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Jokowi party claims victory in Indonesian presidential election

By Kanupriya Kapoor and Jonathan Thatcher

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was declared the winner of Indonesia’s presidential election on Tuesday, bringing the promise of major reforms to the world’s third largest democracy.

The Elections Commission, known as KPU, said the Jakarta governor had won by just over six percentage points, with 53.15 per cent of the nearly 130 million votes cast on July 9.

It was the closest and most bitterly fought election in Indonesia’s history, pitting Jokowi against former general…

International News July 22, 2014

Train carrying MH17 bodies on final journey reaches Ukraine city

By Anton Zverev and Peter Graff

A train carrying the remains of many of the 298 victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 arrived in a Ukrainian government-held city on Tuesday on the first leg of their final journey home to be reclaimed by their families.

Five refrigerated wagons containing 200 body bags reached the city of Kharkiv after pro-Russian separatists agreed to hand over the plane’s black boxes to Malaysian authorities and the bodies to the Netherlands, where many victims…

International News July 22, 2014

Israel pounds Gaza despite international peace efforts

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller

Israel pounded targets across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, saying no ceasefire was near as top US and UN diplomats pursued talks on halting fighting that has claimed more than 600 lives.

US Secretary of State John Kerry held discussions in neighbouring Egypt, while UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon flew to Israel to see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and meet on Wednesday with the Palestinian prime minister in the occupied West Bank.

However, there…

Local News July 22, 2014

CY gets involved in oil and gas operations

CYPRUS Airways (CY) has signed a strategic agreement with PHI Air Europe, a leading company in the provision of helicopter support to offshore oil and gas operations.

The deal includes use of CY’s engineering and maintenance department, and also contains provisions for expanding cooperation to other areas such as personnel training, provision of continuous airworthiness management, and cargo services.
PHI Air Europe is part of US-based PHI Helicopters INC, which will base its European HQ in Cyprus.
CY…

Football Sport July 22, 2014

Real Madrid announce £63m Rodriguez signing

By Tim Hanlon

Real Madrid have signed Colombia international James Rodriguez from Monaco on a six-year contract, the La Liga club said on Tuesday.
“Real Madrid and AS Monaco have reached an agreement for the transfer of James Rodriguez that will see keep him at the club for the next six seasons,” Real said in a statement on their website.

The World Cup’s Golden Boot winner with six goals, who will be presented at the Bernabeu later on Tuesday,…

Sport July 22, 2014

Cyprus to participate in Commonwealth Games with 51 athletes

THE Cypriot delegation is in Glasgow to participate in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which will be held from 23 July to 3 August 2014.
The Cypriot team consists of 51 athletes, 30 men and 21 women. They will compete in judo, swimming and rhythmic gymnastics.
The Commonwealth Games will be the largest multi-sport event ever held in Scotland with 4,500 athletes from 71 countries.

Local News Business July 22, 2014

Ryanair boss says company may show interest in Cyprus Airways

Ryanair will probably submit an expression of interest in troubled Cyprus Airways which is up for sale, Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said on Tuesday.

The Cypriot government in mid-July invited non-binding expressions of interest in its shares or assets in Cyprus Airways, the state-controlled airline which has posted heavy losses for years.

The deadline for submissions is July 23, and requires a non-binding expression of interest to consider a potential binding offer.

“We probably will make some expression of interest…

International News July 22, 2014

Britain to hold public inquiry into death of ex-KGB agent Litvinenko

By Michael Holden

Britain said on Tuesday it will hold a public inquiry into the death of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, who accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his murder from his deathbed after he was poisoned in London in 2006.

Last year, the British government rejected a request for an inquiry into the killing of Litvinenko, who died after drinking tea poisoned with a rare radioactive isotope in a plush London hotel, leading to accusations it wanted…

International News Comment July 22, 2014

Mixed Signals: China’s Unpredictable Foreign Policy

By Shi Yinhong

The 18th Party Congress in November 2012 produced new leadership for China, but it did not produce much optimism for the future of China’s relationship with its East Asian neighbors or the United States.

Chinese President Xi Jinping frequently refers to the “Chinese Dream,” or “the great resurgence of the Chinese nation.” Coinciding with this, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) goal to build up modernized forces has shifted to the simpler but more comprehensive and forceful aim…

Local News Business July 22, 2014

Sale price a thorn in foreclosure bill discussions

While the final touches are yet unspecified, the foreclosures bill was expected to make its way to the government’s legal services for review on Tuesday, ahead of its submission to the cabinet for approval.

According to sources cited by the Cyprus News Agency, the bill had not yet been finalised as of Tuesday morning, despite a Monday marathon session attended by Finance minister Harris Georgiades, Interior minister Sokratis Hasikos and the Troika mission heads that yielded some consensus.

The bone…

International News July 22, 2014

South Korea ferry boss death confirmed

By Ju-min Park

The body of South Korea’s most wanted man, linked to the sinking of a ferry in April that killed 300 people, was identified more than a month after being found in an orchard, police said on Tuesday, with his book and empty bottles of alcohol nearby.

The police chief in charge of the case in a small city in the south of the country was sacked on Tuesday for not recognising the book, or putting two and…

International News July 22, 2014

Three foreign advisers killed near Kabul airport

By Maria Golovnina

A Taliban suicide bomber detonated himself on Tuesday outside Kabul International Airport, killing three foreign advisers and an Afghan interpreter, police said.

The nationalities of the foreign advisers were not immediately clear.

The explosion comes days after one of the most audacious militant attacks in a year on the airport, which is used by both civilians and the military.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihulllah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack. “In this successful attack up to 15 invader…

Local News Business July 22, 2014

Authorities committed to protecting financial stability

The decision to place FBME Bank under administration showed the authorities’ commitment to protect financial stability, the government said on Tuesday.

The Central Bank (CBC) announced late on Monday that it was placing FBME Bank in resolution to protect depositors after a US Treasury implicated the lender in money laundering activities.

The announcement came out after the Resolution Authority – including the finance minister and the Central Bank governor – issued a decree on the sale of FBME Bank’s operations…

Life & Style Sport July 22, 2014

10 tasty football snacks from around the world that you have to try

By Jamie Spencer
Food and football often go hand in hand, but most supporters in the UK can hope for little more than indeterminate meat pies, cups of cheap tea and Bovril.
Bored of the usual fare? Have a look at these tasty snacks that football fans from around the world get to enjoy on match days.
Warning: involuntary salivation may occur.

10. Chin Chin
The fact that chin chin is fried and easy to eat…

International News July 22, 2014

Dozens of Turkish police detained over wiretapping

Dozens of high-ranking police officers were detained in Turkey on Tuesday accused of involvement in spying and illegal wire-tapping during an investigation into corruption in Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s inner circle, CNN Turk said.

At least 76 officers were detained in 22 provinces around the country on suspicion of forming a criminal organisation and illegally bugging phones, the news channel said, weeks ahead of a presidential election in which Erdogan is standing.

Other local media said most of those detained…

Football Sport July 22, 2014

Juventus sign Frenchman Evra from Man United

By Brian Homewood

French left-back Patrice Evra is leaving Manchester United after eight-and-a-half seasons to join Serie A champions Juventus, the Italian club said.

Juve confirmed that they had agreed a 1.2 million-pound fee for the 33-year-old, who signed a two-year contract. Juventus will pay a further 300,000 pounds to United if they qualify for the 2015-16 Champions League.
The move means the chance of Champions League football this season for Evra, who would have missed out on Europe’s…

International News July 22, 2014

China food scandal spreads, drags in Starbucks, Burger King and McNuggets in Japan (Updated)

By Adam Jourdan

The latest food scandal in China is spreading fast, dragging in US coffee chain Starbucks , Burger King Worldwide Inc and others, as well as McDonald’s products as far away as Japan.

McDonald’s Corp and KFC’s parent Yum Brands Inc apologised to Chinese customers on Monday after it emerged that Shanghai Husi Food Co Ltd, a unit of US-based OSI Group LLC, had supplied expired meat to the two chains.

On Tuesday, Starbucks said some of its…

Local News Business July 22, 2014

FBME placed under resolution

By Elias Hazou

THE CENTRAL Bank of Cyprus (CBC) announced late on Monday that it was placing FBME Bank – rocked by money laundering allegations – under resolution.

In a short statement, the regulator said the move was intended to protect depositors. The announcement came out after the Resolution Authority – including the finance minister and the Central Bank governor – issued a decree on the sale of FBME Bank’s operations in Cyprus.

The decree, which has immediate effect, notes…

Local News Comment July 22, 2014

Our View: Public sector cuts could finance better welfare system

THE GOVERNMENT’S legislation for the guaranteed minimum income (GMI), which in effect reformed the state welfare system, has come under considerable criticism both from affected social groups and some political parties. For instance, AKEL’s deputies have been arguing that the government’s welfare reform was a case of taking from the poor to help the poorer.

This is a smart slogan with an element of truth in it as the government has indeed redistributed the money paid out in welfare…

Local News July 22, 2014

Right to the wire on foreclosure bill

By Angelos Anastasiou

FINANCE ministry officials remained in lengthy talks with the troika of international lenders on Monday over some of the controversial provisions that would allow banks to foreclose insolvent borrowers’ properties.

State broadcaster CyBC reported late last night that the Cypriot side had settled on a draft foreclosures bill, including a clause allowing the borrower to appeal the foreclosure process in court. From the report it was assumed that the troika – opposed to this provision – had…

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NEWS

Jokowi party claims victory in Indonesian presidential election

Train carrying MH17 bodies on final journey reaches Ukraine city

Israel pounds Gaza despite international peace efforts

CY gets involved in oil and gas operations

Real Madrid announce £63m Rodriguez signing

Cyprus to participate in Commonwealth Games with 51 athletes

Ryanair boss says company may show interest in Cyprus Airways

Britain to hold public inquiry into death of ex-KGB agent Litvinenko

Mixed Signals: China’s Unpredictable Foreign Policy

Sale price a thorn in foreclosure bill discussions

South Korea ferry boss death confirmed

Three foreign advisers killed near Kabul airport

Authorities committed to protecting financial stability

10 tasty football snacks from around the world that you have to try

Dozens of Turkish police detained over wiretapping

Juventus sign Frenchman Evra from Man United

China food scandal spreads, drags in Starbucks, Burger King and McNuggets in Japan (Updated)

FBME placed under resolution

Our View: Public sector cuts could finance better welfare system

Right to the wire on foreclosure bill

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