Category: Cyprus News Agency

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 28/12/2025 UNTIL 1200 29/12/2025

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1010hPa (hectopascal)

Low pressure is expected to affect the area. Today, increased cloud coverage will be present at times, but from late afternoon onwards the weather will become mainly cloudy and during the night local showers and isolated thunderstorm are expected, mainly over the western, the northern and the southern coastal areas. WARNING NR: 15 VALID FROM: 282100 (L.T.) TILL: 290600 (L.T.) STRONG 6 BEAUFORT AND AT TIMES STRONG TO NEAR GALE 6 TO 7 BEAUFORT WESTERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE WESTERN, THE NORTHERN AND THE SOUTHERN COASTAL AREAS. THE STATE OF SEA WILL BE ROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PARTS AND MODERATE TO ROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN AND LOCALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN PARTS.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 20°C

Warnings: WARNING NR: 15 VALID FROM: 282100 (L.T.) TILL: 290600 (L.T.)

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Night West to Northwest 5 to 6, locally 6 Moderate to Rough, locally Rough

Morning Northwest to North 4 to 5, locally 5 to 6 Moderate to Rough

South Coast

Afternoon South to Southwest 3 to 4, later Southwest to West 4 to 5 Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 5 to 6, locally 6 Moderate, locally Moderate to Rough

Morning Northwest to North 4 to 5, offshore 5 Moderate

East Coast

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

Night Southwest to West 4 to 5, later West to Northwest 5 Slight, later Moderate

Morning Northwest to North 4 to 5, locally 5 Moderate

North Coast

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Night West to Northwest 5 to 6, locally 6 Moderate to Rough, locally Rough

Morning Northwest to North 4 to 5, locally 5 to 6 Moderate to Rough

Cedar, a living witness of Cyprus’ natural and cultural history, is an endemic species that does not grow anywhere else.

Forests Department officer, Thomas Kyriakou, told CNA that the Cypriot Cedar is mostly found in Cedar Valley and Tripilos peak in the forest of Paphos, and in the Madari area. The Cyprus Cedar, Kyriakou added, covers a total area of 300 hectares, of which 100 hectares form pure Cedar forests. The number of trees today is estimated at around 50.000.

Cedar habitats are considered important and have been included in Natura 2000 protected areas, as priority habitats. The Cedar, according to Kyriakou, is protected under the nationalforest legislation.

He added that “programmes like LIFE-KEDROS promote sustainable management, with actions that include population monitoring, fire prevention and suppression, enhancement of natural regeneration, scientific research and environmental education.”

Kyriakou also underlined the urgency of constant vigilance, proper management and civil participation towards the protection of this heritage.

He noted that wildfires are the main threat for the Cyprus cedar. “The limited spread of cedar means that a widespread fire could cause irreparable damage,” he told CNA. This is the reason for the permanent operation of a fire observatory in Tripilo, he added.

He also noted that pine trees are an antagonistic species to the cedar, as they grow at a faster pace. At the same time, climate change, drought and extreme temperatures are making is harder for the cedar to grow. In fact, the cedar is considered a vulnerable species of the Cyprus flora.

While cedar wood used to be a popular material for shipbuilding and religious artifacts during the ancient times, its use is now forbidden and its value is purely environmental, cultural and symbolic. “The longevity of the Cyprus cedar established it as a symbol of endurance, durability and continuity,” Kyriakou noted.

Bioeconomy currently generates up to pound 2.7 trillion and employs 17.1 million people in the EU, yet much of its potential remains untapped, according to the European Commission’s European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) that estimates that, with the right support, the EU bioeconomy could grow 18% per year.

According to CINEA, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy aims to be the catalyst that realises this potential growth by enabling the innovation needed for new and existing markets ‘all of which require tested, bio-based materials and technological solutions’.

It is noted that bioeconomy covers the activities that provide sustainable solutions using biological resources to generate added value.

Several LIFE-funded projects are already putting these objectives into practice, converting underused biomass and industrial by-products into valuable materials, energy and services, it said.

One example is the GR4SS project, which targets grass cut from roadsides. Instead of being discarded, these clippings are collected and fed into anaerobic digesters to produce green biomethane, digestate fibres and soil-substitute materials. ‘The Dutch project has shown that this unused biomass can become a lucrative alternative to fossil fuels while also generating new revenue streams in rural areas’, it said. In the Netherlands alone, deploying ten of GR4SS’ digestors could produce 25 billion litres of green gas and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 125,800 tonnes, it adds.

Similarly, ZEBRA-LIFE in Spain is turning another overlooked industrial by-product into a potential green business. By extracting bio-aromatic compounds from ‘black liquor’, a pulp and paper by-product usually burnt for energy recovery, the project produces renewable antioxidants and UV-filter additives, the CINEA said. ‘The resulting products can match or exceed the performance of conventional synthetic additives, making them a sustainable alternative for several sectors, including cosmetics, rubber, fuels, lubricants and polymers – demonstrating how industrial waste can supply circular value chains’, it adds.

Elsewhere in Europe, MySOIL illustrates another way the bioeconomy creates value by restoring damaged environments, it said. In France, Italy and Spain, the LIFE project uses fungal-based bioremediation to remediate soils contaminated with total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), a broad group of oil-derived pollutants from fuels and industrial activities, and can remove up to 90 % of TPHs to make the land usable again.

According to CINEA, across Europe, an estimated 2.5 million sites may be affected by TPH contamination – representing a large area with limited environmental, economic or social value. ‘However, MySOIL demonstrates that a cost-effective, bio-based solution exists – rather than relying on conventional, energy-intensive remediation methods, such as thermal desorption or incineration’, it said.

Together, ZEBRA-LIFE, GR4SS and MySOIL show how bio-based innovation can turn overlooked resources and degraded land into viable business opportunities, CINEA notes. Their real-world data on performance, costs, and environmental impact also strengthen the case for scaling these solutions, helping Europe’s bioeconomy continue to grow, it adds.

It notes that these projects are fully aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal, the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the Renewable Energy Directive and the EU Soil Strategy for 2030.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 28/12/2025 UNTIL 0600 29/12/2025

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1008hPa (hectopascal)

Low pressure is expected to affect the area. Today, increased cloud coverage will be present at times, but from late afternoon onwards the weather will become mainly cloudy and during the night local showers and isolated thunderstorm are expected, mainly over the western, the northern and the southern coastal areas. WARNING NR: 15 VALID FROM: 282100 (L.T.) TILL: 290600 (L.T.) STRONG 6 BEAUFORT AND AT TIMES STRONG TO NEAR GALE 6 TO 7 BEAUFORT WESTERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE WESTERN, THE NORTHERN AND THE SOUTHERN COASTAL AREAS. THE STATE OF SEA WILL BE ROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PARTS AND MODERATE TO ROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN AND LOCALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN PARTS.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 20°C

Warnings: WARNING NR: 15 VALID FROM: 282100 (L.T.) TILL: 290600 (L.T.)

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4, gradually Variable 3 Moderate, gradually Slight to Moderate

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Night West to Northwest 6, at times 6 to 7 Rough

South Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4, gradually locally Variable 3 Slight, gradually locally Smooth to Slight

Afternoon South to Southwest 3 to 4, later Southwest to West 4 to 5 Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 5 to 6, gradually locally 6 to 7 Moderate, gradually locally Moderate to Rough

East Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4, at times 4 to 5 Slight, at times Slight to Moderate

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually Southwest 4 Slight

Night Southwest to West 4, later West to Northwest 5 to 6 Slight, later Moderate

North Coast

Morning Northeast to Southeast 3 to 4, gradually Southwest to Northwest Moderate, gradually Slight to Moderate

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Night West to Northwest 6, at times locally 6 to 7 Moderate to Rough

Our overall strategy is to substantially upgrade the Republic of Cyprus to face internal and external challenges, said President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides in an interview with ‘Phileleftheros’, noting that all the Government’s actions serve the great goal of resolving the Cyprus problem.

In his interview with ‘Phileleftheros’, the first part of which was published on Sunday, President Christodoulides said that the Government’s overall strategy is to substantially upgrade the Republic of Cyprus, and to face internal and external challenges ‘that we cannot face on our own’. ‘All our actions undoubtedly serve the great goal of resolving the Cyprus problem,’ he added.

He noted that diplomatic actions regarding foreign policy do not in any way negatively affect the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.

He also said that political equality, as per the UN resolutions, ‘has never been questioned by us.’ He noted that political equality was questioned by former leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Ersin Tatar, who interpreted it as sovereign equality, he said.

Regarding the new Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhrman’s statements on political equality, he said that governance is one of the six chapters of the Cyprus problem and all of them should be discussed with the aim of resolving the Cyprus problem. For the Turkish Cypriots, he said, governance is important while security and guaranteesfor were important for the Greek Cypriots, ‘but we do not set them as a condition for resuming talks.’ He expressed hope that the talks would resume as soon as possible.

He pointed out that the availability of the Greek Cypriot side to participate in a meeting on the Cyprus issue is not affected at all by Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the EU.

President Christodoulides also said that they do not have any indications of US intervention in the Cyprus issue, and that the US has not made any allusion to this. The discussions with the US on the Cyprus issue are part of the general context of discussions on the region and the need for Cyprus to be a reliable and predictable partner of the US in the region, he added.

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.

In 2025 the Secretary-General hosted two informal meetings on Cyprus, in March in Geneva and in July in New York, while a tripartite meeting with the Cyprus leaders was also held in late September, at the end of the UN General Assembly High Level Week. Another informal meeting in broader format is expected soon.

The ambulance service responded to 422 emergency calls, 172 of which concerned the Nicosia district, between December 24-26, Riana Constantinou, head of the service at the Ministry of Health, told CNA on Saturday.

The incidents concerned chest pain, injuries, illnesses, she said, adding that the ambulance service prompltly responded to all of them.

Asked about the number of incidents, Constantinou said that there are always increased calls during the holidays, but this year the Nicosia district recorded an increase. However, in general, she noted, they were at the usual holiday levels. Fortunately, she said, there have not been so far any fatal traffic accidents between Christman Eve and Boxing Day.

Accidents and Emergency Departments are on standby and public hospitals have available beds to deal with urgent cases, the State Health Services Organisation’s (OKYPY) spokesperson, Charalambos Harilaou, told CNA, noting that there was increased traffic in hospitals during the Christmas holiday season since both general practitioners and specialist doctors are on leave.

He said that the Organisation has been running fast-track clinics for some time, where non-urgent cases are being treated which helps decongest the hospitals.

According to Harilaou, there has been an increase in incidents, but nothing unusual, rather incidents that occur frequently such as strokes, heart attacks, some traffic accidents, and increased cases of influenza, but not at alarming levels like in the rest of Europe.

The application process for the co-production, training and networking platform for film industry professionals Dot.on.the.Map ?ndustry Days, opened on the 17th December 2025 and will remain open until the 27th of January 2026.

Dot.on.the.Map ?ndustry Days, as announced by the Deputy Minister of Culture, will hold its seventh edition in Limassol, Cyprus (23 – 25 April, 2026), in the framework of the 24th Cyprus Film Days International Festival (17 – 25 April 2026), bringing producers, directors and scriptwriters from the Mediterranean region, together with international film professionals in Limassol.

Producers and directors will “pitch” their new feature film projects to representatives of the international film industry. Following group works and individual meetings, the filmmakers will take steps towards forming future collaborations with other filmmakers, international producers, financiers, sales agents, broadcasters, distributors, festival and film fund representatives.

The organisers’ vision is the development of this initiative into a dynamic platform for artistic and financial synergies, which will contribute to the development of the art and business of filmmaking in Cyprus and the wider region, serving as a hub for films originating from the Mediterranean region.

The blood centre was able to respond to the needs of blood banks in Cyprus so far, thanks to volunteers who donated blood in the previous days, Androulla Panayiotou, head of the blood centre, told CNA on Saturday. She called volunteers to donate blood during the rest of the holiday season, until January 6.

She noted that donations are crucial for patients that need transfusions these days and reminded that, in Nicosia, apart from, the blood center in Engomi, which operates until 14:00 on Saturday, there is also a blood donation unit operating in Galata between 18:30 – 20:00.

Also on Saturday, the blood donation units in Geri and in Limassol operate until 15:00. Blood donation center in Paphos is open until 14:00. Blood donation unit in Larnaca Chrysosotiros church operates until 12:00.

Locals and visitors have the opportunity to discover eight villages and towns around Cyprus that host Christmas cultural events this year, and taste local specialties, among other things.

Agros, Deryneia, Fikardou, Kakopetria, Kalopanagiotis, Kyperounta, Lefkara and Statos-Agios Fotios, organise Christmas villages this year that are running until January 6, 2026.

Statos-Agios Fotios’ ‘Santa’s vineyard’ Christmas events showcase the village’s wine-making tradition, Community Council Leader, Michalis Kimonos told CNA.

Vineyards, he said, were the area’s ‘heritage,’ noting that they symbolise the effort, patience and struggle of the people of the region. Kimonos also said that the organization of Christmas village events strengthens winter tourism and provides an opportunity for visitors to get to know the mountainous Paphos area.

These events are under the Deputy Ministry of Tourism’s annual Christmas Villages scheme.

The Deputy Ministry invites everyone to discover the eight traditional villages and towns of Cyprus, that organize Christmas Villages, including cultural events, stands with local products and handicrafts, gastronomy and craft workshops, activities in nature, and village tours, among other things.

The Christmas Villages will be operating until January 6, 2026 (including).

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 27/12/2025 UNTIL 1200 28/12/2025

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1008hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. At times increased cloud will be present with local showers and/or thunderstorm. Gradually from tonight partly cloudy weather is expected.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 20°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon Northwest 5 Moderate

Night Northwest to Northeast 4, locally 4 to 5 Moderate

Morning Northwest 3 to 4 Slight to Moderate

South Coast

Afternoon Northwest to North 4 to 5, at times locally 5 Slight to Moderate, at times locally Moderate

Night Northwest to Northeast 4 Slight to Moderate

Morning Northwest 3 Slight

East Coast

Afternoon Northwest to North 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Night Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Morning Northwest to North 3 Slight

North Coast

Afternoon Northwest 5 Moderate

Night Northwest to Northeast 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Moderate

Morning Variable 3 Slight