Cyprus

The Bank of Cyprus released its preliminary financial results for 2022, posting a profit after tax of €71 million for the entire year; after-tax profit generated in 2021 was €30 million

Nikos Christodoulides won the presidential election, promising a unity government tasked with advancing peace talks with estranged Turkish Cypriots; Christodoulides, 49, took 51,9% of the vote, runoff independent rival Mavroyiannis, 66, took 48,1%

Over 470.000 passengers travelled through Larnaca and Paphos airports in this January, +105,6% on 2022 and +12% on the passenger traffic of January 2019, a record year; the largest traffic was coming from Greece, the UK, Israel, Poland and Germany

The recent spike in flu type A cases has led the Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela to call on the people to get the flu vaccine, especially the elderly and the fragile

A powerful wave of bad weather has battered Famagusta, were over 35 people were rescued while mud tinted the sea a vivid red; Paralimni municipality is completing the stormwater master plan, a €7 million project funded by the EU which will start in 2023

Turkish Cypriot medias report the police seized several packets containing a total of 75 kilograms of cannabis that washed up on the beach between Dec 18 and Jan 1; authorities ask the public not to handle any such packets they may spot on the beach

Prisons Director and her assistant announced they will quit, following the Attorney-General’s decision not to prosecute a drug squad chief amid the corruption investigation on the prisons

The Cyprus Cocktail Festival will be back on Dec 14th in the downstairs section of Eleftheria Square; organised by Deejay Radio and Difford’s Guide, it will feature 10 cocktail bars from Cyprus and 10 from Greece and Europe serving signature cocktails

A number of disabled protesters gathered outside the presidential palace on Friday to decry violations of their rights, anticipating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrated at international level on 3rd December

For Cyprus to become self-sufficient in the agricultural food production would be the next big goal and challenge - according presidential candidate Averof Neophytou - considering the current global situation

The Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria Theodoros II arrived from Cairo, Egypt for the funeral of Archbishop Chrysostomos II; the religious leaders from all of Cyprus denominations and faiths also went to the archbishopric to sign a book of condolences

The Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises warned against the ‘dangers’ posed by short-term rentals, asking to regulate the practice in line with a number of European countries

A week-long police information campaign focusing on lorries and buses resulted in over 200 fines being handed out, police said