THE UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said it was greatly concerned over deteriorating conditions of asylum seekers in Cyprus, offered to support the government and called for accelerating actions on contingency planning.In a statement, the UNHCR mentioned the instance of more than 100 Kurdish men, women and children of Syrian origin who have “remained for over two weeks without shelter in the streets of Nicosia at the doorsteps of the ministry of interior,” said Nasr Ishak, UNHCR Representative for Cyprus. “We have examined those cases and conveyed to the competent Cypriot authorities our recommendations for corrective actions in accordance with the Cyprus refugee law... 16 comments

A 13-year-old girl died in the early hours yesterday in Nicosia general hospital’s accident and emergency department where her father had taken her after she had complained of feeling unwell.Police said the 13-year-old was admitted to hospital at 10.40pm on Friday night, and fainted some 50 minutes later following difficulties breathing. She was declared dead in the early hours of Saturday. A post-mortem is scheduled for Monday... 2 comments

IN LIGHT of world telecommunication day on Friday, the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CyTA) has started a campaign for the proper use of mobile phones while driving.The theme for this year’s world telecommunication day is ‘telecommunication and improving road safety.’ Until June 1 special booths will be set-up outside certain CyTA shops and CyTA offices, universities and other areas islandwide to test people’s capabilities to drive while using a mobile phone. Interactive three-hour educational sessions will also be offered to drivers and other business customers, CyTa said. The seminars are being organised in collaboration with the police. ... 5 comments

PRESIDENT NICOS Anastasiades yesterday accused UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer and his team of undermining the president’s credibility and the prospects of resuming peace talks in a letter sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Anastasiades threatened to pull out of the UN-planned dinner between himself and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu on May 29, unless the UN chief could provide personal assurances that it would be a “social event” only.  The two-page letter, revealed by state broadcaster CyBC last night, is dated May 17, 2013. In the letter, Anastasiades assures the UN chief of his commitment to the peace process... 47 comments

THERE is no excuse for spending money you do not have and creating huge fiscal deficits, especially when excluded by international markets, former Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly said yesterday. Shiarly was summoned for the second time to the committee of inquiry that is probing the circumstances leading to the country’s banking crisis culminating in a haircut of the deposits and the winding down of island’s the second-biggest bank Laiki, and the restructuring of the biggest, Bank of Cyprus... 5 comments

FORMER CENTRAL Bank Governor Athanasios Orphanides yesterday accused his successor and the previous government of launching an assault on the banking system to win votes in the presidential elections at the cost of the destruction of the economy. In a live link-up from America with a conference on the euro organised by the Tassos Papadopoulos Centre for Studies yesterday in Nicosia, Orphanides was scathing about the responsibility of the Demetris Christofias government and current central bank governor Panicos Demetriades for today’s economic mess... 6 comments

PUBLIC FINANCES recorded a surplus of €44.2m during the first quarter of 2013 due to a reduction of government expenditure by 17.2 per cent. Despite a reduction of 7.6 per cent in income, cost-cutting measures by the government led to a surplus of €44.2m according to the Statistical Services which had reported a deficit of €148m during the first three months of 2012.The surplus was mainly due to a decrease of 6.9 per cent in civil servant salaries, a decrease of 23 per cent in social benefits and a 21.8 per cent decrease in government operating expenses... 4 comments

THE TWELFTH decree on capital controls was released yesterday with two new relaxations. These include the increase in amount of non-cash payment or money transfer from €10,000 to €15,000 per month per natural person in each credit institution regardless of the purpose. And an increase from €50,000 to €75,000 per month per legal person in each credit institution regardless of the purpose.It is now prohibited to terminate fixed term deposits prior to their maturity unless the funds are used to repay a loan and/or overdraft and/or credit card within the same credit institution... 2 comments

THREE warships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet entered Mediterranean waters for the first time in decades, docking in Limassol port yesterday.“The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Captain First Rank Roman Martov told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.The fleet, including the destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, the amphibious warfare ships Peresvet and Admiral Nevelskoi, the tanker Pechenga and the tugboat Fotiy Krylov left the port of Vladivostok on March 19 to join Russia’s Mediterranean task force.Cypriot Defence Minister Fotis Fotiou is due to visit the warships today after receiving an invitation from the Russian ambassador to Cyprus... 7 comments

UNSCRUPULOUS individuals have been going door-to-door in Paphos falsely asking for money to help five-year-old leukaemia sufferer George Philippides who is due to go to Germany to receive a bone marrow transplant. The fake collection has been going on for around 20 days with the culprits asking people to give no less than €20. The boy’s family, while they did issue a plea for bone marrow donors – two were found on Monday – never asked for cash. “As a family we have not asked anyone for help. The family and friends will financially support my grandson’s trip to Germany. It is up to the doctors now as to when the transplant will take place,” Philippides grandfather, Iacovos Philippides said yesterday... 3 comments