Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

MPs reinstate special healthcare benefits for civil servants

MPs on Thursday grumbled but still passed regulations reinstating certain healthcare benefits for civil servants not enjoyed by the broader public. The regulations, tabled by the government, give civil servants – active and retired – as well as members of their families benefits such as dental care that are not covered by the national healthcare […]

29.01.2026 21:30

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Parliament urges delay of EU-Mercosur deal enforcement

Parliament on Thursday called on the Cyprus government and the European Commission to hold off on enforcing any aspect of the EU-Mercosur deal until the European Court of Justice has ruled on the matter. In a resolution, the House plenum expressed “grave concern” about the trade deal, particularly its impact on the primary sector. It […]

29.01.2026 21:02

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Music goes Mediterranean in Paphos

Paphos listeners, are you ready for an evening of Mediterranean rhythms, melodies and colours? Because that is what is coming to Technopolis 20 on February 5, happening in Cyprus for the first time. A music project titled Echoes of Becoming began in the US, travelled through different cultures and now lands in Cyprus, presented by […]

29.01.2026 19:46

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

MPs told Gesy funding secure despite system risks

The national healthcare system (Gesy) appears to be secure from a funding aspect, MPs heard on Thursday. The House health committee was discussing the 2026 budget of the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) which runs Gesy. This year’s balance sheet comes to €2.19 billion. Speaking to the media later, Disy MP Savia Orphanidou said they got […]

29.01.2026 19:19

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Larnaca municipality rolls out emergency measures to avert water cuts

A package of emergency water-saving measures aimed at reducing demand by 10 per cent was approved by Larnaca municipality on Thursday following an extraordinary meeting of the district’s board of directors. The measures are intended to prevent water cuts by ensuring that available reserves are sufficient to meet demand, especially during the summer months when […]

29.01.2026 18:32

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Parliament tightens asylum appeal deadlines for migrants

Parliament has approved legislation reducing the timelimits for appeals against rejected asylum applications on Thursday, as courts simultaneously upheld deportation decisions. The amendment was passed with 22 votes in favour and 16 against. Support came from Disy, Diko, Elam and Dipa, while Akel, Edek and the Ecologists voted against the motion. Under the new law, […]

29.01.2026 18:13

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Top 3 cheap cryptocurrencies, analysts prefer this new crypto protocol for Q1 2026

The early weeks of 2026 have brought a fresh wave of speculation to the digital asset market. Investors are scanning the charts for low cost assets that can break away from the pack. While the major coins struggle with heavy sell orders, a specific trend is emerging. Traders are moving away from assets that rely […]

29.01.2026 18:10

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

North ‘parliament speaker’ ‘naturalised people he coerced into breaking law’

The north’s ‘parliament speaker’ Ziya Ozturkler was on Thursday accused in court of gifting ‘TRNC’ citizenship to people he had coerced into handing out degree certificates under false pretences during his time as ‘interior minister’. The accusation was made by the former secretary-general of Morphou’s now infamous Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (KSTU) Serdal […]

29.01.2026 17:50

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Bill seeks donor transparency for social support body

A bill was tabled in parliament on Thursday aiming to make the independent social support body more transparent by obliging it to publish the names of donors along with the contribution amounts. The charity was initially set up in 2014 to offer financial assistance to disadvantaged students. It is chaired ex-officio by whoever happens to […]

29.01.2026 17:39

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Trans inmate moved for safety reasons

A 23-year-old trans woman serving a six-year prison sentence for smuggling 890 grams of cocaine has been transferred to a separate area of the central prison, amid concerns she could be subjected to violence by other inmates. Local media on Thursday reported that the Larnaca criminal court issued its ruling in the woman’s case on […]

29.01.2026 17:19

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Demetriou ‘disappointed’ as talks stall

House President Annita Demetriou on Thursday expressed disappointment over the lack of progress achieved at Wednesday’s tripartite meeting on the Cyprus problem, while the north’s ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu said negotiations cannot solve the Cyprus problem. Demetriou met United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Thursday and said that “we are disappointed that, so far, […]

29.01.2026 16:57

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

EU ministers approve new Iran sanctions after Tehran’s crackdown on protests

European Union foreign ministers adopted new sanctions on Iran on Thursday targeting individuals and entities involved in a violent crackdown on protesters and in the country’s support to Russia, EU diplomats said on Thursday. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a post on social media platform X that the sanctions include members of the […]

29.01.2026 16:55

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

EU agri-food exports reach €219 billion despite November dip

European Union agri-food trade experienced a slight slowdown during November 2025 following the historic highs recorded in October, according to the latest European Commission report. The total EU agri-food trade surplus for the period between January and November 2025 reached €46.1 billion, marking a decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Higher import prices […]

29.01.2026 16:54

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Kremlin says Russia has invited Zelenskiy to come to Moscow for peace talks

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia had reiterated its invitation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to come to Moscow for peace talks,as U.S.-led efforts to reach a deal to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine intensify. The Kremlin made its statement as the two countries carried out their latest exchange of war dead, […]

29.01.2026 16:49

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

UN’s Diagne hails widening of Ayios Dometios crossing point

By Tom Cleaver United Nations representative Khassim Diagne on Thursday hailed works to widen the Ayios Dometios crossing point, which links Cyprus’ two sides on Nicosia’s western edge. Flanked by Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman’s undersecretary Mehmet Dana and Greek Cypriot chief negotiator Menelaos Menelaou, he delivered a speech on behalf of UN envoy Maria […]

29.01.2026 16:46

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

A minute with: Photini Matsi, ceramicist

Where do you live?I live on my own, in Nicosia, next to my family. What did you have for breakfast?It’s a bad habit, but I don’t at the moment. Just coffee and herbal tea to start the day. Describe your perfect dayWake up and have a few hours to myself, not rushing. Head to the […]

29.01.2026 16:00

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Cyprus banks see strong December growth in deposits and loans

The annual growth rate of deposits reached 6.50 per cent and that of loans rose to 10.70 per cent in December 2025, according to data released on Thursday by the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC). The figures were published as part of the CBC’s Monetary and Financial Statistics January 2026 edition, covering deposits and loans […]

29.01.2026 15:58

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

President confirms Polis hospital to be ready by September 2028

The new Polis Chrysochous hospital will be completed and ready to operate by September 2028, President Nikos Christodoulides announced on Thursday, following a meeting at the presidential palace with the Polis municipality and Paphos district MPs. Christodoulides said the foundation stone for the hospital would be laid in February 2027, marking a major milestone for […]

29.01.2026 15:42

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

What is ‘oatzempic’?

By Lauren Ball and Emily Burch If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or Instagram lately, you may have seen people blending oats with water or juice and calling it “oatzempic.” The name is a nod to Ozempic, a prescription medication used primarily for type 2 diabetes that also suppresses appetite. Videos of the oatzempic […]

29.01.2026 15:00

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

World Wetlands Day in Paralimni

Come and join us for a family-friendly morning of birdwatching and nature exploration at the beautiful Paralimni Lake, say BirdLife. Admire the impressive sight of flamingos wintering in their natural habitat, along with various species of ducks such as Mallards, Shelducks and Teals. You may also spot herons and other waterbirds! Free educational material for […]

29.01.2026 14:47

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Kurds march in Nicosia as parliament set to vote on Rojava resolution

Members of the Kurdish community in Cyprus marched through central Nicosia on Thursday, as parliament prepared to vote on a resolution concerning the situation in Syria’s Kurdish-held Rojava region. Carrying flags of a unified Kurdistan, demonstrators protested what they described as ongoing attacks by forces linked to the Damascus regime in northeastern Syria, while criticising […]

29.01.2026 14:42

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Saudi and Israeli officials visit Washington to discuss possible strikes on Iran

The Trump administration is hosting senior defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia for talks on Iran this week as U.S. President Donald Trump considers military strikes, Axios reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House did not immediately respond to a […]

29.01.2026 14:42

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Turkey says Greece must coordinate research activities in contested Aegean waters

Turkey’s defence ministry said on Thursday that Ankara has issued a maritime notice pushing Greece to coordinate with Ankara on all research activities in parts of the Aegean Sea that Turkey sees as its continental shelf. Ties between the NATO allies, but historic rivals, have improved in recent years but they remain at odds over […]

29.01.2026 14:37

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Kıbrıs Cyprus Mail

Ellinas returns to action at Estoril after starting season with podium

Cypriot driver Tio Ellinas will return to action at Portugal’s Estoril circuit this weekend after starting the season with a podium finish in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe at Portimao, taking third place in the first race and fourth in the second. The opening round at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve was heavily disrupted […]

29.01.2026 14:30

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