Christodoulides to meet halloumi stakeholders in April
Fact: The deadline for goat and sheep milk to make up half of PDO halloumi has been extended to 2029.
justice
How Ramadan fasting impacts elections
– Ramadan can drive up the intensity of religious beliefs
– The fasting duration during Ramadan varies depending on the year and location
– Research shows that longer fasting days during Ramadan can increase votes for Islamic political parties
– A half-hour rise in the duration of Ramadan fasting increases the vote share of Islamist political parties by 11%
– Turkey’s local elections taking place during Ramadan could help Islamist political parties gain ground, including Erdogan’s AKP
– Islamic parties may face challenges in the longer term as Ramadan day length has been decreasing since 2019
State Rundown 3/28: Tax Cut Madness, But Our Brackets Bet on Tax Fairness
– Several high-profile, regressive tax cuts are making their way through state legislatures in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Vermont.
– In Kansas, the House passed cuts to income, sales, and property taxes, with more than half of the benefits flowing to the state’s top 20 percent of earners.
– Missouri’s House passed a bill to fully eliminate the state’s corporate income tax by 2028, despite its 0 million annual revenue loss.
– Nebraska lawmakers are considering raising the state’s sales tax to fund property tax cuts.
– Vermont’s House Ways and Means Committee approved bills to generate 0 million by taxing wealthy households and corporations.
Gaza fisherman braves Israeli navy fire to support his family
– Palestinian fisherman Jalal Qaraan faces dangers at sea due to Israeli navy attacks
– More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza war
– Fishing in Gaza has become difficult due to the war, with many families unable to enjoy fish during Ramadan
World Court orders Israel to halt Gaza famine; Hamas says ceasefire needed
The World Court ordered Israel to ensure basic food supplies to Gaza’s Palestinian population and halt spreading famine.
Cypriot police to assist in Paris Olympics security
Cypriot police officers with detection dogs are being requested to assist with security at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Tax Day Injustice
– A new report titled “More for Them, Less for Us: Corporations That Pay Their Executives More Than Uncle Sam” highlights how large corporate CEO pay packages rival corporate taxes.
– The report examined the five-year period of 2018 to 2022 and identified 35 companies that paid their top executives more than they paid the federal government.
– This situation was made possible by deep cuts to corporate tax rates implemented in the Republican-led 2017 American Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Nigeria to free 313 suspected Boko Haram insurgents for lack of evidence
Nigeria’s military will release more than 300 people suspected of being part of the Boko Haram insurgency after a court ruled there was no evidence they committed any crimes.
Personnel costs and social benefits dominate Cyprus’s budget
The main categories of state expenditures in the Republic of Cyprus for fiscal year 2023 include personnel wages, pensions, and bonuses, social benefits, and transfers. Social benefits also include the government’s contribution to the General Health Plan. The number of personnel has fluctuated over the years, with an increase in wage expenditures. Pensions and bonuses increased by 7% in 2023. The largest part of wage expenditures is for educators in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth. Social benefits include medical care, emergency grants, emergency humanitarian incidents, and supplementary pension benefits. The total amount of loans as of December 31, 2023, stood at €22.18 billion. State financing is mainly done through European Medium-Term Notes and loans from the European Stability Mechanism. Approved expenditures for 2023 were €12 billion, with actual expenditures reaching €10.92 billion. Total revenues for 2023 were €9.94 billion, resulting in a state budget deficit of €0.98 billion.
Greek PM faces no-confidence vote over 2023 train crash
The government of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis faces a no-confidence vote over the handling of a train crash that killed 57 people. Media reports alleged manipulation of evidence in the investigation of the crash.