Greece and Cyprus are welcoming 2026 with quieter New Year celebrations, replacing booming fireworks with low-noise pyrotechnics, light displays and drones to create safer, more inclusive and sustainable festivities.
CYPRUS
Breaking news headlines about Cyprus
At midnight or on New Year’s morning, the “lucky” first-footer smashes a pomegranate against the doorstep—the more seeds that scatter, the more luck, health, and prosperity the household will enjoy in the new year. Families then cut the Vasilopita, hunting for the hidden coin that brings blessings to its finder.
Over 20 Turkish soldiers and armed men attempted to arrest two Greek Cypriot farmers in Cyprus’ UN buffer zone near Mammari, damaging their tractor and sparking fresh tensions
In 2025, Greece topped the list of international destinations for Israeli travelers with over 2.2 million passengers, while Cyprus led globally in weekly flight frequency from Israel (up to 186 flights) and ranked fourth in passenger numbers with approximately 1.2 million.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union in…
Starting January 2, 2026, holders of Republic of Cyprus passports can no longer obtain a sticker visa on arrival in Turkey. Travelers must secure an e-visa online in advance or apply through Turkish diplomatic missions. This change does not affect Turkish Cypriots, who continue visa-free entry.
Following a trilateral summit in Jerusalem, Israel is advancing plans to connect its offshore Leviathan, Tamar, and Karish-Tanin gas fields to new LNG facilities in Cyprus for worldwide exports. The project aims to diversify exports beyond Egypt and Jordan while strengthening regional ties amid tensions with Turkey over maritime boundaries.
Greece, Israel, and Cyprus have agreed to intensify joint air and naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean starting in 2026, following a trilateral summit in Jerusalem and the signing of a new military cooperation plan. The move deepens strategic ties amid regional tensions, including arms deals and expertise sharing from Israel.
Turkey’s Ministry of Defense has responded to the recent trilateral summit in Jerusalem between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus by downplaying its significance and provocatively blaming Greece for escalating tensions in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
The National People’s Front (ELAM) in Cyprus has issued a strong condemnation following the vandalism of a Christmas tree on Ledra Street, a prominent pedestrian area in the capital. In an official statement, ELAM described the incident as another act by ‘the usual unknown perpetrators’ directed against ‘our faith and the patriotic sentiments of our people.’
Ankara – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a scathing verbal attack on Israeli Prime…
Israel, Greece, and Cyprus held their 10th trilateral summit in Jerusalem on December 22-23, 2025, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides agreeing to deepen military and security cooperation amid Eastern Mediterranean tensions.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted Greece’s emerging role as a key energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean during the 10th Trilateral Summit with Cyprus and Israel in Jerusalem. He emphasized resilient cooperation for regional stability, condemned antisemitism, and discussed energy projects, maritime security, and broader Middle East issues including Gaza, Lebanon, and post-Assad Syria.
At the 10th Trilateral Summit in Jerusalem on December 22, 2025, leaders from Israel, Greece, and Cyprus signed a joint declaration to deepen cooperation in energy, defense, innovation, and tourism, reaffirming the alliance’s role in promoting stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The 10th Cyprus-Greece-Israel Trilateral Summit in Jerusalem focuses on deepening cooperation in energy, defense, innovation, tourism, and cybersecurity, amid regional tensions. Leaders are set to sign a joint declaration while emphasizing political ties and the “3+1” format with U.S. involvement. President Christodoulides also reaffirmed readiness for UN-led talks on the Cyprus issue following Tufan Erhürman’s election as Turkish Cypriot leader.
As Israel, Greece, and Cyprus hold their trilateral summit in Jerusalem on December 22, 2025, shared concerns over Turkey’s regional ambitions have shifted from implicit to explicit, transforming energy-focused cooperation into a robust security alliance.
President Nikos Christodoulides travels to Israel on 22 December 2025 for bilateral meetings and the 10th Trilateral Summit with Greece and Israel, focusing on energy, defence, cybersecurity, and regional challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean.
A controversial art exhibition by Cypriot painter Giorgos Gavriil titled “Antisystemic Art” was shut down in Paphos less than 24 hours after opening due to public outrage and death threats over works depicting Christ and the Virgin Mary in provocative political contexts. The Blue Iris Gallery cited societal opposition and safety concerns, sparking debate on artistic freedom versus religious sensitivity in Cyprus.
The European Parliament endorsed the “My Voice, My Choice” citizens’ initiative on December 17, 2025, supporting a voluntary EU-funded mechanism to help women from restrictive countries access safe abortions in other member states without personal cost, though the Commission decides in March 2026.
Amid growing Turkish military capabilities, Greece and Israel are exploring the creation of a joint brigade-level rapid reaction force with Cyprus, aimed at enhancing deterrence and protecting critical underwater infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cyprus’ industrial and energy vision was at the center of a visit, which was made…
Larnaca, Cyprus, has been selected as a European Capital of Culture for 2030 alongside Leuven (Belgium) and Nikšić (Montenegro). The city’s program focuses on “Common Ground” and shared humanity, marking Cyprus’s second win after Paphos in 2017.
Elon Musk has publicly endorsed Cypriot MEP Fidias Panayiotou for EU President, retweeting a video criticizing Ursula von der Leyen’s appointment process and urging followers to support a more democratic election.
Cyprus celebrates! Commandaria – one of the oldest named wines in the world – is now officially UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. A proud moment for the island’s 14 Commandaria villages and centuries-old winemaking tradition
ExxonMobil has confirmed that exploratory drilling for natural gas in Greece may begin in 2027, after entering maritime Block 2 in the Ionian Sea alongside Greek partners.
A 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Antalya in southwestern Turkey, with tremors felt across the region and in parts of Cyprus. No serious damage reported
The Greek Parliament has approved a €650 million deal to acquire 36 advanced PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel’s Elbit Systems to bolster defenses along the border with Turkey and protect Aegean islands.
Savvas Rotsidis (1935 – November 25, 1958), from the village of Mammari near Nicosia, was a dedicated member of EOKA, the Greek-Cypriot nationalist organization that fought for the liberation of Cyprus from British colonial rule and its eventual union with Greece. An accountant by profession, Rotsidis joined EOKA in 1955 and took part in numerous operations against British forces. Captured by the British in 1958, he was tortured but refused to betray his comrades. He was executed on November 25, 1958, becoming a martyr in the struggle for Cyprus’s independence.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Cyprus of obstructing closer Turkey-EU ties, claiming Nicosia is holding the European Union and Turkey “hostage” over regional issues and demanding the reversal of 2019 decisions that froze Ankara’s accession process.
India and Cyprus are entering a new phase of strategic cooperation as the two countries…
