June 20 Daily News Briefing

In today’s episode, the prisons department on Monday sought to rubbish allegations of unhygienic conditions for inmates – including tainted food and unclean showers – attributing such claims to “ulterior motives”.Elsewhere, Cyprus’ rotating EU presidency in the first half of 2026 offers a “unique opportunity” for the country to promote itself “as a trustworthy partner, with added value in a region of crucial importance”, President Nikos Christodoulides said.Also, only 11 of 19 lifeguard towers in Larnaca have any lifeguards, district supervisor of Larnaca lifeguards Savvas Ioannou, said on Monday.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, a holidaymaker in Ayia Napa has reported valuables worth over eleven thousand euros stolen from his beach bag while swimming on Saturday.Elsewhere, Cyprus has finally joined a Europe-wide push to protect people in bars and clubs, years after other EU nations rolled out safety schemes like ‘Ask for Angela’.Also, Cyprus’ agriculture minister says climate change and rising costs are putting big pressure on the country’s farmers.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, a law designed to help thousands of ‘trapped buyers’ get a title deed on their property which they have paid for in full was passed by the House plenum on Thursday as the government hailed the development.Elsewhere, the government’s plan for the introduction of courses in foreign languages at state universities is to serve interests other than those of the universities themselves, Akel warned on Thursday.Also, the European People’s Party on Thursday offered its support to Cyprus’ efforts to join Europe’s Schengen zone.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, the cabinet suspended former head of the central prisons Anna Aristotelous from her present post at the defence ministry on Wednesday over the classified state documents found in the residence of the prisons’ chief warden.Elsewhere, the permanent criminal court of Paphos will announce its sentence on July 8 for convicted murderer Doros Theofanous, known as “the hairdresser”, who escaped from custody last year.Also, the central government has allocated €8 million worth of funding to Cyprus’ five district governments to deal with “water supply and water loss issues”, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Wednesday.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail. 

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, efforts to repatriate Israelis continued on Thursday, with 21 outbound flights from Cyprus and the Crown Iris cruise ship departing Limassol, carrying around 1,600 Israelis home. Also, petrol prices in Cyprus have begun to rise due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, with two fuel importers already increasing wholesale rates, and others expected to follow, petrol station owners’ association chairman Savvas Prokopiou said on Thursday.Elsewhere, hotels and tourist accommodations in Cyprus operating without full permits have been granted another one-year extension to comply, following a unanimous vote by MPs on Thursday.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, the United Kingdom’s bases in Cyprus are “hugely important at this time”, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said, amid an escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.Elsewhere, there has been “no wave of cancellations” of tourist bookings in Cyprus in recent days while the conflict Israel and Iran has escalated, Cyprus chamber of commerce and industry (Keve) chairman Philokypros Rousounides said on Tuesday.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, India expects to finalise a free trade agreement with the EU by the end of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, while Cyprus, which assumes the EU presidency in 2026, said better ties would be its priority.Elsewhere, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Sunday confirmed the country would increase its presence in the Middle East, with the BBC reporting this increased presence will include Typhoon fighter jets and air-to-air refueler aircraft.Also, the drug problem in the island’s schools has risen to the level of organised crime involving recruitment, trafficking and distribution and the failure to put a stop to it is systemic, MPs heard on Monday.All this and more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.