PHILELEFTHEROS: “Powell’s gift to Erdogan” In its lead story, the daily recapped the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, saying Turkey was trying to promote negotiations for a settlement that were not under UN auspices. The paper also noted that US Secretary of State Colin Powell had been pressuring his Greek counterpart on a resumption of talks and the setting of a date for referenda.

FACT OF THE DAY: As we prepare to enter the bulging Single Market and our financial overlords chase the fiscal deficit to meet criteria for adoption of the euro, consumers have got just three months to get clued up on the rights and obligations of buyers and sellers in the new marketplace.

DIETARY supplements will from now on be sold only at pharmacies, after a law was passed bringing Cyprus into line with EU regulations. Until now, dietary supplements could be sold freely by anyone – even door to door – without inspection. The Ministry of Health considered dietary supplements as medication, but EU regulations brands them as food products.

A NEW olive oil is set to hit the market at 30 per cent cheaper prices in anticipation of increased competition with EU accession. George Christodoulou, director of the olive oil marketing board, SEKEP, said employees had been working overtime to meet the demands of supermarkets competing to have the cheaper olive oil on their shelves first.

PAPHOS Bishop Chrysostomos yesterday denied his brother’s arrest was part of a conspiracy to besmirch him, saying that if his sibling had broken the law he should be punished just like any other citizen. Antonis Demetriou, the bishop’s brother, was placed under arrest on Sunday after police found several ancient artifacts at his house in Emba, Paphos.

JUVENILE delinquents should be doing community service instead of serving time in jail, according to a new proposal. The proposal was discussed by the newly-founded ‘crime council’, which yesterday convened for the first time under Justice Minister Doros Theodorou.

FOURTEEN foreigners living in Cyprus are expected to appear in court this week for driving without a licence or insurance, as are the Cypriots who sold them the vehicles without transferring the deeds. Police say increasing numbers of foreigners are buying old cars from Cypriots who fail to transfer the deeds of the vehicle to the buyer.

THE Drug Squad have stepped up controls at checkpoints, acting on information that Turkish Cypriot traffickers are increasingly pushing narcotics to the south. Police have been on heightened alert since April 2003, when restrictions on movement were partially lifted, allowing people from both sides of the island to cross over.

STRONG winds and torrential rain caused more damage to roads over the weekend, but have been good news for the island’s water supplies with dams on the verge of overflowing. Police rescued seven drivers on Sunday who were trapped in floods in the Limassol district. Three other people called the police when their vehicles got stuck in mud on the Kambos to Pyrgos road.

STATEMENTS from Turkey at the weekend have put the issue of who will act as the UN’s mediator in resumed Cyprus talks at the centre of the agenda. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he had asked UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan to appoint a new mediator in any possible resumption of talks.