Category: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus is home to 27 European endemic moth species, a fact which places the country among the six in Europe where more than 20 such species have been recorded, according to the new ‘European Red List of Moths’, presented by the European Commission on Monday.

According to the report, the available data for these 27 species in Cyprus are considered insufficient to fully assess their risk of extinction. Along with Cyprus, more than 20 European endemic species classified as data deficient are recorded in Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Portugal.

In a press release published on Monday, the Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment said that this is the first comprehensive assessment of the extinction risk facing moths at European level, noting that this group of pollinators is coming under increasing pressure.

Nearly 12% at risk in the EU

According to the report, a total of 3,082 species were assessed at European level, including 704 endemic species, while 2,828 species were assessed in the EU-27, including 488 endemic species. The assessment was based on the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

The findings show that 10.8% of the species assessed in Europe are considered threatened, with the share rising to 11.9% in the EU-27. Species classified as data deficient account for 23.6% at European level and 17.9% in the EU.

The Commission summarised the findings by noting that nearly one in nine moth species in Europe and almost 12% in the EU are threatened with extinction, while for around one in four species in Europe there is insufficient information on their population status, distribution and ecology.

Among other measures, the report recommends the development of long-term monitoring programmes, increased field surveys and broader geographical coverage of data, as well as further research on threatened species and those for which the available information is insufficient.

There is interoperability among the defence systems of Cyprus, Israel and Greece, which contributes significantly to the security of the wider region, Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas said on Monday. He also said that the parade to be held on October 1 in Nicosia to mark Cyprus’ Independence Day anniversary will be upgraded.

Asked after the signing ceremony of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE), whether Cyprus could join the bilateral Greece-Israel on the ‘Achilles Shield’ agreement, Palmas said ‘this is a bilateral agreement between Greece and Israel. ?ll three countries, Greece, Israel and Cyprus, have the same defence weapons system. Therefore, there is interoperability, which is a positive development for the security of the wider region from a geopolitical perspective.’

At the same time, he noted that ‘these three countries have one thing in common: they do not have good relations with Turkey. It is well known why Cyprus does not have good relations with Turkey. In Greece, we observe on a daily basis what is happening at sea and in the air, while it is also clear that tensions between Israel and Turkey are escalating.’

‘We are a democratic and peaceful country that has never been involved in any incident related to armed conflict. At the same time, however, we are a semi-occupied country, and we have the duty and the obligation vis-a-vis our citizens to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, the deterrent capability for the island,’ he added.

Palmas also noted that ‘while some countries in the region are at odds with each other, Cyprus is in a position to engage with all of them, with the exception of Turkey, for obvious reasons.’

‘Therefore, we have a role to play, while at the same time we are the only country in the Eastern Mediterranean region that is a member of the European Union,’ the Minister added.

Asked whether new weapons systems would be featured during the Oct. 1 parade, Palmas said: ‘We will see an upgraded parade, that will be different compared to previous year and I urge everyone to attend and watch it.’

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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 21/09/2026 UNTIL 1200 22/09/2026

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 affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but locally increased cloud coverage will be present at times.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

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

Night Northwest to Northeast 3, locally at first West to Northwest 4 Smooth to Slight, locally at first Slight

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

South Coast

Afternoon South to Southwest 4, at times Southwest to West 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, later Variable 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually South to Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Afternoon Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4, later Southwest Smooth to Slight

Night Southwest 3 to 4, gradually West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning West to Northwest 3, gradually Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

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

Night Southeast to Southwest 3, locally at first Southwest to West 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

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

More than 205,400 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot volunteer bone marrow donors are currently registered with the Cyprus based Karaiskakio Foundation, while more than 1,000 donors from the registry have so far donated a transplant to patients in 36 countries, contributing to efforts to save the lives of people in need of a transplant.

The Karaiskakio Foundation announced the figures as September 22 marks the World Marrow Donor Day, under the theme ‘Heroes of Hope.’

The Cyprus registry is the world’s largest in proportion to population, the Foundation said, adding that it forms an important part of the international network through which compatible donors are sought for patients in Cyprus and abroad.

However, the Foundation stressed that the continued renewal and expansion of the registry remains necessary, as the genetic diversity of the Cypriot population and demographic developments affect the chances of finding a compatible unrelated donor.

The registration of new volunteers is therefore crucial, it added, in order to increase the chances of every patient finding a compatible donor.

The Foundation said in a press release that the day is dedicated to volunteer donors who register with donor registries and, when identified as a match, donate haematopoietic stem cells, giving patients with serious blood disorders a chance at life.

The Karaiskakio Foundation is participating in the 12th global WMDD celebration, honouring donors who have already donated a transplant as well as all those registered as volunteers with national donor registries.

The World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA), which represents more than 44 million volunteer donors in 60 countries, is highlighting through this year’s campaign the crucial role of volunteer donors and the importance of international cooperation in identifying compatible donors.

According to the WMDA, more than 70,000 patients each year search for a compatible donor outside their family, while around half of patients who eventually find a compatible volunteer donor find their donor in another country.

The World Marrow Donor Day was established in 2015 and since then donor registries, transplant centres, patients, volunteers and supporters around the world have organised annual activities to raise public awareness and highlight the importance of haematopoietic stem cell donation.

The Karaiskakio Foundation has been a member of the WMDA since 2000 and received the organisation’s accreditation in 2008, becoming one of the first donor registries worldwide to receive the accreditation, according to the Foundation.

The Karaiskakio Foundation has designated September as ‘Leukaemia Month’, organising a series of awareness-raising activities focusing on leukaemia and bone marrow donation.

On the occasion of the World Marrow Donor Day, the Foundation has called on the public to take part in the global social media campaign by sharing stories of courage, recovery and generosity and using the hashtags #thankyoudonor, #WMDD26 and #HopeHero.

Weather Temperature for Cyprus

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

Date 21/09/2026

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)

34

20

39

Larnaka Airport

23

53

Limassol (New Port)

31

22

56

Pafos Airport

22

63

Frenaros

32

22

53

Prodromos

24

15

66

Polis Pafos

31

20

55

There are indications of positive developments on the Cyprus issue, President Nikos Christodoulides said Monday, noting that contacts are taking place in New York away from the public eye and that the Cyprus side is ready to support UN Secretary-General’s efforts.

In press statements following his meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan in New York, President Christodoulides said that positive developments could not be ruled out, as ‘from the very first moment we arrived here, we have seen several meetings taking place, which I would describe as behind-the-scenes meetings, that are not coming to light.’

He said the objective, with all the parties involved present in New York this week, is to create the conditions for positive developments, which ‘cannot be anything other than an announcement on the resumption of talks from where they left off at Crans-Montana, through an expanded conference.’

The President of the Republic said the contacts currently under way are also an indication of the personal interest of the UN Secretary-General, something which, he noted, the Cyprus side welcomes and supports.

‘I truly believe […] that if there is political will, we can achieve this objective, and I am pleased because this is also something that the Secretary-General himself wants. We see him pursuing it through specific actions. We are here to support his efforts and let us hope that we will reach a positive outcome,’ he said.

Referring to his meeting with King Abdullah II, the President described it as a ‘very interesting discussion,’ particularly with regard to regional developments.

He noted that Cyprus and Jordan work closely together as two countries that maintain dialogue with all neighbouring states, with the aim of creating conditions of security, stability and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East.

President Christodoulides also referred to the joint Cyprus-Jordan initiative to establish a regional firefighting centre in Cyprus and thanked the King for Jordan’s presence in Cyprus.

He said the two sides also exchanged views on how Cyprus, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon could cooperate on specific projects, mainly in the field of connectivity, with the aim of also strengthening connectivity in the wider region.

Regional developments and Turkey’s role in the broader Middle East were also discussed during the meeting.

The President of the Republic noted that the meeting with the King of Jordan follows contacts with the President of Egypt and the visit of the President of Israel to Cyprus, while he added that the Foreign Minister will hold a series of meetings with Foreign Ministers from countries in the region.

The objective, he said, is to build on the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in order to create conditions for further cooperation towards the common goal of ‘stability, security and cooperation in the region.’

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.

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos highlighted the impact of elevated inflation on the cost of living and stressed the need for close collective monitoring of developments and readiness to act, during EU meetings in Dublin.

According to a Finance Ministry press release on Saturday, the meetings of the Eurogroup and the Informal EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) concluded in Dublin on Saturday.

On Friday, Ministers discussed recent economic developments and economic policy priorities, with the participation of the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

In his intervention, Keravnos highlighted the impact of elevated inflation on households’ cost of living, stressing the need for close collective monitoring of the situation and readiness to adopt appropriate policy measures to provide short-term support to economies and mitigate the negative effects.

At the same time, he said such measures should not undermine efforts to safeguard the sustainability of public finances over the medium term and strengthen economic resilience over the longer term.

In this context, Keravnos raised concerns over the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, which he said had increased uncertainty, creating downside risks to growth and upside risks to inflation.

He also questioned whether greater emphasis should be placed on a more active role for European diplomacy, making it more dynamic and preventive in efforts to de-escalate tensions and help bring conflicts to an end.

Keravnos said efforts at both national and EU level should also focus on the timely implementation of structural reforms and investment, particularly on advancing the Savings and Investments Union, digital finance, the promotion of innovation and the deepening of the Single Market.

According to the Ministry, the informal Ecofin meeting began with a working lunch, during which Ministers exchanged views on the competitiveness of the European banking sector, following a presentation of the European Commission’s recent report.

Keravnos acknowledged the progress made in strengthening the resilience of Europe’s banking sector and reiterated Cyprus’ longstanding support for completing the Banking Union.

He said ways should be explored to address the fragmentation of banking services and simplify procedures, with the ultimate aim of creating a genuinely European banking system.

At the same time, these efforts should be accompanied by credible European safeguards regarding banks’ capital and liquidity levels, particularly for host member states, he said.

The long-term objective, Keravnos added, should remain the establishment of a European Deposit Insurance Scheme.

On Friday afternoon, ministers met jointly with central bank governors to discuss the future of financial-sector innovation in Europe.

According to the press release, most Ministers agreed that innovation and the increasing use of technology in financial services could offer significant opportunities to reduce costs and speed up transactions without compromising transaction security.

Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors also agreed that greater use of technology in the financial sector carries risks that need to be identified, assessed and addressed through effective supervision that safeguards monetary sovereignty, financial stability and the protection of investors and consumers.

On Saturday morning, EU Finance Ministers discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on the labour market, the public sector, energy and the geopolitical environment.

Keravnos said artificial intelligence offered significant opportunities to boost productivity and economic growth.

The aim, he said, should be to facilitate the adoption of AI in order to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the European economy.

Turning to energy, Keravnos noted that data centres, which are essential for the expansion of AI technologies, require large amounts of energy as well as water for cooling.

Against this backdrop, he said finance ministers should ensure that the development of AI technologies does not create distortions elsewhere in the economy.

The ultimate goal, he concluded, should be to combine faster growth in green energy production with wider AI adoption, helping to strengthen competitiveness without undermining social cohesion in Europe.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 20/09/2026 UNTIL 1200 21/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1016hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather over the coastal areas will be mainly fine, but locally increased low cloud coverage will be present at times, mainly tonight and tomorrow morning.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually offshore Northwest to Northeast 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3, soon Southwest to West 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Afternoon Southwest to West 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually Northwest to Northeast 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, locally 4 Smooth to Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, later Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning Southeast to Southwest 3, soon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

The decline in Cypriot tourism was limited to 8% in the first seven months of the year, said Deputy Minister for Tourism Kostas Koumis, while noting that by the end of the year it is estimated that ‘we will be talking about a decline in the region of 5%’.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the new cycle routes in the Municipal District of Troulloi within the Municipality of Aradippou, Koumis said that the year had got off to the best possible start for the country’s tourism sector, as January and February were the best corresponding months in the history of Cypriot tourism.

‘In other words, we had the best January and the best February we have ever had,’ he said.

However, according to the Deputy Minister, the incident on 1 March changed the situation and ‘turned everything upside down’, referring to the date when a drone struck the UK base of Akrotiri in Cyprus.

As he noted, around 70% of the flight schedules operating in Cyprus were cancelled overnight indefinitely, with the result that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the government were called upon to manage a crisis which, as he noted, may have been unprecedented in recent decades.

In March and April, he added, the situation took a turn for the worse.

Koumis stated that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the government had placed particular emphasis on efforts to persuade airlines to maintain their flight schedules to and from Cyprus, as well as the country’s strategic partners, tour operators and organisers specialising in specific forms of tourism to maintain the holiday packages they offer for Cyprus.

‘In hindsight, and several months on, we can say that we were successful,’ he said.

As he explained, while during the first four months of the year the discussion centred on a decline of around 18%, for the first seven months of the year the decline has now been limited to 8% and is expected to be reduced even further.

‘Consequently, by the end of the year we will be talking about a decline of around 5%,’ said the Deputy Minister for Tourism, noting that such a situation can arise in any sector without anything out of the ordinary happening.

President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides will begin his contacts in New York on Sunday evening during which he will meet with the heads of the Greek diaspora organisations to discuss developments in the Cyprus issue.

The President is expected to address the UN General Assembly plenary on Wednesday, while he will hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Tuesday and with UNSG Antonio Guterres on Thursday.

On September 21, President Christodoulides he will have a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, while in the afternoon he will participate in a Summit co-hosted by the President of the European Council Antonio Costa and the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, on multilateralism, international law, peace and prosperity.

On Tuesday, September 22, he will attend the opening of the Plenary Session of the Summit, during which the UN Secretary General will present his Progress Report. In the afternoon the President of the Republic will have a meeting with President of the Base Assets and Emerging Countries Department of Chevron, Javier la Rosa.

In the afternoon on the same day, the President of the Republic will meet with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Cyprus Problem, Maria Angela Holguin.

On Wednesday, September 23, the President of the Republic will address the Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly.

Later on, he will participate in the High-Level Meeting convened by the UN Secretary-General on Climate Change, during which he will make an intervention. In the afternoon, he will have a meeting with Vice President of ExxonMobil, John Ardill.

On September 24, the President of the Republic will have a working breakfast organized by the Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council, on the issue ‘Consolidating EU-Gulf Cooperation for Regional Security and Prosperity’.

On the same day at 10.55am (New York time), President Christodoulides will have a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The President of the Republic will then host a luncheon for the Permanent Representatives of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council.

On September 25, President Christodoulides will meet with Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Han Zheng, and then with representatives of the AJC.

Before departing from New York, he will attend a dinner organised in his honour by Cypriot diaspora organizations.

President Christodoulides, who will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, and Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus issue, Menelaos Menelaou, will return to Cyprus on the evening of September 26.