Undermining independent institutions in the US and Cyprus
Donald Trump has continued his aggressive tactics well into the second week in January. After the military coup in Venezuela and the unrelenting push to take over Greenland, he has ...
Understanding hybrid war
The recent leaked video alleging campaign finance violations by President Nikos Christodoulides and his associates has thrust the terms “hybrid warfare”, “hybrid war”, and “hybrid attack” into Cyprus’ public discourse. ...
Iran’s long history of outside interference
Iran is in the news again. This time because the bazaar joined protests against the Islamic Republic of Iran and many protesters have been reported killed and seriously injured.
The ...
Pretending to help Donald Trump
The alarming events of the past couple of weeks have made it clear that not one but several crises are likely to occur in the relatively near future. It’s ...
LNG import back in the limelight
2025 was a tumultuous year for energy in Cyprus. Its two biggest projects, the import of LNG at Vasilikos and the GSI electrical interconnector, were in the limelight mostly for the ...
US policy now a manifestation of might is right
The new year is barely with us and already we have started with a bang, literally. The events from Venezuela have made front page news everywhere. Even here in Cyprus ...
Greenland: maybe an invasion (and maybe a backlash)
The Crazy Gang are high on the ‘brilliant success’ of their Venezuela caper and looking for new targets. Like Alexander the Great, Donald Trump weeps because there are no more ...
Economy in 2026: the world finds itself in a delicate balance
After a year of intense volatility, the world economy enters 2026 with a complex mix of challenges and opportunities.
Most economists expect that growth will remain moderate by historical standards, around 2.4 ...
Two economies, one island
A comment often quoted by the late Stephen Hawking, Lucasian professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, captures a risk that extends well beyond physics and into public policy: “...
Cyprus’ EU presidency promises to be a six-month eternity
Cyprus has taken over the EU Council presidency. It promises to take the bull by the horns and deliver tangible results, including on issues that affect the daily lives of ...
Did the US breach international law? Well, It’s complicated
A hierarchy of laws in the US can leave treaties up to interpretation
Does international law matter to the US? That is the question in the time of Trump’s ...
An uncertain New Year
A friend whose daughter studied in the UK, told me ‘She’s staying there, what future has she here?’ She’s not alone in making that choice. The Cyprus government ...
As COP results fall short, national action plans needed
The United Nations climate change conference, known as COP30, recently held in Brazil, was a landmark one. It was the tenth since the Paris Conference, in which a binding agreement ...
What if Khamenei falls? Protests spiral as Iran’s currency collapses
The demonstrations began again in Iran last week, only two years after the ‘Woman! Life! Freedom!’ movement convulsed the country for months. However, the current protests are potentially much broader ...
Antisemitism a stress test for what Cyprus must get right in federal future
As Cyprus cautiously revisits the idea of a bicommunal, bizonal federation – which I often describe as BBF 2.0 – it might be tempting to rely on the familiar pillars of security and ...
Prophets of Doom: the 2026 edition
It’s that time of the year again and also probably good news that Cyprus does not seem to feature in the Doomsday predictions for 2026.
That doesn’t mean that ...
What is there in Nazism for teenagers to like?
Although the recent teenage glorification of Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology at a school in Larnaca in Cyprus is nothing new among teenagers, or confined to Cyprus, the attraction of ...
An energy reset is happening around the world
The global climate summit COP30 that took place in Brazil in November fell short of expectations. It is not that the world is not concerned about climate change or that ...
A throne made of sand
“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”Nothing beside remains.The lone and level sands stretch far away.— Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ozymandias
Percy Shelley’s Ozymandias is not a ...
World trade war is alive and kicking
On December 16, two contrasting articles appeared in the Financial Times that spoke volumes about the very different approaches to world trade currently at play. One was written by Peter Navarro, ...
Happy Same Year!
It is December 28, which means many of us are deep into the Season of Delusion, a magical period when grown adults behave like weird Elfies drunk on mulled wine. The ...
2026 offers glimmer of hope for Cyprus, elsewhere not so much
A review of the year and predicting the shape of things to come in 2026 and beyond must begin with events at home. The Cyprus Mail is of course a Cypriot ...
Missed opportunities on budgets and tax reform
In recent days the government of President Nikos Christodoulides and MPs approved the government budgets and a tax reform. In doing so they have missed real opportunities to support policies ...
Scene is set for another process of interminable talks
The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally a time associated with peace, reconciliation and goodwill, but as Europe looks towards 2026, the prospects are shaped less by seasonal sentiment than ...