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151. Cyprus to launch SMS campaign to stem migrant arrivals

Cyprus is launching a multilingual SMS campaign to head off more migrant arrivals by dispelling the mistaken belief the European Union member country is a gateway to the continent, the Cypriot interior minister said Sunday....

152. SpaceX delivers two NASA astronauts to ISS

Nearly 24 hours after launching from Florida, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule delivered NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on Sunday, marking the first US space capsule to do so with a crew since 2011...

153. Cyprus scores Wizz Air base in Larnaca

Cypriot aviation scored a big win this week after Wizz Air said it would turn Larnaca airport into a base, as the island is trying to restore connectivity and the airline industry going through a hygiene makeover...

154. Communion ritual unchanged in Orthodox Church despite virus

One by one, the children and adults line up for the centuries-old ritual of Holy Communion, trying to keep a proper social distance. The priest dips a spoon into the chalice of bread and wine, which the faithful believe is the body and blood of Christ, and puts it into the mouth of the first person in line....

155. Cyprus to foot the bill for infected tourists

The Republic of Cyprus is pledging to cover all costs for anyone testing positive for the coronavirus while on vacation on the eastern Mediterranean island nation...

156. Demonstration outside refugee camp sparks Government reaction

A demonstration staged outside the Pournara camp in Kokkinotrimithia on Sunday calling for an end to the arbitrary detention of hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers stirred reaction from the Government on Tuesday, with an Interior Ministry announcement claiming it won’t be allowing any further ghettoization of the island....

157. Cyprus readies to deport suspected terrorists

The Republic of Cyprus says it is getting ready to deport 17 undocumented migrants suspected of having ties to foreign terrorists, but proceedings could be delayed due to ongoing pandemic and other legal issues...

158. Police to step up checks at food and drink spots

Police will be stepping up checks at targeted food and drink spots in the coming days to ensure that health and safety decrees are being adhered to, Police Chief Christos Andreou told the Cyprus News Agency on Monday....

159. Return to lockdown not likely, Karayiannis says

The health advisory committee is keeping a close watch on the consistent crowding observed since restrictions on movement were lifted on May 21, but committee member Petros Karayiannis said lockdown measures won’t be reinstated unless Cyprus returns to a state where around 30-40 new coronavirus cases are announced over consecutive days....

160. All asylum seekers at Pournara locked in

Health ministry officials say going in and out of the migrant facility in rural Nicosia is temporarily forbidden due to a scabies infestation, with the government defending migration policies amid criticism over living conditions and restriction of freedom of movement at the camp...

161. Migrant camp declared ‘local infected area’

Human rights advocates in the Republic of Cyprus are crying foul over the government's handling of asylum seekers at Pournara camp, after the health ministry declared the migrant centre a “local infected area” citing public health laws due to an infestation...

162. Coronavirus picture remains positive as island braces for phase two

Cyprus maintained its streak of minimal new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, as just one new case was announced two days before the initiation of the second phase of the relaxation of measures that will see restrictions on movement lifted....

163. UNSG calls on two sides to cooperate on pandemic, opening of crossings

The leaders on both sides of the Cyprus divide received a letter from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who called for cooperation in dealing with the pandemic and in lifting restrictions at crossings....

164. President seeks input ahead of big decision

A crucial event is taking place on Friday at the Presidential Palace, as the epidemiological taskforce is meeting with President Nicos Anastasiades to assess the situation on the ground and the next steps in easing lockdown restrictions...

165. Measures being prepared for reopening of airports in June

The expert team of scientists advising the Health Ministry are coming up with measures that would allow airports to resume operation by June, Head of the Pancyprian Medical Association’s Special Committee on dealing with the coronavirus, Maria Koliou, said Tuesday....

166. New rules issued for food and beverage establishments

With all restrictions on movement to be scrapped on May 21, when gatherings of groups of up 10 people will be permitted, the Health Ministry on Monday issued new instructions for cafes, restaurants and bars....

167. UNFICYP ready to facilitate discussions for easing of restrictions at checkpoints

UNFICYP said Thursday it stands ready to “facilitate and support” disscussions between the two sides of the divided island once efforts begin for the easing of restrictions at crossing points....

168. Officers in serial killer probe lawyer up

A local report hints at legal wars brewing within prosecution agencies in the Republic of Cyprus, following the attorney general’s decision to prosecute fifteen police officers in the serial killer case...

169. Eurozone set for record recession, EU Commission warns

The eurozone economy will contract by a record 7.7 percent this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation will almost disappear while public debt and budget deficits will balloon, the European Commission forecast on Wednesday....

170. 3,000 to be repatriated to Cyprus in May

Cyprus is receiving around 200-300 returnees from abroad on a daily basis, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said on Monday, noting that May is expected to see the repatriation of some 3,000 in total....

171. Cross-district travel for a swim permitted come Monday

Come Monday, when the number of permitted outings per day is set to increase to three, those living in inland Cyprus will be able to travel cross-district for a swim at the sea....

172. Cyprus announces 'timid first steps' in easing restrictions

In a televised national address on Wednesday night, President Nicos Anastasiades presented the detailed plan of the first two phases of Cyprus’ lockdown exit plan, with the first phase, which will see a timid resumption of the economy and a small loosening of restrictions on individual freedoms, set to begin on May 4....

173. First easing of restriction measures probably on May 4, Health Minister says

If the situation continues down its current course, we can expect the first loosening of restriction measures to take place on May 4, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said Friday....

174. Health Minister hopes restrictions scrapped within three months

175. Cypriots told to 'mask up' this summer

The use of face masks is recommended but not required in the Republic of Cyprus, while Turkish Cypriots in the north are being told medical masks are mandatory during Ramadan...

176. EU unveils virus exit roadmap, hoping to avoid more chaos

The European Union moved Wednesday to head off a chaotic and potentially disastrous easing of restrictions that are limiting the spread of the coronavirus, warning its 27 nations to move very cautiously as they return to normal life and base their actions on scientific advice....

177. Cyprus in the mix as world seeks cure

An Israeli military aircraft has delivered five tons of chloroquine to Cyprus this week, amid reports of secret wars over limited access to the drug but also uncertainty over its effectiveness in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic...

178. Make or break week for Cyprus

A critical yet less understood group of asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus could make or break the case against lifting restrictive measures during Greek Orthodox Easter in the Republic of Cyprus...

179. Freezing weather and icy roads in rural areas

A number of rural roads in Nicosia, Limassol, and Paphos districts were closed to vehicles without anti-skid chains or foul-wheel drive systems due to snow or icing conditions, as freezing weather is affecting all of Cyprus...

180. Foreign powers back Libya ceasefire

Foreign powers agreed at a summit in Berlin on Sunday to shore up a shaky truce in Libya, but the meeting was overshadowed by blockades of oilfields by forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar that could cripple the country’s crude production...