Cyprus averted panic withdrawals as banks opened yesterday for the first time in almost two weeks, with government controls on access to cash leading to orderly lines rather than runs on deposits.

Thousands of students and bank workers protested in Nicosia yesterday as banks stayed shut to stop a run on deposits after the island agreed a painful bailout to avert bankruptcy.

Cyprus’ president is trying to amend a key condition of a draconian eurozone bailout plan that would tax deposits in the country’s banks to reduce its effect on small savers.

Nervous depositors in Cyprus rushed to ATM machines today to drain their accounts following a bailout agreement with international creditors that includes a levy on all the country's bank accounts.

Conservative candidate Nicos Anastasiades has won Cyprus’s presidential run-off election by one of the widest margins in 30 years.

LITTLE-KNOWN Greek assistant manager Leonidas Demetrakopoulos will take charge of Cyprus against the Republic of Ireland in Nicosia tomorrow night.

Giovanni Trapattoni saluted his “wardrobe” after seeing the Republic of Ireland survive a concerted fightback to claim three more World Cup points with a 1-0 victory over Cyprus.

Cyprus coach Angelos Anastasiades has warned his players they need to cut out the errors that have blighted their World Cup campaign to date.

CYPRUS may have achieved one of their best ever results with their 5-2 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Group D but coach Angelos Anastasiades was keeping cool in the aftermath of the success in Nicosia.