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1771. 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....

1772. Turkey deploys 1,000 police at Greek border to stem pushback of migrants

Turkey is deploying 1,000 special police forces along its border with Greece on Thursday to halt the pushback of migrants toward its territory, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, adding that 164 migrants had been wounded by Greek authorities....

1773. Greek forces use tear gas to repel migrants

Greek riot police and troops used water cannon and tear gas on Wednesday against hundreds of migrants as they made another attempt to cross the border from Turkey into Greece....

1774. EU interior ministers to pledge ‘all necessary measures’ to stop illegal crossings

EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels on Wednesday will pledge “all necessary measures” to prevent illegal crossings into the bloc’s external borders, according to a draft of their conclusions seen by Kathimerini, which also calls upon Turkey to abide by the terms of a 2016 deal to stem flows in the Aegean....

1775. Turkish FM alleges three migrants killed trying to cross Greek border

A war of words between Ankara and Athens over the migrant crisis escalated on Tuesday when Turkey’s foreign minister said without providing evidence that Greek soldiers had killed three migrants attempting to enter the country, a claim denied by Greece....

1776. Greek army, police dig in along Turkey border after migrant clashes

Greek troops and riot police remained on high alert on Tuesday along the land border between Greece and Turkey, the main flashpoint in an escalating row between the EU and Ankara over how to deal with a new wave of migrants and refugees....

1777. Guards use tear gas to disperse hundreds of migrants at Greek-Turkish border

Guards on Greece’s northeastern land border with Turkey made “deterrent use” of tear gas to disperse some 500 refugees and migrants trying to enter the country and the European Union after Ankara loosened controls on migrant flows....

1778. 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....

1779. President offers Troodos vacation residence for coronavirus quarantine

State-owned properties in Troodos, including parts of the Presidential summer dwellings, will be provided to host suspected coronavirus carriers in quarantine....

1780. 14 EU countries demand Syria govt, Russia return to 2018 ceasefire deal

Foreign ministers from 14 European countries, including France and Germany, demanded on Wednesday that Syrian government forces and their Russian backers end their offensive in Idlib province and return to the terms of a 2018 ceasefire deal....

1781. Mitsotakis: Turkey-Libya deal a ‘threat’ to states in the region

The agreement on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea signed between Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based government is in violation of international law and poses a threat to other states in the region, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said....

1782. 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....

1783. French frigate 'Auvergne' joins Cypriot- French search and rescue drill

Cyprus and France held a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise on Tuesday off the coast of Cyprus, with the participation of SAR Units and personnel of the Republic of Cyprus and France. The French frigate 'Auvergne' also took part in the drill....

1784. Greece confirms first coronavirus case

Greece reported its first coronavirus case on Wednesday in the northern port city of Thessaloniki....

1785. Cypriot ministers touch base on virus threat

The health minister says the Republic of Cyprus is prepared in case the coronavirus outbreak reaches pandemic levels, saying discussions on additional measures continues...

1786. France stands by Greece and Cyprus, says French Defense Minister

France will stand by Greece and Cyprus, supporting both in their disputes with Turkey over maritime zones in the Mediterranean, French Defence Minister Florence Parly was quoted saying in a Greek newspaper on Sunday....

1787. Wave of vehicle arson under investigation

A car bomb went off outside a residence at a village in Paphos, while a vehicle parked outside an apartment building went up in flames in Limassol...

1788. Cyprus Shipping Chamber backs EU Shipping Industry positions on EU Green Deal

The Cyprus Shipping Chamber expressed its fully supports the EU Shipping Industry’s positions on the EU Green Deal, noting that the shipping industry is fully committed to eradicating its GHG emissions completely as soon as possible in this century. ...

1789. 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....

1790. Cyprus and 8 EU countries object to new rules of mobility package on commercial vehicles

Implications of a new rule included in the EU mobility package currently under negotiation, whereby commercial vehicles, lorries, and trucks will be required to return to their licensing Member State every eight weeks, were raised on Wednesday by Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos and several of his counterparts to the Commission Vice President and Commissioner for Transport....

1791. Cyprus a central hub of European match-fixing network

An extensive and revealing report published in the Spanish news outfit El Confidencial identified Cyprus match-fixing as a central hub of European football corruption....

1792. Anti-aircraft systems activated in joint military exercise with France

French Rafale fighter jets put the capabilities of the Cyprus army’s anti-aircraft umbrella to the test during a joint military exercise on Monday....

1793. Teen girl hospitalized after night on the town

A thirteen-year-old girl was taken to hospital by her father after she consumed alcohol and had a firecracker accident at a public park in Limassol...

1794. 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....

1795. Israeli investment announced for Larnaca port

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos hinted at a deal with Israeli investors, saying they are ready to throw 1 billion at Larnaca’s port project...

1796. Greece to speed up creation of migrant holding centers to ease tension

Greece plans to accelerate the creation of detention centers on its outlying islands in the Aegean Sea after a backlash against overcrowded camps by some migrants and nearby residents....

1797. Cooperation required to fully reap energy rewards

1798. House President praises Australia’s principled stance over Cyprus

Australia is a friendly country that supports Cyprus and retains a principled stance vis-à-vis the Cyprus problem, said the President of the House of Representatives, Demetris Syllouris, who is paying an official visit to the country as head of an inter-party delegation....

1799. Man gets 20 years for killing Grandpa Kokos

The man who was convicted for killing beloved Grandpa Kokos in Larnaca last year has been sentenced to 20 years in prison...

1800. 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....