Widespread impunity in the north , – US human rights report
The 2023 US country report on human rights in Cyprus raised serious concerns over life-threatening conditions in prison in the north.
government
Bill over Turkish Cypriot properties faces delays
The completion of the bill for the management of Turkish Cypriot assets will be delayed due to the government not carrying out a public consultation, as stated by House refugee committee chair Nikos Kettiros.
EU Parliament approves ban of products made with forced labour
The European Parliament approved rules to ban the sale, import, and export of goods made using forced labor in the EU. The move was driven by concerns about human rights abuses in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. If a product is found to have been made using forced labor, it will not be allowed to be sold in the EU market, and shipments will be intercepted at the borders. The law still needs approval from EU countries to enter into force, with a three-year deadline for implementation.
Palestinian NGO’s legal case over UK arms to Israel to be heard in October
A Palestinian rights group, Al-Haq, is challenging British arms exports to Israel due to alleged breaches of international law in the Gaza war. The case will be heard in October at London’s High Court.
Migrants drown in English Channel hours after UK passes Rwanda policy
Five migrants, including a child, died while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to Britain in an overcrowded small boat. The deaths occurred after Britain passed a bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda in an effort to discourage dangerous journeys.
Government spent €40 million on Ukrainian refugee accommodation, audit finds
The Cypriot government spent approximately €40 million on accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, primarily covering housing costs until March 4, 2024. Other expenses included transportation and translation services. The Audit Office recommended developing an emergency contingency plan for managing future influxes of displaced people. Standard tendering procedures were advised for transparency, despite no violations found in the audit. The European Commission provided €6.7 million in support for the refugee aid program, with management of accommodation contracts transferred to the Municipality of Paralimni. Expenditure details for accommodation in various hotels were provided, totaling €39,680,831.65.
Chief Scientist accompanies Paphos students in Egypt
Fact: A team from Neapolis University of Paphos in Cyprus secured a spot in the finals of the ICPC competition for the first time, competing against students from 3,000 universities across 111 countries.
Audit and Legal Services preparing for war
The audit office is prepared to deal with any steps aimed at removing Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides from his post. Michaelides is privately paying for legal services from the law office of Christos Clerides, George Triantafyllides, and Pambos Ioannides. President Nikos Christodoulides described the situation as not pleasant and urged collaboration between independent institutions based on the constitution. The legal service and audit office chiefs can only be removed through a Supreme Court decision or if they voluntarily resign.
Direct tax collection jumps 17.7% in FY24
Fact: India’s net direct tax collections surged by 17.7% year-on-year to Rs 19.58 crore in the fiscal year ended March 2024, exceeding Budget Estimates by 7.40%.
Direct tax collections shoot past budget target by Rs 1.35 lakh cr in 2023-24 – Greater Kashmir
The net direct tax collections for the financial year 2023-24 exceeded the Union Budget Estimates by Rs 1.35 lakh crore or 7.4%, reaching Rs 19.58 lakh crore.