Category: Cyprus News Agency

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 28/09/2026 UNTIL 0600 29/09/2026

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 affecting the area. Today, locally increased cloud will be present with isolated showers and risk of isolated thunderstorm. THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY SUDDEN CHANGES IN WIND DIRECTION AND INCREASES IN WIND SPEED.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Southwest to West 4, gradually 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Afternoon West to Northwest 4 to 5, locally 5 to 6 Slight to Moderate

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Slight

South Coast

Morning Southwest to West 4, soon 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, locally 5 to 6 Slight to Moderate

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Slight

East Coast

Morning Southwest to West 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Slight

Afternoon Southwest to West 4, locally 4 to 5 Slight

Night West to Northwest 3, locally 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning Southwest to West 4, soon 4 to 5 Slight to Moderate

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, locally 5 Slight to Moderate

Night Southwest to West 3 to 4, locally 4 Slight

Cyprus is calling for coordinated European Union support to address rising energy and fertiliser costs, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Christos Senekis, said on Monday upon his arrival at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels.

“We are asking for coordinated EU support, both for the increased costs related to energy and for the increased costs related to fertilisers,” Senekis noted responding to a CNA question.

He said the meeting would address important issues for the present and future of European agriculture, first of all the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027. Farmers, he noted, face major challenges, including climate change, higher production costs and animal diseases. “Our position is clear. Effectively tackling these challenges requires substantial and adequate support from the European Union,” he stressed.

Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon, who chairs the Council as Ireland holds the rotating EU presidency, set out the general framework of the discussions in his own doorstep remarks. Heydon said solidarity with Ukraine has been a central theme of the presidency and will remain so, noting that the Ukrainian minister for agrarian policy and food would take part in today’s meeting.

On the post-2027 CAP, he said Council members are clear and united on the need for an adequately funded policy that supports farmers’ incomes, their role in producing food and delivering for the environment, and rural resilience. He reiterated his ambition to reach a partial general approach by the October Council meeting, which he said depends on member states’ cooperation. “I do believe it’s an ambitious target. It is one that we can achieve,” he said. “Farmers can’t go green if they’re in the red financially,” Heydon said, adding that farmers have delivered on environmental resilience under previous CAPs.

Ministers will discuss the fertiliser action plan over lunch and give political direction to its longer-term elements, with the aim of building resilience into EU supply chains and easing input costs for farmers. In the afternoon they will examine the impact of drought and severe weather on food production across Europe, including Commission support and how member states are helping one another. Heydon also said it “only ever takes one crisis” to empty the agricultural crisis reserve, making the role of insurance a topical issue that Ministers will discuss.

Cyprus has a fully institutionalised National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings, supported by a combination of legislative and administrative acts, according to a report published on Monday through the EU Anti-Trafficking Hub.

The report, prepared on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, highlights that Cyprus is also among eight EU Member States that reported having a fully designated national contact point for the cross-border referral of victims.

According to the report, Cyprus is currently reviewing its national legal and procedural framework for combating trafficking in human beings, with particular emphasis on the early identification of victims, clarification of the responsibilities of the authorities and organisations involved, child protection, updating guidelines and strengthening cooperation between services.

The report notes that standardised procedures, regular communication between services and cooperation in managing individual cases contribute to the coordination of Cyprus’ referral mechanism.

However, it also identifies challenges related to the differing responsibilities, operational priorities and capacities of the authorities and organisations involved.

It further highlights the need for continuous training of frontline personnel, consistent implementation of referral procedures across all sectors and management of an increasing number of cases with limited resources.

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but locally increased cloud coverage will be present at times. From late afternoon, local showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected, spreading from the west. THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY SUDDEN CHANGES IN WIND DIRECTION AND INCREASES IN WIND SPEED.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon

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

Slight

Night

West to Northwest 3 to 4, later 4

Slight

Morning

Southwest to West 4, at times 4 to 5

Slight

South Coast

Afternoon

Southwest to West 4, at times locally 5

Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3 to 4

Slight

Morning

Southwest to West 4, at times 4 to 5

Slight

East Coast

Afternoon

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

Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3, at times locally 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Morning

Southwest to West 4

Slight

North Coast

Afternoon

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

Slight

Night

Southwest 4, later offshore 4 to 5

Slight, later offshore Slight to Moderate

Morning

Southwest to West 4, at times 4 to 5

Slight

Remains of missing persons were found this week at three of the eight excavations currently being carried out by the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP), in the area of Agios Georgios Spathariko, Kalo Chorio Kythreas and Lapithos. The remains of one person were found at two sites, while the remains of two people were found at the third location.

Leonidas Pantelides, the Greek Cypriot member of the CMP, speaking on Saturday at a meeting of the 100-member Consultative Body of the Pancyprian Organisation of Relatives of Missing Persons, in Nicosia, said that, of the 2,002 people on the official list, 1,082 have so far been identified, of whom 765 are Greek Cypriots and 317 Turkish Cypriots. There remain, he continued, 745 Greek Cypriots and 175 Turkish Cypriots.

So far in 2026, 20 people have been identified, compared with 12 identifications in 2025. ‘There are still major cases involving mass graves that have not been located. We hope that we are getting close in every effort.’ Pantelides said that what they are seeking are the medical records of the Turkish army, which carried out the mass burials in 1974, not the army’s operational records.

In his address, Presidential Commissioner of the Republic, Marios Hartsiotis said that determining the fate of missing persons is, for the state, an overriding humanitarian and national obligation. The clear policy of the President of the Republic, he added, is to continue and intensify efforts, with initiatives at local, European and international level. ‘The President systematically raises the issue before the European Union, the United Nations and foreign leaders, seeking meaningful cooperation from Turkey, the removal of obstacles to investigations and exhumations, and access to information and archives of the Turkish army’ he went on.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees, Enclaved Persons, Missing Persons and Affected Persons, Nikos Kettiros, said that determining the fate of the last missing person is an obligation of the state and a responsibility shared by all, and that there can be no complacency as long as families are waiting for answers. As a Parliamentary Committee, he said, they have placed the issue of missing persons high on their priorities, closely monitoring the progress of investigations and identifications, and insisting on the need to make use of every scientific and technological capability that could lead to new results.

The President of the Pancyprian Organisation of Relatives of Missing Persons, Nikos Sergides, said that the findings of exhumations to date demonstrate in the clearest possible terms the practices and conduct of the Turkish side towards prisoners. ‘Yes, we failed to conduct a substantive and effective investigation, as required by international law, but as an Organisation we are entitled to be proud that through our stance we have managed, 52 years later, to keep the issue of Cyprus’ missing persons alive and on the international community’s agenda.’

Maria Kalbourtzi, President of the Panhellenic Committee of Parents and Relatives of Unregistered Prisoners and Missing Persons during the Cyprus tragedy, said that in recent years, joint efforts, meetings with the political leadership in Greece and Cyprus, as well as their interventions in international forums, demonstrate that coordination between Athens and Nicosia ‘is our strongest weapon.’

Neoklis Neokleous, President of the Organisation of Relatives of Cypriot Missing Persons in the United Kingdom, proposed ‘humanitarian cooperation that can change the existing situation.’ The proposal, he explained, involves a secure mechanism with a strict confidentiality protocol, under the supervision of the United Nations, which would allow Turkey to share with the CMP information concerning locations, such as points, maps and descriptions of the terrain.

Haris Symeonidis, President of the Committee of Relatives of Missing Persons from the 1963-1964 period, said: ‘I admire you for your strength and urge you never to tire, never to lose hope. We must not forget our side’s longstanding position that there will be no solution to the Cyprus problem unless the fate of the last missing person is determined. We hope that this position will never be abandoned.’

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Since then, the fate of hundreds of people remains unknown.

A Committee on Missing Persons has been established, upon agreement between the leaders of the two communities, with the scope of exhuming, identifying and returning to their relatives the remains of 492 Turkish Cypriots and 1,510 Greek Cypriots, who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963-1964 and in 1974.

In New York, it was reaffirmed that the basis for a Cyprus settlement and the negotiating acquis remain unchanged, the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus says in a post on X. It is also noted that, on the Cyprus issue, the proposals put forward by President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides ‘were positively received by the UN Secretary-General.’

In a video accompanying the post, President Christodoulides’ presence in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly is assessed, noting that the President held meetings with the UN Secretary-General, his Personal Envoy, heads of state and government, heads of organisations and multinational companies, as well as with the Cypriot diaspora.

From the General Assembly podium, it adds, the Republic of Cyprus highlighted the importance of multilateralism, international law, the UN Charter, regional cooperation and the strengthening of its strategic relations. ‘On the Cyprus issue, the proposals submitted on substantive issues, methodology and confidence-building measures were positively received by the UN Secretary-General, and it was reaffirmed that the basis for a settlement and the negotiating acquis remain unchanged, with the reunification of Cyprus on the basis of the agreed framework remaining the key priority,’ the post continues.

It also says that the mission to New York highlighted the breadth of the Republic of Cyprus’ international presence, with the further deepening of relations with China, the United Kingdom, Jordan and the United States, the strengthening of regional cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as the promotion of specific energy plans with Chevron and ExxonMobil for the development of fields in Cyprus’ EEZ.

The utilisation of natural gas, Europe’s energy security, connectivity, civil protection, investment, technology and economic cooperation, it adds, form part of a broader effort to strengthen the country’s international standing and credibility, in which the Cypriot diaspora also plays an important role as a strong and credible voice for Cyprus in the United States.

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. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.

Although a trilateral meeting between the UN Secretary General and the Cyprus leaders was not initially planned in New York, ‘the Greek Cypriot leader proposed to have one this week, but, at this moment, the Turkish Cypriot leader did not consider it’ notes the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General for Cyprus, María Ángela Holguín.

In a message, made public on Sunday morning, Holguín also notes that the UN has carried out the exercise of convergences, which will be available to the parties when they start negotiations. The Personal Envoy also notes that she will continue her efforts until the end of December and will be visiting Cyprus in October.

‘In New York, during the high-level segment of the General Assembly, I met the two leaders separately and accompanied the Secretary-General in his bilateral meetings with each leader. With Rosemary DiCarlo, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, we met the two negotiators with the intention to review the CBMs that the two sides agreed to develop. These measures should contribute to building trust and give way to new initiatives’ says Holguín.

She adds that during his visit to Cyprus, the Secretary-General reiterated his commitment to continue to support the parties in their search for a solution until the last day of his mandate, which ends in three months. ‘In New York, the Secretary-General met separately with each leader and exchanged visions to overcome the challenges and be able to move forward. Although a trilateral meeting was not initially planned, the Greek Cypriot leader proposed to have one this week, but, at this moment, the Turkish Cypriot leader did not consider it’ she says.

In this context, in relation to the confidence-building measures agreed upon by both sides, the Secretary-General reiterated the urgency for the leaders to proceed with their implementation as a reflection of their ability to cooperate, the Personal Envoy goes on. ‘Such cooperation, if achieved, would be a demonstration of their willingness to initiate a process towards a sustainable solution’ she underlines.

Holguín also notes that the UN has carried out the exercise of convergences ‘which will be available to the parties when they start negotiations.’ In addition, she says, the UN will invite both sides to present their proposals on methodology. ‘I will continue my facilitation efforts until the end of December and, in October, during my next visit to Cyprus, I will continue to encourage both parties to create the conducive environment required for the start of a new process’ she concludes in her message.

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 Antoni Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.

The 65th Limassol Wine Festival kicked-off on Saturday evening at the Limassol Public Garden, and its doors will remain open to visitors until October 4.

The festival was launched by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Evie Tsolaki, in the presence of the House President, ambassadors, MPs, local authorities, and a large crowd of guests.

In her address, Minister Tsolaki noted that the festival continues 65 years after the late Cleanthis Christoforou proposed the wine celebration to take place in Limassol and added that wineries ETKO, LOEL, KEO, and SODAP embraced this celebration ever since. “Today we are here with over 100 smaller wineries, thanks to the support we received as an EU member state,” she said.

The goal, she emphasized, is to support producers, strengthen the primary sector, communities, and the countryside, adding that the government is contributing in this direction. She mentioned that a scheme for vineyard replanting has been announced, following last year’s devastating fires, with the prospect of having vineyards act as a fire protection zone.

On his part, the Mayor of Limassol, Giannis Armeftis, stated that the Wine Festival is one of the most historic and popular institutions in Cyprus, which “remains alive and full of positive energy, serving for decades as a reference point for authentic Cypriot hospitality” and the city’s vibrancy.

He also mentioned that the festival’s program includes 14 major concerts, theatrical performances, folklore group performances, and activities for children, among other activities. Armeftis said that the Wine Festival is a celebration for both residents and visitors, “a celebration that for decades has brought together people of all ages and keeps an important tradition of Limassol and all Cyprus alive.”

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

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but locally increased cloud coverage will be present at times. From late afternoon, local showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected, spreading from the west. THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY SUDDEN CHANGES IN WIND DIRECTION AND INCREASES IN WIND SPEED.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA

PERIOD

WIND

STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning

Southwest to West 3, gradually 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

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

Slight

Night

West to Northwest 3 to 4, later 4

Slight

South Coast

Morning

Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually Southwest to West 4

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

Southwest to West 4, at times locally 5

Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3, at times locally 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

East Coast

Morning

West to Northwest 3, gradually South to Southwest

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

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

Smooth to Slight

Night

Southwest to West 3, at times locally 3 to 4

Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

North Coast

Morning

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

Smooth to Slight

Afternoon

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

Slight

Night

Southwest to West 4, later offshore 4 to 5

Slight, later offshore Slight to Moderate

Time of issue: 0530

Date: 27/09/2026

The “Golden Aphrodite” award ceremony of the 21st Cyprus International Film Festival and the 6th edition of Women in Film and TV took place on Saturday evening at the Melina Mercouri Cultural Center in Nicosia.

The Cyprus International Film Festival, labeled with EFFE quality stamp for significant artistic festivals with social participation and international outreach, welcomed creators and cinematic voices from around the world this year as well.

The organizers emphasize in a statement that the awards, along with the world premiere of the film La Croix (Crossroads), a co-production of Cyprus and France, “reflect the aim of the Cyprus International Film Festival to be a substantial meeting place for Cypriots, Greeks, and international filmmakers, encouraging international collaborations, highlighting new voices, and creating bridges between Cyprus and the international film map.”

As stated, the top award of the event, “Golden Aphrodite” for Best Feature Film, was awarded to the film Kim Cheol by Chengfeng Jin (China, 2025). The film also won the awards for Best Artistic Direction and Best Editing.

Also, Kerry Ann Enright was honored with the Directing and Screenplay awards for the film Tiger, while Carlos Woo received the award for Best Debut Director for Whimper.

The Best Male and Female Performance awards were given to Andrija Kuzmanovic for Yugo Florida and Jorie Blake Rosen for Tiger, respectively.

Meanwhile, the festival showcased significant creations in short films, documentaries, animation, experimental works, and new creators, with distinctions among others for the films Nihilism, These Women, Angel and Meow, Lost Spaces, After The Lightning, A Day Through My Eyes, and Jane and Zhen.

Greek and Cypriot creators had a special place in the 21st edition of the festival, confirming the dynamic presence of Greek-speaking and Cypriot cinema within an international environment of creation and cinematic exchange.

A highlight of this year’s event was the world premiere of the Franco-Cypriot production La Croix (Crossroads) by Hu Xueyang, an international co-production between France and Cyprus. The film was presented to the public for the first time as part of the 21st CYIFF and was honored with the CYIFF 2026 Special Festival Award.

The participation of Hu Xueyang at the Festival holds particular importance, as the distinguished Chinese director had previously participated in the jury of the CYIFF, thus connecting two different temporal moments in the history of the Festival and highlighting its enduring relationship with significant creators of international cinema.

The CYIFF 2026 Best Greek Short Film Award was awarded to Theodora Madarou for the film I Have a Story but I Am Not My Story. Augustina Papadopoulou was honored with the Best Music Dance Short Film Award for Nihilism, while Belinda Cherrington and Kalli Koulloufidou received the CYIFF 2026 VR Award for Lost Spaces.

The Special Award for Inclusion and Human Dignity was awarded to Cypriot creator Charalambos Kontopanas for the film A Day Through My Eyes, for its sensitive and powerful approach to the lives, experiences, and desires of people with disabilities, highlighting human dignity, resilience, and the right to full participation in society.

The presence of Dina Rosenmeier was also significant, as she was honored with the CYIFF 2026 Aphrodite Cinematic Award for the film After The Lightning, a Spanish-Cypriot production. This particular distinction is awarded to a female director with exceptional prospects for development in the film industry.

The Festival also honored Cypriot cinematic creation with an Honorary Mention to Cypriot Filmmakers for the film Abstraction of Simplicity by Kyriakos Kakoullis, Vasilis Georgiou, and Mamas Sourouppis, for exploring the architectural identity of Cyprus and its relationship with history and collective memory.

Meanwhile, Xeni Styl Motiti received an Honorary Mention for her performance in the film Hope, while the film Life Without You by Marios Kleanthous was honored with an Honorary Mention for its poetic approach to love, absence, and human connection.

The Tributes “1974” and “Nostimon Imar” had a special place in the festival, commemorating the events of 1974 in Cyprus and connecting cinema with the notions of return, memory, and cultural identity. The film It’s Raining by Lucianna (Lu) Kyriacou (United Kingdom, 2026) received an Honorary Mention in the Tribute “1974”, while the film Echo of Time by Marios Kleanthous (Cyprus, 2025) was honored within the same Tribute. The award for the “Nostimon Imar” Tribute was given to the film Queens of Cyprus by Panikos Michail Panayiotou (United Kingdom, 2024, 60’35’).

These distinctions enhance the unique character of the CYIFF as an international cinematic institution that, alongside its international reach, maintains a substantial dialogue with history, memory, Cyprus, and Greek culture, the announcement concludes.