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1651. 'Tourism dogma' piques Israel’s interest

The Israeli tourism minister says his country is looking into the possibility of joining a safe zone for travel that is currently in the works between Cyprus and Greece...

1652. Cyprus President and Greek Premier discuss handling of the pandemic

President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis shared a telephone call on Monday to exchange views on the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath....

1653. President summons health team to Palace

President Nicos Anastasiades has called the government's team of health experts back to the Presidential Palace for face-to--face consultations, amid reports that the government is a day away from taking crucial decisions on easing Covid-19 restrictions...

1654. Covid-19 death toll in Greece rises to 81

Greece’s coronavirus toll has risen to 81 with the death of a 42-year-old man in the northern port city of Thessaloniki and of an 84-year-old woman in Athens....

1655. Euro zone ministers look for economy quick fixes

Euro zone finance ministers are likely to converge on Tuesday on three quick options to support the economy in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, officials have said, with some discussion also of longer-term ideas to aid a recovery....

1656. Coronavirus’ impact on local businesses

The organisation’s experts discuss the developments and analyse the measures that need to be taken to address the challenges...

1657. Loan payments to be suspended for nine months

After over two weeks of discussions between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor, the Central Bank, the Association of Cyprus Banks and other financial entities to minimize the impact of coronavirus on the Cyprus economy, white smoke has emerged with all parties agreeing that payoffs for all types of loans are to be suspended for nine months....

1658. SMS service 8998 gets the axe

The SMS service, operated by the government to enforce movement restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis, was back up and running smoothly on Wednesday morning, while the President of the Republic has warned that a total curfew would be in place if people abuse the service...

1659. Cyprus not ruling out tougher measures

There was another string of confirmed coronavirus cases this week in the public health sector, with officials in the Republic of Cyprus not ruling out stricter measures to defend those on the front lines...

1660. Eurovision 2020 cancelled amid Covid-19 pandemic

The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest has become the latest high profile cultural event to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with the annual song competition delayed until 2021....

1661. EU slams Trump’s Europe travel ban

The European Union has slammed the new anti-virus travel ban announced by US President Donald Trump, lashing out at an “unilateral” decision taken “without consultation.”...

1662. The north in turmoil after first coronavirus case

The north was hurled into turmoil on Tuesday after confirming its first coronavirus case, with authorities in the north moving to place hotels in lockdown, health services placing tens of persons in isolation, and the ‘government’ shutting primary and secondary schools until March 16, with universities in the north being the next possible target of intervention....

1663. CEOs: Drop in Optimism and Reversal of Sentiment

1664. 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....

1665. 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....

1666. 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....

1667. Greek Deputy Minister of Development to visit Cyprus on Wednesday

Greek Deputy Minister of Development and Investment, responsible for Research and Technology, Christos Dimas, will be in Cyprus on Wednesday for a one-day visit, with an aim to strengthen bilateral cooperation in issues concerning the promotion of research, innovation and digital technologies....

1668. 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....

1669. 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....

1670. 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...

1671. Greek and French Defence Ministers declare united front

Greek and French Defence Ministers, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Florence Parly, denounced Turkey’s illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean during their meeting in Athens on Monday....

1672. Christodoulides talks Turkish activity in EEZ, Varosha with UNSG

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

1673. Greek PM meets with five EU leaders over bloc's budget

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks in Brussels on Friday with the leaders of Germany Angela Merkel, France Emmanuel Macron, Spain Pedro Sanchez, Italy Giuseppe Conte and Portugal Antonio Costa in a bid to break a deadlock in negotiations for the European Union’s 2021-2027 budget....

1674. Cyprus and Norway prepare to sign energy MoU

Cyprus and Norway began preparations on Friday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy issues, that will contain provisions for the exchange of expertise in relation to the national hydrocarbon fund (sovereign fund), among other things....

1675. One in four in Cyprus at risk of poverty

Some 200,000 persons (23.9 per cent of the Cyprus population), or one in four, are at risk of poverty, participants of a two-day discussion in Nicosia organized by Cyprus and EU-wide anti-poverty networks heard....

1676. 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....

1677. 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. ...

1678. Residents up in arms over 'virus camp'

Local residents in rural Nicosia are reacting to government plans aimed at establishing a quarantine facility in their area to treat potential confirmed coronavirus cases in Cyprus...

1679. French Defence Minister expresses solidarity with Cyprus

The French Defence Minister, Florence Parly, who met on Tuesday with President Nicos Anastasiades and her Cyprus counterpart Savvas Angelides, expressed France’s solidarity with Cyprus, which she said is under intense pressure when seen from an international perspective....

1680. 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....