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The Shipping Deputy Minister to the President, Marina Hadjimanolis, departs Monday for Brussels, following an official invitation from the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, to participate in the Connecting Europe Days 2026, a flagship event on transport, connectivity and strategic infrastructure.

According to a press release by the Shipping Deputy Ministry, Hadjimanolis participation forms part of the Republic of Cyprus’ active contribution to shaping European transport and maritime policies, as well as the Shipping Deputy Ministry’s continuous efforts to promote a competitive, resilient and sustainable European maritime sector.

Hadjimanolis will participate as a speaker in the high-level plenary session entitled ‘Gateways to Europe and the World: Ports and the Maritime Sector in Transition’ on September 29, where she will discuss the challenges and prospects facing the European maritime sector in light of geopolitical developments, the energy transition, competitiveness, resilience and decarbonisation.

The EU should approach enlargement as a strategic investment in peace, stability and security in Europe, Chair of Cyprus’ House Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Giorgos Karoullas, in remarks during the Interparliamentary Conference on the Strategic Agenda for EU Enlargement and Albania’s accession, held in Tirana, according to a statement by the House of Representatives.

In his remarks on EU enlargement and Albania’s progress towards EU accession, Karoullas ‘underlined that the European perspective of the Western Balkans, particularly in today’s unstable international environment, constitutes a strategic and geopolitical investment in strengthening European stability and resilience’, the statement said.

He underlined, it adds, “that the enlargement process must be protected from external interference and from any attempt to promote principles and values that are not compatible with the EU acquis, while stressing that the progress of each candidate country in the accession process must be directly linked to its full alignment with the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy, thereby serving the EU’s broader objective of strategic autonomy.’

It also said that Karoullas noted that EU enlargement was one of the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU during the first half of 2026 and that, in this context, Cyprus acted as an honest broker, ensuring that the enlargement process remained credible, fair and merit-based, grounded in the EU’s common principles and values.

Regarding Albania’s EU accession process, Karoullas stressed that the progress made to date demonstrates the country’s determination to undertake the necessary reforms in order to align itself with all the obligations arising from its accession path and from EU law and that the EU must continue to support the country’s European path, while maintaining a credible and merit-based accession process based on concrete achievements and reforms.

Karoullas stressed that the success of the accession process should not be assessed solely on the basis of the chapters that have been opened or provisionally closed, but also according to the extent to which European standards are incorporated into Albania’s institutions and the lives of its citizens, since the reforms being carried out today will determine the strength and resilience of the country as a future EU Member State, it adds.

Furthermore, in his remarks during the discussion on enlargement as a strategic driving force for reform, stability and security, Karoullas noted that enlargement constitutes a powerful means of promoting peace, stability and prosperity throughout Europe.

Karoullas also ‘stressed’ that the EU should not approach enlargement as a bureaucratic process, but as a strategic investment in peace, stability and security in Europe in the face of the threats it faces along its external borders. Europe of tomorrow, he noted, will be judged by the Union’s ability to remain strong, democratic and faithful to its values, while the role of national parliaments is decisive, particularly in strengthening democratic legitimacy, solidarity and a common European vision, it said.

The importance of nature-based solutions (NbS) in climate adaptation and coastal resilience was highlighted during the two-day DesirMed festival that took place in the coastal town of Larnaka.

During the event, workshops and debates took place which highlighted the role of local and regional initiatives and contributed to strengthening regional cooperation within the framework of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).

The event was jointly organised by the Department of Environment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of Cyprus and PAP/RAC, with the support of the DesirMED partners, in particular its lead partner – CMCC (Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change).

One of the main festival interactive activities was the Giant Interactive Map in Europe Square at the Phinikoudes promenade.

Larnaka vice mayor Iasonas Iasonides told the participants that Cyprus is a small country but tries hard to preserve the environment.

”I hope you exchange so many ideas with everybody here. So when everybody goes back home, will try and do something better, do something to improve this planet that we call our home. As Europeans, we share a common responsibility to make our communities and our planet a better place to live”, he said.

Susanne Pedersen, Director of the Centre for Science and Knowledge, at IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the Union responsible for putting together the interactive map, said that the climate and the biodiversity challenges we face, connect all of us, noting that building resilience requires knowledge, cooperation, and participation of people across the region.

”What happens in one region of the Mediterranean does not necessarily stay there. Our ecosystems, our sea, and many of the challenges affect everyone across the various borders here. And nature is part of how we respond to climate change because we see it already here in the Mediterranean that people are experiencing heat, drought, wildfires, floods, coastal erosion, and other climate-related measures”, she pointed out.

She explained how different Mediterranean regions are testing, adapting, and learning from each other, noting that there is no simple solution, but we can learn from one another about what works and what needs to be adapted and how nature is part of the response.

160 square meter map, an interaction and engagement for children and adults

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The giant, interactive map, a 17-metre-long map, transformed Europe Square in Larnaka into a miniature Mediterranean basin. Children and adults could walk from Portugal to Cyprus, cross islands and coastlines, discover species and ecosystems, and explore some of the climate challenges already reshaping the region.

It is the largest interactive map of the Mediterranean produced to date. The map was designed as a communication tool: visitors were invited to walk on it, play, answer questions, interact with augmented-reality content and discover how forests, wetlands, dunes, rivers, seagrass meadows and other ecosystems can help communities respond to drought, heat, wildfires, floods and coastal erosion.

The map also made visible something that can disappear when climate impacts are discussed separately: Mediterranean territories are connected. Climate impacts may occur hundreds of kilometres apart, but the ecosystems affected and many of the solutions available to communities form part of the same regional story.

The two-day festival brought together policy makers and specialists for discussions and exchange of views on Nature-based Solutions and resilient coastal planning across the region.

The Giant Interactive Map of the Mediterranean was produced by the IUCN in collaboration with Giant Interactive Maps within the DesirMED project, funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe and by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The Festival was organised with local partners, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, the Cyprus Energy Agency and the Municipality of Larnaka.

Total sales of petroleum products recorded a drop of 1.4% in August 2026, compared to August 2025, amounting to 121,646 tonnes, according to data published by the Statistical Service on Monday.

A decrease was observed in the provisions of aviation kerosene (-6.1%), as well as in the sales of asphalt (-23.9%), heating gasoil (-9.2%) and road diesel (-1.6%).

On the contrary, an increase was observed in the provisions of marine gasoil (3.1%) and in the sales of liquified petroleum gases (8.6%), light fuel oil (4.9%) and motor gasoline (1.5%).

As far as the sales from filling stations are specifically concerned, these have marginally increased by 0.2% to 54,704 tonnes.

The total sales of petroleum products in August 2026, compared to July 2026 recorded a drop of 15.3%.

Indicatively, a decrease was recorded in the sales of road diesel (-25.5%) and motor gasoline (-12.7%). The provisions of marine gasoil increased by 3.3% while those of aviation kerosene remained almost unchanged (-0.4%).

The total stocks of petroleum products at the end of August 2026 increased by 21.2% compared to the end of the previous month.

During the period January – August 2026, the total sales of petroleum products increased by 0.6%, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

In September 2026, economic sentiment in Cyprus improved for the sixth consecutive month, with the Economic Sentiment Indicator of the Economic Research Centre (ESI-CypERC) of the University of Cyprus, increasing by 0.6 points compared with August.

“This increase was driven by small improvements in business sentiment in all sectors except retail trade,” CypERC notes.

The Services Confidence Indicator rose for the third consecutive month, with the September increase reflecting upward revisions in turnover expectations.

At the same time, the Retail Trade Confidence Indicator decreased as firms assessed their recent sales more negatively and revised their sales expectations downwards.

The Construction Confidence Indicator increased slightly, supported by an uptick in both current order book assessments and employment expectations.

Moreover, the Industry Confidence Indicator edged up, reflecting improved views on both current overall order books and stocks of finished products, despite a significant deterioration in production expectations.

However, the Consumer Confidence Indicator declined as consumers’ expectations regarding their future financial situation deteriorated and their intentions to make major purchases weakened.

At the same time, consumers’ savings intentions strengthened in September.

As far as the Economic Uncertainty Indicator for Cyprus is concerned, the CypERC notes that it rose markedly in September, driven by an increase in business uncertainty, particularly among firms in the services sector.

By contrast, consumer uncertainty declined further, reaching very low levels across all income categories.

Learning from nature for sustainable engineering solutions: Second round of biomimicry training at CUT

The Centre for Lifelong Learning and the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics of the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) successfully delivered the second round of the course ‘Bio-inspired Innovation and Design for Sustainable Engineering Solutions’, offering professionals the opportunity to explore how principles found in nature can inspire more sustainable approaches to engineering, design and the built environment.

The course was offered as part of the BuildSkills Academy project and was designed to introduce participants to the principles and methodology of biomimicry, an approach that looks to nature’s systems, processes and strategies as a source of inspiration for addressing human design and engineering challenges.

Following the experience of the first round, the course was offered again in a more flexible and accessible hybrid format, combining face-to-face learning at CUT in Limassol with online sessions. This format aimed to make participation easier for professionals while maintaining the interactive and practical nature of the training.

Throughout the course, participants explored how biological systems and natural processes can inform the development of more sustainable and innovative solutions for the built environment.

Participants were introduced to the why, what and how of biomimicry through practical tools, real-world examples and applied exercises. The course explored nature-inspired approaches to engineering challenges, sustainability and climate resilience, while also introducing tools such as Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and systems mapping to support more informed design decisions.

Across the first and second rounds, the course has reached around 20 participants, bringing together professionals and learners interested in applying biomimicry principles to more sustainable engineering and design solutions.

By the end of the training, participants had the opportunity to strengthen their understanding of:

the principles and methodology of biomimicry;

the relationship between natural systems and sustainable design;

ways of translating biological strategies into engineering and design solutions;

the use of bio-inspired thinking as a tool for innovation and problem-solving;

the potential of biomimicry to contribute to more resilient and sustainable built environments.

Both rounds provided an opportunity to gather feedback on the relevance and practical value of biomimicry training for professionals working in the built environment.

The course forms part of the broader work of BuildSkills Academy – Academy for Transitional Skills in the Built Environment, which aims to support the development of the skills needed for the green and digital transformation of the construction sector.

Through the development and piloting of innovative training programmes, BuildSkills Academy seeks to strengthen vocational and professional education, address emerging skills gaps and support professionals in responding to the changing needs of the built environment.

The Academy for Transitional Skills in the Built Environment – BuildSkills Academy is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme, under Grant Agreement No. 101104419.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 28/09/2026 UNTIL 1200 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)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. In the evening, locally increased cloud coverage will be present while isolated showers are expected. Risk of isolated thunderstorm over the north and the east. Tonight and tomorrow morning, locally increased cloud coverage will be present while isolated light rain showers are likely over the west.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

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

Night West to Northwest 4, gradually Northwest to North 3 to 4 Slight

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

South Coast

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

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

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

East Coast

Afternoon South to Southwest 4 to 5, locally 5 Slight

Night Southwest to West 4, gradually 3 to 4 Slight

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

North Coast

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

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

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

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (C)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1800 28/09/2026 UNTIL 1800 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: 1009hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. Tonight and tomorrow morning, locally increased cloud coverage will be present while isolated light rain showers are likely over the west. Tomorrow evening, isolated showers are expected over the north and the east while isolated thunderstorms are also likely.

Visibility: Good, but moderate to poor in showers

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Night West to Northwest 4, gradually Northwest to North 3 to 4 Slight

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

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

South Coast

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

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

Afternoon Southwest to West 4 to 5, locally 5 Slight

East Coast

Night Southwest to West 4, gradually 3 to 4 Slight

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

Afternoon South to Southwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Slight

North Coast

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

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

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

?he Government is doing everything it can to respond to the cost of living increase, always within the framework of sound public finances and its European obligations, the Ministry of Finance said in a press release issued on Monday.

As noted, the Ministry assesses geopolitical developments and their impact on citizens’ daily lives every day. It has taken specific relief measures against the rising cost of living for all citizens, and especially for vulnerable groups.

Specifically, the measures currently in force include zero VAT on essential products, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish, infant milk, nappies for children and adults, and feminine hygiene products, a reduced 5% VAT rate on electricity, which benefits around 33,000 low-income households and single-parent families, a reduction in excise duty on motor fuels of 8.33 cents per litre, and an increase in child benefit, together with higher income eligibility thresholds.

It is added that workers and households also benefit significantly from the tax reform, especially from raising the tax-free income threshold to pound 22,000 and from substantial tax deductions.

‘These measures show the benefits of responsible economic policy, fiscal surpluses and falling public debt reaching society in practice. The Government of Nikos Christodoulides continues to monitor citizens’ needs. The Ministry of Finance is already preparing additional measures to submit to the Council of Ministers’, it is stressed.

‘We therefore understand any protests as a democratic right. However, the Government is not standing idle. It is doing everything it can to respond, always within the framework of sound public finances and its European obligations’, the Ministry concluded.

The share of people aged 16 and over who consumed alcohol daily in Cyprus stood at 1.9% in 2025, compared with 4.8% across the EU, according to data published by Eurostat on Monday. Meanwhile, 16.1% of the population in Cyprus consumed alcohol on a weekly basis and 22.1% on a monthly basis, compared with 19.2% and 21.8%, respectively, across the EU.

According to Eurostat, 20.7% of people aged 16 and over across the EU consumed alcohol less frequently than once a month, while 33.5% had either never consumed alcohol or had not consumed any during 2025.

Eurostat also reported that alcohol consumption in the EU was more common among men than women, whether on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Specifically, 56.5% of men consumed alcohol at least once a month, compared with 35.9% of women.