Vasilopita/St. Basil’s pie is one of the most recognizable and beloved customs of the New Year. It is not merely a sweet bread, but a living bearer of history, faith, and cultural continuity, bridging Antiquity, Byzantium, and modern Greece, both within and beyond its borders.
The government is preparing to press the button for rapid creation of new housing without pouring new concrete, through an urban planning regulation that is set to reshape the real estate market. According to reports, the way is opening for the fast conversion of existing properties currently designated for non-residential use—such as offices, shops, old hotels, and commercial or tourist buildings—into residences, even in cases where existing Presidential Decrees or General Urban Plans do not allow it.
Cyprus’ political scene has been shaken since Thursday afternoon by the posting on X of a video showing former Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, the Director of the Office of President Christodoulides, Charalambos Charalambous, and the Director of the Cyfield Group, Giorgos Chrysokhos, speaking in a manner that suggests the Cypriot president’s team used cash for his election campaign, exceeding the legally prescribed limit of €1 million.