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1681. Confirmed cases continue to rise, total reaches 14

The coronavirus outbreak continued to grow on the island on Friday after four additional coronavirus cases were confirmed, raising the total to 14 in government-controlled areas, while three new cases in the north raised the figure to five....

1682. UNFICYP urges cooperation in addressing coronavirus emergency

UNFICYP called on the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides to maintain communication and cooperation in addressing the coronavirus health emergency, and expressed its readiness to assist toward this end....

1683. Cyprus preparing for influx of arrivals during Easter

Cyprus authorities are preparing for all possible scenarios in relation to the spread of coronavirus ahead of the Easter holidays next month, when more people are expected to travel. ...

1684. No spectators at Tokyo 2020 Games torch lighting ceremony

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia will be the first in more 35 years to be held without spectators after organizers on Monday introduced tighter measures to protect against the coronavirus....

1685. Anastasiades dubs UNFICYP position 'unfortunate' intervention

President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday described the statement issued by UNFICYP as “unfortunate”, noting that such announcements go beyond its mission as a peacekeeping force....

1686. Checkpoint closures to be extended until Monday

The closure of four crossing points last Saturday, in what the Government said would be a one-week temporary precaution against coronavirus outbreak, will be extended until Monday, the National Council agreed on Thursday....

1687. Akinci tells UNFICYP head coronavirus has nothing to do with checkpoint closures

The Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met with UNFICYP head Elizabeth Spehar on Wednesday to discuss the move by the Greek Cypriot Government to shut four crossings along then UN-controlled Buffer Zone last week....

1688. Police presence to be boosted on roads to curb fatalities

The issue of serious and fatal road accidents was discussed on Wednesday in a broad meeting at the Presidential Palace, chaired by President Nicos Anastasiades, with the participation of all relevant Ministries and agencies....

1689. North to bar entry from 'high-risk' countries

The north will stop accepting people from countries deemed ‘high-risk’ due to the spread of coronavirus, the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Health agreed on Tuesday....

1690. EU Commission notified of checkpoint closures

The European Commission has been informed of the temporary closing of four checkpoints, and said it would continue monitoring the situation closely in order to ensure that each closure and health checks remain in accordance with the Green Line Regulation....

1691. Greece reports fourth COVID-19 case, Eurozone says 'ready to act'

As health authorities confirmed the fourth case of coronavirus in Greece on Friday, the Greek government pressed forward with its drive to contain its spread. ...

1692. Shutting checkpoints not part of the deal, Akinci says

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci said that unilateral actions by either community for coronavirus protection, such as the closing of checkpoints, had not been agreed upon by the two leaders during the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Health meeting they co-chaired earlier in February, but stressed there is no need for panic....

1693. Two die after hospital fire in north Nicosia, President Anastasiades offers help

A fire broke out at a hospital in north Nicosia, with reports pointing to at least two deaths after officials ordered the evacuation of an entire unit with heart patients...

1694. Interior Minister talks migration, Cyprus investment program with EU officials in Brussels

Interior Minister Nicos Nouris informed the EU Commission’s Vice-President Margaritis Schoinas on Cyprus’ needs and the issues the country faces in dealing with the increased flow of migrants, ahead of the presentation of relevant proposals by the Commission next month....

1695. Interior Minister in Brussels for meetings with European Commission on migration

Cyprus’ Minister of the Interior Nicos Nouris will be travelling to Brussels on Monday for a series of meetings with the senior leadership of the European Commission to discuss migration....

1696. Christodoulides talks Turkish activity in EEZ, Varosha with UNSG

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

1697. 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....

1698. Findings of probe into police mishandling of serial killer's victims delivered to Attorney-General

Findings of an independent investigation into police mishandling of reports of missing persons which later emerged as victims of the island’s first serial killer, Nicos Metaxas, were delivered to the Attorney-General on Thursday, though their publication is illegal, the lead investigator said....

1699. 85 UEFA red notices received by Cyprus police since 2011

Cyprus police have received a sum of 85 red notices from UEFA since 2011 over football match fixing suspicions, Chief of Police Kypros Michaelides told the House Ethics Committee, which convened to discuss the urgent matter of establishing a National Action Plan to combat corruption in sports....

1700. Turkish Cypriot ambulance rushes to Nicosia General

A Turkish Cypriot ambulance received police escort in the south on Wednesday, as it was transporting a patient in a medical emergency...

1701. Cyprus Econ Council begins work on future sustainable growth blueprint

The Cyprus Economy and Competitiveness Council (CECC) has announced the start of a project aiming to draft a blueprint on Cyprus’ future long term sustainable economic growth....

1702. CMP recovers remains of one person in Famagusta

The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) recovered the remains of one person in Famagusta on Friday....

1703. EDEK party shrinks as turmoil escalates over ousted MEP

After the dramatic ousting of MEP Demetris Papadakis from socialist party Edek on Monday, the party continued to shrink throughout the week with the resignation of ten party members by Friday....

1704. President says use of Saudi-businessman owned jet not a violation of Ethics Code

President Nicos Anastasiades acknowledged on Thursday that he could have avoided using a private jet belonging to a Saudi businessman for a family holiday in the Seychelles, but denied that he was in violation of the Ethics Code....

1705. 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....

1706. 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....

1707. Cyprus 'golden passports' scheme a laundering risk, says watchdog

A European money laundering watchdog has cautioned that a secretive investment-for-passports programme run by Cyprus was vulnerable to money laundering and fraught with risk...

1708. Tzitzikostas elected President of the European Committee of the Regions

Governor of Central Macedonia region Aspostolos Tzitzikostas has been elected President of the European Committee of the Regions....

1709. Cyprus' plan to strip citizenship stalls in legal vacuum

A legal technicality has led Cyprus to temporarily halt a process to strip citizenship from 26 individuals who benefitted from a secretive passports-for-investment scheme, lawmakers said on Monday....

1710. Cooperation required to fully reap energy rewards