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181. Divided Cyprus reacts to Hagia Sophia

Cyprus has weighed in on Turkey’s controversial decision to allow Muslim prayer inside Hagia Sophia, with different reactions across the divided island and amid reports of nuanced differences in President Erdogan's statements in two different languages...

182. Hagia Sophia mosque conversion verdict expected within 15 days, says report

A verdict on whether Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will be converted into a mosque is to be issued within 15 days, Turkey’s Daily Sabah reported Thursday....

183. Turkey says Macron suffers 'eclipse of the mind' over Libya

Turkey hit back on Tuesday at French criticism of its intervention in Libya, saying President Emmanuel Macron must have suffered an "eclipse of the mind" to oppose Ankara's support for the internationally recognised Tripoli government....

184. Hijab and kosher end up in report on Cyprus

A State Department report has called out Cyprus on matters of religious freedom, following a number of stories in the media including the right to wear hijab in school, kosher laws, and access to religious sites...

185. Deputy mayor draws back racist declaration

Limassol’s deputy mayor Nikos Sykas has issued a statement following widespread criticism over a post on Facebook when he self-identified as a racist...

186. Cyprus condemns vandalism at mosque

Limassol police are investigating an incident of vandalism at Koprulu mosque, after gasoline bombs were thrown at the building and graffiti found spray-painted on the outer fence...

187. French aircraft carrier in Cyprus Block 8

Amid rising tensions in the East Mediterranean, the flagship of the French Navy, aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, remains in Block 8 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, bearing a small fleet of Rafale fighter jets, helicopters, other aircraft and drones....

188. Turkey deploys extremists to Libya, local militias say

Syrian militants affiliated with groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group are currently being sent by Turkey to fight on behalf of the UN-supported government in Libya, according to two Libyan militia leaders and a Syrian war monitor....

189. France signals support for Greece

The participation of the Hellenic Navy in the carrier group that will escort the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on a part of its mission in the Eastern Mediterranean is seen as yet another indication of Athens’ desire to strengthen its ties with Paris. The government also sees the move as French support for Greece in light of the Turkish-Libyan maritime border accord....

190. Video walkthrough explains Iran plane crash

A chilling video published by The New York Times offers a step-by-step walkthrough of what happened before and after a Ukrainian airliner was brought down by an Iranian missile...

191. Iran says military shot down plane in error

Iran said on Saturday it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian plane killing all 176 people aboard and voiced its deep regret, after initially denying it brought down the aircraft in the tense aftermath of Iranian missile strikes on US targets in Iraq...

192. Iran attacks US air bases in revenge

Iran launched missile attacks on US-led forces in Iraq early on Wednesday in retaliation for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing last week raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East...

193. Iran escalation continues after midnight tweet

US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites “very hard” if Iran attacks Americans or US assets after a drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, as tens of thousands of people marched in Iraq to mourn their deaths...

194. US preemptive strike put to the test

The Trump administration on Friday justified its killing of a top Iranian general as an act of self-defense, trying to deflect accusations that it violated international law and concerns raised by legal experts and a senior UN rights investigator....

195. Turkey reacts to EU sanctions over Cyprus

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday the European Union’s decision to sanction Turkey over drilling off the coast of Cyprus could disrupt talks with the bloc, and he warned that Turkey could send captured Islamic State fighters to Europe...

196. Teachers in the north up in arms over hijab

Turkish Cypriot educators in the north are up in arms over the appointment of a teacher who showed up at her school wearing a hijab...

197. US forces take out ISIS leader

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is believed to have been killed in a US military operation in Syria, sources in the region said on Sunday and U.S. President Donald Trump was due to make a “major statement” at the White House...

198. Pence urges Erdogan to halt operation

US Vice President Mike Pence met President Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey on Thursday on a mission to persuade him to halt an offensive against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria, but Turkish officials said the action would continue regardless...

199. Last straw as Johnson heads to Brussels

European Union leaders’ two-day summit in Brussels starting on Thursday will be dominated by last-gasp efforts to seal a deal on Britain’s exit from the bloc despite a raft of other pressing issues, from the crisis in the Middle East to the bloc’s budget...

200. Syria moves troops to confront Turkey

The Syrian army will deploy along the length of the border with Turkey in an agreement with the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria to help repel a Turkish offensive, the Kurdish-led administration said on Sunday...

201. Trump hopes to mediate between Turkey and Kurds

US President Donald Trump has put three options on the table for US action following heavy criticism and worldwide condemnation of Turkey’s military offensive in Syria...

202. Cypriot president: Turkish offensive ‘unjustified’

President Nicos Anastasiades has described the Turkish military offensive in Syria as “unlawful and arbitrary"...

203. Turkey launches ground offensive in Syria

Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies have launched their military operation into northeastern Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, adding that the offensive aimed to eliminate a “terror corridor” along the southern Turkish border...

204. Pompeo opts for diplomacy over Cyprus EEZ

The new defense deal signed between Athens and Washington will contribute to Greece’s security, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Kathimerini in a recent interview, while staying firm on diplomatic efforts regarding Cyprus' EEZ...

205. Migration and geopolitics

The significant increase in the arrival of refugees and migrants recorded on Greece’s Aegean islands over the past few weeks is cause for concern as it indicates that Turkey is seeking to exploit the issue in order to remind the European Union of Ankara’s critical role in containing inflows. ...

206. Erdogan suffers defeat in Istanbul rerun

Turkey’s opposition has dealt President Tayyip Erdogan a stinging blow by winning control of Istanbul in a re-run mayoral election, breaking his aura of invincibility and delivering a message from voters unhappy over his policies...

207. Motive behind tanker attacks unclear

208. Don’t mess with the US Congress

209. Ahrweiler: History that teaches only one solution is a dangerous thing

210. 35th PSEKA Conference to take place in Washington on June 4-6