Cyprus public sector workforce rises to over 78,000 people

Total employment in Cyprus’ broad public sector reached 78,124 persons in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year increase, according to the state statistical service (Cystat). According to the statistical service, employment in general government during the same quarter stood at 73,006 persons, while publicly owned enterprises and companies accounted for 5,118 persons. Within […]

12 years in jail for smuggling 15kg of cannabis

The Larnaca permanent criminal court sentenced a 35-year-old man from the United States to 12 years in prison for importing 15kg of cannabis. The man admitted to charges of importing and supplying drugs, as well as impersonation. The cannabis, divided into 30 packages totaling approximately 15kg, arrived on May 19, 2025, at a private company […]

Greece, Spain, Germany, Italy rule out participating in military operations in Strait of Hormuz

Greece will not engage in any military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Monday. Greece would only participated in the EU’s naval mission “Aspides” charged with protecting ships in the Red Sea, Marinakis told a press conference. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday his administration was talking to seven […]

Cyprus job vacancies rise as retail and education lead hiring

Cyprus recorded a rise in job vacancies in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the statistical service (Cystat). Overall, this points to firmer labour demand than a year earlier, while hiring eased from the previous quarter. Cystat said the number of job vacancies reached 13,538 in the fourth quarter of 2025, up by 541 […]

Farmers call for FMD measures to be imposed in north

As mass culling continues to address the foot and mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus, agricultural organisations have urged for the same measures to be imposed in the north as well, where the first incidences on the island were reported in December 2025. “If this does not happen, we are all in a minefield,” chairman of […]

Protaras the flagship of the local economy, says mayor

Protaras remains the economic engine of the Paralimni-Deryneia municipality, with local authorities aiming to spread visitor interest across all municipal areas through a series of projects and tourism initiatives, according to mayor Giorgos Nikolettos. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Nikolettos said the coastal resort, which draws thousands of tourists each year, was not […]

EU must step up presence in Middle East, Kombos says

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos on Monday stressed the need for the EU to strengthen its presence and role in the Middle East, warning that the ongoing war should no longer be viewed as a purely regional conflict. Speaking ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Kombos said the conflict has […]

Israel has plans for three weeks of war as air strikes pound Iran

Israel said on Monday it has detailed plans for at least three more weeks of war as its military pounded sites across Iran overnight, while Iranian drone attacks temporarily shut Dubai airport and hit a key oil facility in the United Arab Emirates. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is now entering its third week, with […]

Afghan asylum-seeker who worked with US military dies in ICE custody

An Afghan immigrant who previously worked with the U.S. military in Afghanistan and later sought asylum in the United States died this weekend in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody less than 24 hours after being detained in Texas, a U.S. veteran-led advocacy group said on Sunday. Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, who was living in a Dallas […]

DBRS Confirms Cyprus’ ‘A’ Rating, Citing Strong Growth but Warning of Regional Risks

The Canadian ratings agency DBRS has reaffirmed Cyprus’ positive economic trajectory, maintaining the country’s sovereign rating at “A” with a stable outlook. In its latest report, DBRS said Cyprus’ GDP grew by 3.8% in 2025, while public finances continued to show structural surpluses. Public debt fell to 60.6% of GDP last September, the agency noted. […]

Starmer rules out joining wider Iran war, says reopening Hormuz strait will not be easy

Prime Minister Keir Starmersaid on Monday Britain would not be drawn into a wider war in Iran but would work with allies on a “viable collective plan” to reopen the key Strait of Hormuz, though he acknowledged that would not be a simple task. U.S. President Donald Trump has heavily criticised Starmer for not initially […]

Supreme court lifts Sizopoulos’ immunity pending corruption probe

The Supreme Court on Monday lifted the parliamentary immunity of former Edek leader and sitting MP Marinos Sizopoulos, pending investigations against corruption. Defence lawyer Chris Triantafyllides said his client did not object to the lifting of his immunity. During the previous hearing, Sizopoulos’ defence had made clear that they would not oppose the procedure, requested […]

Man jailed for 13 years for sexual offences including rape

The Famagusta permanent criminal court on Monday sentenced a 51-year-old man to 13 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against a 26-year-old foreign woman. The court had previously found the man guilty of 15 of 16 charges, including eight counts of rape, sexual abuse, indecent assault, threats and harassment, committed between July […]

Two FMD cases found outside containment zone

Two cases of foot and mouth disease have been reported outside the Larnaca containment zone, this time in Dhali and Yeri in the Nicosia district. The Veterinary Services were said to be on alert, following the unconfirmed reports on Monday. Dhali and Yeri are surrounded by hoofed animal farms. It was not immediately clear if […]

Government ‘needs to limit costs of oil’, says expert Ellinas

Since the beginning of the war in Iran, around 10 million barrels of oil have been missing per day, leading to irreplaceable ripple effects and causing gasoline prices in Cyprus to skyrocket, Energy expert Charalambos Ellinas told the Cyprus News Agency on Monday. “We’re not just talking about oil, we’re talking about almost everything that […]

Kicking off the week’s concerts with CYSO’s Starlight 4

This week, classical music will shine in Limassol and Nicosia as the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra presents its Starlight 4 concert series, joined by two great artists of international standing. Sharon Kam, one of the world’s leading clarinetists and Michalis Economou, a world-esteemed conductor, composer and educator will perform alongside the Orchestra this Wednesday and Thursday, […]

Court finds Nepalese woman in the right after being declared illegal

The appeals court has cancelled a decision to declare a woman from Nepal an illegal immigrant and deport her. The ruling, taken on March 10 but published on Monday, effectively annuls a decision by the court of first instance, saying the authorities may have misled the court as to when the woman was considered to […]

Cash, drugs and undeclared goods seized at crossing points Authorities seized large sums of cash, tobacco products, drugs and animal goods during a series of checks at crossing points in Nicosia and Famagusta districts, the customs department said on Monday. According to an official announcement, customs officers at the Ayios Dhometios crossing on March 12 […]

MHV & Parklane Resort & Spa welcome the first Cyprus EMEA Healthspan Summit

MHV is named Official Partner and Parklane Resort & Spa becomes the Hospitality Sponsor of the inaugural Cyprus EMEA Healthspan Summit.  MHV Mediterranean Hospitality Venture proudly announces its key role as Official Partner in the inaugural Cyprus EMEA HealthSpan Summit, which will be hosted inside the stunning Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol. The multi-awarded resort will be […]

National Bank of Greece completes sale of non-performing loan portfolio

The National Bank of Greece announced on Monday the successful completion of the ‘Etalia A’ transaction, involving the sale of a non-performing exposure portfolio to an entity managed by Bain Capital. The deal follows a previous market update released on September 30, 2025, regarding the disposal of the portfolio which has an outstanding principal amount […]

Cyprus urged to protect safe haven image — ‘hotels should open as normal’

Cyprus must prioritise safeguarding its image as a stable and safe destination for tourism and investment while ensuring that any measures introduced to address rising prices remain strictly temporary, according to economist Tassos Yiasemides. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Yiasemides explained that as an externally driven economy, Cyprus is highly susceptible to major […]

Cyprus Parliament to Debate Constitutional Amendment on Phone Surveillance

A bill to amend the constitution on the monitoring of telephone communications is set to go before the full House on Thursday. The main point of disagreement concerns which authority should approve surveillance requests by the Cyprus Intelligence Service for suspects involved in serious criminal offenses or matters of state security. The dispute has raised […]

Cyprus employers hit out at delay over hiring foreign nurses

The Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (Oev) on Monday expressed “deep disappointment and strong concern” over the postponement by the House health committee of the examination of two legislative amendments aimed at facilitating the employment of nurses from third countries. The federation said the proposed amendments had been submitted by the Health Ministry, with the […]

Limassol marathon hailed for contribution to Cyprus sports tourism

The XM Limassol Marathon is one of the country’s most important sports tourism events, according to Deputy Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis. He noted that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, through the Love Cyprus message, supports an institution that unites people from every corner of the planet and offers an opportunity “to show the world that […]