Category: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Defence Vassilis Palmas discussed Wednesday in Nicosia the security situation in the Republic of Cyprus, Lebanon and the wider region with the new Ambassador of Lebanon to Cyprus.

According to a post on ‘X’ by the Ministry of Defence, Minister of Defence Vassilis Palmas received in his office new Ambassador of Lebanon to the Republic of Cyprus, Reina Charbel, with whom they discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as the latest developments and the security situation in the Republic of Cyprus, Lebanon and the wider region.

No 3+1 or 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue on the margins of the UN General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday, noting that ‘there is still a lot of work to be done’, but also stressing that “we are determined to move things ahead”.

Responding to a question from the Cyprus News Agency during the press conference ahead of UNGA81- on whether, following his recent conversation with his Personal Envoy for Cyprus, he judged that the conditions he had set in July have been, or were now being met for a possible 3+1 or even 5+1 meeting, the Secretary-General ruled out such a meeting during UNGA.

‘Not on the margins of UNGA,’ Guterres said. ‘There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are determined to move things ahead,’ he added.

The Secretary-General stressed that the United Nations remained committed to advancing the process and creating the conditions for a future meeting to produce results.

‘We are determined to do everything possible for that to take place when conditions are met for the meeting to be successful’ he said.

Guterres also underlined the need to avoid repeating unsuccessful approaches from the past. ‘We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past’ he said.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.

Savvas Papasavvas has been elected President of the General Court of the European Union by his fellow Judges for the remainder of the presidential term, namely from 16 September 2026 to 31 August 2028, following the early termination of the term of Marc van der Woude.

Born in 1969 in Nicosia, Savvas S. Papasavvas studied at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where he obtained a degree in law in 1991. He pursued postgraduate studies at the Université de Paris II in France and, in 1992, obtained a postgraduate degree (D.E.A.) in public law. In 1995, following doctoral studies at the Université d’Aix-Marseille III in France, he was awarded a doctorate in law.

Admitted to the Cyprus Bar Association and a member of the Nicosia Bar Association since 1993, Papasavvas continued his career as a lawyer until his appointment to the General Court in 2004.

He also taught at the University of Cyprus as a teaching fellow from 1997 to 2002. He was subsequently elected Lecturer in Constitutional Law and taught in that capacity from 2002 to 2004.

Papasavvas was appointed Judge at the General Court on 12 May 2004 and was elected President of a Chamber for two consecutive terms, from 15 September 2010 to 25 September 2016. His fellow Judges elected him Vice-President of the General Court on 27 September 2019, a position he held until today, when he was elected President.

Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner, Costas Kadis, referred to the challenges facing the European Union, ranging from security and geopolitics to the climate crisis, energy dependence and food security.

Commenting on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union address delivered on Wednesday, Kadis said she had outlined the environment in which the EU currently operates and the challenges it faces. More specifically, he referred to the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, rising energy and fuel prices, as well as the climate crisis.

At the same time, he noted that European policies should aim to make the Union more independent from external dependencies, referring in particular to fuels, food and raw materials. He added that strengthening the competitiveness of the European economy is also particularly important, including through the completion of the single market.

Kadis said the Commission President’s reference to defending European territory was particularly important for Cyprus as well.

The Commissioner also referred to the need to strengthen the EU’s geopolitical position and to relations with Canada, noting the significance of the Canadian Prime Minister’s presence at the debate. He added that closer EU-Canada relations form part of a broader effort to cooperate with partners with whom the Union shares common priorities.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 16/09/2026 UNTIL 1200 17/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1012hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but gradually, increased medium cloud coverage will be present.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon

West to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5

Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night

West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually Northwest to Northeast 3

Smooth to Slight

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually Southwest to West 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Afternoon

Southwest to West 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5

Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night

Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually Variable 3

Smooth to Slight

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually South to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Afternoon

South to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3 to 4, gradually Southwest to Northwest 3

Smooth to Slight

Morning

Variable 3, gradually Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Afternoon

Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4

Smooth to Slight

Night

Southeast to Southwest 3, offshore West to Northwest

Smooth to Slight

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 15/09/2026 UNTIL 1200 16/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1012hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but during the night and in the morning locally increased low cloud coverage will be present at times, with risk of local mist mainly over the southern and the eastern coastal areas.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in mist

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon

West to Northwest 4, locally 5

Slight

Night

West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally near the coast Northwest to Northeast 3

Slight, locally near the coast Smooth to Slight

Morning

Variable 3, later Southwest to West 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Afternoon

South to Southwest 4, locally Southwest to West 5

Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night

Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4, locally at first Southwest to West 4

Smooth to Slight, locally at first Slight

Morning

Northeast to Southeast 3, gradually East to Southeast 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Afternoon

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually Southwest

Smooth to Slight

Night

Southwest 3 to 4, gradually West to Northwest 3

Smooth to Slight

Morning

West to Northwest 3, gradually Northeast to Southeast

Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Afternoon

Southwest to West 4, locally 4 to 5

Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3 to 4, locally near the coast Southeast to Southwest 3

Slight, locally near the coast Smooth to Slight

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3, gradually Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Marinos Mousiouttas, held a meeting in Vienna with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of nuclear protection on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Minister, who represented the Republic of Cyprus at the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, underlined the importance of closer cooperation with the IAEA and of further promoting Cyprus as a hub for education and expertise in the region.

According to an official press release, the meeting also focused on the further strengthening of cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the International Atomic Energy Agency stressing the importance of utilizing the capabilities of CYCLOPS (Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas and Port Security) in Cyprus as a regional training center of the Organisation.

They also discussed about the acceleration of the pending procedures for the completion of the infrastructure intended for the operation of a male mosquito sterilization laboratory which is a project that the IAEA is promoting in cooperation with the competent authorities in Cyprus. The aim of the project is to control the transmission of infectious diseases.

‘The Memorandum is a reliable framework for cooperation between the two sides in the field of nuclear protection’, the Minister said.

The Conference focused on strengthening international nuclear safety and security of nuclear materials, promoting the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the implementation of international safeguard agreements, as well as the utilization of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes.

Participants also discussed issues of international and regional interest related to nuclear safety, preparedness and response to nuclear incidents, as well as the strengthening of international and regional cooperation.

The Republic of Cyprus attaches particular importance to nuclear safety issues in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, given its geographical proximity to nuclear facilities in the region, the press release concludes.

Hourly labor costs increased by 3.8% in the second quarter of this year, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

The Statistical Service said in a press release that on the basis of provisional data, it is estimated that in the 2nd quarter of 2026 hourly labor costs (total cost) increased by 3.8%, compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

It notes that the two main components of labor costs, wages and salaries per hour worked and non-wage costs per hour worked increased by 3.9% and 3.6% respectively, compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

The hourly labor cost (total cost), seasonally adjusted, increased by 1.0% compared to the previous quarter.

The hourly labor cost that refers to wages and salaries, seasonally adjusted, also increased by 1.0% compared to the previous quarter. The hourly non-wage cost, seasonally adjusted increased by 0.9%.

Representatives of the Cyprus Organisation for Standardisation (CYS) and the Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China acknowledged the importance of maintaining and further strengthening the cooperation between CYS and the Standardization Administration of China (SAC), during a discussion that CYS describes as “constructive”.

In a press release, CYS notes that it has been steadily building this relationship over several years through various activities, exchanges and channels of cooperation. “CYS looks forward to continuing and further developing this collaboration in the years ahead, creating new opportunities for the exchange of knowledge, expertise and good practices in the field of standardisation,” CYS says.

Through sustained dialogue and closer institutional cooperation, CYS emphasises that it remains committed to contributing to the shared objective of taking Cyprus-China relations to new heights.

Meanwhile, representatives of CYS attended the official reception hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Cyprus on 14 September 2026, marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

During the event, the CYS delegation had the opportunity to welcome the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Cyprus, Yang Yundong, and to extend its warmest wishes for every success in his new role.

“CYS reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the Embassy and the wider Cypriot business community to support the further development of China-Cyprus relations and promote exchanges and cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” the press release concludes.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 15/09/2026 UNTIL 0600 16/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1012hPa (hectopascal)

Seasonal low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 29°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Southwest to West 3, gradually 3 to 4 Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 4, locally 5 Slight

Night Northwest 3 to 4, later near the coast Northwest to Northeast 3 Slight

South Coast

Morning Northeast to Southeast 3, gradually Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight, gradually Slight

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, locally 5 Slight

Night Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

East Coast

Morning Northeast to Southeast 3, gradually Southeast to South Smooth to Slight

Afternoon South to Southwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Smooth to Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning South to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually Southwest to West Slight

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3 Slight