Новости за 25.02.2016

THE health services have posted an updated list of recalled Mars products which people are advised not to consume, after a choking hazard scare prompted a withdrawal in 55 countries. The recall concerns only products made in the Netherlands and their batch number includes the designation “NLD.” The new list, the batch numbers (first three […]

The bicommunal Technical Committee on Education had its first meeting on Thursday, attended by UN Secretary General`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide. Eide said in a post on his twitter account that he was happy to meet with the Committee on Education, noting that it was a crucial topic for future unity. Greek Cypriot […]

Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a Shi’ite mosque in Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 15 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State militants. Fifty other people were wounded in the blast in the predominantly Shi’ite Shulaa neighbourhood of the Iraqi capital, police and medical sources said. The first bomber detonated his vest […]

The House on Thursday passed legislation enabling police for the first time to administer drug tests to motorists. The purported aim is to deter people from driving under the influence of narcotics, which according to authorities has increasingly led to road fatalities in recent years. The bills were passed by a majority vote – 29 […]

By Crispian Balmer The Italian Senate approved on Thursday a watered-down bill allowing civil unions for same-sex and heterosexual couples, with the government using a confidence motion to ram the contested legislation through the upper house. To overcome opposition from within his own centre-left coalition, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had to strip out the most […]

Transport Minister Marios Demetriades announced on Thursday the companies selected to take over the commercial operations at Limassol port, but declined to disclose any details on the deal’s worth. A consortium comprising EuroGate International GmbH, which has the majority holding, Interorient Navigation Company Ltd, and East Med Holdings S.A, is to be granted the concession for the […]

The International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, in cooperation with the UN, have organised in Cyprus a two-day workshop on fiscal federalism, to contribute to the discussion on the financial system after a future Cyprus settlement. “The International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, working closely with the UN, organised a workshop with economic […]

Today’s suggestion for your nightlife adventures doesn’t actually take place until next Friday, but you’ll need all the time we’re giving you to figure out what to wear. No, it is not a posh gig where you have to pick out your best frock, it’s a carnival party and the theme is rock stars and […]

Scores of students from Nicosia, Limassol and Paphos skipped school on Thursday to protest outside the education ministry and district offices against a proposal to increase exams in school from once, to twice per year – one every four months. The protest was instigated by main opposition party AKEL, Education Minister Costas Kadis said. The […]

Cyprus and three other EU countries have been given two months by the European Commission to comply with the services directive in the area of regulated professions, it was announced on Thursday. According to a statement, the Commission “is taking further steps in its infringement procedures against Austria, Cyprus, Germany, and Poland on the grounds that their national rules […]

By Humeyra Pamuk Turkey’s top court ruled on Thursday that detaining two journalists from an opposition newspaper had violated their rights, and the newspaper’s acting editor-in-chief said their release is expected soon. The arrest of Can Dundar, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet, and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul last November drew international condemnation and revived concern about […]

A French judge on Thursday upheld a government plan to partially demolish a shanty town for migrants trying to reach Britain on the outskirts of the northern port of Calais, an official spokesman said. “The order is applicable, except for common social areas,” the spokesman for the Pas-de-Calais prefect’s office said. An official deadline for […]

Bank of Cyprus, the island’s largest lender said that it generated an after tax loss of €438m in 2015 mainly on increased provisions on impairments of customer loans compared to an after tax loss of €261m the year before. The bank increased its provisions in 2015 to €959m, after raising provisions for impairment on customer […]

An agreement has been struck for the management of water channelled to the north from Turkey, it emerged on Thursday, presumably putting an end to months of discussions and bickering. According to Turkish Cypriot officials, Turkey has accepted the changes they had proposed and a deal was expected to be signed in the next few […]

More than 200 athletes from 26 countries are participating in the 20th Cyprus Sunshine Cup, which kicked off on Thursday in the village of Lefkara in Larnaca. The Cyprus Sunshine Cup, the biggest bike race that takes place in Cyprus annually, is one of the three Hors Class (top class) races in Mountain Bike, and […]

By Tom Perry Russia bombed Syrian rebel-held areas in north-western Syria on Thursday as government forces sought to take more ground at the Turkish border, ahead of a planned halt to fighting, which rebels predicted Damascus and Moscow would ignore. The “cessation of hostilities” agreed by the United States and Russia is due to take […]

A Turkish document to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers last month, asking for access to military areas in the Republic in the search for missing persons, was “disappointing and inadequate,” the  Cyprus government said in a memo to the committee. “Turkey’s obligation to investigate the fate of Greek Cypriot missing persons, as stipulated […]

Cyprus star Marcos Baghdatis rolled back the years at the Dubai tennis Championships on Thursday, beating fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain to advance to the semi-finals. The match went with serve until 4-4 in the opening set when the 30-year-old Cypriot, now ranked 57 in the world, broke his opponent to leave him […]

A 24-year-old resident of Paphos was arrested on Thursday morning after he attacked a police officer and resisted arrest, police said. According to police, the fracas happened when the man’s car was stopped for a routine check.  An axe was found when the car was eventually searched. The 24-year-old was taken to Paphos police station […]

BirdLife Cyprus on Thursday announced the Spring Alive for 2016, an annual international campaign which encourages children to take action for the conservation of the migratory birds they learn about. Focusing on swallows, BirdLide said it was a species that anyone, almost anywhere could help with, through the Spring Alive 2016 season theme ‘Swallows of […]

The USS Mount Whitney, flagship of the United States’ Navy’s Sixth Fleet, will visit Cyprus, starting on Friday, the American embassy in Nicosia said. The ship will be in Limassol port while the US Navy and the Cyprus’ ministry of defence and civil defence authorities build on their enduring partnership and prepare for a search […]

Acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou on Thursday urged football leaders to adopt reforms to restore credibility to the sport’s world governing body after the worst corruption scandal in its history. Hayatou appealed to FIFA members in what he called one of the most important weeks in the history of global football, as they prepare to […]

Greece on Thursday recalled its ambassador in Vienna, the country’s foreign ministry said, after Austria excluded it from a meeting of Balkan states on Europe’s migrant crisis. The move to recall the envoy for consultations was designed to “safeguard friendly relations between the states and the people of Greece and Austria”, a statement from the […]

In our country what’s worth it shows! Maybe it’s the ample sunlight that brings everything to light. Maybe it’s in us to be able to tell what’s good. To tell a good fruit or a good vegetable when we see it shine. We can tell fresh fish from the perkiness in the eyes. Or good […]

By Gabriela Baczynska and Robert-Jan Bartunek European Union ministers on Thursday raised the prospect of further tightening unilateral border controls unless there was a sharp drop in the number of migrants arriving from Turkey by the time of an EU-Turkey summit on March 7. Seven European states have already reinstated border controls within the cherished […]