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1441. EU keeping close eye on Turkish moves

European Union foreign ministers have agreed to a “wait-and-see” approach towards Turkey, with some member-states appearing more skeptical of Ankara’s recent overtures....

1442. Greece and Turkey resume exploratory talks

Exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey are set to resume in Istanbul, with Ankara trying to gain an upper hand over the agenda and Athens appearing to have low expectations citing disagreement on both sides on what to discuss...

1443. Quake rattles Cyprus, no damage reported so far

An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 5.1 shook Cyprus on Thursday afternoon, though reports of any damage have yet to emerge...

1444. COVID-19 is adding new impetus to finance transformation

1445. Cavusoglu says Turkey-EU in more ‘positive place,’ but chides Greece

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said relations with the European Union are in a “more positive place” but continued to accuse Greece of raising obstacles to exploratory talks planned for later this month....

1446. 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...

1447. Borrell reiterates criticism of Turkey over Varosha

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has reiterated criticism of Turkey’s decision to reopen part of the beachfront of Varosha, a resort abandoned since Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974....

1448. Five-party meeting within eyeshot

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute on Monday got both leaders of divided Cyprus to commit to the possibility of informal talks as early as next month, with local media on both sides noting the lack of an official statement from the global organization...

1449. UN envoy rolls the dice on Cyprus

UN special envoy Jane Holl Lute is meeting separately with the leaders of divided Cyprus on Monday, in an effort by the global organization to gauge possible outcomes before committing to informal talks on the decades-long problem...

1450. Pfizer suggests vaccine can beat mutations

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine appeared to work against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in the UK and South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the US drugmaker...

1451. 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...

1452. December samples being screened to check for spread of new strain

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING) is carrying out further tests on samples to determine whether the new coronavirus strain has spread in the community. The results of these tests are expected to be ready tomorrow the latest....

1453. Cypriot president grateful for frontline heroes

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades expressed his deep gratitude for 'heroes on the front line' in his New Year’s Eve address, adding that elected politicians 'owe to the people' to pass crucial reforms in the new year...

1454. A timeline of the coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus

The coronavirus pandemic in Cyprus, which kicked off mildly at first with double-digit daily new cases before the second wave sent the island into unprecedented terrain with hundreds of daily new cases and the healthcare system ready to give in at any given time, can be generally divided into four stages. ...

1455. Police criticised over 'botched' Twitter raid

Police continue to be criticized over a home raid on the weekend when officers confiscated a woman’s computer and phone after Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis complained about a parody account on Twitter, with the woman's lawyer accusing police of fishing for evidence at the wrong house...

1456. 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....

1457. Government to try set record straight on Cyprob solution being sought

President Nicos Anastasiades will be releasing to all party leaders an informal document he sent to UNSG Antonio Guterres in September 2017 following the collapse of the Crans-Montana negotiations process, in view of disproving those who continue to question his motives on the Cyprus Problem....

1458. First batch arrives in Cyprus

The first batch of vaccines reached Cyprus on Saturday, a day after Christmas, with a senior home and a referral hospital getting the first vaccinations on the island as early as Sunday...

1459. Cyprus’ passport probe dispute widens

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and DIKO party leader Nicholas Papadopoulos took their disagreement over probing golden passports to a whole new level this week, while questions remained over the independent committee’s reassurances of transparency in the investigation...

1460. 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....

1461. The Greek scientist developing 6G

At the moment Greece is unveiling the 5G communications network, on the opposite end of Europe, a Greek professor, a communications engineer, is getting a grant from the European Research Council to develop 6G....

1462. Cyprus calls on Egypt to assist in persuading Turkey to shift intransigent stance

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has asked the Egyptian government to exert every effort towards persuading Turkey to alter its intransigent stance and to reverse its unilateral and provocative actions, in view of ultimately easing of tensions in a consistent and sustained manner, allowing the cultivation of a climate that is conducive to facilitating the resumption of the peace process....

1463. State budget battles rage on in Cyprus

Ruling party DYSI has been mounting a campaign over the last 24 hours to secure votes to pass the state budget, which is up in the air over golden passport probe wars, with added pressure also causing rifts even within smaller parties...

1464. ‘Federation project no longer sustainable,’ Turkish FM tells Lute

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday said that Ankara no longer considers the “federation project” for the reunification of Cyprus as a “sustainable” plan....

1465. Cyprus to launch 5G frequencies auction

In 2021, according to the most optimistic scenarios, Cyprus will enter the constellation of 5G networks, with the frequencies auction set to begin on Thursday....

1466. Cyprus lays out eagerly awaited vaccination plan

The Republic of Cyprus’ eagerly awaited plan for the mass vaccination of its residents against the novel coronavirus was presented on Tuesday by the health minister and Dr Olga Kalakouta....

1467. Bomb goes off ahead of 5G auction

An explosion took place outside a CYTA branch in Limassol with media speculating the attack could be linked to an upcoming announcement this week over 5G contracts...

1468. Cyprus President 'absolutely satisfied' with EC Conclusions

President Nicos Anastasiades expressed absolute satisfaction with the Conclusions of the European Council regarding Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean....

1469. Emergency exercise carried out at Larnaca airport

An emergency exercise was successfully completed on Thursday at Larnaca International Airport with the participation of governmental and non-governmental departments and services operating in the airport....

1470. Bishop vows to keep churches open

The Bishop of Morphou says he will keep churches in his diocese open to the public, contrary to the latest government measures, with the Metropolitan adding he is ready to face trial in a court of law...