THE GOVERNMENT sacked its chief prison warden yesterday after a jailbreak showed glaring lapses in the high security wing of the island’s main prison, authorities said.
The justice ministry said it had terminated the appointment of Prisons Governor Michalis Hadjidemetriou with immediate effect and launched disciplinary proceedings against seven guards.
A MASS walkout marred an emergency meeting held yesterday by Secondary school teachers’ union (OELMEK) to discuss extending teachers’ retirement age.
Tensions were high ahead of yesterday morning’s meeting, with OELMEK already having separated into two camps over the controversial issue.
TWO MINOR explosions, one under a car and another in the entrance of a house, took place at different parts of Limassol on Wednesday night, police said.
A SUSPECTED drug dealer yesterday told a Nicosia Court that he had been beaten by Drug Squad (YKAN) officers after he was arrested.
The 19-year-old man from Nicosia was arrested along with his 30-year-old brother in the Dali area on Wednesday after police found 376 grams of heroin on them.
A PLANNED cull of up to 116,000 sheep and goats on the island due to scrapie fears has been put on ice for the moment following the intervention of EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection Markos Kyprianou.
On September 28, the Court of Justice of the European Communities decided measures needed to be taken across the EU following the appearance of the disease.
THE CYPRIOT captain of the Greek-flagged Diamond 1 was reported missing after the ship sank in what authorities said were ideal weather conditions for sea travel.
The captain of a cargo ship transporting coal went down with his vessel yesterday after it collided with another boat less than a mile off the coast of Thessaloniki, authorities said on Wednesday.
CYPRUS IS among 12 European Union countries that have failed to draw up emergency plans to prepare for possible industrial accidents near plants dealing with hazardous substances, the EU’s executive said on Wednesday.
A BULGARIAN man was in hospital yesterday after being injured whilst working at the new construction site at Larnaca Airport. According to police, the 38-year-old was loading a soft-drinks machine off a lorry with the use of a small fork-lift truck when, under circumstances still being investigated, the drinks machine fell on top of him.
A LIMASSOL Court yesterday ordered the immediate extradition of a 45-year-old man who was on the run after being charged with child sex offences in Finland.
The 45-year-old Israeli man, who had been living in Finland when the offences were committed, was wanted by the Finnish Authorities, Interpol and Europol on sex-related charges against children.
SECONDARY school teachers have accused the Education Ministry of placing undue importance on school children’s physique as part of this year’s October 28 parade selection process.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
