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1561. Turkish court rules to let Hagia Sophia return as mosque

1562. Turkey reacts to US plan for military education, training for Cyprus

Turkey expressed its disagreement over a US government plan to make International Military Education and Training (IMET) available to Cyprus, saying it does not help resolve the island’s division....

1563. New details in suspected child abuse

A young mother remains locked up in connection with an ongoing domestic violence investigation and alleged child abuse in Limassol, with reports saying police were told the husband was abusing his wife but she hesitated to file a complaint...

1564. Mother detained in child abuse case

Police brought to light a suspected child abuse case in Limassol this week, during an investigation into an assault complaint launched against the parents by the baby’s grandmother who said she was assaulted by her son and daughter-in-law...

1565. North draws criticism over virus declaration

Turkish Cypriot authorities declared the coronavirus a “dangerous infections disease” over the weekend, prompting criticism over the basis and timing of the announcement...

1566. Anastasiades: Patriotic realism dictates solution through diplomacy, not weapons

Instead of a catastrophic scenario, we opt for diplomacy, the weapons of international law and Cyprus’ status as an EU member state. This is what is dictated by patriotic realism and rationalism, and not a rhetoric of empty slogans. The coming days are crucial as regards initiatives taken by the EU and the US in view of preventing a potential crisis through targeted measures towards Turkey....

1567. Hagia Sophia mosque conversion verdict expected within 15 days, says report

A verdict on whether Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will be converted into a mosque is to be issued within 15 days, Turkey’s Daily Sabah reported Thursday....

1568. Cyprus residents flock to checkpoints as north matches decision of Republic

Residents of both sides of the island flocked to cross through checkpoints on Monday, after the administration in the north agreed in an emergency meeting late on Sunday to match the Republic’s decision to open checkpoints to Cyprus nationals and legal residents of the island....

1569. Both sides of Cyprus not making the resumption of crossings easy

The Turkish Cypriot administration on Sunday appeared to be sticking to allowing just Greek Cypriot enclaved and Maronites living in the north to cross through checkpoints, despite a decision taken Friday by the Republic of Cyprus to allow all groups of Cyprus nationals and legal residents of the island to cross through from Sunday....

1570. Cyprus airports enter phase two on Saturday

The opening of Cyprus airports is set to enter phase two on Saturday, when passengers arriving from countries listed in category A by the Health Ministry will not need to present proof of a negative coronavirus test, but will be subjected to a mandatory rapid test upon arrival....

1571. Locals to be able to cross through checkpoints from Sunday

Cyprus nationals and legal residents of the island will be able to cross through all checkpoints barring that on Ledra Street as of Sunday, but will need to present proof of a negative coronavirus test conducted up to 72 hours prior to crossing....

1572. Cyprus human egg trade market returns to spotlight

The illegal trade of human eggs in Cyprus returned to the limelight during this week’s House human rights committee, with MPs expressing concern over a growing market in which female students are prime targets....

1573. UNHCR report: One per cent of humanity displaced

A UN Refugee Agency report released on Thursday showed that forced displacement is now affecting more than one per cent of humanity – 1 in every 97 people – and with fewer and fewer of those who flee being able to return home....

1574. Cyprus outlines drastic step on migration

Republic of Cyprus Interior Minister Nikos Nouris is urgently seeking a constitutional amendment to shorten the time of due process for asylum applicants, calling a set of government-sponsored bills a “holistic approach” to immigration during a press conference on Thursday...

1575. Interior minister presents bills for streamlining asylum procedures

The house legal committee discussed on Tuesday a bundle of four bills, submitted by interior minister Nicos Nouris, that seek to streamline procedures for the processing of applications filed by asylum seekers as well as appeal proceedings....

1576. Police raid 'brothel' in Nicosia

Nicosia police arrested a local man and took seven women into protective custody following a raid at an old hotel described as a front for prostitution...

1577. Letter to UNSG denounces Turkey's violations of Cyprus' airspace, maritime zones

A letter dated May 28 sent by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Andreas Mavroyiannis to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that denounced Turkish violations of the island’s airspace and maritime zones was released on Thursday as an official document in the General Assembly of the UN Security Council....

1578. Cyprus gets tough on golden passports

A House emergency bill that could allow authorities to revoke dozens of Republic of Cyprus “golden passports” is said to eliminate grey areas that so far prevented the state from revoking ill-gotten investor citizenships...

1579. Cyprus urged to provide trafficking victims free legal aid

The human trafficking arm of Europe's top human rights body is expressing concern over Cyprus' failure to grant free legal aid and expertise to trafficking victims during criminal proceedings....

1580. Hijab and kosher end up in report on Cyprus

A State Department report has called out Cyprus on matters of religious freedom, following a number of stories in the media including the right to wear hijab in school, kosher laws, and access to religious sites...

1581. Downtown clashes continue on the island

Police officers have been busy over the weekend with public incidents in two districts, with a number of arrests taking place in Paphos and three people ending up in hospital in Nicosia...

1582. Bill criminalises prostitution in Cyprus

A proposed legislation making paid sex a crime in the Republic of Cyprus is drawing criticism, after the country’s left wing declared the female body is not for sale and cannot be bought...

1583. Law for provision of vouchers for cancelled flights illegal, Consumers Association says

The Cyprus Consumers Association said Thursday that the new law passed by the Cyprus government for the provision of vouchers as reimbursement for flights cancelled amid the coronavirus outbreak is illegal, as consumers are entitled to a full cash refund....

1584. Greek PM says Greece ready for any challenge

Amid renewed tensions with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed on Wednesday that Greece “will face all challenges with consistency, stability, confidence and always with a commitment to international law, as it always does.”...

1585. Bill calls for videotaping police interrogations

The House is looking into legislation that would make mandatory the videotaping of custodial interrogations, a move that would allow the Republic of Cyprus to join other modern states in the way suspects are being treated by police...

1586. Lockdown-defying bishops off the hook

Two local bishops who were facing charges in connection with violation of public health laws during the pandemic lockdown are off the hook, with state prosecution reportedly lacking clear and convincing evidence...

1587. Police ask AG to not prosecute 220 people fined for violating decrees

The three-member committee set up by the police to examine complaints filed by the public involving fines issued for violations of coronavirus decrees suggested to the Attorney-General that 220 of the total 10,400 people booked are not prosecuted....

1588. Man jailed for threatening to torch building

A man who threatened to set a building on fire near at a government office complex in Nicosia has been sentenced to ten months in prison...

1589. Ankara sparks renewed tensions with Athens over claim for 24 blocks

Ankara on Tuesday responded to a complaint from Athens concerning a map published in the Turkish government’s gazette outlining areas where Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) has applied for exploration licenses, including several within Greece’s continental shelf, by insisting that these areas are within the boundaries Turkey has submitted to the United Nations. ...

1590. Egypt one of Cyprus' closest friends, Anastasiades says

“Egypt is one of our closest friends and a strategic partner” President Nicos Anastasiades said in a tweet on Friday after sharing a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi....