Cyprus Mail newspaper 2013 January 15

Cyprus Mail www.cyprus-mail.com

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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CYPRUS

SPORT

LIFESTYLE

State seems to accept liability in Vassiliko payout

Baghdatis struggles through Aussie opener

Who wore and won what at the Golden Globes

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Candidates focus on financial woes Gas, Merkel and AKEL’s handling of economy, main focus of debate

By Poly Pantelides

T

HE FIRST televised live presidential debate for next month’s elections took place yesterday with the three main contenders focusing on the economy and the responsibilities that a future administration will have to shoulder in the wake of the long-awaited bailout agreement and a forthcoming time of austerity.

Inevitably much of the debate dealt with the banks, the troika and the financial crisis in general, but each candidate was quizzed on topics specific to their candidacies.

AKEL-backed Stavros Malas, who also served as health minister for the current administration, was repeatedly asked to justify the government’s handling of the economy.

EDEK-backed Giorgos Lillikas focused on his proposal for pre-selling part of Cyprus’ hydrocarbons as a way out of a harsh bailout agreement while DISY leader Nicos Anastasiades tried to allay suggestions that his connections with Europe and Germany were not serving Cyprus’ interests.

Four journalists, one each from TV channels Sigma, Mega, CyBC and Ant1 posed questions to the three main contenders.

Journalists were allocated 30 seconds to place a question to a specific candidate who then had two minutes to respond. The journalist who had posed the question

was then given 15 seconds to follow up and the candidate had exactly 75 seconds to respond.

For Anastasiades, it was his friendship with the island’s European partners, in the light of last week’s high-profile European People’s Party (EEP) summit in Limassol that he kept returning to, sometimes of his own accord and sometimes in response to criticism by his opponents.

Finally frustrated at suggestions that he failed to stand up to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and money-laundering accusations emanating from Germany against Cyprus, Anastasiades almost lost his cool.

“Anastasiades is no one’s slave,” he said, finger pointed to accentuate his point.

“And let’s not ascribe to Angela Merkel what the opposition attributes to her,” he added pointing out that Germany is also having elections later this year.

At some point, Anastasiades was asked whether he would be forced to follow a series of unpalatable austerity measures set by his European partners.

“Let’s not demonise friends who may be able to help,” he said.

Calling the Germans “the people’s robbers” is not very useful, he said.

But it was clear that he considered a point in his favour that he amassed support from the island’s European partners.

TURN TO PAGE 3

The presidential election candidates share a joke before the TV debate last night

(Christos Theodorides)

Facebook re-unites siblings 65 years after foster care split A MAN has been reunited with his sister 65 years after the siblings were separated in foster care, thanks to a seven-year-old friend who searched Facebook.

Clifford Boyson, of Davenport, Iowa, met his sister, Betty Billadeau, in person on Saturday.

Billadeau drove up from her home in Florissant, Missouri, with her daughter and granddaughter for the reunion at a hotel in Davenport.

Boyson, 66, and Billadeau, 70, both tried to find each other for years without success. They were placed in different foster homes in Chicago

when they were children.

Then seven-year-old Eddie Hanzelin, who is the son of Boyson’s landlord, got involved.

Eddie managed to find Billadeau by searching his mother’s Facebook account with Billadeau’s maiden name.

He recognised the family resemblance when he saw her picture.

“Oh, my God,” Boyson said when he saw and hugged Billadeau.

“You do have a sister,” Billadeau said.

“You’re about the same height mom was,” Boyson said.

Billadeau’s daughter, Sarah Billadeau, 42, and granddaughter, Megan

Billadeau, 27, both wiped away tears and smiled during the reunion.

“He didn’t have any women in his life,” Sarah said. “We’re going to get that straightened out real fast.”

Boyson said he was looking forward to visiting Ms Billadeau near St Louis and meeting more family.

“I’m hoping I can go and spend a week or two,” he said.

“I want to meet the whole congregation. I never knew I had a big family.”

Near the end of their tearful reunion Boyson and Billadeau presented Eddie with a $125 cheque in appreciation of his detective work.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Home PICTURE OF THE DAY

Weather Paralimni

Nicosia 17

7

Troodos

19 19

Larnaca

19

19

Paphos

Limassol

TODAY: Clear and sunny. Temperatures will reach 17C inland, 19C along the coasts and 7C over higher ground OUTLOOK: Remaining relatively settled YESTERDAY:

Max Temp Nicosia 17 Larnaca 17 Limassol 19 Paphos 18 Paralimni 17 Prodromos 8

-

Min 5 8 9 9 8 2

Humidity 64% 59% 62% 61% 65% 95%

SUNRISE: 06:54am

SUNSET: 4:58pm

Pollution No data/Low Medium/Low Low/High Low No data 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 Damascus Dublin Frankfurt Geneva Istanbul London

14 1 -2 -3 19 -2 12 4 -1 4 8 1

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

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

9 3 -6 -16 1 -4 14 10 1 -4 19 -2

Cloudy Mist Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Snow Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Cloudy Clear Cloudy

EXCHANGE

€

1.3457

€

0.8336

For a full list of exchange rates, see page 10

CHEMISTS NICOSIA L. P. Kyprianou, 102 Larnaca Ave, Anglanja. Tel: 22336095, 22435956 (H) M. T. Kyprianou, 88B A. Avraamides St, Dasoupolis.

Tel: 22490360, 22871775 (H) M. Mitsi, 18C Pindarou St, Ayios Antonios. Tel: 22750672, 22438434 (H) Chr. Tsaggari, 7 Nicou Kranidioti, Egkomi, Tel: 22480405, 22516861 (H) G. Pafitis, 42B Lykavitou Str., Engomi Tel: 22658161, 22429564 (H) LIMASSOL A. Kyriazis, 13 A. Themistocleous, Tel: 25364451, 25338317 (H)

F. Nicolaides, 29 Paphos St., Tel: 25572303, 25563693 (H) T. Aggelopoulos, 6 Gr. Afxentiou & Makedonias Tel: 25751900, 25328511 (H)

Twenty-year-old women dressed in kimonos, walk along a snow-covered street to attend a coming-of-age ceremony in Tokyo yesterday (AFP)

QUICK CROSSWORD 2285 Across

Down

1 Carnival (6) 4 High-kicking dance (6) 9 Fed (9) 10 Tank (3) 11 Enclave of S Africa (7) 13 Monarch (5) 14 Slimness (11) 18 Windscreen- _____ (5) 19 One in the know (7) 21 Permit (3) 22 Beforehand (2,7) 24 Cut a tooth (6) 25 Grimy (6)

1 Last act (6) 2 ___ de Cologne (3) 3 Spin (5) 5 Firedog (7) 6 Brought out of barbarism (9) 7 Public official (6) 8 Impractical (11) 12 Nitre (9) 15 Norfolk city (7) 16 Faintly illuminated (6) 17 Slow-moving (6) 20 Cut (5) 23 Catch (3)

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

LARNACA

E. Papaioannou, 52. 54 Stratigou Timayia St., Tel: 24633150, 24813135 G. Zoppou, 122 Faneromenis St. Tel: 24622810, 24651003 (H) PAPHOS

G. Makariou, 20 Neapoleos, Ave. Tel: 26936989, 26938949 (H) PARALIMNI

P. Loizou, 150 Gr. Dighenis Ave. Tel: 23821368, 23823608 (H)

Cyprus Mail

ON THIS DAY JANUARY 15 1759

28 years ago, Tuesday January 15, 1985

Opening of the British Museum at Montague House, Bloomsbury in London.

Despite being in a police station Keith Edson could not restrain himself when a woman friend identified a man who allegedly indecently assaulted her. He attacked the man, a 20-year-old Cypriot builder and was quickly arrested by police officers and placed in custody. A Limassol judge refused to grant a request he be discharged.

1943 The world’s largest office building, The Pentagon, is dedicated in Arlington, Virginia.

38 years ago, Wednesday January 15, 1975 1970 Muammar al-Qaddafi, the young Libyan army captain who deposed King Idris in September 1969, is proclaimed premier of Libya by the so-called General People’s Congress.

Established 1945. Number 21,428 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

1973 President Nixon has ordered a halt to American bombing in North Vietnam following peace talks in Paris.

1991 The United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expires, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm.

Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials in Nicosia yesterday declined to confirm or deny a report to the effect that Britain has warned the Cyprus government that unless a settlement is reached in the local talks on the 8000 Turkish Cypriot refugees in the British Base at Episkopi they will be allowed to move to Turkey.

58 years ago, Saturday January 15, 1955 The appeal of Evripides Christodoulou against the sentence of death passed on him for the murder of Takis Tembriotis was yesterday dismissed by the Supreme Court of appeal. Christodoulou was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to death at the Paphos Assizes on November 13 last year.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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Candidates focus on financial woes

Airport threat leads to flood of fine payments

Lillikas and Anastasiades clash over gas proposals

By Poly Pantelides

(Continued from front page) Malas was asked at different points to explain what positions he shared and where he differed with ruling party AKEL. Asked if shared the position of ruling party AKEL that the banks were mostly to blame for the state of the economy, Malas said that “yes, our biggest problem now is because of the banks”.

“For every €10, €1.5 is for the economy and €8.5 is for the banks,” Malas said.

Malas became more animated when he said that there was “a crisis without precedent,” getting inpatient when the journalist cut in despite protocol - to say she had asked about the current administration. “I look at tomorrow not the past,” he said, and continued to talk about the necessity for growth.

“But did the government not make any mistakes?” the journalist insisted.

Malas conceded that they may have miscalculated things but went ahead to talk about growth versus “Anastasiades’ principles of harsh austerity”.

Malas focused on the prospect of privatising semi-state organisations as part of a memorandum agreement, a red line for AKEL. Malas said that the country stood to earn less money from privatising companies rather then keeping them intact.

But Malas found it difficult to challenge the view that he was a proponent of the current government though he asked journalists to stop asking him whether or not he would carry on from the current administration.

“Judge me on my own proposals,” he said.

Lillikas focused on his pro-

A POLICE campaign to target those who haven’t paid their fines by stopping them at airports has led to a deluge of offers from offenders seeking to pay their outstanding debts, police said yesterday.

Police have so far collected over €390,000 in outstanding warrants since the new campaign began on January 7, with people calling in at police stations to see if they owe the state money, police officer Demetris Pitsillides said yesterday.

The ‘voluntary’ payments far exceed the €14,500 collected from executing 80 warrants from those stopped at airports.

“It’s a small amount compared to the sum total of received payments that comes to a bit over €390,000 involving 800 warrants,” Pitsillides told state broadcaster CyBC. Pitsillides said that people now come forward to pay “and this is very positive if it carries on”.

So far, the people who have paid up have owed amounts ranging from €300 to up to €1,500, Pitsillides.

From next Monday, police will also start checking everyone that comes into contact with the force and are considering working alongside traffic police to hunt down even more debtors.

“We will diversify away from the traditional way of looking for debtors that had its own limitations and difficulties,” Pitsillides said.

He was referring to the force’s previously cited difficulties with locating people, even the public figures and members of the force itself who only paid up on some 300 warrants following orders by the police chief.

Candidates prepare for the first of three television debates posal to pre-sell part of natural gas found at Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone as a way to fund Cyprus’ debt.

“If we didn’t have elections, I’m sure our proposal would be implemented,” he said.

Looking down at his notes, Anastasiades trashed Lillikas’ idea, pointing out that no one knew for sure exactly how much gas Cyprus had in the first place. Quoting from Lillikas’ previous statements, Anastasiades read out a statement Lillikas made against “mortgaging” Cyprus to foreign interests.

“I don’t think it’s a serious proposal,” he said.

Lillikas accused Anastasiades of misunderstanding his positions and returning to the issue of natural gas

to say that it was a viable proposal, “but unfortunately it’s elections” and threw back an accusation at Anastasiades’ “friendship” with German chancellor Angela Merkel.

But journalists grew impatient with Lillikas with one asking him to offer at least an alternative.

“What’s your plan B [on a bailout agreement]? And don’t mention natural gas again.”

Lillikas did not oblige and talked again of pre-selling hydrocarbons, though he also mentioned a number of measures to get the market moving.

The journalist followed up by pointing out that experts have advised against his idea

‘I did not commit murder,’ says suspect in Hadjicostis trial THE MAN accused of pulling the trigger of the gun that killed media boss Andis Hadjicostis yesterday proclaimed his innocence while coming under fire by the prosecution at Nicosia criminal court.

The prosecution claimed that Gregoris Xenofontos, one of the four people charged with the murder of Hadjicostis in January 2010, had set up the hit and had allegedly told people he would be the one watching the victim’s residence as he was familiar with the place.

“I never watched that place and I did not commit murder,” Xenofontos said yesterday.

But the prosecution said that he had made his plans known to the alleged fixer and fellow defendant, Andreas Gregoriou, as well as to key prosecution witness Fanos Hadjigeorgiou, who has confessed to driving the getaway motorbike on the night of the murder in exchange for immunity.

“You have fabricated a story that cannot be borne by human logic,” the prosecution said, adding that everything that the court has heard so far pointed to his guilt.

“Everything I have said is true and everything that [prosecution witness] Fanos

Hadjigeorgiou said are lies,” Xenofontos said.

The prosecution said that the defendant allegedly called Hadjigeorgiou shortly before the murder and told him to “hurry up and I’m in a rush to get the job done”.

But Xenofontos said that he never made such a phone call although he did arrange to meet at Hadjigeorgiou’s apartment to help him replace a curtain rail.

The prosecution alleged that Xenofontos was lying and had committed murder for money.

“I have submitted evidence in court showing I had no financial problems,” Xenofontos said.

But the prosecution said that he allegedly met with the alleged fixer on the day after the murder demanding payments, which Xenofontos denied.

The prosecution needs to submit claims to the defendants during trials in order to be able include them in their closing statements at a later stage.

Hadjicostis - CEO of family-controlled DIAS media group and Sigma TV - died after being shot twice outside his home in Nicosia on January 12, 2010.

(Christos Theodorides) of pre-selling natural gas because that would entail giving out the finds at a much discounted price.

Lillikas said a bailout was more hurtful and the country needed a quick way out of the recession.

But the journalist insisted: will you sign a bailout agreement?

Lillikas avoided answering.

“We must gain as much time as possible and move on with natural gas exploitation,” he said.

Two more debates have been scheduled, one on the Cyprus problem due on January 28 and a final debate due on February 11 – inthe final week before the elections – on domestic policy and the economy.

The public - including politicians, lawyers and other prominent individuals - collectively owe the state over €135 million.

This involves about 160,000 payment warrants issued by courts for overdue traffic fines, alimony payments, social insurance and taxes, among others.

Auditor general Chrystalla Georghadji previously told the House Watchdog committee that lawyers owe the state some €800,000 spread across 750 warrants, while about 600 warrants pertained to companies collectively owing €3.0 million.

PUBLIC FIGURES Pitsillides did not say yesterday whether any public figures had paid up.

State officials have 2,000 warrants issued against them, and members of the agricultural payments organisation have 4,000 warrants between them, according to figures given by Georghadji.

Dozens of members of parliament also owe the state money, but are immune from prosecution for offences committed during their term that are punishable by fewer than five years’ imprisonment.

DISY MP Andreas Pitsillides amassed just over €1,000 in traffic fines between 2008 and 2011 and when caught last year said he had forgotten to pay because he was busy.

Former DISY MP Andreas Themistocleous even got traffic fines worth €900 pardoned by the attorney-general last year.

Lawmakers have refused to change the constitution to lift their immunity, claiming that they need to be able to tchallenge the authorities as appropriate.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Home Marcoullis pledges action on crumbling monastery WHO IS to blame for the latest standstill in efforts to renovate the historic Apostolos Andreas Monastery, is less important than pushing ahead with its renovation, Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said yesterday.

Journalists asked Marcoullis to comment on recent developments which are impeding renovation efforts at the monastic complex in occupied Karpasia, at the end of a discussion on Cyprus’ recent presidency of the council of the EU. “I am not going to rush in to blame anyone; our effort is to continue the ministry’s collaboration with the church, the technical committee and the United Nations Development Programme,” Marcoullis said.

The Archbishop recently blamed the bicommunal technical committee assigned to protect the island’s cultural heritage.

He took issue with a standard procedure by the United Nations that named the church as donors to the restoration project, but did not state that the Church of Cyprus owns the site.

The primate said that he would rather see the monastery collapse than let go of the property.

The technical committee said that the UN Development Programme was following protocol differentiating between donors and owners, and could not very well change procedure in the case of Apostolos Andreas.

The technical committee, that has successfully restored a number of other religious sites, said that the much needed restoration programme would be already underway had the church “displayed a spirit of trust and co-operation”.

“I will take initiative in the next few days to find a way forward on this issue because as time passes so do the dangers increase for the monastery,” Marcoullis said.

FAME FOR THOSE WHO SING ... AND THOSE WHO DON’T

Hard Rock Cafe offers a battle of the bands

The winning bands will play in front of judges at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nicosia

NICOSIA’S Hard Rock Café has announced that the closing date for applications from bands wishing to participate in the international music competition Hard Rock Rising is Monday, January 21.

Participating bands will fight for the ultimate prize, which is participating in a world tour, recording their own album, creating a video clip as part of Hard Rock Records and receiving new equipment.

Bands can register via a specialised application found on Hard Rock Café Nicosia’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/hrcnicosia.

To participate in Hard Rock Rising 2013, interested bands must first create their own account on Reverb Nation (www.reverbnation.com), where they will then be able to post their own copyrighted song. ReverbNation is the leading online marketing platform for music, used by more than 16 million artists in 250 countries worldwide.

Bands can register to participate in only one market, specifically their country of residence. There are no restrictions regarding the size of the band or the number of members participating.

Once the registration process is completed on 21 January, Hard Rock will start the next phase, which is the voting phase. During the voting phase fans will be able to vote for their favourite band via a specialised application on Facebook.

The bands with the most votes from the second phase will have the opportunity to play live at Hard Rock Café Nicosia in front of a judging committee. This will take place around the middle of February.

Hard Rock Rising, also known as the battle of the bands, is organised on a global level by Hard Rock International and is a battle aimed at discovering and supporting new talents in music.

Hard Rock Rising provides bands with the means for them to fight their own battle on stage, in all Hard Rock cafes worldwide, and ultimately claim their prize.

Can’t sing, won’t sing Professonals in Paphos are offering shy singers a chance to shine

By Bejay Browne A SLEW of talent competitions have hit the island in recent years, but now organisers in Paphos have come up with a unique idea.

“Can’t sing, won’t sing” is aimed at people who dream of singing but haven’t got the nerve or experience to sing in front of an audience.

The ten week event is being organised by local forum, the Paphos People, and will see ten contestants being taught how to sing and perform in front of an audience.

The competition will start on February 10 and run for ten weeks with a live show every Sunday at the Friends Bar in Paphos.

“This is strictly for non professionals - people with no singing experience at all, not even karaoke,” said spokeswoman for the event, Oxana Streln-

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So far, eight willing participants have come forward and there are just two places left in the competition which has a one thousand euro winning prize.

“If people think that they can’t sing at all, or that they sound like a drowning cat, it doesn’t matter. If they love music and have the desire to sing better, then they should apply to enter,” she said.

According to organisers, participants will receive weekly coaching from two professional Paphos based singers.

Stevie Dean is one, while the second has yet to be confirmed.

The weekly show will be slick and professional and will be front bed by presenter and entertainer Matthew Edmonson. Contestants will also have professional hair and make up done before each performance and will be advised on what outfits to wear on-

stage.

“To get top scores during the contest, people need to be audible and entertaining and capture the attention and hearts of the audience, so that they will vote for them as their winner,” Strelnikova said.

The prize money will be split fiftyfifty between the winner and their coach, so there is an incentive for the coaches to get the best out of the performers.

Registry for the competition can be made via the Paphos People forum.

“Once people have signed up, we will ask them to describe themselves and provide a list of their favourite songs we need at least ten, as well as a song they will perform on the first night,” she said.

As contestants will have had no training at this point, their first performance will have the original artist’s track in the background.

The two coaches won’t be able to see the entrants at the first event, only hear them. They will each have to pick out five contestants to work with.

The contestants will then each have an individual class with their coach each week, as well as specifically structured homework.

“We decided to organise this event as we wanted to promote entertainment in Paphos - as it’s really dead during the winter.

“It’s all about having fun and giving people the confidence to sing as we all do in the shower or when we think noone else is listening,” Strelnikova said.

Organisers are aiming to film the event which will stream live via the Paphos People website, so that audiences who are unable to attend will be able to watch from home. www.paphospeople.com/cant-singwont-sing

Ministry coped well during presidency

By Elias Hazou THE FOREIGN ministry was central to the success of Cyprus’ six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, the country’s top diplomat said yesterday.

Speaking at a news conference taking stock of the ministry’s actions during the presidency, Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis said her department was extremely active externally, in terms of contacts with non-EU countries, and internally in deliberations with EU institutions.

Marcoullis said Cyprus received praise from both the EU High Representative and the EU Enlargement Commissioner for fulfilling its role as honest broker.

During the six-month period, the Cypriot foreign minister represented EU High

Representative Catherine Ashton in 16 meetings between the bloc and non-EU countries and organisations.

Among others, Marcoullis sat in for the EU foreign policy chief at the EU Association Councils with Israel, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria and Jordan, and at the Co-operation Councils with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Marcoullis also debriefed the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) on four occasions, on such subjects as the outcome of meetings of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council and on the priorities of the Cyprus presidency.

The head of Cyprus’ diplomacy met also with all the political groups in the European Parliament that visited the island both before and during the Cypriot presidency.

Marcoullis said Cyprus’ presidency emphasised the promotion of the policy

of EU enlargement. In her capacity as acting chairman of the General Affairs Council on matters relating to enlargement, Marcoullis paid visits to all countries in the western Balkans interested in joining the bloc.

And during the fifth meeting of the Accession Conference with Iceland at ministerial level, also held on December 18, six new chapters opened, and one more chapter was provisionally closed.

The opening of a total of nine accession chapters during a rotating presidency was a record, Marcoullis noted.

During Cyprus’ tenure, Turkey - which does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus - had refused to co-operate with the presidency.

Despite this “provocative” stance, Marcoullis said, the Council delivered an objective, fair and balanced conclusion on Turkey’s accession progress.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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Screws are tightened with latest VAT hike Electricity and fuel price increases add to misery

By Despina Procopiou and Maria Christofide

Young members of the Association of Families of Triplets

Three times everything can be too much, say families with triplets FAMILIES with triplets are demanding greater state assistance to help them cope with their increased expenses in a time of austerity.

During a get-to-know-you gathering held on Sunday at the ‘Dreamland Playground’ at Tersefanou village, the Association of Families of Triplets said the state has effectively neglected them.

Head of the association Vangelis Malas said that all the children’s expenses - milk, diapers - were triple for them compared to the average family. In addition, caring for triplets means more stress, and less sleep at night, which impacts parents’ work performance.

“The built-up stress is so intense that it can often lead to divorce,” Malas said.

Their demands include: a 12-month maternity leave and a six-month paternity leave, on full pay; no transfers for mothers employed in the broader public sector until their children reach the age of four; a permit to hire a housemaid for the first six years, paid for by the state; a 50 per cent discount on tuition and other fees for triplets enrolled in public or municipal kindergartens, and a similar discount for triplets attending public elementary and middle schools.

Moreover, families with triplets want a special tax regime to apply to them, whereby the entire family would be collectively taken as the taxable unit. Under this proposal, the income of all family members would be added up and then divided by the number of individuals to work out the applicable tax rate.

The newly formed association, which counts around 140 families, intends to lobby the three main presidential candidates.

THERE was more misery for consumers yesterday as VAT rose by one percentage point to 18 per cent, bumping up the already high cost of electricity and fuel.

It was the second increase in VAT in 10 months, in line with measures included in a preliminary bailout agreement with international lenders.

In March last year, VAT went up by two percentage points to 17 per cent. It is set to rise to 19 per cent in 2014.

The new rate will affect the price of a number of goods and services including petrol, electricity, telecommunications, alcohol, tobacco, and clothes.

The reduced VAT rates of 5.0 per cent on food and drugs and 8.0 per cent charged by hotels, restaurants and public transport, remain unaffected.

However, from January 2014 the 8.0 per cent VAT will go up by one percentage point.

The VAT service said it expected to collect an additional €30 million.

The state put some €1.7 billion in its coffers last year through VAT, about the same as in 2011 when VAT was two percentage points lower.

The rise in VAT also bumped up the price of fuel, which already saw a rise of between five and seven cents on consumption tax the first day of the year.

According to the petrol station association, unleaded 95 petrol was yesterday selling at about €1,36 per litre from €1,35.

Unleaded 98 was €1,40 and diesel hovered around €1,42.

Heating fuel rose to €1,05 while kerosene edged up to around €1,12.

The VAT hike prompted wide concern from the pub-

Worrying violations revealed after police’s weekend driving clampdown OVER 2,000 motorists were booked by police - the majority for speeding - during a threeday campaign, the force said yesterday.

Police said the island-wide campaign, between Friday and Sunday, netted 2,041 offenders with most, 891, caught speeding.

Around 150 drivers were booked for drink driving, 220 drivers and passengers for not using safety belts and 781 for other traffic offences.

In just one night - Saturday - Limassol police reported 270 motorists for various offences.

They included 106 drivers caught speeding, 87 not wearing safety belts, and 15 for driving with expired road tax and MOT. Police said one in seven drivers breathalysed were found to be inebriated.

Limassol traffic police deputy chief, Emilios Kkafas said the figures showed a slight increase in the number of people driving under the influence of alcohol.

Four individuals were also booked for driv-

ing without a driver’s licence and without insurance coverage.

Official statistics of the period 2007-11 show that the main causes of traffic accident fatalities are alcohol abuse, followed by reckless driving and speeding.

Police said fatalities could have been prevented in seven out of ten accidents if the passengers had been wearing their seatbelts.

Back seat passengers and users of public transport are also obliged to wear a seat belt, traffic police’s Haris Evripidou said.

“I cannot understand why we unfortunately continue to not make our children wear seat belts in the back seats, leaving them exposed to any danger that may appear at any given moment,” Evripidou said.

He said that the fact that seven out of ten deaths could have been prevented showed there was still a lot of work to be done, but said their ambitious goal was to have no violations of the law on seat belts by the end of the year.

Second price increase in fuel since the start of the month lic yesterday.

“It will cause a domino effect in the economy starting with the rise in the price of fuels,” said Prokopis, a shop salesman on Ledra Street in Nicosia. “Things will get more difficult as salaries remain the same while the prices of products rise,” added the 30-year-old who did not want to give his last

name.

Mattheos Michael, 55, a Nicosia restaurant owner said he would not raise his prices but would absorb the additional cost himself.

“I have customers that come every day for 20 years; I didn’t increase my prices last year (and) will not raise them (now either),” he said.

A 60-year-old jewellery

shop owner said that the VAT increase would worsen the already low demand for consumer goods “There is no cash flow in the market, how will making goods more expensive help the economy?” he asked. With no help from the government, small businesses will foot the bill of the economic situation, as has always happened.”

A 24-year-old saleswoman for another shop on Ledra Street said the VAT raise also created other problems.

“We have to work overtime and change the price of every single item we have in store. That’s a lot of work especially if you take into account that this is the second time we’ve had to do it in less than a year,” she said.

Retired civil servant Andreas Petrou, 60, said he would not be as affected as much as younger people or the unemployed. “For a start, I don’t use my car much, and I don’t smoke,” he said.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

6

Home Government agrees to re-imburse lion’s share of blast cost to Vassiliko’s insurers

Payout suggests state liability for Mari

By Elias Hazou FOR THE first time since the Mari blast of July 2011, the state appears to have openly accepted civil liability for the incident, having agreed to pay a large chunk of the repair costs for the damaged Vassilikos power plant.

The admission - albeit an indirect one - came from Attorney-general Petros Clerides during a discussion at the House finance committee yesterday.

Clerides informed MPs of the deal clinched between the state and the insurers and re-insurers of the power station.

The parties agreed to settle out of court, whereby the electricity authority (EAC) will receive €132.5m in total from the plant’s insurers, Atlantic Insurance.

Some €30m has already been paid out to the EAC. In turn, the government

will reimburse the re-insurers to the tune of €99m in instalments, without interest, except in the event of delayed payment.

For this fiscal year, the government needs €29m to honour the agreement. The extra expense was slipped into the 2013 budget at the last moment, and yesterday the finance ministry asked lawmakers to approve the release of these funds.

The insurers and re-insurers of the power plant had sought compensation from the Cypriot state, as a condition for paying insurance monies to the EAC. Otherwise, they would sue the government, whom they consider responsible for the blast that severely damaged the Vassilikos plant.

The ministry memo revealed also that the EAC’s initial demand to the insurers was for €167.8m, while the latter were accepting only €110m. Negotiations wrapped up on October 25

The government will pay out ¤99 million in insurance for the damage to Vassiliko power plant after the Mari blast

Petros Clerides told the House insurers would have a solid legal basis on which to sue the state

last year, culminating in a €132.5m deal.

Although the insurers would ultimately pay out more than they would receive, the deal would presumably suit all sides by avoiding a drawn-out and costly legal battle.

According to chairman of the House finance committee Nicholas Papadopoulos (DIKO), Clerides informed deputies that in his opinion the insurers would have a solid legal basis on which to sue the state.

Though expressed in a roundabout manner, this appeared tantamount to an admission of liability for the July 11, 2011 blast.

Having settled out of court, Papadopoulos later told reporters, the state has admitted to civil liabilities for the Mari explosion.

It was high time the gov-

ernment also accepted political responsibility for the event, Papadopoulos said, adding that the president has never apologised to the people of Cyprus.

It’s no secret the state would have had a tough time denying responsibility for the blast had it gone to court with the insurers. A number of government ministers and military officials have been indicted and are currently being prosecuted for the munitions explosion at Mari that left 13 people dead.

Last year the attorneygeneral issued a legal reasoning - kept from the public eye - stating that the state could be liable for civil damages for the Mari blast, for two chief reasons: first, because the naval base is located in a government facility and lies on govern-

ment land; and second, the munitions stored at the base were under the government’s responsibility.

DIKO’s Papadopoulos said the €99m cost to the state for repairing the plant is over and above the millions already paid for purchasing electrical power from the breakaway regime in the wake of the blast to avoid rolling power cuts.

In addition, the government owes the electricity authority a substantial amount (some €25m) for costs incurred for renting mobile power generators.

And up to €37m could be needed in a similar out-ofcourt settlement with the insurers of combined cycle unit no.5 at Vasilikos.

There’s also the matter of the estimated €200 million worth of damage to Vassilikos that was uninsured.

Officers kept ignorant of containers’ contents

By Poly Pantelides EVEN KEY navy officials including fire safety personnel were kept in the dark over the contents of the containers held at the Evangelos Florakis naval base that exploded in July 2011 killing 13 people, Larnaca Assize court was told yesterday.

The head of the navy’s communication department at the time, Greek national Theodoros Groutsis, told the court that when he saw flames coming from some of the 98 containers in the early hours of July 11, the day of the blast, he deduced that the containers held gunpowder.

When Groutsis heard the navy commander and one of the blast’s victims, Andreas Ioannides, asking for helicopters to extinguish the fire, he told him, “you can’t extinguish gunpowder with water, let’s go”.

Ioannides refused, saying he would stay behind to co-ordinate fire fighting efforts and asking Groutsis to mind the safety of the officers in the camp, and to keep requesting helicopters for assistance, the court heard.

“I knew from experience that it was gunpowder. I never learned anything

about the containers’ contents from any official documents. I never saw anything in writing, nor did I see any official document stating that the containers should be doused with water,” Groutsis said.

The emergency response guidebook, ERGO, advises against using water where gunpowder is concerned. ERGO advises halting traffic and evacuating the area within a radius of 1.6 kilometres.

As the fire started spreading, some fire fighters at the naval base’s gate asked Groutsis just moments before the blast what was happening and what the containers’ contents were.

“Neither the fire fighters nor the army officers knew exactly what was in the containers,” he added.

EARTHQUAKE When the blast took place, Groutsis, who was in a basement within the naval base, felt it as a great earthquake.

“We could not communicate with anyone for a long time. Later we kept looking for the navy commander but he would not answer his phone,” Groutsis said.

The camp’s fire safety officer at the time, Thomas Papas, said that he was

never told what to do in the event of fire or an explosion by the navy commander, Ioannides, or the naval base commander, Lambros Lambrou, who also died in the blast.

“In my opinion if we had had any instructions we could have removed the gunpowder from the containers and have spread them out,” Papas said.

But he added that although he was told on the day of the blast to douse the containers with water, he had pointed out that there was no way they could do that with the number of people on site.

From August 2009, when Papas was transferred to the naval base, no one discussed fire safety procedures, he said.

“We would only visually check the containers, we had no jurisdiction, nor did we discuss the containers,” Papas said.

Seven sailors and six fire fighters were killed from the munitions’ explosion.

The trial’s defendants are former foreign minister Marcos Kyprianou, former defence minister Costas Papacostas, former national guard deputy chief Savvas Argyrou, former fire service chief Andreas Nicolaou; deputy fire chief Charalambos Charalambous; and former disaster response squad (EMAK) commander Andreas Loizides.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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Home

Shiarly defends record on bank transparency ‘We see our future as a serious financial centre’ CYPRUS is not a hub for money laundering and eurozone peers should decide quickly on the island’s bailout bid, Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly told a German newspaper on Sunday.

“Nobody has proved so far that we offend against the rules or even support money laundering,” Shiarly told Der Spiegel magazine in an interview. “We see our future as a serious financial centre. That’s why we want to be one step ahead of our European partners in financial market regulation in future.”

Shiarly said money laundering existed everywhere, including in Germany, but that Cyprus was fighting it resolutely.

A number of lawmakers from Germany’s parliament, which would have to approve any bailout, have already voiced concerns about a rescue for Cyprus, one of the bloc’s smallest economies and a popular tax haven for wealthy Russians.

But while German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday called on Cyprus to move forward with its own obligations and reforms, she also said European Union states must show solidarity, apparently giving conditional support to a bailout for the island.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said later on Friday that unless the Cypriot government could show it was sticking to money laundering rules “we have no desire for a race on who is willing to do

Shiarly rejected demands to raise the corporate tax rate something first”.

In November, Der Spiegel had cited a German intel-

ligence agency report as saying “Russian oligarchs, business people and ma-

fiosi” would benefit most from any bailout and that Cyprus was a “gateway for money laundering in the EU”.

Cyprus says it fully complies with international rules against money laundering and that its doubletaxation avoidance treaty with Moscow and low tax rate give it a competitive edge.

Shiarly rejected demands to raise the corporate tax rate, saying it was discussed intensively when Cyprus joined the EU and found not to be a problem.

However, European Central Bank board member Joerg Asmussen told Der Spiegel that Cyprus would need to do more before financial aid could flow.

“My impression is that improved transparency of the financial sector will be decisive for member states to agree to a programme,” Asmussen was quoted as saying.

The results of an asset review of Cyprus’ banking sector are due on January 18 and eurozone finance ministers will discuss the country’s aid request at a regular meeting in Brussels on January 21. No decision is expected from that meeting.

Shiarly said the island state’s parliament had agreed on all conditions set by international lenders for a bailout.

“Given the uncertain situation, a quick decision by the Eurogroup is necessary to stabilise market confidence,” the finance minister added.

Bank of Cyprus cuts staff by 300 in Greece BANK OF CYPRUS (BoC), the island’s biggest lender, said yesterday it has cut staff in Greece by 300 people through a voluntary exit programme expected to reduce its payroll by some 12 per cent per year.

The lender, forced to seek state support after incurring heavy losses from its exposure to Greek debt, said it has also cut its branch network by 11, bringing the total number down to 177.

“Further cuts in the network are scheduled in 2013,” BoC said.

BoC said the latest departures will cut staff down to 2,650 from 3,077 at the beginning of 2012.

The bank’s current payroll is €110 million per year.

Beyond the losses from a write-down to Greek sovereign debt, in the past year, BoC has also suffered from everincreasing provisions for bad debts due its exposure to the neighbouring country’s economy.

The lender said it has managed to cut its Greek loan portfolio by €500 million since June 2012, while deposits rose by about a billion “contributing thus to a significant increase in the group’s cash flow”.

In September last year, BoC said it had around €10 billion in loans in Greece.

BoC requested state assistance to the tune of €500 million late in June last year after failing to raise the necessary capital to meet a regulatory shortfall.

Christofias on results of EU presidency PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias will present the results of the first Cyprus EU presidency before the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.

Amongst the highlights Christofias will mention are the agreement reached within the Council, during the extraordinary ECOFIN meeting in December, on the Single Supervisory Mechanism to oversee credit institutions and the agreement with the European Parliament on the EU budget for 2013 and supplementary budgets for 2012.

President Christofias will also refer to the agreement on the Unitary Patent, which was achieved during the Cyprus presidency after 40 years of negotiations in the EU. As regards trade with third countries, the president will stress the Council conclusions on the launch of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Japan which, when agreed, is expected to create thousands of new jobs.

Free clothes for all ages for those in need THANKS to the kind contribution of individuals, organisations, and companies, second-hand clothes are now available for anyone who needs them. The clothes can be collected from the Future World Centre premises between 10am-4pm every day.

The Future World Centre have announced they have clothes for children of all ages (newborn to teenagers), men and women. The Centre can be found at Promitheos Street 5, floor 1, central Nicosia.

For more information on availability of clothes call 22873820.

Officials arrive for Pimco talks

By George Psyllides MEMBERS of a steering committee tasked with overseeing the due diligence on bank portfolios were expected on the island yesterday to iron out differences with Cypriot authorities over the methodology used.

The due diligence will determine the capital needs of the financial sector in line with a preliminary bailout agreement.

The results of the review, carried out by US-based investment management firm Pimco, are expected on Friday.

“The members of the steering committee will be in Cyprus to discuss some elements of Pimco’s methodology for which there is disagreement,” Central Bank spokeswoman Aliki Stylianou said yesterday.

The steering committee includes representatives from Cyprus, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the European Banking Authority, the European Stability Mechanism and the IMF, as an observer.

Preliminary reports suggest banks will need anything be-

tween €7.3 billion and €10 billion.

Under the worst-case scenario, an assessment Cyprus hopes to avoid, the total bill for a bailout could rise to €17 billion.

A potential rescue bill of €17 billion, roughly equivalent to its entire economic output, has deepened concerns among EU partners about Cyprus’ debts, and some doubt it would be able to repay the aid without more concessions from lenders.

With fiscal needs, that would push Cyprus’ eventual debt burden to 140 per cent of

GDP. An unsustainable debt would almost certainly mean more austerity that will inevitably include privatisations.

There has also been talk of a write-down or hair-cut of Cypriot debt but economists say a debt restructuring would be futile in Cyprus’ case as the majority of its debt is held by the domestic banks a bailout would be aimed at saving.

European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn was quoted as saying on Friday that a ‘haircut’ was not under consideration

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

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Middle East

Swiss hold Mubarak millions as Egypt remains turbulent

Months after spat, Turkey, S&P fail on ratings deal

SWITZERLAND has said it will delay the return of millions of dollars of assets linked to deposed Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak while it evaluates the institutions requesting the money.

Swiss authorities have frozen about $700 million in assets connected to Mubarak and his entourage. Since Mubarak was toppled in February 2011, Egypt’s new rulers have made three formal requests to Switzerland for judicial assistance to recover the money.

The attorney general’s office said it has reviewed some 140 different accounts in the course of its analysis, which would be completed at the end of January, when it would decide what to do next.

After the Arab uprisings began in early 2011, Switzerland blocked funds stashed in its banks linked to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, former Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as money linked to Mubarak.

“The attorney general has asked the relevant Swiss authorities, namely the Federal Office of Justice, for an analysis of the situation of the institutions in Egypt,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.

“Based on this analysis, the attorney general will decide how to proceed in the legal assistance and criminal proceedings continue.”

The office did not give details of which institutions it was analysing, or why.

Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, elected in June, provoked criticism from opponents that he was ruling in the same autocratic way Mubarak had for 30 years when he awarded himself sweeping powers in November to push through a new constitution.

The text, which Mursi fasttracked through parliament and a national referendum, was fiercely opposed by many of the liberals, secularists and leftists who had helped to topple Mubarak, and has prompted often violent protests on the streets of Cairo.

STANDARD & Poor’s said yesterday it would no longer offer a full rating service for Turkey, ditching much of its work with the economically booming country eight months after a spat over a negative report.

The credit ratings agency said it had failed to reach a deal with Turkey and would in future only issue an “unsolicited” assessment - meaning it is not paid by the country to provide cover but does so anyway to meet investors’ needs.

More broadly, it also said that as of February 14 it would withdraw all its ratings on individual Turkish debt, leaving only the rating on the sovereign’s overall credit-worthiness.

Turkey’s Treasury played down the move, noting it had reached deals with S&P’s competitors Fitch and Moody’s and did not expect the lack of a deal with S&P to affect markets.

The country responded angrily last May when S&P cut the outlook on its ‘BB’ sovereign credit rating to stable from positive.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan warned Ankara may no longer “recognise” the agency, calling its decision “ideological”.

“We are converting our issuer credit ratings on Turkey to “unsolicited” as we no longer have a rating agreement with this sovereign,” S&P said in a statement.

“We will nonetheless continue to rate Turkey on an unsolicited basis because we believe that we have access to sufficient public information of reliable quality to support our analysis .... and because we believe there is significant market interest in this unsolicited rating.”

S&P rates Turkey at BB, two rungs below investment grade. Fitch has raised it to investment grade at BBBand Moody’s just below investment grade at Ba1.

S&P says that less than 10 per cent of its sovereign ratings are “unsolicited”, but these do include the United States and Britain.

Palestinian youths inspect olive trees after they were cut by Israeli settlers from the nearby Esh Kodesh settlement on January 10, 2013 in the village of Qusra, in the Israeli occupied West Bank (AFP)

Settlers sure Israel to swing right in election

By Maayan Lubell ENTRENCHED in what they view as their Biblical heartland, the hardline Jewish settlers of Hebron look forward with delight to next week’s Israeli election.

Opinion polls forecast Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, already at odds with the world over Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, will easily win a third term in office, with coalition partners who could push him further to the right.

The pro-settler Bayit Yehudi, a natural ally of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, is forecast to be the third largest faction in parliament. Two Bayit Yehudi candidates - Hebron settlers - have a real chance of winning legislative seats.

“The feeling is good,” said Hebron settler Anat Cohen.

“It is clear that the people of Israel want a national government, a Jewish government that wants the land of Israel

Polls predict Netanyahu will easily win third term in office with Judea and Samaria,” she said, using the Biblical name for the West Bank.

Hebron, divided by a 1997 interim peace deal, is home to 200,000 Palestinians and 800 Jews, who live in a closely-guarded enclave and are among the most ideologically driven of the 500,000 settlers on land Palestinians want for a state.

Settlement projects on land Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War are considered illegal by most world powers, which frequently criticise them as an obstacle to peace.

Settler Haim Bleicher, 30, said Israelis no longer believe there is a chance for peace with the Palestinians.

“There is a sobering-up from the illusion of peace agreements and there is more faith among the people, who believe

more and are getting closer to the Torah, to the Bible,” said Bleicher, who has lived in Hebron all his life.

“This change finds its expression in politics too,” he said as the Muslim call to prayer carried over the valley from a nearby mosque.

Few Israelis doubt that Netanyahu will win the Jan. 22 election. Polls show Likud, merged with former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu, is set to be the biggest party with about 34 of parliament’s 120 seats.

That should be enough for Netanyahu to put together a right-wing coalition bloc to govern the country.

He has already announced settlement expansion plans that include, for the first time, construction in the E1 area near Jerusalem that could

split the West Bank and further dim prospects for a twostate solution to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict.

“The people of Israel are marching with a clear, definite majority toward a wide land, a right-wing state with a Jewish, national, character and we believe that this is the beginning of the complete redemption,” Cohen said. “This gives us resolve in facing our enemies.”

Just two months ago, prosettler hardliners swept the primaries in an internal Likud vote that tossed out some of Netanyahu’s closest allies, seen by some party members as lagging in their support of settlements.

One Likud candidate likely to win a Knesset seat is Moshe Feiglin, a far-right settler who has twice challenged Netanyahu for leadership of the party and is now number 23 on its list of parliamentary candidates. Feiglin has advocated Israeli annexation of the West Bank and provision of financial inducements to encourage Palestinians to leave.

‘Syria war swathes region in staggering crisis’

$700m in assets connected to Mubarak (pictured) have been frozen

SYRIA’S civil war is unleashing a “staggering humanitarian crisis” on the Middle East as hundreds of thousands of refugees flee violence including gang rape, an international aid agency said yesterday.

Opposition activists said an air strike on rebel-held territory southwest of Damascus killed 20 people, including women and children, adding to the more than 60,000 people estimated to have been killed in the 21-month-old conflict.

Over 600,000 Syrians have fled abroad many to neighbouring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan - as violence has spread and international efforts to find a po-

litical solution have sagged.

Refugees interviewed by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) cited sexual violence as a major reason they fled the country, the New York-based organisation said in a 23-page report on the crisis published yesterday.

Gang rapes often happened in front of family members and women had been kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed, it said.

“After decades of working in war and disaster zones, the IRC knows that women and girls suffer physical and sexual violence in every conflict. Syria is no exception,” the group added.

Rebels and government forces have

both been accused of human rights abuses during the conflict, which began with peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.

The unrest turned violent after government forces fired on protesters and has since become a full-scale civil war.

Fierce winter weather has worsened the plight of hundreds of thousands of refugees. The IRC urged donors to step up planning and funding in the expectation that more Syrians will flee.

“Nearly two years into Syria’s civil war, the region faces a staggering humanitarian disaster,” the IRC report said.

SEE COMMENT PAGE 13

A boy plays with a balloon in a Syrian refugees camp in Azaz (AFP)

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

9

Britain BRITAIN TODAY Pensions shake up plan ‘fair’ PLANS for a radical shake-up of state pensions are “fair”, Prime Minister David Cameron insisted yesterday.

The Coalition’s proposals include a single flat-rate state pension, equivalent to around £144 in today’s money, to be introduced for new pensioners from 2017 in a bid to simplify the system.

But the plans have been described by critics as little more than a “con trick” which could affect a hard-fought deal on public sector pensions.

Appearing on ITV’s Daybreak, Cameron said: “This will help a lot of women and a lot of lower paid workers who otherwise wouldn’t get a decent state pension.

“We’re going to have later retirement ages as we’re all living longer ... I think it’s fair to ask people to work a bit longer as we are all living longer.”

Bridger likely to have killed April FORMER lifeguard Mark Bridger is “probably responsible” for the death of five-year-old April Jones but denies her abduction and murder, a court heard yesterday.

Bridger, of Mount Pleasant farmhouse in the village of Ceinws, near Machynlleth, will stand trial later this year accused of murdering April, who went missing in mid Wales on the evening of October 1. Bridger was arrested the following day, but the search for April’s body goes on.

Bridger entered not guilty pleas to abduction, murder and perverting the course of justice at Mold Crown Court.

But Brendan Kelly, defending, told the court his client’s defence involves him “conceding that he probably killed the child”.

Poem to air A POEM containing a torrent of swear words which sparked outrage 25 years ago is being broadcast on Radio 4 after being recorded in Leeds.

Dramatist Tony Harrison penned “V” in 1985, after discovering football hooligans had desecrated his parents’ gravestones in the Beeston area of the city with obscene graffiti.

Date fixed for PM’s speech on UK-EU relations Long-awaited address to be made on Friday DAVID Cameron is to make his long-awaited speech on Britain’s future relations with the European Union in the Netherlands on Friday.

The Prime Minister had previously been expected to wait until next week to make the address, in which he is likely to set out plans for a referendum on a new settlement with Brussels after the next general election in 2015.

The announcement of the date of the speech was made on the No. 10 Twitter feed.

Cameron will meet Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte for talks during his visit to Holland, but Rutte is not expected to attend the speech.

The Prime Minister’s audience will be made up of business people, EU diplomats and other interested parties, Downing Street said.

It had previously been thought Cameron was planning to make his speech on January 22, though this date was never officially confirmed.

Reports yesterday suggested the plan had to be changed to avoid clashing

with German and French celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Elysee Treaty which formally established reconciliation between the two countries following the Second World War.

LOCATION QUERIED Asked why Cameron had chosen to make a speech on his approach to Britain’s future relations with Europe in the Netherlands, his official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister wants to set out his views on the future of the European Union, how it needs to develop and how Britain’s relationship with it needs to develop.

“I think giving the speech in a founding member of the European Union, a country that has - not dissimilar to the UK - a strong globaltrading, outward-looking history, is entirely appropriate.

He sees it as important to set out his view about it being in the British national interest to remain in the EU but with a changed relationship.”

The spokesman declined

to say whether Cameron thought the Dutch prime minister would back his stance, saying: “It is for the Dutch government to set out their views.”

Earlier, Cameron made clear that any referendum should take place only after Britain’s relationship with the EU had “fundamentally” changed.

The Prime Minister dismissed the idea of an immediate in/out referendum, insisting that would be putting a “false choice” in front of voters.

But he said he was “not against a referendum” altogether and was in favour of one “in some cases”.

“The principle, I think, should be this: if you are fundamentally changing the relationship between Britain and Europe, then you should be having a referendum,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Asked whether it should be a straightforward question of in or out, Cameron said he would set out more detail in his highly-anticipated speech on the subject in the

Prime Minister Cameron (R) has dismissed the idea of an immediate in/out referendum on EU membership Netherlands.

“You will have to wait for the speech for the full details but obviously I want to give people a proper choice,” he said.

“What I don’t favour, I think if we had an in/out referendum tomorrow or very shortly I don’t think that would be the right answer, for the sim-

ple reason I think we would be giving people a false choice, because right now there are a lot of people who are saying I would like to be in Europe but I’m not happy with every aspect of the relationship so I want to change.

“That is my view, so I think an in/out referendum is a false choice.”

Cambridges’ royal baby due in July Snow warning issued THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s summer baby is due in July, St James’ Palace confirmed yesterday.

Kate, who was treated in hospital last month for severe morning sickness, is continuing to feel better as she enters the second trimester of her pregnancy.

The Duchess is believed to be around 13 to 14 weeks pregnant and confirmation of the birth month means it is likely she has now had her 12-week scan and the pregnancy is progressing well.

Although St James’ Palace declined to confirm the exact due date, Kate looks set to give birth to the future King or Queen in mid July.

“Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July,” a St James’ Palace spokesman said.

“The Duchess’s condition continues to improve since her stay in hospital last month.”

If the royal baby arrives early, he or she could share a birthday with William’s mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who was born

Contrary to rumour, the royal couple are expecting only one baby, not twins on July 1.

The brief update comes at a time when William and Kate had most likely intended to announce the pregnancy.

The news was revealed earlier than planned on December 3 after Kate was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes severe vomiting during pregnancy.

St James’ Palace confirmed that Kate is expecting just one baby.

There had been speculation that she might be carrying twins as hyperemesis gravidarum is more often experienced by women expecting twins.

The condition is also most common in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and often eases off in the middle trimester.

At the start of the second trimester, the baby’s fingers and toes have separated and its nails are beginning to form. Some babies even start sucking their thumbs.

Kate was last seen in public on Friday when she visited the National Portrait Gallery in London with William for the unveiling of her first official portrait.

She looked well and smiled during the brief appearance.

A spokesman for the couple said they were unlikely to undertake any engagements in the next few weeks as William would be concentrating on his flying with the RAF Search and Rescue Force.

He added that Kate was likely to return to engagements “in the near future”.

SNOW hit parts of England yesterday with up to 4in (10cm) expected to fall in some areas, prompting fears of travel chaos.

The first wave of snow dusted eastern England, with a second heavier band expected to move south and east across the country later.

The Met Office upgraded its “cold weather action” warning to level three - one underneath a national emergency - for all of England, urging social and healthcare services to target specific actions at high-risk groups.

It said: “This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.”

A number of yellow and amber warnings are also in place across the country to highlight the hazardous conditions and likelihood of disruption to travel services caused by the ice, snow and freezing temperatures.

The heaviest snow of up to 4in (10cm) will fall in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and east Anglia, while central England will widely see up to 2in (5cm) with temperatures hovering around 1C (33.8F).

Matt Dobson, senior forecaster for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: “We have two bands of snow to worry about today. The first is over south east England and East Anglia this morning but it is coming down quite slowly and it’s light.

“There is another band of rain, sleet and snow, moving out of eastern Scotland across north west England and Wales and moving south east all the time.

“If you draw a line from Manchester to London, south and west of the line there will be mainly rain and sleet.

North and east of that line it will fall mainly as sleet and snow.

“Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and East Anglia, they are going to get the worst.”

Temperatures were expected to rise to up to 8C (46F) in the west of England and Wales but struggle to rise above zero in the rest of the country.

‘Rioters are the enemies of democracy,’ says Northern Ireland First Minister RIOTERS are the enemies of democracy, Northern Ireland’s First Minister said yesterday.

Peter Robinson also claimed the Union flag dispute was being exploited by elements seeking to destroy the peace process.

The DUP leader said: “This issue will never be solved on the streets but only through

democratic means. You do not respect a Union flag if you are using it as a weapon to charge against someone. You are not showing respect for the Union flag if you need to wear a mask when carrying it.

“For many the issue of the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Council is now a cynical cover for the real political agenda which

is to destroy the political process.”

The debate at Stormont comes after another weekend of disturbances in different parts of Northern Ireland.

Civil unrest has blighted sections of the country for the past six weeks since Belfast City Council voted to restrict the number of days it flies the Union flag over

the City Hall.

On Saturday, 29 police officers were injured when trouble erupted between loyalists and nationalists at an east Belfast interface.

There was also violence in areas of Co Antrim on Friday night.

Robinson urged those engaged in the violence to desist immediately.

Tuesday, January 15, 2012 CYPRUS MAIL

10

World

‘Possible crimes against humanity in N.Korea’ U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay called yesterday for an international investigation into what she said may be crimes against humanity in North Korea, including torture and executions of political prisoners held in shadowy camps.

She voiced regret there had been no improvement since Kim Jong-un took power a year ago, succeeding his late father, and said it was time for world powers to help bring about change for the “beleaguered, subjugated population” after decades of abuse.

“Because of the enduring gravity of the situation, I believe an in-depth inquiry into one of the worst - but least understood and reported - human rights situations in the world is not only fully justified, but long overdue,” Pillay said in a rare statement on North Korea.

The reclusive country’s network of political prison camps are believed to contain 200,000 people or more and have been the scene of rampant violations, including rapes, torture, executions

and slave labour, according to Pillay, a former judge at the International Criminal Court.

These “may amount to crimes against humanity”, she said.

Living conditions in the camps are reported to be “atrocious” with insufficient food, little or no medical care and inadequate clothing for inmates, she said.

“The death penalty seems to be often applied for minor offences and after wholly inadequate judicial processes, or sometimes without any judicial process at all,” Pillay said.

“People who try to escape and are either caught or sent back face terrible reprisals, including execution, torture and incarceration, often with their entire extended family.”

Pillay regretted that international concerns over North Korea’s nuclear programme and rocket launches were overshadowing “the deplorable human rights situation in the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) which, in one

way or another, affects almost the entire population and has no parallel anywhere else in the world”.

Ri Jang Gon, deputy ambassador at North Korea’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva, categorically dismissed the allegations. “We totally reject the news release. Our country doesn’t have such kind of crimes,” Ri told Reuters.

Instead, Pillay should examine the record of the “king of human rights abuses, the United States”, he said.

North Korea has long argued that, hemmed in by a hostile United States and its allies, Japan and South Korea, it has no choice but to build up a powerful defence. Pyongyang is under UN sanctions for conducting nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

Kim, the third generation of a ruling dynasty, is the youthful new leader of the destitute country and he has overturned the austere image of his father, cheerfully riding a rollercoaster in an outdoor theme park.

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay voiced regret there had been no improvement since North Korea’s youthful new leader Kim Jong-un (pictured) took power

Pakistan threatened over deaths in Kashmir

Millions take to Ganges in largest sacred festival

INDIA’S army chief threatened to retaliate against Pakistan for the killing of two soldiers in fighting near the border of the disputed region of Kashmir, saying he had asked his commanders there to be aggressive in the face of provocation.

General Bikram Singh’s remarks come amid mounting public anger in India after Delhi accused Pakistani soldiers of slitting the throat of one of the soldiers and decapitating him.

Despite each side blaming the other for the worst outbreak of violence in the area since a ceasefire was agreed nine years ago, analysts said a breakdown in ties was highly unlikely.

The two nations have fought three wars, two over Kashmir, since independence in 1947 and are now both nuclear-armed.

Calling the beheading of the soldier “gruesome”, Singh told a news conference: “We reserve the right to retaliate at a time and place of our choosing.”

Singh said the Indian army would honour the ceasefire in Kashmir, so long as Pakistan did, but would respond immediately to any violation of the truce.

“I expect all my commanders at the Line of Control to be both aggressive and offensive in the face of provocation and fire,” he said.

Last week’s fighting in the Himalayan region both nations claim comes at a time when the two sides have made some progress in repairing ties, notably by opening trade links.

Both armies have lost two soldiers each in the fighting along parts of the 740-km (460-mile) de facto border this month.

Singh’s remarks came hours before local commanders met at a crossing point on the ceasefire line for the first time since the fighting erupted to try and reduce tensions. Both sides lodged protests, accusing each other of ceasefire violations.

Bid to wash away sins of past lives in icy plunge

By Frank Jack Daniel UPWARDS of a million elated Hindu holy men and pilgrims took a bracing plunge in India’s sacred Ganges river to wash away lifetimes of sins yesterday, in a raucous start to an ever-growing religious gathering that is already the world’s largest.

Once every 12 years, tens of millions of pilgrims stream to the small northern city of Allahabad from across India for the Maha Kumbh Mela, or Grand Pitcher Festival, at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet with a third, mythical river.

Officials believe that over the next two months as many as 100 million people will pass through the temporary city that covers an area larger than Athens on a wide sandy river bank. That would make it larger even than previous festivals.

After a slow start, police chief Alok Sharma said 1.5 million people had gathered by 8am (0230 GMT) yesterday, with more on their way.

Two dreadlocked men rid-

Sadhus or holy men run into the confluence of the the Yamuna and Ganges rivers during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad yesterday (AFP) ing horses emerged from thick camp smoke before dawn, followed by a crowd of ash-smeared and naked holy men, or sadhus, one incongruously wearing a suit jacket. At exactly five minutes past six (0035 GMT), they yelled and dashed dancing into the river.

That the ancient festival grows in size each time it is held partly reflects India’s expanding population, but is also seen as evidence that spiritual life is thriving alongside the new-found affluence of a growing middle class.

The ritual “Royal Bath” was timed to match an auspicious

planetary alignment, when believers say spiritual energy flows to earth.

“I wash away all my sins, from this life and before,” said wandering ascetic Swami Shankranand Saraswati, 77, shivering naked in the cold. He said he gave up a career as a senior civil serv-

ant 40 years ago to become a holy man, travelled on foot and for decades ate only nuts and fruit.

The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the god Vishnu wrested from demons a golden pot containing the nectar of immortality.

In a 12-day fight for possession, four drops fell to earth, in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujain and Nasik. Every three years a Kumbh Mela is held at one of these spots, with the festival at Allahabad the holiest of them all.

More than 2,000 years old, the festival is a meeting point for the Hindu sadhus, some who live in forests or Himalayan caves, and who belong to dozens of inter-related congregations. The sects have their own administration and elect leaders, but are also known for violent clashes with each other.

Some naked, some wrapped in saffron or leopard-print cloth and smoking cannabis pipes, the holy men hold court by fire pits in sprawling camps decorated with coloured neon lights, where they are visited by pilgrims who proffer alms and get blessings.

Despite their asceticism, the sects, known as akharas, are moving with the times.

Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji, who leads one of the main groups, has a Facebook page.

Some gurus advertise on billboards and posters to attract followers, others drive trucks and chat on cellphones.

Chinese media urge government to tackle dangerous air pollution

A woman wears a face mask in Beijing on Sunday

CHINESE media said yesterday the government had to take urgent action to tackle air pollution, which has blanketed parts of the country at dangerous levels in recent days, and one newspaper called for a re-think of a “fixation” on economic growth.

China’s media are under tight Communist Party control and usually steer clear of controversy, but news organisations are more free to report on pollution, partly because it can’t be hidden from the public.

Air quality in Beijing was far above

hazardous levels over the weekend, reaching 755 on an index that measures particulate matter in the air with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres. A level of 300 is considered dangerous while the World Health Organisation recommends a daily level of no more than 20.

“How can we get out of this suffocating siege of pollution?” the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, said in a front-page editorial.

“Let us clearly view managing environmental pollution with a sense of urgency.”

A thick smog shrouded the capital on the weekend, cutting visibility and sending many people out to buy face masks in a bid to protect themselves.

It was the worst recorded air pollution in the capital, according to Zhou Rong, climate and energy campaigner at Green peace.

Yesterday was again gloomy but the pollution index stood at 321 in the afternoon, according to widely followed data collected by the US Embassy from its own measuring device.

SEE PAGE 15

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2012

11

World

France plans to increase troops in Mali to 2,500

WORLD TODAY Second French commando dead - rebels A SECOND French commando has died from wounds suffered during a failed attempt to rescue a French agent in Somalia, held hostage by al Shabaab since 2009, the al Qaeda-affiliated militant group said yesterday.

Al Shabaab said the French commando had died in their custody and posted photos of what it said was his body on the Internet, according to the SITE monitoring service.

The insurgent group also said it had made a decision on the fate of hostage Denis Allex and that a message conveying its verdict would be forthcoming. France says it believes Allex was killed during the rescue operation.

The militants put up fierce resistance when French special forces went into southern Somalia by helicopter under the cover of darkness on Saturday to try to free Allex.

There was some confusion over the exact outcome of the mission, with the French government saying at one point that one commando had died and the other gone missing, and later saying that both appeared to be dead.

Rebels counter-attack, vow protracted war

Strasser jailed FORMER Austrian Interior Minister and European lawmaker Ernst Strasser was sentenced to four years in jail for bribery yesterday in a case that prosecutors said undermined trust in European and Austrian institutions.

Strasser had faced up to 10 years in prison after being caught on camera offering to propose amendments to European legislation in exchange for 100,000 euros ($133,500) a year.

“There have been few people in the ... republic who have damaged Austria’s image as much as you have,” Judge Georg Olschak told a stonyfaced Strasser, 56.

Obama warning PRESIDENT Barack Obama warned Congress yesterday that a refusal to raise the US debt ceiling next month would trigger economic chaos.

Obama said the US economy was poised for a good year as long as Washington politics did not interfere.

He said a Republican refusal to lift the debt ceiling could lead the United States into a debt default, which would prevent the US government from being able to provide Social Security benefits to some seniors and possibly tip the economy into recession.

A French soldier leaves a hangar at the Malian army air base in Bamako yesterday

FRANCE plans to increase its troops in Mali to 2,500 in the days ahead and is working to speed up the deployment of West African troops for a campaign against Islamist rebels, the government said yesterday.

A defence ministry spokesman told Reuters troops would be sent to bolster the 600 already deployed.

Al Qaeda-linked Islamist rebels launched a counteroffensive in Mali yesterday after four days of French air strikes on their northern strongholds, seizing the central town of Diabaly and promising to drag France into a brutal Afghanistanstyle war.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said EU foreign ministers would meet this week to try to accelerate the arrival of a training mission for the Malian army.

An EU diplomat in Brussels said the meeting was likely to take place on Thursday.

“International political backing is almost unanimous,” Fabius told a news conference, saying Paris had been assured of the full backing of its partners including logistical support.

“France will not be alone in this mission,” he said.

He said that preparations were being stepped up for a West African force initially planned for around September which should include some 600 soldiers from Nigeria, around 500 each from Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo and Senegal and 300 from Benin.

Britain has supplied two cargo planes for France’s use and Fabius said Germany was offering medical, humanitarian and logistical support.

The United States has offered help with transport, communications and intelligence while Belgium and Denmark were also helping with transport.

MEETING WITH EU Fabius said he had spoken to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton who told him an exceptional meeting would be held this week to discuss the situation in Mali.

“We will take decisions allowing the acceleration of the deployment of the European advice and training mission for the Mali army,” he said.

France, which has poured hundreds of troops into the capital Bamako in recent days, carried out more air raids yesterday in the vast desert area seized last year

by an Islamist alliance grouping al Qaeda’s north African wing AQIM alongside Mali’s home-grown MUJWA and Ansar Dine militant groups.

“France has opened the gates of hell for all the French,” a spokesman for MUJWA, Oumar Ould Hamaha, told Europe 1 radio. “She has fallen into a trap which is much more dangerous than Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia.”

Paris is determined to shatter Islamist domination of northern Mali, which many fear could become a launchpad for terrorism attacks on the West and a base for coordination with al Qaeda in Yemen, Somalia and North Africa.

MUJWA, which has imposed strict sharia law in its northern fiefdom of Gao, promised France would pay for air strikes on the city.

Dozens of its fighters died on Sunday when rockets hit a fuel depot and a customs house being used as a headquarters.

Launching a counter-attack far to the southwest of recent fighting, Islamists dislodged government forces from the town of Diabaly, just 350 km (220 miles) northeast of Bamako.

Berlusconi sex trial to go ahead JUDGES in Milan rejected a request by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi yesterday to halt his sex trial until after a national election next month, but allowed the key witness to avoid giving testimony in open court.

The three judges dismissed his lawyers’ argument that his commitments as head of the centre-right coalition in the February 24-25 election meant he would not have time to attend the trial.

Berlusconi is charged with paying for sex with a minor, and denies all charges. The trial’s last session is currently scheduled for February 4, meaning that a verdict could come before the election.

The nightclub dancer at the centre of the case, 20 year-old Moroccan Karima El Mahroug, more widely known under her stage name “Ruby the Heartstealer”, made a brief appearance in court, wearing a white mini-skirt and looking relaxed and smiling.

She left shortly afterwards when Judge Giulia Turri said that statements already

given to magistrates would be sufficient evidence and she would not have to testify in open court.

With the election campaign now under way, the hearing has revived memories of the “Bunga Bunga” sex scandal that hung over Berlusconi’s last months in office before he resigned in Nov. 2011 at the height of the euro zone debt crisis.

The 76-year-old media billionaire is accused of paying for sex with Mahroug when she was under the age of 18, a crime in Italy, and abusing his office to have her released from police custody in a separate theft incident.

The former runaway is alleged to have been one of the main participants in a series of parties at Berlusconi’s villa near Milan, where several young women have given accounts of lurid striptease shows.

Mahroug had been due to testify in December but failed to show up, telling her lawyer she was on holiday in Mexico. The prosecution alleged this was a ploy to try to delay a verdict.

Moroccan-born Karima El Mahroug (left) arrives to testify at Milan’s court yesterday (AFP)

Gun attack on PM’s party HQ as Greek violence escalates UNIDENTIFIED attackers opened fire on the Athens headquarters of Greece’s governing New Democracy party with a Kalashnikov assault rifle early yesterday, in what the government said was a worrying escalation in political violence.

Police said a bullet pierced the window of the office that conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras maintains in the building near the city centre, but no one was hurt.

The early morning gun assault fol-

lows a spate of makeshift bomb attacks against journalists and political figures in the past week, some claimed by leftist groups angry at Greece’s deep financial crisis.

Greece is in the sixth year of a recession that has fuelled anger against foreign lenders and the political class, blamed by Greeks for bringing the country close to bankruptcy.

Addressing supporters outside his party office on Syngrou Avenue late yesterday, Samaras con-

demned the shooting.

“You can shoot a person or at a building, as they did, but you cannot shoot democracy,” he said. “Let them hear it then, those who must: Democracy will not be terrorised.”

Political violence is not uncommon in Greece, but deadly attacks are rare.

Officials said Samaras no longer uses his office on Syngrou Avenue and was not present at the time of the shooting.

“At about 3am (0100 GMT), guards saw two men coming out of a black car and firing with a Kalashnikov at the building, which was empty at the time,” said a police official speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said at least nine bullet casings were recovered from the scene and police were examining a burnt-out car found a few kilometres (miles) away. Anti-terrorism police cordoned off the area and were checking security cameras near the party building.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

12

Business TNT slumps as UPS pulls back bid

Firm banks and miners help keep FTSE steady

UPS is dropping its $7-billion bid for Dutch delivery firm TNT Express after European anti-trust regulators said they would veto it, leaving TNT’s future in doubt and almost halving the value of its shares.

Shares in US-based United Parcel Service Inc gained 1.2 per cent yesterday after the world leader in the sector said in a statement that European Union officials told it the EU executive Commission would veto the deal. An EU source confirmed that and said the decision could be made public as early as next week.

UPS wanted to buy the smaller firm for its European network and assets in fast-growing Asia and Latin America. While the collapse of the 5.2-billioneuro takeover means a rethink at UPS, the impact is far greater on TNT, which is struggling in a weak European market and lacks a strategy for developing on its own after nearly a year of negotiations on the merger.

Investors wiped nearly 2 billion euros off its value as the share price dived 42 per cent to 4.750 euros.

The two companies offered to sell some operations to ease concerns about competition in Europe, where rivals FedEx Corp and DHL had lobbied the Commission to block the deal, a banking source said. But UPS and TNT failed to find buyers and planned asset sales were not enough to satisfy EU officials.

“It’s more than a minor setback” for UPS, said Kurt Hoefer, research analyst at portfolio manager Golub Group in San Mateo, California, which holds UPS shares. “It would have been a nice addition to have TNT’s domestic routes as part of the UPS system.”

FTSE 100 index up 0.1 per cent as technical factors hold sway

By Jon Hopkins STRENGTH in heavyweight banks and mining stocks helped support Britain’s top shares yesterday as the leading index consolidated above levels where investors have previously sought to sell.

At 1145 GMT, the FTSE 100 index was up 5.35 points, or 0.1 per cent at 6,126.93, close to four-and-a-half year highs, having gained over 2 per cent since the start of 2013.

“The implication of this price action is that the resistance band which formed in 2010/11 (when the FTSE topped out at 6,105) is not only being tested but appears to be giving way,” Bill McNamara, technical analyst at Charles Stanley said.

“However, before we can assert with confidence that a break to the upside is underway we are going to need to see a decisive move through 6,150 or so ... A drop back through 6,050 or so would look fairly bearish,” McNamara added.

Banks were among the top performers, led by Lloyds Banking Group up 2.4 per cent, with the sector under the earnings spotlight this week as peers JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs will report fourth quarter results.

Upbeat comments from a

Workers speak above an electronic information board, located at the London Stock Exchange in the City of London on January 2, 2013 top Federal Reserve official also helped support the market, with US stocks futures indicating modest gains from Wall Street too yesterday.

Chicago Fed president Charles Evans said the US central bank’s decision last year to tie monetary policy to specific economic conditions should help boost the recovery without letting inflation take hold.

Given Evans’ comments, investors were looking to a speech to be given yesterday

by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for further clues to the longer term bias of US mon-

Rates

Buying Selling Pound St

0.8336 0.8254

US Dollar

1.3457 1.3323

Australian $

1.2835 1.2519

Canadian Dol.

1.3338 1.3008

Swiss Fr

1.2291 1.2145

Denmark Kr

7.5554 7.3688 120.6144 119.1756

Norwegian Kr

7.4738 7.2892

Polish Zloty

4.1649

4.0621

Romanian Leu 4.4740 4.2986 Russian Ruble 41.0579 40.0441 Swedish Kr

the main prop for the market, supported by a firmer copper price after recent upbeat trade data from top metals consumer China, with the focus also on China’s economic output data due at the end of the week.

Eurasian Natural Resources was the top blue chip gainer, up 2.8 per cent, with the Kazakhstan-focussed miner also helped by an upgrade from Credit Suisse to “outperform” from “neutral”.

The top FTSE 100 faller was Associated British Foods , down 1.4 per cent as Nomura downgraded its stance for the

sugar producer to clothing retail group to “neutral” from “overweight” in a European consumer goods review.

AB Foods was one of the biggest traded blue chips at around half its 90-day daily average approaching midday, with overall FTSE 100 volume at less than a third of its daily average.

Accounting software firm Sage Group fell 1.2 per cent, with traders citing a rating to “underweight” from “equalweight” by Barclays, which cited concerns over increasing competition and the stock’s valuation.

‘Orders for iPhone 5 parts cut’

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

etary policy, especially after last week’s surprise disclosure of a three-way split on the Federal Open Market Committee over the duration of asset purchases.

“It would be a surprise if Bernanke were to defer to the more hawkish elements on the committee ... However, the Fed Chairman has gone on the record as arguing that monetary policy could well be reaching the limits of its effectiveness, in the absence of political action,” Nick DaleLace, Senior Sales Trader at CMC Markets UK said.

Gains by miners provided

8.7497 8.5337

Samsung has overtaken Apple, helped in part by the popularity of its Galaxy Note II phone-cum-tablet (above)

APPLE Inc has cut orders for LCD screens and other parts for the iPhone 5 this quarter due to weak demand, the Nikkei reported yesterday, in a further sign the U.S. firm is losing ground to Asian smartphone rivals.

Shares of the Cupertino, California-based company fell more than 4 per cent to $498.20 before the bell yesterday. They closed at $520.30 on Friday on the Nasdaq. The news also dragged shares of Apple suppliers such as Cirrus Logic Inc and Qualcomm Inc. Apple has asked Japan Display Inc, Sharp Corp and South Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd to roughly halve supplies of LCD panels from an initial plan for about 65 million screens in January-March, the Japanese daily said, citing people familiar with the situation, adding the US firm also cut orders for other iPhone components.

The move, if confirmed, would tally with analysts saying that sales of the new iPhone 5, which was released in September, have not been as strong as anticipated.

Apple was not immediately available for comment outside regular US business hours.

No one at Sharp was immediately available to comment yesterday - a national holiday in Japan - and parts suppliers to Apple in Taiwan declined to comment.

Apple has lost ground in the $200 billion plus global smartphone market to South Korean rival Samsung Electronics and smaller Chi-

nese rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek trimmed his iPhone shipment estimates for the JanuaryMarch quarter on December 14, saying the technology company had started cutting orders to suppliers to balance excess inventory.

Apple also cut its orders for memory chips for its new iPhone from its main supplier and competitor Samsung, Reuters reported in September, quoting sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

The company has been cutting back its orders from Samsung as it seeks to diversify its memory chip supply lines.

Samsung said yesterday that global sales of its flagship Galaxy S smartphones had topped 100 million since the first model was launched in May 2010. The Galaxy S3, launched last May, sold more than 40 million in seven months.

The new Galaxy S IV is widely expected to be released within months, and may have an unbreakable screen, full high-definition quality resolution boasting 440 pixels per inch, and a more powerful processor.

Samsung has overtaken Apple, helped in part by the popularity of its Galaxy Note II phone-cum-tablet, reinforcing the benefits of offering a wider range of handheld devices at most price points, while Apple rolled out just a single new smartphone last year globally, analysts have said.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

13

Opinion

Imperative to tackle damaging allegations of money laundering THE ALLEGATIONS of money laundering that have featured prominently in the German press recently and have been taken up by German politicians should not be ignored or dismissed lightly, because if they are not dealt with in an effective way, they could put at risk Cyprus’ future as an international financial centre.

It would be a grave error to allow the final memorandum of understanding to go for approval to the Bundestag, without these allegations having been proved unfounded. Responding with similar allegations against Germany, as some politicians have done, or claiming that Germany wants to take our Russian clients might satisfy local opinion, but it will not achieve anything.

We must recognise there is an unequal relationship between the two countries, as it is Cyprus that is seeking financial aid from Germany and not the other way round. It is therefore up to Cyprus to convince German politicians that their taxpayers’ money would not be used to assist money-laundering or tax evasion.

For this, we urgently need some kind of strategy. Last week’s meeting of a delegation of technocrats, headed by the finance minister, with EU ambassadors was a step in the right direction. The head of MOKAS, the anti-money laundering unit, explained all the measures that were being taken against money laundering to the ambassadors, while representatives of the Central Bank spoke of the checks being carried out on the banks.

The truth is that a lot more needs to be done because we have a reputation for money laundering, dating since the ’90s, when the Milosevic millions were being brought to Cyprus. The negative publicity Cyprus received from this and the subsequent trial at The Hague tribunal is still remembered. We may have passed all the anti-laundering legislation we had to in the meantime, and the authorities may be carrying out all the necessary checks, but the bad reputation has stuck.

This is why we need a broad strategy for countering the negative publicity and the reputation for money laundering. The government may need to seek the advice of international communications experts and employ the services of lobbyists in an effort to persuade opinion-formers in EU countries, particularly in Germany, that we have cleaned up our act, tightened legislation and exercised more stringent controls on banks.

It goes without saying that, before we promote this image, the authorities ensure the laws were being enforced and any pending bills were approved.

We would then be in a position to deny all the allegations and implement a strategy to rebuild the tarnished reputation that we have acquired since the ’90s.

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With no end in sight Syria focus is waning Comment Gwynne Dyer

T

he most frustrating part of covering the Lebanese civil war (1975-90) was that after a while there was nothing left to say. Syria is starting to feel just the same.

It’s horrible, but atrocities are a daily event in all civil wars.

It’s not going to stop any time soon, but you can only say that so many times before people get bored and move on.

Except for the people who actually live near Syria’s borders, the audience for “news” about Syria has already moved on.

Consider, for example, last week’s exhaustive study by the United Nations Human Rights Commission concluding that 60,000 Syrians have been killed in the civil war since March, 2011.

That’s considerably higher than the previous estimates of deaths in the war, which were running around 40,000, and the UNHRC hoped that this new number would finally galvanise the rest of the world into action, but it changed nothing.

The UNHRC’s interns worked hard at the job, tabulating and cross-referencing the names of the dead, but it didn’t have the desired effect.

It never does: all numbers bigger than a couple of dozen just translate as “many” in the average person’ imagination.

Last month’s “news” was that the Russians were on the brink of abandoning their Syrian ally, President Bashar al-Assad, which would surely bring about his rapid downfall.

“One must look the facts in the face,” said Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister and Middle Eastern envoy.

“Unfortunately, the victory of the Syrian opposition cannot be ruled out.”

The world’s media, desperate for a different angle on the story, tried to build a new narrative on that: the Russians will stop defending the Syrian regime, and the United Nations Security Council, no longer paralysed by a Russian veto, will authorise foreign intervention, and foreign troops (whose? don’t ask!) will go in and stop the fighting.

However, Bogdanov did not actually say that a rebel victory was desirable. On the contrary, he said that it would not happen for a long time, if ever, and that such a victory would ruin Syria.

Then the spokesman of the Russian foreign ministry, Alexander Lukashevich, announced that the media had simply misunderstood Bogdanov: “We have not changed our position, and we will not change it.”

Nobody else is going to change their position either, including all those Western governments that have no in-

The Western governments who protest Syria’s bloodshed will go on using the Russian veto as an excuse for inaction, reasoning that if they send their armies into that meat-grinder, some of their young soldiers woiuld die - maybe quite a lot of them tention whatever of committing their troops to the Syrian civil war, but use the Russian veto as an excuse for their inaction. You can’t blame them: if they sent their armies into that meat-grinder, some of their young soldiers would die.

Maybe quite a lot of them.

And so to a recent piece of theatre: a widely-touted speech in Damascus in which President al-Assad would propose a way to end the conflict peacefully.

He did no such thing, of course, instead declaring his eternal refusal to negotiate with the “terrorists” who are fighting his army. He will only talk to the “puppet-masters” (an unholy alliance, he claims, between Israel, Western gov-

ernments and al-Qaeda), not to the puppets.

Well, what did you expect?

He and his Alawite sect are convinced that they must go on ruling Syria or face destruction.

He’s not actually losing the war, either. Syrians are deeply divided by sect and ethnicity and class, and enough of those groups are on Assad’s side that he can probably hold out for a very long time. By the time he finally loses (or wins), perhaps years from now, Syria will indeed be ruined.

So why doesn’t everybody else “do something about it”?

Because what “everybody else” really means is “somebody else, but not me”. No government is going to order

‘(Dictatorial regimes) have unanimously and quite correctly concluded that their best chance of survival is to push the protesters into violence. In a civil war, everybody is in the wrong, and the side with the greatest ability to inflict violence (the regime) may win’

its soldiers to risk their lives in a military intervention abroad unless it has reasonable confidence that their sacrifice will not be futile. That assurance is simply not available to governments that might contemplate intervention in Syria.

It’s a quarter-century since the first dictatorial regimes were overthrown by non-violent revolutions, and the remaining ones have all had time to study the phenomenon.

They have unanimously and quite correctly concluded that their best chance of survival is to push the protesters into violence. In a civil war, everybody is in the wrong, and the side with the greatest ability to inflict violence (the regime) may win.

Some regimes, like the Communists in eastern Europe or the apartheid regime in South Africa, decided that they would not impose a civil war on the country even if the alternative was losing power.

Others, like the Egyptian regime two years ago, could not trust the army to fight a civil war on their behalf.

But the senior commanders of the Syrian army are almost all Alawites, and they were actually willing to fight a civil war rather than surrender power.

Now they have their war, and it will go on for a long time. By the end, there may not even be a unified Syrian state any more. And no outside force is going to stop it.

Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

14

Showbiz

Britney Spears calls off her engagement, quits X Factor

Bin Laden film Zero Dark Thirty tops box office

‘We will remain great friends’

By Lisa Richwine

By Jill Serjeant POP star Britney Spears has called it quits with both fiance Jason Trawick and as a celebrity judge on The X Factor talent show.

Spears, 31, and Trawick, 41 - her former agent - got engaged in December 2011.

“Jason and I have decided to call off our engagement,” Spears said in a statement.

“I’ll always adore him and we will remain great friends.”

The couple began dating in May 2010, following a turbulent few years in Spears’ personal and professional life in which she lost custody of her children, entered rehab and shaved off her hair.

Trawick added in a statement: “As this chapter ends for us a new one begins. I love and cherish her and her boys and we will be close forever.”

The wedding would have been the third for Spears. She divorced dancer Kevin Federline, with whom she had two children, in 2006.

The singer also spontaneously married childhood friend Jason Alexander during a trip to Las Vegas in 2004. That marriage lasted 55 hours before the singer annulled the union.

Spears and Trawick announced their split the same day that the Toxic singer confirmed she was leaving The X

Happier days: Britney Spears, 31, and Jason Trawick, 41 - her former agent - got engaged in December 2011 Factor after just one year as a judge on the Fox singing show, saying it was time to get back to making music.

“I had an incredible time doing the show and I love the other judges and I am so proud of my teens but it’s time for me to get back in the studio.

“Watching them all do their thing up on that stage every week made me miss performing so much! I can’t wait to get back out there and do what I

love most,” Spears said of her X Factor departure.

Spears’ most recent album, Femme Fatale, was released in March 2011.

Celebrity website TMZ. com reported on Friday that Spears was in talks about a long-term residency gig in Las Vegas. The gambling city is already host to stars like Celine Dion and Shania Twain, who perform under long term contracts.

Spears was recruited to The

X Factor with a reported $15 million salary after a 14-year singing career that made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 2000s.

But audiences slumped and the TV show lost about 3 million regular viewers from its first season. Many fans and TV critics found Spears bland and boring.

The exit of Spears leaves X Factor creator Simon Cowell searching for two new judges to lift his show past its NBC

rival, The Voice, in the ratings when it returns in September.

Judge and record producer L.A. Reid announced in December that he would be returning full time to his job as the head of Epic Records.

Spears took The X Factor gig with singer Demi Lovato, 20, in May 2012 to fill the judges’ seats left by Paula Abduland Nicole Scherzinger, who were both fired by Cowell a year ago.

Will.i.am on top as David Timberlake releases rare single Bowie returns to the charts

By Piya Sinha-Roy

U.S. producer will.i.am’s collaboration with Britney Spears topped the British pop charts on Sunday as David Bowie notched up his first top 10 single in two decades with his surprise new release.

Launched without warning on Bowie’s 66th birthday, the single Where Are We Now? caused widespread media interest, and charted in sixth place despite only having been available for five days.

It was his first new song in almost a decade and produced his best chart performance since 1986, when he reached number two with Absolute Beginners, the Official Charts Company said.

Topping the chart was Scream and Shout by will.i.am, featuring Britney Spears, giving her a first British number one since 2004.

US country-pop star Taylor Swift’s I Knew You Were Trouble moved up to second, with James Arthur, winner of the British version of the X Factor TV talent show last year, dropping from first to third with Impossible.

In the album chart, singer Emeli Sandé returned to number one with Our Version of Events, which has now spent 48 consecutive weeks in the Top 10.

Last week’s chart-topper 18 Months by Scottish producer and singer Calvin Harris dropped to second place, and English singer Jake Bugg rose a place to third with his eponymous album.

R&B star Rihanna climbed three to fourth with Unapologetic. The only new entry in the top 10 was the soundtrack from the Oscar-nominated film musical Les Miserables, which debuted in fifth.

POP star Justin Timberlake unveiled on Sunday his first single in more than five years, Suit & Tie, featuring rapper Jay Z and producer Timbaland and said a new album would be released later in 2013.

Timberlake, 31 and newly married to actress Jessica Biel, had teased his fans last week with a cryptic tweet saying “I think I am ready” and linking to a video showing him walk into a studio.

GRAMMY WINNER

Justin Timberlake unveiled his first single in five years

Timberlake, a six-time Grammy winner and former member of boy band N’Sync, took a break from music after his 2006 album Futuresex/Lovesounds and worked as an actor in movies such as The Social Network.

He said in an open letter on his website that the new album is titled The 20/20 Experience but gave no further details.

ZERO Dark Thirty, Hollywood’s re-telling of the decade-long manhunt for Osama bin Laden, captured the No.1 spot on movie box office charts over the weekend with $24 million in US and Canadian ticket sales.

The movie starring Jessica Chastain as a dogged CIA agent edged out horror movie spoof A Haunted House, which earned $18.8 million, as well as Gangster Squad, a period crime drama that finished in third place with $16.7 million, according to studio estimates.

Caught in political controversy, Zero Dark Thirty received a boost last week from five Oscar nominations, including best picture, though its director Kathryn Bigelow was snubbed in the best director category.

The movie is a dramatised account of the hunt for al Qaeda leader bin Laden and the May 2011 US Navy SEAL raid in which he was killed. It has sparked a debate about its depictions of “enhanced interrogation techniques,” with some critics arguing that the film promotes the use of torture.

Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal have said their movie depicts several investigation methods and does not suggest one particular technique led to bin Laden.

Sony Pictures Chairwoman Amy Pascal has said the movie “does not advocate torture.”

Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures, said one of the things the from had certainly done was to promote “a lot of dialogue and conversation.”

He attributed the film’s strong performance to “the awards, conversation about controversy, and the film itself.”

A Senate Committee is investigating whether the CIA spy agency provided the filmmakers with any inappropriate access to secret material.

Government e-mails and memoranda released to the conservative group Judicial Watch show that both the CIA and the Pentagon provided extensive access.

Zero Dark Thirty expanded nationwide this weekend to nearly 3,000 theatres following limited showings since late December.

The low-budget A Haunted House comes from Marlon Wayans, writer of the Scary Movie horror spoof series.

The film debuted to $18.8 million, beating out period noir Gangster Squad. The $2.5 million production tells the story of a man dealing with his wife after she becomes possessed by the devil inhabiting their dream home.

Gangster Squad opened Friday in third place at $16.7 million after it was reworked following last July’s fatal shooting in Aurora, Colorado at a midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

15

Environment

Nations pass climate change laws Countries show progress even as global agreements proceed at snail’s pace

By Emily Beament COUNTRIES are pushing ahead with laws to tackle climate change, despite “snail-paced” progress on a global deal to cut emissions, it was revealed yesterday.

Almost all of the 33 developed and developing countries surveyed in a new study had introduced or progressed with significant climate-related legislation within their own borders in the last year.

In 2012, 18 of the countries made significant progress, according to the report by the Grantham Research Institute at LSE and Globe International, which brings together legislators from different countries.

Only Canada had gone backwards on climate change, by repealing the Act which implemented its targets under the Kyoto Protocol treaty to cut global emissions.

Despite a tough economic year for many countries, such as those in the eurozone, some progress was made by developed nations.

While the UK had not made substantial progress in 2012, it has a raft of climate-related legislation in place, including the flagship 2008 Climate Change Act, and measures on energy efficiency, supporting renewables and sustainable homes.

The report found the EU as a whole made progress through its new directive on energy efficiency, while the US pushed forward with regulating carbon dioxide through its Clean Air Act. Action by developing countries was more significant, with Mexico leading the way with a new climate law to cut emissions by 30 per cent compared to “business as usual” by 2020, and major progress by countries ranging from Kenya to Pakistan.

China, the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, has be-

gun to draft its national climate change law, while local legislation – the first of its kind in the country - was passed in Shenzhen to manage greenhouse gas emissions.

The report, now in its third year, was expanded to cover 33 countries, including 17 of the 20 top polluters, which account for 85 per cent of the world’s emissions.

Lord Deben, president of Globe International and chairman of the UK’s official Committee on Climate Change, said: “This is a game-changing development, driven by emerging economies, but taking place across each and every continent.”

But it was warned that the measures taken by the countries in the study were not enough to prevent global temperatures rising more than 2C, beyond which “dangerous” climate change is predicted to occur.

Globe vice president Graham Stuart said: “Progress has been much more substantial and much

more widespread than people realise, but still lags the action required to meet the goal of reducing climate change to less than 2C.” But showing that legislation is being implemented in a number of countries will build confidence among nations that they are not acting alone and will improve the chances of an ambitious international deal being secured, he suggested.

And the more countries that have legislation and regulation in place, the more logical it comes for businesses to invest in the technologies, such as energy efficient appliances and renewables, needed to combat climate change.

“Legislation and regulatory frameworks can never in themselves deliver what’s required.

“What we are hoping for is that it triggers the technological change and behavioural change in business and wider society that means we can lower emissions without crippling industry or threatening living standards with an unac-

ceptable cost.”

He added that the idea of green jobs was an attractive one, with significant numbers of people already employed in the sector in the UK and other countries.

And he said: “The snail-paced progress of international negotiations reinforces the case Globe has been making for a number of years: it’s at the national level you can accelerate progress and by doing that build the confidence and the conditions to allow eventual international agreement.”

He added: “While international negotiations continue at a painfully slow pace, national progress as mapped by Globe gives hope for the future.”

Globe International is holding a summit this week, bringing together legislators from around the world, to kickstart efforts to push forward climate legislation between now and 2015, when it is hoped a new global climate treaty will be agreed.

Pollution ‘worst on record’ in Beijing AIR quality in Beijing was the “worst on record” on Saturday and Sunday, according to environmentalists, as the city’s pollution monitoring centre warned residents to stay indoors with pollution 30-45 times above recommended safety levels.

The Chinese capital, home to around 20 million people, has been wrapped in thick smog since Friday, reducing visibility and disrupting traffic.

Data posted on Sunday by the monitoring centre (www.bjmemc.com.cn) showed particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM2.5) had reached more than 600 micrograms per square metre at some monitoring stations in Beijing, and was as high as 900 on Saturday evening.

The recommended daily level for PM2.5 is 20, according to the World Health Organisation. Such pollution has been identified as a major cause of asthma and respiratory diseases.

“This is really the worst on record not only from the official data but also from the monitoring data from the US embassy - some areas in (neighbouring) Hebei province are even worst than Beijing,” said Zhou Rong, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace.

The Beijing Municipal

Dense smog has shrouded Beijing for several days with pollution described as hazardous and residents advised to stay indoors (AFP)

By Nina Chestney

Environmental Monitoring Centre said heavy pollution had been trapped by an area of low pressure, making it harder to disperse, and the conditions were

likely to last another two days.

Pollution has been identified as one of the biggest challenges facing China’s leaders, with outgoing

president Hu Jintao saying during his address to the Communist Party Congress last November that the country needed to “reverse the trend of ecological

deterioration and build a beautiful China”.

China said at the end of last year that it would begin releasing hourly pollution data for its biggest cities.

Microbes could be life on Mars Thousands of Antarctic reindeer face protective cull A HARDY bacteria common on Earth was surprisingly adaptive to Mars-like low pressure, cold and carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere, a finding that has implications in the search for extraterrestrial life.

The bacteria, known as Serratia liquefaciens, is found in human skin, hair and lungs, plus in fish, aquatic systems, plant leaves and roots.

“It’s present in a wide range of medium-temperature ecological niches,” microbiologist Andrew Schuerger, of the

Emissions limits could cut climate damage by two-thirds says study

University of Florida, said.

Serratia liquefaciens most likely evolved at sea level, so it was surprising to find it could grow in an experiment chamber that reduced pressure down to a Mars-like 7 millibars, Schuerger said.

“It was a really big surprise,” Schuerger said. “We had no reason to believe it was going to be able to grow at 7 millibars. It was just included in the study because we had cultures easily on hand and these species have been recovered from spacecraft.”

ABOUT 3,000 reindeer on an island near Antarctica are to be slaughtered to stop damage to the environment by the descendants of a tiny herd introduced a century ago for food by Norwegian whale hunters.

A 16-strong team, mostly Sami reindeer herders, has arrived in South Georgia, a British overseas territory, and is preparing to round up and cull all the reindeer on an island that is home to penguins and seals and has no native grazing animals.

“The reindeer have become very destructive,” Reidar Andersen, director of the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate which oversees the team, said. Reindeer natu-

rally live only in the Arctic or sub-Arctic regions at the other end of the globe.

The animals have trampled native plants, such as tussac grass, caused erosion and pose a threat to South Georgia’s king penguins and local birds such as the pipit and pintail by destroying their nests.

The team was working this week to set up fences and a corral for the reindeer, based on Sami traditions, Andersen said.

Most reindeer will be slaughtered with a bolt gun shot to the head. Some in remote areas, or those near penguins where stampeding reindeer could trample birds, will be shot by rifles. The project is likely to last for two southern hemisphere summers.

THE WORLD could avoid much of the damaging effects of climate change this century if greenhouse gas emissions are curbed more sharply, research showed on Sunday.

The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, is the first comprehensive assessment of the benefits of cutting emissions to keep the global temperature rise to within 2 degrees Celsius by 2100, a level which scientists say would avoid the worst effects of climate change.

It found 20 to 65 per cent of the adverse impacts by the end of this century could be avoided.

“Our research clearly identifies the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions - less severe impacts on flooding and crops are two areas of particular benefit,” said Nigel Arnell, director of the University of Reading’s Walker Institute, which led the study.

In 2010, governments agreed to curb emissions to keep temperatures from rising above 2C, but current emissions reduction targets are on track to lead to a temperature rise of 4C or more by 2100.

The World Bank has warned more extreme weather will become the “new normal” if global temperature rises by 4 degrees.

Extreme heatwaves could devastate areas from the Middle East to the United States, while sea levels could rise by up to 91cm, flooding cities in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, the bank has said.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesd

16

Lifestyle Argo scores sweet Golden en Globe victory with two top awards ds Ex-US President Bill Clinton makes surprise appearance as Jodie Foster comes out publicly as gay. Jill Serjeant was there for the big night

Big winners: Les Miserables group shot and Argo (left)

I

RAN hostage drama Argo scored a sweet double victory at the Golden Globe awards overnight on Sunday, winning best movie drama - the night’s top prize - and best director for Ben Affleck on a night that left frontrunner Lincoln with just one trophy.

Musical Les Miserables won the contest for best comedy or musical, as well as acting awards for stars Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.

But elsewhere, it was a night of surprises at Hollywood’s second biggest awards show after the Oscars in February.

Actress Jodie Foster publicly acknowledged for the first time that she is gay, and former US President Bill Clinton appeared at the glitzy ceremony.

Yet the big story was the defeat of Steven Spielberg’s drama about US President Abraham Lincoln’s battle to end slavery - which went into Sunday’s ceremony with a leading seven nominations and the triumph of Affleck in the director’s race.

Affleck was overlooked in the directing category when Oscar nominations were announced last Thursday, although Argo was short-listed for best film at the Oscar ceremony to be held on February 24.

Argo combines the true story of the rescue of US diplomats from Tehran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 under the guise of making a movie, with a satire on Hollywood.

Argo producer George Clooney told reporters backstage on Sunday that he was disappointed at Affleck’s personal snub by the Academy Awards voters.

“I think he did a phenomenal job with the film. I felt that he should have been nominated, but you can’t figure out what goes on in the Academy and he s still nominated for best he’s pict picture...

It’s disappointing, but we’re not out of the wate just yet,” Clooney said. ter British actor Daniel DayL Lewis, who plays Abrah ham Lincoln, got the only Golden Globe win for Lincoln, which has a leading 12 Oscar nominations.

Instead, the Hollywood Foreign Press Associat tion, which organises the

Golden Globes, showed their admiration for Quentin Tarantino’s slavery era Western Django Unchained.

Django won two awards - for Tarantino’s screenplay, and Christoph Waltz’s supporting actor turn as a dentist turned bounty hunter.

“Wow!... This is a damn surprise, and I am happy to be

In the best comedy or musical category, Jennifer Lawrence won best actress for Silver Linings Playbook while Hathaway was best supporting actress.

“Thank you for this lovely blunt object that I will ever more use as a weapon against self-doubt,” said Hathaway as she accepted her trophy.

Affleck was overlooked in the directing category when Oscar nominations were announced last Thursday surprised,” Tarantino said, accepting his screenplay award.

The Golden Globes are sometimes seen as an indication of sentiment ahead of the Oscars, but the two voting bodies are very different and Oscar nominations were announced this year before Sunday’s ceremony.

In other key races, Jessica Chastain, won, as expected, for her role as a young female CIA agent who tracks down Osama bin Laden in thriller Zero Dark Thirty.

“I have wanted to be an actor since I was a little girl... To be here now is a beautiful feeling to receive this encouragement and support,” Chastain said.

The actress lost 25 pounds in weight and chopped off her long brown hair to play tragic heroine Fantine in Les Miserables.

Comedians Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, hosting the Globes for the first time, scattered around jokes about some of the top Hollywood stars in the audience, along with impersonations of Johnny Depp and Julianne Moore.

Foster, 50, who won Oscars for Silence of the Lambs and The Accused was given a lifetime achievement award, and publicly acknowledged that she is gay.

“I hope that you’re not disappointed that there won’t be a big coming-out speech tonight because I already did

umy coming out abut a thound sand years ago to friends and family,” Foster said. er Foster said she had never ul felt the need to bare her soul p er in public but praised her an co-parent and the woma woman i she called her “ex-partner in love.” ot a standing ovaova aClinton got he A-list Hollywood Hollywoo od tion from the in nstars when he appeared to inps from Lincoln. troduce clips rmer president lef ft As the former left d: the stage, Poehler quipped quipped: at an exciting spespe e“Wow! What y cial guest! That was Hillary usband! That was wa as Clinton’s husband! exciting.” e Academy Awards, Awards, Unlike the n Globes also hon nthe Golden honsion dramas and d our television comedies. day they On Sunday chose Showtime terrorism thriller Homeland as best ies, and drama series, s Damthe show’s s and ian Lewis nes as Claire Danes best actorr and actress.

Girls won best comedy series and Lena Dunham, its reastar and creator, won best tress. comedy actress. dle was named Don Cheadle n a comedy sebest actor in ying a devious ries for playing nt consultmanagement se of Lies. ant in House

HBO’s drama Game Change about Sarah Palin’s 2008 run for US vice president won best TV film, while Moore won for her portrayal of the p g for rmer Alaska govg polarising former d Harris won for ernor, and Ed his portrayall of Republican presidential contender John McCain.

day, January 15, 2013

17 And the winner is: Ben Affleck, Jodie Foster (below left), Quentin Tarantino (below right) and Adele (below far left)

Television

20

Crossword

21

Sport

28-32

Red-hot gowns sizzle on chilly night at Golden Globes Debt ceiling: despite coming out as a winner g Obama still has no backing for fighting the debt ceiling

Ill fitting: Jessica Chastain picking up her gong for Zero Dark Thirty

Star turn: other celebrities wait in line as Jennifer Lopez poses for the cameras.

Below: Many gowns were embellished

By Zorianna Kit THE women of Hollywood turned to the lyw bold dest reds and the boldest blac ckest blacks to blackest evok ke a bygone era of evoke sulttry sirens on the sultry red d carpet at Sunday nig ght’s Golden Globe night’s Aw wards for film and Awards te elevision. television.

“Poppy red,” a trend colour for spring, was the tone chosen by stars like the night’s award winners Jenn i f e r Law-

Red hot: Jennifer Lawrence arriving at the awards

rence (Silver Linings Playbook) and Claire Danes (Homeland) a along with Marion Cotillard, Z Zooey Deschanel and Jennifer G Garner.

“Red is cla classic and celebrates Holly Hollywood’s heyday when all the most glamorous sirens of often wore red,” said style expe expert and TV host Sam Saboura Saboura. “It’s regal and strong, but th this new poppy hue for sprin spring feels fresh, youthful and m modern.”

With the u unusually chilly California we weather, Saboura said the blacks worn by Globe winners Jul Julianne Moore (Game Chang Change), Adele (Skyfall) Salma H Hayek, Julianna Margulies and Rachel Weisz “felt right on this cold January night, not to mention elegant and chic chic.”

Contrasting with the reds was a smatter smattering of pale colours, in what Entertainment Weekly’s senio senior editor Bronwyn Barnes called “the fire and ice effe effect.” Those included An Anne Hathaway’s “white hot” Chanel Haute Couture gown and th the blush tones prefe preferred by Amy A Ad a Adams, Megan Fox a an d Hayden Panand etti ettiere.

“N “No matter what the colour, practically e every gown featured sp sparkling embellishment lishments like crystals, sequins, b beading and pailettes that c created a glitter

the Golden Globes are important in their own right. It is the first major award show of the new year and showcases designer gown gowns worn by both film and televi television stars.

“The Gol Golden Globes is the first (na (nationally broadcast) red carpet of the awards sea season so it’s the first time tthese actresses can make a statement and sho show their styles,” said Elshane. “And this year, it was a great night for fashion. T The stars really id. step effect,” Barnes said. stepped it up this seas Stylist Elshane,, who season and took a lot o goes by that single name of risks.” ingers Ad and works with singers Additionally, the epsen Osca like Carly Rae Jepsen Oscars’ more formal and comedienne Rebel theatre-style seating compared to Wilson, said the pree red the Gl vailing style on the Globes’ roundtaantic ble din carpet was a romantic dinner set-up also d the influenc one. She described uences the type of fashions that will be looks as having a “femiseen. nine innocence, nothing too revealing, but still “The dr dress code, like n all the the cerem body conscious in ceremony, is more relaxed, wh right places. which is why we ng to see see everyt “It was refreshing everything from trahout the ditional c romanticism without couture gowns to edgier looks, such as tulle, ruffles and rushing mes with Nicole K that normally comes Kidman’s Alexander M it,” she said.

McQueen dress to shor Although the Oscars shorter styles like sidered those w will always be considered worn by Marion d most Cotillar Cotillard and Thandie the biggest and White Newton Newton,” said Barnes. important night in red hurning hot: Anne Whil While the carpet carpet fashion, churning gh-end Hathaway was missing highout the most high-end in Chanel e bigwat wattage fashion designers on the n film, icon icons like last gest of A-listers in

‘Red is classic and celebrates Hollywood’s heyday when all the most glamorous sirens often wore red’ year’s stars Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron, Saboura said Lawrence might be the strongest contender to take this year’s fashion crown.

“Jennifer is definitely fashion’s new darling,” Saboura said. “She came out wearing strong designers when she was first nominated for Winter’s Bone (in 2010), but since her Hunger Games debut, she’s become the one to dress in young Hollywood.”

Saboura called Lawrence’s Dior Haute Couture dress “stunning” and felt it was refreshing to see the 22-yearold star wearing a gown from the prestigious fashion house.

He credits the company’s new designer, Raf Simmons, whose take on the label has resulted in “a more youthful, modern collection.”

However, Saboura panned the soft jade green dress worn by Golden Globe winner Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), despite it being another big colour for spring 2013.

“The dress was ill-fitting and looked messy,” he said. “It did nothing to showcase this beautiful and super-talented star.”

Tuesday, January 15, 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

Times are subject to change, so check first with cinemas before you head out

Telephone no: K-Cineplex: 7777-8383 Rio Limassol: 25871410 Rio Paphos: 26-207000

NICOSIA Les Miserables (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 1) at 7 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 3.30pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 1) at 7 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 11.30am and 3.30pm

at 5.35pm, weekends also at 11am, 1.10pm and 3.20pm

(Screen 1) at 7 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 3.30pm

Life of Pi (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 7.50pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 4) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 11.30am and 3.05pm

Hope Springs (12) Rio 6 at 7.45pm, weekends also at 3.30 and 5.30pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 4) at 7.50 and 10.20pm

Hope Springs (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 4) at 5.35, 7.50 and 10.20pm, weekends also at 3.25pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 1) at 7.50 and 10.20pm

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 7pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 3) at 7pm

Jack Reacher (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 5) at 5.25, 7.50 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 3.05pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 5) at 7.50 and 10.15pm

Hotel Transylvania (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 1) (in Greek, in 2D) at 5.15pm, weekends only at 3.25pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 3) (in Greek, in 2D) at 5.15pm, weekends only at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.25pm

House at the End of the Street (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 10.20pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 3) at 10.20pm

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

Jack Reacher (15) Rio 2 at 7.35pm. Rio 4 at 10pm.

Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 5) at 7.50 and 10.15pm House at the End of the Street (15) Rio 5 at 7.45 and 10pm, weekends also at 5.30pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 10.20pm Cloud Atlas (15) Rio 6 at 10pm

Greek), weekdays only at 6pm The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (12) Rio 2 at 10pm; Rio 3, weekends only at 4.30pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 7pm Hotel Transylvania (K) Rio 3 (in Greek, in 3D), weekends only at 2.50pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 3) (in Greek, in 2D) at 5.15pm, weekends only at 3.25pm Rise of the Guardians (K) Rio 5 (in English, in 2D), weekends only at 3.30pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 5) (in English, in 2D) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 3.25pm

LARNACA

An… (12) Rio 3 (in Greek) at 7.45 and 10pm. Tel: 25-871410; KCineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 7.55 and 10.20pm

Cloud Atlas (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 10.15pm

Rise of the Guardians (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) (in English, in 2D) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 3.25pm; KCineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 5) (in English, in 2D) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 11.20am, 1.20pm and 3.25pm

An… (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 7.55 and 10.20pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 7.55 and 10.20pm

About Elly (in Farsi, with Greek subtitles) Cine Studio, tonight and Thursday at 9pm, presented by the Friends of the Cinema Society.

Tel: 96-420491, www.ofk.org.cy

Wreck-It Ralph (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 5.35pm, weekends also at 3.20pm; K-Cineplex, Mall of Cyprus (Screen 2) (in Greek)

LIMASSOL

Life of Pi (K) Rio 4 at 7.45pm, weekends also at 3 and 5.20pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 4) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 3.05pm

Les Miserables (K) Rio 1 at 7.30 and 10.25pm, weekends also at 4.15pm; K-Cineplex

Zarafa (K) Rio 2 (in Greek), weekends only at 2.30 and 4pm; Rio 3 (in

Wreck-It Ralph (K) Rio 2 (in Greek) at 5.30pm. Tel: 25-871410; K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 5.35pm, weekends also at 3.20pm

Les Miserables (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 4) at 7 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 3.30pm Hope Springs (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 5) at 5.35, 7.50 and 10.20pm, weekends also at 3.25pm Jack Reacher (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 1) at 5.25, 7.50 and 10.15pm, weekends also at 3.05pm.

An… (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 7.55 and 10.20pm

House at the End of the Street (15) Rio 4 at 7.30 and 9.45pm

Wreck-It Ralph (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 2) (in Greek) at 5.35pm, weekends also at 3.20pm

Cloud Atlas (15) Rio 5 at 7pm

Life of Pi (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 7.50pm The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (12) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 7pm Hotel Transylvania (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) (in Greek, in 2D) at 5.15pm, weekends only at 3.25pm Rise of the Guardians (K) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) (in English, in 2D) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 3.25pm My Brother is an Only Child (in Italian, with Greek subtitles) Thursday at 8.30pm, presented by the Larnaca Cinema Society.

Call for details of venue. Tel: 99-658831, 99-462903. www. lfcinema.org

PAPHOS Les Miserables (K) Rio 1 at 7.30pm, weekends also at 4.30pm; Rio 7 at 10pm

House at the End of the Street (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 3) at 10.20pm

Hope Springs (12) Rio 2 at 5.30, 7.30 and 9.45pm.

Cloud Atlas (15) K-Cineplex (Screen 6) at 10.15pm

Jack Reacher (15) Rio 7 at 5 and 7.30pm; Rio 1 at 10.20pm

An… (12) Rio 6 (in Greek) at 7.30pm; Rio 5 (in Greek) at 10pm Wreck-It Ralph (K) Rio 6 (in Greek) weekdays only at 5.30pm, weekends only at 11am and 2.30pm Life of Pi (K) Rio 3 at 5, 7.30 and 10pm Zarafa (K) Rio 5 (in Greek) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 11am and 4pm The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (12) Rio 6 at 9.45pm, weekends also at 4.30pm Hotel Transylvania (K) Rio 7 (in Greek, in 3D), weekends only at 11am and 3pm Rise of the Guardians (K) Rio 4 (in English, in 2D) at 5.30pm, weekends also at 11am and 3.30pm; Rio 1 (in Greek, in 3D), weekdays only at 5.30pm, weekends only at 11am and 2.30pm

listings Today Music

Hanoch Levin, directed by Panagiotis Larkou. January 16-17. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. 8.30pm. In Greek Tel: 77-772717

Tomorrow

The Harley Jacket The Motorcycle Club of Nicosia in co-operation with the European University, THOC and the Cyprus Motorcycle Federation present a free performance. January 16. European University, 6 Diogenous Street, Engomi, Nicosia. 8pm. In Greek. Free.

Tel: 22-713000

Exhibition

Ongoing

Yiannis Kotsiras Popular Greek singer performs live accompanied by Savveria Margiola. January 15-16. Perama, 12 Zik-Zak Street, Limassol. 9.30pm. Tel: 25-373763

Impressions Solo photo exhibition by Sergey Yastrzhembskiy. Opens January 16, 6.30pm until 28 February 28. The Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, 86-88-90 Phaneromenis Street, Nicosia. Visiting hours: MondaySunday: 10am-7pm. (except on bank holidays). Tel: 22-128157 Nikolaos Voulgaredis Solo painting exhibition. Opens January 16, 7.30pm until January 26. Gallery Kypriaki Gonia, 45 Stadiou Street, Larnaca. Monday-Saturday: 10am-1pm & 4.30pm-8pm. Sunday:11am-2pm & 4pm-7pm. Tel: 24-621109

Theatre The Whore from Ohio The central stage of ETHAL presents black comedy by Israeli playwright

Other Events

Until February 15. Point Centre for Contemporary Art Megaron Hadjisavva, 2 Evagorou Street, Nicosia.

Every Wednesday through Sunday from 11am-5pm. Tel: 22-662053.

Email: info@pointcentreforcontemporaryart.com. www.pointcentreforcontemporaryart.com Bidoun Library A mobile library consisting of books, magazines and other printed matter about the Middle East. Within the framework of the opening ceremony of a new contemporary art centre.

Until February 15. Point Centre for Contemporary Art Megaron Hadjisavva, 2 Evagorou Street, Nicosia.

Tel: 22-662053. Email: info@pointcentreforcontemporaryart.com www.pointcentreforcontemporaryart. com

European Political Thought A series of seminars to be presented

by Dr Eleni Papamichael, followed by a discussion. Participants to more than six seminars will be awarded Diplomas of Attendance. Until January 23. M106 (Millennium building 1st floor) at the University of Nicosia 8.45pm. Every Wednesday. €50.

Monitoring individual lectures €10.

Tel: 22-841600/ 99-536311 and/or cceia@unic.ac.cy

Theatre

7 films: Harun Farocki A selection of screenings by legendary German filmmaker, critic and teacher followed by discussion and talk with the artist. Within the framework of the opening ceremony of a new contemporary art centre.

Death and the Maiden Satiriko Theatro presents play by Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman. Until January 25. Vladimiros Kafkarides Cultural Centre, 11-15 Vladimiros, Kafkarides Street, glantzia, Nicosia. Every Wednes-

Climate – Culture – Change Screenings of international documentary films about climate change.

January 14 until January 18. GoetheInstitut, located in the buffer zone next to Ledra Palace Hotel, Nicosia.

7pm. All films are with English subtitles. Free. Tel: 22-674608 or www. goethe.de/cyprus

days and Fridays at 8.30pm. €15/10.

In Greek. Tel: 22-312940/22-421609 The Elephant Man Theatro Ena presents a play by Bernard Pomerance, translated and directed by Andreas Christodoulides.

Until January 27. Theatro Ena, 4 Athinas Avenue, Nicosia. Every Friday through Sunday at 8.30pm. In Greek. €15/12. Tel: 22-348203 Heights Three actors confront their personal conflicts among the spectators. Until January 29. Theatro Ena, 4 Athinas Avenue, Nicosia. €10 including the first glass of wine. 10pm. In Greek.

Tel: 2234 8203 or email theatroena@cytanet.com.cy Social Security THOC presents satire on modern high society by Andrew Bergman. Until February 3. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. Friday through Sunday at 8.30pm, Saturday at 6pm and 8.30pm. €12/6 . In Greek. Tel: 77772717/22-864300 Spring Awakening THOC presents work by Frank Wedekind, about sexual and spiritual awakening of teenagers. Until February 9. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. On specific days at 8.30pm. In Greek. €12/6. Tel: 77-772717/22-864300 Kali-Kantzar & Co A musical directed by Lea Maleni with music by Dimitris Zavros. Until

February 10. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. Every Saturday and Sunday at 6pm. In Greek. Tel: 22-864300 Misery Stephen King’s psychological thriller staged by Satiriko Theatre. Every Friday and Saturday. Until February 13. Vladimiros Kafkarides Cultural Centre, 11-15 Vladimiros Kafkarides Street, Aglantzia, Nicosia. Every Wednesday and Friday at 8.30pm. In Greek. Tel: 22-312940/22-421609 Nursing Home the Cherubim Theatre Anemona celebrates its tenth anniversary with comedy by Nearchos Ioannou. Until March 17.

Anemona Theatre, 7 Archagelou Street, Latsia, Nicosia. Every Friday and Saturday at 8.30pm and Sunday at 8pm. In Greek. Tel: 22-573031 Shear Madness Popular Cypriot actor and director Loris Loizides returns with an adaptation of one of the longest-running non-musical plays in the world. Until March 17. Pantheon Art Cinema, 29 Diagorou Street, Nicosia. Every Saturday and Sunday at 8.30pm. €20. In Greek. Tel: 70-001910/22675787 Shakespeare in an Hour Pirasmos Productions presents a theatrical comedy directed by popular Cypriot actor and director Loris Loizides. Until March 29. Pantheon Art Cinema, 29 Diagorou Street, Nicosia. Thursday and Friday at 8.30pm. In Greek. Tel: 70-001910

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

Exhibition Women Solo sculpture exhibition by Dinos Michaelides. Until January 15. Gallery Gloria, 3 Zinonos Sozou Street, Nicosia. Monday-Friday: 10.30pm12.45pm and 5pm-8pm. Saturday: 10.30pm-12.45pm. Tel: 22-760286 The work of Art as a Functional Object Group art exhibition. Until January 18.

Centre of Contemporary Art Diotopos, 11 DZ, Crete Street, Nicosia. Monday: 5pm-8pm.Tuesday-Friday: 11am-1pm and 5pm-8pm. Tel: 22-766117 AnThrOPOS: Faces of Cyprus through the Ages An exhibition that explores the human form as it is represented in the art of Cyprus from the Neolithic period until today. Until January 18. The Cyprus Museum 1 Special Exhibition Hall, Museum Street, Nicosia. Tel: 22-865854 White Christmas Group exhibition. Until January 19.

Argo Gallery, 64E D. Akrita Avenue, Nicosia. Monday-Friday: 10am-1pm and 5pm-8pm. Saturday: 10am-1pm.

Tel: 22-754009 Art 4 U Fine art exhibition by four graduates of the Applied Arts School of Fine Arts of the University of Thessaloniki. Until January 19. Opus 39 Gallery, 21 Kimonos Street, Nicosia. Monday: 5pm-8pm.

Tuesday-Friday: 10.30am-12.30pm and 5pm-8pm. Tel: 22-424983

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 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

Ongoing Other Events Viva la Vespa!

The Mall of Cyprus is currently hosting a Vespa and Lambretta exhibition until Saturday.

The 1960s Mod movement in Britain brought Vespas to the fore of popular culture. By the mid-80s, scooter rallies attracted thousands of people, and this weekend the exhibition at the Mall proved that pa is way more than just riding a Vespa obby. To the contrary a nostalgic hobby. in fact: each day more ople are and more people catching the Vespa fever. e For many, the e Vespa is more ide than just a ride to work. To some it is a se lifestyle. These

Review Theatre A reminder to ‘believe’ in theatre THOC’S latest ‘pocket musical’, devised by director Lea Maleni, in collaboration with Christina Konstantinou and Valentinos Kokkinos, tells the story of a family of eccentric imaginary creatures named ‘kali-kantzars’, urgently attempting to convince the security guard of the theatre in which they creepily lurk to believe that they exist – and in doing so, avoid extinction. The bizarre premise of this curious production is spiced up with mesmerising effects, original music and an overall atmosphere of sheer enjoyment.

The comedy of the script seeps well through the whimsical performance of the four actors, who support the most ludicrous statements and ideas with a contagious potency that makes audiences not only want to laugh, but also to believe. The puppetry and special effects are extraordinary, and the production uses just about every trick in the book to dazzle and impress its audience.

Designed by Elena Katsouri, the set and costumes are littered with visionary ideas, which literally unfold out of little cupboard doors, cracks and sheets throughout the show.

The music, written by Dimitris Zavros, is enthralling and adds to the quirky style of the show. The

days Vespa clubs abound, even in Cyprus. Over the next five days visitors will have the chance to see almost all classic models of Vespa and Lambretta scooters. Vintage scooters as well as the newest generation models will stand side by side, while riders mingle and ‘talk fuel’.

Organised by the Vespa-Lambretta Club of Cyprus, Polychromoi Sfikes, registration of new members and membership renewals will be possible at the club’s desk between 10am and 6pm. During the day, between 12am and 4pm, kids will aso have the chance to take part in a Vespa drawing/painting competition.

Scourge of the ages

First Exhibition of Ves Vespa and Lambretta See classic models of V Vespa and Lambretta scooters Re Registration and renewals of memb membership, kids Vespa ddrawingpainting competition. c Until Janu January 19.

The Mal Mall of Cyprus.

10am-6 10am-6pm. Free.

Tel: 99-4 99-455844. www.vlccy www.vlccyprus.com performers belt out the tunes impressively, keeping the energy high and maintaining an unfaltering rhythm of song and movement. Maleni has displayed in her previous productions a unique marriage between music, comic timing and special effects, yet this particular work far outdoes her previous attempts. And it is precisely the attention given not only to each individual element, but to the way that they will work and sing and flow together that marks this show with such high quality entertainment value.

Particularly in this day and age, where anything short of a West End musical will struggle to gratify audiences accustomed to fantastically shot movie scenes at the click of a button, Kali-Kantzar & Co is well worth the effort it takes to get off your cosy sofa on a cold night and enter the confines of Thoc’s Studio 018. And when you do, bring everyone you know, especially those who might have forgotten how to believe in extraordinary things.

On every Saturday and Sunday at 6pm until February 10, with English and Greek surtitles offered for the performances on February 9 and 10.

Kali-Kantzar & Co A musical directed by L ea Maleni with music

by Dimitris Zavros. Until February 10. THOC New Theatre Building, 9 Gregori Afxentiou, Nicosia. Every Saturday and Sunday at 6pm. In Greek. The performances on February 9 and 10 will be with Greek and English surtitles.

Tel: 77-772717/22-864300 or visit www. thoc.org.cy

By Eleni Cosma

Blast from the past: A 19th-century picture of lepers living in Cyprus (above) and (right) an example of Turkish Cypriot dress, which will be discussed in a book presentation at the University of Cyprus next week

Leprosy, one of the oldest and most feared diseases of the ancient world, is the subject of a lecture coming up this week at the Famagusta Gate Cultural Centre.

Entitled “Cursed to Isolation”, the Englishlanguage lecture organised by the Costas and Rita Severis Foundation will be given by Senem Gökel, a winner of the Fikret Demiran Prize for poetry, who will offer local audiences a chance to acquaint themselves with the history of lepers in Cyprus.

A scourge since pre-biblical times, today leprosy is still a highly stigmatising disease. Just the mere mention of the word leprosy conjures up images of far-off colonies inhabited by distorted and disfigured people, like those depicted in the movie Ben-Hur. Because of fear of contagion and the belief that leprosy was a punishment from God, victims throughout the centuries have been shunned and often ostracised by their communities.

Few physicians would agree to treat leprosy patients. Their care was left to priests and other religious orders. Although medical science continued to advance, there was little improvement in the care of leprosy patients.

Historically, people with leprosy were sent to leper colonies, also called leprosariums, on remote islands or in special hospitals. Many were doomed to die in grim isolation.

Modern medicine tells us that leprosy is spread when an untreated infected person coughs or sneezes. However, leprosy is not very contagious; approximately 95 per cent of people have natural immunity to the disease.

People with leprosy who are treated with medication do not need to be isolated from society.

Much of the knowledge surrounding leprosy that stirs such misconceptions still pervades public knowledge across the world and in Cyprus. The disease primarily affects the poorest people of the world and is found predominantly in India, South America and Africa.

In many parts of the world leprosy is commonly known as Hansen’s disease, named after the Norwegian physician Armauer Hansen who discovered the leprosy bacillus in Bergen in 1873. Hansen’s disease recast leprosy as a

medical phenomenon, although the disease and those with it still remain highly stigmatised.

The lecture on Thursday will serve as fascinating insight to this misunderstood disease, based on health reports from the 19th century.

Since the 1950s treatment in Cyprus has centred around Ayios Charalambos in Larnaca, but lepers (Hansenics) in Cyprus have a long history of isolation. The first leper home was built around 1808 after the Ottoman pasha visited the dragoman Hadjigeorgakis Kornessios, the liaison officer between the Ottoman rulers and the Cypriot community.

The pasha was apparently appalled by the presence of Hansenics by the Famagusta Gate in Nicosia and ordered them to be killed, but Kornessios interfered and proposed a more humane alternative. He established a colony on 500 acres of his own land. The first leprosy village once stood where the University of Cyprus stands today, in the Ayia Paraskevi area opposite the Hilton Hotel.

It’s also worth noting that the Costas and Rita Severis Foundation, a non-governmental, nonprofit organisation for the promotion of culture and peace in Cyprus, is also hosting a book launch on Monday on Turkish Cypriot dress, in collaboration with the Archaeological Research Unit of the University of Cyprus.

The book in question Turkish Cypriot Dress: The Aziz Damdelen Collection by Euphrosyne Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou and Aziz Damdelen, will be presented in English by Dr Rita Severis at the university, followed by a reception.

Cursed to Isolation The Costas and Rita Severis Foundation present a lecture with Senem Gokel on lepers in Cyprus. January 17. Famagusta Gate Cultural Centre. 7pm. In English.

Tel: 99-630872 Turkish Cypriot Dress: The Aziz Damdelen Collection Book presentation by Dr Rita Severis. January 21.

Archaeological Research Unit, Department of History and Archaeology, University of Cyprus, 12 Gladstone Street, Nicosia. 7pm. In English. Tel: 22-893560

By Ledha Socratous

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

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

20

Television CYBC 1 06.45 08.15

Proti Enimerosi Kali Sas Mera Early monrning entertainment magazine featuring segments on cooking, fashion, lifestyle issues and more.

11.00

Kaftes Piperies (rpt)

11.30

Istories Tou Horkou (rpt)

Cookery show.

CYBC 2 07.00 08.00 16.30 17.00 18.00 18.50 19.00 19.10

Apo Mera Se Mera Current affairs show.

15.30

Entehnos Local cultural show.

16.00 18.00 18.15 18.45

Mazi Sto CyBC News Kaftes Piperies Paizoume Kypriaka

20.00 21.00

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

19.20

20.00 21.15

News Vimata Stin Ammo

22.45

Ego Ki Esi (rpt)

22.30

Eponymos

Local comedy series.

Local topical show.

23.30 23.45

NRG Zone FILM: Beverley Hills Cop

Desperate Housewives Seventh season. ‘You Must Meet My Wife’.

Susan’s stint as a sexy internet sensation is threatened when she angers a client and her boss, while Renee and Gabrielle reveal intimate secrets about one another to the wrong people.

New season of local period drama, based on true events.

22.00

07.50 08.40

A freewheeling Detroit cop pursuing a murder investigation finds himself dealing with the very different culture of Beverly Hills. Comedy starring Eddie Murphy.

1984.

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

05.30 06.20 06.50 07.00

NRG Zone Kids’ TV Euromaxx Kati Psinetai (rpt) Biz/Emeis News In English News In Turkish Doctor Who (rpt) Fourth season. ‘The Unicorn and the Wasp’. Intrigued by the disappearance of crime writer Agatha Christie, the Time Lord takes Donna to 1926.

Rumours at the time suggested the author was suffering from a nervous breakdown, but what the Doctor finds is far more shocking - a giant alien wasp seeking revenge.

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

12.00

ANTENNA

News Repeats 23.30

09.30 10.25 11.15 12.10 13.00 13.20 14.00 14.50 15.45 16.40 17.30

Erotas (rpt) Proini Enimerosi Me Agapi Idiaitera Yia Klamata (rpt) Englimata (rpt) Lyke, Lyke Eisai Edo (rpt) Einai Stigmes (rpt) Pansellinos (rpt) Ekeino To Kalokairi (rpt) Niose Me (rpt) News Mera Mesimeri Konstantinou Kai Elenis (rpt) To Kafe Tis Haras (rpt) Oneiropagida (rpt) Vals Me 12 Theous (rpt) Ekeino To Kalokairi (rpt) With News at 18.00.

18.30 19.30 20.15 21.15 22.10 23.00 00.00 00.05 00.30 01.40 02.30 03.20 04.40

Aiyia Fuxia Niose Me News Vals Me 12 Theous Ekeino To Kalokairi Presidential Elections 2013 News Sports News Radio Arvila Yia Tin Anna (rpt) I Agapi Irthe Apo Makria (rpt) News Deal (rpt)

MEGA 06.30 07.00

08.00 10.00 12.45 14.00 15.00 16.00 18.00 18.20

Emeis Ki Emeis (rpt) Koinonia Ora Mega

06.10

Current affairs show that examines the issues affecting everyday people in Greece and abroad.

07.00 08.20 10.20 11.10

Nea Mera Proino Mou Enimerosi Tora Klemmena Oneira (rpt) Eheis Meson Yia Sena News Master Chef (rpt) Reality competition show where amateur chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges.

19.20

SIGMA

20.15 21.15

Eftyhismenoi Mazi (rpt) News Klemmena Oneira

22.10 23.10

Enoha Mystika FILM: Ultraviolet

12.00 14.20 15.20 18.00 18.05 18.30

Latin American telenovela.

19.30 20.20 21.15 22.20

00.00 00.50 01.30 03.30 04.30

Efta Ourani Kai Sinnefa Alites News Aspra Balonia FILM: The Other Woman A drama that details the story of a woman’s difficult relationship with her stepson.

Drama, starring Natalie Portman. 2009.

Greek drama series.

A beautiful hemophage infected with a virus that gives her superhuman powers has to protect a boy in a futuristic world, who is thought to be carrying antigens that would destroy all hemophages.

Sci-fi thriller, starring Milla Jovovich. 2006.

The Del Monte Heirs (rpt) Protoselido Eleni Vasiliki (rpt) Efta Ourani Kai Sinnefa Alites (rpt) Mesimeri Kai Kati Aspra Balonia (rpt) Magazino News Ti Tha Fame Simera Mama The Del Monte Heirs

00.00 00.05 00.45 01.45 02.40 03.00 03.30

News Dekati Entoli (rpt) Althinoi Erotes (rpt) Mila Mou (rpt) Se Fonto Kokkino (rpt) Ta Hrisopsara (rpt) Eleni (rpt)

PLUS TV 07.20 08.35 09.05 10.15 10.35 12.30 13.00 15.30 17.00 17.50 19.40

Fotis - Maria Live Best Of Exelixeis Sti Showbiz Mesimeriani Meleti Best Of Mila (rpt) Nistikoi Praktores (rpt) Star News Mesimeriani Meleti Classic Cartoons To Kleidi Fotis - Maria Live Mila Discussions about various issues based on a woman’s life (men, sex, kids etc.) with showbiz guests.

21.15 22.15 23.15

Exelixeis Sti Showbiz Presidential Elections 2013 Eleventh Hour (rpt) First and only season.

‘Surge’. A government programme to create a new breed of supersoldier becomes the focus of Dr Hood’s investigations when one of the human subjects escapes from the lab.

00.00 00.50 01.50

LTV Sports News Star News Repeats

News Fae To Sokolata Sou Yia Sena (rpt) Enimerosi Tora (rpt) Proino Mou (rpt)

CAPITAL 07.10 08.05 08.35 09.25 10.00 11.00 11.30 12.30 13.15 13.35 14.45

Kids’ TV Magikos Kosmos S’ Agapo (rpt) Akti Oneiron (rpt) Ston Asterismo Tis Imeras Kouzina Me Apopsi Capital Sports Milagros Kids’ TV Telemarketing Top Models Latin American telenovela.

15.40 16.45

S’ Agapo Sabrina, To Koritsi Tis Agapis Latin American telenovela.

17.35 18.15 19.15 19.50 20.05 21.00

Akti Oneiron Pacific Blue News Sports News Igeia & Zoi FILM: Best Of The Best Personal conflicts threaten to jeopardise a US martial arts team’s success in an international tae kwon do tournament. Drama, with Eric Roberts.

1989.

22.50

FILM: Lives Of The Saints Drama, starring Sophia Loren. 2005. Part 2 of 2.

00.30

FILM: Going Back A documentarian brings six veterans back to Vietnam to confront their issues about the war. Drama, Casper Van Dien. 2001.

Repeats

Fantastic Mr. Fox (LTV, 16.45)

06:15 The Weakest Link 07:00 3rd & Bird 07:10 Boogie Beebies 07:25 Gigglebiz 07:40 The Roly Mo Show 07:55 Me Too! 08:15 3rd & Bird 08:25 Boogie Beebies 08:40 Gigglebiz 08:55 The Roly Mo Show 09:10 Me Too! 09:30 Dinnerladies 10:00 As Time Goes By 10:30 The Weakest Link 11:15 EastEnders 11:45 Doctors 12:15 Coast 13:15 Sherlock 14:45 Dinnerladies 15:15 As Time Goes By 15:45 EastEnders 16:15 Doctors 16:45 Coast 17:45 Dinnerladies 18:15 The Weakest Link 19:00 EastEnders 19:30 Doctors 20:00 Coast 21:00 Fawlty Towers 21:30 Come Fly With Me 22:00 Upstairs Downstairs 22:55 Last Of The Summer Wine 23:25 Twenty Twelve 23:55 Unforgiven 00:45 Getting On 01:15 The Weakest Link 02:00 Come Fly With Me 02:30 EastEnders 03:00 Doctors 03:30 Coast 04:30 Getting On 05:00 Doctor Who Confidential 05:15 Come Fly With Me 05:45 Fawlty Towers

07:00 How It’s Made 07:25 Wheeler Dealers 08:15 American Chopper 09:10 Dirty Jobs 10:05 Deadliest Catch 10:55 Ultimate Survival 11:50 How Do They Do It? 12:15 How It’s Made 12:40 Extreme Engineering 13:35 Overhaulin’ 14:30

Wheeler Dealers 15:25 American Chopper 16:20 Mythbusters 17:15 Dirty Jobs 18:10 Deadliest Catch 19:05 Ultimate Survival 20:00 How It’s Made 21:00 Mythbusters 22:00 Outback Truckers 23:00 Aircrash Confidential 00:00 How We Invented The World 01:00 Curiosity 01:55 Mythbusters 02:50 Outback Truckers 03:50 Aircrash Confidential 04:50 How We Invented The World 05:45 How Do They Do It? 06:10 Overhaulin’l

04:00 Tennis: Australian Open, Melbourne 15:30 Snooker: International Masters London 18:00 Tennis: Australian Open, Melbourne 18:30 Alpine Skiing: World Cup Austria 19:30 Tennis: Game, Set And Mats 20:00 Snooker: International Masters London 21:00 Snooker: International Masters London 22:00 Alpine Skiing: World Cup Austria 22:30 Snooker: International Masters London 00:00 Rally: Rally Raid Dakar 00:30 Motorsports: Gta Race To Dubai 00:45 Tennis: Australian Open, Melbourne 01:30 Tennis: Game, Set And Mats 02:00 Tennis: Australian Open, Melbourne

05:40

Desperate

Housewives

06:25 Castle 07:10 Modern Family 07:35 New Girl 08:00 Body Of Proof 08:50 Tabatha’s Salon Takeover 09:40 Desperate Housewives 10:25 Castle 11:10 Modern Family 11:35 New Girl 12:00 Raising Hope 12:25 Melissa & Joey 12:50 Glee 13:40 Body Of Proof 14:30 Masterchef 15:20 Desperate Housewives 16:05 Castle 16:50 Modern Family 17:15 New Girl 17:40 Body Of Proof 18:30 Masterchef 19:20 Desperate Housewives 20:10 Castle 21:00 Raising Hope 21:25 New Girl 21:50 Glee 22:40 Modern Family 23:05 New Girl 23:30 Raising Hope 23:55 New Girl 00:20 Glee 01:10 Castle 02:00 Desperate Housewives 02:45 Modern Family 03:10 New Girl 03:35 Rita Rocks 04:00 Body Of Proof 04:50 Masterchef l

07:00 Pawn Stars 07:30 Storage Wars 08:00 Mud Men 09:00 Pawn Stars 09:30 American Restoration 10:00 Pawn Stars 10:30 Storage Wars 11:00 Ancient Aliens 12:00 Pawn Stars 12:30 Cajun Pawn Stars 13:00 American Restoration 14:00 Pawn Stars 14:30 American Restoration 15:00 Mud Men 16:00 Pawn Stars 16:30 Cajun Pawn Stars 17:00 American Restoration 18:00 Pawn Stars 18:30 American Restoration 19:00 Mud Men 20:00

Pawn Stars 20:30 Storage Wars 21:00 Ancient Aliens 22:00 Storage Wars 23:00 American Pickers 00:00 Pawn Stars 00:30 Storage Wars 01:00 Ancient Aliens 02:00 Storage Wars 03:00 American Pickers 04:00 Mud Men 05:00 Pawn Stars 05:30 American Restoration 06:00 Ancient Aliens

07:30 Action Zone 08:00 Black Book 10:30 Any Given Sunday 13:15 Grace Is Gone 15:00 Crackie 16:45 Fantastic Mr Fox 18:15 Art Of Travel, The 20:00 Ltv Sports News 21:00 1408 23:00 Somewhere 00:45 Hustler Tv 03:10 Safe Passage 04:50 Lottery Ticket 06:30 Ltv Sports News

07:00 Chowder I 07:25 Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack, The 07:50 Tom & Jerry Show, The 08:15 Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get A Clue! I 08:40 Loonatics Unleashed I 09:05 Superman: The Animated Series Ii 09:30 Superman: The Animated Series Ii 09:55 Looney Tunes Show, The 10:20 Tak & The Power Of Juju 10:45 Fanboy & Chum Chum 11:10 X’s, The 11:35 Ni Hao, Kai-Lan 12:00 Dora The Explorer 12:25 Spongebob Squarepants 12:50 Spongebob Squarepants 13:15 Mighty B!, The

13:40 My Life As A Teenage Robot 14:05 Hey Arnold! 14:30 Icarly 14:55 Icarly 15:20 Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get A Clue! I 15:45 Justice League Unlimited I 16:10 Legion Of Super Heroes I 16:35 Young Justice 17:00 Nba Action 17:30 Barclays Premier League World 18:00 Liga Bbva 2012-13 20:00 La Liga Review 2012-13 21:00 Barclays Premier League 2012-13 23:00 Copa Del Rey 2012-13 01:00 Barclays Premier League 2012-13 03:00 Copa Del Rey 2012-13 05:00 Barclays Premier League 2012-13

blond 03:45 Friends 04:10 Two And A Half Men 05:00 Closer, The 05:45 Harry’s Law 06:30 Pan Am

07:15 Chuck 08:00 2 Broke Girls 08:30 Bones 10:00 According To Jim 10:45 2 Broke Girls 11:20 Necessary Roughness 13:00 Pan Am 13:50 Chuck 14:35 Bones 16:05 Friends 16:35 Two And A Half Men 17:25 Closer, The 18:10 Harry’s Law 19:00 Pan Am 19:45 According To Jim 20:30 Big Bang Theory, The 21:00 Mentalist, The 21:45 Top Boy 22:40 C.S.I. New York 23:25 Luck 00:25 Skyline 02:25 Talhot-

07:35 Music Of The Heart 09:40 Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The Word 11:10 Cine News 11:30 Larry Crowne 13:15 Happythankyoumoreplease 15:00 12 Dates Of Christmas 16:35 Cine News 17:10 Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure 18:45 Hollywood 1on1 19:20 Tooth Fairy 2 21:00 C.S.I. 22:00 Larisa Ebisteftiko 23:45 My Week With Marilyn 01:25 Cine News 01:55 Passion Play 03:35 Choose

07:45 Saint John Of Las Vegas 09:30 Ghost Writer 12:00 Kisses 13:30 Life As We Know It 15:30 Action Zone 16:00 Barbarian Princess 18:00 Mystery Laska 20:00 Running With Scissors 22:00 Wedding Singer 23:35 Action Zone 00:05 Daring! TV 04:05 Insidious 05:45 Akeelah And The Bee

06:05 Gran Torino 08:05 Cine News 09:05 The Conspirator 11:10 Cover Girl 13:00 Cine News 14:00 No Strings Attached 15:50 Johnny English Reborn 17:35 Hollywood Buzz 18:10 I Don’t Know How She Does It 19:45 Midnight Run 22:00 Ghost Rider 00:00 Conviction 01:55 Killer Elite 03:55 Cine News 04:40 Winter’s Bone

19:25 The Darkest Hour 21:00 Limitless 23:00 How I Met Your Mother 00:20 Cine News 01:30 Adult Zone

18:55 There’s Something About Mary 21:00 Serendipity 22:40 Manolete 00:15 Friends With Benefits

07:00 To Have And Have Not 08:40 Asphalt Jungle 10:30 Edge of the City 11:55 Please Don’t Eat The Daisies 13:45 Big Sleep 15:35 North By Northwest 17:50 Lust For Life 19:50 Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm 22:00 Sweet Bird Of Youth 00:00 Fame 02:10 Ryan’s Daughter 05:20 Edge of the City

By Preston Wilder

1408 (LTV, 21.00) John Cusack is a ghost hunter. He’s trying to book a night in Room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel in New York, a room - so he’s heard - which is rich in ectoplasmic energy. Sorry, he’s informed, that room is unavailable. How about next week? Sorry, unavailable. Next month? Unavailable. How about next year? No. Unavailable. John won’t be dissuaded. He gets a lawyer, and threatens to sue unless they give him the room.

The hotel relents, but when John arrives he’s discreetly met by the manager (Samuel L. Jackson) who takes him aside for a private chat. Don’t stay in 1408, says the manager. Please don’t stay in 1408. 56 people have died in that room, says the manager, bringing out a

file packed with grisly photos. “No-one’s ever lasted more than an hour”. One occupant slit his wrists, then cut off his manhood! Others jumped out the window!

“It’s an evil f***ing room.” John decides to stay in the room anyway - at which point you know the film (based on a Stephen King story) can’t possibly live up to that frightening build-up, and indeed it doesn’t, turning laboured and hysterical Still good fun, if only for that brilliant first half-hour. Made in 2007.

New Girl (Fox Life, 21.25) What’s the secret of New Girl’s success? Is it Zooey Deschanel, with her deadpan comic timing? Is it the three guys who play her flatmates, prompting echoes

New Girl

of Friends and The Big Bang Theory? Yes and yes, but watching the Season 2 trailer brings up another possible reason - because the show’s creator Liz Meriwether appears in the trailer and she looks exactly like Zooey, down to the king-size black-rimmed glasses: this is clearly a show made by people who identify with their characters, which I guess is how they manage to hit the same humorous note again and again.

Whether you like that note is a matter of taste - but Season 2 (kicking off tonight) sounds like fun, with Zooey losing her job and volunteering to be a “shot girl” at Schmidt’s “re-branding party”. No idea what that means, then again I’m not a deadpan kook like Zooey and Ms. Meriwether. ‘Re-launch’ is the title.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 2285 1

2

3

4

5

PREVIOUS DAY’S SOLUTIONS

6

7

8 9

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15

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MEDIUM

HARD

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25

Across

Down

1 In the hollow, a pit in which to find a deer (6) 4 Agitate purist organisation (4,2) 9 Explain another prettier name included (9) 10 The dwarf’s a physician shortly (3) 11 Devilish as it can become? (7) 13 It is delightful embracing Oriental girl (5) 14 See rogue first in Canterbury or York (11) 18 Detest in the lab horrible smells (5) 19 Shorten a game (7) 21 Sound of one bird or another was truncated (3) 22 I will be deemed as being rash (3-6) 24 A cur turned back, following father to the temple (6) 25 Gets a black eye from the sun (6)

1 Why include one manuscript in a fanciful notion? (6) 2 Animal sweetheart (3) 3 One in revolution in Italian city (5) 5 Huge antic, it developed (7) 6 Remedied with fresh bandages on? (9) 7 Container ship? (6) 8 Almost in effect (11) 12 Light music? (5-4) 15 Hardier variety under constant attack (7) 16 Wildly impulsive insane team member (6) 17 Editorial chief (6) 20 Not even part of a golf-course (5) 23 Information from the agency (3)

Rating EASY

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EASY

EASY

Rating HARD

21

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.

Rating MEDIUM

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Rating MEDIUM

11

Answers to crossword 2284

HOROSCOPE

CRYPTIC: Across – 1 & 8 Sleight-of-hand; 9 Slowcoach; 10 Ural; 13 Solid; 15 Poncho; 16 Danish; 17 Accept; 19 Psycho; 20 Early; 21 Exit; 24 Appealing; 25 Sets; 26 Crossfire. Down – 2 Lilo; 3 Iowa; 4 Hoodoo; 5 Orchid; 6 Hairpiece; 7 Adulthood; 11 Speakeasy; 12 & 13 Knock into shape; 14 Daisy; 18 Tamper; 19 Pliers; 22 Clef; 23 Gnar.

QUICK: Across – 1 Imitating; 8 Blur; 9 Seductive; 10 Derv; 13 Heady; 15 Mocked; 16 Aerial; 17 Louvre; 19 Tsetse; 20 Treat; 21 Debt; 24 Stalemate; 25 None; 26 Scurrying. Down – 2 Meek; 3 Taut; 4 Titled; 5 Nevada; 6 Alleviate; 7 Traveller; 11 Imploding; 12 Scrubbing; 13 Heart; 14 Yeast; 18 Erotic; 19 Tailor; 22 Emmy; 23 Stan.

ARIES March 21 - April 20

LEO July 23 - August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23 - December 21

You may be trying to bring closure to certain projects, tasks or issues. It seems there’s a lot to take care of and organisation may be the key to success. Allow your intuition to guide you, as you may have decisions and choices that need to be made. If you get a hunch concerning your current financial situation, do listen to your sixth sense.

It’s all work and no play today, and the busy line-up means you need to keep your head down and get on with those jobs. You may have targets to meet, or just be pressured in general. It’s important to have healthy ways to release stress, such as working out, going for long walks, jogging or getting regular weekly massages. Everyone could help.

Your money may need some extra special attention. Perhaps you’re working out a way of saving for those things that may be expensive. You seem to be in a very methodical mood, and despite your usual happy-go-lucky way of approaching life, your finances seem to be a deadly serious topic right now. Ways of earning more may also be on your mind.

TAURUS April 21 - May 21

VIRGO August 23 - September 23

CAPRICORN December 22 - January 20

You seem to be bitten by the desire to take on challenges, and explore new frontiers. There is a lot of activity in your travel and adventure zone, so have a heart-to-heart with your partner, and start looking for holiday bargains. If you get an invite, or call from a friend who wants some company today, why not go for it and enjoy a good chat?

Be creative and express yourself with confidence. Turn your current artistic, sewing and knitting skills into cash by using the current practical line-up to start your own business. With a careful considered approach you can do really well. Romance is also highlighted. Your hopes may be high that a certain person might take up your offer of a date.

You may be reviewing and reflecting on your social life, and on the kind of friends you have. With Saturn on the scene, certain friends or colleagues may have been a disappointment lately, so you could be deciding on a course of action. Perhaps you want to use this opportunity to weed out negative friendships and to encourage those that are positive.

GEMINI May 22 - June 21

LIBRA September 24 - October 23

AQUARIUS January 21 - February 19

You seem to have a lot of responsibility on at the moment regarding joint financial issues and shared assets. If you have decisions to make, it might be an idea to get help from an expert, who can guide you in the right direction.

Career wise, it helps to keep a to-do list handy as success is possible as long as you don’t lose track of your goals.

There seems to be a lot of rearranging going on at your home. You may be keen to redecorate, change things around, de-clutter or perhaps do some DIY. Whatever is going on, this seems to be a very strategic process and should be a success. If you have people staying you’ll enjoy yourself, and could certainly have your work cut out for you.

You may get an intuitive hunch about a financial issue - perhaps one that has been confusing you. The Moon in Pisces along with Neptune encourages you to stay in control of your financial situation, as under this influence it could be easy to lose track. Making regular notes of all your outgoings can help as can delaying any big ticket purchases.

CANCER June 22 - July 22

SCORPIO October 24 - November 22

PISCES February 20 - March 20

Social situations may take up a lot of your time today. You may be busy organising and planning while helping to get ready for events. It’s a very busy day when your interactions with others may be practical and down-to-earth.

However, Mars may be encouraging you to think about what you really want, and how you can go about getting it.

Perhaps you’re busy studying, with no time for anything else. It’s also possible you’re writing a book, teaching or perhaps working towards making your own internet business a success. Whatever you’re up to, you’ll certainly be engrossed. You may also be busy in your abode, and Mars encourages you to get on with some basic maintenance.

Socially, you seem to be in a very good place right now.

You are definitely needed in the circles in which you move - and there might even be a tendency to do too much, because you’re such a generous, open hearted and kindly person. However, if you’re beginning to feel exhausted, make some excuses and relax with a good movie at home.

22

Tuesday, January 15, 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

MISCELLANEOUS

cal Blinds need to be surveyed.

Collection Service available. For a free quotation call Mark on 70006766 All areas

Nicosia - tel: 22 818583 fax: 22 676385 *****************************

Limassol - tel: 25 761117 fax: 25 761141

call at 99 679412 or send your cv at vana papa@hotmail.com with the title babysitting .

**************************** ***************************** IN CONCERN OF: COUPLES OF EU CITIZENS LIVING IN CYPRUS We are currently conducting a 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 above 6, and if you are interested in taking part in a research financed by the University of Cyprus please contact us at the no. 96530033. Participants will complete a questionnaire and participate in a face-to-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

PERSONAL

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 or 96333961 All areas

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

LESSONS ***************************** PRIVATE TUITION Experienced, UK-qualified teacher offers fulltime or part-time private home tuition in Maths, English, the Sciences, I.C.T., Geography, History, Business Studies and Economics, from KS3 to iGCSE, AS and A2 levels. 9 years experience in Cyprus; references available. Telephone 99318796

SMART GERMAN BUSINESSWOMAN, 43, living in Cyprus, seeks a nice, intelligent man for marriage. Pls write with picture to: salieris@ymail.com.

HEALTH & FITNESS MIKA is a beautiful and sweet female puppy, around 4 months, is looking for a loving home.

She is very lovable and she will definitely be your best friend.

At the Nicosia Dog Shelter, many more dogs and puppies like this one are looking for forever homes ! To provide a temporary foster home or to adopt contact on 99520511 mon-frid 10-2pm.

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

CLINICAL PILATES. Personalised Clinical Pilates by Physiotherapists in Nicosia. Individual assessment and supervision of exercises. “Clinical pilates” is a modified form of therapeutic exercise used by physiotherapists to assist in the rehabilitation and prevention of musculoskeletal injury especially lower back pain, sacro-iliac pain and neck pain.

More info on 22446988.

FOR SALE BUSINESS/ PROPERTY/LAND ****************************

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

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

SERVICES PENNY, a loving gentle female.

Will make a wonderful family pet. Around 3 years old. Excellent temperament, very loving and well behaved. He will make an amazing companion.

Worth Meeting! He is small size. At the Nicosia Dog Shelter, many more dogs and puppies like this one are looking for forever homes ! To provide a temporary foster home or to adopt contact on 99520511 mon-frid 10-2pm.

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

**************************** PROFESSIONAL UPHOLSTERY CLEANING, also carpets, rugs and mattresses. Special offers now available. For a quote call Rickys Cleaning Services on 99131044 (all areas) rickyscleaningservices@gmail.com

**************************** UPHOLSTERY, RUG, BLINDS + CURTAIN Cleaning Rugs from 20€ - Carpets from 38€ - Fabric Suites form 85€ - Leather Suites from 95€ - Mattresses from 25€.

Curtains, Roman blinds, Verti-

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

MOLLY is sweet and polite and very gentle. Aged around 2 yrs, she is a pinscher cross, small sized and will do best in a quiet home. She is good with other dogs. A bit scared/ shy around children and prefers peace, quiet and cuddles.

At the Nicosia Dog Shelter, many more dogs and puppies like this one are looking for forever homes ! To provide a temporary foster home or to adopt contact on 99520511 mon-frid.

FOR SALE MOTOR VEHICLES 2005 MINI 1 1.6 taxed MOT one owner good all round 6000 Euros O.N.O Tel: 99096902 – Paphos area.

ROVER 600. 1998. 126000 km. €1200. Price Negotiable. A Honda-Era Rover, so the engine is a Honda Accord. Has Never had engine problem. Any parts I found at both Rover AND Honda.

Oil change, MOT included Tel No: 99564063.

FORD FOCUS GHIA (2006) diesel, 1600cc, 98000km, blue, automatic - tiptronic. dual zone climate control, power steering, electric windows, 6 airbags, central locking, cruise control, computer board, alloy wheels, and many extras. €6900 ono. Contact: 99022779 - Nicosia

PROPERTY TO LET NICOSIA

PETS

CHIMNEY SWEEP, when did you last have your chimney swept or log burner cleaned? Build-up of soot can cause respiratory problems and fires. All areas, call Dave, a professional sweep, now on 99819137. Also available for weddings. www.paphosluckychimneysweep.com

immediate development. Ideal for various health facilities and resorts, holiday centres, commercial and shopping centres, entertainment enterprises etc.

Information: Tel. 22 674338, 99621554 FOR SALE LAND in Anthoupoli (half plot) 288 sq.metres. for information 99621554.

**************************** WE UNDERTAKE REFURBISHING of houses or holiday homes, construction of pergolas, undertaking of plumbing, house painting, garden work.

For information call JIMMYS: 96587137, MELIS: 96547879

Paphos - tel: 26 911383 fax: 26221049

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BABYSITTING/CHILD minder for two 3 year old boys in Engomi, Nicosia . All year round Monday – Thursday hours between 15:00 – 18:00 extra hours during school holidays. We are looking for a fun, active and patient English speaking person that can take care of the boys after school hours, preferably with previous experience. Please

‘PROPERTY BUSINESS FOR SALE’ ‘Unique Opportunity to purchase FREEHOLD stonebuilt village property currently operating as a Cafe, with fully equipped kitchen.Seating for 40. Potential for further expansion. Easily converted to residential dwelling.

Viewing highly recommended.

Greatly Reduced. Details ring Tel: 99864097’ – Paphos Area

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

3 BEDROOM flat 140 sq.metres plus 80 sq.m veranda with extra room (studio). Fireplace, fitted kitchen appliances. Split-units in all areas, covered parking.

In Pindarou str, 5 min walk to Makariou. 600 Euro. hadjidas@ yahoo.com 0049 17670769271 99067198

***************************** 2 BEDROOM flat, fully furnished.

Fully A/C, small block, 3rd floor.

Covered parking. Central heating.

Near Hilton hotel off Makarios Avenue. €480pm. Tel 99444336

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

LARNACA, Alethriko, plots for sale, 525 sqm, 90% building factor, near highway LimassolLarnaca, 5 min from airport, quiet residential area, eu 109,000.

Half registration fees till the 31.12.12. Tel. 99 621914

FLATS/HOUSES for rent 1 bdrm in Aglantzia near the new university semi-furnished €430, 1 bdrm with furniture in Engomi €280, 1 bdrm in Akropoli near Philips college €450, 2 bdrm €550, Strovolos brand new 3 bdrm €650, Penthouse 3 bdrm roofgarden €850, detached house Aglantzia 2 bdrm big yard €450, detached house Pallouriotissa 3 bdrm €550. STAVRINOS REAL ESTATE AGENCE A.M. 497 A A 166/E Tel: 99666703 email: yemo@cytanet.com.cy

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

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

TIMI, PLOTS, a few selected available, seaview, near the 2 golf courses, Venus rock and airport. 60% Building factor, eu 99,000. Half registration fees till the 31.12.12. Tel. 99 621914

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

PRIME LAND IS AVAILABLE FOR LONG LEASE IN LIMASSOL. 40, 000 sq.m., zoning Ka7 (80% -45% - 3 stories).

Regular amphitheatrical shape overlooking Ladies Mile. Close to New Limassol Hospital with direct access to Limassol – Paphos Highway. Water supply, electricity and telephones are readily available. Suitable for

FOR RENT or sell: 2 bed-room flat in Nikis Avn in Nicosia, 80 m.

Completely renovated, with electric supplies. Excellent for office or flat. 3 bed-room flat with electric supplies and some furnitures in Nicosia near Central Bank, 140m.

Completely renovated like new.

For info call mob: 99460860.

***************************** STROVOLOS 4 bdrm., house, c/h,

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 -For Sale Land/ Property Business 22 For Sale Motor vehicles 22 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 26 For Sale Limassol -For Sale Larnaca -For Sale Paphos 26 For Sale Ayia Napa -For Sale Famagusta Protaras 26 For Sale Athens -Property& Home Services display ads --

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 Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA a/c from €1000 now €800, Mak/ ssa f/f house, pool, 4 bdrm., 4wc, 2 shower €1700, Kornos villa, pool, mature garden €4000 (2) penthouse luxury Acropolis 1 bdrm, f/f, centre €450. For info www.markidesestates.com Markides 22378898, 99464764, Reg. No. 487, E16

***************************** FLATS/HOUSES FOR RENT studio Acropolis €300, 1bdrm P/ ssa €450, Aglantzia €350, Str/ los €350, Acropolis €350 2bdrm Lycavito furnished €530, Acropolis €550, Ag. Dometios €500, 3bdrm Nikis av. €550 Str/los G/F €660, Tymbos independent €800, Ag. Omologites colonial listed building swimming pool maids room €2,500. PROPERTY FINDER LTD. 99474839 99646822 A.M.627 A.A.108/E

***************************** STUDIO flat in Pallouriotissa (next to McDonald) furnished €280. For

TO LET NICOSIA info call 99606984.

***************************** TO LET spacious 2 bdrm apartment in a small building in Strovolos area near ARETAIEION hospital (dead-end) with independent petrol heating, 3 a/c, water pressure system, satellite. Directly available. TEL.: 96275151

***************************** FLATS TO LET - Nicosia: A wide selection of furnished & unfurnished in all areas of Nicosia.

NIKARIA ESTATE LTD Theo Loizides 22761616 / 99660050 nikaria@cablenet.com.cy

***************************** 2 BDRM flat (almost new, 4 years old) at Lycavitos with good area near University of Cyprus with fully equipment kitchen, a/c in all rooms. For info call 96530532.

***************************** TO LET 3 bedroom house situ-

TO LET NICOSIA ated on a dead end street next to a small quiet park near Falcon School. Has an En-suite master room, large study room, central heating, a/c and fire place in the living room. For enquiries tel 99660758

***************************** MODERN 2 BDRM, first floor flat in attractive building in Anthoupolis, very quiet area between the Grammar School and the European University, also very convenient for Pascal and Highgate Schools and the University of Nicosia. Large front veranda, all appliances, modern fittings, light and bright. Furnished or unfurnished €550p.m. Call 99900177.

***************************** 2 ROOMS €125 each, near McDonald’s Engomi only Philippine girls. Call 99663927.

***************************** FOR RENT 3 B/R apartment fully

TO LET NICOSIA furnished close to Central Bank.

3 W.C., fully air-conditioned extra storeroom, owned covered parking. Excellent condition. Information: Tel. 99621554

***************************** 3 BEDROOMS flat on second floor in a block of six flats, in a nice position at Strovolos area, fully a/c, c/h, covered parking place for one car, recently painted. Rent €650pm. (furnished if required).

Tel: 97773358.

***************************** LUXURY HOUSES: 1.

5 bedrs detached house, 550sq.m, built in 2 big plots of land, big garden with grass, big swimming pool with extra fence for children and big covered patio with bbq area, big reception areas with marble floor, fire place and bar, big kitchen with all electrical appliances and sitting room with fire place, maid’s room, floor

SONNY’S RESTAURANT WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OUR CUSTOMERS A HAPPY NEW YEAR !

WE WILL BE OPEN FROM WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY, 6PM UNTIL LATE. ROAST DINNERS ON SUNDAY FROM 1PM TO LATE CLOSED TUESDAYS WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU! CALL: 96877248

TO LET NICOSIA heating, full a/c, blinds on the windows, master bedroom with en suite bathroom and shower, big bathroom for the other 3 bedrooms and extra shower in the 5th bedroom - Strovolos €2500 (H5ST10001-R), (photos in the website).

2. H3AR0004-R, 3 bedr luxury detached house with central heating, full a/c, 3wc, 2 bathrooms, parquet floor throughout the house, big sitting and dining area, big kitchen with family room opening onto the swimming pool which has big covered area with wooden deck, bbq area, covered parking, in a very quiet area behind Apoel football training ground - Archagelos - €1700 (photos in website).

3. 2 bedr fully renovated semi detached house 120 sq. m, a/c for hot and cold, small yard, FULLY FURNSIHED or not, double glazed windows with aluminum

TO LET NICOSIA shutters, in a quiet area off Nikis behind Burger King - ACROPOLIS €600 (H2ACS0001-R), (photos in the website).

4. 3 bedr luxury semi-detached house with character, 200sq.m, central heating, full ac, sitting and dining room with fire place, 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 neighborhood. Available middle of January. Agios Andreas - €1200 - H3AAD0001-R (photos in website).

5. 4 BEDR spacious luxury detached house with central heating, full a/c, 3wc, big sitting and dining area, big separate kitchen with electrical appliances and family room, big bedrooms, blinds, bbq area, garden, 2 parking(one covered), in a very

24

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA quiet area near Apoel training field – ARCHANGELOS - €1200 – H4AR0016-R (photos in website).

6. 3 bedr+big attic room with shower and wc luxury new house, 210sq.m, central heating, full a/c, 4wc, blinds on all windows, cooker and oven in the kitchen, small garden, covered parking near Alpha Mega supermarket - STROVOLOS €1100 (H4ST10007-R), (photos in the website).

7. 3 bedr detached ground floor house with separate maid’s room, with very big garden with grass(200sq.m) and covered patio with bbq and bar, central heating, full a/c, 180sq.m, FULLY FURNISHED or NOT, 2 covered parking, storage room, in a very quiet neighborhood opposite Acropolis park - Acropolis - €1000 - H3ACS0004-R (photos in website).

8. H4LAK0002-R, 3 bedr + office space luxury detached house, built on a big plot, 350sq. m, big swimming pool with cover, garden with grass, big sitting and

TO LET NICOSIA dining room, separate family room, central heating, a/c, curtains on all the windows, cooker, dishwasher and dryer, parquet floor throughout the house,3wc, 2 bathrooms, 2 covered parking in a quiet area on the borders of Strovolos with Lakatamia Lakatamia- €1600 (photos in website).

9. 3 bedr upstairs and 2 separate bedroom in the basement luxury detached house(all the bedrooms with en suite bathrooms/ shower), also separate kitchen and sitting room in the basement which has also separate entrance from the house, central heating, full a/c, solid parquet floor all the house, big sitting and dining room with fire place, big fully equipped kitchen with breakfast area and family room, big overfloor, 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), (photos in the

TO LET NICOSIA 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 luxury semi detached house with good size garden with grass, big covered patio with bbq area, central heating, a/c units, 3wc, 2 bathrooms, 2 covered parking, FULLY FURNISHED AND EQUIPPED, in a quiet area in a dead end close to all amenities and schools. - ANTHOUPOLIS €1300 (H4ANT0002-R), (photos in the website).

12. 4 bedr luxury detached house, 350sq.m,central heating, full ac, big garden with fruit trees, grass and swimming pool 6 X 12,2 covered parking, electrical appliances in the kitchen, 4 years old in a very quiet area 25 min from the centre – DEYTERA €2000 – H4DEF0001-R (photos in website).

TO LET NICOSIA 13. 3 bedr ground floor house with big separate 80sq,m room with shower and wc for multi use, central heating independent, full a/c, 2wc, 2 shower,1 bathroom, fully furnished, small garden, bbq area, parking, on a small building in a very quiet area near Agios Vasilios church. Strovolos - €900 - H4ST10028-R (photos in website).

14. 3 bedr detached house with extra room for office, 250sq.m, central heating independent, 4a/c, big renovated kitchen with cooker and oven, big sitting and dining room with parquet floor and fire place, 1bathroom, 2 shower, 3wc, 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 - Makedonitissa - €1100 – H3MAK0004-R (photos in website).

For many more properties with photos visit our website at www.landtouristestates.com which is updated daily. LANDTOURIST ESTATES LTD 22-

SELEC Fencing & Decking Specialist For all your Garden and Security Fencing ♦ Quality approved workmanship ♦ 15 years experience + guaranteed work ♦ English workers ♦ also garden gates ♦ sheds ♦ chain link fencing ♦ free estimates ♦ all types of fencing & decking

Tel. SELEC fencing 99176557

TO LET NICOSIA

TO LET NICOSIA

422225/96-422225/96422226, www.landtouristestates.com

and dining areas, big separate kitchen with all the electrical appliances, big bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, storage heaters, full a/c, shutters and blinds on the windows, covered parking in a quiet neighborhood off Prodromou close Ministry od Defence – Engomi- €600 – A3ENG0026-R (photos in website).

***************************** 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 throught, central heating independent, full a/c, all the bedrooms with en suite 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 neighborhood – Agios Andreas- € 1300 – A3AAD0005-R (photos in website).

4. A1DAS0010-R, 1 bedr luxury spacious apartment with big sitting and dining room, big bathroom, big bedroom with shutters, covered veranda, storage heaters, 2a/c, cooker and oven in the kitchen, covered parking in a quiet area in a small modern building near Acropolis Park. Dasoupolis €400 (photos in website).

2. AINIC0006- R, 1 bedr., fully furnished and equipped apartment, 50sq.m, 2AC for hot and cold, covered verandah, covered parking, nice view, off Makarios avenue between Hilton and DEBENHAMS shop. Nicosia centre, € 450 (photos in website).

5. 2 bedr new luxury modern furnished apartment , central heating ind, 2 a/c, big covered veranda and covered parking in a quiet area behind the Municipal building – Agios Dometios - € 660 - A2ADO0004-R (photos in website).

3. 3 bedr new luxury big apartment 150sq.m+big 25sq.m veranda with very nice view, big sitting

6. 2 bedr luxury spacious apartment on a small modern building with central heating independent(with petrol), full a/c, solid parquet floor, big bedrooms, big sitting room with open plan kitchen, big covered veranda, FULLY MODERN FURNISHED, covered parking off Makarios avenue in a quiet area near the centre – Nicosia Centre€ 800 – A2NIC0030-R (photos in website).

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

Tel. Tony on 99176557

7.

4 bedr luxury floor apartment,250sq.m, office, maid’s room, central heating ind, full hidden wall unit a/c,2 showers, 1 bathroom, 3wc, parquet floor, big kitchen with cooker and oven, bbq on the veranda in the kitchen, big sitting area, roller blinds on all the windows, alarm system, big veranda on a small

25

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Advertiser TO LET NICOSIA

TO LET NICOSIA

building off Athalasas avenue near Alpha Mega supermarket and Areteion hospital – Dasoupolis - € 1100 - A4DAS0002-R (photos in website).

8. A1ACS0007- R, 1 bedr luxury spacious apartment with 2 a/c for hot and cold, electrical appliances in the kitchen, big bedroom, covered veranda, blinds, covered parking, in a quiet area near Acropolis park. NICELY FURNISHED. Acropolis €450 (photos in website).

9. 3 bedr new luxury finished PENTHOUSE apartment 150sq.m internal areas+120sq. verandas, solid parquet floor all the flat, big bedrooms, big sitting and dining room, big semi separate kitchen with electrical appliances, home cine ma with big screen, LCD tv, covered parking in a quiet neighborhood near CYTA, Laiki + Hellenic bank headquarters and French school. CAN BE RENTED ALSO expensive MODERN furnished – Dasoupolis - € 1200 - A3DAS0019-R (photos in website).

10. 2 bedr luxury apartment with 3 a/c for hot and cold, big covered veranda, covered parking and storage room, NICELY FURNISHED, near Acropoli park behind Tseriotis showroom – ACROPOLIS - €450 – A2ACS0033-R (photos in website).

11. 3 bedr luxury spacious ground floor apartment with separate entrance, big verandas and garden, big sitting and dining room, central heating independent, full a/c, 2wc, very big master bedroom, electrical appliances in the kitchen, aluminum shutters on windows, parquet laminate floor all the flat, covered parking, storage room, in a very quiet neighbourhood in a dead end street, off Athalasas Avenue behind

Stephanis near English School €650 (A3ST10030-R), (photos in the website).

12. 2 bedr luxury apartment with central heating independent, full a/c, electrical appliances in the kitchen, blinds, big covered veranda, in a small 2 storey building in a quiet area behind Tymvos – MAKEDONITISSA - € 500 – A2MAK0008-R (photos in website).

13. 3 bedr luxury apartment with central heating independent, full a/c, 2 bathrooms, parquet floor, big sitting and dining area, big covered veranda, covered parking, storage room, blinds, shutters in the bedrooms, big kitchen with all expensive electrical appliances, off Makarios avenue near the centre – Nicosia Centre- € 800 – A3NIC0025-R (photos in website).

14. 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, fire place, covered parking and big overfloor 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 - €2000 - A4ENG0003-R (photos in website).

15. 2 bedrs new luxury apartment, sitting room open plan with kitchen which includes cooker, oven, refrigerator and washing machine, 2 wc, central heating, full AC, blinds on the windows, very big covered verandas, covered parking and storage room in a dead end off Athalassas avenue near Laiki popular bank and Hellenic bank headquarters. - DASOUPOLI €500 (A2DAS0006-R),

TO LET NICOSIA (photos in the website).

16. 2 bedr luxury apartment with a/c for hot and cold, NICELY MODERN FURNISHED, covered parking, off Stavrou Avenue behind Coffee Beanery. PRICE INCLUDES COMMON EXPENSES – STROVOLOS - € 550 – A2ST10051-R (photos in 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

1. Superior Real Estate Larnaca.

Town centre, fully furnished one bedroom apartment available for immediate occupation. Ref. TLL341. Tel 24815926 2. Superior Real Estate Larnaca.

Stunning two bedroom fully furnished apartment in Oroklini. Ref. TLL1574 Please call to arrange a viewing Tel. 24815926 3.

**************************** 2 BDRM flat in the centre of Nicosia. Rent €450. For information call 99453663, 99663927.

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

LIMASSOL **************************** PROPERTY TO LET - A 2 bdrm furnished flat in Yermasoyia (close to Miramare Hotel) and 20 yds from the beach. It consist of 55sq. mtrs of balcony, private access and swimming pool €750/month excluding water consumption, electricity and refuge collection.

Mob: 96381524(cy) Mob(uk) 0044 7714400279.

**************************** GROUND FLOOR HOUSE, furnished renovated this year. Laminated parke floor, and big wardrobes in the 3 bedrooms. Rent €590.00 Tel 99497576 99886775

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

LARNACA *****************************

12 months car insurance for the price of 10 Benefit from this fantastic discount through The Daily Mail & Mail on Sunday

Offering readers great value Motor insurance in Cyprus

PLUS

TO LET LARNACA

UK & Cyprus PLATED CARS GUARANTEED FOR LIFE PROTECTED BONUS* (*subject to no changes on the policy)

2 more exclusive offers to Daily Mail & Mail on Sunday readers:

12 months home insurance for the price of 10 15% discount on Travel Insurance Fast, friendly response. Get your quote TODAY!

Simply call one of our telephone numbers listed below and speak to one of our English speaking team:

Cyprus (00-357) 268 19175

or e-mail us via: www.abbeygateinsure.com/cyprus

The way insurance should be.

Abbeygate is the trading title of Wyedean Insurance Services Ltd who are authorised and regulated in the UK by the FSA. This company is wholly independent of the Daily Mail & Mail on Sunday, divisions of Associated Newspapers Ltd. Associated Newspapers Ltd are not a party to, or involved in, any insurance arrangements.

Abbeygate CYPRUS 1

4.

www.SuperiorRealEstateLarnaca.com – LARGE RANGE OF RENTAL PROPERTIES. From studio apartments to 5 bedroom villas 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.

LANDLORDS AVERTISE YOUR PROPERTY WITH US FOR FREE. Tel. 24815926 Email. info@superiorrealestatelarnaca.com

***************************** 2 BDRM ground floor semi-furnished in Larnaca, Dhekelia road opposite Marine club 30 metre from the beach €450. Stavrinos Real Estate R.B. 497 L/N 166/E Phone: 99666703 email yemo@cytanet.com.cy FLAT IN CENTRAL LARNACA, Stasinou St, f/f, a/c, one bedroom, Off street car parking.

Foinikoudes, Zenonos Kiteos shops 200 metres. Rent €350 p/m. Tel: 24 815104/9939 5954

**************************** ON THE PHINIKOUDES PROMENADE. An unobrstructed,

TO LET LARNACA panoramic view of the sea and the marina. An exclusive superb 1 bdrm on the 4th floor on the beach. Fully renovated, brand new. Has fitted new kitchen, w/m, fully a/c and sauna room!!

Also suitable for office use. Must see to appreciate. Rent €450.

Call 99222197, 99541828.

**************************** 2 BEDROOM NICOLADES SEA VIEW CITY BLOCK, a/c’s in all rooms, private parking, sea view, walking distance to everything, can be used for office or residential. €750, minimum 12 months contract. 99320077 Larnaca

**************************** FOR RENT 2 bed, 2 bath, new built apartment, in a quiet scenic location In Alethriko, Larnaca 5 min. to Larnaka, 5 min. to the beach Fully furnished, A/C, communal pool, under covered parking, Long term rent, €350.00 per month For more info pls call 99639378

**************************** FULLY FURNISHED one bedroom flat near Larco hotel Larnaca.

Price €370. Tel: 99202543

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

PAPHOS

TO LET PAPHOS garden, mountain and sea views, unfurnished, €600 p/m o.n.o – agents welcome, call : 99683379

**************************** €290 /mnth Acropolis Heights Chlorakas (a) and € 380 / mnth Universal area (b) Both are 2-bed houses, beautiful locations, in Cul-de-sacs, 10 years old, 90 sq. mts, Furnished, Open-Plan Lounge/ Kitchen, Front Car-port, Garden, (a) is Ground floor, 1 W.C/bath. (b) is 2-Floors, 2 W.CS/Bath and part air-conditioned. Call 99632388.’

**************************** LONG TERM RENTALS 1. Geroskipou A large 2 bed apartment with large balcony

PAPHOS LONDON TRAINED HAIRDRESSER **SPECIAL OFFERS** *Free Cut & Blowdry (worth €25) with any Colour Service* *Gents Cut & Style 8 euro* Claim your reward by simply quoting ‘Cyprus Mail’ (valid until 28th Feb ‛13) VENUS BEACH HAIR SALON

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

Find us -1 Venus Beach Hotel, Tomb of Kings.

Call Michelle: 99760543 or 26949200 (ext 350)

EMBA, 3 bedroom detached house, with attached separate one bedroom apartment, large

Visit: facebook.com/VenusBeach HotelHairSalon for more info.

26

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Advertiser TO LET PAPHOS facing the sea, fully furnished, covered parking, a/c €345 pcm 2. Tala 2 bed fully furnished apartment. Stunning sea views, large balcony, well kept gardens, communal pool, and quiet area. €350 pcm 3. Peyia Large 3 or 4 bed detached villas, secluded position, large private pool, a/c, and parking. Unfurnished or furnished.

Very nice, well worth seeing. €650pcm & €750pcm 4. Kato Paphos Furnished 1 bedroom apartment, a/c, private parking, well kept garden, communal swimming pool, large balcony with sea view. From €300 pcm REDUCED THIS IS JUST A SMALL SELECTION OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND MANY MORE PLEASE CALL EITHER 96 545 174 OR E-MAIL ON info@unique-consultancy.eu LANDLORDS; WE NEED YOUR PROPERTIES NOW. PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY FOR RENT.

**************************** KILI – PAPHOS, 3 bedroom villa, with swimming pool and garden, unfurnished, gas central heating, large verandas, lovely mountain views, very quiet and tranquil area, €500 per month o.n.o. Call: 99479006

**************************** PAPHOS / PEYIA VILLA, villa for rent in Peyia, 4 bedroom, 4 bathrooms, large sitting-dining area, fully airconditioned and heated, unfurnished, panoramic views, large parking, low rent contact: 99490953, 26815534

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

APHRODITE HILLS - Villa share at this amazing resort? Now available for discerning people, luxury double rooms, each with own en suite and heating unit and plus of large lounge/dining/ kitchen area, external patios, gardens and swimming pool.

Fully furnished and equipped €800pm plus share of running expenses, min period 6 months or yearly contract renewal. To enquire (or view from January 2013) ring 99178141. A chance

TO LET PAPHOS not to be missed!

**************************** MR RENT PAPHOS, THE LEADING PROPERTY RENTAL AGENCY IN PAPHOS OFFICE: 26271858 (00357) IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY TO RENT WE ARE THE RENTAL AGENCY TO CONTACT OFFERING FULL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & RENT COLLECTION SERVICE 1. UNIVERSAL AREA €450 spacious 3 bedroom first floor apartment, master with ensuite.

Situated on small complex with no pool. Fully furnished with modern furniture, fully equipped kitchen with dishwasher. Balcony leads to a large private roof terrace with shaded barbeque area offering views of the sea, storage & sunbathing deck.

2. SEA CAVES €500 we are delighted to offer this detached 2 bedroom villa situated on a corner plot in a quiet residential area offering sea views. Gated drive for off street parking. Fully enclosed good sized low maintenance garden with private pool offering privacy and shaded areas. Available unfurnished or part furnished. Pets allowed at owners discretion. Website reference number: RTL_482 3. KISSONERGA €550 modern detached 3 bedroom villa situated in a quiet residential area.

Master bedroom with ensuite, separate kitchen, downstairs guest wc. Enclosed garden offering private pool & off street parking. Available unfurnished though can include kitchen appliances. Pets allowed at owners discretion. Website reference number: RTL_501 4. PEYIA €700 price includes pool cleaning. If you are looking for a villa with breathtaking views & privacy than this property is for you. This modern detached 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom villa is furnished with modern furniture, including satellite TV. One bedroom & bathroom on ground floor. A spacious enclosed garden with private pool offering stunning views. Off street parking. Website reference number: RTL_401 5.

CHLORAKA €750 modern detached 4 bedroom 3 bathroom villa with ground floor bedroom & bathroom. Beautifully furnished with good quality modern furniture includes sky satellite, fly screens & feature fireplace with modern gas fire.

Private pool offering views of the sea. Off street parking. Situated within walking distance of bus routes & shops. Website reference number: RTL_611

U SEFUL PHONE NUMBERS POLICE DIVISION HQ

HOSPITALS ........ 1400

Nicosia ........................22 802 020 Limassol ......................25 805 050 Larnaca .......................24 804 040 Paphos ........................26 806 060 Famagusta ..................23 803 030

Nicosia General .............22-801400 Nicosia Makarios ...........22-405000 Limassol Old ................25-305333 Limassol New ................25-801100 Larnaca Old...................24-630312 Larnaca New .................24-630300 Paphos ..........................26-821800 Famagusta ....................23-821211

Drug Law Enforcement Unit ......................................... 1498 (Confidential Information) Rescue Co-ordination Centre ............................. 1441 (Immediate Response Service for Aeronautical or Maritime Accident & Incidents) Game Fund Service: (Wildlife and hunting) Central offices (Nicosia): 22867786, 22-867897 Nicosia: 22-664606, 99-445697 Limassol: 25-343800, 99-445728, Larnaca/Famagusta: 24-805128, 99-634325 Paphos: 26-306211, 99-445679

TO LET PAPHOS 6. KATO PAPHOS €800 large 4 bedroom detached villa situated in the sought after residential area of Limnaria. Walking distance to the beach and the many amenities of Kato Paphos.

Spacious living accommodation offering an enclosed garden with c/pool. Fully furnished with modern furniture & solar panels. Website reference number: RTL_442 7. ANAVARGOS €895 we are delighted to offer this unique 5 bedroom 3 bathroom rustic country home offering spacious living accommodation with large gardens, private pool & stone built bbq & entertainment area.

Fully furnished with log burner for those winter months. A real character home worth viewing.

Pets allowed. Website reference number: RTL_635 offers considered.

8. TALA €900 a charming detached 4 bedroom villa with character, situated on a corner plot in a quiet residential area with breathtaking sea views.

Spacious living rooms with central heating & real fireplace.

Separate kitchen & dining room.

Good sized garden offering private pool and stone built barbeque area. Undercover parking. Available fully furnished.

Website reference number: RTL_638 TEL: 97790883 OFFICE: 26271858 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MANY MORE PROPERTIES www.mrrent-paphos.net Email: info@mrrent-paphos. net

**************************** FOR RENT A selection of 1 to 5 bedroom houses & apartments F/F & U/F Universal, Peyia, Tomb of the Kings, Tsada, Timi, Chlorakas & Kato Paphos Landlord & Owners please call 99329357 Or please view at are website www.cyprussands.com Fully Registered Company in Cyprus

**************************** A DELIGHTFUL AND SPACIOUS 1 bedroom apartment, F/F, top floor, new, located at a peaceful location just 500 from St. George hotel in Chloraka. A+ quality apt. Within walking distance to amenities, part of a beautiful building with swimming pool, list and other amenities. Only €250p/m Other apts also available near Carrefour in the Centre of Paphos. Call 99403261, 26934650

**************************** FLOWRON PROPERTY SERVICES LTD: PROVIDING AN EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE FOR TENANTS AND LANDLORDS: PROPERTIES AVAILABLE FOR RENT LONG TERM RENTAL, PROPERTIES WANTED: FULL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

TO LET PAPHOS WITH KEY HOLDING AND RENT COLLECTIONS OFFERED ANAVARGOS: 1 to 3 Bedroom apartments available near to the general hospital, furnished or unfurnished. All properties, have white goods and are modern. The building has a lift and off street parking. Prices from 300-400 Euros per month. Ref 7777 Price 300-400 ANARITA: 3 bed nicely furnished villa in the centre of Anarita village with private pool, off street parking. Property has a modern kitchen with granite work tops, sitting and dining area, guest wc. Upstairs 3 bedrooms Master with en suite shower, separate family bathroom. Outside shaded pergolas. Ref 855 Price 600 SECRET VALLEY: 3 bed villa fully furnished 3 bedroom villa with private pool. Nice furniture, master bedroom with on suite shower, family bathroom, 2 bedrooms with twin beds.

Dining area, kitchen, guest WC, off street parking, private pool.

Modern Villa. Ref: 1035 Price 700 SERCRET VALLEY: 4 bed beautiful furnished bungalow to the highest of standards, with large bedrooms - en suites, Modern large kitchen fully equipped, sitting and dining area with fire place. Outside heated pool, off street parking, landscaped gardens and great views. Ref: 1151 Price 1800 TIMI: 3 bed nicely furnished villa with large sitting and dining areas, fire place, full AC. Upstairs large family bathroom, 3 bedrooms, master bedroom having en suite shower and walk in wardrobes. Off street parking, private pool Ref: 722 Price: 600 PEGEIA: 4 bed villa with stunning situated in a lovely quiet location in Pegeia offered unfurnished.

The property has 2 down stairs bedrooms, a large sitting room with fire place, central heating, kitchen with Stylish design, dining area. Upstairs 2 bedrooms, large outside veranda. Outside stunning views Private pool.

Ref: 765 Price: 900 MESGOI: large unfurnished villa situated in a residential area.

Property is very modern with fire place, downstairs bedroom with en suite, kitchen and separate utility room, 3 additional bedroom upstairs with master en suite, family bathroom. Outside private pool, fully fenced and private, nice views, pets welcome, suit family with children going to local international school. Ref: 783 Price: 750 TALA: A family home offered part furnished in a quiet residential area, property has off street parking, private pool, central heating and AC, modern kitchen, sitting/

FOR SALE – PAPHOS CATERING EQUIPMENT:

Narcotics Helpline ......... 1410 (Outside hours.............. 22304160)

• 2 stand up freezers

AIDS Advisory Bureau ................................ 22-302826

• chafing trays

Domestic Violence Centre .......................................... 1440 (Emergency Centre for Victims)

• catering tables

• industrial oven • thermo boxes • tablecloths with frills

Drug Info & Poison Control ............... 1401

• glassware, cutlery

Cyprus Samaritans ... 77777267

• All in excellent condition at reduced prices

Police Duty Officer ......... 1499 (Confidential Information)

Forest Fires ..................... 1407 Airports Larnaca ..........................77778833 Paphos ...........................77778833

please call : 99532841

TO LET PAPHOS dining area, guest wc, upstairs 3 bedrooms with master en suite, family bathroom, sea views. Ref: 988 Price: 750 OFFICE: 120 MAKARIOS AVENUE, PAPHOS. OFFICE: 26600450 MOBILE: 97614070 many properties available on WEB: www.flowron.com Email info@flowron.com

**************************** PEYIA – 3 bedroom villa with modern quality furniture and finishes. Central heating, sky, alarm, infinity pool and stunnning sea and mountain views €700 per month, call: 99389426

**************************** BRAND NEW APT, opposite Poseidonio Gym, near Carrefour, F/F, a/c, great quality, 1 bdrm, from €340p.m.Tel 99403261

**************************** RENTAL POINT - PAPHOS PROPERTIES AVAILABLE TO RENT IN THE PAPHOS DISTRICT. JUST A SMALL SAMPLE OF AVAILABLE PROPERTIES. ALL TYPES OF PROPERTY URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR LONG TERM RENTAL. CALL 97648440 FOR MORE INFORMATION. LANDLORDS CALL IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY FOR RENT.!!!

1. MESA CHORIO – 2 bed 2 bath fully furnished ground floor apartment set on an elevated position on this prestigious development. Open plan living area.

Good sized kitchen. 2 double, bedrooms, master with en-suite shower room. Family bathroom.

Large patio areas with enclosed gardens and lovely sea views.

Covered parking and security gates.. Comm swimming pool. €425.00 or near offer 2 EMBA 3 bed 2 bath unfurnished villa in handy location close to the shopping areas. Property also has separate 1 bed apartment on the lower level. Large open plan living area and dining area. Fully fitted dining/kitchen with appliances . Guest WC. 3 double bedrooms one with ensuite. Family bathroom. Separate 1 bed apartment on lower level. Perfect for dual living.

Small garden & and parking. €550.00 a month.

3. GIOLOU – 5 bed unfurnished villa consisting of 3 bed, 2 bath main house (bungalow) with self contained 2 bed apartment with own entrance. Main house, open plan living area, beamed ceilings with feature fireplace. Dining space and kitchen. 3 bedrooms, master with en-suite and family bathroom. Covered balcony with sea and rural views, swimming pool and garden areas.

Lower level apartment reached via the main house or separate entrance. Large open plan living area, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. €850.00 per month 4. TALA – 3 bed 3 bath quality furnished villa. Set in enclosed gardens the villa consists of open plan living area with dining space. Fully fitted kitchen with all appliances, door to rear garden.

Storage room. Ground floor bed room with adjacent shower.

Stairs to two double bedrooms both en-suite, one with Jacuzzi tub. Small seating area with adjacent balcony. Pool and off street parking.

Lnadscaped gardens €750.00 per month or close offers only 5. TRIMITHOUSA – 4 bed, 3.5 bath unfurnished villa set in quiet location. Open plan living area.

Fully fitted kitchen. Ground floor bedroom with en-suite shower.

Guest WC. Stairs to 3 more bedrooms, one with en-suite and family bathroom. Garden areas, large terraces and feature BBQ area and pergola. Private pool, garage. Never been occupied.

Available 1 Feb. €725.00 per month OVNO. 6. UNIVERSAL AREA – 2 bed fully furnished apartment. Living area, fitted kitchen. 2 double bedrooms and family bathroom. A/C, Enclosed garden area. Comm pool and parking. €375.00 a month or offers. 1 & 2 bed apartments available on Universal starting at €250per

TO LET PAPHOS month.

7. LOWER PEYIA – 3 bed, 2.5 bath part furnished villa situated in quiet cul du sac. Open plan living and dining area with doors out the to pool and garden.. Very large breakfast fitted kitchen. Doors out to garden and pool. Separate guest WC. Stairs to 3 double bedrooms. Master bedroom very large with en-suite shower. Family bathroom. Private pool, gardens, shutters. €550.00 per month or close offers only.

8. STROUMBI – 3 bed 2.5 bath large unfurnished villa in quiet village area. Spacious open plan living area with feature fireplace and dining space Good sized fitted kitchen and breakfast area.

Guest WC with storage area.3 double bedrooms. Master with en-suite bathroom. Family bathroom. Enclosed gardens, pool and off street parking. Realistically priced €550.00 per month.

OVNO FOR FULL LISTINGS OF APARTMENTS/TOWNHOUSES AND VILLA PLEASE CALL FOR DETAILS. ALL TYPES OF PROPERTY URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR LONG TERM RENTAL LANDLORDS/OWNERS PLEASE CALL. PLEASE CALL 97648440 or email:- inforentals@aol.com

**************************** REFURBISHED stone-built village house located in Kili Paphos. Consists of 3 large rooms 1 small. Traditional wood burnt fireplace, fully tiled secluded yard and garage. Tel: 99210610.

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

PROPERTY FOR SALE NICOSIA NICOSIA, FLAT FOR SALE: 2 bedroom flat with title deeds, 110 sqm, fully renovated, best central area, 800m from the european university,excellent view, eu 99,000. Tel 99 621914

PAPHOS **************************** FLAT FOR SALE 1 bdrm at Peyia village with title deeds, fully furnished. €65.000. For information call 99526562.

**************************** UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN LOFOS/ TALA, 2 three bedroom detached villas on large plot.

House 1 with studio flat & pool.

Both open plan with A/C, provision for C/H, BBQ, pergolas, gardens, private drives, sea/ mountain views, SEPARATE DEEDS. Available together or separately.

Tel: 96718163/ 96366419 Price: €399,000 & €299,000

**************************** PAPHOS, FLATS FOR SALE OR RENT: kissonerga, 3 bedroom flat with title deeds, in a block of 4 flats only, fully renovated, 2 baths, 146 sqm closed area, ch, ac, covered parking, excellent view of sea and mountains, half registration fees till 31.12.12.Reduced to eu 135,000,or rent eu 450 pm. Tel 99 621914

**************************** 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.

FAMAGUSTA AYIA NAPA, studio for sale, 38 sqm, furnished and fully renovated, with title deed, in licensed complex, 500m from nissi beach, eu 49,000, tel. 99 621914

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CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Advertiser FOR PAPHIAKOS ANIMAL WELFARE SOS HELPLINE, 24 HOUR MEDICAL EMERGENCY SERVICE - CALL 99655581 CONTACT DETAILS FOR PAPHIAKOS. Paphiakos & C.C.P. Animal Welfare Education/Information Centre, No. 12 Dedalos Building, 8049 Kato Paphos PO Box 61272 8132 Kato Paphos Web. www.cyprusanimalwelfare.com www.facebook/paphiakos Email info@cyprusanimalwelfare.com Larnaca Emergency Service - The contact point for animal emergencies in Larnaca is Maria at the Paphiakos Animal Welfare Charity Shop, telephone 24623494 or 99325897 STOP, SHOP AND GIVE TO THE ANIMALS! ALL DONATIONS ARE WELCOME AT OUR CHARITY SHOPS! PAPHIAKOS & C.C.P. ANIMAL WELFARE Registered Charity No 1529 Contact our shops and we can take your clutter The Charity Shops are located at: Shop No.1 Agapinoros Street, Kato Paphos Tel 26910325 Shop No.2 Ap Pavlou Avenue, Kato Paphos Tel 26942894 Shop No.3 Gr. Afxentiou Avensia Court 3 Larnaca 24623494 Shop No.4 9 Ayiou Ioanni Street 3061 Limassol 25561695 Peyia Information Centre & Shop & T Rooms 26622828 Polis Information Centre & Shop & T Rooms 99223572 Book Exchange Shop Trimithousa 99771763 Our shops are always happy to receive your unwanted goods!

NOW YOU CAN HELP BY COLLECTING YOUR ALUMINIUM CANS AND HANDING THEM IN AT ANY PAPHIAKOS CHARITY SHOP OR THE CLINIC. SAVE AN ANIMAL AND SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT!!

PAPHIAKOS CAR BOOT SALE EVERY SATURDAY at the Ambassador Restaurant and outside in the grounds at Paphiakos. Free parking. Sellers from 7am, buyers from 8am. For information & bookings please call MIKE on 96702600.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR PAPHIAKOS CHARITY NO. 1529 WORLD ANIMAL DAY. On Thursday October 4th Paphiakos will be micro chipping pets for only €20 including all the paperwork. For further information telephone 26953496.

To celebrate World Animal Day on Thursday October 4th Paphiakos will be offering free spaying/neutering for all feral and unwanted animals as they do throughout the year. Contact 26953496 for further details.

PAPHIAKOS SHELTER OPEN DAY The Open Day will be held on Sunday October 7th between 10am and 3pm. It will be a Family Fun Day out with a lot of different activities. There is car parking, toilets and refreshments on site so enjoy and join in the celebration of animals and what they bring to our lives. Entrance is €2 CHARITY HAIR CUT. On Thursday 4th October 09.30-17.30 without an appointment Andri at Atlantic Bay Hotel (2nd Floor) will be charging €5 for a haircut with all proceeds going to Paphiakos. Telephone Suzanne on 99151996 or Andri on 99604783.

PAPHIAKOS CHRISTMAS BAZAAR. Saturday November 24th 9am – 3pm at the Crazy Spoon Restaurant. For further details contact 99151996. Stalls, Santa’s Grotto, Donkey Rides, Pirate Pat and many more.

SATURDAY SERVICES NICOSIA St Paul’s Church Hall, Byron Ave LIMASSOL ‘Meeting Point’, 193A Christodoulou H’pavlou, opp Molos Park on beach rd BIBLE STUDY FOR ADULTS & CHILDREN 10.00 am Nicosia • 10.30 am Limassol FAMILY WORSHIP SERVICE 11.30 am Nicosia • 11.45 am Limassol Pastor: Branislav Mirilov 96702349 Info: Nsia 96207014 • Lsol 99322614 www.adventist.org | www.hopetv.org

AYIA NAPA and DHERYNIA (Anglican Church in S.E Cyprus) Sunday Worship 9.30am Morning Prayer every Sunday morning at St Constantinos & Eleni Chapel, Dherynia (near Hospital in Dherynia) 11am at Scandinavian Church, off Nissi Avenue (opp Tassia Maris Hotel), Ayia Napa nd 6pm at St Constantinos & Eleni (2 week) Chaplain : Revd Simon Holloway M.A. Tel: 97 839349 www.angsecyp.org Visitors especially welcome

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Sport Armstrong ‘to admit to doping’ in Oprah interview LANCE Armstrong plans to admit to doping throughout his career in an interview with Oprah Winfrey this week, the American cyclist’s first interview since being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, USA Today has reported.

But Armstrong, 41, likely will not offer great detail about specific cases and events, the paper said, citing an unidentified source with knowledge of the situation.

The interview was taped yesterday at Armstrong’s home in Austin, Texas, and set to air on Thursday on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Such an admission would mark a major reversal for the famed cyclist. Armstrong has always vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs and has never been proven to have tested positive.

But an October report from the US anti-doping body USADA cited Armstrong’s involvement in what it characterised as the “most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,” involving anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, blood transfusions and other doping.

Less than two weeks later, Arm-

strong’s seven Tour de France victories were nullified and he was banned from cycling for life after the International Cycling Union ratified the USADA’s sanctions against him.

The New York Times reported last week that Armstrong was considering an admission of using banned drugs with the hopes of persuading antidoping officials to allow him to resume competition in athletic events that adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code.

Another motivation might be to keep the scandal from hurting Livestrong, the cancer-support charity he founded in 1997, USA Today said.

The interview with the disgraced cyclist will be broadcast on Thursday night

Howard helps Lakers snap dire run

Bold move pays off with record breaking Niners QB Kaepernick

By Jahmal Corner

Fans treated to thrilling games in the NFL

IN BRIEF

SAN Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh went against the book when he stayed with second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick as starting quarterback even after regular Alex Smith was fit to return.

Kaepernick made the move look like a stroke of genius as he wrote a brilliant opening chapter to his playoff career with a record-breaking performance in a 45-31 victory over the visiting Green Bay Packers.

The strong-armed quarterback set a National Football League standard for rushing by a quarterback by gaining 181 yards on the ground including touchdowns covering 56 and 20 yards.

The 25-year-old Kaepernick terrorised the team he grew up cheering for as a boy in Wisconsin before his family moved to California.

“It’s been amazing,” the 2011 second-round draft pick out of the University of Nevada-Reno said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

He also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Crabtree and had 263 passing yards for 444 yards of total offense that impressed

Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player.

“He was running all over the field,” said Rodgers, who led the Packers to the Super Bowl title two years ago.

“He’s big, strong, athletic, throws the ball well, runs the ball extremely well. We didn’t really have a whole lot of answers for him.”

Harbaugh had to answer wave after wave of questions when he installed Kaepernick as his regular quarterback after Smith, the 2005 top pick of the NFL Draft, had recovered from a concussion after missing one game.

The 49ers coach saw Kaepernick and his big-play ability as the quarterback of the future who was ready to take over for the steady, but unspectacular Smith, who steered the team into the NFC title game last season.

Kaepernick passed his first post-season test with flying coloUrs and shared the credit.

“Our offensive line played great. They did a lot of good things up front. Our running backs ran well and our receivers made plays,” said the 6-foot-5 (1.96 m) Kaepernick,

who eats up yards with his long strides.

“It’s a lot easier on me when other people are making plays.”

Elsewhere, the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons needed a last-minute field goal to claim a nerve-jangling 30-28 win over the Seattle Seahawks despite squandering a 20-point lead in an exhilarating fourth quarter.

Atlanta will now host San Francisco on Sunday in the National Football Conference championship game with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line.

In the AFC, Tom Brady set a record for most playoff wins by a quarterback in leading the New England Patriots to a 41-28 win over the Houston Texans to move one win away from a second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl.

Brady, who surpassed Hall of Famer Joe Montana with his 17th playoff win, completed 25-of-40 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns in the divisional playoff, setting up a rematch of last year’s AFC title game with the Baltimore Ravens, who beat the Dencer Broncos 3835 in double overtime.

San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick set an NFL record for rushing by a quarterback by gaining 181 yards on the ground including touchdowns covering 56 and 20 yards

THE return of Dwight Howard helped the Los Angeles Lakers end their longest losing streak in nearly six years as they blew out Cleveland 113-93.

Howard had missed the last three games with a right shoulder injury and the Lakers had been ailing on the court with a sixgame losing streak, but they broke out in a big way to snap the stretch.

Howard had 22 points and 14 rebounds, missing just two shots from the field, and Kobe Bryant added 23 and six assists and was not needed for the fourth quarter of an easy win.

Los Angeles are still without big men Pau Gasol, who missed a fourth straight contest with a concussion, as well as Jordan Hill, who may be out the rest of the season because of a hip injury.

The Lakers (16-21) have fallen well short of the lofty expectations set by their talented roster, as defensive issues and rumoured personnel problems have surrounded their defeats.

While still out of the current Western Conference playoff picture, a muchneeded win could put them back on the right track.

Los Angeles outscored the Cavaliers 37-20 in the first quarter and held the visitors at bay from there.

Scotland centre De Luca facing Six Nations blow

Nasser Al-Attiyah closing in on the Dakar Rally lead

South Africa secure series win over New Zealand

SCOTLAND centre Nick De Luca could miss most or all of the Six Nations championship after undergoing surgery to a fractured eye socket.

De Luca, capped 38 times, suffered the injury in training with his club side Edinburgh in December and will be out for around two months.

“The damage required time to settle for full assessment,” Edinburgh said in a statement.

Scotland open their Six Nations campaign against England at Twickenham on February 2. They host Italy at Murrayfield a week later, Ireland on February 24 and Wales on March 9. Their final game is away to France on March 16.

NASSER Al-Attiyah is closing in on Dakar Rally leader Stephane Peterhansel on a day where torrential rain forced the race to stop at CP2, 88 kilometres into the stage.

The poor weather made racing almost impossible between Salata and Tucuman, but Al-Attiyah was not going to use that as an excuse as he ended the stage three minutes ahead of Peterhansel.

In the bike race David Casteu toppled Olivier Pain from the top of the general classification as Joan Barreda won the stage. Pain paid dearly 122km into the race as he and a group of wayward riders lost almost half an hour, with the detour costing him the lead.

SOUTH Africa completed a 2-0 series win after beating New Zealand by an innings and 193 runs on the fourth day of the second Test yesterday.

Pace bowler Dale Steyn claimed innings figures of three for 48, and match figures of eight for 65, as New Zealand were bowled out for 211 in their second innings, half-an-hour before lunch.

It was the Black Caps’ second heavy defeat in the two-Test series after they lost the first match by an innings and 27 runs inside three days.

The three-match one-day international series between the two teams starts on January 19 in Paarl.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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Australian Open Beaten Dimitrov struggling to live up to Wins for Venus, Radwanska, Hewitt beaten in front of partisan crowd expectations

Djokovic delivers, Sharapova ruthless on the opening day

By Nick Mulvenney

By Simon Cambers

NOVAK Djokovic served up only flashes of his best tennis on the opening day of the Australian Open but took a comfortable first step on the path he hopes will lead to an unprecedented hat-trick of titles at Melbourne Park in two weeks’ time.

Perhaps keeping energy in reserve for the battles that lie ahead, the world number one’s workmanlike 6-2 6-4 7-5 victory over Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu yesterday summed up a day where the year’s first grand slam failed to really fire.

“It was a good performance for a first round,” said the top seed, who will play American Ryan Harrison in the second round.

“There are some few adjustments that I need to make and get a little bit sharper on the court. But it’s expected in the first match you’re still not a 100 per cent on the court.”

While Djokovic only roused himself when necessary, Maria Sharapova was ruthless as she swept aside any fears about her fitness with a thumping 6-0 6-0 win over compatriot Olga Puchkova on Rod Laver Arena.

American Venus Williams and China’s Li Na, both former losing finalists, also enjoyed emphatic wins to breeze into the second round, while in-form fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska extended her perfect start to the year to 10 matches.

Upsets are often the catalyst that jolt a tournament into life but Argentina’s Juan Monaco was the first seed to fall in the early evening and his 7-6 6-1 6-1 defeat was as much down to hand and leg injuries as Russian Andrey Kuznetsov.

Lleyton Hewitt did his best to produce another shock in front of a partisan night crowd but eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic brought a rapid end to the Australian’s 17th appearance at his home Open with a 7-6 7-5 6-3 victory.

Serbian Djokovic only hit top gear twice in his match against Mathieu - when he faced three break points in the second set and again when the third set looked destined for a tiebreak.

On the first occasion he rustled up three aces to get himself out of trouble and on the second, he produced a couple of exceptional winners to break the Frenchman and set up victory in an hour and 42 minutes.

“I felt I was in control of the match in the opening two sets then he started playing better,” said Djokovic, who would set an open era record with three successive titles.

“It was tough to break. But in the end ... I made some

GRIGOR Dimitrov’s progression from major talent to proven champion suffered another setback after the Bulgarian was unceremoniously dumped out of the Australian Open in the first round yesterday.

The 21-year-old, nicknamed ‘Baby Fed’ for possessing a similar playing style to Swiss great Roger Federer, was beaten 6-4 6-2 6-4 by Julien Benneteau, the number 32 seed from France.

Dimitrov, tipped to do well in Melbourne after reaching his first ATP Tour final in Brisbane a little over a week ago, produced a strangely lacklustre performance in breezy conditions and was never really in the contest.

“I definitely was not at my best, I didn’t serve well, didn’t move well,” Dimitrov told reporters.

“It’s just a match I am going to put behind me.

“Of course it’s a grand slam event and you expect yourself to be good after having a good week and then the next thing you know, you lose in the first round in three sets.”

The tennis world has been waiting for Dimitrov to make a major breakthrough since he won the junior Wimbledon title in 2008.

He ended 2012 ranked 48 and his run to the final in Brisbane lifted him a further seven places but he has yet to make it past the second round in 10 grand slam tournament appearances.

Dimitrov said he was still learning to get himself perfectly prepared for the bigger events.

With expectations weighing heavily on his shoulders, Dimitrov admitted it was a constant battle to remain focused on improving his game and ignoring the hype.

“Just don’t fall into that trap of listening to all those things,” he said.

“You’ll hear it whether you like it or not but the less you try to put that pressure on you, the better it is for you.”

Dimitrov is also rumoured to be dating women’s world number two Maria Sharapova but ducked questions on the subject and said his love life should not be discussed in public.

“I don’t think the rumours are a distraction,” he said.

“I just believe I go on the court and I’m not here to speak about my private life.

“Of course, people love gossip, who doesn’t? But I think it’s a private invasion and I don’t think that’s right, not because we’re different, but it’s not right towards the athletes in general. I think it needs to be even forbidden to be asked.”

No mercy: Maria Sharapova, who comes into the tournament without a lot of match practice, handed out a dreaded double bagel to hapless opponent Olga Puchkova

World number one Novak Djokovic, chasing an unprecedented third straight title, easily disposed of Paul-Henri Mathieu, while Lleyton Hewitt did his best in front of a partisan crowd but was beaten on his 17th appearance at his home Open good shots and managed to go through straight sets.”

With Andy Murray and Roger Federer not beginning their campaigns until today and Rafa Nadal absent injured, Monday was an opportunity for those players just outside the elite of the men’s game to strut their stuff.

David Ferrer duly continued the form which won him a fourth Auckland Open title on Saturday to beat Olivier Rochus6-3 6-4 6-2, while fifth seed Tomas Berdych also progressed with a 6-3 7-5 6-3 win over American Michael Russell.

Despite the record temperatures which have gripped Australia for the last couple of weeks, the Australian Open opened to a mild morning in Melbourne.

There was nothing mild about Sharapova’s demolition of Puchkova on Rod Laver Arena, however, and the Russian powered her way into the second round in just 55 minutes.

Firing winners at will, particularly off the forehand, the 2008 champion showed no signs of the collar bone injury that caused her to pull out of the Brisbane warm-up.

I DIDN’T WORRY “I was happy with the way I started, considering I didn’t play any matches coming in,” the 25-year-old said. “It was just one of those matches where I didn’t try to worry about her too much, I just tried to think about what I had to do.”

Williams could meet Sharapova in the third round and proved she might be a handful for the second seed by winning 12 successive games to beat Kazakh Galina Voskoboeva 6-1 6-0.

It was 10 years ago that Williams lost her only Australian Open final to her sister Serena, who gets her campaign underway today.

Pole Radwanska, winner of back-to-back warm-up events in Sydney and Auckland, battled through a tricky first set and whipped through the second to beat Australian wildcard Bojana Bobusic 7-5 6-0.

Li lost to Radwanska in Sydney last week to end her own winning streak at eight matches, but the former French Open champion continued to thrive under the

guidance of her new coach with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Sesil Karatantcheva.

“He’s not only a teacher about tennis, not only about technique, he’s also helping me get my mind stronger on court,” Li said of Justine Henin’s former mentor Carlos Rodriguez.

Mental fragility has contributed to Sam Stosur’s poor showings at her home grand slam and the ninth seed again failed to convince in a 7-6 6-3 win over Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan.

“I desperately wanted to win out there today, but I didn’t necessarily feel it any more than my first rounds in grand slams,” said the Australian, who was knocked out in the first round last year and at her warm-ups in Brisbane and Sydney.

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

Sport Fabri off to slow start as Panathinaikos can only draw

Record-breaking Barca march on with Malaga win

By Graham Wood

Messi strikes again for unbeaten leaders

By Iain Rogers RAMPANT unbeaten leaders Barcelona ended the first half of the La Liga season with a record 55 of a possible 57 points when Lionel Messi scored one goal and had a hand in two more in a 3-1 win at Malaga on Sunday.

An 18th victory in 19 games for Tito Vilanova’s side in an entertaining match at the Rosaleda restored their 11-point lead over secondplaced Atletico Madrid, who earlier secured a 10th win in 10 home matches with a 2-0 success against Real Zaragoza.

Barca’s win also extended their advantage over arch rivals Real Madrid to 18 points after the stuttering champions, mired in third, were held to a 0-0 draw at bottom side Osasuna on Saturday.

Barca have overhauled the previous record of 52 points they set two years ago under Pep Guardiola, scoring 64 goals and conceding 20, and are well on the way to breaking Real’s record of 100 points for a season set last term.

The only points they have dropped were in a 2-2 draw at home to Real Madrid in October Barca also set a new La Liga best by scoring for the 37th match in a row.

“It’s incredible,” Vilanova,

back on the bench after undergoing throat surgery last month, told a news conference.

“It will be tough to repeat a second half like the first, it would not be normal,” he added.

“We are 11 points ahead of Atletico but we still have to go to play there, we still have to play at Real Madrid.

“It’s a substantial advantage but we have to keep going, there is half the season left to play.”

Malaga, who play at Barca in a King’s Cup quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, have the meanest defence in the league but a howler by Ignacio Camacho gifted the visitors their opener in the 27th minute.

Messi intercepted the midfielder’s wayward back pass and after leaving Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero sprawling on the turf stroked the ball into an empty net.

It was the Argentine World Player of the Year’s 28th league goal of the campaign and the ninth straight game he has scored, a personal record and one short of the La Liga best last achieved in the 1996-97 season by former Barca striker Ronaldo.

Messi sent Fabregas clear to double the visitors’ lead five minutes after the break and then laid the ball into space for substitute Thiago

Alcantara to add an 82ndminute third.

Diego Buonanotte, another substitute, curled in a free kick for Malaga a minute from time but it was far too late for the Andalusians, who slip to fifth behind Real Betis.

Resurgent Atletico go into the second half of the season with a perfect home record after Tiago and Radamel Falcao scored to help see off Zaragoza.

The comfortable victory at the Calderon means Atletico have won 10 La Liga home games on the trot for the first time in almost 40 years.

They stretched their advantage over third-placed city rivals Real Madrid to seven points and their improvement under Argentine coach Diego Simeone can be gauged by the fact that they were 23 points behind Real at the same stage last term.

Tiago nodded Atletico ahead in the 31st minute and Falcao doubled their lead from the penalty spot seven minutes later after Arda Turan was felled by Cristian Sapunaru.

It was the seventh successful penalty conversion this season by the Colombia striker, who is coveted by several of Europe’s wealthiest clubs, and took his league tally for the campaign to 18, 10 behind Messi and two ahead of Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi hit his 28th league goal of the campaign and the ninth straight game he has scored - a personal record

Lazio cut Juve’s lead with a helping hand from Floccari

By Brian Homewood

Lazio’s Sergio Floccari handled the ball before scoring

LAZIO took another bite out of Juventus’s lead at the top of Serie A when they controversially beat Atalanta 2-0 on Sunday after Sergio Floccari stopped the ball with his arm before scoring the opening goal.

Juventus, with 45 points from 20 games, drew 1-1 at Parma and have had their lead slashed from eight points to three by Lazio in two successive weekends after taking only one point from a possible six.

Atalanta greeted Lazio’s 67th-minute goal with furious protests after the ball hit the underside of the crossbar and rebounded past Floccari with replays showing he brought it under control with his right arm before firing home from close range.

Hapless Atalanta defender Davide Brivio scored an own goal with a diving header 10 minutes later to wrap up the points for Lazio while the visitors had Carlos Carmona sent

off in the 83rd minute.

“It was without doubt accidental and the referee could have blown the whistle or not blown the whistle,” Lazio coach Vladimir Petkovic told reporters. “The referee is there to decide, this one has gone in our favour and we have had lots go against us.”

Atalanta coach Stefano Colantuono did not agree: “It was a clear handball by Floccari and the match ended there and then,” he said.

Defending champions Juventus also scored a controversial goal at Parma, taking the lead through an Andrea Pirlo free kick deflected in by Jonathan Biabiany and which the hosts believed should not have been awarded in the first place.

Juve midfielder Simone Padoin went down in a heap outside the area but replays suggested no contact had been made by a Parma player.

Nicola Sansone levelled for Parma in the 77th minute, bursting past Martin Caceres to score with an angled shot and allow Roberto Donadoni’s team to maintain the only

unbeaten home record in Serie A. Third-placed Napoli also won, 3-0 against lowly Palermo, to stay two points behind Lazio and further liven up the title race.

A Christian Maggio header and swerving shot by Switzerland captain Gokhan Inler in a four-minute first-half spell put Napoli in command and Lorenzo Insigne completed the scoring midway through the second half.

Palermo, who have taken a dismal one point from their last six games, remained one place off the bottom.

Fiorentina, fifth with 35 points, and sixth-placed AS Roma both lost ground with defeats for the second weekend in a row while AC Milan stayed seventh after a goalless draw at Sampdoria.

Thirty-five-year-old Antonio Di Natale scored twice to give Udinese a controversial 3-1 win over Fiorentina while a second-half goal from Alejandro Gomez gave Catania a 1-0 win over spectacularly erratic AS Roma

NEW Panathinaikos coach Fabriciano Gonzalez Penelas admitted his team have plenty of work to do if they are to be competitive in the Super League after they stuttered to a goalless draw at PAS Giannena on Sunday in his first game in charge.

The 57-year-old Spaniard, known as ‘Fabri’, replaced Juan Roman Rocha last week, but failed to galvanise the struggling Athens club as his team produced an uninspiring display against a well-organised Giannena outfit.

“Generally the team did not function well in any department, however, this team is Panathinaikos and I expect things to improve,” Fabri told reporters.

“We threw away the first 20 to 25 minutes and only stayed on level terms due to some good fortune. A club like this one should not be struggling so much... There were some serious errors tactics-wise and it is going to take a lot of work to find the right formula and get the team competitive again.”

The result meant Panathinaikos stayed in ninth spot in the table with 21 points from 17 matches.

The Greens, however, trail the league leaders and reigning champions Olympiakos Piraeus by a massive 24 points, as Leonardo Jardim’s team maintained their imperious form with a 1-0 win at Levadiakos on Saturday.

Super League top scorer Rafik Djebbour headed home the only goal of the game in the seventh minute of added time - his 14th strike of the season - to clinch all three points for the Red and Whites, who remain unbeaten this season.

“When you win such a match in the last minute against good sides like Levadiakos then you are definitely heading in the right direction to win the title,” goalkeeper Balazs Megyeri said.

“It’s hard to predict whether we can win the championship undefeated.

It’s a given that we go out to try to win every game and if we manage to go unbeaten then it would be a great achievement.”

There was much-needed joy for strugglers AEK Athens after the cashstrapped club earned a vital 1-0 home win over Xanthi on Saturday. It was only their fourth win of the campaign.

Antonis Petropoulos, who recently joined from city rivals Panathinaikos, scored the game’s only goal after 68 minutes for Ewald Lienen’s team, who stay in the relegation zone in 15th in the 16-team table.

CYPRUS MAIL Tuesday, January 15, 2013

31

Sport

Defenders fear for tackle after Kompany red card

Omonia return to winning ways by beating champs AEL

Game now becoming a ‘non-contact’ sport, says Chopper

By Nemanja Bjedov

By Martyn Herman THE art of tackling could become extinct if full-bloodied but fair challenges like the one Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany executed at Arsenal on Sunday continue to be punished with red cards, former defenders fear.

City captain Kompany appeared to time his tackle on Arsenal’s surging midfielder Jack Wilshere to perfection, taking the ball cleanly with his out-stretched left leg.

While Wilshere was sent flying by the inevitable coming together of two fullycommitted players, even he looked shocked to see referee Mike Dean produce a straight red card for the Belgian – who also received his marching orders for a similar tackle on Manchester United’s Nani last season.

Former tough-tackling Chelsea defender Ron Harris, known affectionately in his heyday as Chopper, said Kompany’s tackle was meat and drink to defenders in the 1970s and 80s.

“When I was playing, if I had made a tackle like the one Kompany did on Wilshere I would have been proud of myself,” Harris told Reuters yesterday.

“I would have given myself 10 out of 10 for that one.

What was he supposed to do? They say you can’t show your studs but when you slide in like that you have to show your studs. That doesn’t mean it was a legbreaker.

“I feel a bit for referees because they are under scrutiny but as a member of the defenders’ union I have to say that was a perfect tackle. But then the modern-day prima donna strikers would probably say it should have

Off you go: referee Mike Dean produced a straight red card for the Belgian - to the astonishment of all parties been a red card.”

Harris said the game has changed so much from the 70s when centre forwards and centre backs spent 90 minutes kicking lumps out of each other that it was now becoming a “non-contact” sport.

What is worse, he said, was the fact that good tackles are being punished while

blatant diving and the modern-day curse of grappling at corner kicks go unpunished.

“Instead of making villains out of people like Kompany, they need to crack down on the cheating we are seeing,” he said. “We see it every week. Soon, defenders will be frightened to make any tackles at all.”

Kompany’s red card in

City’s 2-0 win added fuel to the debate about tackling with comparisons being drawn with Bobby Moore’s classic challenge on Brazil’s fast-dribbling Jairzinho in the 1970 World Cup. The former England skipper dispossessed Jairzinho with almost surgical precision and the video clip is still used as an example of the perfect piece of defending.

While Kompany did initially lead with both legs, like Moore he appeared perfectly in control of his body and Wilshere’s legs, like the Brazilian’s, were never in peril.

City are set to appeal against Kompany’s punishment, which would be an automatic three-match ban, with managerRoberto Mancini saying it was not even a foul, let alone a red card.

His view drew sympathy from former Liverpool and Scotland defender Alan Hansen.

“If Kompany’s red card against Arsenal is not rescinded by the FA it will send out the message that tacking has gone forever,” he wrote in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

“It was just about the perfect tackle. I will be flabbergasted if referee Mike Dean decides to stand by his decision to dismiss the City captain.”

Kompany looked mortified when he was sent off and later wrote on his Twitter page that he will never change his style.

“I will never pull out of a tackle,” he said, “as much as I will never intend to injure a player.”

His hopes of avoiding a three-match ban will depend on whether Dean admits to making a mistake, although if past cases are a measure, the red card is unlikely to be overturned.

AFTER their five-match winning streak came to an end last week against AEK in Larnaca, Toni Savevski’s Omonia returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over champions AEL in Round 17 of the national football championship on Sunday at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia.

“All of our players deserve to be congratulated as we gave everything we had to win, but nothing is over yet. It is just a victory in the first of many important matches we have ahead of us,” said Omonia striker Dimitris Christofi, who broke the deadlock three minutes before half-time with a short-range effort.

Angolan forward Freddy set up the final score six minutes from time.

Savevski’s assistant coach Sophocles Sophocleous was in charge of the team as Savevski was serving the second of a two-match ban imposed by the Cyprus Football Federation after he was sent off in the previous round against AEK. “I believe that we deserved to win. It is an important victory for us as it came against a very good team such as AEL. We managed to follow our game plan from the beginning and as a result we created many chances and scored a goal,” Sophocleous said.

“In the second half they had

to start taking more risks which provided us with a few more opportunities and eventually we scored again,” Sophocleous added.

“It was a very good match, especially in the second half. We could not play the way we wanted throughout the first 45 minutes, but in the second half we improved and had much more possession trying to put some pressure on them and the second goal wrapped things up.”

AEL coach Jorge Costa meanwhile said his side “will continue to work as we have until now and hopefully our efforts will be rewarded with three points next time out.”

Elsewhere, AEP Paphos beat Ayia Napa 2-1 away from home, while Doxa Katokopia and Enosis Neon Paralimni played out a 1-1 draw.

Nassir Maachi’s and Chando’s second half goals gave AEK a 2-0 victory over Olympiakos in Nicosia.

Ethnikos Achnas defeated Nea Salamina 1-0 at the Ammochostos Stadium in Larnaca with Marco Aurelio scoring the only goal of the match in the seventh minute.

In the final two matches of Round 17 last night, league leaders Anorthosis thrashed Alki 3-0, while a Pinto goal 12 minutes into added time gave APOEL a dramatic 2-1 win over Apollon at the Tsirion Stadium in Limassol.

Clubs want Premier League financial regulation

By Martyn Ziegler

Manchester City and Chelsea, bankrolled by billionaires, are opposing any spending controls being brought in

FOUR of the leading topflight clubs have put into writing their demand for UEFA’s full financial fair play rules to be brought in to the Premier League.

A letter from Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool to league chief executive Richard Scudamore calls for full spending controls - where clubs must break even without wealthy owners being allowed to cover clubs’ losses.

Manchester City and Chelsea are opposing any spending controls being brought in but it is likely the 20 clubs will agree on a compromise at their meeting next month, which will allow a fixed amount of losses to be covered by owners.

The letter from the four

clubs, reproduced in the Daily Mail and confirmed by the Premier League, states: “Thank you for your continued work on the vital subject of Financial Regulation for the Premier League.

“However, we do not feel that the latest proposals go far enough to curb the inflationary spending which is putting so much pressure on clubs across the entire League.

“We continue to believe that to be successful and have the best chance of gaining at least the 14 votes necessary, any proposals for Financial Regulation must include meaningful measures to restrict the owner funding of operating losses.”

West Brom and Fulham also oppose any spending controls, while the remaining 12 favour some form of compromise solution.

Freddy (centre) celebrates wrapping up all three points for Omonia against AEL

Cyprus Standings Team 1 Anorthosis 2 APOEL 3. AEK 4 AEL 5 Omonia 6 Apollon 7 Paralimni 8 Doxa 9 Olympiakos 10 Nea Salamina 11 Ethnicos 12 Alki 13 Ayia Napa 14 AEP Paphos

P

W

D

L

F

17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17

15 13 13 9 9 8 4 5 5 3 1 2 2 4

2 2 1 6 4 3 6 3 5 4 8 4 1 3

0 2 3 2 4 6 7 9 7 10 8 11 14 10

40 37 28 30 27 25 13 13 20 12 10 11 9 15

A Pts 8 9 11 18 13 17 22 24 16 23 23 29 36 31

47 41 40 33 31 27 18 18 17 13 11 10 7 6

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 CYPRUS MAIL

32 Armstrong ‘to admit to doping’ in Oprah interview 28

Sport

Record-breaking Barcelona march on with Malaga win 30

Baghdatis struggles through Aussie opener

By Nemanja Bjedov MARCOS Baghdatis edged out Spaniard Albert Ramos after a hard-fought five-set thriller which lasted more than four hours, as the Australian Open got underway in Melbourne yesterday.

The Cypriot struggled through 6-7(0), 7-6(4), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in a match on Margaret Court Arena that finished at 12.45am local time.

Both players held serve in an opening set that was eventually claimed by Ramos after a tie-break in which he swept Baghdatis aside by not allowing him to win a single point.

In the second set, both players dropped their serve twice, but this time it was the 27-year-old Cypriot, ranked 35 in the world, who prevailed after another tie-break to level the score.

A single break of serve was enough for Baghda-

tis to claim the third set, but just when the crowd expected the Cypriot to keep his momentum going and close out the match, Ramos raised the level of his game in the fourth to force a deciding set after breaking Baghdatis twice.

In the final set, both players held serve until the fourth game when Baghdatis broke the Spaniard to take a 3-1 lead.

The Limassol native then remained composed on his serve to increase his lead

to 4-1 and pile the pressure on Ramos, who failed to cope, as Baghdatis finally closed out the match on his second match point.

The crowd favourite will now play Tatsuma Ito in round two, after the Japanese world number 84 beat Australian wild card John Millman, also in five sets, in his first round encounter.

ALL THE ACTION FROM MELBOURNE: PAGE 29

Cyprus star Marcos Baghdatis needed five sets to progress

Dominant United and City beat pretend pretenders Liverpool and Arsenal put firmly in their place

By Mark Meadows

P

REMIER League leaders Manchester United and secondplaced champions Manchester City put former English heavyweights Liverpool and Arsenal firmly in their place on Sunday with United’s Robin van Persie again on song.

United sealed a needlessly nervy 2-1 home win over eighth-placed Liverpool to maintain their seven-point lead after van Persie with a goal and Patrice Evra with two assists put rival Luis Suarez in the shade.

In contrast, the game in London was never in doubt with City winning 2-0 for their first league win at Arsenal in 38 years.

City were given a helping hand by the 10th-minute dismissal of Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny for wrestling Edin Dzekoto the ground before James Milner and Dzeko netted before the break.

Liverpool have had to watch with horror over the last two decades as big rivals United undisputedly crowned themselves kings of the English game, trampling over the Anfield side’s legacy after they had shone the brightest in the 1970s and 80s.

The first half at Old Trafford, which followed United’s 2-1 win at Liverpool in September, suggested talk of the balance of power should

Catch us if you can: Robin van Persie (left) and James Milner scored the opening goals for their respective sides as the two Manchester clubs pull away at the top of the English Premier League be replaced by whisperings of the huge gulf in class such was the ineptitude of Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Dutchman van Persie, English football’s in-form striker along with Liverpool’s Suarez, grabbed a 19th minute opener when he swept in Evra’s cross in inimitable style.

“Robin van Persie is different class. He produces moments in the game others can’t do and we are glad he is on our side,” man of the match Danny Welbeck told Sky. “We had our gameplan.

They came into it more in the second half but we got the three points and showed our character.”

Forward Welbeck, preferred to the in-form Javier Hernandez in the absence of the injured Wayne Rooney, justified his start with some good play.

Van Persie, who now has 17 goals as the league top scorer, had another chance just before the break as United overran their toothless north west neighbours but he oddly chose a cheeky flick which Martin Skrtel cleared just before the line.

Uruguay’s Suarez, with 15 league goals this term, was often jeered by the home crowd in a forgettable performance where nothing went right but he took the sting out of any more vocal taunts by shaking Evra’s hand before kick off.

Suarez failed to do so last season at Old Trafford after serving an eight-game ban for racially abusing the Frenchman.

The arrival of the lively Daniel Sturridge at halftime for his Premier League debut after joining from Chelsea and the fact they somehow went into the break just 1-0 down boosted Liverpool’s confidence in the second half.

It was soon dampened when van Persie’s free kick was headed goalwards by Evra, prolific for a left back with four goals this term, and the ball deflected off team mate Vidic before bulging the net.

Liverpool’s defence had been found wanting for the goal but Sturridge dug them

half out of a hole when he struck after 57 minutes when Gerrard’s piledriver could only be palmed into his path by goalkeeper David De Gea. England’s Sturridge then missed three decent chances as United boss Alex Ferguson fretted in the dugout and visiting Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, scouting United ahead of their Champions League clash, raised an eyebrow beneath the hood he used to shield himself from the cold and the cameras.

As it was, United closed out the win without further alarm.

City were hardly ever in danger at sixth-placed Arsenal and despite the angry response from the famously

placid home fans, referee Mike Dean had little choice but to dismiss defender Koscielny for the offending bear hug and award a penalty.

Dzeko’s spot kick hit keeper Wojciech Szczesny, rebounded off the post and ran along the line into the Pole’s grateful arms.

Arsenal fans could have been forgiven for thinking it might be their day after all but it soon turned into another painful game for a team who have not won a trophy since 2005.

City have usurped Arsenal as continual title challengers and their class against 10 men soon told when Milner rifled in a smart effort in the 21st minute after a good Carlos Tevez pass following a quick free kick.

Arsenal supporters also outraged by the free kick award sang ‘1-0 to the referee’ but that was disingenuous given the foothold of Roberto Mancini’s side and it was soon 2-0.

England midfielder Milner whipped in a cross and though the keeper stopped Tevez’s close range effort, Dzeko could not miss.

Arsene Wenger’s team barely threatened with the inconsistent Theo Walcott isolated up front and proving again that he is not the finished article by blasting one good chance woefully wide.

City’s Vincent Kompany was harshly sent off for a robust challenge with 15 minutes to go but the second half was largely a non-event in the cold, somewhere Liverpool and Arsenal could be for quite some time given United and City’s dominance.