Turkey have appointed Sergen Yalcin as head coach on a four-year contract to replace the sacked Italian Vincenzo Montella, the country’s football federation (TFF) announced on Tuesday.

The 53-year-old former Turkey midfielder steps into the job following Montella’s dismissal earlier this month after a difficult Uefa Nations League campaign.

Turkey sit bottom of Group A1 after four consecutive losses, having also suffered a group stage exit from the 2026 World Cup.

“We wish Yalcin success in his new role and hope this decision proves auspicious for our country and our national team,” the TFF said in a statement.

A prominent figure in Turkish football, Yalcin won 37 caps from 1994 to 2003, featured at Euro 1996 and Euro 2000 and played for Besiktas, Fenerbahce, and Galatasaray.

As a manager, Yalcin guided Besiktas to a domestic double of Super Lig and Turkish Cup in the 2020–21 season. He ended a second stint in charge of Besiktas in May.

France will reinforce police with troops and mount a huge security operation for more protests planned on Saturday, the government said on Tuesday, acknowledging failures in its response to last weekend’s violence.

“The deployment next Saturday will be massive,” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, adding that the immediate priority was to restore order after rioting and looting swept Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities on October 17.

In a sometimes rowdy debate, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the military would be deployed alongside police, while the government pledged to overhaul tactics after widespread criticism that city centres had been left vulnerable.

TARGETED CURFEWS HELP RESTORE CALM

Framing the crisis as a choice “between violence and the Republic”, Lecornu blamed the unrest on far-left groups, who in turn have accused the government of underestimating public anger over high living costs and declining public services.

The turmoil shocked France because of both its scale and the apparent inability of police to contain it, inflaming tensions ahead of presidential elections next year with candidates from the far right and hard left performing strongly in polls.

Protests in other European countries, including Italy and Albania, have added to concerns that anger over living standards risks spreading around the continent at a time when many nations, including France, are struggling with budget woes.

A night of relative calm in France followed targeted curfews imposed in several areas affected by the chaos, which the government said had helped reassert control. The localised curfews, some directed at children and teenagers under age 18, were extended to Tuesday night, police said.

Lecornu acknowledged shortcomings in the state’s response at the weekend, saying there had been intelligence failures, while police deployments had been too static and authorities had erred by not cancelling planned police leave.

Nunez apologised for the mistakes. “I deeply regret what happened. I accept my share of responsibility,” he said.

SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR LIMOGES TOWN HALL DESTRUCTION

Parliament is setting up a commission of inquiry to establish the causes of the unrest, while authorities have assigned 200 investigators to identify and track down those involved in the street violence.

Police arrested on Tuesday a man suspected of starting a blaze that destroyed a historic town hall in the central city of Limoges during the rioting. Officials said he had been on a security watch list and belonged to an ultra-left group.

Sylvain Maillard, a Renaissance deputy for Paris, told Reuters some apps had become “a walkie-talkie system for rioters and looters”.

Underscoring the broad impact of the crisis, French borrowing costs rose further on Tuesday as investors fretted about the prospect of more unrest, with the yield on benchmark 10-year government bonds touching its highest level in 24 years.

Supermarket chain Carrefour said it had lost tens of millions of euros through theft and damage, warning that it faced an “unprecedented situation” because of the disorder.

France’s main student union UNEF has called for further protests on Saturday, pledging to maintain pressure on Macron’s government over what it says is a deteriorating and underfunded education system. “We carry on,” it said on social media.

Separately, groups identifying themselves as “Gilets Jaunes” (Yellow Vests) called for protest actions over rising fuel costs.

The yellow vest movement, largely inactive in recent years, sprang up in 2018 during Macron’s first term over plans to raise petrol taxes. Traffic blockades continued for months until the government made costly concessions it can ill afford now.

ITALY FACES NEW FORM OF UNREST, MINISTER SAYS

Northern Italian cities, including the financial capital Milan, were also hit by riots last weekend.

Though not on the scale seen in France, the unrest nonetheless jolted Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which was expected to introduce new security measures at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto described the disturbances as a form of “hybrid warfare” conducted through social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and other online networks.

“The events in Milan and elsewhere in Italy are fundamentally different from those seen in other eras,” Crosetto wrote on social media. “The West has yet to realise this or take any meaningful action in response.”

In Milan’s central Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, sportswear retailer On and a Levi’s store that were targeted during the unrest had reopened on Tuesday but remained boarded up. Luxury stores had restored merchandise to window displays after temporarily removing it for security reasons.

In Albania, protesters were expected to take to the streets of Tirana for a seventh consecutive day against the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Carrefour cut its annual earnings forecast on Tuesday, blaming an “unprecedented situation” in France as riots, looting and curfews raised costs and disrupted trading at its stores.

The supermarket chain said it now expects “stable to slight” growth in 2026 adjusted earnings per share, having previously forecast growth in a high single-digit percentage. It also forecast a slight decline in free cash flow compared with 2025.

Adding to widespread criticism of the government’s policing efforts, Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard said he hoped security would be better for the next protests planned on October 24, but that he expects a business impact regardless.

“Carrefour was directly and strongly affected. Around 50 of our stores were hit on day one, many were looted and the damage is considerable,” Bompard said on a call with analysts.

“Many of our teams and partners faced deeply distressing situations,” he added, saying the retailer is helping workers to reopen affected stores as soon as it is safe.

The unrest is hurting consumer confidence that was already weak because of high fuel prices and is reducing footfall at Carrefour stores as the key fourth-quarter trading period begins.

Finance chief Matthieu Malige said the total impact could be between €80 million ($90 million) and €200 million of operating income.

“The direct costs add up to several tens of millions of euros … of stolen or destroyed merchandise, damaged stores, damaged equipment, and then there are also the stores we were forced to close,” Malige told reporters.

“In the weeks to come we will continue to be impacted as some stores have to close earlier due to curfews, and more broadly we think we’re in a new situation marked by deep uncertainty for our customers.”

Many of Carrefour’s 6,000 stores across the country were closed in anticipation of unrest, including on Sunday and Monday, Malige said, declining to disclose the total number of stores shut.

Costs have increased as stores took measures to protect themselves, including the hiring of external security guards, Malige said, adding that Carrefour was among the most affected retailers because of its wide network of convenience stores in cities such as Paris, Lyon, and Marseille.

As a result, Carrefour said it would invest less in France, cutting its capital expenditure forecast for the year to €1.6 billion from €1.7 billion.

The retailer had been gearing up to begin its Black Friday sales events in the coming days, Malige added.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Russia on Wednesday after meeting in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and leaders of Norway and Finland, while President Donald Trump said it was time for Kyiv to end the war with Moscow.

Zelenskiy travelled to Oslo in a bid to repair relations with Washington, which have sunk to new lows as Trump has courted Moscow. Kyiv has complained that Washington has withheld vital military support and intelligence.

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelenskiy spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine was again receiving early warnings of Russian missile attacks.

“Now it works, it’s great,” he said, adding he and Rubio had also discussed supplies of Patriot missile interceptors and the US-provided satellite-based Starlink system, which Kyiv complained had stopped working when mounted on fast-moving objects such as drones.

Trump’s recent gestures toward Moscow, including a deal to buy Russian diesel and waiving new sanctions, have sparked bipartisan pushback in the US Congress and worry in European capitals.

Zelenskiy said he expected to talk to Rubio again in 48 hours.

He said he had discussed security guarantees for Ukraine in Oslo, including “Article 5-like” guarantees, referring to the NATO stipulation that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

“I am thankful to the American side that they underlined again that it will be strong,” he said.

“There are different kinds of security guarantees which are in the paper, in the document, which Steve (Witkoff) will share with the Russians,” he said. “And we will hear his feedback one day after.”

Zelenskiy reiterated that Ukraine hoped to discuss key issues on how to end the war during a trilateral meeting of leaders of Ukraine, Russia and the US.

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said the Oslo meeting had been good and constructive.

“Steve Witkoff will fly tomorrow to Saint Petersburg where he will be meeting with Russian leadership, and exchange ideas from this meeting and the proposals that have been worked on by European and American colleagues, and possibly pave the way for a meeting at leaders level,” Stoere said.

“I think the (peace) process is back on track,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb told the news conference, in which Witkoff did not take part.

Earlier the US envoy and Zelenskiy clasped one another in a hug as they went into the talks that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner joined remotely.

Washington has denied deliberately hindering Ukraine’s war effort. But Trump, who has waived sanctions on Russia in what he says is an effort to lower US fuel prices, has repeatedly rebuked Zelenskiy, and called for him to be replaced.

On Tuesday, Trump called on Ukraine to make a deal to settle the war with Russia, and said Moscow wanted to get it done. “Ukraine has to want to settle this war,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump suggested Moscow had the upper hand in the fight because “Russia is a big machine — they just keep grinding forward, and that’s what they’ve done. They’ve taken a very large piece of land.”

On Monday, Trump said Zelenskiy, who has rejected Russia’s conditions for ending its war, was “not helping matters much”, and that Kyiv should find “somebody else to negotiate”.

RUBIO SAYS US MISSILES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DELIVERED YET

The US under Trump has largely stopped providing weapons directly to Ukraine but lets European countries buy US weaponry on Kyiv’s behalf under the so-called Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). It has also provided intelligence and technology that Europe cannot match.

A source familiar with the matter said most weapons deliveries under PURL continued to flow, but US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not approved Ukraine’s latest requests for Patriot interceptors.

Rubio acknowledged on Tuesday that a consignment of interceptors bought by European countries for Ukraine may not have been delivered, but denied that the US had changed policy.

“There has not been some deliberate political directive to go out and harm Ukraine,” he said on a visit to India.

The Kremlin said it was hoping to set up a meeting between Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As US ties with Ukraine have deteriorated, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly targeting power stations and fuel, despite a call from Trump for both sides to spare each other’s energy systems.

Russia bombarded cities in western Ukraine overnight, targeting electricity systems and knocking out power across swathes of the country that had previously been spared.

Ukraine held back for several days last week from hitting Russian oil refineries in deference to Trump’s request, but has resumed strikes after Russia showed no sign of complying. Both sides have also struck data centres.

Trump has repeatedly condemned Ukrainian attacks on Russia while saying little about Russia’s far more severe attacks on Ukraine, which have grown even more deadly as Kyiv says US support has been withheld for its air defences.

RUSSIAN ATTACKS

Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday it struck three cargo vessels in Ukraine’s port of Reni and two other cargo vessels en route to Odesa. Russian forces also hit two logistics hubs, it said.

Energy facilities were attacked in seven Ukrainian regions overnight, knocking out power, and the western Lviv region was struck again during the day. Russian drones also struck an energy facility in Kyiv on Tuesday, mayor Vitali Klitschko said, with authorities saying power was out in four districts.

The deterioration of US-Ukraine relations began 10 days ago when Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel in a deal agreed with Putin. Trump said this would help reduce high fuel prices that have upset US voters ahead of midterm legislative elections on November 3.

At the weekend, Trump issued a broad waiver for tougher sanctions on Russia that were meant to have begun this week.

The defendants in the ‘golden passports’ case requested a trial within a trial on Tuesday, arguing that a great deal of the evidence to be presented by state prosecutors was irregularly obtained by police during investigations.

On trial at Nicosia criminal court are ten defendants: former transport minister Marios Demetriades, Andreas Demetriades, Demetris Demetriades, Giorgos Demetriades, Eleni Simillidi, Jing Wang, Josef Friedrich Santin, Vasiliki Georgiou-Santin, and Andreas Demetriades & Co LLC and Delsk Business Services Ltd.

The charges involve corruption, bribery, conspiracy to defraud and money laundering related to the naturalisation of 19 Asian investors, in the context of the now-defunct citizenship-by-investment scheme.

All defendants deny the charges.

In court on Tuesday, defence attorney Elias Stefanou requested a trial within a trial due to objections over the manner in which evidence was obtained against the accused.

He was referring to three warrants issued to search the premises of the Demetriades family law firm. According to Stefanou, the issues at stake are violations of attorney-client privilege, violation of the privacy of communications, exceeding the scope of the warrants, and relevance of the material seized.

The seized material includes electronic communications, a hard disk, computer towers, storage devices, mobile phones and paper files.

Stefanou said the defence had asked prosecutors to specify the material they intend to present in court.

A trial within a trial would determine which evidence would be admissible for the trial proper.

Countering, lead prosecutor Charis Karaolidou said they had already informed the defence of the evidentiary items they would not be presenting in court.

She said the defence needs to spell out precisely which material it objects to.

Hearing both sides, the court granted the defence time until November 16 – the next scheduled hearing – to present its objections in detail.

Tuesday’s proceedings also saw the first prosecution witness – a CID officer – continue testifying. The officer is the case evidence custodian.

To date, 105 items of evidence have been submitted in court – documents pertaining to naturalisations granted to individuals from Cambodia and China.

Former minister Demetriades is specifically charged with intervening in citizenship applications handled by his father’s and brothers’ law firm. The second charge involves “accepting gifts as a public official” related to a Chinese investor’s naturalisation. The third charge alleges bribery of a public official, citing Demetriades’ active participation in cabinet decisions.

Meanwhile defendants Josef Friedrich Santin, Vasiliki Georgiou-Santin, and Delsk Ltd face charges of influence peddling.

This is one of four court cases filed in relation to the ‘golden passports’ scheme.

The most prominent one, involving former House president Demetris Syllouris and former Akel MP Christakis Giovani, resulted in acquittals in February this year.

The final price tag for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) remains an unknown, while the project is now estimated to come online a year later than initially forecast, the energy regulator said on Tuesday.

Head of the energy regulatory authority (Cera) Polis Lemonaris was giving MPs a status update on the GSI – a planned subsea electricity cable linking Cyprus’ grid to that of Greece.

He said the final cost of the GSI cannot yet be “safety estimated” – but added that judging by other interconnectors, the €1.9 billion cited does not seem realistic.

Moreover, in the event that seabed surveys – still ongoing – show a need to reroute the subsea cable, the cost would likely go up.

But going with the standard €1.9 billion number, the official explained the cost distribution for Cyprus and Greece, currently set at 63 per cent to 37 per cent, respectively. Minus the €657 million in EU grants, Cyprus’ share of the cost comes to €749 million, and Greece’s to €440 million.

In addition, the contracting parties bear the operating costs equally; these come to €2 million annually up until the project’s completion, and then €15.5 million per year during actual operation.

As part of the incentives agreed, Lemonaris said, Cyprus will pay €25 million per year for the 2025-2029 period, with a maximum payment of €125 million.

Cyprus has yet to pay Admie the first €25 million installment.

In 2025, Admie – Greece’s independent power transmission operator and project promoter for the GSI – made a filing claiming it had incurred €302 million in expenditures.

Having reviewed the documentation, however, Cera concluded instead that expenses were €82 million up until that time.

The two countries have also agreed on a guaranteed rate of return on investment of 8.3 per cent for the project manager. This rate applies for seven years, later dropping to 4.6 per cent for the next 17 years.

On the actual work done, Lemonaris said that so far 280km of cable has been laid on the seabed, out of the total distance of 900km between the two points in Crete and Cyprus.

Meanwhile, another 232km of cable has been manufactured but yet not laid.

And 60 per cent of the necessary seabed surveys have been completed; the remaining 40 per cent would take about six months.

The seabed surveys are included in the approved capital expenditures budgeted for the 2024-2025 period, which altogether tally at €571 million.

Elsewhere in his presentation, Lemonaris said that the original target of January 2030 set for the project’s completion now looks like January 2031, according to fresh estimates.

MPs wanted to know the status of ownership and control in the project following the acquisition by Meridiam – a French infrastructure investment firm – of 66 per cent of the shares in the holding company based in Greece. Admie retains a 33 per cent strategic minority stake.

Based on their most recent information, Lemonaris said, the ownership and management permits still appear to be held by Admie, which also remains the project promoter.

However, Cera is awaiting an update from Admie regarding ownership and management following Meridiam’s entry into the project.

Cera formally requested the update in August; it has yet to receive a response.

Regarding the cash value of the 66 per cent shares acquired by Meridiam, Lemonaris said this is also an unknown.

Last month President Nikos Christodoulides said Cyprus would release the first €25 million contribution towards the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) once a Navtex is issued for the resumption of seabed surveys.

Energy Minister Michael Damianos said the Navtex would be issued by Greek authorities by the end of this month.

European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday offered “solidarity” to both Greece and Cyprus after the Libyan parliament had earlier in the day ratified a maritime boundary agreement with Turkey which both Greece and the Republic of Cyprus consider to be illegal.

“We deeply regret the ratification today by the Libyan parliament of the so-called Libyan-Turkey memorandum of understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea. We recall that the EU’s position on this matter was clearly stated by the European Council in 2019 and remains unchanged,” they said.

They added that the agreement “infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states”, “does not comply with the law of the sea”, and “is null and void”.

“We reaffirm our solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. We reiterate the EU’s well-known position against any outside interference in Libya,” they said.

The European Council’s conclusions on December 12, 2019, had stated similarly that the agreement “infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with the law of the sea, and cannot produce any legal consequences for third states”.

Libya’s parliament voted unanimously to adopt agreement

Earlier on Tuesday, the Libyan parliament voted unanimously to adopt the agreement, which states that Libya and Turkey agree that their respective exclusive economic zones share a border in the Mediterranean sea, and that that border is located southeast of the Greek island of Crete.

The ratification came on a day on which a day on which Turkey’s national intelligence organisation (Mit)’s chief Ibrahim Kalin was in the country to meet Libya’s government of national unity’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dibeybe.

Turkey had signed an agreement with the Libyan government of national accord in 2019, but it had not until Tuesday been ratified by Libya’s legislature. The government of national unity superseded the government of national accord in 2021 and is now the sole internationally recognised government of Libya.

After the agreement was signed, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis held a telephone call, after which both ministries released condemnatory statements.

“The Republic of Cyprus’ foreign ministry condemns the Libyan parliament’s decision to approve the illegal Turkish-Libyan ‘memorandum of understanding’ of 2019. This ‘memorandum’ violates the sovereign rights of third states and is contrary to the recognised principles of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea,” the Cypriot ministry said.

It added that the agreement also violates “customary international law regarding the rights of islands in maritime zones, including the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf”.

“Therefore, the foreign ministry continues to consider the said ‘memorandum’ illegal, null and void, and that it does not produce, in any way, legal effects against third states,” it said.

Turkey is not an Unclos signatory, Libya signed but did not ratify

Greece’s foreign ministry said that that it “rejects” it and that the decision “does not change the illegal, null and void nature of the memorandum, which is contrary to the international law of the sea and violates the sovereign rights of the states of the region”.

“Geography and the international law of the sea do not change with unilateral, legally unfounded parliamentary decisions. Turkey and Libya do not have opposing or adjacent coasts which would provide a legal basis for the attempted delimitation of maritime zones,” it added.

While Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are signatories to the United Nations convention on the law of the sea (Unclos), Turkey is not, and while Libya under its then leader Muammar Gadaffi signed the convention in 1984, no Libyan legislature ever ratified the signature.

Turkey’s belief is that the convention gives too much weight to islands, which it says should instead only be allowed 12 nautical miles of territorial waters as their own exclusive economic zone (EEZ), whereas Greece believes that its islands are entitled to full EEZs of their own.

As such, Turkey’s view is that its own EEZ stretches south to meet Libya’s EEZ, and as of Wednesday, Libya agrees, whereas Greece’s position is that Turkey and Libya do not share a maritime border because the sea in question belongs to Crete.

Given this to be the case, Turkey’s presidential press office director Burhanettin Duran described Tuesday’s vote as “an important advancement towards protecting the shared rights and interests of both nations in the eastern Mediterranean, establishing maritime jurisdiction areas on the basis of equity, and strengthening regional cooperation”.

“Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey will continue to safeguard its rights and interests within the Blue Homeland, while further developing its relations with friendly and brotherly Libya and promoting equitable resource sharing, peace, and stability in the eastern Mediterranean”.

Cypriot members of the European Parliament on Tuesday evening stressed the importance of building up the Mediterranean region’s energy sector as the Strasbourg plenary session discussed the parliament’s latest motion regarding the European Union’s pact for the Mediterranean.

The resolution, which will be voted upon on Wednesday, sets out the European Parliament’s position on the pact and relations between the EU and the Mediterranean region, and Diko’s Costas Mavrides was keen to stress that the EU “has the potential” to “lead the entire Mediterranean toward stability and prosperity” through its energy sector.

“The common rules for the Mediterranean are, naturally, those of international law, specifically including UN conventions regarding the law of the sea. Institutions and infrastructure already exist … such as the EastMed gas forum, the European project of common interest the Great Sea Interconnector, and the EastMed gas pipeline,” he said.

On this front, he said that the Republic of Cyprus has “consistently been playing a leading role”, but that “the neo-Ottoman regime in Turkey remains the transgressor and the expansionist”.

As such, he sarcastically asked European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who was present for proceedings, whether she is “rewarding this transgressor and expansionist”, or whether she is “bestowing gifts upon it”.

Geadi highlights resolution’s GSI amendment

Elam’s Geadis Geadi, meanwhile, called for a new pact which “must serve as an essential tool for cooperation, focusing on energy security, electrical interconnections, addressing illegal migration and human smuggling, and combating terrorism and hybrid threats”.

“However, cooperation in the Mediterranean must be grounded in international law, rather than in unilateral claims or provocations,” he said.

At this point, he offered his thanks to “colleagues from across the political spectrum” who supported an amendment to the motion which, he said, “underscores the importance of European projects of common interest, such as the Great Sea Interconnector and the EastMed pipeline”.

He added that the amendment also “simultaneously condemned Turkish provocations which hinder their implementation”.

Then, he, too, offered a shot at Kallas, saying that “the Mediterranean cannot be allowed to fall victim to Turkish blackmail directed against European interests, and Ms Kallas, it is your responsibility to move from words to action”.

Two amendments on Cyprus to be tabled on Wednesday

The amendment to which he was referring is his own, which was co-signed by fellow Cypriot MEP Fidias Panayiotou, as well as high-profile right-wing Greek MEP Afroditi Latinopoulou, among others.

It states that the parliament “underlines the importance of EU projects of common interest, including the Great Sea Interconnector and the EastMed pipeline, for the EU’s energy security and autonomy and the diversification of its energy supplies”.

Additionally, it states that it “condemns Turkey’s interference in energy infrastructure projects in the eastern Mediterranean and calls for these projects to be able to proceed without obstruction”.

The amendment was one of two to be tabled which mention Cyprus, with Latinopoulou having tabled her own amendment, which was co-signed by Geadi.

It states that “Turkey’s ongoing provocations against Greece and Cyprus, including repeated violations of their sovereign rights in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean, its continued threat of a casus belli against Greece, the so-called Blue Homeland doctrine, and the continued occupation of part of the territory of an EU member state, fundamentally undermine regional stability and any credible Euro-Mediterranean cooperation”.

Georgiou calls for ‘different approach’ to Mediterranean

Akel’s Giorgos Georgiou, meanwhile, took a different angle in Tuesday’s debate, saying that “the Mediterranean is a region of immense potential, yet one marked by profound contradictions, wars, inequalities, the plight of refugees, and environmental threats”.

“A pact for the Mediterranean could represent a genuine opportunity for peace, cooperation, and shared prosperity, but not if it is treated merely as a tool to expand the European Union’s geopolitical influence, nor if security, militarisation, and the control of migration are prioritised over the needs of people,” he said.

He said that the European Parliament’s “The Left” grouping, on whose behalf he was speaking, has “advocated for a different approach … one centred on people, social justice, labour rights, and environmental approach”.

This approach, he said, “ensures the meaningful participation of societies, is backed by adequate funding, and respects both state sovereignty and international law”, before he pivoted to the matter of international politics.

“We cannot invoke international law while simultaneously accepting that it be selectively applied, as is the case regarding Cyprus and Palestine. The Mediterranean does not need new geopolitical rivalries, it needs solidarity, cooperation, dialogue, and peace. This is the Mediterranean we must strive to build,” he said.

Cyprus’ foreign ministry on Friday declared the maritime boundary agreement signed by the governments of Turkey and Libya to be both “illegal” and “null and void” after it was ratified by the Libyan parliament earlier in the day.

“The Republic of Cyprus’ foreign ministry condemns the Libyan parliament’s decision to approve the illegal Turkish-Libyan ‘memorandum of understanding’ of 2019. This ‘memorandum’ violates the sovereign rights of third states and is contrary to the recognised principles of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea,” it said.

It added that the agreement also violates “customary international law regarding the rights of islands in maritime zones, including the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf”.

“Therefore, the foreign ministry continues to consider the said ‘memorandum’ illegal, null and void, and that it does not produce, in any way, legal effects against third states,” it said.

The Libyan parliament’s spokesman Abdullah Bliheg had said earlier in the day that the legislature had “voted unanimously” to adopt the agreement, on a day on which Turkey’s national intelligence organisation (Mit)’s chief Ibrahim Kalin was in the country to meet Libya’s government of national unity’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dibeybe.

Turkey had signed an agreement with the Libyan government of national accord in 2019, but it had not until Tuesday been ratified by Libya’s legislature. The government of national unity superseded the government of national accord in 2021 and is now the sole internationally recognised government of Libya.

Turkey and Libya officially agree that their EEZs share a border

As a result of the agreement, Libya and Turkey agree that their respective exclusive economic zones share a border in the Mediterranean sea, and that that border is located southeast of the Greek island of Crete.

Greece, too, reacted furiously to the Libyan parliament’s approval of the deal, with the country’s foreign ministry that it “rejects” it and that the decision “does not change the illegal, null and void nature of the memorandum, which is contrary to the international law of the sea and violates the sovereign rights of the states of the region”.

“Geography and the international law of the sea do not change with unilateral, legally unfounded parliamentary decisions. Turkey and Libya do not have opposing or adjacent coasts which would provide a legal basis for the attempted delimitation of maritime zones,” it added.

It then said that the agreement “also disregards the Greek islands and their rights to maritime zones based on [the United Nations convention on the law of the sea] Unclos and customary international law”.

“Having already concluded maritime delimitation agreements with Egypt and Italy, in accordance with the international law of the sea, Greece has demonstrated its respect for international law and the sovereign rights of neighbouring states. We call on the Libyan side to refrain from any action which is contrary to international law and undermines stability in the eastern Mediterranean,” it said.

It added that it has “already informed its partners and allies” and that it will “take all appropriate action to safeguard its sovereign rights”.

Turkey is not an Unclos signatory, Libya signed but did not ratify

In this, the country’s Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis had earlier held a telephone call with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos shortly after the Libyan parliament voted on the matter.

While Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are signatories to Unclos, Turkey is not, and while Libya under its then leader Muammar Gadaffi signed the convention in 1984, no Libyan legislature ever ratified the signature.

Turkey’s belief is that the convention gives too much weight to islands, which it says should instead only be allowed 12 nautical miles of territorial waters as their own exclusive economic zone (EEZ), whereas Greece believes that its islands are entitled to full EEZs of their own.

As such, Turkey’s view is that its own EEZ stretches south to meet Libya’s EEZ, and as of Wednesday, Libya agrees, whereas Greece’s position is that Turkey and Libya do not share a maritime border because the sea in question belongs to Crete.

Given this to be the case, Turkey’s presidential press office director Burhanettin Duran described Tuesday’s vote as “an important advancement towards protecting the shared rights and interests of both nations in the eastern Mediterranean, establishing maritime jurisdiction areas on the basis of equity, and strengthening regional cooperation”.

“Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey will continue to safeguard its rights and interests within the Blue Homeland, while further developing its relations with friendly and brotherly Libya and promoting equitable resource sharing, peace, and stability in the eastern Mediterranean”.

Five years after its Cyprus debut, Quatuor Diotima returns to Nicosia on the occasion of its 30th anniversary. One of France’s most renowned string quartets, and one of the most sought-after chamber ensembles on the international stage today, heads to the capital city for a concert at The Shoe Factory.

On Friday, October 30, the quartet performs in Cyprus presenting an intense, searching and deeply expressive programme. Across the European chamber music scene, Diotima has captured a distinctive place, boasting a repertoire that ranges from the great masterpieces of the 19th century to the some of the most important music being written today.

Having performed at esteemed venues such as Wigmore Hall, Pierre Boulez Saal, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and Philharmonie de Paris and received critical distinctions, its musicians arrive in Cyprus. Yun-Peng Zhao and Léo Marillier on violin, Franck Chevalier on viola and Alexis Descharmes on cello have prepared a rich programme for October 30.

Masterpieces by Beethoven and Brahms will be paired with Georges Aperghis’ strikingly original String Quartet No.2, which was commissioned by Radio France and given its world premiere by Diotima at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées a few months ago.

Quaturo Diotima

French string quartet performs live. October 30. The Shoe Factory, Nicosia. Tel: 22-663871. www.pharosartsfoundation.org, www.soldoutticketbox.com

Cypriot member of the European Parliament Michalis Hadjipantela on Tuesday presented the parliament’s budget committee (Budg)’s plans for the European Union’s general budget for next year, which reverses all the cuts which had been made to it by the Council of the EU when it agreed its own position in July.

The budget foresees that the EU will make €194 billion worth of commitments and €203.3bn worth of actual payments over the course of the year, with the committee’s position therefore including more spending not only than the Council’s , but also than the European Commission’s position.

This is because the committee had voted to approve €1.17bn of extra spending next year compared to the commission’s position, including €260.5 million for the Connecting Europe facility, the EU’s funding instrument for infrastructure investment, and the instrument through which the EU offered grants for the Great Sea Interconnector.

Other increases include an extra €85m for the European agriculture guarantee fund, through which the EU pays farmers directly, and a €20m increase for support for young farmers.

Additionally, increases in funding amounting to €140m have been granted for the EU’s neighbourhood policy, through which the EU offers funding and partnerships for countries in eastern Europe and north Africa.

Hadjipantela, who belongs to Disy, said of his plans that “at a time when the European Union faces growing security challenges, we must ensure that our institutions possess he necessary means to carry out their mission effectively and independently”.

‘European taxpayers expect us to manage public funds responsibly’

“Let me be clear: budgetary discipline is non-negotiable. European taxpayers expect us to manage public funds responsibly and to remain efficient, while avoiding unnecessary expenditure,” he said.

On this front, he said that “all institutions must identify opportunities for savings and improve the way they operate”, and that the European Parliament itself “is called upon to continue improving how it manages and spends its budget”.

However, he stressed, “efficiency cannot simply mean making cuts without regard for the responsibilities which our institutions are required to fulfil”.

“We must avoid a situation where cuts create operational problems or, worse still, lead to higher costs in the future. The goal is to strike the right balance,” he said.

He stressed that the Budg committee’s position “has focused on specific, well-substantiated operational needs”, and stressed that “we have advocated for retaining essential resources where justified while maintaining a disciplined and proportionate approach to expenditure”.

To this end, he said that the EU’s various institutions “have already made significant efforts to improve their efficiency and save resources”, and hat “these efforts must continue, and should be accompanied by a realistic assessment of the tasks and obligations incumbent upon each institution”.

MEPs to vote on Wednesday

His co-rapporteur, Latvia’s Nils Usakovs, meanwhile, said that the committee had “put partisan politics aside and adopted a focused budgetary resolution … in order to shore up parliament’s unity for the negotiations to come”.

“Parliament proposes to restore all Council cuts – €1bn in commitments and over €500m in payments, and add €1.17bn to the draft budget. Behind every budget line we vote on tomorrow are real people and their needs,” he said.

MEPs will vote on the parliament’s position on Wednesday. If they approve the position set out by Hadjipantela and Usakovs, the “conciliation committee” of the parliament and the Council will convene on November 3 with the aim of reaching a compromise by November 16.

Should a provisional agreement be reached by that date, the joint text will then be voted on both at the Council and at the parliament for final approval.

Prince Harry has said he hoped to reconcile with King Charles and the rest of his family with whom he fell out when he moved to the United States six years ago.

Harry, 42, the king’s younger son, caused a huge rupture in the British royal family when he and his wife Meghan quit royal duties and moved to California in 2020 from where they were highly critical of the institution.

He has barely spoken to his older brother, heir Prince William, for years, and his family has only recently met up again with his father. In an interview with GQ magazine, Harry, who recently relocated back to Britain with Meghan and their two children, said he wanted to patch things up.

‘MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO RECONCILE’

“With everything else that’s going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile,” he told GQ.

He said he could understand the fascination with his family’s situation as people could relate to it.

“There’s sibling disagreements, there’s broken relationships between kids and their parents, kids and one parent,” he said.

Some people might be inspired by efforts to reconcile and this could help their own relationships.

“And some people don’t want it to work out. I want it to work out,” he added.

Harry’s spokesperson said those latter comments were not meant as a swipe at William or any other family members.

Harry, the Duke of Sussex, went on to tell GQ that while “scars stick around forever”, he wanted to encourage everybody to let go of the past.

“For me, there’s enough drama in the world and enough drama in people’s lives than to continue with issues with family,” he said. “It’s not worth it.”

HARRY SAYS CHILDREN ‘LOVING’ UK SCHOOL

In the lengthy interview, Harry also discussed themes he has previously talked about, such as the impact of losing his mother Princess Diana when he was 12 and his mental health struggles.

But he also talked about why he had returned to Britain, saying that being able to put his children in a British school “has meant a lot to me”.

“I didn’t know how important it was to me. I always thought it was going to be something that we would try and do, but now they’ve been in school for two weeks. They’re loving it and it’s just giving them a whole different experience.”

He also said he hoped that his fraught relationship with the British press, which partly led to him leaving in the first place and has led to a number of lawsuits against newspaper groups, would now be better.

“My hope is that it will change,” he said. “There have been some battles that have been fought, necessarily so. But hopefully we can all draw a line under that.

“As with everything else that’s going on in the world, there’s aspects of the past that I’m sure all of us, me, my family, some of the British press, that we’d all like to leave behind us and work for the greater good.”

Larnaca municipality is using drones to enhance mosquito controls, enabling precise spraying in areas difficult to access with traditional methods, officials said on Tuesday.

The public health service conducted a targeted aerial spraying operation at a site identified as a potential mosquitoes breeding ground on Friday.

The municipality intends to persist with this technology, targeting other hard-to-reach locations within Larnaca and its districts that need similar measures.

The use of drones is expected to strengthen efforts to control mosquitoes populations, including the Aedes aegypti species.

The municipality said it was focusing on prevention, early intervention and systematic monitoring.

Drones have already been used in Nicosia for fighting mosquitoes.

Cyprus promoted its business environment and opportunities in financial technology at an international blockchain summit held in Washington and New York between September 29 and October 2, with government representatives taking part in discussions on digital assets, regulation and cross-border innovation.

The Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry represented the Republic of Cyprus through its New York Trade Centre at the summit, entitled The Future of Money, Governance, and the Law 2026.

The event was organised by the international non-profit Government Blockchain Association and brought together senior policymakers, business leaders, investors and technology specialists.

Discussions focused on the implications of artificial intelligence, blockchain and quantum computing for international governance and financial infrastructure, alongside regulatory frameworks and digital assets.

During the summit, the New York Trade Centre operated an information stand to present Cyprus as a European business hub and outline its prospects in innovation and financial technology, commonly known as fintech.

Visitors were also briefed on the island’s business and regulatory environment and the advantages available to companies operating from Cyprus through its membership of the European Union’s single market.

Cyprus’ Trade Counsellor in New York, Aristos Constantinou, also took part in a round-table discussion at the US Capitol alongside American officials and industry figures.

Participants included Charles Hoskinson, co-founder of Ethereum and founder of Cardano, with discussions focusing on regulation, digital sovereignty and cross-border innovation.

The summit concluded on October 2 with a forum at the United Nations headquarters in New York, examining the impact of emerging technologies on financial systems.

Constantinou participated as a panellist alongside Michael Terpin, a digital assets entrepreneur and investor, and Anthony Howell, director and representative of the government of Bermuda in Washington.

The discussion, which examined international cooperation on the regulatory oversight of digital assets, was moderated by Heather Leigh Flannery, co-founder and chair of the board of Blockchain in Healthcare Global.

The ministry said Cyprus’ participation formed part of its efforts to strengthen the international reach of Cypriot service providers and promote the island as an international business centre.

The initiative also sought to highlight Cyprus’ growth prospects in the digital economy and emerging technologies, the ministry added.

A second arrest was made on Tuesday over the kidnapping and assault of a 24-year-old Turkish Cypriot man in Limassol, police said.

The arrested man is 45, with the police already having arrested a 30-year-old man early on Tuesday morning, while the police said that the two, as well as a third individual who is wanted, are Greek Cypriots.

According to police, the victim had said that at around 7pm on Friday, while he was in a park, three people approached him, and that following an argument, they had asked that he get into their car.

He said he was then taken to an unknown rural location, where he was stabbed in the right leg.

The three perpetrators then fled, while the victim was found by a passerby, who took him to the Limassol general hospital.

On Monday, Limassol police deputy operations chief Lefteris Kyriacou said that the perpetrators kidnapped the victim, and then “hit him and injured him with a knife”, as “they believed him to be a suspect regarding recent cases of dog thefts”.

He later added that the police are investigating “a case of kidnap and causing grievous bodily harm”, and that “developments are expected in the coming period”.

The police’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.

Investment firm Demetra Holdings Plc purchased 5,140 of its own shares on October 19, 2026, as part of an ongoing share buyback programme, according to an official announcement published on Tuesday.

The company acquired the shares at a price of €1.355 per share, bringing the total value of the transaction to approximately €6,964.70.

The buyback transaction was executed through the Cyprus Investment & Securities Corporation Limited (CISCO) on the Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE).

The purchase was carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations of the CSE and the circulars of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

Finally, the transaction follows the authorisation granted by the company’s shareholders during the annual general meeting held on June 30, 2026.

Cyprus has ranked among the European Union’s two fastest-growing economies for three consecutive years, according to revised national accounts figures released on Tuesday, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Tuesday.

The revised data show economic growth of 6 per cent in 2023, up from the previous estimate of 3.6 per cent, while growth for 2024 was revised upwards from 3.9 per cent to 6.6 per cent.

For 2025, the growth rate was revised from 3.8 per cent to 4.8 per cent, placing Cyprus second among the EU’s 27 member states, according to the government.

By comparison, the EU economy grew by 1.4 per cent in 2025 and the eurozone by 1.2 per cent, meaning Cyprus expanded at more than three times the EU average.

Letymbiotis said Cyprus ranked first in the EU in 2024 and second in both 2023 and 2025, despite successive international economic and geopolitical challenges.

He attributed the performance to an expanding productive base, increased investment, the attraction of new business activities and continued confidence among international investors.

“These developments highlight the resilience, dynamism and significant prospects of our economy,” he said in a written statement.

The spokesman added that stronger economic growth had improved the country’s fiscal position, strengthened public debt indicators and increased the government’s capacity to support society.

He also pointed to a 15 per cent increase in median earnings, arguing that the benefits of economic growth were being reflected in household incomes and employment opportunities.

“The real value of growth is to create more wealth, better wages, greater economic security and more opportunities for citizens,” he said.

Letymbiotis said the government intended to use the economy’s performance to strengthen disposable incomes, support families, reinforce the welfare state and improve opportunities for younger generations.

“Our goal is to turn this momentum into even greater progress and prosperity for society as a whole,” he said, adding that the government would continue pursuing its economic objectives through fiscal responsibility and long-term planning.

The European Union and China have called for greater stability in international shipping, with greener maritime transport, container markets and supply chain resilience dominating discussions in Shanghai, as Cyprus steps up efforts to strengthen its shipping relations with Beijing. 

The discussions took place on Monday, October 19, during the 19th implementation meeting of the EU-China Maritime Transport Agreement, according to a joint statement published by the European Commission.

Representatives from both sides examined developments affecting international maritime transport, particularly the challenges facing container shipping and the need to maintain reliable trade connections between Europe and China. 

The talks also covered green shipping, international maritime policies and the smooth functioning of supply chains, with both sides recognising the importance of stable and predictable conditions for shipping companies and international trade. 

Leading the European delegation was Fotini Ioannidou, director for waterborne transport at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, while China was represented by Yang Huaxiong, director-general of the Water Transport Bureau at the country’s Ministry of Transport. 

Representatives of EU member states, Chinese authorities and the maritime industry also participated. 

For Cyprus, the discussions come as Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis continues her 16-day Asian visit from October 14 to 29, covering Japan, China and South Korea, with the aim of strengthening maritime cooperation and attracting new business to the Cyprus shipping register. 

Having completed a series of meetings in Japan, Hadjimanolis has already held shipping discussions in Shanghai with Chinese officials and industry representatives, while her programme also includes the North Bund International Shipping Forum on October 20 – 21 and the 10th Capital Link International Shipping Forum on October 20. 

Her visit will also take her to Zhoushan for the naming ceremony of Safe Bulkers’ M/V Kypros Island, an 81,200-deadweight-tonne methanol dual-fuel bulk carrier, launched in June and scheduled for delivery at the end of October under the Cyprus flag. 

Meanwhile, the visit builds on September discussions between Hadjimanolis and Chinese ambassador Yang Yundong, during which the two sides examined maritime education, seafarers’ welfare and closer cooperation within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). 

According to the Chinese embassy, Beijing also expressed an interest in strengthening coordination with Cyprus through the IMO, particularly on matters affecting international shipping. 

Beyond the bilateral relationship, the Shanghai meeting comes as Europe seeks to reduce its dependence on third-country maritime technologies and manufacturing while maintaining access to global shipping markets. 

Earlier this year, the European Commission introduced its EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, designed to strengthen European shipbuilding, encourage investment in cleaner technologies and improve the resilience of maritime supply chains. 

The Council subsequently endorsed the strategy’s priorities in June, during Cyprus’ presidency of the EU Council, highlighting the need to protect Europe’s competitiveness while accelerating shipping’s environmental transition. 

However, the green transition remains a considerable challenge for shipowners, particularly as international negotiations over a global framework for reducing shipping emissions have yet to produce a final agreement. 

The IMO postponed adoption of its proposed net-zero framework in 2025, with further negotiations scheduled for late November and early December 2026. The proposed measures include a global marine fuel standard and a mechanism for pricing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Meanwhile, the wider economic relationship between Brussels and Beijing remains under pressure. The EU’s goods trade deficit with China reached €360 billion in 2025, prompting European leaders to examine additional measures to address trade imbalances and reduce dependence on Chinese imports. 

The maritime agreement provides an established channel for cooperation. Originally signed in 2002 and entering into force in 2008, it is intended to improve conditions for maritime cargo transport, including access to ports, shipping services and commercial operations. 

Cyprus was among the EU member states incorporated into the agreement through a protocol signed in 2005, following the Union’s enlargement the previous year. 

Containing fuel prices rather than achieving major decreases is the government’s current policy, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said on Tuesday.

Speaking to media on the sidelines of an event marking European Statistics Day, Keravnos commented on the latest relief package to tackle the rising cost of living and on whether the government plans additional measures.

He said authorities are monitoring the support measures announced, adding that a first assessment by the Consumer Protection Service shows a 5 per cent drop in the prices of some essential items.

But asked whether still climbing energy prices have already neutralised the effect of the relief measures, Keravnos said that under the circumstances one should not expect significant decreases.

He said Cyprus finds itself in the middle of four wars – he did not specify – which have created “a huge global energy crisis”.

The effort should be to “contain prices and not expect sharp reductions”, he added.

The government has already cut tax rates to the minimum allowed under EU rules, and has asked for an exception in order to be able to lower taxes further.

But securing such an exception is not an easy process, Keravnos said, alluding to recent discussions at a summit of EU leaders.

Cyprus to raise issue with EU finance minister

The minister said Cyprus would raise the issue again at the next meeting of EU finance ministers scheduled in about two weeks’ time.

“There needs to be a certain flexibility in implementing EU fiscal governance rules, because we cannot design a monolithic policy that doesn’t factor in current circumstances, especially those we are experiencing today.”

Turning back to the latest relief package in Cyprus, Keravnos said some of the measures are already being implemented, while others still require the nod from parliament.

The reduced excise duty on heating oil is one such measure requiring a vote in the House plenary.

Once all the measures kick in, the government would do a follow-up assessment of their impact.

“I think we’re on the right track, in terms of what we are able to do and within the context of EU fiscal governance rules.”

The European Commission has rejected calls from member states like Italy and Greece to loosen the EU’s fiscal rules further to cushion the energy price crisis.

High prices lead to tax collection boost

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni argues that governments are collecting more tax revenue because prices are higher, but EU fiscal rules make it difficult to recycle that windfall into temporary energy support.

Higher inflation automatically increases indirect tax receipts such as VAT, but using that additional revenue to finance measures that reduce energy costs can count as discretionary fiscal action and run into limits imposed by agreed national spending paths, Meloni noted.

The EU’s reformed economic and fiscal governance framework entered into force in April 2024, overhauling the Stability and Growth Pact to balance debt sustainability with public investment.

One of its key constraints relates to keeping a government deficit limit under 3 per cent of GDP and public debt under 60 per cent of GDP.

Earlier this month, the Cyprus Consumers Association estimated that fuel price increases cost households and businesses an additional €23 million between March and August.

Local communities need to identify and prioritise their infrastructure needs to accelerate development projects and make better use of available funding, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said in remarks released on Tuesday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the first phase of the redevelopment of Choirokitia’s community square, a project costing €1.2 million, Ioannou reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upgrading rural communities while preserving their character and addressing residents’ needs.

Referring to President Nikos Christodoulides’ recent announcement on preparing community development projects for implementation, the minister urged local authorities to assess their infrastructure requirements, establish priorities and prepare the necessary studies and plans.

He said the Larnaca district administration would support communities in this process, with the aim of ensuring that each has a clear development strategy and projects ready to proceed.

Ioannou said the Choirokitia redevelopment formed part of a broader government effort to revitalise rural areas through investments aimed at improving quality of life, strengthening social cohesion and creating opportunities for growth.

He pointed to several projects in the wider Vasilikos-Pentashoinos area, including redevelopment works in Maroni and Zygi, improvements in Tochni, a nature trail leading to the Tenta archaeological site in Kalavasos, and new cultural, sporting and community facilities in Psematismenos.

Other projects being promoted include the Tochni-Choirokitia sports ground, a regional sports centre and a multipurpose facility for elderly care and childcare.

The minister stressed that cooperation between neighbouring communities and central government was essential to developing infrastructure that could serve a wider population.

“Our goal is to make effective use of all available national and European funding instruments to respond to the real needs of local communities,” he said.

Ioannou also highlighted the importance of housing policies in encouraging young people and families to remain in or return to rural areas.

He referred to two recently announced housing schemes, the first allowing families in communities with available state land to acquire plots at 25 per cent of their general assessed value.

The second provides for the construction of an additional home within an existing residential property to accommodate members of the same family.

The minister said these initiatives were intended to link housing policy with balanced regional development and rural revitalisation, creating new opportunities for families and local communities.