Cyprus Mail

EU commissioner speaks of ‘opportunity’ for Turkey with Cyprus talks

European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has spoken of an “opportunity” for Turkey to progress its process towards accession to the European Union through a new round of talks to resolve the Cyprus problem. “We know that any progress is connected to bilateral relations, not just Cyprus, but also with the … new Cyprus settlement talks. […]

Govt promises ‘punitive’ charges for overconsumption of water

Increased bill charges described as “punitive” for consumers who use too much water are to be introduced by the government, water development department director Iliana Tofa said on Thursday, with Cyprus continuing to face a water shortage. “The new fees are before the legal service for legal review and then we will proceed with the […]

Study to begin for conservation of Famagusta’s St George of the Greeks church

A study is to begin regarding the conservation of the St George of the Greeks church in Famagusta, bicommunal technical committee on cultural heritage co-chairman Sotos Ktoris said. The church dates back to the 14th century and was built immediately to the west of a much earlier church which was also dedicated to St George, […]

No arrest warrant issued for Phedonos, police say

No arrest warrant has been issued for suspended Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos regarding allegations of domestic abuse and rape, police spokesman Vyron Vyonos said on Thursday. He told Politis Radio that Phedonos has not been summoned to make a statement, but that the police are investigating both allegations, with a “special investigative team” having been […]

Today’s weather: Clear start, clouds to follow

Thursday is set to begin with clear skies across most of the island, though clouds are expected to gather in the afternoon. Temperatures will rise to a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius inland and on the coasts and 12 degrees Celsius in the mountains. Overnight, the skies will remain partially cloudy, with temperatures set to […]

US and Iran agree to Friday talks in Oman, agenda unclear

The U.S. and Iran have agreed to hold talks in Oman on Friday, officials for both sides said, even as they remained at odds over Washington’s insistence that negotiations include Tehran’s missile arsenal and Iran’s vow to discuss only its nuclear program. The delicate diplomatic effort comes amid heightened tensions as the U.S. builds up […]

Popular US morning news anchor pleads for safe return of elderly mother, believed to be abducted

Popular U.S. morning news anchor Savannah Guthrie posted a video message on Wednesday addressing anyone who might be holding her missing elderly mother, presumed abducted from her Arizona home this week, pleading for them to open a line of communication. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have […]

HRW annual report says ‘Trump has attacked pillars of democracy’

President Donald Trump has attacked key pillars of his country’s democracy, Human Rights Watch warned in its annual global report, citing the Republican president’s immigration crackdown, threats to voting rights and other policies. In an introduction to the report – which reviews human rights practices in more than 100 countries – the head of the […]

Cyprus represented at Kuwait talks on digital prosperity

The 5th Digital Cooperation Organisation General Assembly opened on Wednesday in Kuwait, bringing together ministers, international organisations and technology leaders to shape global digital cooperation in the age of artificial intelligence. The Cyprus Mail covered the assembly live from Kuwait, with on-the-ground reporting from the opening session and ministerial round table as discussions moved quickly […]

Cyprus Business News: Stelios Haji-Ioannou, maritime, inflation, unemployment, Jumbo

Entrepreneurship as a bridge for cooperation was placed firmly at the centre of discussions in Nicosia this week, as Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou outlined the vision, philosophy and long-term development of the Stelios Bi-Communal Awards for Business Co-operation in Cyprus. In doing so, the creator and owner of the easy family of brands (www.easy.com and www.easyHistory.info) and founder […]

Carlsberg’s annual profit beats estimates, but brewer warns of tough 2026

Danish brewer Carlsberg on Wednesday reported a forecast-beating 5 per cent rise in full-year operating profit, but warned it did not expect any improvements in a stubbornly difficult consumer environment. The world’s third-largest brewer and larger rivals Anheuser-Busch InBev and Heineken have been struggling to grow sales volumes, hit by everything from bad weather to geopolitical uncertainty. Carlsberg […]

What’s on this weekend

Cyprus, you’d better be ready for another eventful weekend, as happenings for all ages and interests are taking place around the island this Saturday and Sunday. From events for journal lovers and museum aficionados, to film screenings, live music and performances on ice. Saturday The weekend begins with the Cyprus Journaling Gathering in Limassol, hosted […]

Volvo Cars’ sales volumes drop 7% in November-January period in challenging market

Sweden-based Volvo Cars sold 177,830 cars in the November-January period, down 7 per cent from the same period a year earlier, it said on Wednesday. Volvo Cars, which is majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, said in a statement sales volumes for fully electric models rose 13 per cent to account for 24 per cent of […]

Nvidia nears deal to invest $20 billion in OpenAI funding round, source says

Nvidia is nearing a deal to invest roughly $20 billion in OpenAI as part of its latest funding round, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. ChatGPT maker OpenAI is looking to raise up to $100 billion in its latest funding round, valuing it at about $830 billion, Reuters had reported last week. Companies […]

European Parliament decries rights violations at Rizokarpaso school

Details of a report compiled by the European Parliamentary research service which was seen by the Cyprus Mail on Wednesday decried “the violation of the human rights” of Greek Cypriot children in Rizokarpaso who are enrolled at the town’s schools by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. The report had been requested by Cypriot MEP Loucas Fourlas […]

Our View: Farmers’ water fees must be suspended for this year at least

Political parties are often guilty of adopting populist positions, and we are certain to see this practice more frequently now that we are just a few months away from parliamentary elections. The call on the government a couple of days ago to temporarily suspend the payment of charges for the use of boreholes by farmers […]

Nike facing US probe over alleged discrimination against white workers

The U.S. agency that enforces laws banning workplace discrimination said in a court filing on Wednesday it is investigating Nike NKE.N for allegedly discriminating against white people through its diversity policies. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in the filing that the footwear and apparel company has refused to comply with a sprawling subpoena seeking […]

Carnival returns to Limassol

Limassol is gearing up for its most vibrant celebrations of the year as it’s carnival returns from February 12 to 22 under the theme ‘Limassol madness’,Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis announced on Wednesday. “This year, the Limassol Carnival is presented more dynamic, renewed and enriched, ready to offer unique experiences to young and old,” he said, […]

EU rethinks climate diplomacy after bruising COP30 summit, document shows

The European Union is mulling a new strategy in its diplomatic efforts on climate change after a bruising U.N. summit last year where it struggled to rally support for faster, more ambitious action to cut planet-heating emissions, an internal EU document seen by Reuters showed. Negotiations at the COP30 event in Brazil in November on […]

Italy probes 80-year-old over alleged Sarajevo ‘sniper tourism’

Milan prosecutors have placed an elderly Italian man under investigation as part of an investigation into alleged “sniper tourism” in Sarajevo in the 1990s, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. The sources said the man, the first individual to be identified in the inquiry that began last year, is an […]

Israeli strikes kill 24 in Gaza

Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians including seven children in Gaza on Wednesday, health officials said, the latest violence to undermine the nearly four-month-old ceasefire in the enclave. Among the dead was a medic who rushed to help victims of a strike in the southern city of Khan Younis and was then killed […]

Europe’s anti-money laundering body set to be fully operational in 2028

The European Union’s new agency formed to fight dirty money said on Wednesday it was on track to be fully operational in 2028, as it set out its plan to tackle emerging illicit finance risks including crypto and “novel payment channels”. The Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) is being established in Frankfurt, creating the first Europe-wide […]

French President Emmanuel Macron’s most senior diplomat was in Moscow on Tuesday to hold talks with Russian officials, said a source who was aware of the meeting and two diplomatic sources. The first source said Emmanuel Bonne, who has been at the helm of Macron’s diplomatic cell since 2019, had met officials at the Kremlin. […]

Paphos continues business as usual amid mayor allegations

The municipality of Paphos continues its regular operations without interruptions, deputy mayor Angelos Onisiforou assured on Wednesday. He expressed his optimism that together with the municipal council, measures to benefit the city could be implemented in a spirit of cooperation. While expressing his trust in the judiciary system as “the only ones competent to investigate […]