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211. A timeline of the coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus

The coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus, which kicked off mildly at first with double-digit daily new cases before the second wave sent the island into unprecedented terrain with hundreds of daily new cases and the healthcare system ready to give in at any given time, can be generally divided into four stages. ...

212. Cabinet narrowly waters down measures

The President’s Cabinet has decided to extend measures throughout the winter holidays with only slight deviations on special days, noting recent developments did not allow a further lift of restrictions aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus...

213. Bishop vows to keep churches open

The Bishop of Morphou says he will keep churches in his diocese open to the public, contrary to the latest government measures, with the Metropolitan adding he is ready to face trial in a court of law...

214. Bishop apologises over reporter incident

Bishop Nikiforos of Kykkos, who told a reporter to “shut up” on Wednesday as cameras were rolling, has issued an apology, saying he regretted his behaviour, with the incident revealing tensions remain high over the Ukrainian issue...

215. Al Jazeera turns attention to Jho Low

Cypriot-naturalized citizen Jho Low, the Malaysian fugitive financier whose golden passports came under scrutiny last year, was back in the news this week after Al Jazeera published a video with actual voice recordings of 'the biggest fish' seeking a way out of the 1MDB colossal scandal...

216. Passport revocation inquiries move forward

Cypriot authorities have identified seven individuals or foreign investors who could potentially be stripped of their Cypriot citizenship, after an internal probe pointed to forged documents or misleading information during the golden passport application process...

217. Greek President stresses solidarity with Cyprus

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Monday underlined the unity and solidarity between Greece and Cyprus in the face of Turkish provocations during a two-day official visit to Nicosia....

218. Greek president visits Cyprus

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou is on an official visit to the Republic of Cyprus over the next few days, following an invitation by Nicosia and just days after her recent visit to Kastellorizo that raised eyebrows in Ankara...

219. Education ministry launches disciplinary probe against artist-headmaster

The health ministry announced on Wednesday that it will be launching a disciplinary investigation against a public school headmaster, whose artwork, which he uploaded onto his personal Facebook profile, came to the attention of local social media users in recent days, drawing mixed reactions....

220. Church bells toll for Hagia Sophia

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos has ordered church bells across the island to ring on Friday, marking what he described as a “criminal conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque"...

221. Wailing sirens mark 1974 coup in Cyprus

Emergency sirens sounded all over the island of Cyprus on Wednesday morning, marking the anniversary of the military coup of 1974...

222. Harsh words for Turkey from archbishop

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos has slammed Turkey over the country’s decision to allow Hagia Sophia to revert from museum back to mosque status, accusing Turks of having no respect for the civilized world...

223. Greek government unveils plan for easing restrictions

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday unveiled a long-awaited plan for the gradual lifting of restrictive measures imposed last month to curb the spread of the coronavirus. ...

224. Lockdown weighs heavily on Orthodox Christians during Easter

225. 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....

226. 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...

227. Morphou bishop defies church lockdown

Morphou Bishop Neophytos spoke out against decree orders on Palm Sunday, after accusing police officers of being “rude” and praised the Bulgarian government for keeping churches open...

228. 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. ...

229. Cyprus stays put beyond Easter

Church and state got behind scientists this week in the Republic of Cyprus, with the government extending measures beyond Easter to stop the spread of Covid-19 despite partial data suggesting a flattening of the curve...

230. Archbishop tells believers to shelter in place

Archbishop Chrysostomos has called on believers to stay home during Orthodox Easter, saying “if we truly love God, then our mission should be to put an end to this pandemic...

231. Cyprus mulls pushing back Easter celebrations

The President of the Republic of Cyprus is expected to call on the Archbishop to push back on Easter celebrations, as media sources say the government is likely to heed the advice of experts to extend coronavirus measures until the end of April...

232. Coronavirus measures under scrutiny

Health measures rolled out on the island were the topic of conversation on Wednesday morning, as more people who came in contact with a Nicosia-based infected doctor tested negative for the coronavirus...

233. Church services across the island suspended, President informs Archbishop

Church services are included in the list of public gatherings of over 75 people that are to be suspended as part of ramped-up coronavirus protection measures, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou confirmed on Tuesday....

234. Church plans for Kornesios House draw heat

Local controversy is growing over the Archbishop’s decision to turn a famous folk house museum in old Nicosia into a church museum for next year’s bicentennial celebrations of the Greek Revolution...

235. Cyprus President saddened over latest statements by Turkish FM

President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades said on Monday that he was saddened to hear about the latest statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, noting that “they convey in essence the message that the Turkish side is not returning to the negotiating table if the requirements it is putting forward are not met.”...

236. Jho Low may have multiple passports

Reports suggest that fugitive financier Jho Low may be travelling on foreign passports while Malaysian authorities suspect he may be hiding in the Middle East...

237. Financier's Cypriot passport rocks the boat

A well-known Malaysian financier wanted by authorities in several countries appears to have obtained a Cypriot passport following recommendations from Archbishop Chrysostomos who cited investment opportunities...

238. President heads to New York

President Anastasiades departs for New York via London on Saturday, 21 November, to take part in the deliberations of the UN General Assembly and address the plenary on Thursday. ...

239. House looks at state salaries for clergy

State salaries for the clergy are back in the news as a House finance committee is looking for ways to amend an outdated agreement with the Church dating back to 1971...

240. Russian church in the north under criticism

A Russian Orthodox Church in the north has come under criticism with the Archbishop accusing the local priest of recusancy and embassy officials reiterating Moscow’s respect to the autocephalous Church of Cyprus...