Cyprus Beat

In today’s episode, there’s the latest on the prison saga as the director’s lawyers hit out against the legal service’s decision to not proceed with action against drug-squad chief Michalis Katsounotos.

Elsewhere, trade unions gave the government and employers a two-week ultimatum to agree to the full reinstatement of the cost of living allowance CoLA), dangling the threat of industrial action otherwise.

There’s also the latest on the trial of the 74-year-old Briton accused of the murder of his wife in Tremithousa last December.

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

In today's episode, Between two and three trillion cubic feet of natural gas have been uncovered in exploratory drilling in block six of Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone, the energy ministry announced.

In today's episode, in an unexpected turn of events, the charges faced by the 74-year-old Briton accused of the murder of his terminally ill wife in Tremithousa last December remained unchanged despite hopes it would be mitigated to manslaughter, as his trial continued on Tuesday.

In today’s episode, nurses of PASYDY union on Monday condemned the recent verbal and physical attack against an ambulance worker, a day after PASYNO nurses’ union threatened to take legal measures over the incident. In other news, speculation about who will become the next archbishop took off on Monday, following the results of the popular vote the day before, with some analysts giving Paphos bishop Georgios a clear advantage while others predict a tie between him and Limassol bishop Athanasios within the Holy Synod. And despite a lower demand for meat this year, butchers have said they will need to import lamb from Greece.

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, Bishop Athanasios of Limassol won the popular vote in the election for Archbishop on Sunday, meaning the Holy Synod will chose between him, Isaias of Tamasos and Georgios of Paphos as to who will be the next leader of the Church. In other news, demonstrators at Limassol Zoo on Sunday said they would continue their protests until the facility is closed down. And nurses’ union PASYNO has threatened to take legal measures against the ministry of health and the state health services OKYPY after another member was attacked while treating a patient, this time in Limassol.

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 EU Council yesterday called on Ankara to stop all actions that could potentially upgrade the breakaway state in the north of the island, a development welcomed by the foreign ministry.

In other news, some 200 Wolt drivers were striking across Nicosia and Limassol yesterday, over accusations they were being exploited and getting pay cuts amid increasing costs.

Elsewhere, candidacies for the February 2023 presidential elections will be formally submitted on January 5, the interior ministry said yesterday, while December 27 is the cutoff for registering in voter rolls.

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

In today's episode, the labour minister appeared doubtful on Wednesday that an agreement can be reached soon with electricity authority workers after a strike threat was called off at the last moment.

In today's episode, Electricity Authority (EAC) unions called off a strike planned for Tuesday in an eleventh hour decision on Tuesday evening, which means there will be no power cuts.

In today’s episode we heat that power cuts will take place from Wednesday if there is increased electricity demand or adverse weather conditions, as a result of a strike by the electricity authority staff that will partially suspend operation of the Dhekelia power plant.

In other news, the 33-year-old who admitted to murdering two Russian women in late 2021 was handed a 25-year prison sentence yesterday morning.

Elsewhere, theCyprus Theatre Organisation yesterday slammed the education ministry for its special committee that approves theatrical productions for schools, calling it ‘backwards’ and an ‘instrument of censorship,’ following criticism for removing a line from a play.

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

In today’s episode, the interior minister is disappointed that no agreement has been reached in Brussels with regard to a proposed regulation to address situations of weaponising migration and asylum.

There’s also the latest poll on the presidential elections which appears to show that since October, favourite, Nikos Christodoulides has seen a slight drop in support while Akel-backed Andreas Mavroyiannis' support has grown.

Elsewhere, it was announced that parking at the old Nicosia hospital ends today as construction of the new Cyprus Museum begins.

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