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2371. Turkey announces first coronavirus case

Turkey announced its first case of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, with “patient zero” testing positive after a trip to Europe following some 2000 suspected cases that all came out negative...

2372. Berlin to take up to 100 children from Greek refugee camps

Berlin will take in 80 to 100 children from Greek refugee camps, an official in the German capital said on Tuesday, as concern mounts about migrants amassing on the Turkish-Greek border....

2373. The north in turmoil after first coronavirus case

The north was hurled into turmoil on Tuesday after confirming its first coronavirus case, with authorities in the north moving to place hotels in lockdown, health services placing tens of persons in isolation, and the ‘government’ shutting primary and secondary schools until March 16, with universities in the north being the next possible target of intervention....

2374. First coronavirus case confirmed in the north

The third case of coronavirus was announced on the divided island of Cyprus, after a foreign visitor was confirmed with the coronavirus infection in the north...

2375. Cyprus preparing for influx of arrivals during Easter

Cyprus authorities are preparing for all possible scenarios in relation to the spread of coronavirus ahead of the Easter holidays next month, when more people are expected to travel. ...

2376. EU criticizes Turkey on migration as border clashes resume

Clashes between Greek riot police and migrants attempting to cross the border from Turkey erupted anew Friday as European Union foreign ministers took aim at what they called “Turkey’s use of migratory pressure for political purposes.” ...

2377. Cyprus Foreign Minister concludes first official visit to Skopje

Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides had by Wednesday night completed his round of talks in Skopje, where he held an official one-day visit to discuss a range of issues with his North Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov....

2378. FM in Skopje to discuss Cyprus, migration and East Med developments

The Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides was on an official visit to North Macedonia on Wednesday to discuss the Cyprus issue, developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, migration and bilateral relations. ...

2379. Cyprus says it cannot cope with migrant influx

The interior minister of the Republic of Cyprus says the island cannot host more “economic migrants” as another boatload of refugees arrived on Tuesday, clarifying that authorities would not send back those whose lives may be in danger...

2380. Turkish FM alleges three migrants killed trying to cross Greek border

A war of words between Ankara and Athens over the migrant crisis escalated on Tuesday when Turkey’s foreign minister said without providing evidence that Greek soldiers had killed three migrants attempting to enter the country, a claim denied by Greece....

2381. Boat carrying over 50 migrants spotted off Cape Greco

A boat carrying more than 50 migrants was spotted off the coast of Cape Greco, police announced on Tuesday....

2382. UN: EU needs to stop bickering, support Greece on refugees

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees on Tuesday urged European Union countries to give more resources and support to Greece as it faces a new wave of migrants and refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle East....

2383. Greek army, police dig in along Turkey border after migrant clashes

Greek troops and riot police remained on high alert on Tuesday along the land border between Greece and Turkey, the main flashpoint in an escalating row between the EU and Ankara over how to deal with a new wave of migrants and refugees....

2384. Cypriots wake up to a cloudless Green Monday

Cypriots were off to a great start in celebrating Green Monday, with sunshine and cloudless skies in the early part of the day and low to moderate winds...

2385. Guards use tear gas to disperse hundreds of migrants at Greek-Turkish border

Guards on Greece’s northeastern land border with Turkey made “deterrent use” of tear gas to disperse some 500 refugees and migrants trying to enter the country and the European Union after Ankara loosened controls on migrant flows....

2386. Greek islanders strike over new migrant camps, government says no alternative

Greek island residents went on strike for a second day on Thursday, stepping up protests against government plans for new migrant camps on five islands after violent clashes with police....

2387. Protesting islanders barge into Chios hotel, eight officers injured

Local residents in Chios, angered by the Greek Government's determination to go ahead with the creation of closed migrant centers on the islands, on Wednesday barged into a hotel near the construction site and attacked eight police officers who are staying there....

2388. French frigate 'Auvergne' joins Cypriot- French search and rescue drill

Cyprus and France held a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise on Tuesday off the coast of Cyprus, with the participation of SAR Units and personnel of the Republic of Cyprus and France. The French frigate 'Auvergne' also took part in the drill....

2389. Bulgaria wants in on EastMed energy cooperation

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Tuesday that his country wishes to cooperate within the framework of the trilateral mechanism among Cyprus, Greece, and Israel in the energy field, adding that Bulgaria is geographically a natural continuation of these three countries....

2390. Greek and French Defence Ministers declare united front

Greek and French Defence Ministers, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Florence Parly, denounced Turkey’s illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean during their meeting in Athens on Monday....

2391. France stands by Greece and Cyprus, says French Defense Minister

France will stand by Greece and Cyprus, supporting both in their disputes with Turkey over maritime zones in the Mediterranean, French Defence Minister Florence Parly was quoted saying in a Greek newspaper on Sunday....

2392. Greek PM meets with five EU leaders over bloc's budget

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks in Brussels on Friday with the leaders of Germany Angela Merkel, France Emmanuel Macron, Spain Pedro Sanchez, Italy Giuseppe Conte and Portugal Antonio Costa in a bid to break a deadlock in negotiations for the European Union’s 2021-2027 budget....

2393. Nicosia an extremely important partner in region, Norwegian FM says in Cyprus visit

Oslo views Cyprus as an extremely important partner in the region, due to its bridging role between Europe and the Near East, said Ine Soreide, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs....

2394. Pressed in Syria, Turkey ups the ante in the East Med

2395. Summit standoff as EU leaders grapple with Brexit-sized hole in budget

EU leaders made no headway on Thursday in fractious talks on a joint 2021-27 budget that was left with a 75 billion-euro (62.9 billion pounds) hole after Britain’s departure at a time when they face costly new challenges from climate change to migration....

2396. Hydrocarbon exploration in Cyprus EEZ on track, minister says

A French-Italian consortium between oil giants Total and ENI will start drilling in Block 6 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone on schedule in April despite an “escalation” in tension from Turkey, Cypriot Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis has said....

2397. Cavusoglu: Greece must be prepared to share in the East Med

Turkey is willing to reach a compromise with Greece as long as the latter is prepared to share in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday....

2398. New Brexit immigration system to favour high-skilled workers

Britain will prioritize access for high-skilled workers from around the world in its post-Brexit points-based immigration system, the government said on Tuesday, setting out its plans to put an end to a reliance on “cheap labor from Europe”....

2399. Greece, US hold live-fire drill after major base deal

At the foot of Mount Olympus, army aviation forces from Greece and the United States are taking part in a live-fire exercise with attack helicopters, marking deepening defense ties between the two countries....

2400. Erdogan says third Turkish drill ship to begin operations in 2020

Turkey has purchased its third offshore drilling ship which will arrive in Turkey next month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, adding that the ship will begin operations in 2020. ...