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1831. Informal Cyprob summit to take place in New York's Greentree

Cyprus’ outgoing Permanent Representative to the UN and Greek Cypriot negotiator, Andreas Mavroyiannis, said Monday that the informal five-party summit on the Cyprus Problem which the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres intends to convene is an ambitious project, adding that "we must not lose the window of opportunity that lies before us." ...

1832. Big if as Cyprus set to deliberate on measures

The Cypriot government is taking stock of recent restrictions against a further rapid spread of COVID-19, with reports pointing to plans being discussed to lift measures next month but also amid concerns over mutation fears and unknowns...

1833. Ex-cop who forged parolee signature arrested

Police on Friday arrested an ex-special police officer after evidence was uncovered pointing to corruption....

1834. 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...

1835. Cyprus looking to boost ties with militarily-developed Gulf states

The enhancement of Cyprus’ relations with militarily-developed Gulf states constitutes a priority, Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides said Wednesday, against the backdrop of diplomatic developments with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia....

1836. UNSC backs federal solution to Cyprus Problem

The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday expressed its support to the efforts being undertaken by the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) to resume Cyprus Problem peace talks and unanimously stood behind a bizonal bicommunal federation settlement basis....

1837. COVID-19 is adding new impetus to finance transformation

1838. Police lose state fraud case in Limassol

Defendants in Limassol’s case involving an alleged scam with food stamps and housing vouchers for homeless persons walked free this week, after prosecutors said they were unable to bring witnesses forward to testify in court...

1839. 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...

1840. Cypriot FM visits Gulf before US inauguration

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides flew to the United Arab Emirates on Monday to hold a private meeting with his counterpart, days after the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement but also days before a changing of the guard in Washington could spell trouble for US arms sales to Gulf states...

1841. 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....

1842. Anastasiades invites National Council to informal Cyprob summit

President Anastasiades briefed the National Council on Thursday on the latest developments in the Cyprus Problem, and extended an invitation to Council members to accompany him on the informal meeting the UN is organising, that is expected to take place in New York in late February or early May....

1843. Cyprus, UAE sign first military cooperation agreement

Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday signed their first military cooperation agreement as the eastern Mediterranean island nation seeks to bolster relations with nearby countries in the Middle East....

1844. Spehar meets leaders ahead of UNFICYP mandate renewal

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative Elizabeth Spehar held tête-à-têtes with the leaders of the two communities on Wednesday morning ahead of the Security Council’s upcoming vote on the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate....

1845. Greek, Cypriot and US special forces hold joint exercise

Special forces from Greece, Cyprus and the United States are holding a joint exercise in the sea area off the naval base at Souda Bay on the southern Greek island of Crete, state-run Athens-Macedonia news agency (ANA-MPA) reports....

1846. 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...

1847. Protesters march against lockdown measures

Two people were arrested on Saturday in connection with a demonstration downtown Nicosia, where a group of citizens gathered to protest against a partial lockdown that went into effect Sunday morning...

1848. SMS system returns as Cyprus enters three-week lockdown

Cyprus Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced the new restrictions agreed upon by the Cabinet on Friday, which include a clampdown on unnecessary movements, and social and professional gatherings....

1849. Government buys time on new COVID measures

The health, finance, and labour ministers of the Republic of Cyprus have been tasked to reconcile a number of issues before a Cabinet meeting on Friday, essentially stalling the announcement of new COVID measures which was expected on Thursday...

1850. 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...

1851. 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...

1852. Legal experts pounce on Yiolitis case

A well-known Cypriot lawyer, who raised questions over a home search after Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis filed a criminal complaint against a Twitter parody account, has written to the Police Chief asking to obtain public information as a concerned citizen...

1853. Lute set to visit Cyprus anew by mid-January

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cyprus, Jane Holl Lute, is expected to visit the island anew during the first half of January in view of holding meetings with the leaders of the two sides as preparations continue toward the organisation of an informal conference on the Cyprus problem....

1854. All education levels revert to distance learning

Primary, middle, and high school won’t be returning to school classrooms on January 7, as the Education Ministry announced Tuesday that the school year will resume via distance learning....

1855. Ankara wants Lausanne Treaty change

Reiterating a call frequently made by Turkish leaders, Turkey’s Energy Minister Fatih Donmez raised the issue of renegotiating the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, which set out the modern borders between Greece and Turkey....

1856. Police story not good enough for health expert

A member of the coronavirus task force has drawn a connection between his role in the pandemic and a recent incident when his car was vandalized, while police said the incident appeared to be a random act...

1857. Cabinet agrees on plastic bag ban at sales points

The Cabinet on Tuesday agreed on a blanket ban on thin plastic bags at points of sale, with the decision to come into force once passed by the House plenum....

1858. Police to step up checks, patrols amid holiday period

With the health ministry sticking to the plan despite the holidays, the police will be stepping up patrols and checks, even in private homes in the event of a complaint....

1859. Cabinet narrowly waters down measures

The President’s Cabinet has decided to extend measures throughout the winter holidays with only slight deviations on special days, noting recent developments did not allow a further lift of restrictions aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus...

1860. Cyprus stays calm as virus unknowns remain

Biontech says it is confident its COVID-19 vaccine expected within days in Cyprus would remain effective against a variant that has been spreading in Britain, but questions still remain over the effectiveness of the vaccine as mutations continue to spread...