Daily Archives: July 11, 2010

THE MONOTONE din of the vuvuzelas, the unauthorised soundtrack of 2010 World Cup, will be heard for the last time tonight, as the tournament reaches its climax at the state-of-the-art Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg.

Tonight’s final between The Netherlands and Spain will be the 64th game of a gruelling tournament played over 31 days, even though the journey begun almost two years ago – in autumn 2008 – and took the two finalists to every corner of Europe as they pursued qualification. The 19th World Cup will produce a first-time winner that will be only the eighth nation to be crowned World champions. It will also be the first time that a European country will have won the World Cup outside Europe and in the southern hemisphere.

CYPRUS’ trade deficit recorded an increase in the period January to April 2010, according to the figures published by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

The figures show that total imports from third countries and EU member states in January to April 2010 amounted to €2,025.3m, compared to €1,836.6m in January to April 2009.

Total exports over the same period were €344.6m compared to €310.5m in January to April 2009.

The trade deficit was €1,680.7m in January to April 2010 compared to €1,526.1m in the corresponding period of 2009.

For the month of April, total imports were valued at €516.9m, with total exports amounting to €80.2m.

?xports of domestically produced goods reached €42.7m while exports of foreign goods were €37.5m.

JENNIFER Lopez’ gig in Kyrenia may have been cancelled, but the debate is raging on in cyberspace, with thousands of followers logging on to express their views – and insult each other – on social networking sites.

Over 20,000 people have declared they “like” the facebook page ‘Stop Jennifer Lopez performing in occupied Cyprus’, which is thought to be one of the main influences on the star’s decision to cancel her performance.

A CROSS-PARTY group of deputies is pushing for more liberal smoking laws to be passed when Parliament reconvenes after the summer holidays.

Under the amended bill, smokers would be able to smoke indoors again in specially designated areas.

The current bill forbidding smoking in public and recreational indoor areas has been in effect since January 1, and has been met by ongoing enforcement problems and strong opposition from bar, café owners and smokers, which constitute about a third of the population.

MILITARY service will be reduced before the end of the current administration, Defence Minister Costas Papacostas said yesterday.

Before his election, President Demetris Christofias had promised a reduction of military service to 19 months but that has not materialised yet with officials saying such a move would hurt the operational capabilities of the National Guard.

Military service has so far been reduced to 24 months from the previous 26.

Papacostas said yesterday the government has not shelved the issue.

“We have not put the reduction of military service in the drawers,” the minister said. “We have not locked service reduction away.”

HAVING completed its first year of operating three flights a week from Larnaca to Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways now plans to add at least a fourth flight per week to its schedule, serving Cypriot communities around the world – especially in Australia and South Africa – and other key destinations for Cypriots such as India, China and the Arabian Gulf countries.

“Since commencing operations in June 2009, Etihad has established itself firmly in the Cyprus market and continues to attract growing numbers of business and leisure travellers”, Etihad Cyprus country manager Lorna Dalziel told the Mail.

“One area of considerable success with the new service between Larnaca and Abu Dhabi has been the ability to serve Cypriot communities based around the world”, she added.