President Demetris Christofias' car was spotted illegally parked outside an event to honour the victims of the Second World War at the Pallas Theatre in old Nicosia last night, as the president was inside giving a speech. The theatre is opposite the Paphos Gate police station... 13 comments

IF THE two sides can “break the back” of the property issue during the all-day talks next week, this would be a “very important step forward” in the talks, said UN Special Advisor Alexander Downer yesterday.
Speaking after a meeting with President Demetris Christofias, the Australian diplomat said the UN was looking forward to tomorrow’s meeting between the two leaders, but especially the two full-day meetings scheduled for next week.
“It’s going to be an interesting period when we discuss the property question,” he said.
Downer refrained from commenting on whether the two leaders would submit proposals on the property issue... 47 comments

FIREFIGHTERS came out in full force yesterday to battle a blaze that threatened houses, restaurants and holiday homes between Ayios Epiphanios and Apliki in the foothills of the Troodos mountain range.
Police and the Forestry Department are investigating collected evidence which suggests the fire was started deliberately.
“The fire started a little before 3pm along the Ayios Epiphanios-Apliki road, starting from the edge of the road and expanding rapidly in dense pine forest destroying wild vegetation and crops,” said Andreas Christou, a Forestry Department spokesman... Read on

THE FIRST rains after the summer brought sweet relief to farmers in the Larnaca and Famagusta districts yesterday, with the clouds opening for over an hour in the region.
Rain began pouring after 4pm and continued to 5pm, falling in Pyrga, Psevdas, Koshis, Aradippou, Larnaca, Levadia, Oroklini and Xylotymbou.
According to police, the continuous rainfall did not cause any problems in the parched regions where it fell... 1 comment

A 50-YEAR-OLD Nicosia man was yesterday remanded in custody for five days, in connection with the alleged exploitation of foreign workers.
The man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon during a police operation at two locations in Nicosia.
Police located 32 foreign workers living in squalid conditions, 14 of which were found to be residing on the island illegally.
In one case, 12 people were made share a single sleeping quarters. The lack of space forced some of the workers to sleep outdoors in the fields.
The workers charged that they were forced to work long hours, and that their travel documents and pay were withheld... 4 comments

THE NUMBER of fruit bats in Cyprus has fallen by 95 per cent since 2005, leaving the species on the brink of extinction, animal rights group ARC/KIVOTOS said yesterday.
Cyprus is the only EU member state to host the fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus. Rousettus are megachiropterans – very different from all the other small insect-eating bats, and are protected by law.
“Alas,” said Kyriacos Kyriacou co-founder of ARC/KIVOTOS “the protection was on paper only, and so we are losing this irreplaceable treasure”.
He said the numbers were shocking. Between 2005 and 2009 Rousettus numbers had fallen by a dramatic 85 per cent... 4 comments

TWENTY FIVE foreign businessmen have been given Cypriot citizenship, including the Russian billionaire Alexander Abramov, in exchange for their “services to the Republic of Cyprus.”
Most of the businessmen are Russian, like Abramov, 51, who co-founded and chairs the steel giant Evraz, and who is the world’s 121st richest person with a net worth of $6.1 billion.
Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis announced the Russian businessman’s naturalisation to the council of ministers yesterday, saying “Mr Alexander Abramov has offered the highest level of service to the Republic of Cyprus, and considering his business activities, naturalisation is in the public interest... 8 comments

AS PREDICATED by agricultural unions and industry chiefs earlier in the year, a huge surplus of grapes is being generated by this year’s harvest.
According to figures, around five million kilos of excess grapes have been grown.
Paphos deputies announced that a request has been lodged with the co-operative winery of Kamanterena in Stroumbi, which belongs to SODAP, to press them to take some of the surplus grapes.
Andreas Facontis, MP for AKEL confirmed that a meeting between the committee of SODAP, agricultural unions and local deputies had taken place to see what measures could be taken to lessen the problem... 9 comments

HUNDREDS OF displaced Morphou residents travelled to the occupied town yesterday to attend the evening prayer service ahead of the big celebration today of the patron saint Ayios Mamas.
The vespers were lead by Bishop of Morphou Neophytos, while the Maronite Archbishop Joseph Soueif, parliamentarians, Morphou mayor Charalambos Pittas, members of the local council and hundreds of former residents were in attendance.
The devout congregation and Morphou clergy chanted the liturgy during the event last night. More services will be held today in the morning and afternoon.
According to one CyBC reporter present, the faithful arrived in six buses and dozens of cars. Security measures were set up around the perimeter of the Church by Turkish Cypriot police... Read on