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151. Turkey-Cyprus dispute holding up EU's Belarus sanctions, diplomats say

European Union sanctions on Belarus are being delayed by a separate dispute between Cyprus and Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, four EU diplomats said, in the latest sign of paralysis in the bloc's foreign policy....

152. EU set to sanction Turkey over ships in disputed East Med exploration area

The European Union is preparing sanctions against Turkey that could be discussed at the bloc's next summit on September 24 in response to the Eastern Mediterranean dispute with Greece, the EU’s top diplomat said on Friday. ...

153. Joint drill makes waves around Cyprus

Turkey issued a new navigational telex on Thursday for gunnery exercises next week in the eastern Mediterranean, following an ongoing joint military drill between Cyprus, Greece, France and Italy...

154. Turkey resumes drilling in eastern Mediterranean, Erdogan says

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey had resumed energy exploration work in the eastern Mediterranean as Greece had not kept its promises regarding such activities in the region. ...

155. Ankara slams Greece-Egypt maritime deal

Ankara was caught off guard Thursday when a secret partial maritime agreement emerged between Athens and Cairo, with the Turkish foreign ministry calling the deal 'null and void'...

156. Cyprus to draw over €2.7b from EU pandemic recovery fund

European Union leaders reached a deal on a massive stimulus plan for their coronavirus-blighted economies at a pre-dawn meeting on Tuesday after a fractious summit that went through the night and into its fifth day....

157. Security Council convenes on July 29 to extend UNFICYP mandate

The UN Security Council is scheduled to convene on July 29 to discuss the extension of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). ...

158. EU governments risk clash with EU exec in bid to save tourism season

European Union governments risk a clash with the EU executive arm over their support for travel firms issuing vouchers for cancelled holiday deals without giving customers the option of cash refunds as required by EU law, diplomats said....

159. Twitter unfreezes Chinese ambassador account

China's ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus was back online Wednesday night after Twitter unblocked his account following a two-day freeze...

160. Pressed in Syria, Turkey ups the ante in the East Med

161. Summit standoff as EU leaders grapple with Brexit-sized hole in budget

EU leaders made no headway on Thursday in fractious talks on a joint 2021-27 budget that was left with a 75 billion-euro (62.9 billion pounds) hole after Britain’s departure at a time when they face costly new challenges from climate change to migration....

162. Cavusoglu: Turkey is prepared to cooperate with all apart from G/C

Turkey is prepared to cooperate with everyone apart from the Republic of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Greece, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said....

163. Flagship of French navy off the coast of Limassol

The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, the flagship of the French navy, sailed through Block 8 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone on Thursday, passing alongside the Turkish Yavuz drillship bringing rising tensions to the region....

164. French aircraft carrier in Cyprus Block 8

Amid rising tensions in the East Mediterranean, the flagship of the French Navy, aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, remains in Block 8 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, bearing a small fleet of Rafale fighter jets, helicopters, other aircraft and drones....

165. EU diplomats to impose sanctions on two Turks over Cyprus EEZ drilling

Cyprus, Turkey, EU, drilling, EEZ, sanctions...

166. Cyprus okays US ’forward deployed’ unit

Nicosia has accepted a request from Washington regarding the arrival of an American Rapid Deployment Forces unit for humanitarian purposes in case of an emergency...

167. Iran escalation continues after midnight tweet

US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites “very hard” if Iran attacks Americans or US assets after a drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, as tens of thousands of people marched in Iraq to mourn their deaths...

168. US preemptive strike put to the test

The Trump administration on Friday justified its killing of a top Iranian general as an act of self-defense, trying to deflect accusations that it violated international law and concerns raised by legal experts and a senior UN rights investigator....

169. Pompeo to visit Cyprus next week

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo is scheduled to visit Cyprus next week where he will meet separately with the two leaders and reaffirm his country’s support for a UN-led effort to reunify the island under a federal roof...

170. Cyprus asks to review Turkey-Libya deal

Τhe Republic of Cyprus has joined Greece in demanding to review two recent Turkey-Libya deals, with the Cypriot foreign minister accusing Ankara of extorting the memorandum from Tripoli...

171. EU okays framework on Turkey over Cyprus

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday economic sanctions over Turkey's drilling off the coast of Cyprus, setting up the legal framework for travel bans and asset freezes but leaving names until a later date...

172. World’s last divided capital

As the world commemorates 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the bullet-riddled sandstone walls of abandoned, crumbling homes and concrete machine gun nests dotting Cyprus' no man's land serve as a jarring reminder of another divided capital — the world's last — on Europe's southeastern frontier...

173. EU lawmakers reject Turkey's 'safe zone' in Syria, eye sanctions steps

European Union lawmakers on Wednesday condemned Turkey’s offensive to carve out a “safe zone” in northeast Syria and prepared the way for new EU financial sanctions against Ankara....

174. Pompeo opts for diplomacy over Cyprus EEZ

The new defense deal signed between Athens and Washington will contribute to Greece’s security, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Kathimerini in a recent interview, while staying firm on diplomatic efforts regarding Cyprus' EEZ...

175. Greece says EU to decide response to Turkey's Cyprus drilling

Greece's foreign minister says top diplomats from European Union member states will decide next week on how to respond to Turkey's bid to drill for gas in waters where Cyprus has licensed European energy companies to conduct a hydrocarbons search....

176. Britain begins escorting all UK vessels through Hormuz Strait

Britain has started sending a warship to accompany all British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a change in policy announced on Thursday after the government previously said it did not have resources to do so. ...

177. No preliminary agreement on EU sanctions on Turkey

According to a diplomatic source that informed the press in Brussels the discussion on EU sanctions against Turkey will continue Thursday afternoon, as today there was no agreement...

178. Two women at the top of EU decision making

Under the deal, Ursula von der Leyen, a close ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will replace Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm...

179. Playing with fire

The emerging crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean over Turkey’s drilling activities in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) raise the prospect of an open Greco-Turkish conflict to a level higher than anytime since the Imia crisis...

180. Demetris Christofias gets final farewell

The people of Cyprus bid on Tuesday farewell to former president Demetris Christofias, with a state funeral taking place in the afternoon at the Holy Church of God’s Wisdom...