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2821. Lifting restrictions signal progress, but concerns high over relapse

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said Wednesday that with the island moving toward recovering from the coronavirus outbreak, the gradual lifting of measures set to begin next week is a testament of the progress being made, but it also a source of intense concern over a potential relapse....

2822. Exit roadmap foresees economy on recovery path by Q3 2020

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said Thursday that the government’s lockdown exit roadmap, aspects of which were presented by the President on Wednesday night, aims to see the island’s economy on the path of recovery by the fourth quarter of this year....

2823. Two youths arrested over soccer incident

Two young men were arrested on Wednesday in Limassol after police attempted to break up a futsal game, with the suspects being accused of physically and verbally assaulting the officers...

2824. Anti-vaxxer arrested over threats against expert

A local man in Nicosia was arrested on Wednesday after renowned virology professor Leondios Kostrikis told police he had received threatening voice messages...

2825. Cyprus announces 'timid first steps' in easing restrictions

In a televised national address on Wednesday night, President Nicos Anastasiades presented the detailed plan of the first two phases of Cyprus’ lockdown exit plan, with the first phase, which will see a timid resumption of the economy and a small loosening of restrictions on individual freedoms, set to begin on May 4....

2826. Cops bust door down in Paphos

Two foreign women in a Paphos apartment were arrested on Tuesday, after police officers broke down the door but failed to locate their initial suspect, who is thought by local media to have allegedly given cover to murder suspects...

2827. Efforts underway to allow courts to judge cases remotely

As the Justice Ministry scrambles to pave the way for a resumption of the complete operation of courts amid the strict restriction measures in place to tackle to coronavirus outbreak, Justice Minister Giorgos Savvides said Monday that efforts are underway to allow some hearings to take place via teleconference....

2828. Churchgoers of illegal service fiasco to face court

By Friday morning, police had managed to track down 14 of the churchgoers who had taken part in an illegal service at Ayios Georgios Spileon Monastery in Limassol’s Erimi village on Thursday, which soon turned into a fiasco as participants had locked themselves in rooms upon the sight of the police while some managed to escape....

2829. Cyprus extends flight ban again

Cyprus’ Cabinet has decided to extend a flight ban, which has been in place as part of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic....

2830. Health Minister hopes restrictions scrapped within three months

2831. Greece extends lockdown until May 4

Greece will extend measures taken to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the country by one week to May 4 from April 27, government spokesman Stelios Petsas announced Thursday....

2832. Police hold church stakeout after illicit service participants refuse to come out

Police have been staking out a church in the Limassol District’s Erimi village since 9am on Thursday after finding out that a church service attended by the public was taking place, but attendants are refusing to leave the church in fear of being booked....

2833. Cypriots told to 'mask up' this summer

The use of face masks is recommended but not required in the Republic of Cyprus, while Turkish Cypriots in the north are being told medical masks are mandatory during Ramadan...

2834. Lagarde draws line on how far ECB largesse can go

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde drew the line on how far the ECB could go in helping virus-stricken eurozone countries on Wednesday, saying lending to governments directly would be illegal and handing out cash to citizens difficult....

2835. Greece condemns Turkey’s drilling intentions in Cyprus’ EEZ

Greece on Tuesday condemned Turkey’s announced intention to continue drilling inside Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), saying it ignores calls by the international community to respect international law....

2836. Lockdown weighs heavily on Orthodox Christians during Easter

2837. Police seize scrap wood for Easter bonfires

Local crews in Nicosia’s Strovolos municipality have been busy removing scrap wood stashed away in abandoned buildings in an effort to crack down on illegal lambradjia bonfires on upcoming Holy Saturday...

2838. Experts urge the public to keep it up as Cyprus sees 20 new cases

Coronavirus cases in the Republic of Cyprus reached 735 on Thursday after 20 more tested positive from a bulk of 2,905 lab tests....

2839. President: mistakes, complacency over Easter will mean restrictions drag on

Addressing the nation anew on Thursday, President Nicos Anastasiades said that this weekend, which marks the Greek Orthodox Easter, will test the island’s population but stressed the need for absolute compliance with restriction measures so that it can remain feasible to begin a gradual lifting of the measures as soon as possible....

2840. 9 million masks arriving in the coming weeks

Some nine million masks will be arriving on the island within the coming weeks, the Health Ministry announced on Thursday....

2841. President to address nation Thursday evening

President Nicos Anastasiades will be addressing the nation anew on Thursday at 6.15pm....

2842. New decree allows repatriation of all legal residents

By Thursday, a sum of 9,282 students abroad who chose to remain put amid the coronavirus outbreak had received a €750 government benefit, as promised last month....

2843. Greece to move over 2,300 refugees to mainland after Easter

Greek authorities will begin the gradual transfer of 2,380 asylum seekers and their families from island camps to accommodation facilities on the mainland after Orthodox Easter (April 19), the country’s Migration Ministry said Thursday. ...

2844. Believers use side door to attend church

A video posted on YouTube Thursday morning showed Easter worshippers using a service door at a church in Latchia, despite access prohibited due to a lockdown during the pandemic...

2845. Coronavirus cases reach 595, death toll remains stable at 10

31 people were confirmed positive for the virus in the Republic on Friday after an additional 819 samples were processed in labs across Cyprus, raising total coronavirus cases to 595....

2846. Health expert estimates Cyprus may be free of virus by early May

Health expert Leondios Kostrikis estimated on Friday that judging by the progression of the island’s coronavirus curve, we should be free of the virus by early May, though the timeframe depends on the effectiveness of the measures taken, the public’s response, and the elimination of imported cases....

2847. Bill sparks kosher debate in Cyprus

Animal rights advocates are up in arms over a new government bill that would allow slaughterhouses in the Republic of Cyprus to incorporate kosher rituals, a procedure described by animal rights activists as inhumane...

2848. Boris Johnson in good spirits

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is out of intensive care as he continues to recover from a COVID-19 infection, but he remains under close observation in hospital...

2849. Woman dies of coronavirus, 38 new cases confirmed

A 78-year-old woman who had contracted the virus died on Thursday, when 38 more tested positive in the Republic of Cyprus, raising the total confirmed cases to 564....

2850. Easter church services to take place behind closed doors

Church services to mark the Orthodox Easter will take place behind closed doors, Archbishop Chrysostomos assured President Nicos Anastasiades in a meeting held at the Presidential Palace on Thursday. ...