In memoriam Arman Kirakosian By Euripides L. Evriviades* April 24 is not simply a date. It marks a beginning, a precedent, and a warning. In 1915, in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were arrested in Constantinople. It was the opening act. What followed was the Armenian Genocide: a […]

A special police task force investigating allegations made by Makarios Drousiotis met with an FBI delegation on Wednesday, as the inquiry continues at an intensive pace across all lines of investigation. A large number of statements have been taken so far, with the process ongoing, police said. Evidence and testimonies are being continuously assessed with […]

Two Jewish people were stabbed in north London on Wednesday by a man who ran down a street trying to stab Jews, a local security group said, the latest in a spate of antisemitic attacks which Prime Minister Keir Starmer called “utterly appalling”. The Jewish security group, Shomrim, said on X that a man was […]

Greetings from Athens. It is true that my heart is heavy, following our wonderful trip to Delphi last week, where we saw and heard so much and returned with our hard drive full of conversations we didn’t have time for—because we chose others. So, we will indeed be missing the unparalleled scenery and the many […]

The escalating tensions in the Middle East have brought energy security sharply back into focus, raising urgent questions about the true resilience of global markets. With the Strait of Hormuz a constant flashpoint in geopolitical confrontation, anxiety over potential fuel shortages — jet fuel in particular — has been mounting just as the summer travel […]

These are the pharmacies that will operate during the night across Cyprus on Wednesday, April 29:  NICOSIA Alexandros David, 50 Andrea Miaоuli. After the State Fair turn left, towards KEP, then at the end of the road turn right from the roundabout, Engomi. Tel: 22318319. Katerina Liasi, 79 Archbishop Makarios III Avenue. Opposite Rancho restaurant, Lakatamia. Tel: 22384464, […]

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday that the decision by the United Arab Emirates to leave OPEC will mean the oil-producing countries will boost production, bringing down global prices in the future. Russia is a member of the OPEC+ group of countries and has been coordinating its policies with OPEC members. Russia is […]

Following are some of the major events to have occurred on April 29: 1945 – The terms of surrender of the German armies in Italy were signed; Venice and Mestre were captured by the Allies; in Berlin, Adolf Hitler married Eva Braun, but also made his will naming Admiral Karl Doenitz as his successor. American […]

By Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson, PhD Candidate in European Studies, Lund University The EU formally unblocked a €90 billion (£78 billion) loan for Ukraine on April 23 after Hungary and Slovakia dropped their opposition. This move came over a week after defeat in parliamentary elections brought the 16-year tenure of Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, to […]

A collision on the Nicosia–Akaki motorway near the Kokkinotrimithia exit has closed both lanes of traffic, police said on Wednesday. Traffic is being diverted through the village of Kokkinotrimithia. Drivers are urged to exercise caution and follow the instructions of officers on duty.

EU countries and European Parliament lawmakers failed to reach a deal on watered-down landmark artificial intelligence rules after 12 hours of negotiations on Tuesday and will resume talks next month. The changes to the AI Act, which entered into force in August 2024 with key elements set to be enforced in stages starting this year, […]

Katina Chrysostomou, who was born in Rizokarpaso, Cyprus on April 29, 1926, turned 100 on Wednesday, celebrating the milestone at a garden party at her Finchley care home with family and many of her friends, Parikiaki reported. Katina got to the UK in 1947 and taught herself English by listening to the radio and reading […]

The Cyprus Banks Association has written to District Local Government Organisations (DLGOs) demanding information on the growing crisis surrounding building permit cancellations, as lenders face the prospect of being left with non-performing loans on developments that may never be legalised, Phileleftheros reports. The letter follows permit cancellations by DLGOs and comes amid findings, reported by […]

Julie Davis, the US ambassador to Cyprus who also serves as acting ambassador in Kyiv, is leaving the State Department disillusioned with President Donald Trump’s declining support for Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Davis, a career diplomat with 30 years of State Department service, is the latest senior official to exit over disagreements […]

Two criminal investigators appointed to examine allegations of police brutality at a Gaza protest in Nicosia last October have reached opposing conclusions, with one recommending the prosecution of a commanding officer and the other finding no criminal offences were committed, according to philenews sources. The investigators’ report has been submitted to the Independent Authority for […]

The European Parliament has approved the EU’s first-ever standards for the protection of cats and dogs, introducing mandatory microchipping, a ban on harmful breeding practices, and new restrictions on imports from outside the bloc. MEPs backed the regulation by 558 votes in favour, 35 against, and 52 abstentions on Tuesday. The legislation, already agreed with […]

The sea, rather than rivers or coastal runoff, is the primary source of microplastic and mesoplastic pollution on Cyprus beaches, according to the first comprehensive scientific study of plastic debris on the island’s shores. The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, sampled 16 sites across approximately 500 km of coastline in spring […]

A 51-year-old man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually abusing his stepdaughter from the age of 12 until she reached adulthood, Limassol Criminal Court ruled. The court imposed concurrent sentences, with the longest term set at 18 years. It also issued a supervision order requiring the defendant to be monitored by […]

Nine European countries have revised their travel advisories for Cyprus in a more positive direction since March 4, 2026, in a development Cyprus News Agency (CNA) sources attribute to diplomatic action by Nicosia. The countries are Bulgaria, France, Denmark, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Poland and Sweden. Sources told CNA the changes carry dual significance, […]

SpaceX’s board has approved a compensation plan for founder Elon Musk with goals as futuristic and celestial as the company’s ambitions: colonizing Mars and running data centers in outer space. The details of Musk’s sweeping pay package, which have not been widely reported, were revealed in the company’s confidential registration statement filed in recent weeks […]

The “foreign ministry” in the occupied north has condemned a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) due to be signed between Cyprus and France in June 2026, declaring it null and void for the Turkish Cypriot people. The agreement, confirmed by President Nikos Christodoulides, will provide for the presence of French forces on Cypriot territory for […]

Cyprus’s Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a Polish depositor’s claim for approximately 430,071 euros in compensation over the 2013 Laiki Bank haircut, ruling that EU law overrides bilateral investment treaties between member states. The Polish national had deposited 454,579 euros in a fixed-term account at Laiki Bank before March 2013. Following the resolution measures taken […]

Nicosia’s municipal swimming pool will open to the public on Monday, May 18, operating for a full summer season for the first time in years, the Deputy Mayor of Nicosia, Chrysanthos Fakas, told philenews. The pool will operate daily from 10:00 to 18:30 and remain open until mid-September 2026. Last year it opened only in […]

Since 1974, and particularly in recent times, the occupying power of Turkey has strongly contested the status of the buffer zone. It has done so through on-the-ground maneuvers and actions. And this amounts to the occupation of territory. These are dangerous moves that confirm, once again, the occupying power’s expansionist policy. We are witnessing Turkish […]

The University of Cyprus has banned filming and photography on its premises for political campaign purposes after parliamentary election candidates entered its Aglantzia campus and shot campaign videos that were subsequently posted online. The university issued an announcement stating that filming and photography at its facilities for the promotion of political positions is not permitted, […]

Cyprus’s Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas warned on Wednesday that continued Turkish violations of the UN buffer zone could lead to incidents resulting in casualties, and called on the United Nations to take additional measures to stop the provocations. Speaking on state radio, Palmas said a high frequency of buffer zone violations had been recorded recently, […]

The Nicosia District Local Government Organisation (DLGO) is replacing 72,000 conventional water meters across the district with smart devices by the end of 2027, under a contract signed with the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (Cyta), the organisation’s president announced. Nicosia district has more than 200,000 water meters in operation, of which 72,000 will be replaced in […]

European airlines are facing their biggest challenge since the COVID-19 pandemic as the Iran war pushes up jet fuel prices and buffets travel through the Middle East, casting a shadow over the summer holiday season. Carriers have been largely riding out the crisis with hedges that have tamed costs even as the price of jet […]

Ukraine is rolling out a new line of defence to protect businesses and critical infrastructure from hundreds of Russian drones darkening its skies night after night: private air defence companies. Ukraine launched a pilot programme last year allowing industrial firms to establish their own air defence groups to guard their facilities. So far, 20 companies […]

Demand for Huawei’s Ascend 950 AI chips has surged following the release of DeepSeek’s V4 artificial intelligence model that runs on the Shenzhen-based tech firm’s chips, with major Chinese internet firms rushing to secure orders, three people familiar with the matter said. China’s biggest internet firms including ByteDance, Tencent 0700.HK and Alibaba 9988.HK are reaching […]

Fashion Presentation by Michalis Pantelidis on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 | 19:30 Amara Hotel, Limassol, Cyprus On 6 May 2026, during the exclusive VIP Cocktail Event and Opening Ceremony of the Cyprus Diaspora Forum 2026, held at the elegant Amara Hotel, Cypriot designer Michalis Pantelidis will present his fashion showcase, Cypriot Silk Stories. This evocative […]

The European Union has extended foot-and-mouth disease restrictions on Cyprus until at least June 15, 2026, in a new decision that confirms the strict measures imposed since the outbreak began and deepens the crisis facing the island’s livestock sector. Under the new decision, full freedom of trade in animals without restrictions can only be restored […]

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told German Christian Democrat lawmakers on Monday that activating the EU’s mutual defence clause is no longer a question of whether it should happen, but of how to make it work — carrying forward a debate that Cyprus opened at last week’s informal European Council in Ayia Napa. […]

Cyprus has a packed cultural calendar this week, with classical concerts, jazz festivals, theatre productions, film premieres and art exhibitions taking place across the island. Music The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra performs at Nicosia’s Pallas Theatre on Wednesday, April 29 at 8:30pm, under Maltese conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe, with Cypriot pianist Christos Foundos as soloist. The programme […]

The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it was quitting oil-producers’ group OPEC, as an unprecedented energy crisis triggered by the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations. The loss of the UAE, a longstanding OPEC member, could create disarray and weaken the group, which has usually sought to show a united front despite internal […]

The Administrative Court has annulled the revocation of citizenship granted to Indian businessman Anubhav Aggarwal under the now-defunct golden passport scheme, finding that the process was flawed and that authorities failed to properly examine whether stripping him of his passport would leave him stateless. Judge Ariadne Zervou ruled that Aggarwal had valid grounds to complain […]

By Niki Christofi* The Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) rotates among the Member States of the EU every six months, reflecting unity, shared vision, as well as responsibility for European goals. Cyprus is currently at the heart of Europe. During the first half of the year 2026, the Republic of Cyprus […]

Cybersecurity is no longer a technical function. It is a prerequisite for trust, continuity, and growth, Christos Onoufriou CEO of Odyssey Cybersecurity tells Forbes Cyprus. What is your vision for Odyssey Cybersecurity over the next 3–5 years, and how does it align with global developments in cybersecurity? Our vision for the next three to five […]

Myrsini Aristidou’s Hold Onto Me dominated the Cypriot competition at the 24th Cyprus Film Days International Festival, winning both the Best Cypriot Film and Best Director awards, as the festival concluded on Saturday evening at the Rialto Theatre in Limassol. The French film Nino, the debut feature of director Pauline Loquès, took the Best Film […]

Cyprus paediatricians sounded the alarm over the risk posed by under-vaccinated migrant and refugee populations, as the Health Ministry used the European Immunisation Week to stress that “vaccination is an act of social responsibility.” Speaking at a press conference held by the Health Ministry, Michalis Anastasiades, President of the Cyprus Paediatric Society, pointed to hundreds […]

Police are warning the public about a scam involving handwritten notes left on car windscreens, urging drivers to download an app purportedly offering information about criminal activity in their area. Police said reports from members of the public had been received in recent days. The notes are placed by fraudsters with the aim of stealing […]

Around 600,000 Cypriots visited Greece in 2025 for holidays or other purposes, Greek Ambassador Konstantinos Kollias said on Monday, as the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) in Cyprus presented its summer 2026 holiday proposals at an event in Nicosia. Greece is expected to be the top holiday destination for Cypriots again this summer, EOT Cyprus […]

Cyprus Airways will resume flights between Larnaca and Dubai from May 1, the airline announced, following an assessment of the current situation in the region. Flights will initially operate three times a week, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, as part of the summer schedule. The airline said the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew […]

I have received several messages online from readers asking to learn more about the case of 51-year-old N. K. which was featured in this column last Sunday and concerned his conviction a few years ago by the Nicosia Permanent Criminal Court to eight years in prison for the rape of a 38-year-old woman in the […]

President Nikos Christodoulides said that energy is one of the greatest challenges facing his government, pledging to accelerate structural reforms to reduce electricity costs and ensure supply adequacy, as he addressed the General Assembly of the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB). Christodoulides said the government is pursuing gradual structural interventions in the energy sector, […]

Police officers drag a protester as a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews blocking a highway protest military conscription in Bnei Brak, Israel, 28 April 2026.

President Nikos Christodoulides received a Chevron delegation at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday, telling its representatives that internal procedures related to an agreement on Cypriot natural gas are close to completion. According to a press release by the Presidency, Christodoulides told the delegation, led by Javier La Rosa, that international and regional developments made it […]

Wildfires burnt more than one million hectares across Europe in 2025, an area larger than Cyprus and the biggest annual total on record, as the continent shattered climate records for heat, sea temperatures and drought, the World Meteorological Organisation and EU scientists said on Wednesday. At least 95% of Europe recorded above-average temperatures during the […]

A slim majority of Swiss are backing an upcoming referendum proposal to limit Switzerland’s population to 10 million, and support for it is growing, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday. The government has rejected the initiative backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) being put to voters on June 14, saying it will hurt […]

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision last month to let the British military board ships of Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet” has had no clear impact on the number passing through UK waters, a Reuters analysis shows. In the month after Starmer’s March 25 threat, at least 98 Russian vessels subject to UK sanctions transited its waters, […]

Fourteen people were arrested following a shooting incident at an industrial area in occupied Famagusta on Tuesday night, with one further suspect still being sought, according to a “police” announcement reproduced in Turkish Cypriot online media. The incident occurred at around 10:30 pm, when a verbal altercation outside a mechanical workshop escalated into a physical […]

The Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) has earned more than €169 million from desalination activities since its Vasiliko plant came online in 2013, with 2024 recording the highest annual revenue to date at €25.7 million, according to an analysis of the authority’s annual reports. The figures show a marked upward trend in recent years as […]

Cyprus’s Labour Ministry is pushing ahead with a sweeping pension reform it has described as the centrepiece of its 2026 agenda, Labour Minister Marinos Moushouttas said on Tuesday, as he presented the ministry’s annual review and plans for the year ahead. The reform’s headline measure is the introduction of a “Basic Pension” to replace the […]

Wednesday will be mainly sunny across Cyprus, though low cloud will be more widespread early in the day. Isolated showers are possible in the mountains during the afternoon as cloud builds locally. Winds will start variable and light at force three, gradually shifting to south-westerly to north-westerly at force three to four, with gusts of […]

Cyprus households, who already pay some of the highest electricity prices in the EU, face bills rising as much as 20% by August, as the Iran war drives up energy costs across Europe, the island’s dominant power provider has warned. The warning comes as price data from across the continent shows a big divide emerging […]

These are the pharmacies that will operate during the night across Cyprus on Tuesday, April 28: NICOSIA Panagiotа (Tania) Argyrou, 28B Pavlou Mela. State Fair road, Engomi. Tel: 22658628, 22427414. Chara Nikolaou, 145 Kyrenias Avenue. Next to Vienna Bakery, Platy, Aglandjia. Tel: 22335477, 22511117. Evgenia Manousaridou, 27 Glaukou, Agioi Omologites. Tel: 22210221. Konstantinos Chatziathanassiou, 17 Archbishop Makarios III. […]

A tornado was spotted over Nicosia on Tuesday, visible from several areas of the capital, as an intense storm raged east of the city over the occupied north. Videos of the waterspout were shared on the Facebook page Cyprus Weather Enthusiasts. Footage posted by Kitasweather identified the cloud as a funnel produced by the storm. […]

Five people were wounded in two separate shooting attacks in Athens carried out by an elderly gunman who remained at large, police and local media reported on Tuesday. The suspect, an 89‑year‑old man, opened fire with a shotgun at a branch of Greece’s EFKA social security agency, wounding an employee in the leg, police said. […]

Cyprus topped the EU in 2025 for the share of individuals using the internet to seek information on physical health, with 80% doing so, according to Eurostat data on digital society released in December 2025. The figure, the highest among all EU member states, compares with an EU average of 54% for individuals seeking physical […]

Cyprus has pushed back its switch to a new digital terrestrial television platform by two months, giving viewers more time to prepare, the CEO of HELLAS SAT said on Tuesday. Christodoulos Protopappas, speaking on ANT1’s midday programme, said the new deadline is July 1. The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy has made […]