The 52nd Cyprus International Rally takes place this weekend, featuring 30 crews from eight countries.
The event is the fifth and final round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.

Cyprus’ flagship rally, organised by the Cyprus Automobile Association since 1970, will decide this year’s Middle East Rally Championship title. Among the contenders is Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah, the event’s most successful driver with nine victories. A 20-time champion, most recently in 2025, Al-Attiyah leads the standings with 70 points and will compete in a Škoda Fabia.

Saudi Arabia’s 22-year-old Hamza Bakhashab, driving a Toyota Yaris, is second with 66 points. Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya, driving a Ford Fiesta, has 61 points, while Oman’s 2024 champion Abdullah Al-Rawahi, driving a Škoda Fabia, has 56 points.

Top local crews will also be competing for victory, including multiple-time Cypriot champion Simos Galatariotis in a Škoda Fabia and last year’s Cyprus champion Panagiotis Yiangou in a Hyundai i20.

The ceremonial start will take place today at 18:00 at Europe Square on the Larnaca seafront (Phinikoudes). The finish ceremony will also be held there on Sunday at 17:00, followed by the crowning of the 2026 Middle East Rally Champion.
The Service Park is located next to the Mall of Cyprus, opposite the E-CARS showroom, and is open to the public.

The scrutineering took place yesterday This morning, the official shakedown and qualifying stages will be held in Tseri, with qualifying determining the starting order for the first leg of the rally.
Tomorrow, the mountain stages at Agios Epifanios, Kapouras and Kourdali will be run twice, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

On Sunday, the stages at Doryforikos, Vavatsinia and Stavrovouni, near Pyrga, will take place. The second run through Stavrovouni, scheduled for 15:13, will serve as the rally’s Power Stage.
The rally covers a total distance of 657.74 km, including 183.92 km across 12 gravel special stages

EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, October 23
· 08:30 – Free Practice, Tseri
· 11:00 – Qualifying, Tseri
· 18:00 – Ceremonial Start, Larnaca – Europe Square

Saturday, October 24
· 09:33 – SS1: Agios Epifanios (14.42 km)
· 10:31 – SS2: Kapouras (19.99 km)
· 11:29 – SS3: Kourdali (21.22 km)
· 14:42 – SS4: Agios Epifanios 2 (14.42 km)
· 15:40 – SS5: Kapouras 2 (19.99 km)
· 16:38 – SS6: Kourdali 2 (21.22 km)

Sunday, October 25
· 08:33 – SS7: Doryforikos (12.40 km)
· 09:26 – SS8: Vavatsinia (13.40 km)
· 10:29 – SS9: Stavrovouni (10.53 km)
· 12:57 – SS10: Doryforikos 2 (12.40 km)
· 13:50 – SS11: Vavatsinia 2 (13.40 km)
· 15:13 – SS12: Stavrovouni Power Stage (10.53 km)
· 17:00 – Finish, Larnaca – Europe Square

For the full schedule, maps and further information, visit www.cyprusrally.com.cy.

No timetable has been set for the next stages of the Limassol-Saittas road project, despite the government acknowledging delays and reaffirming that the road remains a priority.

The issue was discussed on Thursday at the House transport committee, where Transport Minister Evie Tsolaki stressed the need for coordination between ministries and government departments, noting that sections of the planned road pass through protected Natura 2000 areas.

The environment department told MPs that it expected to issue its assessment by December.

According to Stockwatch, Tsolaki declined to provide a timetable for the next stages of construction, pending the completion of the necessary environmental studies.

MPs and representatives of Limassol’s mountainous and semi-mountainous communities expressed concern over the delays, warning that inadequate road infrastructure was making commuting difficult, posing safety risks and hampering development in rural areas.

Responding to criticism over the order in which construction had begun, Tsolaki said priority had been given to the most heavily used sections of the road.

She added that the government was dealing with longstanding problems concerning the project that predated its term in office.

Despite assurances from the environment department that its assessment would be ready before the end of the year, Tsolaki did not commit to launching a tender in the first half of 2027.

MPs also raised concerns about funding, seeking assurances that the necessary resources would be available.

The finance ministry said it did not anticipate difficulties in releasing funds, provided the project moved forward.

The commissioner for mountainous areas said the Limassol-Saittas road was included in the national strategy for the development of mountainous communities, as it would improve access and strengthen connections with Limassol.

A representative of the union of communities expressed disappointment over the delays, highlighting the difficulties faced by residents, including traffic congestion and lengthy commuting times.

Meanwhile, a representative of the Troodos community complex described completion of the road as essential for the region’s development, arguing that improved accessibility would help retain the population of mountainous communities.

Disy MPs questioned the reasons for the delays and argued that rural areas contributed more to the economy than they received in public investment.

They stressed that infrastructure projects should not be assessed solely on their economic viability, but should also take into account the needs of local communities.

MPs also questioned the effectiveness of coordination between the ministries involved.

Akel MPs challenged the reliability of government timetables, pointing out that residents of mountainous communities faced disproportionately high commuting costs because of long travelling distances and rising fuel prices.

They said a 3.5km section had saved commuters ten minutes and called on the finance ministry to commit to releasing funds.

Road safety was another concern raised during the discussion, with MPs saying nine people had lost their lives in accidents on the road.

Elam argued that Limassol was lagging behind in major public infrastructure projects despite its strong economic activity and private sector performance.

Direct Democracy, meanwhile, warned that it would not vote in favour of the budget unless the Limassol-Saittas road project was included.

The issue is expected to be discussed again at the House transport committee’s next meeting.

Hadassah Medical Centre Limassol said on Thursday that it operates legally with the required licences and has never performed plasmapheresis on a patient.

In a statement, the centre said an earlier report made by Politis gave “misleading impressions that require immediate correction”.

It denied that specific complaint was pending, and it had not been informed of any finding that questioned its current operation.

Politis had reported that the health ministry was examining new complaints and that the centre holds only an imaging centre licence.

Deputy permanent secretary Elisavet Constantinou told the paper it has no hospital licence or other licence to operate as a healthcare facility, though Politis clarified that this in itself did not make any other activity unlawful.

Hadassah said a separate medical centre licence is not required for its current activities beyond professional and individual requirements, and that the licence for its radiology department had been secured.

It said a possible upgrade to a day care unit would be a separate licensing process and did not mean it was waiting for a licence for its current services.

On plasmapheresis, Politis reported that ministry inspectors had found the equipment during an inspection.

Hadassah said the equipment “was not concealed” and that a list naming the plasmapheresis system and an ozone therapy unit was sent to the ministry on August 26 as part of the final file for the imaging centre licence.

“The purchase of equipment for a planned service does not constitute proof that the service was provided,” it said.

Politis had also pointed out that only three doctors appear on the centre’s website.

Hadassah said it had already given the paper a list of 15 doctors and two clinical dietitians, and that it employs five licensed nurses and seven physical therapy and exercise professionals.

A further 15 doctors are under discussion with Hadassah but have not been announced as according to the centre “approvals are incomplete”, and it is not presenting them yet as partners.

Politis reported that some examinations or treatments may have involved doctors in Israel taking part by telephone or video link, a claim it said had not been independently verified.

Hadassah called this a misrepresentation of its second opinion service, expanding that the local doctor reviews the file and, if a second opinion is warranted and the patient agrees, prepares a report with specific clinical questions for a specialist at Hadassah in Jerusalem.

The process “does not involve tele-guidance” of a procedure in Cyprus by a doctor in Israel, it insisted.

Chief executive Dr George Zachariadis had earlier given Politis no direct answer on teleconference participation.

The centre said it “accepts the audit and responds with evidence” but would not tolerate publications that harm its reputation through “inaccuracies and insinuations”.

The centre, based in Ayios Tychonas, has no operating theatres or inpatient beds and advertises its offering being imaging, cardiac assessment, neurological rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

In Israel, news outlet Calcalist reported that the health and finance ministries were not informed of the project beforehand.

Hadassah said it “did not invest a single shekel” in the centre, which is financed by Cypriot investors.

From November 21, all referrals from Cyprus to Hadassah in Jerusalem will go through Limassol.

The Cyprus Mail approached the Hadassah medical centre, as well as both the Cypriot and Israeli health ministries for comment.

Customs officers seized 28,000 suspected counterfeit condoms during an inspection of a sea shipment arriving from Greece on Thursday.

The container was selected for scanning and a physical inspection following a risk assessment.

According to customs, the products appeared to infringe the intellectual property rights of a well-known brand, based on the accompanying documents and invoices.

The owner of the company involved reportedly admitted that the condoms were counterfeit.

Procedures for the confiscation and destruction of the products are expected to follow in the coming days.

Customs warned that counterfeit condoms could pose serious health risks, including unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.

Democratic lawmaker says family’s safety is at risk amid death threats and raid making apartment’s address public

• Our reporters answer your questions about ICE, immigration and the midterms

Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar said she plans to move out of her Washington DC apartment after federal agents raided her residence last week as part of a larger immigration investigation.

“I mean obviously, I can’t continue to live there,” Omar told MS Now in an interview that aired on Wednesday. “So we have to figure out where to move to, because our address has been public and with the death threats that I deal with, it’s no longer going to be feasible to be in that house and have my kids, like, visiting off and on, having people track them.”

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© Photograph: Tim Evans/Reuters

© Photograph: Tim Evans/Reuters

© Photograph: Tim Evans/Reuters

Larnaca interest groups as well as MPs were stunned to hear on Thursday that management of the marina cannot be directly assigned to the Ports Authority, throwing a spanner into redevelopment plans.

Up until now, management of the town’s port and marina, for the purposes of redevelopment, had been understood to be under the Ports Authority (CPA).

But in parliament, it emerged that management of the marina cannot legally be assigned directly to the CPA, as it is the property of the state. As such, said an official from the attorney-general’s office, the only option is to launch an open tender – in which the CPA could bid.

By contrast, the port itself is the property of the CPA, and therefore the authority may continue managing it.

Transport Minister Evi Tsolaki acknowledged the legal quagmire, but assured attendees of the government’s intention to proceed with the project overall.

She recalled that in 2024 the government terminated the €1.2 billion port and marina concession agreement with Kition Ocean Holdings due to the consortium’s failure to renew a mandatory financial letter of guarantee.

A representative of the CPA noted that the road map for the redevelopment concerns both the port and the marina.

Nevertheless, he argued, completing one of the components does not depend on completing the other – suggesting that the planned works for the port could go ahead in the meantime.

Weighing in, the head of the Larnaca district local government organisation (EOA) called for legal clarity on the status of the project.

Angelos Hadjicharalambous said that during a prior meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides and the former transport minister, the government had given the impression it was committed to the project.

Likewise, the deputy mayor of Larnaca complained about the legal confusion, which would create more delays for a project that is hugely significant for the coastal city.

Nikos Gregoriou, a representative of the PEO trade union, said the port must remain under state management, warning against any thoughts at privatisation.

Opposition MPs also asked why the government had not come clean earlier on the legal aspect.

In July this year, the CPA had unveiled a roadmap for a €415 million redevelopment programme for the port and marina envisaging phased investment over the next two decades.

The overall programme extended to 2045, with the master plan expected to be completed by 2029.

The largest component concerns the port, where investment of around €205 million is planned through to 2045.

A further €190 million has been allocated for redevelopment of the marina land and adjacent areas between 2027 and 2036.

The roadmap envisaged hotels, restaurants, office space, recreation facilities and a conference centre, with most commercial projects expected to be undertaken by private investors.

The CPA would undertake responsibility for infrastructure, maintenance and strategic management, while commercial and tourism developments would be financed largely through private investment under the overall planning framework.

According to the roadmap, the strategic objective is to bolster Larnaca’s role in shipping while reconnecting the waterfront through continuous public access between the marina and port.

That roadmap now appears to be in limbo.

The officer says he took possession of the property and renovated it ‘to prevent criminal activity’ and ‘squatting’

A Florida police officer who discovered a man dead during a welfare check stole his house and identity and spent years renovating the property for himself, authorities said.

Brian Louis Sguros, 35, an officer with the Lauderhill police department near Miami, appeared in court Wednesday on charges including criminal use of a deceased person’s identification.

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© Photograph: Google Maps

© Photograph: Google Maps

© Photograph: Google Maps

The European Consumer Centre Cyprus handled 864 cross-border complaints and 557 requests for information in 2025, resolving approximately 53 per cent of enquiries and cases successfully, according to its annual report.

The centre said cases were resolved in cooperation with European Consumer Centres in other member states, with the aim of reaching out-of-court settlements that satisfied the parties involved.

Only 4.8 per cent of cases were referred to other alternative dispute resolution bodies, the report found.

Consumer satisfaction with the centre’s case-handling services reached 95.24 per cent, a level the report described as a long-standing achievement.

The European Consumer Centre Cyprus operates within the Consumer Protection Service of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry.

It provides free advice and practical assistance to consumers experiencing problems with cross-border transactions within the European Union, as well as in Norway and Iceland.

As part of its public information and education activities, more than 1,114 primary school pupils took part in the “Safe Online Shopping” educational programme during 2025.

Centre officials also appeared on television and radio programmes to inform the public about consumer rights, with particular emphasis on air travel and online shopping.

The centre additionally participated in surveys, consultations and questionnaires organised by the European Commission and the European consumer network.

Through these contributions, it provided evidence-based responses and helped strengthen consumer information and protection across the single market.

The report highlighted the centre’s work in handling cross-border complaints, educating consumers and contributing to wider European efforts to protect consumer rights.

MPs on Thursday called for tighter controls on property purchases by foreign nationals, warning that legislation restricting individual buyers could prove ineffective unless companies and other corporate structures were also covered.

The House interior committee continued examining proposed amendments to legislation governing the acquisition of property by foreigners, with discussions expected to resume in a fortnight.

The committee is awaiting the government’s next steps towards drafting a comprehensive legislative proposal regulating property acquisitions by foreign nationals.

Committee chairman and Akel MP Aristos Damianou said efforts to introduce the legislation were gathering pace, expressing hope that the process could be concluded by the end of the year.

He said consolidated drafts had been prepared in April, but the process was interrupted by the parliamentary elections in May.

Damianou described the issue as “particularly serious”, saying it concerned national security, the economy and the country’s future.

“We are a partially occupied state, part of whose territory is occupied by Turkey, whilst part of its territory is under the control of British bases,” he said, stressing the need to establish clear criteria and restrictions on property acquisitions.

He also raised concerns about property transactions conducted through contracts that, he said, were often not made public, allowing foreign interests to acquire property through companies and other intermediary arrangements.

Damianou warned that legislation focusing exclusively on individuals would be insufficient.

“If issues concerning natural persons, companies, funds and all those who purchase property in Cyprus in a concealed manner are not also regulated, then regulating natural persons alone will be insufficient,” he said.

Disy MP Nikoletta Konstantinou also called for a comprehensive approach, saying the proposed legislation concerned the Republic’s strategic interests and national security.

She expressed concern that restrictions applying only to individuals could undermine the effectiveness of the legislation, arguing that both natural and legal persons should be covered.

“There is little point in discussing whether a natural person will be unable to purchase a property, be it 1,000, 2,000 or 4,000 square metres, if the beneficial owner themselves will ultimately be able to acquire property through a corporate structure,” she said.

Konstantinou argued that the government should have presented a comprehensive proposal taking into account European law, the property market and Cyprus’ investment policy.

“Our aim must be a framework that genuinely protects national security and the Republic’s strategic interests, without creating unjustified or disproportionate restrictions that ultimately cause problems for the country’s economic and investment activity,” she said.

Meanwhile, Diko MP Panikos Leonidou called for immediate action to regulate land purchases by third-country nationals.

He said the situation had reached “uncontrolled proportions” and was causing concern among citizens.

Leonidou urged Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou and his ministry to take the initiative and introduce comprehensive legislation.

“The ministry of the interior must immediately table a bill covering all aspects of this problem,” he said.

The construction of a tramway in Limassol could cost as much as €95 million per kilometre, the city’s mayor Yiannis Armeftis said on Thursday, as he evaluated the prospects for a tramway to be built in Cyprus’ second city.

“Preliminary estimates vary significantly depending on the technology to be used, with the cost ranging from €25m to €95m per kilometre,” he told television channel Sigma, though he did stress that “such an investment should not be evaluated solely based on construction costs”.

Instead, he said, “the equation should take into account the benefits which could arise from upgrading transit areas, increasing the value of land and real estate, and improving people’s quality of life”.

On this front, he made reference to “the economic cost caused by traffic delays through lost working hours and people’s travel time”, with Limassol frequently subject to long rush-hour tailbacks on its road network.

He said that Cyprus is “excessively dependent on the private car”, and that that makes his own city’s traffic issue “particularly difficult to deal with”.

“No city has solved its traffic problem when dependence on the private car reaches around 90 per cent. Traffic can be managed properly when public transport is also used,” he said.

Govt currently spends €100m per year on public transport

At present, he said, the government spends around €100m per year on public transport, of which around a quarter is spent on Limassol.

However, he added, “despite these significant expenditures, the use of buses remains limited”. To this end, he pointed out that only three to five per cent of journeys undertaken across Cyprus involve a bus, and said that “long delays and time-consuming routes discourage people” from using the bus to travel.

“It is not convenient because it has also lost its credibility,” he said, though he did stress that on the other hand, when a bus route is both reliable and useful, the public may take to it.

He gave the example of Limassol’s number 30 bus route, which runs along its coastal road, and said that “frequent and fast routes are a basic requirement for people to choose the bus instead of the car”.

On the matter of the possibility of constructing a tramway, he said that he had attended a meeting at the transport ministry on Monday, during which “the first steps of the studies were presented, as well as preliminary data on the possibility of installing a tram in Limassol”.

“The aim of the process is to examine whether this is a realistic and sustainable option, which could function complementarily to other means of public transport,” he said.

Availability of space ‘one of the main challenges’

Asked how a tramway could be installed in a city where “available road space is already limited”, he said that “this is one of the main challenges of the project”.

Nonetheless, he pointed out that bus lanes have already been installed in Limassol, and that they could be “used as tram corridors”.

He also pointed out that “other European cities” with “even smaller populations or dense construction” have also managed to build tramways.

“Behaviour changes when there are appropriate routes and when there is appropriate infrastructure,” he said.

Prountzos had called for tramway in Nicosia

His comments come after Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos had last month renewed his call for a tramway to be built in the capital, saying that the Nicosia municipality had initially prepared a study for a 14-kilometre tram line, and that after he took office in 2024, the length of the planned line grew to 20km.

Regarding how the plans could be financed, pointed out that the European Union’s next multiannual financial framework – the bloc’s budget for the period covering the years between 2028 and 2034 – enters force “in about a year”, and said that as such, discussions about a tramway “should have already started” with a view to securing EU funding.

“What exactly are we waiting for to intervene?”.

Nancy Mace said: ‘This ad is going to go down as the most shameful, disgusting, offensive ad this election season’

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• How will Trump’s mass deportation agenda shape the US midterm elections? Our reporters answer your questions

Reporting from Anchorage, Alaska

Mary Peltola’s campaign to represent Alaska in the US Senate has taken her to parts of the massive state’s interior that are inaccessible by road and on the frontlines of the cost-of-living crisis she hopes will make her the first Democrat to win the seat in nearly two decades.

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© Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

© Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

© Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Violent storms overnight knocked over utility poles and carried thunder and heavy winds through central Arizona

Trees fell on to homes and utility poles were knocked down by a possible tornado in a central Arizona community during a series of violent storms that moved through the state overnight into Thursday.

Storms capable of causing hail and wind damage were traveling through central Arizona early on Thursday, with some flood watches and the possibility of tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.

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© Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

© Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

© Photograph: Ross D Franklin/AP

A couple of weeks ago LOEL celebrated 30 years of its Zivania, which has reached iconic status among lovers of this grape marc spirit. Zivania is a traditional alcoholic beverage, which has been produced for centuries in Cyprus by distillation, playing an important role in the everyday life of Cypriots.

Zivania is produced by distillation. A strong drink, it is high in alcoholic content, which according to tradition is made only from grapes. Since 2004, Zivania has been protected under EU regulations as a product unique to Cyprus and as such cannot be produced in any other country or marketed under that name. In 2008 it was classified with Protected Geographical Indication.

Zivania is characterised by its typical taste and aroma. It is colourless with a pleasant alcoholic content with light aroma of raisins. The typical alcohol content is 45% by volume. It is a pure drink that contains no sugars and has no acidity.

From tradition to protected status

Historical references to Zivania are few, probably because travellers and writers focused on the excellent Cyprus wine. Giovanni Mariti in the late 18th century tells of a drink which he names Acquavite with a description that perfectly resembles Zivania. He also mentions that this drink was exported to Syria.

Evidence of its continued production during the Ottoman and British occupation of the island comes from British writer Samuel Baker, who in 1879 reported: “…the refuse of skins and stalks is laid upon one side to ferment for the manufacture of raki, or spirit, by distillation…”

Until 1949, wine producers used to sell Zivania to wine and spirit merchants. In that year a colonial decree made the distribution of Zivania by the wine producers illegal (because the government found it too difficult to collect excise duties), thus sending production underground.

The above-mentioned colonial decree was abolished in 1998 and since then the production of Zivania has been legal, allowing producers to market it under its proper name. Quality control is ensured by the Vine Products Commission according to the Rules and Regulations of 1998 for the control of Zivania.

Zivania can only be produced in industrial units which have received approval from the Customs Department, and its distillation apparatus approved by the agriculture ministry. As a result of the new regulation, Zivania quality improved significantly.

How Zivania is produced

Zivania is produced from pomace, the residue of grapes pressed during the winemaking process mixed with high-quality dry wines, all produced from the local grape varieties of Cyprus. It is exclusively produced by the distillation of the two indigenous varieties Mavro and Xynisteri.

The process adopted for the fermentation is the one which is used for red wine making, irrespective of the grape varieties, but fermenting the whole grape mass.

The bouquet of Zivania is ensured by the volatile compounds which are transferred from the grape residue during distillation. The pomace/wine mixture is distilled in special distillation apparatus which was traditionally named ‘lambkins’, an ancient Greek word that was paraphrased by the Arabs.

Traditional distillation, as known by villagers, has today given way to modern technology and Zivania is produced in large distillation tanks made from stainless steel where the wine is mixed with the grape mass and heated up in steam. All approved Zivania producers have in-house chemical labs for analysing the final product before this reaches the market, checking that methanol levels are within the specified limits.

What makes Zivania unique

There are similar products from other countries. In mainland Greece the distillate is called tsipouro, on the island of Crete tsikoudia, in Arab speaking countries arak, in Bulgaria rakea, in Romania tsuica, in Italy grappa, in France eau-de-vie, in Slavic states vinovice and so on. Not all these drinks are made exclusively from grapes.

The authentic taste and aroma (which is a Greek word, meaning pleasant smell) of Zivania is due to its unique chemical composition and it is ensured by the volatile compounds which are transferred from the grape residue during distillation. It is believed that the differentiation between Zivania and other alcoholic beverages is related to the unique geological and climatic conditions existing in Cyprus, the methods of production and distillation and the type of grapes.

Climate of course influences the quality of both grapes and Zivania. Cyprus has an intense Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and short spring and autumn seasons. Average temperatures during ripening strongly influence potential wine and Zivania style. Sunlight duration is also very important, and it acts mainly by controlling the sugar in grapes. The most critical period for quality of the grapes is around the start of ripening. Good conditions ensure an ample reserve of sugar in the grape and flavour and aroma compounds in Zivania. Wind intensity and relative humidity and evaporation affect both quantity and quality of grapes and Zivania.

Zivania LOEL ABV 45%

Distilled from a mixture of local Xynisteri and Mavro grape pomace and dry wines. Crystal-clear appearance with a light raisin aroma, clean alcoholic warmth, and a dry finish. It contains zero sugar and zero acidity. Usually served ice-cold as an aperitif or digestif, paired with Cypriot meze, nuts, dried fruits, or savoury snacks. 20cl €4.30, 37.5cl €7, 70cl €12.50, 100cl €17.50

New designation of the Land of Standing-Up Rocks, known for its historic rock spires, passed with bipartisan support

An area of towering rock spires in south-eastern Arizona known among Native Americans as the Land of Standing-Up Rocks has become the nation’s newest national park.

Legislation to create Chiricahua national park was sent to the White House and Donald Trump signed it on Tuesday. It passed Congress with bipartisan backing and is now the 64th US national park.

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© Photograph: Ron Kerbo/National Parks Service/AP

© Photograph: Ron Kerbo/National Parks Service/AP

© Photograph: Ron Kerbo/National Parks Service/AP

The Association of Cyprus Banks (ACB) is taking part for the sixth consecutive year in the ASPIS awareness campaign, urging the public to remain vigilant against online scams and protect their personal and banking information.

The campaign is being run in cooperation with the Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation and the Cyprus Police, with the aim of protecting citizens from electronic fraud and strengthening security in digital transactions.

In an announcement, the association urged people to be “particularly careful” when dealing with suspicious text messages, emails and telephone calls requesting personal or banking details, passwords or transaction verification codes.

“A sense of urgency, suspicious links and requests for immediate confirmation of details are warning signs that should raise concerns among citizens,” the association said.

“As electronic transactions and digital communication become an integral part of everyday life, the methods used by fraudsters are constantly evolving,” it added.

“Awareness and prevention are therefore essential tools for protecting citizens and their property,” the association said.

The banking association stressed that the security of data, information and transactions remains a constant priority for the banking sector and the association itself.

“Banks invest in the security of their systems and transactions, while informing citizens about risks and protective measures remains crucial,” it pointed out.

The ASPIS campaign also underlines the importance of cooperation between the relevant authorities and the active participation of the public in efforts to create a safer digital environment, the association said.

Information on avoiding online scams, together with key warning signs that can help people identify attempted fraud, is available on the association’s website.

The association added that raising awareness and adopting simple digital security practices could make a substantial contribution to preventing fraud.

“Protection against online scams is everyone’s responsibility,” the association stressed.

“Awareness, vigilance and the responsible use of digital services are the first line of defence,” it concluded.

Fox News and others have toed president’s line – seemingly hoping unrest abroad will make people vote Republican

Donald Trump sought to capitalize on the scenes of unrest in France, telling a crowd in Kansas on Monday that “migrants” and “communists” were responsible, and that the scenes were “what the radical ‘Dumocrats’ want to do to America”.

As Republicans struggle to convince voters across the country ahead of November’s midterm elections, Trump’s allies in the conservative media have followed suit, seemingly hoping that the scenes in France can scare people to the polls.

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© Photograph: Aurélien Morissard/AP

© Photograph: Aurélien Morissard/AP

© Photograph: Aurélien Morissard/AP

Fox News and others have toed president’s line – seemingly hoping unrest abroad will make people vote Republican

Donald Trump sought to capitalize on the scenes of unrest in France, telling a crowd in Kansas on Monday that “migrants” and “communists” were responsible, and that the scenes were “what the radical ‘Dumocrats’ want to do to America”.

As Republicans struggle to convince voters across the country ahead of November’s midterm elections, Trump’s allies in the conservative media have followed suit, seemingly hoping that the scenes in France can scare people to the polls.

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© Photograph: Aurélien Morissard/AP

© Photograph: Aurélien Morissard/AP

© Photograph: Aurélien Morissard/AP

Europe’s leaders can no longer trust a word that comes out of Washington. No more slaps on the wrist – we need concrete steps to punish Trump

Historical comparisons are always inexact. No one conflict precisely mirrors another. Yet Donald Trump’s shameless appeasement of Vladimir Putin carries more than a noxious whiff of Neville Chamberlain’s failed attempt in Munich in 1938 to head off war with Nazi Germany. To be fair to the former UK prime minister – and history largely hasn’t been – his peacemaking efforts had the enthusiastic backing of most people in Britain and France who, like him, were desperate to avoid a repeat of the horrors of the first world war. Trump enjoys no equivalent public support for his treachery. Nor does he face the prospect of a US war with Russia. His betrayal of Ukraine is cynically self-interested, globally dangerous and utterly contemptible.

US-Russian talks on agreeing the shoddy terms of a precedent-setting American sell-out of Ukraine are at an advanced stage, after meetings in St Petersburg this week. Trump has zigzagged over the war ever since returning to office. Now, panicked by record-low poll ratings, he seems determined to scapegoat Ukraine and force its de facto capitulation. Recent steps – his shocking decision to fund Putin’s war machine by buying Russian diesel, his waiving of tougher sanctions, his mysterious, lethal interruptions in US satellite and intelligence sharing with Kyiv, and his renewed attempt to oust Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy – mark Trump out as the skulking Judas, the craven Brutus of the modern age. He makes Chamberlain look like a man of iron principle. All that’s lacking is an umbrella.

Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator

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© Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

© Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

© Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

An American company is still supplying Taser weapons linked to prisoner abuse by Israeli forces. Plus, 12 valuable lessons about life and death by hospice workers

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Good morning. An investigation has revealed that Israel is using US-made electroshock weapons on Palestinian detainees. The American company Axon is still supplying the Taser weapons despite evidence they have been used to torture prisoners. The news comes as US volunteers including a lawmaker helping Palestinians harvest olives were detained, and Heidi Levine revealed more details of her violent assault by Israeli settlers.

Human rights groups have condemned allegations of the repeated torture and ill-treatment of detainees held in Israeli detention centres and prisons using electric shock devices, with Amnesty calling for restrictions on exports of such devices. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said the abuse of detainees was strictly prohibited.

Who was detained by Israel near Nahalin in the occupied West Bank? The Israeli military detained about 80 US, Israeli and British volunteers helping Palestinians harvest olives near Bethlehem, including the New York Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander, several rabbis and Israel’s former deputy attorney general. Soldiers said the area had been declared a closed military zone.

What more has Levine said about the Israeli settler attack on her? The Washington Post photojournalist who was attacked and seriously injured by Israeli settlers on Friday has described how she was saved with the help of local Palestinians. Witnesses said thee attack on her ceased only when young men used slingshots to aim stones at the settlers, forcing them back.

What is the latest development with US diplomats in the Middle East? The US state department has ordered some diplomats and the families of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia, as it faces a barrage of near-daily attacks from Yemen’s Houthis. Reports have emerged of similar US withdrawals in UAE, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain amid concerns of a return to conflict with Iran after the midterm elections.

Where has Elon Musk been spending his election campaign money? Elon Musk’s Super Pac has spent more than $500,000 in New York’s highly competitive 17th congressional district race to help Mike Lawler, the Republican incumbent, hold his seat. Lawler, a moderate Republican, is fending off a challenge from the Democrat Cait Conley in one of the most-watched races that could determine who controls Congress.

What has happened with letters containing white powder being sent to Congress? Nancy Pelosi’s office received “a suspicious letter” on Wednesday in what appears to be the latest incident of ill-intentioned mailings targeted at US Congress members. The offices of more than three dozen members of Congress across the political spectrum have received envelopes containing white powder in recent days.

What is Trump’s polling as the election looms? Donald Trump’s approval rating has sunk to 36%, the lowest recorded, with most respondents expressing frustration over his handling of the US economy, cost of living and Iran war. The president was heckled at least nine times during a campaign event yesterday, and reacted to a supporter punching a demonstrator by saying: “Man, I loved that.”

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© Photograph: Alaa Badarneh/EPA

© Photograph: Alaa Badarneh/EPA

© Photograph: Alaa Badarneh/EPA

Workers across all education ministry support programmes – such as educational and technical courses – will strike for 24 hours on Friday, citing the government’s failure to meet commitments and resolve employment issues.

In a joint statement, SEK and PEO demanded written responses and practical solutions and warned of another strike – possibly indefinite – and protest outside the presidential palace on November 2 if their demands were not met.

The unions said they had postponed planned action on October 5 for a fortnight at the education minister’s request, but no significant progress had been made.

They said hundreds of workers have been without income since May, with others losing jobs to permanent teachers working overtime.

Their key demands include a summer allowance backdated to June-August 2026, filling fixed-term positions for the 2026-2027 schoolyear and lifting restrictions on additional employment, provided the 48-hour legal limit is adhered to.

The unions stated that any escalation of the situation rests with the government, emphasising the workers’ need for employment, a fair income and their rights respected.