Search

91. 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....

92. Turkey at focus of Lavrov visit to Athens

The main conclusion drawn from Monday's visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was the mutual recognition that Greece can play a special role in Russia’s relations with the European Union, but also that Athens expects some support for its positions on maritime zones, while at the same time acknowledging the complicated relations between Moscow and Ankara....

93. Greek-Turkish ties come under strain

The already tense relationship between Greece and Turkey has been strained further in the wake of Ankara’s leaking of a supposedly secret meeting between Greek, Turkish and German officials following Turkey’s controversial decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque and amid an increasingly aggressive Turkish stance in the East Mediterranean. The already tense relationship between Greece and Turkey has been strained further in the wake of Ankara’s leaking of a supposedly secret meeting between Greek, Turkish and German officials following Turkey’s controversial decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque and amid an increasingly aggressive Turkish stance in the East Mediterranean. ...

94. Presidents of Cyprus, Greece discuss escalating Turkish provocations

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou held their first meeting in Athens on Tuesday, focusing the discussion on Turkey’s actions in the region and the close ties between the two countries....

95. Harsh words for Turkey from archbishop

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos has slammed Turkey over the country’s decision to allow Hagia Sophia to revert from museum back to mosque status, accusing Turks of having no respect for the civilized world...

96. Divided Cyprus reacts to Hagia Sophia

Cyprus has weighed in on Turkey’s controversial decision to allow Muslim prayer inside Hagia Sophia, with different reactions across the divided island and amid reports of nuanced differences in President Erdogan's statements in two different languages...

97. 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....

98. US ambassador sees opportunities in Cyprus

US Ambassador to Nicosia Judy Garber says the pandemic aftermath in Cyprus could be seen as an opportunity for the island, praising officials for managing the crisis and calling the country a “fantastic place for people” to do business...

99. Student’s letter causes media storm

A student in Nicosia is taking social media by storm, after she wrote a letter criticizing school prayer and how religion is being taught in state schools in the Republic of Cyprus...

100. 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....

101. Holy Synod says yoga no good

The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece rebuffed a call for dialogue between Orthodox churches regarding Holy Communion in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, while also denouncing yoga and warning cleric to stay away from the Lions...

102. 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....

103. Lockdown weighs heavily on Orthodox Christians during Easter

104. Police seize scrap wood for Easter bonfires

Local crews in Nicosia’s Strovolos municipality have been busy removing scrap wood stashed away in abandoned buildings in an effort to crack down on illegal lambradjia bonfires on upcoming Holy Saturday...

105. President: Partial lockdown of airports, schools to remain closed until April 10

President Nicos Anastasiades addressed the nation on Friday night after the week saw cumulative confirmations of coronavirus cases across the divide....

106. School probe launched over Satan complaint

Cypriot education officials were scrambling to respond to criticism over complaints that a high school student reportedly got scared by her teacher’s references to the “work of Satan” during class...

107. Cabinet adopts IHRA definition of antisemitism

The President’s Cabinet has approved a decision by which the Cypriot Government adopts the definition of anti-Semitism as it has been spelled out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance...

108. Teachers in the north up in arms over hijab

Turkish Cypriot educators in the north are up in arms over the appointment of a teacher who showed up at her school wearing a hijab...

109. Student reclaims right to wear hijab

High School principal Loizos Sepos has been relieved of his administrative duties at Saint Barnabas, following a controversy last week when he banned a female student who wore a hijab...

110. School principal probed after hijab incident

A high school principal in Nicosia is facing a disciplinary probe after he reportedly expelled a female student for wearing a hijab...

111. Genius or joker?

Loose cannon or influential statesman - what kind of British prime minister would Boris Johnson make on the world stage? Judging by his time as foreign secretary, possibly both...

112. Cypriots celebrate Easter

Easter may be a thing from last week in some parts of the world, but it is almost the end of Holy Week in the Republic Cyprus where people get ready for Saturday midnight mass and Easter Sunday celebrations...

113. An economy in transition

114. East Med on track with US backing

115. Somali women react to social services video

A group of women from Somalia are speaking out against treatment from state officials, just days after a video surfaced online showing a female refugee being forcefully removed from a social welfare office...

116. Erdogan’s mosques in the Balkans

117. Greek government to issue operation licenses for old houses of worship

The Ministry of Education, Research and Religion will grant licenses to all houses of worship operating in Greece since 1955, according to a cyclical issued on Wednesday. ...

118. Lessons from Northern Ireland

119. US backs Ukrainian Church bid for autocephaly

The United States expressed its support on Wednesday for a recent decision by Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church....

120. Thrace muftis to appeal to EU courts over retirement law

The lawyers of two Muslim religious leaders (muftis) said on Friday they plan to appeal to European Union judicial bodies against a provision voted through the Greek Parliament last month that stipulates their retirement....