on Monday.

After her first-round defeat

by Ayumi Morita in Miami two weeks ago in a match she had led comfortably, Watson declared she was burnt out and needed a break from tennis.

She quickly retracted the statement and said she had simply been disappointed at losing the match and would carry on as planned with her schedule.

However, she headed home to Guernsey and pulled out of this week’s tournament in Charleston, and blood tests have confirmed Watson has glandular fever.

Cyprus face Benin in Davis Cup showdown

Heather Watson, 20, says it was a relief to find out why she was struggling with both training and playing and that she is now on the road to recovery She said on www.lta.org.uk: “I had to do some blood tests after Miami and the results have shown that I have traces of glandular fever in my system.

“There is no prescription for this other than complete rest, but the good news is that the doctors have told me I am at the tail-end of the fever. This means I have been trying to compete through the symptoms for some time.

“I have been struggling with both training and playing

matches and felt so tired and exhausted for months but now that the doctors have found the cause of this it explains everything that has been happening to me physically and mentally.

“I am actually relieved to know what is wrong so that I can get myself on the mend.

I hope to recover as soon as possible by resting my body and getting lots of sleep.

“I already feel better from being at home for a week and am looking forward to getting

back on Tour soon.”

Glandular fever is reasonably common in tennis players.

Roger Federer suffered from it in 2008 while Justine Henin and Andy Roddick also got through it and resumed their careers.

But others have not been so fortunate. Mario Ancic was never the same player after contracting the disease while two-time French Open finalist Robin Soderling admits it may have ended his career at 26.

When Watson returns will depend on her recovery but it now seems very unlikely she will be available for Great Britain’s Fed Cup tie in Argentina later this month.

The world number 40’s absence would be a major blow for Judy Murray’s team as they aim for promotion to World Group II. Iain Bates, head of women’s tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association, said: “First of all, get well soon, Heather, from the whole team.”

MARCOS Baghdatis has recovered from a right shoulder injury in time to lead Cyprus in their battle to avoid relegation to the Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group III against African minnows Benin.

“It is very important for us to remain in Group II. We have to take our opponents seriously and we must stay focused throughout the tie,” said Baghdatis, who is currently on a 31-match Davis Cup winning streak.

He is chasing the all-time record held by legendary Swede Bjorn Borg who won 33 matches in a row.

The Cypriot number one’s last defeat in the competition was against Irakli Labadze of Georgia in 2003.

“The team is ready for Benin. All the players are in good shape and I believe that we can get the result we want,” said team captain Nickolas Papadopoulos who has picked Rares Cuzdriorean, Petros Chrysochos and Photos Photiades alongside Baghdatis for the clash.

All matches will be played at the National Tennis Centre in Nicosia today, tomorrow and on Sunday.

Red Sox beat arch-rivals the NY Yankees again

India’s Singh wants truce A new set of wheels? between rival Asian golf tours Just wait two seconds

THE Boston Red Sox made it two wins from two at the expense of the New York Yankees as they continued to start the season in fine style.

Having rolled to an 8-2 win on their opening day, Boston followed that with a 7-4 victory after taking an early hold on the game with a 6-0 lead by the end of the third inning.

Clay Buchholz allowed only one run in seven innings to give Boston the platform for their success.

In the National League, Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence both went deep as reigning World Series champions the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to edge their three-game series two wins to one.

TWICE Asia number one Jeev Milkha Singh would like to see a truce between the Asian Tour and its rival OneAsia so the continent can realise its potential as golf’s next big market, the Indian said.

For the second time this year, the rival tours went headto-head last week with Australian Scott Hend winning the Asian Tour’s inaugural Chiangmai Golf Classic in Thailand while South Korean Choi Ho-sung clinched the Indonesia PGA Championship on the OneAsia circuit.

Singh was one of the four Asian Tour order of merit winners to tee off in Thailand and the Indian said he wanted the rival tours to reach a compromise.

A FORMULA One pitstop could take less than two seconds this season, according to world champions Red Bull who belatedly claimed a record of 2.05 on Wednesday.

The British-based team said they had beaten McLaren’s previous record of 2.31 seconds, set in Germany last year, on five separate occasions at last month’s controversial Malaysian Grand Prix.

Red Bull said their data showed Mark Webber’s second stop was recorded as 2.05. “There’s always a quicker stop out there, and it’s possible we’ll see the magical two second barrier breached at some point,” the team said.

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Sport McKenzie ‘interested’ in vacant Ireland job

Pistorius return being managed ‘day by day’

By Alex Lowe EWEN McKenzie could be prepared to shelve his stated ambition of coaching Australia if the opportunity arose for him to take charge of Ireland.

McKenzie is the favourite in a narrowing field of potential candidates to replace Declan Kidney, whose departure was announced on Tuesday after Ireland finished fifth in the RBS 6 Nations.

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea has ruled himself out of contention and Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths insisted Mark McCall is committed to the club.

McKenzie has been linked with the Ireland role since announcing he would step down as Queensland Reds head coach at the end of the current Super Rugby season to pursue a job at international level.

The former Australia prop told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph he had not been in contact with the IRFU but he also left them in no doubt he would be interested in a conversation.

“I have said I am looking for coaching challenges at the next level and I am looking for whatever the possibilities are,” McKenzie said.

Blade Runner ready to return to training

By Kate Bamber OSCAR Pistorius is ready to return to training as a way of dealing with his grief but has no immediate plans to compete, his agent Peet van Zyl confirmed yesterday.

Pistorius, who denies the charge of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and is currently awaiting trial, has been pictured in a South African newspaper running round a track in his home town of Pretoria.

The photograph, taken by a member of a children’s hockey team, shows the three-time 2012 Paralympic gold medal winner wearing his blades and jogging around the track at the University of Pretoria.

However, Van Zyl denied Pistorius has returned to training following the relaxation of his bail conditions, which now allow him to travel abroad in order to continue his athletics career, but confirmed he could resume soon.

“He was just having a jog around his track on his own accord. He wasn’t back at training,” Van Zyl told Press Association Sport.

“That picture was taken by a schoolkid on March 24.

Myself, Oscar and his coach had a meeting on Tuesday to discuss him getting him back to training.

“Based on that he told us he would like to get back in training and we can now

look at formulating his training schedule.

“He is finding it very difficult and he is still coming to terms with the sad loss of Reeva. That is why it will be better for him to be back at training. It will be great to get him back to the track and get some routine. That’s why we are taking it day by day.

“I can’t see there would be any people saying this is disrespectful. This is not disrespectful to Reeva or her family.

“This has been part of his life for so many years. If it makes things easier for him to work through it and get some sense back into his life, let him run and let him jog.

“He’s a human being and that’s maybe an outlet for him.”

While a return to training might be on the cards for Pistorius, who holds several IPC World Championship titles over 200 metres, 400m and 4x400m, Van Zyl revealed there is currently no plan regarding his competitive return, if he is invited to compete.

“We haven’t even spoken to him or contemplated him running in a competition,” Van Zyl said.

“He has got to be able to train first and be in some decent form as a world-class athlete before we would allow him to run in a competition.

“If he trains well and his mindset is right then by all

means we will look at competitions and options. When that will be we don’t know.

It could happen quickly or it could take a year.

“But at the moment, there is no specific date when it comes to him returning to training.

“In the current state he is in he might get up tomorrow and give the coach a phone call and say he might want to train again. He then might not want to train for a few days.

“We are not going to force him. We are going to be guided by him.”

Pistorius has not trained for two months since the tragic events on Valentine’s Day, and in order to return to competitive fitness he would need to train up to 35 hours a week on the track and in the gym.

His last competitive race was his victory in the 400m final at the London Paralympics in September last year.

Despite reports yesterday suggesting the 26-year-old will be given the green light to compete at the International Paralympic Committee’s World Athletics Champs in Lyon in July, the IPC has denied a decision has been made.

A spokesperson told Press Association Sport: “The IPC management is yet to meet to discuss this issue so we are surprised as anyone to see this story today.

“We have not made any decision yet.”

NO DISCUSSIONS

Happier times: Oscar Pistorius’ last competitive race was his victory in the 400m final at the London Paralympics in September last year

McLaren boss praises Perez

By Ian Parkes

Sergio Perez joined McLaren hoping to get some race wins but has seen the car struggle badly for pace

MARTIN Whitmarsh claims Sergio Perez has so far “not put a foot wrong” in the face of a difficult start to his McLaren career.

Upon filling the shoes vacated by Lewis Hamilton, a confident Perez made no secret of his target to win this season’s Formula One world title.

Such an ambition, however, now appears a long shot given the car at his disposal is struggling in a number of areas.

After failing to score in the season-opening race in Australia, the young Mexican at least managed to get off the mark a week later in Malaysia where he finished ninth.

Team principal Whitmarsh appreciates it is not the start Perez had dreamed of in joining McLaren, but has

praised him for his attitude in dealing with such tough circumstances.

“He’s done a solid job,” said Whitmarsh, when asked about Perez by Press Association Sport.

“It’s easy to get rattled in coming to a team like McLaren and not having a quick enough car.

“But he’s an intelligent guy, who might be incredibly young but to my mind he has not put a foot wrong.”

In Malaysia, Perez remarkably claimed he would rather be enduring his current woes with McLaren than winning races with another team, such is the happiness he has discovered since joining from Sauber.

That has impressed Whitmarsh, who added: “He is a team player.

“I am very, very, very blessed at the moment with the drivers we have, with their

attitude, their approach, powering through as team members.

“The drivers are doing an excellent job, we’re making some progress, but we shouldn’t be where we are so we have to work hard to get out of it, and that’s what we plan on doing.”

McLaren should at least have finished fifth in Malaysia courtesy of Jenson Button, a sign of how far they had quickly moved on from the debacle in Melbourne.

A pit-stop gaffe put paid to Button’s hopes and only added to the misery being felt within the team, but it was at least a glimmer of hope for Whitmarsh.

“So although we know the car is not as good as it should be and it hasn’t realised its potential, we’ve made some progress,” he said. “We’ve just got to make some more.”

“It’s the type of job I am interested in looking at but there have been no discussions.

“I have stated I would like the Wallabies job but it’s all in the timing. You have to look around what’s available when you’re looking for a job.

“I have made it clear the challenge of coaching at that level is what interests me but there aren’t many opportunities at Test level and you can’t control the timing.”

O’Shea was immediately tipped for the job, having guided Harlequins from the Bloodgate saga to Aviva Premiership champions and into this weekend’s Heineken Cup quarterfinals against Munster.

But the former Ireland fullback insisted that even the lure of coaching his country was not enough to turn his back on a project at Harlequins he believes still has a long way to run.

“I’m going nowhere. My contract is here (until the summer of 2014), I love it here and hopefully I will be here for a long time to come,” O’Shea said.

“Of course you are flattered to be linked but my job is here.”

Joel Schmidt is a strong contender for the Ireland job, having guided Leinster to back-to-back Heineken Cup triumphs with one of the most scintillating attacking teams in Europe.

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Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Sport

Di Canio mad as a hatter says his former team-mate Sinclair Fascism row rumbles on as Italian attempts to draw a line under controversy TREVOR Sinclair has confirmed his friendship with Paolo Di Canio while teammates at West Ham and claims the new Sunderland head coach’s historical claims that he is a fascist should be “taken with a pinch of salt”.

Di Canio’s appointment has sparked a flurry of controversy owing to comments made in 2005 to Italian news agency ANSA in which he stated: “I am a fascist, not a racist”.

The Italian issued a statement attempting to play down the issue and named former England winger Sinclair and current Charlton manager Chris Powell as black players with whom he became close friends during his playing days.

And Sinclair told yesterday’s Daily Star: “I was not surprised to be named as a character witness. We genuinely got on well and I don’t mind giving my opinion on such a relevant and important issue within not just football but society.

“Paolo’s comments should be taken with a pinch of salt because he’s as mad as a hatter.

“But I feel he should apologise for upsetting so many people with his actions and comments and make it clear once and for all if he is or isn’t racist or fascist.”

On Thursday, Di Canio and Sunderland attempted to draw a line under the controversy insisting he is not a racist and that he does not support “the ideology of fascism”.

In a statement issued by the club, Di Canio said: “I have clearly stated that I do not wish to speak about matters other than football, however, I have been deeply hurt by the attacks on the football club.

“This is a historic, proud

West Ham’s Trevor Sinclair (centre) celebrates his goal against Everton with Paolo Di Canio (right) in this 2002 file photo and ethical club and to read and hear some of the vicious and personal accusations is painful. I am an honest man, my values and principles come from my family and my upbringing.

“I feel that I should not have to continually justify myself to people who do not understand this, however I will say one thing only - I am not the man that some people like to portray.

“I am not political, I do not affiliate myself to any organisation, I am not a racist and

I do not support the ideology of fascism. I respect everyone.

“I am a football man and this and my family are my focus. Now I will speak only of football.”

In a 2005 interview, Di Canio stated he was “a fascist but not a racist”. He has also been pictured giving a fascist salute to Lazio ‘ultras’.

However in a 2002 book West Ham: Irons in the Soul

by Pete May, Di Canio is quoted saying that while Italy might have “a better situ-

ation with Mussolini...I am not a Fascist” adding: “Black or white or yellow people, gay people, men or women, they can come to my house and be my friend because I am not xenophobic.”

The furore over Di Canio’s failure to renounce fascism reached new heights when The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, the Dean of Durham, wrote an open letter saying he was struggling to stay loyal to the club and that he found Di Canio’s “self-confessed fascism

deeply troubling”.

Sadgrove, the child of a Jewish war refugee, said in his letter: “I believe that unless you clearly renounce fascism in all its manifestations, you will be associated with these toxic far-right tendencies we have seen too much of in this region.”

He added: “Please tell me that I have misunderstood, or missed some fundamental issue here. I am simply telling you with a heavy heart that it feels hard at the moment to stay loyal.”

Violence mars Ronaldinho show in Copa Libertadores

By Rex Gowar

Take that: former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho scored twice for Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro

ATLETICO Mineiro’s 5-2 victory over Arsenal in the Libertadores Cup was marred by fighting between members of the Argentine team and Brazilian military police on the pitch at the end of the match.

Ronaldinho had inspired Atletico, who had already qualified for the knockout phase, with two goals as they extended their perfect record in South America’s elite club competition to five wins in five Group Three matches.

Atletico, emerging as favourites to win the trophy for the first time, did fellow Brazilian side Sao Paulo a favour since they are vying with Arsenal for the group’s other berth in the round of 16.

Sao Paulo and Arsenal have four points apiece but the Brazilians can pull away if they beat Bolivia’s The Strongest at high altitude in La Paz. Brazilian police, who have a reputation of taking to the pitch at the slightest hint of trouble, were quick to use force to control angry Arsenal players who had confronted the match officials at the final whistle, including pointing guns at them.

However, Minas Gerais police lieutenant colonel Cicero defended his men’s actions.

“It was criminal conduct, out of place at a football match. The Argentines could be arrested,” he was quoted as saying on the Globo internet portal (globoesporte. globo.com).

There was also anger at La Bombonera, where six time

South American champions Boca Juniors beat Barcelona 1-0 in Group One, from the Ecuadorean side’s Argentine coach Gustavo Costas, who claimed they were denied a blatant penalty in the dying minutes.

Boca, who had gone ahead in the ninth minute with a goal from young striker Nicolas Blandi, were lucky the referee waved play on after central defender Matias Caruzzo missed the ball and brought down striker Damian Diaz inside the box.

“It’s a disgrace, everyone saw the penalty,” Costas told reporters. “We’re leaving with nothing and very angry because the referees are taking us out of the Cup. They are penalties everyone can see and they’re forgotten because Boca are still in the Cup.”

Rooney should sign for PSG, says Ibrahimovic ZLATAN Ibrahimovic believes Wayne Rooney should join Paris St Germain if the England striker decides it is time to leave Manchester United.

The Barclays Premier League leaders have been adamant that Rooney is not for sale, and plan to offer him a new contract.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi this week said there had been no approach for the former Everton player, but admitted he admires Rooney’s talent.

Rooney continues to be linked with the wealthy French club, who attracted Ibrahimovic from AC Milan last summer and are building a team designed to challenge for the Champions League title every year.

Swedish striker Ibrahimovic claims PSG would be the obvious choice of club if 27-year-old Rooney ever leaves Old Trafford.

According to The Sun, Ibrahimovic said of Rooney: “If he wants to be part of the best project in football then there is only one club to sign for.

“Only he knows the decision he is going to make in the summer but the project we are trying to build here is clear.

“We are not content with being the dominant force in France, we want to be the top club in Europe as well.

“I can understand why the owners are interested in Rooney - he is in the top 10 of strikers in Europe.”

David Beckham meanwhile has not ruled out staying for another season at PSG and has had talks with the club’s owners.

The former England captain made a return to the Champions League on Tuesday, playing the first 70 minutes of PSG’s 2-2 draw with Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.

Now the 37-year-old is being asked if he will extend the short-term deal he signed at Christmas.

“We’ll see. I’ve spoken to the owners and I’ve spoken to the manager, I know how happy they are with me, and they know how happy I am here,” Beckham said.

“But I’m not getting any younger, so I’ll enjoy the rest of the season and then we’ll talk.”

Beckham’s performance in Paris certainly didn’t seem that of a man in any rush to retire and was mostly well received across Europe.

Europa League Chelsea Rubin Kazan

3 1

Tottenham Basel

2 2

Benfica Newcastle

3 1

Fenerbahce Lazio

2 0

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Champions League Galatasaray coach accuses ref of ‘lacking courage’

At the same stage of the 2011-12 league campaign, Gonzalo Higuain (left) had netted 17 goals and Karim Benzema 14 but this term they have scored only 11 and eight respectively. Both were on target against Galatasaray in the Champions League first leg encounter at the Bernabeu

Higuain and Benzema back on target for rampant Real

By Iain Rogers REAL Madrid forwards Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain have faced criticism in recent weeks due to a lack of goals but the pair came good on Wednesday night, helping the La Liga champions move within touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals.

The ever-reliable Cristiano Ronaldo fired Real ahead against Turkey’s Galatasaray in the ninth minute of the quarter-final at the Bernabeu, lifting him to the top of the scoring chart on nine goals, before Benzema added a second 20 minutes later.

Misfiring duo hit back at critics with goals The France striker was replaced by Argentina international Higuain in the 65th minute and he made it 3-0 17 minutes from time as Real virtually assured themselves of a place in the last four ahead of next week’s second leg in Istanbul.

“Higuain and Benzema got their goals and that is good for their confidence,” coach Jose Mourinho told a news conference.

“But even if they hadn’t scored I would have been happy with the job they did today,” added the Portu-

guese, who is bidding to lead Real to a 10th European crown that has eluded the Spanish giants since 2002.

The relatively poor form of Benzema and Higuain is one reason while Real’s La Liga title defence has faltered this season, leaving them 13 points adrift of arch rivals Barcelona with nine games remaining.

At the same stage of the 2011-12 league campaign, Higuain had netted 17 goals and Benzema 14 but this term they have scored only 11 and eight respectively.

Benzema, who scored his fourth goal in the Champions League this season on his 50th appearance in the competition, has also struggled for France.

He was roundly booed by the home fans in Paris when he was substituted in the second half of last month’s 1-0 World Cup qualifier defeat to Spain.

“We are relaxed,” Higuain told reporters.

“The coach has already said that he has never pressured us to score goals,” he added.

“I got to come on for 20 minutes to help the team and I was lucky enough to get that goal.”

Benzema added: “We played a great match and I’m always happy when the team wins. I managed to score too. That’s very good for me and for the club.”

On what was a near-perfect night for Real, midfielder Xabi Alonso and centre back Sergio Ramos both picked up yellow cards late in the game to trigger onematch suspensions.

The Spain internationals can now serve out their bans in the second leg, giving them a clean slate for the semi-finals should Real advance as expected.

Borussia Dortmund upbeat despite string of wasted chances in Malaga

By Karolos Grohmann

The Germans are confident of sealing their place in the semi-finals in their home game against the Spaniards

BORUSSIA Dortmund were left to rue a string of missed chances in the goalless draw at Malaga on Wednesday but the German side remain confident they can advance to the Champions League semifinals with a home win next week.

Despite dominating the quarter-final first leg tie, Dortmund will be disappointed to be heading home without an away goal following the stalemate in Spain, the first game in the competition this season where the Germans have failed to score.

“We can deal with this tie at home, we are in a position to do it,” Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl told reporters.

“There was more for us to get in the first leg than just a draw. We had an amazing number of chances and should have scored at least

one goal.

“It is a tricky result because if Malaga score in Dortmund, we will have to score twice,” Kehl added.

The Germans only have themselves to blame after Mario Goetze (twice), Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski squandered golden opportunities to put Dortmund in the driving seat.

They also allowed Malaga, with goalkeeper Willy Caballero in outstanding form, to gradually claw their way back into the contest after the Spaniards were on the back foot in the early exchanges.

While the result may be disappointing for Dortmund, the Germans will take comfort from maintaining their status as the only unbeaten team left in the Champions League this season.

“If we knew before the game that we would play out a 0-0 draw, we would have signed up for that straight away,”

Goetze said. “But it is a bitter result for us after such a game.

Dortmund’s home record in the Champions League this season is impressive, however, after they beat Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax in the group stage and easily accounted for Shakhtar Donetsk in the round of 16.

With a first semi-final berth in 15 years on offer and the team’s last remaining hope of winning silverware, Dortmund needed to improve in front of goal if they were to advance, coach Juergen Klopp said.

“I was very satisfied with one of the nils and not too dissatisfied with the other nil,” Klopp said. “Those who follow us know that we are capable of conceding goals out of nothing.

“But we do need to improve our finishing. In this competition, you can never advance as easily as a knife slicing through warm butter.”

GALATASARAY coach Fatih Terim has accused referee Svein Oddvar Moen of “lacking courage” and making “many mistakes” after his side were defeated 3-0 by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Bernabeu.

Terim insisted “I never comment on referees” but the problem is that the phrase “I never comment on referees” is invariably followed by a “but”, and so it proved.

Galatasary had claimed two penalties, one in each half. The first appeal came after a possible handball

by Sami Khedira when the ball hit him from a Wesley Sneijder header, while the second was for a challenge from Sergio Ramos on Burak Yilmaz. Although Ramos appeared to get a touch of the ball first, he trod on Yilmaz’s foot.

Rather than award a penalty, the referee booked the Galatasary striker and top scorer for diving, ruling him out of the second leg in a week’s time.

BASIC MISTAKES Terim, who began his press conference by congratulating Real Madrid, admitted that his side had made “basic mistakes” on the first two goals and that there had been clear chances for Emmanuel Eboue and Didier Drogba which he would have expected them to take. He also insisted that there is a “big difference in quality between the players on the two teams” and that the difference had shown. But asked about the possible penalties, he was critical of the official.

“I would not like to talk about the penalties because I never comment on referees, but maybe Real Madrid’s big name affected him,” Terim was quoted by The Guardian newspaper as saying. “The referee did not have courage. Burak’s foot was stepped on and everyone saw it except for the referee. I think the referee made many mistakes.”

Terim’s mention of “many mistakes” hinted at a number of other decisions that the Turkish side felt had gone Madrid’s way.

Although most of them were barely perceptible, replays suggest that Karim Benzema was fractionally offside when Michael Essien delivered the cross from which he scored the second, the free-kick that led to the third was questionable and Benzema was not penalised for a challenge that has been compared to the one that saw Nani get sent off against Madrid at Old Trafford in the last round.

Friday, April 5, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

32 Pistorius return being managed ‘day by day’ 29

Sport

Higuain and Benzema back on target for rampant Real 31

MARSEILLE APOLOGISE TO PSG AFTER BAD BOY BARTON’S SHOCKING TWITTER ATTACK ON BRAZILIAN

Mocked: Marseille’s English star Joey Barton was criticised for his sense of humour on the cover of respected French sports daily L’Equipe

France turns on Barton after ‘ladyboy’ outburst at Silva M

ARSEILLE have apologised to Paris Saint-Germain and ordered midfielder Joey Barton to end his Twitter attack on Thiago Silva in which he likened the capital club’s Brazilian defender to an “overweight ladyboy”.

In a series of tweets published through his official account, the on-loan QPR player questioned whether Silva was “pre-op or postop” and demanded an explanation why the 28-year-old had mentioned him before Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final first leg with Barcelona.

The apology came as French sports daily L’Equipe mocked Barton’s British sense of humour on their front page.

Their headline read: ‘Is this the British sense of humour?’ and said Thiago had been enraged by the remarks.

Barton was yesterday summoned by the French football federation’s Ethics Committee. “Joey Barton has been summoned by the Ethics Committee and will be heard on April 15,” committee president Laurent Davenas told Reuters.

Marseille issued a statement on their club website apologising for Barton’s re-

marks and promising an immediate end to the episode.

It read: “Olympique de Marseille and Joey Barton are keen to apologise to Thiago Silva and his club for the inappropriate comments made by the English player on social networks.

“The management asked Joey Barton to put an end to the attack on PSG’s Brazilian defender. The Marseille midfielder pledged to immediately cease the posting of anything derogatory about Thiago Silva.”

Ligue 1 leaders PSG had expressed their unhappiness with Barton’s “unacceptable remarks” and

threatened to “take action” against the former England international.

“These attacks are serious and go beyond mere verbal jousting. The directors of the club, the players and the coaching staff are supportive of Thiago Silva and cannot accept such statements.”

The series of tweets against Silva began to appear on Barton’s account from Tuesday afternoon.

Barton originally tweeted: “Thiago Silva. That the same p**** thats been injured all season. Another over rated Brazilian. Sort your hamstrings out FatBoy...”

The Liverpudlian was re-

sponding negatively to comments from Silva ahead of the game between PSG and Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, which finished 2-2.

Barton continued tweeting during the game, adding: “Have to take back what I said about Thiago Silva being over rated. Been immense tonight. Still looks like a overweight ladyboy though!”

He added: “2 questions for Thiago Silva. Firstly, Why are YOU talking about ME, in your press conference before PSG v Barca? Very strange.

“Secondly, Are you Pre-Op or Post-Op? #transsexual

#thiagosaladyboy.

“Baffles me, which way he’s going. Is he a man changing to a woman or a woman changing to a man? Can’t work it out.”

Speaking to L’Equipe on Monday, Silva had said: “There is a Marseille player, I cannot remember his name, an Englishman, who has said bad things about Neymar and Brazilian football, and also about (David) Beckham and (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic.

“Because no-one is talking about him, it seems it is fun for him to criticise great players for people to know he exists.”

The Grand National ‘is a safer event now’

By Andy Hodgson

Tragic: four horses have been killed in the past two years at the famous race at Aintree

HORSE racing’s rulers yesterday claimed the Grand National has become a safer race despite four horses being killed in the past two years.

Two deaths in 2011 prompted a major review of safety and a further two losses last year have led to changes being made to tomorrow’s race at Aintree.

These include moving the start away from the main grandstand in an effort to keep the horses and rid-

ers calm and altering the fences’ core material.

Although four horses died in the last two runnings, there have been only six fatalities in the previous 11 Nationals.

British Horseracing Authority director of raceday operations Jamie Stier said yesterday: “If we look back over the years, the Grand National has actually become safer.

“The period up to 2010 was the best rolling tenyear period in the history of the race. “Unfortunately, since then we have had

some fatalities but overall the safety record has improved.

“I think it’s important people understand that and allow the opportunity for the changes which have already taken place to bed in rather than seeking to change more and more all the time.”

Earlier this week, World Horse Welfare welcomed the alterations made to Aintree’s fences, which were seen for the first time in yesterday’s Foxhunters’ Chase.

Roly Owers, the organi-

sation’s chief executive, said: “They’ve made the fences more forgiving and we hope that will help.”

Meanwhile, champion jockey Tony McCoy has opted to ride Colbert Station as opposed to last year’s runner-up Sunnyhillboy in the big race.