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1081. Washington not taking any chances

Presidential inaugurations are normally high-security events, with metal detectors at key entry points, restricted ID-only zones and National Guard supplementing local and federal law enforcement, but the level of precautions this year is unprecedented...

1082. COVID-19 is adding new impetus to finance transformation

1083. Cyprus, Portugal agree to take ties to next level

Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides paid an official visit to Portugal’s capital on Thursday for a tête-à-tête with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva on the occasion of Portugal’s assumption of the presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1....

1084. Dherynia rioter gets suspended sentence

A local judge in Famagusta handed down a 90-day suspended sentence to a man who pleaded guilty to rioting charges in connection with an incident at Dherynia checkpoint, while eight others await trial after pleading not guilty...

1085. Two arrested after Syrian refugees reach shore

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of people smuggling after over a dozen presumptive refugees from Syria reached Cypriot shores late Tuesday night, while there was still concern over overcrowding concerns at a migrant camp outside the capital...

1086. 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....

1087. Turkey at risk of extended sanctions by March, EU source tells Kathimerini

Ankara could be slapped with more European sanctions depending on the findings of an evaluation report on Turkey expected by March, a senior diplomatic official has told Kathimerini on condition of anonymity....

1088. New Chinese Ambassador hails deepening relations with Cyprus

China opposes any unilateral provocations and actions that undermine the peace and stability of Cyprus and the region and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it will continue to play a constructive and coordinating role in facilitating the settlement of the Cyprus problem, UNFICYP’s mandate renewal, and the implementation of relevant UN resolutions, to uphold fairness and justice for Cypriots, China's new Ambassador to Cyprus, Liu Yantao said, presenting on Thursday his credentials to Cyrpus President, Nicos Anastasiades....

1089. Syrian refugees 'roughing it' at police station

Newly-arrived presumptive refugees were on standby this week, after reports said they were taken to a police station in Famagusta district due to overcrowding conditions at a migrant reception centre in rural Nicosia...

1090. Ankara tries to open Jerusalem channel

In a bid to create rifts in Israel’s alliances with Greece and Cyprus, Turkey is reportedly trying to open channels with Tel Aviv through proposals officially submitted by retired rear admiral Cihat Yayci, architect of Ankara’s expansionist Blue Homeland doctrine and its maritime borders pact with Libya. ...

1091. Cyprus energy designs unaffected by Turkey's provations, President says

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said Tuesday that that the Republic, as a sovereign and independent state and despite Turkey’s provocations, threats and illegal activities, is determined to go ahead with the implementation of its energy policy....

1092. Delivery guy attacked on job in Nicosia

A delivery driver in Nicosia was attacked and robbed on Monday while attempting to deliver food after curfew to an Aglandjia address near the buffer zone...

1093. Cyprus’ migrant camp way over capacity

The overcrowding situation with refugees and asylum seekers at Pournara camp was back in the news, following an unannounced visit by the state’s Ombudswoman who said she saw some improvements but also some problems still not being addressed such as the right to move freely out of the camp...

1094. EU leaders pull Turkey punch at last minute

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to prepare limited sanctions on Turkish individuals over an energy exploration dispute with Greece and Cyprus, postponing any harsher steps until March as countries sparred over how to handle Ankara...

1095. EU leaders weigh sanctions over Turkey’s Med drilling

Concerned that their credibility is at stake, European Union leaders are set Thursday to give the green light to the expansion of sanctions against Turkey over its exploration of gas reserves in Mediterranean waters claimed by EU members Greece and Cyprus....

1096. EU to toughen sanctions on Turkish drilling, draft summit statement says

The European Union will impose sanctions on more Turkish individuals and companies responsible for drilling in contested waters in the Mediterranean, according to a draft statement prepared for EU leaders to agree at a summit on Thursday....

1097. Cyprus, Greece and Jordan to step up cooperation

Cyprus, Greece and Jordan vowed Tuesday to further enhance their trilateral cooperation, which will cover defence and security issues as well as economic and trade cooperation....

1098. Chloraka murder suspects in custody

Two remaining suspects in a Chloraka murder earlier this year have been ordered in remanded custody in the south, after they were handed over by Turkish Cypriot authorities in the north following their extradition from Turkey...

1099. Cyprus calls on Turkey to engage in maritime zone delimitation talks

In an interview with the UAE television channel Alarabiya, defence minister Charalambos Petrides called on Turkey to accept the Republic of Cyprus’ invitation to engage in talks in view of reaching an agreement over the delimitation of the contested maritime zones between the two countries, or alternatively refer the issue to the International Court of Justice....

1100. Cyprus, Slovakia FMs discuss Turkey's regional behaviour

Turkey’s escalating provocations in relation to Varosha, as well as in Cyprus’s EEZ and maritime zones, were the focus of discussions in Nicosia on Monday between the Cyprus Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides and the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Ivan Korcok....

1101. ‘No going back’ on Varosha decision

Over 200 Varosha property owners are seeking to return to the divided island’s most popular ghost town, with Turkish Cypriots appearing ready to address Greek Cypriot grievances with or without a solution to the Cyprus problem, adding there is “no going back” on the plan to open the abandoned city...

1102. Ankara focused on getting recognition of north Cyprus

Well-informed sources in the Turkish capital and in the Turkish Cypriot community insist on the fact that the messages relayed during Sunday’s celebrations in the north are of particular importance for the future course of the Cyprus Problem. Returning to the well-known rhetoric of the division, Turkey once again brought to the fore strategies and moves for the Cyprus Problem that had been forgotten for several years....

1103. Erdogan sets foot on Cyprus’ Varosha

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Cyprus on Sunday during Turkish Cypriot celebrations in the north, prompting strong reactions from Greek Cypriots in the south at a time when the divided island’s political future hangs in the balance...

1104. Cyprus, Israel affirm excellent bilateral relations

Israeli Minister of Defence Benny Gantz has stressed the necessity for Turkey to immediately terminate its illegal actions in Cyprus and the broader region, in order to create the favourable conditions that would allow for the resumption of a productive dialogue on the Cyprus issue....

1105. Mitsotakis hails Cyprus, Greece, Egypt cooperation

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hailed the importance of the trilateral cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt for ensuring peace and stability in the region....

1106. Cyprus and France conduct joint search and rescue drill

A joint search and rescue exercise took place on Friday off the coast of Cyprus, with the participation of Cyprus and France...

1107. Cyprus leaders agree to disagree

The two leaders from divided Cyprus’ two communities met in the UN buffer zone in Nicosia on Tuesday, following last month’s elections in the north, with both men agreeing in principle to an informal five-party meeting but not without expressing reservations...

1108. Cypriot leaders to size each other up

Cyprus’ Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders are meeting on Tuesday evening to get to know each other following elections in the north, but local reports on both sides of the divided island suggest Nicos Anastasiades and Ersin Tatar already have talking points for each other...

1109. Cyprus, Greece, Israel to bolster cooperation

The foreign ministers of Greece, Cyprus and Israel hailed the tripartite partnership between the three countries, aimed at bolstering economic and energy cooperation, during a meeting in Athens on Tuesday, and agreed that it could be expanded to include other countries in the region....

1110. 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....