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Baghdatis in injury scare ahead of Wimbledon

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Marcos Baghdatis, fresh from winning the Aegon Championship in Nottingham on Sunday, injured his shoulder against Stanislas Wawrinka

By Andreas Vou

MARCOS Baghdatis was forced to pull out of his second round match at Queen’s Club on Wednesday due to a shoulder injury after only five games, giving top seed and world number three Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland an easy ride into the next round.

The Cypriot star was holding his own against this year’s Australian Open champion, with the opening five games going with serve.
However, with the score at 3-2 to Wawrinka, Baghdatis said he was suffering from pains in his shoulder and informed the umpire that he could not continue.

Baghdatis was fresh from winning the Aegon Trophy in Nottingham on Sunday, where he defeated Marinko Matosevic in the final to earn his first singles title since 2010 and was hoping to add to his exploits after being handed a wildcard.

The Limassol native had started the Queen’s tournament in the manner in which he had finished in Nottingham, defeating America’s Bradley Klahn 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 in the opening round which set up a mouth-watering tie against Wawrinka.

While Baghdatis, 28, was certainly the underdog going into Wednesday afternoon’s match, his recent good form, coupled with the fact that Wawrinka had only made one doubles appearances on grass this year, had many looking forward to a gripping affair, but it was not to be.

Baghdatis can take solace from the excellent news received earlier in the day. The Cypriot has been handed a wildcard entry for Wimbledon which starts on June 23.
While the injury did not appear to look anything of extreme concern, the world number 118 must now be fully focused on recovering in time for the tournament where he reached the semi-finals back in 2006.

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€40m for fisheries programme

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THE EU Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Committee has approved a €40m grant to Cyprus for its fisheries operation programme. The funds will be used for the development of coastal fishing, infrastructure and fish farming.

Agriculture minister Nicos Kouyialis expressed his satisfaction and said that Cyprus’s efforts have paid off, adding that we have managed to double to funding which until now was €19m.

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Cabinet lists state officials allowed a limo

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LIMOS

By Constantinos Psillides

THE government, following a request by the House, has set up a list of officials who are entitled to enjoy the use of a state-provided limo.

The list was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday and forwarded to the House for further debate.

The list includes the President of the Republic, the President of the House, the President of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General, the Auditor General, former presidents, the ministers, the government spokesman, the undersecretary to the president, as well as the first lady.

The cabinet also included on the list – citing security reasons – the chief of police, the commander of the National Guard, as well as the head of the intelligence service (KYP).

When it comes to other government officials currently using state-provided limos, the cabinet decided that these officials can keep their vehicles on a personal basis until their term is over, but no later than January 2016.

The cabinet said that the use of a state car is allowed only for state business and that transportation to and from the official’s residence isn’t considered ‘state business’.

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MPs want public official to post financial records

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comment - loucas - The House rejecting the first bail in deal last March 19

By Constantinos Psillides

MEMBERS of parliament are discussing a bill that will make it mandatory for high ranking officials to regularly post their financial statements, even after they leave office.

Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said the bill, being debated by the House Legal Affairs Committee, will oblige high ranking government officials to produce financial statements three months after they take office, then once again in their third year of office and also three months after they leave office.

The statements will be checked by a committee of certified accountants and then made public.

While the term “high ranking officials” includes the president, ministers, parliamentarians and mayors, committee chairman and DISY MP Soteris Sampson said that the committee will have to decide now on which other government officials should be included on the list.

The committee is considering adding judges to the list, while members had suggested that church officials and even the Archbishop should be subject to scrutiny.

Main opposition party AKEL MP Aristos Damianou said that the bill should include all people who in some way are in charge of public finances.

“The list should include people who are in a position to appropriate state funds, as well as people making decisions regarding state funds. Nobody should be above the law and nobody should be excluded,” said Damianou.

The AKEL MP was also of the opinion that media owners should also be called to produce their financial statements.

“We don’t want to point any fingers, but where there is a relationship between the state and a private company, we feel that transparency is needed. Whether that should include media owners remains to be seen in future sessions. With due respect of course to the constitution and business activities,” he noted.

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Palace gives full support to auditor-general

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AUDITOR-general Odysseas Michaelides was invited to attend Wednesday’s cabinet meeting in a show of support from President Nicos Anastasiades.

According to a statement from the presidential palace after the meeting, Michaelides was authorised by the president and by his ministers to be even more stringent in his duties. Anastasiades, it said, had imposed a zero-tolerance policy towards anyone found to be involved in any financial scandal and in this regard he would personally and politically support the work of the auditor-general.

“I will not accept to close any file, and there will be no unfinished business,” the president said, according to the palace, which said controls were being tightened in all areas.

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President thanks Russia for continued support

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PRESIDENT Nicos Anastasiades expressed gratitude to Russian citizens on Wednesday night for their continued support and confidence in Cyprus throughout the financial crisis.

Anastasiades was speaking at a reception hosted by Russian Ambassador Stanislav Osadchiy to mark Russia’s national day.

“The ever increasing flow of Russian tourists to the island is also a welcome trend we seek to promote further,” he said.

“The existence of a natural affinity between our peoples… particularly during the unprecedented dire economic situation faced by Cyprus, confirms the robustness of relations between our countries.”

Anastasiades also thanked the Russian federation for its long-standing support in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem.

“The contribution of the Russian Federation in shaping the international scene is essential in tackling common challenges to achieve geopolitical stability at global and regional levels,” he added.

In this context, Anastasiades said that Cyprus, as an EU member state, has demonstrated the political will to contribute to a constructive spirit of trust, cooperation and mutual strategy in the wider European area.

Cyprus has been lobbying the EU to hold back on further sanctions on Russia over the situation in Crimea given that the island’s fragile economy could be further damaged by the effects of such sanctions on Russian business interests.

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‘Short-sighted policy on thalassaemia’, say patients

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Exjade

By Constantinos Psillides

THALASSAEMIA patients slammed the health services on Wednesday after having had to wait another three months to be treated with the life-saving drug Exjade.

The Cyprus Thalassaemia Association (CTA) said the health ministry and pharmaceutical services were still dragging their feet by delaying approval to administer Exjade to the patients who need it to survive.

In February, the CTA publicly accused the authorities with its head Natalia Michaelidou saying that 11 people had already died without the treatment.

Exjade’s main use is to reduce chronic iron overload in patients who receive long-term blood transfusions for conditions such as thalassaemia and other chronic anaemia conditions. It is marketed in Cyprus by Novartis.

Then Health Minister Petros Petrides promised the CTA that the government would do everything in its power to administer the drug to those who needed it, and that the process would be speeded up.

The CTA said on Wednesday that instead of approving the use of Exjade, the pharmaceutical services has asked applicants to come in for further testing, adding to the delay.

“We were promised that the matter would be resolved but instead patients are forced to undergo tests for a third time in the span of one year,” the CTA said.

The pharmaceutical services claim that the reason patients have to undergo a third barrage of tests was due to the change in composition of the ad hoc committee responsible for approving patients who would receive Exjade.

“They are trying to cut corners and save a couple of hundred euros, not taking into consideration the fact that they stand to spend thousands to treat these people if their condition takes a turn for the worse. This is a short-sighted policy and we demand the health ministry abandon it and approve the administration of Exjade for those who need it,” the organisation said.

According to the CTA, 88 patients in total are on a stand-by list to receive the drug.

The CTA also criticised a decision to include two haematologists and a cardiologist to the ad hoc committee, saying these doctors lack specialised knowledge of thalassaemia.

Last November, the health ministry ordered an investigation into the supply of Exjade after alleged irregularities were found in its purchase and supply dating back to 2011.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the pharmaceutical services stated that they are doing their best to obtain the drug always within the framework of the legal and institutionalised procedures and that they will immediately contact the patients to receive Exjade as soon as they receive the minutes of the session of the Tender Board of June 5.

The announcement said that the pharmaceutical services had asked the tender board in February to obtain Exjade not with a proclamation competition as is the standard procedure but with a negotiation procedure; that way the drug would be obtained at a lower price in order to counter balance the increase in demand, an action which saved €400,000.

The pharmaceutical services also said the CTA’s criticism on the appointment to the ad hoc committee of the two haematologists and the cardiologist was unsubstantiated, since the doctors were chosen to provide scientific assistance.

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Supreme Court throws out civil servants’ pay lawsuits

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By Angelos Anastasiou

THE Supreme Court has  issued a majority decision to dismiss lawsuits filed by civil servants against a 2011 law allowing the government to levy ‘extraordinary contributions’, which they claimed had been unconstitutional.

Nine judges deemed the law fully compliant with constitutional provisions, while three voted to uphold the civil servants’ request to repeal the law.

The majority decision ruled that the plaintiffs, who bore the burden of proof, “failed to convince [the Court] beyond reasonable doubt that the provisions of Law 112(I)/2011 are unconstitutional.”

The plaintiffs had argued that the law violated the principle of equality, the right to property, and the principles of proportionality and public trust. They also argued that the benefit to public interest – a precondition for the law to be applicable – had not been adequately demonstrated, that due diligence had not been carried out, and that their right to free association had been violated.

With regard to the claim of violating the principle of equality, the majority decision argued that “in [the Court’s] opinion the Parliament could have taken extraordinary measures, in compliance with the Constitution, to counterbalance the dire financial situation and rein in public finances.”

On the alleged violation of the right to property, the Court opined that the “relatively small reduction in pay in no way impacted the core of the right to compensation, which remains intact.” Further, the judges felt that a mandatory contribution of 1.5 to 3.5 per cent may be considered a “substantial reduction in pay that could constitute a violation of the right to compensation.”

Additionally, countering the claim that the concept of public interest had not been adequately demonstrated, the judges stated that the law “refers in detail, and with clarity, not only to the ‘difficult economic period’ the country had been going through, but also to the need to avoid ‘further deterioration of the fiscal situation’ following the tragic Mari incident.”

Nor could the argument that the right to free association had been violated hold, the Court said. “Enacting legislation to withhold an extraordinary contribution from salaries and pensions falls within the state’s power to take such measures for purposes of public interest,” and thus the Court was not convinced that the right had been violated.

The minority decision to uphold the appeal stated that the law was undoubtedly unconstitutional as it does not constitute a restriction but a deduction of the item the law covers. “Andthat,” thedecisionargued, “withoutanyremedy.”

“Restrictions and terms in the name of abstract fiscal instability, or even predicted collapse, must be governed by laws, themselves legitimised by existing constitutional provisions,” the dissenting judges said.

Necessity law is neither a panacea, nor a concept that can be used arbitrarily, the judges said.

“It is imperative that alignment with constitutional provisions, especially during times of crisis, is seen as even more necessary,” they argued. “Therefore, no government need for fiscal consolidation may be satisfied by assaulting of citizens’ rights to property, in contravention of the constitution.”

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Greek central bank says domestic reforms must continue

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By George Georgiopoulos

Greece needs to focus on cutting government spending and improving the tax administration over the next five years, the central bank said on Thursday, echoing the country’s international lenders.

In its twice yearly monetary policy report, the Bank of Greece maintained its forecast that the 183 billion euro economy would expand by 0.5 percent this year.

But it also warned that there was no room for “complacency” on the country’s reform drive and said lowering the tax burden on firms and individuals would help investments to recover.

“To avert risks, reforms and the economy’s restructuring must continue with stronger decisiveness in all areas,” the report said.

“Any backtracking or reversal of the current policy would lead to a new exclusion from the markets and bring back the country to a phase of economic instability,” the Bank of Greece said.

Greece’s economy, set to emerge from a six-year recession this year, could even top the bank’s forecast of mild growth if confidence in the country’s prospects continued, the bank said.

Its forecast is just shy of the government and the country’s EU/IMF lenders’ estimate of 0.6 percent growth.

After years of harsh austerity Greece has corrected its so-called twin deficits – its budget and current account gaps – and managed to return to bond markets after a four-year exile by raising 3 billion euros from the sale of a five-year bond.

The Bank of Greece said confidence in the economy’s prospects is gradually recovering with markets discounting an exit from its worst peacetime financial crisis.

It said consumption, the main driver of gross domestic product, is stabilising and rising revenue from tourism should help boost economic activity this year. But recovery will also require a rise in investment and faster growth in exports.

Greece’s economy shrank 0.9 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, its slowest pace since late 2008 when its protracted recession began, supporting projections that Athens will emerge from a crippling six-year slump this year.

While both consumption and net exports rose year-on-year, gross capital investment fell 7.9 percent.

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Brazil police, protesters clash as World Cup begins (Update 4)

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Opening Ceremony

By Brian Winter and Marcelo Teixeira

Brazilian police and protesters clashed on Thursday before the opening game of the World Cup and five people were injured although the country finally burst into life with flag-waving fans flooding into bars and street parties.

The tournament has been largely overshadowed so far by construction delays and months of political unrest with many Brazilians furious over $11 billion being spent to host the Cup in a country where hospitals and schools are often poor.

Throughout much of Brazil, though, the dour mood began to turn festive on Thursday. Thousands of local and foreign fans sang and danced in front of giant TV screens set up in downtown Sao Paulo ahead of the opener between Brazil and Croatia.

Crowds of Croatian fans were drinking beer by mid-morning and streets in the bohemian neighborhood of Vila Madalena were so packed with fans that it was hard to move.

Fireworks also echoed throughout many cities.

Kickoff was set for 5 pm local time (2000 GMT). The home team was strongly favored to win and is being widely tipped to go on and claim a record sixth World Cup title.

“It’s been all peace and love. People have been very friendly,” said Federico Ortuyo, an Argentine fan watching the game in downtown Sao Paulo.

Late in the morning, police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and noise bombs to disperse demonstrators who gathered in eastern Sao Paulo, about 10 km away from the Corinthians arena where the game will take place.

A police spokeswoman said the crowd numbered about 600 at its peak. That was up from previous estimates, though it was smaller than organizers and some police had expected.

After protesters tried to cut off a main road to the stadium, at least five people were injured, including some journalists. Two people were arrested for vandalism and one for carrying a Molotov cocktail, police said.

About 1,000 protesters in Rio de Janeiro marched peacefully, though some burned Brazilian flags and carried signs saying “FIFA go home,” in a reference to the world football body. There were small demonstrations in other host cities.

What appeared to be the biggest crowd of the day, though, came as several thousand lined Sao Paulo streets to cheer on the Brazilian team’s bus as they headed to the stadium.

Led by 22-year-old star striker Neymar, the team is under huge pressure to win the World Cup for the first time on home soil.

The stakes are high not just on the soccer field. Whether the tournament goes smoothly may also have an effect on President Dilma Rousseff’s chances for re-election in October, as well as Brazil’s flagging reputation among investors.

Rousseff, who will attend the opening game, has dismissed complaints about overspending and delays in preparing stadiums and airports. Asked if the home team would win the opener, as it is expected to do, she smiled and flashed a thumbs-up.

FINGERS CROSSED

More than 1 million people joined in the protests last June, but most recent demonstrators have been much smaller, numbering just a few hundred people. Polls suggest that, despite continued misgivings about the World Cup’s organization, many Brazilians will start to enjoy it once the goals start coming.

In Salvador, another of the 12 cities that will host games, locals were singing soccer songs and playing drums as others hung yellow and green streamers.

“You can feel the atmosphere building up with fans coming here in good spirits,” said Ben, an English fan in the sweltering Amazon city of Manaus.

Yet the list of possible problems is long. In fact, hosting a successful tournament may ultimately prove harder for Brazil than winning it.

About a dozen disgruntled airport workers blocked a road outside Rio’s international airport on Thursday morning, causing heavy traffic.

Some businesses in Rio, the venue for seven Cup games, including the final, had boarded up windows and doors by late on Wednesday in case protests erupted.

The Sao Paulo stadium itself has been a source of anxiety.

Not only was it delivered six months late at a cost of $525 million, about $150 million over budget, but because of the delays Thursday’s game will be the facility’s first at full capacity. That’s a big no-no in the field of logistics and a violation of FIFA’s normal protocol for World Cup games.

A rough tournament would likely cause Rousseff’s popularity, already under pressure, to fall further. Any major logistical problems and unrest could also further dent Brazil’s reputation among investors, which has suffered since a decade-long economic boom fizzled under Rousseff.

Brazil’s performance in hosting the World Cup will also give clues as to how well it will do in two years, when it plays host to the Olympics.

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Strike disrupts rail traffic for second day across France

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By Ingrid Melander

Half of scheduled train journeys across France were cancelled on Thursday in the second day of a strike against a planned rail reform, bringing some of the worst disruption to the country’s rail network in years.

The strike action risked being extended for a third day after trade unions said an emergency meeting with representatives of President Francois Hollande’s government had ended in a stalemate.

Unions want the government to abandon a planned reform that would pull the service operator SNCF and the rail network RFF into a single holding structure but nonetheless preserve them as separate entities.

They instead want the two to be fully merged into a single operation, as was the case until 1997, and for the government to take on some 40 billion euros of debt owed by the firms.

“We are very angry with the contempt shown by the government,” SUD-Rail unionist Nathalie Bonnet told BFM TV after leaving talks with junior Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier.

“We have made no progress,” she said.

SNCF workers fear their working conditions will be hit and argue that neglect of the tracks was a factor in a 2013 accident in which seven people were killed in a derailment attributed to a fault on a stretch of track just south of Paris.

They further argue that merging the two companies would avoid problems such as when SNCF acknowledged last month it had ordered 2,000 trains for an expanded regional network that were too wide for many station platforms.

The mix-up arose when the RFF transmitted faulty dimensions for its train platforms to the SNCF, which was in charge of ordering trains, local media reported.

The Ile-de-France region around Paris was hit harder than average by Thursday’s strike with only one in three train journeys set to be maintained, SNCF said in a statement.

The rail reform is due to be debated in parliament next week. The unions were set to decide later in the day on whether to prolong the strike.

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Shacolas to hand over the reins

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Pioneering businessman Nicos Shacolas has decided to pass the torch of running the empire he built – NK Shacolas (Holdings) Ltd, of such fame as the Cyprus Trading Corporation (CTC), Ermes and Woolworth – to his son Marios.

Speaking at the annual general meetings of the three companies, Shacolas took a personal moment to announce that he felt it is time for new blood to take the reins and that he will be handing off the administration of his group of companies to his son.

Helped by experienced and capable associates, he said, Marios N Shacolas was in a position to run operations smoothly and achieve bigger future successes. On his part, Shacolas Sr said he would always stand by the companies and offer any help he could.

The handoff has been reported as scheduled for next September.

 

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Building permits down in first quarter

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Building permits declined by 10.3 per cent during January-March 2014, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, the Statistical Service announced on Thursday.

The total value of permits decreased by 37.4 per cent and the total area by 44.2 per cent. Τhe number of dwelling unit permits recorded a decrease of 60 per cent.

According to the announcement, there were 448 building permits issued in March 2014, at a total value of €61.2m and a total area of 58,900 square metres. These building permits provide for the construction of 193 dwelling units. (CNA)

 

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Three ministers publish finances (Update)

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By Angelos Anastasiou

THE MINISTERS of communications, health and education made their finances public on Thursday in the interests of transparency, they said.

Communications Minister Marios Demetriades revealed his current net worth to be €664,882.

According to the information provided by Demetriades, cash in various bank accounts, including his children’s trust funds, add up to €270,623, while his investment portfolio, which includes approximately €80,000 in government bonds, as well as shares in Hellenic Bank, Bank of Cyprus and Primetel, is currently worth €304,588. He also reported owning property valued at €259,268, whereas his total assets were worth €769,991.

In terms of loans and overdraft facilities, Demetriades reported a total amount of €105,109, meaning his current total net worth is €664,882.

Health Minister Philippos Patsalis revealed his current net worth to be €741,180. According to the information provided by Patsalis, cash in various bank accounts add up to €136,104, while his investment portfolio, which includes €50,000 in government bonds, as well as shares in Bank of Cyprus and Louis Plc, is currently worth €131,903. He also reported owning property valued at €428,000, whereas his total assets were worth €820,007.

In terms of loans and overdraft facilities, Patsalis reported a total amount of €78,827, meaning his current total net worth is €741,180.

Education Minister Kostas Kadis revealed his current net worth to be €564,963.

Cash in various bank accounts, including his children’s trust funds, add up to €101,500, while his property, which includes a residence and two plots of land at Latsia, Nicosia, was valued at €1,350,000. Kadis’ total assets were worth €564,963.

The education minister’s statement showed zero loans and overdrafts, meaning his current total net worth is €741,180.

 

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New suicide attempt at central prisons

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JAIL

By Evie Andreou

A 30-YEAR-OLD inmate at the Central Prison in Nicosia attempted to commit suicide on Thursday.

The 30-year-old, who reportedly has a history of psychological problems, wrapped a sheet around his neck and tried to asphyxiate himself.

According to reports, the inmate was found unconscious by his cell mates at around 9am and revived with a defibrillator but a spokesperson for the prison denied this, saying two prison wardens had spotted him in time and prevented the suicide attempt from going any further.

The inmate is now at the Athalassa psychiatric hospital where he has been admitted twice previously since his incarceration a year ago.  The 30-year-old, is serving time for petty theft and is expected to be released in January.

The central prisons have been in the spotlight since a spate of suicides and attempted suicides last year. The problem was put down to overcrowding, mixing serious felons with non-violent convicts, lack of privileges such as hot water and electricity, and excessive use of solitary confinement.

Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou, recently announced a plan drawn up by his ministry in cooperation with the Ombudswoman’s office, to reduce prison overcrowding, to improve the relationship between wardens and inmates and to upgrade the welfare of inmates. The plan include staff training, the opening of a new medical wing that will monitor inmates who may be suffering from psychological problems and the reallocation of prisoners depending on the length of sentence and level of risk.

In order to improve the inmates’ living conditions, the prison introduced longer periods of hot water, electricity 24/7, open visiting hours for all prisoners, more phone calls, more entertainment and sports.

 

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Bases exercise

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BASES SYRIA

THE BRITISH military will be carrying out military exercises at its Akrotiri base from June 15 to June 24. According to an announcement, the public is called not to panic in the event they hear explosions in the area.

 

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AKEL keeps election spending down

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ANTI-TROIKA opposition party AKEL pressed its own austerity button for last month’s European Parliament election campaign, spending less than a quarter of the budget spent in the previous Euro-elections five years earlier.

AKEL on Thursday handed over details of the party’s spending in the European Parliament elections to the interior ministry’s chief returning officer, as required by law.

According to the party’s press release, AKEL spent €124,869 on promoting its six MEP candidates in the election campaign, with funding coming from the coffers of AKEL’s central committee.

Total campaign expenditure came to less than a quarter of the budget spent in the last Euro-elections in 2009, which came to €628,461.

“The costs of the election campaign were drastically reduced due to financial difficulties,” said AKEL, adding that the savings made as a result would be used to support the community groceries and associations providing social support.

 

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Biker killed in Limassol

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A 24-YEAR-OLD man was killed on Thursday after his motorcycle slammed into an oncoming car at a traffic lights intersection in the Ypsonas area of Limassol.

The accident occurred shortly before noon. The victim is Stefanos Sharpe, a resident of Limassol.

According to the police, Sharpe’s motorcycle collided with a car as the latter was making a right turn on the traffic lights.

The collision hurled Sharpe onto the tarmac. Police said the man, despite wearing a helmet, was killed on impact.

The 63-year-old female driver of the car suffered shock and was taken to Limassol general hospital for treatment.

Limassol police said they were investigating the precise circumstances of the accident, as it was not yet entirely clear whether the car driver was at fault.

 

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Second Limassol road death in 24 hours

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By Stefanos Evripidou

A MOTHER of three was killed in a crash in the early hours of Friday morning in Limassol, marking the second road death in 24 hours in the coastal city.

Maria Ioannou Zachariou, 42, was driving her car on Spyros Kyprianou Avenue in Limassol when she hit into the back of a recycle truck at around 4am.

According to public broadcaster CyBC, the truck was on the left lane of traffic on its way collecting recyclables left on the side of the road when Zachariou drove into the back of the truck.

Two employees of the recycling collection company were standing on pedals on the back of the truck just before the collision when one of them saw the car coming and called out to his colleague to jump off.

Both did just before the car hit into the back of the truck, bending one of the pedals under the truck.

The 42-year-old, who was not wearing a seatbelt, hit her head on the windscreen. She was killed on impact.

Limassol traffic police official Emilios Kafas said yesterday: “If she wore a seat belt, it is most likely her life would have been saved.”

According to CyBC, the absence of skid marks on the road indicated the driver had not pressed the breaks before hitting the truck.

She leaves behind three daughters.

The day before, at noon on Thursday, 24-year-old Stefanos Sharpe was killed after his motorcycle slammed into an oncoming car at a traffic lights intersection in the Ipsonas area of Limassol.

 

 

 

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Thai military promises government by August, lifts curfew

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People look at an elephant painted with the Brazil flag during a performance to celebrate the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, along the Khaosan tourist street in Bangkok

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre

Thailand’s ruling military government lifted a nationwide curfew on Friday to bolster the country’s vital tourism industry and promised to install an interim government in August.

General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who heads the council that has overseen the country since taking over on May 22, said that power would be handed to a government in August. That, he said, was part of a three-phase plan of reconciliation, formation of a government and elections.

“A government will be set up by August, or at the very latest September,” Prayuth told a meeting devoted to the 2015 national budget. He did not say whether the government would be made up of civilians or military officials.

In an evening television announcement, the National Council for Peace and Order said conditions had improved enough – after months of periodically violent street demonstrations – to lift the curfew across the country.

“As the situation has improved and there have been no incidents that can lead to violence … and in order to improve tourism, the curfew will be lifted in all remaining provinces,” the council announcement said.

The curfew, imposed throughout Thailand after the coup, was lifted over the past week in 30 provinces, including the main tourist destinations. It had remained in place from midnight to 4am in 47 provinces, including Bangkok.

In a rambling 40-minute address to the nation, Prayuth issued a wide range of promises to make the economy more efficient, streamline energy policy and improve the lives of ordinary Thais. He pleaded for more time to achieve the military’s aims.

The army staged a bloodless coup after six months of turmoil pitting mainly rural supporters of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against her Bangkok-based, royalist opponents.

In his comments to military officials, Prayuth repeated that a temporary constitution would be drafted within three months. It would take at least a year until a new general election could take place.

“In the next three months we must do everything properly, whether it is the constitution or other matters. Everything for the first phase should be complete by August,” Prayuth said.

Most Bangkok residents have taken the coup in stride. Business has gone on more or less as usual in offices and restaurants and public transport remain packed.

Lifting the curfew was a key element to coax back hesitant tourists – an industry that accounts for 10 percent of the economy.

The junta this week also made a concession to Thailand’s many soccer fans as the World Cup got underway in Brazil, ordering broadcasting authorities to ensure all games were shown on free-to-air channels.

CRACKDOWN ON DISSENT

But the military has acted firmly to curb dissent. Soldiers, barely visible in most districts, have been quickly mobilised to snuff out any bid to stage protests.

The military has rounded up at least 300 politicians, activists and journalists. Many are linked to exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 coup but is alleged by opponents to have directed from abroad the government led by his sister Yingluck.

On Thursday, police charged prominent activist Sombat Boonngamanong with inciting unrest, violating cyber laws and defying the junta’s orders. He had spearheaded an online campaign promoting street protests against the coup.

Thailand has been polarised for nearly a decade between supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra and her brother, former telecommunications tycoon Thaksin, on the one hand and ultra- royalist groups, mostly made up of middle-class Bangkok residents, on the other.

A court found Yingluck guilty of abuse of power on May 7, for transferring the country’s security chief to another post so that a relative could benefit from related job moves, and ordered her to step down after months of street protests aimed at toppling her government.

Military leader Prayuth says he stepped in to restore order. He has made the economy and the welfare of farmers a priority.

The army has begun payments to hundreds of thousands of farmers under a costly rice-buying scheme, one of the key policies that brought Yingluck to power in 2011.

Prayuth told Friday’s meeting that the military had no plans to keep the programme, which opponents said incurred big losses. Farmers are owed more than $2.5 billion under the scheme, a key element in a court ruling that removed Yingluck from office.

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