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1081. Cyprus slams Erdogan's push for two-state solution

The Republic of Cyprus slammed comments regarding a two-state solution to the Cyprus Problem made by the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday after meeting with the new Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, with government spokesman Kyriakos Koushios stressing on Tuesday that such prospects are in complete opposition to UN resolutions....

1082. NAVTEX wars continue in eastern Med

Greece has issued a counter navigational warning following NAVTEX messages from Turkey, after Ankara renewed exploratory activities in contested Mediterranean waters and further denounced Athens for treaty violations...

1083. Greece, Albania agree to go to Hague over territorial waters

Greece and Albania have agreed to petition the International Court of Justice in The Hague to delimit their maritime zones, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday, during a visit to Tirana....

1084. EC: Cyprus, Malta golden passport schemes in violation of EU law

The European Commission launched infringement procedures against Cyprus and Malta on Tuesday in response to their ‘golden passport’ schemes, and allowed a two-month period for the countries to respond in writing to the Commission’s warning letter....

1085. Al Jazeera strikes again at Cyprus Papers

Al Jazeera’s investigative unit struck again on Monday with new Cyprus Papers material, involving a report accompanied by a one-hour video depicting undercover reporters who visited Cyprus and posed as representatives of an imaginary ultrarich investor, Mr X, who was convicted for palm-greasing and money laundering, to ‘test’ whether local authorities would still be willing accept his hefty investment and provide him with Cypriot citizenship....

1086. UN tells Turkey to back off from Varosha

The Security Council has called on Turkey to reverse course of action regarding Varosha in accordance to UN resolutions, with Ankara denying any violations and saying the statement 'does not reflect the reality'...

1087. Nicosia in the midst of diplomatic marathon over Varosha

Ersin Tatar’s descent upon Ankara but also the intense rumours regarding a reopening of the coastal front of the fenced-off city of Varosha have over the past days mobilized Nicosia....

1088. Trump's medical status unclear

President Donald Trump could be discharged from the hospital where he is being treated for COVID-19 as soon as Monday, according to his doctors, although his condition remains unclear and outside experts warn that his case may be severe...

1089. Pompeo: US ‘strongly’ supports dialogue between Greece and Turkey

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said Washington “strongly” supports dialogue between Greece and Turkey amid tensions between the two countries in the Eastern Mediterranean....

1090. Bad blood continues over golden passports

A prolonged and bitter dispute between the interior minister and auditor general, over probing Cyprus’ golden passports scheme, was renewed this week following a mini report with details on a number of applications through citizenship by investment...

1091. Commission presents new migration plan for EU

The European Union's executive proposed on Wednesday overhauling the bloc's broken migration and asylum rules, seeking to end years of feuds and bitterness over the many people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa....

1092. East Mediterranean states establish forum

The founding members of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum signed a charter during an online ceremony on Tuesday, marking the group’s organization status in seeking to promote regional cooperation...

1093. Nearly 100 asylum seekers flown out of Cyprus

Fourteen unaccompanied minors have been transferred from the Republic of Cyprus to Finland, while another 84 foreign nationals were flown back to their countries in what the government described as ‘voluntary returns'...

1094. Turkey accuses Greece of treaty violations

Turkey has issued a navigational telex to mariners accusing Greece of violating the Lausanne Treaty by militarizing the Greek island of Chios just 10 miles from a Turkish port...

1095. Driver permit rules stiffer for non-residents

The Cypriot transport ministry has issued tougher rules for some foreigners seeking to obtain a driver’s permit, essentially linking visa status to eligibility while barring refugees with pending applications as well as introducing stricter criteria...

1096. Greece and Turkey 'agree' to tone it down

NATO allies Greece and Turkey have agreed to talks to avoid accidental clashes in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday...

1097. Photo of Limassol shooting suspect released

One man is in custody and his brother is wanted by Limassol police in connection with an altercation at a barber shop that ended with shots being fired and another man injured...

1098. Ankara responds to Greek warnings

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says an attack on Oruc Reis in the eastern Mediterranean would incur a “high price” while at the same time calling for a win-win solution through dialogue...

1099. Borrell calls extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has called an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting Friday afternoon....

1100. Turkey says Greece making a ‘big fuss’

Ankara has accused Athens of having “no legal basis” for raising objections over Turkish exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, as Greek armed forces were placed on high alert Monday after Turkey sent a seismic survey vessel in contested waters...

1101. Cyprus and Russia come to terms

It will no longer be possible for wealthy Russians to distribute profit via dividends to foreign firms in Cyprus, after Nicosia said it agreed with Moscow on terms to amend a double tax treaty, but some say the island still kept some competitive advantages...

1102. Regional tensions flare up anew as Turkey issues new Navtex

1103. US lifts 'Do Not Travel' advisory, Cyprus in Warning Level 3

The US on Thursday lifted its advisory against travelling abroad that was in force for nearly five months, but the US Centers for Disease Control still recommends against non-essential travel to more than 200 destinations, including Cyprus and Greece, due to the high coronavirus risk....

1104. Male Cypriots urged to negotiate postponement of higher fees with UK universities

Male Cyprus high school graduates considering going on to a UK university but who must first complete a 14-month military service, by which time the UK is set to enforce its decision to scrap home fee status for EU students, are urged to directly contact their university of interest to negotiate a postponement of the fee increase, allowing them to enrol next under current fee status....

1105. Cyprus at the ready to help Lebanon

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides says the government has expressed its “immediate readiness” to assist the neighbouring country following two powerful explosions that rocked Beirut...

1106. NAVTEX warnings muddy the waters off Cyprus

Rival navigational warnings and conflicting information about naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean dominated headlines over the weekend, with Germany appearing to be behind a last-ditch effort to buy time and de-escalate tensions between Greece and Turkey...

1107. Borrell, Cavusoglu agree on need to de-escalate EastMed tension

EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell held a telephone conversation on Thursday with the Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu, with the two agreeing on the need to de-escalate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. ...

1108. Church bells toll for Hagia Sophia

Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos has ordered church bells across the island to ring on Friday, marking what he described as a “criminal conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque"...

1109. Five new cases involving contacts and persons with travel history

Five new coronavirus cases, involving two persons with travel history and three contacts of another known case, were announced by the Cyprus health ministry on Thursday, when a total of 1,575 lab tests were conducted to check samples for the virus....

1110. Supreme Court orders Syrian man’s release

An asylum seeker, who was detained on national security grounds and his application had been rejected, was ordered to walk free after the Supreme Court ruled state authorities had no legal basis to keep him locked up...