https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/freedom-day-in-the-uk-from-today
England woke up to freedom today after nearly two years of crippling on-off lockdowns as all emergency Covid laws introduced to tackle the pandemic ended at midnight....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-simplifies-dance-unban-for-carnival-week
The government in the Republic of Cyprus is adjusting rules for clubbing and dancing venues during carnival week, but a layered risk-assessment formula partially based on vaccination status won’t go into effect until next month after the end of festivities...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/welcome-back-australia-opens-its-borders-two-years-later-images
Australia today completely opened its external borders to travelers who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus after being shut down for almost two years due to the pandemic, with tourists returning to the country and hundreds of people reuniting with relatives and friends....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/allies-watch-for-kremlin-attempt-to-justify-ukraine-invasion
The U.S. issued some of its starkest, most detailed warnings yet about how a Russian invasion of Ukraine might unfold, and its Western allies went on high alert for any attempts by the Kremlin to create a false pretext for a new war in Europe....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/conspicuous-driver-busted-for-drugs-at-checkpoint
A man was arrested Monday at the Agios Dometios checkpoint after Greek Cypriot customs officers found drugs in his car, with the incident taking place just days after Turkish Cypriots accused the south of ramping up checks to deter shopping in the north...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/ukraine-shows-unity-as-west-sees-no-sign-of-russian-pullback
Ukrainians defied pressure from Moscow with a national show of flag-waving unity Wednesday, while the West warned that it saw no sign of a promised pullback of Russian troops from Ukraine’s borders despite Kremlin declarations of a withdrawal....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/more-freedoms-likely-for-the-fully-vaccinated-in-greece
With European member-states seeking to relax coronavirus measures by March, more freedoms for those who are fully vaccinated are set to be discussed on Wednesday by Health Minister Thanos Plevris and the committee of experts advising the government....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/unvaccinated-djokovic-could-skip-french-open-wimbledon
If forced to choose, Novak Djokovic said he would skip the French Open and Wimbledon, foregoing the chance to overtake Rafael Nadal’s record haul of 21 Grand Slams titles, rather than get vaccinated against COVID-19....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/officials-keep-tight-lid-on-relaxations-formula
Cypriot experts are signaling a relaxation of measures against people who are unvaccinated, but government officials maintain that any new criteria would still be based on individual risk assessment linked to vaccination status...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/sweden-ends-covid-19-testing-as-pandemic-restrictions-lifted
Sweden has halted wide-scale testing for COVID-19 even among people showing symptoms of an infection, putting an end to the mobile city-square tent sites, ...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/eu-taking-the-first-steps-to-freedom-and-the-arguments-for-relaxation
The de-escalation of the health crisis brings further relaxation of measures in Europe. In Spain, from Thursday, citizens will be able to walk outdoors without masks. The measure was imposed in mid-December in order to reduce the risk of "Omicron"....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/us-urges-canada-to-use-federal-powers-to-end-bridge-blockade
The Biden administration urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government Thursday to use its federal powers to end the truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions, as the bumper-to-bumper demonstration forced auto plants on both sides of the border to shut down or scale back production....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/after-two-years-of-closed-borders-australia-welcomes-the-world-back
Australia said on Monday it will reopen its borders to vaccinated travelers this month, ending two years of misery for the tourism sector, reviving migration and injecting billions of dollars into the world No. 13 economy....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/no-to-relaxations-for-now-the-omicron-could-cause-serious-illness
Relaxations of measures against the further spread of Covid-19 will depend on the epidemiological picture, Dr. Petros Karayiannis told the Cyprus News Agency on Monday, pointing out that though there has been a stabilization in daily cases, the number now is at around 3,000....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/greek-cypriots-in-last-ditch-effort-to-save-ghost-town
The foreign minister of the Republic of Cyprus says a proposal to lift international embargos on Ercan airport in the north is “the only way to save Varosha” for Greek Cypriots, but it may be too little too late for the seasoned diplomat as Turkish Cypriots say the ghost town is now off the table...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/austria-passes-covid-vaccine-mandate
Austria has become the first country in the EU to make vaccinations against Covid-19 mandatory for all adults, but questions remain over whether it can sway those skeptical of taking the jab and how much the Alpine state’s government is willing to press those who won’t comply....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/greece-to-scrap-negative-covid-test-requirement-for-travelers
Greece will allow tourists with a European vaccination certificate to enter the country without having to show a negative test for COVID-19 from Feb. 7, the tourism and health ministries said on Friday....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-keeps-hopes-up-as-wonder-bids-farewell
Wonder of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship left Limassol on Thursday at 4:30pm after a short visit to pick up crew and renew the company’s commitment to Cyprus at a particularly tough time for both the industry and the island looking to rebrand itself...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/take-back-life-more-nations-ease-coronavirus-restrictions
Late-night partying at clubs. Elbow-to-elbow seating in movie theaters. Going without masks in public, especially in Europe and North America: Step by step, many countries are easing their COVID-19 restrictions amid hopes the omicron wave may have passed its peak....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/britain-released-partygate-report-cites-failure-of-leadership-in-downing-street
Boris Johnson faced a moment of truth on Partygate today as the Sue Gray report was finally published condemning 'failures of leadership and judgment' in Downing Street.
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https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/business/imf-forecasts-for-global-recovery-reduced-to-4-4-for-2022
"The world economy is entering 2022 weaker than previously expected," the International Monetary Fund said in a statement on economic forecasts for the new year. Pandemic, inflation and climate crisis will determine global growth, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/desperate-afghan-families-resorting-to-selling-their-kidneys-and-even-their-own-children-to-buy-food
Entire families in Afghanistan have been forced to sell their kidneys so they can buy food, as the country plunges deeper into a humanitarian crisis....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/parents-in-cyprus-get-jabbed-to-fly-sick-child-to-germany
The parents of a young child in need of surgery got vaccinated in Cyprus on Thursday after being told they could not fly to Germany for treatment unless they got jabbed, but it was still not clear whether the order was based on medical or travel policy...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/britain-covid-travel-restrictions-are-being-scrapped
The COVID travel restrictions imposed by the government are being scrapped....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/uk-government-holds-breath-as-it-awaits-‘partygate-report
Prime Minister Boris Johnson braced for the conclusions of an investigation into allegations of lockdown-breaching parties, a document that could help him end weeks of scandal and discontent, or bring his time in office to an abrupt close....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/bill-calls-for-shadowing-learner-delivery-drivers
A proposed bill on new regulations for drivers of motorcycles in Cyprus introduces measures aimed at boosting safety, but the law would also mean tough restrictions on food delivery guys who work on a learner’s permit...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/freedom-of-movement-within-the-eu-will-no-longer-be-regulated-by-country-of-origin
After calls to simplify COVID travel rules within the EU, EU Ministers meeting at the General Affairs Council in Brussels agreed on Tuesday that the three main criteria for travel within the EU will be vaccination status, covid test results or recovery certificates....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cypriot-court-says-unvax-ban-serves-common-good
Α Nicosia district judge sided with the government on banning unvaccinated persons in restricted venues, saying the decision was for the common good and based on science...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/france-bars-unvaccinated-from-restaurants-sports-venues
People who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 are no longer allowed in France’s restaurants, bars, tourist sites and sports venues unless they recently recovered from the virus....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/supreme-court-settles-golden-passports-legal-saga
The Supreme Court in the Republic of Cyprus says a Parliament attempt last year to restrict the attorney general's role in a golden passport probe outcome was unconstitutional, after lawmakers had raised conflicts of interest for the state's chief law enforcer and his deputy...
