Cyprus Beat

Authorities on Tuesday remained on full alert all day to deal with the expected arrival of ‘hundreds’ of migrants from Lebanon. Despite information earlier, the waves of migrants did not arrive as night fell.

Meanwhile, Cyprus’ coasts of the British bases are teeming with turtles with the highest number of nests recorded within the areas since 2009. Bases environmental experts confirmed 282 nests “at all sandy beaches” within the bases as the season draws to a close.

Elsewhere, former UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has ruffled further feathers in Cyprus in an interview with TRT during which he said he has not lost any sleep over his calls for a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem.

In today’s episode, deputy government spokeswoman Doxa Komodromou has resigned from her position, the presidential palace said on Monday.  In other news, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar said on Monday that he would “never accept” the appointment of a United Nations special envoy to Cyprus. And the ministry of finance has extended the deadline for submission of tax returns until the end of October.
All these stories and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail. For more news updates, visit www.cyprus-mail.com 

In today’s episode, state hospital workers are set to go on strike after failing to reach an agreement with state health services (Okypy) regarding collective labour agreements and pay rises.

Meanwhile, every single employee at the Presidential palace will have their overtime payments examined by the audit service.

Elsewhere, the Nicosia municipality unveiled a new parking app with real time updates.

All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, President Christodoulides called on his Turkish counterpart Erdogan to work together to send a message of peace for both Cyprus and Turkey.

Meanwhile, football referees will return to the pitch this weekend, they announced on Wednesday following a meeting with the Cyprus Football Association and internal meetings. Earlier this week, they had called an “indefinite strike” after a bomb threat against referee Menelaos Antoniou on Monday.

Elsewhere, crimefighting in Cyprus took a peculiar twist on Wednesday morning when a man dressed as Batman descended on Limassol district court.
The man strode into the building, complete with fluttering cape, tight leather trousers, shinpads and body armour, all in black.

All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, fuel prices are set to increase “by four or five cents per week until at least the end of the month,” chairman of the Petrol Station Owners’ Association Christos Christodoulou said on Tuesday.  In other news, the appointment of a special UN envoy for Cyprus remained at the top of President Nikos Christodoulides’ agenda as he met with EU officials on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. And commercial banks have so far offered insufficient support amid interest rate hikes, the House commerce committee heard on Tuesday.
All these stories and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail. For more news updates, visit www.cyprus-mail.com 

In today’s episode, the government will withdraw its request for the University of Cyprus to pay overtime to Doxa Komodromou and inform the university that it will have to claim the money back. 

Elsewhere, President Nikos Christodoulides said a meeting between UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday will “determine the next moves on the Cyprus problem”. 

There’s also Great British Bake Off personality Paul Hollywood who is reportedly set to wed his partner Melissa Spalding in Cyprus this week.

All these and more in your Daily News Briefing, brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, the government is expected to announce unilateral measures towards the Turkish Cypriot community this week, President Nikos Christodoulides said from New York on Sunday.

He also mentioned that he has suggestions for confidence-building measures in everyday life.

Meanwhile, the demand for halloumi cheese from foreign markets is on the rise, according to Agriculture Minister, Petros Xenophontos.

Elsewhere, a patient at the Paphos general hospital was found dead in an indoor garden of the facility on Sunday morning. The 78-year-old British man was treated in the third floor of the public hospital since Wednesday.

All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today’s episode, the government decided to set up an interdepartmental team as a focal point for drawing up policies to stem the flow of irregular migrants.

Meanwhile, MPs heard that the country's illiteracy rate stands near 10 per cent.

Elsewhere, construction of the road between Pyla and Arsos recommenced outside the buffer zone.

All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, unless the Turkish government “drastically changes course”, Turkey’s EU accession process cannot resume, the European Parliament said on Wednesday, passing the progress report for the country.

Meanwhile, Auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides on Wednesday welcomed the withdrawal of a request for overtime pay by deputy government spokesperson Doxa Komodromou, in what was the first time ever that overtime pay was requested for a state official.

Elsewhere, the zero VAT rate for necessities will be extended for a further six months, while coffee and sugar have been added to the list of products, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos announced on Wednesday.

All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos on Tuesday met the bosses of commercial banks in a crunch meeting aimed at getting lenders to provide some relief to customers to compensate for rising interest rates and mortgage payments. In other news, the five Israeli nationals accused of gang raping a British tourist in Ayia Napa had their remand renewed on Tuesday after the judge said there is “reasonable suspicion” they may be implicated in the case.  And Cyprus police are pushing back against the possibility of reducing the €300 fines imposed by recently installed traffic cameras. 

All these stories and more in your Daily News Briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail. For more news updates, visit www.cyprus-mail.com