Lessons for Cyprus from Armenia
A lot has been written about the parliamentary election that took place here in Cyprus three weeks ago. I will not attempt to add to that as I have nothing ...
Articles
Searching for meaning in an absurd world
I had the chance to revisit my younger self the other day when I watched François Ozon’s adaptation of Albert Camus’ classic L’Étranger. The film – titled The ...
Does the truth matter anymore?
Last Sunday Arsenal played West Ham in the English Premier League. It was a hugely important game with Arsenal needing a win to lead the table two points ahead of ...
A tale of both porky and humble pies
Cyprus hosted the informal meeting of EU leaders on April 23–24, an event that proved a notable success for President Nikos Christodoulides. Such gatherings are usually forgettable affairs, serving mainly as ...
Who cares about the people?
In the past couple of weeks, we have witnessed the results in two European elections that will change the way the EU will be moving forward. In Hungary, the 16-year ...
Even the most self-aggrandising rulers can achieve peace
Events in the Gulf war continue to attract global attention, despite the ongoing preoccupation here in Cyprus with our own Sandy-gate saga.
President Trump has maintained a barrage of announcements, ...
A timely look at happiness
A couple of weeks ago, we had the joy of our granddaughter staying over for a few days. That Friday night, worrying about the escalating war, I sat watching her ...
A perfect storm is brewing of Trump’s own making
While the war in Iran shows no immediate signs of ending, the world’s attention rightly remains focused on developments in the Gulf. That, however, does not mean that time ...
Trump’s war may well come back to bite him
The events in Iran last week mark another milestone in the US presidency of Donald Trump. Once again, the pursuit of causes that appear on the surface to resonate with ...
Choices, choices: a dismal track record for Cyprus
At the time of writing, the first meeting of President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace has not yet concluded, so I cannot comment on its outcome. As I ...
The road ahead: philosopher king or money king
Last week’s column dealt with President Trump’s proposed Board of Peace and how it effectively formalised the split within the Western alliance. Cyprus has now found itself facing ...
Is Trump after ‘peace’ or a ‘piece’?
The “Board of Peace”, unveiled by Trump on his second day at the Davos conference last month – ironically after spending the first day trying to walk back his threats to ...
For Trump how much is enough?
Economists have long tried to tackle the question of how much is enough without reaching any conclusive answer. This, of course, is no different from many other questions confronting our ...
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 ...
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 ...
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, ...
Character matters for the survival of democracy
The above headline was the subtitle of my column of December 1, 2024. In it, I argued that Donald Trump was unfit for the role of President of the United States. Events ...
Trump’s new Monroe Doctrine
A lot has happened in the past month I have been away, and I was struck by how, on at least three fronts, issues I have previously explored in this ...
It’s time to see beyond the spreadsheets, Mr Keravnos
The Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) – the electricity link connecting Cyprus, Greece and eventually Israel – is reaching another critical milestone. Sadly, Cyprus risks repeating a familiar pattern where strategic national projects ...
The Nobel peace prize? Maybe next year, Don
If you are anything like me, the name of the person who won this year’s Nobel peace prize will not come automatically in your head. And no, it is ...
A sanction proof way to retain control over the Russian frozen funds
Let me begin by offering my apologies for today’s somewhat technical column. However, recently there has been increasing urgency in European circles about the need to utilise the Russian ...
Creeping towards a Gaza peace deal
At last, there is a glimmer of hope of reaching an end to the killing in Gaza. Following the UN General Assembly last week there has been an incredible amount ...
How the West lost America
For some time, I have been trying to understand how the West managed to lose its key champion: the United States. By “the West,” I mean the group of countries ...
‘Succession’ in play at the Federal Reserve
If you have been a fan of the hugely popular TV series Succession, then the Board machinations at the Federal Reserve will blow your mind. Control over the Board of ...