Cyprus

Nicosia on Thursday welcomed an amendment to the US Defense Appropriations Act (NDAA) that makes Cyprus' National Guard eligible to participate in multilateral military exercises through 2027.

Cyprus will depend more on desalination plants to meet its water needs as a string of dry winters has reduced amounts in 108 dams to just a quarter of their capacity, the country's agriculture and environment minister said Wednesday.

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis briefed political leaders on Wednesday, one at a time, on escalating developments in Syria and the Middle East, alongside progress in Greek-Turkish relations and Cyprus, as the country readies for its two-year tenure on the United Nations Security Council starting January 1.

The government of Cyprus is stepping up to help homeowners struggling with rising interest rates and inflation.

In a recent meeting at the Presidential Palace, President Nikos Christodoulides and the Council of Ministers approved a new mortgage interest rate subsidy scheme designed to give households some financial relief.

The natural Christmas trees from Taxiarhis, Chalkidiki, are flying off the shelves as the festive season approaches. Producers are busy cutting and restocking fresh trees to meet demand. According to Giannis Xakis, president of the local community and a tree producer, the village has already shipped a 10-12 meter tree to Crete, reflecting the nationwide enthusiasm for Taxiarhis trees.

Prof Evanthis Hatzivassiliou joins Thanos Davelis to look at the story of Cyprus and NATO - a story that begins with the creation of an independent Cyprus and a 1959 "gentleman's agreement" - and break down what lessons we can take from this history as Cyprus explores new ways to integrate with the transatlantic alliance today. 

Britain will provide intelligence to a newly formed unit in Cyprus tasked with preventing Russia evade international sanctions, according to an agreement Tuesday following talks between visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Cypriot counterpart.

Bolstering Cyprus' defense capacity is critical for the east Mediterranean island nation so close to the war-wrecked Middle East, the country's defense minister has said.

The Greek-Turkish rapprochement process is moving within a framework of step-by-step efforts to maintain a calm climate and manage issues that could provoke tensions in the immediate future. Naturally, the significant distance separating the two countries on the major issue of maritime delimitation defines both the framework and the limits of this challenging undertaking.

Britain and Cyprus pledged on Tuesday to fight illicit Russian cash flows during a visit by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in an endorsement of the pro-west tilt the Mediterranean island has taken since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.