Cyprus Beat

In today's episode, Spain stands by Cyprus in its search for a just and viable solution to the island’s political problem, while its prime minister on Tuesday said it would take the initiative to bring the two sides on the island together. In other news, well known Cypriot soft drinks company KEAN on Tuesday announced an in principle agreement to sell the company’s shares to BBF, marking a change in ownership after 74 years of operation. And high school students and teachers on the island have developed a prototype robot powered with ChatGPT artificial intelligence technology to harness and improve teaching experiences in the classroom.

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 Audit service and the Attorney-general engaged in a war of words after the latter accused the former of lying about a European Commission communiqué that sided with Auditor-general Oydsseas Michaelides on the finance ministry’s decision, which awarded no-bid contracts connected to the Hermes airport concession agreement. In other news, forty-seven areas on the island are still classified as dangerous due to landmines or other active remnants of war such as unexploded artillery shells, bombs and grenades, data reported on the Unficyp website reveals. Meanwhile, the press and information office launched a five-year campaign titled ‘Journalists Matter’ starting with a discussion on how protecting journalists is paramount to protecting democracy. All this and more in the Cyprus Beat briefing brought to you by the Cyprus Mail.

In today's episode, the main goal is a solution to the national problem that provides for an independent and sovereign state, Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said on Sunday.

Speaking at the memorial service of the Eoka 1955-59 fighters, Letymbiotis said the government is “working for the end of the occupation, the reunification of our country through the achievement of a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem”.

Elsewhere, the importance of a more active European Union involvement in the Cyprus problem negotiations was highlighted by Defence Minister Michalis Georgallas.

Meanwhile, Meanwhile, Prince Albert II of Monaco arrived in Cyprus on Sunday as a guest of John Christodoulou to attend the award ceremony of a student competition held by Yianis Christodoulou Foundation.

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

In today’s episode,  Ersin Tatar said Greek Cypriots cannot tolerate the voice of Turkish Cypriots - after students protested the Turkish Cypriot leader as he was heading to a conference at King’s College London.

Elsewhere, President Christodoulides laid out his approach on the Cyprus issue, consisting of “cultivating a positive agenda and a positive climate”, during the first National Council session held under his administration.

There’s also the issue of firefighting helicopters - with those at the disposal of the authorities being subpar and may even not be airworthy, legislators heard.

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

In today's episode, sports fans will be subjected to random alcohol and drugs tests on entry to sports venues while a permanent police team will be established to cover high-risk matches, according to a Wednesday cabinet decision aiming to curb violence in sports stadiums.

Justice Minister Anna Prokopiou announced the decisions following the outbreak of violence at a basketball match on Sunday.

Elsewhere, around 27 migrants for every 1,000 people arrived in Cyprus from outside the EU in 2021, data released by Eurostat showed, also revealing 22.7 per cent of the island’s citizens were born overseas.

Meanwhile, all the relevant services are better staffed and better equipped to deal with fires than they were last year, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou has said.

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

In today's episode, President Nikos Christodoulides warned on Tuesday that fans need to behave otherwise all sporting matches will be held without spectators,

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, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said he has issued 'strong advice' to commercial banks to focus on loan restructuring for distressed borrowers, as well as to increase deposit rates and contain lending rates amid a high interest-rate environment set to further squeeze consumers. In other news, delivery drivers in Nicosia held a demonstration outside the offices of PEO union following the death of a moped rider last week. And government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis denied there being a rift between Nicosia and Athens over the latter supporting Ankara’s bid for a senior role at a UN agency.

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, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou will promote a plan to the cabinet for restoration of refugee apartment buildings found to be inadequate.

Elsewhere, Cyprus signed an agreement to cooperate with the New Jersey National Guard, Defence Minister Michalis Giorgallas said, adding a delegation of US group will be visiting Cyprus later this week.

Meanwhile, the Cyprus basketball federation said all future matches will be cancelled until further notice, following rioting at a semi-final match between Anorthosis and Apollon.

Fans at the basketball semi-finals fought with police officers on Sunday, and set fire to a bus stop and offices following the match, the fire services reported.

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

In today's episode, President Christodoulides said he hoped to ‘break the deadlock’ in the Cyprus peace process, also pitching to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres his proposal for a more active involvement of the European Union.

Elsewhere, one in ten Greek Cypriots travel to Turkey or to the north to receive dental care, the House health committee heard on Thursday.

Meanwhile, all public transport will be offered for free this Saturday as part of a campaign marking Earth Hour 2023.

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

In today's episode, he interior ministry rejected suggestions it had been well aware of rampant abuse at the online appointment system of the migration department for months, but wilfully chose to look the other way.

A damning report pointed the finger at former interior minister Nicos Nouris, claiming that he had known about shady agents selling appointment slots but “closed his eyes” to the matter.

Elsewhere, President Nikos Christodoulides met with key EU officials where he presented the case for greater EU involvement in the efforts to break the impasse on the Cyprus problem.

Meanwhile, the US State Department’s annual human rights report on Cyprus emphasised the challenges faced by asylum seekers while it also singled out overcrowding at the prisons.

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