Fact: The use of smartphones has transformed the way people relate to the world and others, leading to a decline in face-to-face conversations and an increase in communication mediated through screens.
An upcoming performance in Nicosia titled ‘How Do You Like Your Pink?’ challenges stereotypes and social roles related to the female existence in today’s society. The performance explores conditioning and grooming women go through from childhood to adulthood, touching on personal, collective archives, gender-based violence, and contemporary literature and music. The four performers on stage, each in a different decade and phase in their life, weave together personal experiences with references to classical fairy tales, social stereotypes, and phenomena.
Fact: The government drafted a bill to expand Cyta’s business activities, which was approved by the legislature in a few days due to the urgent need to install 50,000 smart meters to avoid losing a €35 million grant from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The Nicosia central prisons in Cyprus are overcrowded, with some accommodation blocks operating at more than 300 percent of their design capacity. Prisoners are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor and urinate in bottles due to lack of access to toilets at night. The report also highlighted instances of violence against prisoners, including staff slapping prisoners and using wooden sticks to intimidate them. Additionally, there were concerns raised about racist behavior, inter-prisoner violence, and the development of informal prisoner hierarchies within the prison.
The European Central Bank stated that the use of artificial intelligence in finance is still in its early stages and needs to be monitored and possibly regulated to prevent harm to consumers and ensure market functioning.
The Legal Service questioned the timing of the anti-corruption authority’s announcement regarding former drug squad chief Michalis Katsounotos.
A fire broke out in Liopetri, in the Famagusta district, burning one hectare of unharvested crops and wild vegetation. It took three fire trucks and five firefighters 45 minutes to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and arson has not been ruled out.
The consortium constructing the natural gas terminal at Vasiliko accused Etyfa of not taking delivery of the vessel “Prometheas” despite it being ready since mid-January 2024.
The government is investing in the European Union to achieve a final resolution of the Cyprus problem. Cyprus’ accession to the EU in 2004 is considered the most significant achievement for the country since its establishment in 1960.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico underwent a two-hour operation that has increased hopes for his recovery following an assassination attempt. Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak stated that a decision to transfer Fico back to Bratislava would only be made when there is further improvement in his condition. The suspect charged with attempted murder is a 71-year-old former security guard and author of poetry, but his identity has not been officially confirmed. The shooting has been condemned internationally and has highlighted a febrile and polarized political climate in Slovakia and Europe. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an ally of Fico, stated that even if Fico recovers fully, he may be unable to work for months during a critical time for Europe.