The government is searching for new premises to store medicines. The current premises were destroyed in a flood, costing over €880,000. There is an investigation into why this happened. The current premises were leased by the ministry to a private contractor for €6,600 per year and then re-leased back to the ministry for €135,000 per year, a markup of more than 2,000 per cent. There is currently no shortage of medicines in Cyprus.
Fact: Police made a third arrest in the case of a large quantity of narcotics discovered and seized in Larnaca.
Two key U.S. lawmakers reached a deal on draft bipartisan data privacy legislation that would restrict the data collected by technology companies and give Americans control over their personal information. The legislation would also allow individuals to prevent the selling of their personal data and compel its deletion. The bill would give the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general authority to oversee consumer privacy issues and establish enforcement mechanisms. The legislation does not ban targeted advertising but gives consumers the ability to opt out of it. The bill also includes provisions for fines for privacy violations and annual reviews of algorithms to ensure they do not harm individuals.
Fact: An engine cover on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 fell off during takeoff in Denver, striking the wing flap.
A fire broke out at a betting agency in Nicosia, with the shop’s awning being completely destroyed. The police and fire services are investigating the cause of the blaze. Over the last 24 hours, the fire service responded to 47 incidents, including 34 fires and 13 special services.
A 31-year-old man in Paphos was arrested for forgery, circulation of a false document, theft, and obtaining money by false representation. He used a fuel refueling debit card from a car rental company on 80 occasions at four different petrol stations to refuel vehicles not belonging to the company. The man was identified as the one who made the unauthorized refueling using the card. The Paphos CID is currently investigating the case.
An Israeli former Hamas hostage from the October 7 attack spoke out about the sexual violence and torture she endured. A UN report confirmed Israel’s allegations of ongoing sexual violence by Hamas. The victims of the attack are in the process of healing and dealing with their trauma. The Israeli government developed programmes to help survivors of the attack. Feminist organizations worldwide did not provide sufficient support to Israeli women who were victims of sexual violence. Israeli women did not receive necessary international support due to antisemitism and ignorance. It is crucial for women to stand united and demand justice for sexual violence in wartime. The Israeli army has been accused of sexual assaults against Palestinian women, but there is no evidence to justify the allegations. Hostages still in Hamas’s hands are subjected to sexual assaults, isolation, and poor living conditions.
Cyprus is being implicated in the investigations into a deadly terrorist attack in Moscow, with reports suggesting that a sum of money in the form of cryptocurrency ended up in the hands of perpetrators through a Russian businessman with ties to the island. The businessman, known as “Yulik London,” is wanted by Russian authorities for possible embezzlement. However, it is emphasized that there may be no direct link between the businessman and terrorist financing. The information was not published in major Russian media outlets and was uncovered during an investigation at a cryptocurrency exchange in Moscow. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has requested assistance from the US, Germany, France, and Cyprus in connection with the terrorist incidents.
A 44-year-old man was remanded in custody for six days for captaining a boat that brought 22 irregular migrants to Cyprus. Over 800 irregular migrants have arrived in Cyprus in the last week, leading to concerns about overcrowding in migrant housing facilities.
Leandro Rivera discovered a cave in Peru’s Nazca region containing pre-Hispanic artifacts, including human bodies with elongated heads and three fingers on each hand. Rivera was convicted of assault on public monuments for excavating the artifacts, which ended up in Mexico and sparked debates on UFOs. Peru is struggling to control the trafficking of archaeological items, which have become popular on the online black market during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite efforts to repatriate stolen artifacts, demands from private collectors in the US and Europe persist. Authorities in Peru face challenges in preventing looted items from leaving the country and repatriating smuggled remains.