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1891. Ferry link hopes end with a whimper

Shipping transport companies remained unconvinced over Cyprus’ effort to revive and subsidize a ferry link with Greece, with the government going back to the drawing board after no bidders came forward by Friday’s deadline...

1892. President lashes out at critics

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades in a televised address on Thursday rejected allegations of corruption within his office and administration, accusing the opposition and media of singling out his former law firm for being involved with golden passports and appealing on the political parties’ patriotism to support a new strategic plan to fight corruption...

1893. Policy priorities unaffected by pandemic, FinMin says

Despite the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic Cyprus’ economic policies remain the same, targeting macroeconomic and financial stability, prudent fiscal policies, and establishing a competitive, business-friendly regulatory environment of high standards, Minister of Finance Constantinos Petrides said on Thursday....

1894. Greece and Turkey resume exploratory talks

Exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey are set to resume in Istanbul, with Ankara trying to gain an upper hand over the agenda and Athens appearing to have low expectations citing disagreement on both sides on what to discuss...

1895. Report shows Limassol takes lead in new cases detected

A fresh national surveillance report monitoring the development of the coronavirus pandemic showed that the majority of cases detected over the two week period spanning from January 6-19 involved Limassol residents....

1896. Dueling small parties help pass budget

The House in the Republic of Cyprus approved a revision of the government’s 2021 state budget on Thursday, following a month of consultations between the administration and small opposition parties that offered additional amendments to the bill...

1897. Rampant spread contained but Cyprus still in red zone

Despite indications that the rampant spread of the virus has been contained, Cyprus remains in the red zone, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said Thursday....

1898. Greek MPs approve extension of Ionian Sea territorial waters

With 284 votes in favor and 16 “present,” lawmakers approved legislation on Wednesday to extend Greece’s territorial waters along its western coastline from six to 12 nautical miles....

1899. Asylum seeker held at Menoyia loses appeal

A man from Sri Lanka, who is being detained at Menoyia for over a year, has lost his appeal at the Supreme Court, which ruled the interior ministry had legal grounds to keep him in prolonged custody because of legal steps taken by the applicant himself...

1900. Biden rolls back Trump policies on Day One

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday began signing 15 executive actions addressing the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and racial inequality, and undoing some policies put in place by his predecessor Donald Trump...

1901. President Biden urges Americans to turn page

Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in as president of the United States on Wednesday, vowing to end the ‘uncivil war’ in a deeply divided country reeling from a battered economy and a raging coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 Americans...

1902. Military man detained over 5G bomb attack

A private soldier was arrested on Tuesday in connection with an explosion outside a CYTA branch in Limassol last month, with police investigators estimating at least five people were involved in the anti-5G attack...

1903. Cold front ready to show teeth in Cyprus

Weather officials in Cyprus have issued a yellow warning for Monday afternoon through Tuesday early morning, citing a cold front affecting the island and bringing along high winds, cold temperatures, and dumping rain throughout the early part of the week...

1904. Inoculated president sets tone for country

1905. Greek convict facing extradition skips court

Cypriot police are searching for a man free on bail, who is wanted by Greek authorities to serve the remainder of a long prison sentence, after he failed to attend a court hearing in Limassol...

1906. Smoothening the cliff edge in EU-UK relations

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the United Kingdom and the European Union came into effect on January 1, 2021, capping a tumultuous four-and-a-half-year period since the shocking result of the July 2016 Brexit referendum, in which 51.9% of the British voters voted in favor of leaving the EU. Subject to the delayed assent of the European Parliament, this UK-EU free trade agreement (FTA) extends zero-tariff and quota-free trade in goods between the two economic areas....

1907. Top editor quits over Anastasiades claim

A renowned journalist and editor-in-chief at Kathimerini Cyprus has resigned his post amid backlash from a piece he wrote on Sunday, where he claimed Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades let slip information that he had been flying millions generated from golden passports to the Seychelles on private flights...

1908. Legal blocking tests abroad in soldier's death

The clock is ticking for the family of a dead soldier, whose official manner of death in 2005 as suicide is being disputed, with the Legal department refusing to consent to any exhumed remains being sent abroad for specialized testing...

1909. Violent brawl breaks out at Pournara

A large-scale violent confrontation between groups of asylum seekers erupted at Pournara camp on Monday night, with police calling for backup and two dozen ending up in the Emergency Room...

1910. Five-party meeting within eyeshot

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute on Monday got both leaders of divided Cyprus to commit to the possibility of informal talks as early as next month, with local media on both sides noting the lack of an official statement from the global organization...

1911. Ledra substation up and running in old Nicosia

A police substation is back up and running 24 hours a day in downtown Nicosia, with officials hoping not only to promote a sense of security in the old city but also carry out inspections to ensure compliance with the latest emergency health laws...

1912. UN envoy rolls the dice on Cyprus

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute is meeting separately with the leaders of divided Cyprus on Monday, in an effort by the global organization to gauge possible outcomes before committing to informal talks on the decades-long problem...

1913. Cabinet locked into partial lockdown

A partial lockdown is expected to go into effect in the Republic of Cyprus some time after Friday, when the President’s Cabinet will decide on new measures to fight further spread of the coronavirus through the end of the month...

1914. Officials in the dark over mutation spread

Health officials in the Republic of Cyprus say the new strain of coronavirus, found initially in the UK and confirmed on the island last week, has spread in the community but an accurate picture of the problem remained unclear due to only a very small sample size being tested...

1915. Cyprus holds turned thumb over lockdown

Cyprus’ lockdown stance continued to remain unclear following a special meeting between experts and the health minister, with the government hinting thumbs down for a new lockdown citing economic reasons but also thumbs up for stricter measures after hospitalizations reached dangerous levels...

1916. Lockdown stance not clear in Cyprus

The number of hospitalized patients being treated for COVID-19 in the Republic of Cyprus has reached dangerous levels, with experts and government officials under criticism for lack of decisive action during the holidays...

1917. Cyprus confirms highly contagious strain

Health officials in the Republic of Cyprus have confirmed a new strain of the coronavirus found in the UK late last year has also been found on the island, with experts saying the new variant has a much higher infection rate...

1918. Quarantine hairstylist says he broke no laws

A hairstylist who tested positive for COVID-19 and suffered the wrath of the press after police cited him for violating health protocols says he did not break any laws, with police urging the public to remain vigilant in the fight against the spread of the virus...

1919. Dherynia rioter gets suspended sentence

A local judge in Famagusta handed down a 90-day suspended sentence to a man who pleaded guilty to rioting charges in connection with an incident at Dherynia checkpoint, while eight others await trial after pleading not guilty...

1920. Kalogerou probe fails to impress opposition

The chair of the ad hoc committee that looked into allegations of wrongdoing last year as Cyprus’ golden passports scandal was unfolding defended the choice to go after high profile cases, following criticism from opposition parties that say the focus was too narrow...