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1141. 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....

1142. Berlin ready to support Cyprus solution process

Berlin intends to be supportive if asked to do so by all parties involved in Cyprus settlement efforts, the Ambassador of Germany to Cyprus, Franz Josef Kremp, told the Cyprus News Agency....

1143. Global coronavirus cases top 10 million; deaths surge past 500,000

The world surpassed two sobering coronavirus milestones Sunday -- 500,000 confirmed deaths, 10 million confirmed cases -- and hit another high mark for daily new infections as governments that attempted reopenings continued to backtrack and warn that worse news could be yet to come....

1144. Borell to visit Cyprus, says island rightly complains about Turkey's activities

Greece and Cyprus have been rightly complaining about Turkey`s drilling activities near their coastlines, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borell said Monday, noting the EU27 are increasingly concerned about the increasing escalations from Turkey....

1145. Letter to UNSG denounces Turkey's violations of Cyprus' airspace, maritime zones

A letter dated May 28 sent by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Andreas Mavroyiannis to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that denounced Turkish violations of the island’s airspace and maritime zones was released on Thursday as an official document in the General Assembly of the UN Security Council....

1146. Cyprus cries foul over Turkey’s pick at UNGA

Cyprus and Armenia have sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General explaining the reasons why the two countries object to the election by silence procedure of Volkan Bozkir of Turkey as President of the UN General Assembly at its 75 session...

1147. The growing complications of the reopening of checkpoints

The discussion for the reopening of checkpoints will be anything but an easy feat, as in addition to the role played by the epidemiological situation, the matter is inevitably being politicized in view of ‘elections’ set to take place in the north, but also in light of the UNSG’s report expected around the end of June....

1148. UNSG calls on two sides to cooperate on pandemic, opening of crossings

The leaders on both sides of the Cyprus divide received a letter from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who called for cooperation in dealing with the pandemic and in lifting restrictions at crossings....

1149. North and south touch base on coronavirus

A bicommunal technical committee on health was set to convene on Wednesday to discuss the situation pertaining to the coronavirus outbreak across Cyprus, while it was not clear whether meeting would include discussion on re-opening checkpoints...

1150. Chloroquine hype begins to wane

More doubts over chloroquine emerged this week, with new studies pointing to high risks and a US top health official saying he was fired after being pressured to direct money towards the “game changer” drug...

1151. Boris Johnson in ICU as symptoms worsen

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fighting worsening coronavirus symptoms in an intensive care unit on Tuesday, leaving his foreign minister to lead the government’s response to the accelerating outbreak...

1152. Boris Johnson spends night in hospital

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was still in hospital on Monday suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms 10 days after testing positive for the virus, although Downing Street said he remained in charge of the government...

1153. Ward to treat suspected COVID-19 cases opens in Paphos General Hospital

A ward to deal exclusively with suspected coronavirus cases was placed in operation on Monday at the Paphos General Hospital....

1154. Trump declares coronavirus outbreak a national emergency

President Donald Trump said Friday he was declaring a national emergency -- "two very big words" -- to free up $50 billion in federal resources to combat coronavirus, part of a raft of new measures Trump hopes can bring a roiling health crisis under control....

1155. EU executive tells Turkey to take migrants back from Greek border

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said ahead of talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey must move refugees and migrants away from the Greek border....

1156. Christodoulides talks Turkish activity in EEZ, Varosha with UNSG

Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Geneva on Monday....

1157. 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....

1158. Shipping Deputy Minister calls for action to maintain competitiveness of European Shipping

Cyprus' Shipping Deputy Minister Natasa Pilides underlined "the need to maintain the competitiveness of European Shipping," during the debate on trade and competitiveness at a conference held within the framework of the European Maritime Week, in Brussels....

1159. Akinci brushes off Varosha talk as election gimmick, Anastasiades calls for bicommunal committee

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has suggested that Varosha, a southern suburb of Famagusta that has been fenced off and abandoned since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, is being used as an election gimmick, adding that he supports UN-backed efforts to reopen the ghost town....

1160. 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....

1161. UK 'deplores' Turkey's actions in Cyprus EEZ

The British Government’s position regarding the Cyprus issue and Turkey’s activity within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus does not change now that the UK has exited the European Union, the Minister for Europe Christopher Pincher said. ...

1162. Government welcomes support expressed in US Senate

The Government Spokesman Kyriakos Kousios welcomed on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus the US position that Turkey is the sole party contributing to rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, and not Greece or Cyprus....

1163. Israeli FM director-general in Athens for talks

Israel’s Foreign Ministry director-general Yuval Rotem will visit Athens Wednesday for talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and other officials, the Israeli embassy announced....

1164. WHO: Coronavirus officially named Covid-19

The World Health Organization says the official name for the disease caused by the new coronavirus will be Covid-2019....

1165. Cooperation required to fully reap energy rewards

1166. 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....

1167. Senior US energy official urges region's players to show restraint

Senior US energy official Francis Fannon currently holding a round of talks in Nicosia highlighted the importance of the partnership between Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the US, but urged all parties to refrain from provocative moves which may further destabilize the region....

1168. Government: Visit of US Energy official sends powerful messages

The arrival in Cyprus of senior US energy official Francis Fannon sends powerful political messages, Government spokesman Kyriakos Kousios said on Tuesday, noting that a new round of drilling in the Cyprus EEZ is expected end of March....

1169. Cyprus ready for five-party meeting, Anastasiades tells Lute

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades shared a phone call on Wednesday with UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute, expressing his readiness to take part in an informal five-party conference with the aim of reaching an agreement on the terms of reference that would allow the resumption of peace talks....

1170. EU vessels will no longer have automatic access to UK fishing waters

The automatic right of EU vessels to fish in British waters, in accordance with the EU’s common fisheries policy, is to be ended under the fisheries bill introduced to parliament on Wednesday....