Category: Cyprus News Agency

The role of Artificial Intelligence in modern sports was highlighted during the 35th Session of the National Olympic Academy of Cyprus on Friday, which took place in the OPAP ‘Fair Play’ Hall of the Olympic House.

According to the Cyprus Olympic Committee, this year’s event focused on the strategic importance of new technologies for the future of Olympism.

The Session was attended by the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, the President of the European Olympic Committees and IOC Member, Spyros Capralos, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport, and Youth, Marios Panayides, as well as Fair Play Ambassador Andros Karapatakis.

The House President said that ‘we can conquer the future only when we shape it. This year’s theme, ‘Heading Toward the Future with Artificial Intelligence,’ touches on one of the most exciting yet demanding chapters of our time. Artificial intelligence can undoubtedly enhance training, reduce injuries, and support the mental and physical well-being of athletes by helping them understand and surpass their limits. At the same time, it can transform the spectator experience and open new avenues for the dissemination of knowledge,’ she added.

The President of the European Olympic Committees and IOC Member, Spyros Capralos, noted that the National Olympic Academy ‘consistently serves the Olympic values and plays a decisive role in promoting the Olympic movement in Cyprus.’ He added that the chosen theme is not only timely but also of strategic importance for the future of sport, and noted that artificial intelligence has now become a fundamental pillar of development for modern sports.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sport, and Youth, Marios Panayides, in his address said that sport is a complex social phenomenon and plays a decisive role in human life. ‘It is not only an enjoyable form of entertainment, but also a means of cultivating the body, soul, and spirit. Through physical exercise, the athlete acquires discipline, self-control, and willpower, and develops courage and determination, qualities essential for facing both athletic competition and life’s challenges,’ he noted.

Fair Play Ambassador Andros Karapatakis, in his greeting, emphasized that despite technological progress, the values of sport must remain non-negotiable. ‘As we move through this transition, we must reaffirm a fundamental principle: technology should serve the values of sport, not define them. It should be a tool that strengthens fairness and transparency, not a source of new inequalities,’ he said.

Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hadjimanolis stressed the need for sustainable solutions and consensus among all stakeholders, in order to achieve the highest possible level of decarbonisation of the shipping sector.

Hadjimanolis was addressing on Thursday an EU Transport Council (TTE) in Brussels.

In the context of the Council, Hadjimanolis took part in a discussion on the adoption of global measures for the decarbonisation of shipping within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a Deputy Ministry press release said.

At the same time, she presented the work programme of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU on maritime transport issues.

In her intervention, the Deputy Minister underlined that the EU must promote global, realistic and implementable measures within the International Maritime Organization, which ensure a level playing field and broad support from member states.

She also stressed the need for sustainable solutions and consensus among all stakeholders, in order to achieve the highest possible level of decarbonisation of the shipping sector.

In addition, on the sidelines of the Council, the Deputy Minister held bilateral meetings with the Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, and the Irish Minister for Transport, Seán Canney.

Among other issues, they discussed the work programme of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping ahead of the forthcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as expected developments concerning the adoption of global measures for the decarbonisation of shipping.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 05/12/2025 UNTIL 1200 06/12/2025

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1013hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is gradually affecting the area. The weather will be partly cloudy with isolated showers, while tonight local showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 22°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon

East to Southeast 5 to 6, at times locally 6 to 7

Slight to Moderate, at times locally Moderate

Night

Southeast 3 to 4, gradually Variable 2 to 3

Slight to Moderate, gradually Slight

Morning

Northeast to Southeast 3 to 4, soon East to Southeast 4 to 5

Slight, soon Slight to Moderate

South Coast

Afternoon

East to Southeast 4 to 5, locally 5

Slight to Moderate

Night

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

Slight

Morning

Northeast to Southeast 3 to 4, locally East to Southeast 4 to 5

Slight, locally Slight to Moderate

East Coast

Afternoon

Northeast to East 4 to 5

Slight to Moderate, locally Moderate

Night

Northeast to Southeast 3 to 4, gradually Southwest 3

Slight to Moderate, gradually Slight

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, later 4 to 5

Slight, later Slight to Moderate

North Coast

Afternoon

Northeast to Southeast 4 to 5, locally offshore 5 to 6

Slight to Moderate, locally offshore Moderate

Night

Southeast to South 3 to 4, near the coast Variable 3

Slight to Moderate, near the coast Slight

Morning

Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, later East to Southeast 4 to 5

Slight, later Slight to Moderate

Cyprus will focus on three key overarching priorities during its EU Council Presidency, namely strengthening Europe’s digital capabilities, reinforcing cyber resilience and deepening strategic partnerships Deputy Minister for Innovation, Research and Digital Policy, Nikodimos Damianou said on Friday, in Brussels.

In a doorstep statement ahead of a meeting of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Telecommunications), Damianou said that ‘we are here today in Brussels, at the last Council meeting on Telecomms before Cyprus assumes the Presidency of the Council of the EU.”

“In that respect, let me first thank and congratulate the Danish Presidency for their determination and their progress over the past six months. Together with Poland, our trio partners, they have set the standard high in terms of ambition and in terms of collaboration, and we are happy and proud to take over,’ he noted.

Referring to the priorities of the upcoming Presidency, Damianou said that “Cyprus will focus on three key overarching priorities, three pillars if you like. Strengthening Europe’s digital capabilities and technological leadership, with emphasis on AI, emerging technologies and also the very important aspect of digital sovereignty.”

“Reinforcing cyber resilience and safeguarding our digital ecosystem and this includes the very important aspect of protection of children and minors in the online world. And finally mobilising, deepening strategic partnerships in the digital domain, because sovereignty, and autonomy, is not about isolation,’ he added

The Deputy Minister continued noting that ‘Cyprus commits to work across all these three pillars in parallel together with the member states, the Commission, the European Parliament, in order to drive real progress across our digital agenda, in a way that our citizens and businesses see real value and real change.’

The Council is expected to focus on strengthening European competitiveness in the digital decade, examining issues of simplification and digitalisation, as well as the more effective enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly regarding online platforms and e-commerce.

Ministers will also adopt conclusions on the EU’s digital transformation strategy, exchange views on reducing administrative burdens and improving coordination among supervisory authorities, and receive updates on topics such as the European Business Wallets, the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to roam-like-at-home, and support for Moldova from the EU cybersecurity reserve.

During an informal working lunch, Ministers will further discuss enhancing the Union’s resilience to cyberattacks. Cyprus’s priorities will be presented in a closed session before the end of the Council meeting.

In September 2025, the Industrial Turnover Index reached 151.8 units (base 2021=100), recording an increase of 5.6% compared to September 2024, according to the Statistical Service.

In manufacturing, the Industrial Turnover Index for September 2025 reached 143.4 units, recording an increase of 9.6% compared to September 2024. An increase was also recorded in mining and quarrying (8.5%).

Decreases were noted in the electricity supply (-6%) and water supply and materials recovery (-0.6%) sectors.

For the period January – September 2025, the index recorded an increase of 4.2% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín, is beginning a fresh round of contacts on the island with the community leaders, namely Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurmam.

Holguin who arrived on the island on Thursday evening is set to meet Erhurman on Friday at 1100 am local time. On Saturday at 1000 am she will be received at the Presidential Palace by President Christodoulides.

On December 11, the two leaders will visit the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) and will hold a meeting with Holguin.

UNSG’s envoy participated, via a videoconference, in the first meeting that President Christodoulides and Erhrman held last month.

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. An informal meeting in broader format is expected to take place.

María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties, while former European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, designated by the Commission as Special Envoy for Cyprus, is also expected to contribute to the settlement process, in cooperation with Holguín.

Weather Temperature for Cyprus

Today’s weather and temperatures for Cyprus according to the Department of Meteorology

Date 05/12/2025

Station

TEMPERATURE (C) (FROM 20:00 PC of the previous one until the time of the show)

Humidity at

1200 UTC

Highest

Lowest

Nicosia (Athalassa)

23 (23.1)

10 (10.2)

50

Larnaka Airport

24 (24.4)

16 (15.8)

65

Limassol (New Port)

24 (24)

16 (15.8)

71

Limassol (Municipal Garden)

22,5

14,1

Pafos Airport

24 (24.4)

14 (14.4)

59

Frenaros

23 (22.5)

14 (14.1)

59

Prodromos

15 (15.3)

7 (6.9)

49

Polis Pafos

25 (24.8)

13 (13)

42

The House of Representatives plenary passed a bill, on Thursday evening granting, among other things, the power for the revocation of international protection status for persons who fall under exclusion grounds.

The bill amended the Refugee Act, with the aim of modernising the international protection system and setting out a clearer distribution of responsibilities following the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection.

Specific powers are transfered to the Cabinet, the Deputy Minister or the Head of the Asylum Service and a ten-day deadline is introduced for submitting positions before the final revocation, in line with a European Directive.

The bill was approved with 27 votes in favour and 15 against, by AKEL, the Green Party and Nicosia MPs Kostis Efstathiou and Alexandra Attalides.

The debate before the plenary was held in conditions of controversy and the political parties had different approaches on migration in general.

After the vote the Deputy Ministry welcomed the outcome, noting in a press release that the amended legislation enhances the Republic’s institutional framework on the management of asylum matters and harmonises national legislation with European legislation.

UNSG’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, said on Friday she is looking forward to a productive meeting with the community leaders, namely Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman.

Holguin who returned on the island for fresh meetings, met on Friday morning with Erhurman and will be received by President Christodoulides on Saturday morning. The two leaders will also have a joint meeting with Holguin on December 11.

She told the press that she is pleased to be back to the island and congratulated Erhurman for becoming the new leader of the T/c community.

“We have a very good conversation, a very useful conversation. I am glad to host next week the meeting of the two leaders”, she said.

Holguin said that she wants the conversation with the leaders to be “very productive and very concrete”.

She recalled that she was in Amman a few weeks ago and met with young Cypriot people, members of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Youth, with whom she had a very productive meeting.

The UN envoy expressed hope that the people realize that they have to support this effort of the leaders, adding that the leaders have to deliver.

“This is my message and I hope we have a very good and productive week,” she told the press.

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 to take place.

María Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties, while former European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, designated by the Commission as Special Envoy for Cyprus, is also expected to contribute to the settlement process, in cooperation with Holguín.

It was not our intention to place responsibility for disinformation materials distributed online on the Turkish state, but to point out that disinformation remains to be a sensitive issue during the Cypriot Presidency, to which we wish every success, the Polish Embassy clarifies in a statement to CNA on Friday about a working lunch with journalists earlier this week.

“The purpose of the meeting was to present the activities and achievements of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU which took place in the first half of 2025,” the Embassy says.

The main priority of the Polish Presidency, it added, “was the security of Member States in the following areas: external, internal, economic, energy, food, health and information. We outlined the achievements of the Polish Presidency in these areas during the main part of the meeting.”

In the context of information security, the statement continues “we focused on disinformation, which is currently one of the major threats spread via the internet and social media.”

“In order to demonstrate the scale of the phenomenon, we presented a number of examples of disinformation and propaganda campaigns currently affecting Poland, the sources of which are mainly identified in Russia,” it adds.

At the same time, it says, “in order to show that disinformation is a very wide-ranging phenomenon observed practically all over the world, including in Cyprus, we presented several examples of fake news and graphics distributed via social media, concerning, among others, CYPROB.”

“It was not our intention to place responsibility for disinformation materials distributed online on the Turkish state, but to point out that disinformation remains to be a sensitive issue during the Cypriot Presidency, to which we wish every success,” the Polish Embassy concludes.