Search

991. Opposition turns up pressure over passports

Parliament in Cyprus is expected to debate proposals over the passport scandal, including whether a new law can force the government to hand over files to the auditor general as well as a freeze on pending applications allegedly being squeezed through before the disgraced scheme is set to go on hiatus...

992. President defends block on audit office

President Nicos Anastasiades invoked the Constitution during a televised interview, saying the job description of the auditor general, who is currently seeking information on foreign nationals linked to a casino project, does not authorize him to 'have a say in everything'...

993. Heavens to open up suddenly in Cyprus

An upper-air disturbance is causing significant changes in flow direction over the eastern Mediterranean, with cloudy skies and chances of rain expected in the afternoonm, possibly including hail...

994. Police get to work on passport scandal

Cypriot police appear to have their plate full with three different probes into alleged corruption in the golden passport scheme, with investigators facing their biggest challenge by a shocking Al Jazeera video that dealt the fatal blow in the country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme...

995. Cypriot minister has one regret over passports

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides, who oversaw Cyprus' disgraced golden passport scheme while he was serving as interior minister, says he should have pushed harder to end the program much sooner...

996. Cyprus suspends golden passport programme

The Republic of Cyprus announced unexpectedly on Tuesday that the current Citizenship by Investment Programme would be abolished, following an emergency Cabinet meeting a day after Al Jazeera published a secret video alleging corruption in the island’s golden passport scheme...

997. Probe launched against Al Jazeera operation

The state attorney ordered a probe following a complaint filed by high-profile Cypriot officials targeted by an Al Jazeera secret investigation on corruption, with members of the public outraged as more shocking revelations emerged in a new Cyprus Papers video...

998. Cabinet approves revocation of seven citizenships

The Cabinet on Wednesday gave the green light for the initiation of the process for the revocation of Cypriot citizenship granted to seven persons through the Investment Program. ...

999. Yellow warning as inland temps reach 40

A yellow warning has been issued for Wednesday with temperature highs inland expected to reach 40 degrees, with cooler temps expected later in the week but still above normal averages ...

1000. Summer temps here to stay this week

A warm air mass is still affecting areas over Cyprus this week, with inland temperature highs firmly in the upper 30’s with a noticeable drop not expected until after Thursday...

1001. What Berlin made clear to Nicosia

German officials coordinating with Nicosia, after the Republic of Cyprus told the foreign affairs council that it would use its veto power if sanctions against Belarus are not linked with those against Turkey, said that the prospect of sanctions against Turkey is a distant scenario....

1002. Week begins with weather roller coaster

A warm air mass moving across Cyprus will stick around this week with temperature highs reaching 40 degrees on Tuesday, with a noticeable drop expected the following day in half of the island and further cooling for the rest of the week...

1003. Bad blood continues over golden passports

A prolonged and bitter dispute between the interior minister and auditor general, over probing Cyprus’ golden passports scheme, was renewed this week following a mini report with details on a number of applications through citizenship by investment...

1004. Nearly 100 asylum seekers flown out of Cyprus

Fourteen unaccompanied minors have been transferred from the Republic of Cyprus to Finland, while another 84 foreign nationals were flown back to their countries in what the government described as ‘voluntary returns'...

1005. Parliament passes bills to streamline asylum procedures

The House on Friday passed three amendments to the Refugee Law, streamlining asylum procedures....

1006. Rain cometh with slightly cooler temps

A weak low pressure system and a warm air mass are expected to break up by the end of the workweek, with more clouds popping up along with chances of rain before the weekend is out...

1007. Berlin to take in 1,553 refugees from Greece

As Germany indicated on Tuesday that it would take in more than 1,500 refugees from Lesvos and other Greek islands, the Greek government welcomed the move, indicating however that it should not be seen as rewarding irregular immigration. ...

1008. Thousands protest after Greek refugee camp burns down

Thousands of protesting refugees and migrants left homeless on the Greek island of Lesbos after fires destroyed the notoriously overcrowded Moria camp gathered on a road leading to the island's main town Friday, demanding to be allowed to leave....

1009. ECHR asks Cyprus to explain boat incidents

The European Court of Human Rights has asked the government of the Republic of Cyprus to answer questions concerning recent refoulement of undocumented travelers at sea, in response to a request of an interim measure from a local attorney handling another case...

1010. Mountains under orange warning in Cyprus

An orange alert for the mountains has been issued for Wednesday afternoon, with maximum temperatures climbing inland but also rain chances expected later in the week...

1011. EU calls on Cyprus to manage migration flows in line with EU law

The EU said Tuesday that it acknowledges the difficulties faced by the Republic of Cyprus in terms of the flow of refugees it is called to deal with, but stressed that basic principles and EU legislation must be respected....

1012. Cyprus defends blocking migrant boats

A police task force from the Republic of Cyprus is hoping to hash out a plan with Lebanese authorities to deter “economic migrants” from traveling to the island, as government and state officials rush to respond to criticism over a decision to send back undocumented migrants to the neighbouring country...

1013. Passports under the watchful eye of the Commission

1014. Mountains under yellow warning in Cyprus

Weather officials have issued a heat warning for the mountains on Monday, while temperatures in other parts of the interior are expected to climb once again over 40 starting on Tuesday...

1015. Urgent meeting after weekend refugee arrivals

Cypriot Interior Minister Nicos Nouris has called for an emergency meeting following a number of arrivals of undocumented migrants over the weekend, with some of them transported back to Lebanon and others facing the prospect of crowding into an already maxed-out facility...

1016. Period for filing appeals against asylum service decisions slashed

The Cyprus Parliament on Friday amended the constitution to allow for a slashing of the time in which appeals can be filed against decisions of the asylum service from 75 days to 15 days....

1017. Politics turn ugly over Cyprus Papers

The main left party opposition in the Republic of Cyprus is firing back at the government, after reports emerged over threats and a confidential letter about Cypriot golden passports a decade earlier...

1018. New committee to probe entire length of Cyprus Investment Program

The Cabinet on Thursday agreed to appoint an independent investigative committee to look into all passports granted through the Cyprus Investment Program from 2008 until July this year, when stricter rules were implemented....

1019. Greek citizenship to require written exams, interview

Foreign nationals in Greece wanting to acquire citizenship will have to sit and pass written examinations, testing their knowledge of the Greek language, geography and history, according to an Interior Ministry bill that has been submitted for public consultation until September 10. ...

1020. Cabinet throws ball in attorney general’s court

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is calling on the state’s attorney general to appoint yet another committee to probe golden passport applications to settle a dispute between the auditor general’s office and the interior ministry over the “Cyprus Papers”...