Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, hundreds of people attended the funeral of the three young men who died in a road traffic accident on Sunday. Meanwhile, 17 tonnes of humanitarian aid which arrived in Cyprus from Italy will be sent to Gaza as soon as possible through the Israeli port of Ashdod. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, large gaps exist in safety awareness and drivers' "conscience", Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said on Monday after four people died on the road over the weekend.  Elsewhere, a total of 469 reports of sexual abuse against children were received in 2023 and 330 by October 2024, Hope for Children CRC Policy Centre said on Monday, the European day for the protection of childre...

In today’s episode, intense weather conditions are expected to continue on Sunday into Monday, the fire service said, after storms overnight caused the met office to issue a yellow weather warning. Elsewhere, three people died on the Dherynia-Frenaros Road on Sunday night, police said in the morning. Also, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos will brief his EU counterparts on the latest attempts o...

In today’s episode, around 650 state hospital doctors, set to receive €19.1 million in additional pay to align with private sector earnings, are planning a 48-hour strike later this month, demanding €21.1 million instead.  Elsewhere, Canadian veterans of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus, known as Operation Snowgoose, returned to the island to mark Unficyp’s 60th anniversary. Also, a tragic ro...

In today's episode, state hospital doctors will be going on a 48-hour strike at the end of the month, trade union Pasyki announced after another failed attempt to clinch a deal with state health services Okypy. Meanwhile, the termination of the construction contract for the road between Paphos and Polis Chrysochous prompted strong reactions from both Disy and Akel, who blame each other and success...

In today's episode, a six-year jail term for a child rape conviction was “manifestly inadequate” the Supreme Court ruled as it moved to increase the jail time to nine years. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades on Tuesday promised that the highway connecting Paphos and Polis Chrysochous will be ready within the next three years, as local residents questioned the viability of the project a...

In today’s episode, the transparency commissioner resisted calls for a targeted investigation of former President Nicos Anastasiades regarding the "golden passport" scandal. Meanwhile, the public works department terminated its contract with Intrakat for the construction of the motorway between Paphos and Polis Chrysochous. Elsewhere, a British Royal Air Force reservist was sacked after sending pi...

In today’s episode, Disy is ready to collaborate with President Nikos Christodoulides, party leader Annita Demetriou said. Meanwhile, a 67-year-old man was seriously injured after his vehicle overturned, and the fire brigade rescued a hunter who had injured himself after falling into a ravine. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informally in Budapest at the European Political Community (EPC) summit, where they discussed the Cyprus issue. Elsewhere, for the past four years, the government has been paying €6,000 monthly for autism facilities that remain inactive, the House health committee learned. Due to lack of suitable facilit...

In today’s episode, a ruling coalition 'MP' in the north accused the opposition of "illegally occupying" the north's 'parliament'. Meanwhile, thousands of cars in Cyprus may have defective airbags. Elsewhere, women in Cyprus are living longer than men. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, the body of a 63-year-old electrician, a Greek Cypriot, was recovered on Monday afternoon following a fire at a polyurethane manufacturing plant in Dromolaxia’s industrial area. Meanwhile, after severe floods at Paphos General Hospital, the nurses' union Pasyno on Monday condemned the “miserable conditions” in which nurses must work. Elsewhere, an action plan to ensure state he...

In today's episode, the Paphos general hospital, which flooded during heavy rain on Saturday night, was “built with a lot of shoddy work”, the town’s mayor Phedonas Phedonos said. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos pledged to further deepen relations between Cyprus and Qatar after meeting the country’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Elsewhere, a body was...

In today’s episode, Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides said a group of migrants stranded in the buffer zone will be relocated "in the next two to three weeks". Meanwhile, parliament approved amendments increasing penalties for inciting violence or hatred based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and raising the penalty points threshold for a temporary driving licence suspension fro...

In today’s episode, United States President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he remains optimistic about the prospect of a solution to the Cyprus problem, following a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides at the White House. Elsewhere, former Transport Minister Marios Demetriades and some of his relatives linked to the family law firm have been referred to the criminal court over the golden pass...

In today's episode, officials on Tuesday reiterated there currently exists no practical way to bring down energy costs, which have a knock-on effect on the prices of goods, as one MP warned that certain segments of the population face “annihilation” due to the high cost of living. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos rubbished the idea that diaspora Cypriots in the US could sway the US...

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides heralded his invitation to meet United States President Joe Biden at the White House. Meanwhile, a 20-day-old baby died and six more remained in intensive care after being fed ethanol while in hospital. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides announced that the government is "very close" to making announcements regarding Cyprus' entry into the US visa waver programme. Meanwhile, the British bases reported the seizure of 312 illegally trapped blackcaps, or 'ambelopoulia' during checks at crossing points. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, a deal regarding the delivery of the floating storage and re-gasification unit (Fsru) that is part of the liquefied natural gas project at Vasiliko has been reached by the Cyprus government and the Chinese CPP-Metron Consortium, Energy Minister George Papanastasiou announced. Elsewhere, more than 20 actions worth over €30 million for the Troodos mountain countryside were presen...

In today’s episode, the police control systems at airports and checkpoints have been restored after the country was targeted by six cyber attacks. Meanwhile, Disy called for a "holistic" approach to tackling the problem of affordable housing. Elsewhere, MEP Fidias Panayiotou called for a protest against the government's ban of mobile phones from schools. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefi...

In today’s episode, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou will be travelling to Apia, Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting taking place between 21 and 26 October, an announcement said on Sunday. Elsewhere, Cyprus' government portal was the victim of a cyberattack Sunday but the authorities coped with the incident successfully, the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digi...

In today's episode, all eyes are fixed on whether the two leaders in Cyprus will be willing and able to engage sufficiently to allow an informal five-party meeting with the three guarantor powers to take place in the coming months. Meanwhile, two new cases involving assaults and robberies against food delivery workers were reported during Tuesday night in Limassol, amid ongoing investigations by t...

In today’s episode, the informal tripartite dinner meeting with the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders in New York was described “very good” by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Elsewhere, marketing fresh fruit and vegetables is still “seriously problematic”, with exorbitant retail prices and profits of up to 342 per cent, the Cyprus Consumers Association said on Tuesday. Also, the state-run c...

In today's episode, President Nikos Christodoulides and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are on the “same page” regarding the solution of the Cyprus problem, that there cannot be a solution outside the agreed framework. Meanwhile, MPs have criticised the transfer of human trafficking oversight to the deputy ministry of migration, arguing that this issue, which encompasses both foreign and local...

In today's episode, Cyprus’ first natural gas extraction will most likely be from the Kronos reservoir in block 6, which may be in 2027, Energy Minister George Papanastasiou said on Sunday. Meanwhile, President Nikos Christodoulides is travelling to London on Monday after an invitation by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Elsewhere, a delivery driver in Limassol reported getting ambushed by thr...

In today’s episode, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos announced on Thursday that measures to tackle the high cost of living will be reintroduced, including zero VAT on diapers, baby milk, female hygiene products, and fruits and vegetables Elsewhere, Newly appointed auditor-general Andreas Papaconstantinou expressed confidence on Thursday that any disagreements with the Law Office would be resolved t...