News Stream

Summit standoff as EU leaders grapple with Brexit-sized hole in budget

EU leaders made no headway on Thursday in fractious talks on a joint 2021-27 budget that was left with a 75 billion-euro (62.9 billion pounds) hole after Britain’s departure at a time when they face costly new challenges from climate change to migration....

Shipping Deputy Minister calls for action to maintain competitiveness of European Shipping

Cyprus' Shipping Deputy Minister Natasa Pilides underlined "the need to maintain the competitiveness of European Shipping," during the debate on trade and competitiveness at a conference held within the framework of the European Maritime Week, in Brussels....

Hydrocarbon exploration in Cyprus EEZ on track, minister says

A French-Italian consortium between oil giants Total and ENI will start drilling in Block 6 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone on schedule in April despite an “escalation” in tension from Turkey, Cypriot Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis has said....

Stunning drives in the Toyota Yaris WRC

Jho Low reportedly spotted in Wuhan

Malaysian fugitive financier Jho Low, whose Cypriot passport came under scrutiny last year, has been spotted in China’s Wuhan, a city under lockdown due to the Coronavirus...

Thunderstorm warning remains in effect

Weather officials have extended a yellow warning on Friday citing isolated heavy thunderstorms expected to affect Cyprus...

Wave of vehicle arson under investigation

A car bomb went off outside a residence at a village in Paphos, while a vehicle parked outside an apartment building went up in flames in Limassol...

Lifer suspected in Ayia Napa shooting

A Greek man serving a life sentence in Nicosia Central Prisons has been arrested in connection with Sunday’s Ayia Napa shooting...

Yellow warning for harsh storms

A yellow warning for isolated intense rainfall was issued on Thursday evening by the Met Department. The warning, in effect from 6pm on Thursday until 8am on Friday, said rain intensity may surpass 55mm per hour. A weak low pressure system will be affecting the island through Thursday and Friday. On Thursday night, the skies are expected to remain cloudy, with isolated showers expected across the island and snowfall in mountain regions. Temperature is expected to fall to nine degrees inland, 12 degrees at the coasts, and one degree at higher altitudes. On Friday, rain and storms are forecasted across the island, with more snow expected to pile up on peaks. Temperatures are expected to reach just 13 degrees inland, 14 degrees in coastal areas, and two degrees at mountain regions. The wet weather is expected to gradually clear out by Monday. ...

Controversial plans for new quarry halted

A meeting held at the Environment Ministry on Thursday put an end to controversial plans to create a quarry zone in the Larnaca District, after civil society raised a ruckus over the thousands of trees that would need to be axed to make way for the quarry....

Cyprus Shipping Chamber backs EU Shipping Industry positions on EU Green Deal

The Cyprus Shipping Chamber expressed its fully supports the EU Shipping Industry’s positions on the EU Green Deal, noting that the shipping industry is fully committed to eradicating its GHG emissions completely as soon as possible in this century. ...

Akinci brushes off Varosha talk as election gimmick, Anastasiades calls for bicommunal committee

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has suggested that Varosha, a southern suburb of Famagusta that has been fenced off and abandoned since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, is being used as an election gimmick, adding that he supports UN-backed efforts to reopen the ghost town....

Findings of probe into police mishandling of serial killer's victims delivered to Attorney-General

Findings of an independent investigation into police mishandling of reports of missing persons which later emerged as victims of the island’s first serial killer, Nicos Metaxas, were delivered to the Attorney-General on Thursday, though their publication is illegal, the lead investigator said....

Cavusoglu: Greece must be prepared to share in the East Med

Turkey is willing to reach a compromise with Greece as long as the latter is prepared to share in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday....

Football duo free on bail until corruption trial

Two suspects in a high-profile football corruption case in Cyprus will face a criminal trial next month, while a judge has ordered for them to be released on bail pending trial...

Defendant gets 15 years in Strovolos murders

The last of four defendants in the Strovolos double murder trial was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, as the case drew to a close on Thursday after a lengthy and complicated criminal trial that shocked public opinion...

Cause of death unknown in farmhouse fire

The charred body of an elderly person, found in a rural Nicosia farmhouse last week following a late night fire, has been identified while forensic experts were not able to determine a cause of death...

Bomb squad called out to Larnaca

A death threat message scribbled onto a cardboard box was found in Larnaca after members of the bomb squad were called out to examine a suspicious package...

Defence minister goes ‘behind enemy lines'

Cypriot Defence Minister Savvas Angelides got up close and personal with special commandos during their winter training high up in the snowy mountains...

Opposition builds against planned quarry zone as thousands of trees may be axed

Intense reaction has been building up in recent days in opposition to plans to create a gravel quarry in the Delikipos forest, an extensive green patch in the Larnaca district, part of the network of Natura 2000 nature protection areas....

Military clash with Syria is imminent, Erdogan says

Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday a Turkish military operation to push back a Syrian government offensive against rebel strongholds in northwest Syria was now “a matter of time” after talks with Russia failed to halt the assault....

85 UEFA red notices received by Cyprus police since 2011

Cyprus police have received a sum of 85 red notices from UEFA since 2011 over football match fixing suspicions, Chief of Police Kypros Michaelides told the House Ethics Committee, which convened to discuss the urgent matter of establishing a National Action Plan to combat corruption in sports....

New Brexit immigration system to favour high-skilled workers

Britain will prioritize access for high-skilled workers from around the world in its post-Brexit points-based immigration system, the government said on Tuesday, setting out its plans to put an end to a reliance on “cheap labor from Europe”....

Greece, US hold live-fire drill after major base deal

At the foot of Mount Olympus, army aviation forces from Greece and the United States are taking part in a live-fire exercise with attack helicopters, marking deepening defense ties between the two countries....

Cyprus and 8 EU countries object to new rules of mobility package on commercial vehicles

Implications of a new rule included in the EU mobility package currently under negotiation, whereby commercial vehicles, lorries, and trucks will be required to return to their licensing Member State every eight weeks, were raised on Wednesday by Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos and several of his counterparts to the Commission Vice President and Commissioner for Transport....

Erdogan says third Turkish drill ship to begin operations in 2020

Turkey has purchased its third offshore drilling ship which will arrive in Turkey next month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, adding that the ship will begin operations in 2020. ...

Turkish Cypriot ambulance rushes to Nicosia General

A Turkish Cypriot ambulance received police escort in the south on Wednesday, as it was transporting a patient in a medical emergency...

Residents up in arms over 'virus camp'

Local residents in rural Nicosia are reacting to government plans aimed at establishing a quarantine facility in their area to treat potential confirmed coronavirus cases in Cyprus...

Hunter shot in the foot in Paphos

A young man was injured in a gun accident on Wednesday morning in Paphos when a hunting rifle went off by accident...

Suspect denies involvement in Napa shooting

New information about the gun used in the Ayia Napa shooting has emerged in court proceedings, with prosecutors still feeling confident about the case and the suspect in custody denying any involvement...