In other news, new cabinet members "were appointed based on their ability to implement President Christodoulides' pre-election pledges" and not because of party allegiances, according to Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.

Elsewhere, Cyprus pressed the European Union to designate Syria, or at least parts of it, as a "safe country" to whence migrants can be repatriated.

 All this and much more in today’s Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.