Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, a scientist of Cypriot origin has been awarded the 2024 Nobel peace price for chemistry. Meanwhile, Cyprus was elected to a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time. Elsewhere, more than 2,000 people from 20 different countries have arrived in Cyprus from Lebanon as part of facilitated departures amid the deteriorating political situation in the countr...

In today's episode, the Republic of Cyprus was told on Tuesday to pay around €50,000 in damages to two asylum seekers for degrading treatment and pushback as they sought refuge in Cyprus from Lebanon, in a European Court of Human Rights ruling. Meanwhile, the first West Nile virus case seen in Cyprus this year has been detected in an elderly man from Mammari village. Elsewhere, a total of 1,550 pe...

In today's episode, President Nikos Christodoulides is in a “position of strength” ahead of his informal dinner with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday. Meanwhile, ongoing and unacceptable dangers faced by their staff are a grave issue, nurses’ union Pasyno said, laying the blame with the minist...

In today’s episode, a European Court of Justice ruling has scuppered Cyprus' plans to declare parts of Syria as safe, with a view to returning migrants to those parts of Syria. Meanwhile, Mehmet Tulek, whose daughter Asya was one of the 24 Cypriot children who were killed when the Isias hotel in the southeastern Turkish city of Adiyaman collapsed during last year's earthquakes, expressed fears ove...

In today’s episode, a Lockheed C-130 aircraft provided by the Greek Defence Ministry arrived at Larnaca airport on Thursday, facilitating the evacuation of Cypriot citizens from Lebanon. Elsewhere, the European Commission has sued Cyprus for failing to implement an EU directive mandating a global minimum corporate tax rate. Also, two-thirds of swimming pools in Cyprus operate without proper licens...

In today's episode, the government on Wednesday was bracing for heightened security measures as an all-out war in Middle East loomed, prompting diplomats to flee Beirut in boats docking in Cyprus. Meanwhile, Cyprus was the likely launchpad for the military support offered by the United Kingdom to defend Israel from a volley of Iranian missiles launched on Tuesday evening. Elsewhere, after months o...

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides fired his police chief. Meanwhile, hundreds of demonstrators lined up outside the Akrotiri base to protest the ongoing killing in Gaza. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, the government on Wednesday said it was at its highest level of preparedness for evacuations from the region, as Britain announced 700 troops were being deployed to Cyprus to help UK nationals leave Lebanon. Meanwhile, President Nikos Christodoulides addressed the 79th United Nations General Assembly, focusing on Cyprus’ role in promoting peace in the Eastern Mediterranean,...

In today’s episode, President Nikos Christodoulides appointed Andreas Papaconstantinou as the new auditor-general. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the federal model for a solution to the Cyprus problem has "completely lost its validity". Elsewhere, Christodoulides' favourability ratings are now lower than those of late President Demetris Christofias in the imme...

In today's episode, Diko MP Zacharias Koulias’ plan to appoint a new auditor-general as acting president was thwarted by House President Annita Demetriou, who cancelled her overseas trip to prevent his move. Meanwhile, the number of migrants arriving in Cyprus through irregular means has significantly dropped in 2024, with just over 5,000 arrivals compared to nearly 11,000 last year. Elsewhere...

In today’s episode, thousands of people gathered on Sunday to protest former Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides’ dismissal by the Supreme Constitutional Court. Elsewhere, ten suspects were charged on Sunday for rioting outside Alphamega stadium in Limassol ahead of a scheduled Ael-Apollon match. Also, port police rescued a British couple in Limassol from the sea on Sunday, after the pair fought....

In today’s episode, legal experts have labelled the dismissal of Odysseas Michaelides as auditor-general a landmark case in Cypriot justice. Lawyer Achilleas Emilianides called the ruling harsh, portraying Michaelides as one of the worst officials ever, despite his ten years of service. Elsewhere, President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reaffirmed their commitm...

In today’s episode, Attorney-General Odysseas Michaelides was fired. Outside court, he said the system has "successfully beheaded me", and claimed there had been a coordinated effort by Cyprus' establishment to have him removed from his position. Elsewhere, the now-infamous Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University in Morphou was paying invoices to a student recruitment agency for...

In today’s episode, the government greenlit Cyprus' participation in the Great Sea Interconnector. Meanwhile, revenue generated from gambling in 2023 exceeded €1 billion. Elsewhere, the British bases' environmental experts recorded a total of 382 sea turtles on their beaches this year. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday said the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) should take responsibility over the violence which unfolded ahead of an Ael-Apollon match on Sunday and not try to hide behind their powers allowing them to run their own house. Meanwhile, intense discussions are set to take place on Tuesday regarding the Cyprus-Greece electricity interconn...

In today's episode, “exemplary” punishment will be meted out to four men who were arrested after serious incidents of football violence at the Ael-Apollo match in Limassol, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis said on Monday. Meanwhile, Cyprus ‘had no other choice’ but to bring in US experts to help with corruption-related investigations, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday, as he ann...

In today’s episode, Turkey condemned this week's signing of a roadmap to boost two-way defence cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus. Meanwhile, President Nikos Christodoulides spoke of "progress" between Cyprus and Greece regarding the Great Sea Interconnector. Elsewhere, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said dangerous buildings are "a thorn in...

In today’s episode, United States sanctions imposed on entities and individuals on Cyprus are not targeting the country but oligarchs and arms traders who enable Russia to continued to waging its war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the supreme constitutional court rejected an appeal filed by a Syrian businessman against the revocation of his Cypriot citizenship after his name appeared on a European Union l...

In today's episode, in between performing the largest concerts the island has ever seen, music superstar Ed Sheeran visited the British base of Dhekelia where he met forces personnelle and every gave an intimate performance on a beach there. Meanwhile, MPs were apparently shocked to hear the government’s proposal that currently serving state officials would be allowed to continue to get a pens...

In today’s episode, the eagerly-awaited meeting, which will help the government decided whether to give the green light to the Great Sea Interconnector project, will be held at the presidential palace today. Elsewhere, parties and deputies tabled 11 different bills at the House finance committee on Monday, all aimed at regulating the payment of multiple pensions to some state officials. Also, the...

In today's episode, President Nikos Christodoulides is to meet with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on September 23, according to reports. Meanwhile, television series Famagusta’s director Andreas Georgiou said the message the series was intended to convey was “to love each other”. Elsewhere, villagers from the Limassol district on Saturday staged a protest against motorcycli...

In today’s episode, the auditor-general's office currently cannot determine the full extent of Covid-19 benefit funds given to ineligible applicants. Meanwhile, the government postponed its decision on the regulatory framework for the Great Sea Interconnector project to next Tuesday. Elsewhere, the Immovable Property Commission has settled a total of 1,840 cases so far, Turkish Cypriot leader...

In today's episode, cabinet’s final decision over the regulatory framework of the leg of the Great Sea Interconnector project which runs between Crete and Cyprus was delayed for another day, with an extraordinary cabinet meeting now scheduled for Thursday. Meanwhile, pharmacies across Cyprus are threatening to close on holidays and nights starting October 1 due to disputes over working hours....

In today’s episode, a massive volume of evidence has been gathered by investigators looking into the suspicious naturalisation of foreign investors, with the fourth case alone – involving former Transport Minister Marios Demetriades – filling 200 box files. Elsewhere, the Committee on Missing Persons has identified 52 per cent of the remains of those missing, Turkish Cypriot member of the committe...

In today's episode, former Transport Minister in the Anastasiades government Marios Demetriades has been charged in the golden passports scandal, for offences related to corruption, bribery and money laundering. Meanwhile, Health Minister Michael Damianos on Monday hailed the finding of eight kidney cross-transplant pairs between Cyprus and Israel. Elsewhere, Netflix’s decision to air the seri...