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EU is ready to support shipping transformation, Commissioner Kadis says

The European Union stands ready to support the transformation of shipping into an industry with cleaner fuels, energy efficiency and innovation, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, said on Wednesday speaking at the “Maritime Cyprus 2025” Conference, in Limassol.

This year’s theme, ‘Unlocking the future of shipping’, he said, aligns well with the pressing challenges the international shipping sector is facing today. Shipping is a sector undergoing profound transformation.

“The European Union stands ready to support this shift with both ambition and accountability. The European Ocean Pact is a flagship initiative of my portfolio. It is a comprehensive strategy that brings together policies aiming to protect the ocean, promote a thriving and sustainable blue economy, and support the well-being of coastal communities,” the Commissioner noted.

Here in Cyprus, “where almost half of the population lives in coastal areas, these policies have a direct impact on people’s daily lives,” he said, adding that “it is ultimately these communities that are the driving force behind achieving the ambitions of the European Ocean Pact. To support them further in their development and help them tackle their challenges, the Commission will present a new Strategy for EU Coastal and Island Communities”.

“Europe leads the way in high-quality maritime services, advanced ship management, cutting-edge ports and logistics, and in pioneering digital and safety standards. By fostering innovation in cleaner fuels and smarter technologies, we can also secure Europe’s leadership in the global maritime transition,” the Commissioner continued.

In his speech, he said that in the coming months, the Commission will present two interlinked strategies: the European Maritime Industrial Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy. For the maritime industry, priorities will include strengthening shipping capabilities, bolstering shipbuilding and repair capacity, driving digital and green innovation, and securing the skills and investments crucial for these strategic sectors. For ports, we aim to reinforce their role as trade and energy hubs, prepare them for military mobility, ensure robust and sustainable operations, and modernise infrastructure to seamlessly connect Europe to the world, he said.

In the long term, the Commissioner noted, the future of shipping relies on cleaner fuels, energy efficiency and innovation. The European legal framework is setting the sector on a credible course towards climate neutrality, adding that at the same time, we are investing in research and innovation, through Horizon Europe and other instruments, to accelerate the use of renewable fuels and green technologies.

In just a few days, he said, the International Maritime Organisation will hold a decisive meeting to adopt the Net-Zero Framework for international shipping. “A successful outcome in London will be pivotal in steering the sector towards decarbonisation and ensuring global solutions for this international industry, thereby preserving a level global playing field” Kadis said.

Another key driver, Kadis noted, is digital transformation. “Initiatives such as the Maritime Single Window environment, as well as broader EU efforts on data spaces and artificial intelligence, will enhance efficiency, safety and transparency of shipping operations. Likewise, aligning ship finance so that capital markets and EU financial tools can support the sector’s transition is essential,” he went on to say.

Our transformation, he pointed out, cannot succeed without skilled and motivated individuals.

“That is why the EU remains dedicated to supporting seafarers, through training, fair working conditions, and by recognising that their role is essential, especially during crises and ongoing geopolitical disruptions. Their tenacity and expertise remain the backbone of global shipping,” the Commissioner noted.

“Today we are shaping the future of shipping, here in Cyprus, across Europe, and across the world. By embracing innovation, championing sustainability, and empowering those who work at sea, we can ensure that shipping remains a vital force for our economies, societies and communities for generations to come,” he continued.

Referring to Cyprus, he said it is home to shipowners, operators, classification societies and to a highly skilled workforce whose impact on the competitiveness of European shipping is widely recognised.

“At the same time, Cyprus plays a strong role in shaping the future of international shipping at the International Maritime Organisation, in Brussels and beyond,” he underlined.

Papanastasiou in Athens for Cyprus-Greece Business Forum

Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry, George Papanastasiou, will participate in the Cyprus-Greece Business and Investment Forum, on Thursday, in Athens.

According to a Ministry press release, the Forum, which is organised by the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Invest Cyprus, Enterprise Greece, and the Cyprus-Greece Business Association, is under the auspices of First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulidou.

“As part of the Forum’s proceedings, Papanastasiou will deliver a speech highlighting the strong relations between Cyprus and Greece, as well as opportunities for further strengthening cooperation in the areas of investment, entrepreneurship, and innovation,” the press release says.

Farewell to Katie Clerides, who “worked for reunification until her last breath”

The funeral of former MP and former Vice-President of the Democratic Rally (DISY), Katie Clerides, who passed away on Monday at the age of 76, was held in deep sorrow, in the presence of President of the Republic, the President of the House of Representatives, leaders and representatives of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties, current and former MPs and a large crowd.

Eulogies were delivered by the President of DISY and House President, Annita Demetriou, Meltem Onurkan-Samani, a friend of the deceased and founder of the Cyprus Peace and Dialogue Centre (CPDC), and Andia Ioannides Charaki, a friend of the deceased. A poem was read by her maid of honour, Androula Shati.

In her eulogy, Annita Demetriou said – among other things – that ‘Katie Clerides never fit into stereotypes, she did not fit into titles, she did not fit into boxes, because she was and will always be something much more, a rare person, a special friend and a great colleague,’ she pointed out.

‘Her greatest desire was to see her country free and reunited. She never stopped hoping and working hard for this, until her last breath,’ she noted.

‘She opened roads, she knew how to build bridges, she brought groups of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots together. She believed in dialogue, she believed in coexistence,’ Demetriou said.

In her eulogy, Meltem Onurkan-Samani said that Katie Clerides remains ‘through all these years a role model enlightening our mission toward peace, a real peace, one grounded on honesty and human dignity.’

‘You were always frank in saying that the majorities were not ready for a peace accord, even 60 years after 1964, yet you never stopped working for it. You were eager to build understanding where others only built rhetoric,’ she emphasised.

On her part, Andia Ioannides Charaki said that Katie Clerides’ books reflect her thoughts and experiences on conflict resolution, social justice and reconciliation, noting that her political action focused on the rapprochement of the two communities towards a common homeland with equal rights.

“Katie Clerides was a beacon of hope, endurance and unwavering dedication to justice. She was modest, far from showing off, always correct and an idealist,” she said. “She did not hesitate to politically judge those who deviated from the principles of her party and deviated from the correct, exemplary political principles that they should respect,” she pointed out.

Katie Clerides, was the daughter of former President of Cyprus Glafcos Clerides. She was born in London on May 10, 1949. She had served three terms as a Democratic Rally MP in the 1990s and early 2000s and was the first woman Vice President of the party. She was a strong advocate for the reunification of Cyprus and rapprochement between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. She also championed causes to do with human rights and animal rights.

Commission sends warning letter to Cyprus for failing to correctly transpose Firearms Directive

The European Commission has initiated infringement proceedings by sending a letter of formal notice to Cyprus, along with Bulgaria, Denmark, and France, for failing to correctly transpose the provisions of the Firearms Directive (Directive (EU) 2021/555).

The Directive establishes common minimum standards for the acquisition, possession, and commercial exchange of civilian firearms, such as those used for sport shooting and hunting. According to the Commission, the Directive maintains high security standards and protection against criminal acts and illicit trafficking of firearms.

Following the issuance of the formal notices, the member states now have a two-month deadline to respond and address the shortcomings identified by the Commission. If their responses are deemed unsatisfactory, the Commission may proceed with issuing a reasoned opinion, the next step in the infringement process.

Cyprus current account balance improves in Q2 2025, Central Bank data show

The current account balance and the international investment position (IIP) of Cyprus recorded an improvement, while its gross external debt decreased in the second quarter of 2025 (Q2 2025), according to provisional data for external statistics for Q2 2025, released by the Statistics Department of the Central Bank of Cyprus on Wednesday.

In particular, the current account balance of Cyprus recorded an improvement, with the deficit decreasing from pound 341.7 million in Q2 2024, to pound 257.3 million, in Q2 2025.

The resulting deficit adjusted for the impact of Special Purpose Entities (SPEs), that is, classifying SPEs as non-residents, stood at pound 280.9 million in Q2 2025, compared with a deficit of pound 363.6 million in Q2 2024.

The international investment position (IIP) recorded an improvement in Q2 2025, presenting a net liability position of pound 30,094.9 million, compared with a net liability position of pound 30,420.9 million in Q1 2025.

With the corresponding data being adjusted for the impact of SPEs, IIP recorded a net liability position of pound 11,480.9 million in Q2 2025, compared with a net liability position of pound 11,871.7 million, in Q1 2025.

The gross external debt decreased to pound 232,988.2 million in Q2 2025 from pound 233,599.8 million in Q1 2025. The external assets in debt instruments decreased to pound 223,083.6 million, from pound 223,482.2 million in Q1 2025. Consequently, the net external debt decreased by pound 213.0 million to pound 9,904.6 million in Q2 2025.

Adjusted for the impact of SPEs, gross external debt reached pound 59,044.1 million in Q2 2025, compared to pound 59,569.7 million, in Q1 2025. The corresponding net external debt indicator decreased to -pound 24,313.4 million in Q2 2025, compared with -pound 23,924.4 million in Q1 2025.

Tax reform bills to be completed within days, Finance Minister says

The tax reform bills are expected to be completed within the next few days, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said on Wednesday evening, noting that they are currently at the Law Office.

In his statements after a meeting he had with the Tax Commissioner and the General Secretariat of SEK trade union, Keravnos said that they had a ‘very productive discussion’ on the tax reform.

In the meeting, SEK submitted their supplementary proposals on the tax reform. The Finance Minister said that ‘a lot of clarifications were given’ both from the government side to the union and from the union to the government side, ‘which, I think help everyone move forward and to complete the tax reform package in a timely and comprehensive manner, and to table it to Parliament.’

Asked where the bills were now, the Minister said they are with the Law Office (for legal vetting) and that, it is expected that ‘within the next, few days, they will be completed.’

Asked whether amendments could therefore be made, Keravnos said that ‘amendments are always made until the last minute.’ He said that the main philosophy of the tax reform, ‘remains the same’, but that, there could be some changes to secondary issues, through consultations.

SEK Secretary General Andreas Matsas thanked the Finance Minister for a “substantive, fruitful and productive meeting” which gave them the opportunity to put forward additional proposals “in an effort to have as much is it is possible a balanced, comprehensive and socially just tax reform.” He also welcomed the fact that particular priority is placed in combatting tax evasion.

’Raging’ breaks the silence on male abuse

Raging are the waters that flow through the island’s rivers. Raging, too, is the boy wounded in this wounded landscape.

In Ryan Machado’s ‘Raging,’ one of the full-length entries to the ongoing Cinemalaya Film Festival, the ‘abuse of spaces’ takes on physical, emotional, and environmental forms-its scope expanding from personal trauma to large-scale damage caused by mining in Sibuyan Island in Romblon.

Set in the mid-1990s, the story follows Eli (Elijah Canlas), a teenager grappling with the pain, confusion, and betrayal of a sexual assault dismissed by local authorities as a mere prank among young boys. Feeling helpless and left behind when his father leaves to work at a covert mining site, he begins to withdraw from the world.

Although he tries to restore a sense of normalcy in his life, the shadow of his abuser-one of his own peers-continues to loom. His only refuge is a cassette player that drowns out the outside noise. But when he loses it-and after witnessing a mysterious plane crash that vanishes without a trace-something in Eli ignites, compelling him to break his silence and begin reclaiming himself.

‘The plot is based on a rape case in Romblon-but not in Sibuyan-involving a young homosexual man violated by his peers. He reported it to his family and then the [barangay] captain, only to be told that the incident wasn’t true and that it was all just games,’ Machado tells Lifestyle Inquirer. ‘The case didn’t go anywhere because everyone doubted him.’

Canlas plays Eli, a teenager grappling with the pain, confusion, and betrayal of a sexual assault dismissed by local authorities

Still stigmatized and underreported

In Eli’s pursuit of truth and justice, the film inevitably confronts an issue still widely considered taboo-the rape of males.

Despite growing awareness of sexual violence, male rape remains a stigmatized and underreported issue worldwide. This is mostly due to cultural norms and rigid definitions of masculinity, which suggest that men can’t be victims.

‘There’s still a stigma. Very few men come forward to speak about their experiences because of fear and the normalization of the belief that men should be able to protect themselves. Within the marginalized [LGBTQIA+] community, many also face this issue, but their stories often go unheard,’ Machado says.

Canlas echoes Machado’s sentiments, saying that playing Eli, in a way, validates the experiences of people he knows who have endured similar ordeals. ‘It’s a rarely discussed subject. Some will say, ‘Ginusto mo naman ‘yan, eh.’ ‘Bakit ‘di ka lumaban, eh lalaki ka?” the actor tells Lifestyle Inquirer. ‘I know people who have gone through this, especially at a young age or during adolescence. And I’m sure there are many more who remain silent about it.’

‘I hope that people who watch the film realize that whatever they’re going through, ‘di sila nag-iisa,’ the 25-year-old actor adds. ‘We can continue fighting for our personal truth.’

The abuser (played by Ron Angeles), meanwhile, is the ’embodiment of toxic masculinity,’ weaponizing gaslighting-not only against Eli, but also against his own conscience. This behavior, Machado points out, could very well be a product of a mindset passed down through the community.

‘We put in a subtle reference that his actions weren’t really random, but part of a community or society’s culture,’ says the director-writer, who also teaches Philippine arts, culture, and film at the University of the Philippines Manila.

Ron Angeles and Elijah Canlas

Filling in the subtext

The film approaches the subject with sensitivity, maintaining a respectful distance under the premise that the extent of Eli’s trauma isn’t completely known. It doesn’t readily seek to label or define the character’s SOGIE (sexual orientation or gender identity) because that’s not the focus. ‘Anyone can experience abuse,’ Machado says.

As such, Canlas’ role-and biggest challenge-lies in filling in the subtext that the screenplay doesn’t explicitly state.

‘There are quiet, simple slice-of-life scenes. But there’s always a reason they’re there,’ he says. ‘It’s about justice and truth. And I have to make sense of it all through silence. That’s a challenge not every actor gets, but I was more than willing and committed to take it on.’

All this takes place against the backdrop of alleged illegal mining-a longstanding issue in Sibuyan Island, known for its rich biodiversity-that threatens its ecology and sparks tensions between local communities and mining companies. While a cease-and-desist has reportedly paused mining operations, there’s always that worry, Machado admits, that it could resume any time soon.

And here lies the interconnectedness of the story’s themes, Machado says, with environmental degradation drawing parallels to Eli’s personal trauma. ‘They amplify each other,’ stresses Machado, whose first feature movie-a 2023 Cinemalaya entry-is also set in his home province of Romblon.

‘As a Romblomanon, it only makes sense to be affected by this issue. And it’s a persistent one. There’s always that threat or danger that it might resume and destroy nature and people’s livelihoods,’ he laments. ‘Aside from emotional and physical abuse, there’s also abuse of physical spaces.’

Director Ryan Machado

Promoting Romblomanon identity

While on location, the forces of nature-as if aware of the film’s advocacy-raged on, with fierce storms, strong winds, and torrential downpours disrupting shooting. On one especially challenging day, the crew managed to complete only two sequences.

Oddly enough, it was also in nature’s fierce display of force that beauty emerged. This was reinforced by the strong sense of belonging among the production team and local collaborators, making the shoot fun and fruitful.

‘We were still very happy because we were one with nature. The sight of Mt. Guiting Guiting was an overwhelming force on the island that gave us energy,’ Machado shares. ‘The people are so kind and pure and genuinely willing to help.’

At one point, exhausted and drenched from the relentless downpours, Canlas felt he was on the verge of falling ill. But much to his surprise, his body never gave in. ‘Parang magic ang isla,’ he says. ‘No matter how hard the rain poured, I had this feeling the island was keeping us safe.’

The film wasn’t made to present or sell Romblon as a tourist destination, though the province has plenty to offer in that regard. What Machado wants is simple representation-an opportunity to showcase Romblon’s culture and language, like the Ini, which is predominantly spoken in the movie and had to be learned by the actors.

In doing so, Machado also hopes to foster the culture of filmmaking in the province-something he had already initiated with the launch of the Talabukon Film Festival last April.

‘It’s natural for me to tell stories about my community, in my community. Wala pang masyadong representation ang Romblon,’ he says. ‘So I want to show who we are as Filipinos who contribute to nation-building.’

Curlee Discaya’s camp files petition to free him from Senate detention

The camp of contractor Curlee Discaya has filed a petition for habeas corpus seeking his release from Senate detention.

Discaya’s counsel, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, made the pronouncement as Discaya remains detained at the Senate detention facility after being cited for contempt during a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Sept. 18.

The lawyer said the petition was filed before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 298 on Tuesday.

‘We’re always trying to free Curlee from Senate custody,’ said Samaniego in a chance interview.

”That’s really the purpose of the writ of habeas corpus, for the Blue Ribbon Committee to explain whether Curlee’s prolonged detention in the Senate facility is still legal or not,’ he added.

According to Samaniego, the petition was filed in light of Discaya’s current situation, particularly the uncertainty surrounding his detention after the Senate blue ribbon suspended its initial plans to resume the investigation

”That was what that led us to file a writ of habeas corpus,’ said Samaniego.

The lawyer then expressed confidence that the petition will be granted, citing his trust in the country’s judicial system.

He also assured the public that Discaya will remain cooperative with the government’s investigation into anomalous flood control projects, even once he’s released from detention.

‘The mere fact that we came here [proves that] we are very cooperative sa (to the) duly constituted authorities,’ he said. /mr

Castro on rumors of becoming next DOJ sec: ‘There’s no truth to that’

Palace press officer Claire Castro on Wednesday dismissed rumors circulating online that she is being eyed as the next secretary of justice, following Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla’s appointment as the next Ombudsman.

Castro also currently serves as undersecretary at the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

‘First of all, we don’t know where it started, so there’s no truth to that,’ she said at a briefing when asked for a confirmation on the matter.

Asked if she would accept if ever President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offers the role, Castro only said, ‘Hypothetical question. I cannot answer.’

On Monday, Remulla designated Undersecretary Fredderick A. Vida as officer-in-charge of the Department of Justice.

At the briefing, Castro said there was no shortlist yet on who would be the next chief of the department.

Castro is a lawyer and former broadcaster. She was appointed in February, along with then PCO acting Secretary Jay Ruiz, who was replaced by Dave Gomez in early July. /apl