All articles tagged with #cyprus
Britain's destroyer HMS Dragon has sailed from Portsmouth toward the Mediterranean after Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the deployment in response to a drone strike on Cyprus's RAF Akrotiri base, noting the Royal Navy currently has no major warship stationed in the region.
Amid Iran-linked attacks in the region, European powers including France are deploying ships and defenses to Cyprus, where the UK maintains strategic Akrotiri and Dhekelia bases. Cyprus seeks de-escalation while hosting closer Greek-Israeli cooperation, turning the island into a focal point for European security amid the broader Middle East crisis.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Paphos to meet Cyprus’s Nikos Christodoulides and Greece’s Kyriakos Mitsotakis, signaling European support for Cyprus amid tensions tied to the Iran war.
The UK MoD says the Shahed-type drone that hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was not launched from Iran, though investigators cannot conclusively identify its origin (possible pro-Iran militias in Lebanon or western Iraq). No casualties or damage to the hangar were reported; Cyprus criticized the warning lapse and security coordination continues with UK and allies, amid broader discussions about US basing and potential strikes from Diego Garcia.
Britain is sending the HMS Dragon destroyer and two Wildcat helicopters to Cyprus to bolster drone defense after a Shahed drone attack on Akrotiri, while France moves the carrier Charles de Gaulle and its air wing to the Mediterranean to bolster allied defenses amid escalating Iran–US–Israel tensions.
After Iranian-made drones targeted the UK RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, Greece, France and Germany pledged military support to Cyprus: France will send a warship and extra anti-drone/anti-missile systems, Greece has dispatched four F-16s and two frigates, and Germany agreed to send a warship. The drones were reportedly launched from Lebanon, likely by Hezbollah. Cyprus activated its Unified Defence Doctrine as part of a broader EU response, while the UK said its bases in Cyprus will not be used by the US for Iran-related operations.
Germany’s foreign minister warned that an attack on a NATO member cannot be ruled out following a Shahed-type drone strike on the UK’s Akrotiri base in Cyprus, highlighting rising Iran-related tensions. He stressed the danger cannot be dismissed, noted Cyprus’ EU status but non-membership in NATO, and said Germany would defend itself if attacked while not permitting military facilities for such aims. He urged continued diplomacy with Iran as the US and Israel launched a large-scale offensive and Tehran fired missiles at US bases in the Gulf.
A drone strike hit the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, with UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper confirming the attack and saying Britain is weighing all options to support about 300,000 British citizens in the Gulf amid rising regional tensions.
Cyprus’ first lady Philippa Karsera says she is stepping down from the AFKS charity fund’s management committee, citing an ‘unrelenting attack’ on social media; the move follows a secretly recorded video alleging ways to bypass campaign spending caps, grant access to the president and first lady, and misuse corporate social contributions. The government denies the claims and has sought international help to trace the video’s origin, while the opposition questions donor transparency as coalition allies weigh their support ahead of May elections and the 2028 presidential vote.
Cyprus pledges a 'different mindset' as it assumes the EU presidency, focusing on Ukraine, regional issues, and expanding EU engagement with the Middle East and India, while navigating regional tensions and promoting strategic autonomy.
Israel, Greece, and Cyprus have signed a trilateral work plan for 2026 to enhance military cooperation through joint exercises, strategic dialogue, and a rapid-response force aimed at deterring Turkey's regional activities, with a focus on quick deployment in crises across land, sea, and air.
Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are considering forming a joint intervention force to counter Turkish activity in the eastern Mediterranean, primarily to protect regional strategic interests and deter Turkish military expansion, with preliminary planning underway but no concrete steps taken yet.
A wildfire in southern Cyprus has resulted in two deaths, destroyed homes, and burned 100 sq km of land amid a heatwave with temperatures reaching 44°C, prompting international firefighting support and raising concerns about climate-related wildfires.
Cyprus has the most public holidays in Europe with 15 days, while France ranks around average with 11 days, and proposals to cut holidays in France aim to boost the economy. The number of holidays varies across countries and regions, with some countries like Slovakia and Denmark having recently reduced holidays for economic reasons. Public holidays are just one aspect of workers' time off, with other factors like annual leave and school holidays also significant.
Cyprus commemorates 51 years since Turkey's 1974 invasion that resulted in the island's ongoing partition, with Turkey controlling about 36% of the territory and only recognizing the breakaway Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, amid ongoing tensions, displacement, and failed diplomatic efforts.