Cyprus

Former Cyprus foreign minister wins presidential election

Nikos Christodoulides won the Cyprus presidential election on Sunday after a second and final round of voting, promising a unity government tasked with breaking a deadlock in peace talks with estranged Turkish…

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Cypriot diplomats face off in cliffhanger presidential vote

NICOSIA (Reuters) -Cyprus went to the polls in a runoff presidential election on Sunday, pitting two career diplomats against each other in what could be a cliffhanger vote that has…

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Cyprus probes washed up dead whales, earthquake link possible

NICOSIA (Reuters) - A number of whales have washed up dead on the northern shores of Cyprus, authorities said, possibly affected by the massive earthquakes in neighbouring Turkey and Syria…

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Cyprus ruling party sits on fence in presidential runoff

NICOSIA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Cyprus's ruling right-wing party on Wednesday said its supporters should vote at will in a runoff presidential election on Feb. 12 between a former member…

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Cyprus presidential election goes to runoff

Cyprus votes in presidential elections Former foreign minister in lead, leftist candidate comes second Runoff to be held on Feb 12 NICOSIA (Reuters) - Former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides took…

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UPDATE – Cyprus presidential vote set for runoff, with Christodoulides in lead

NICOSIA (Reuters) -Former foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides edged into the lead inCyprus's presidential election on Sunday, exit polls showed, but was unlikely to clinch an outright majority, leading to a…

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Cyprus poll draws record 14 candidates, unlikely to produce clear winner

Cyprus presidential vote likely to move to Feb 12 runoff Record number of candidates running Ex-member of present government ahead in polls By Michele Kambas NICOSIA, Feb 2 (Reuters) -…

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Cypriots to walk off job in rare strike over index-linked pay demands

Thousands of workers were expected to walk off the job in Cyprus on Thursday in a standoff with employers over their demand for inflation-linked salary increases. Twelve public and private…

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Fourteen candidates join race for Cyprus presidency in Feb. vote

NICOSIA, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Fourteen candidates formally joined the race this week to become Cyprus's next president in an election next month dominated by the island's decades-old division, irregular…

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Turkey accuses Cyprus of increasing tension in east Mediterranean over gas exploration

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey accused Cyprus of increasing tension in the Eastern Mediterranean after a consortium of Italian and French energy companies found more natural gas off the island earlier…

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Maltese and Cypriot maritime registers see oil tankers leave as a result of sanctions on Russia

A large number of tankers which previously sailed under European Union flags, such as Cyprus’ and Malta’s, are leaving those registers as a result of the sanctions on Russian oil…

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Cyprus to revoke 10 more passports issued under discredited citizenship scheme

NICOSIA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Cyprus on Wednesday said it would strip citizenship from 10 individuals, among thousands who benefited from a cash-for-passports scheme which collapsed under accusations of corruption…

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Photo Story: Cyprus Informal Ministerial Meeting MED 5 in Paphos

(L-R) Malta’s Minister for Home Affairs, National Security and Law enforcement Byron Camilleri, Cyprus’ Interior Minister Nikos Nouris, Greece’ Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi, and Spain’s Interior Minister…

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Turkey to reinforce military presence in northern Cyprus -Erdogan

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey will rein force its military presence in northern Cyprus after the United States lifted defence trade restrictions on Cyprus, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said. Speaking in…

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Cyprus cancels meeting with Lavrov after EU says will step up sanctions

NICOSIA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades cancelled a meeting scheduled with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York after EU foreign ministers agreed to prepare new…

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Turkey condemns U.S. decision on Cyprus arms embargo

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign ministry said on Saturday it strongly condemned the expansion of a decision taken by the United States in September 2020 to lift its arms embargo…

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Cyprus ends mandatory mask wearing as COVID-19 measures eased

NICOSIA, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Cyprus on Wednesday said it would end all restrictions on gatherings and the mandatory use of face masks in most areas after cases of COVID-19…

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Cyprus cash-for-passports scheme rife with tax failings -audit

NICOSIA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - A cash-for-passports scheme discontinued by Cyprus in 2020 after a political furore cost the state hundreds of millions of euros in lost revenues from misdirected…

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Cyprus and Greece oppose ban on Russian tourist visas

Cyprus and Greece are rallying behind Germany in opposing a block on visas for Russian tourists wanting to visit the EU, rejecting a call for such a ban by Ukraine.…

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Cyprus records its first monkeypox case, India first death

Cyprus has recorded its first case of monkeypox, the island's health ministry said. The infected man was 40 and had been travelling recently, the ministry said in a statement. The…

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Cyprus to absorb new energy bill hikes – finance minister

NICOSIA, July 28 (Reuters) - Cyprus said on Thursday the state would absorb a sizeable chunk of cost increases in energy to buffer anticipated rises of up to 25% in bills in…

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Shrugging off Russia maritime business loss, Cyprus targets Asia shipping

LONDON, (Reuters) - Cyprus has already overcome the loss of Russian maritime trade due to European sanctions and the Mediterranean shipping hub is chasing business expansion in Japan and elsewhere in Asia…

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Cyprus would like to function as regional firefighting response hub

Cyprus would like to function as a regional hub to coordinate responses of neighbouring countries to fires, President Nicos Anastasiades has said. In an interview with Politis following the devastating…

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Cyprus says tourism year ‘won’t be brilliant, but good’.

NICOSIA, June 15 (Reuters) - Cyprus's tourism sector is starting to recover its losses from the pandemic, with arrivals approaching 2019's record levels despite fewer visitors from Russia, Deputy Minister of Tourism…

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Cyprus caps VAT on electricity, increases pensions to cushion inflation blows

NICOSIA, May 27 (Reuters) - Cyprus said on Friday it would extend a lower value added tax (VAT) on electricity bills and a fuel price cap and also boost pensions to cushion…

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Cyprus to lift COVID-19 travel conditions from April 18

NICOSIA, April 7 (Reuters) - Cyprus will lift COVID-19 conditions for travel to the island from April 18, authorities said on Thursday, ending two years of rules imposed by the pandemic. The…

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Proposed EastMed gas pipeline is not viable – U.S. diplomat

NICOSIA, April 7, (Reuters) - Europe needs to swiftly find alternative sources of energy following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but a proposed pipeline taking east Mediterranean gas to the continent via Israel,…

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Cyprus to revoke passports of four sanctioned Russians

NICOSIA, April 7 (Reuters) - Cyprus will revoke the passports of four sanctioned Russians who had received citizenship under an investment scheme discontinued in late 2020, government sources said on…

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Cyprus markets regulator is too slow to act, says EU watchdog

LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - Cyprus' markets regulator was intervening too little or too late in tackling aggressive marketing behaviour by firms on its watch, the European Union's securities watchdog said on…

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EU to boost support to Cyprus as migrant flows across ceasefire line rise

NICOSIA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The European Union will provide Cyprus with extra support to help it cope with a surge in migrant arrivals across the island's ceasefire line, the…

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Magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes Cyprus region

An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck Cyprus region on Tuesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The quake was at a depth of 2 km (1.24 miles), EMSC said.…

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Cyprus picks veteran as foreign minister after incumbent bows out

NICOSIA, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Cyprus will appoint veteran politician Ioannis Kasoulides as its new foreign minister, replacing Nikos Christodoulides who has resigned his post, the president's office said on…

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New COVID-19 variant detected in Cyprus – Deltacron

A new COVID-19 variant which was dubbed Deltacron has been identified in Cyprus, but it is not presently a source of alarm, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas announced. The new variant…

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Cyprus foreign minister quits in presidential succession battle

NICOSIA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday he had tendered his resignation, in an internal power struggle within the ruling right-wing conservatives on their…

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Cyprus sees record high COVID cases on Omicron variant

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus on Tuesday recorded a single-day record high of COVID-19 infections since the virus was first identified on the island in March 2020, data showed on Tuesday.…

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First group of migrants from Cyprus relocated under Pope pledge

NICOSIA, Dec 16 (Reuters) - A first group of migrants left Cyprus on Thursday as part of an initiative by Pope Francis to assist in their relocation, the government said.…

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UPDATED: Pope calls for healing in split Cyprus, Orthodox archbishop attacks Turkey

NICOSIA, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Pope Francis called on Friday for healing during an outdoor Mass in Cyprus within sight of a huge Turkish Cypriot flag on a mountainside on…

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UPDATED: Pope deplores ‘terrible laceration’ of divided Cyprus, urges dialogue

Pope Francis on Thursday urged Cypriots to seek dialogue to heal the "terrible laceration" that has divided their island for nearly half a century, saying neither side should use force…

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With migrants in mind, Pope Francis visits divided Cyprus

Pope Francis visits Cyprus this week to lend his support to a conflict-riven island now on the front line of a new migratory route for people fleeing their countries for…

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Pope to help 50 migrants in Cyprus relocate to Italy after trip to island

Pope Francis has arranged to have 50 migrants from Cyprus be relocated to Italy to mark his trip to the Mediterranean island next week, a Vatican source said. The 50…

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Cyprus to screen children for COVID-19 to ‘save Christmas’

Cyprus will include children as young as six in its COVID-19 screening programme and introduce mandatory masks in schools to ward off a surge in the virus, authorities said. Cases…

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Vatican releases itinerary of Pope’s visit to Cyprus and Greece

Pope Francis will be travelling to Cyprus and Greece from 2 to 6 December, embarking on his next international apostolic journey to the two nations. The Holy See Press Office released…

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Cyprus wants asylum right curbed for irregular migrants

Cyprus wants action to curb irregular migration to the island, including a suspension of asylum applications for persons entering illegally, a government official said. The east Mediterranean island, which is…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Nicosia, Cyprus

Ayia Varvara church is seen during sunset in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus. Photo: EPA-EFE/KATIA CHRISTODOULOU

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UPDATED: Pope to visit Cyprus and Greece Dec 2-6

The Vatican on Friday officially announced that Pope Francis will visit Cyprus and Greece, including the island of Lesbos that hosts many foreign migrants, on Dec. 2-6, confirming a Reuters…

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Cyprus and Egypt sign deal to pursue electricity hookup

Cyprus and Egypt signed an accord to pursue links between the electricity transmission networks of the two countries. A memorandum of understanding was signed by the energy ministers of Cyprus…

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Cyprus to revoke ‘golden passports’ granted to 45 people after probes expose corrupt scheme

Euronews reports that Cyprus has started procedures to revoke citizenship granted to 39 foreign nationals and six of their family members under its cancelled investment-for-passports programme. A government statement said…

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Israel accuses Iran of Cyprus attack plot

Israel accused Iran on Monday of orchestrating an attempted attack on Israelis in Cyprus after police on the Mediterranean island said an armed individual had been arrested. "This was a…

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Tensions simmer after Turkey sent off Maltese registered Cypriot vessel away from its continental shelf

Turkey sent a Greek Cypriot research vessel away from what it says is its continental shelf in the Mediterranean on Sunday after it entered the area without permission, Turkey's Defence…

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Cyprus to give booster COVID-19 jab to infirm and people over 65

Cyprus will start administering a booster COVID-19 vaccine to certain groups, the country's Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas said on Thursday. The booster will be available to individuals in care homes,…

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Turkey and Cyprus monitor ‘oil sheen’ after Syria leak

Authorities in Turkey and Cyprus are on alert for any potential pollution from a 'sheen' of fuel floating across the Mediterranean from a spill in Syria, officials said. Fuel which…

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WorldCup Qualifiers – Malta beats Cyprus 3-0 following a formidable performance

Cain Attard scored twice as Malta registered a fine 3-0 win over Cyprus in a match from Group H of the European Qualifiers leading to the 2022 FIFA World Cup…

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Concern as Syrian oil slick spreads across Mediterranean

Authorities in Cyprus are monitoring an oil slick that originated from a power plant on Syria's Mediterranean coast and could soon affect the island. Syrian state media said last week…

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Pope Francis planning to visit Cyprus in December

Pope Francis will visit Cyprus in December, making him the second Roman Catholic pope to ever travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation, a Cypriot official said. The official said…

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Cyprus to vaccinate 12-15 year olds against COVID-19

Cyprus said children aged 12 to 15 would be included in a mass inoculation programme to curb the spread of COVID-19, as it tightened regulations for access to public areas.…

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France calls Turkish-Cypriot move on ghost town a ‘provocation’

France on Wednesday criticised as a "provocation" a move by Turkish Cypriot authorities to partially reopen an abandoned town in Cyprus for potential resettlement, in the latest critique from the…

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EU calls Turkish plans for Cyprus unacceptable

The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell voiced deep concern over Turkish plans for the divided island of Cyprus, calling them unacceptable. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said peace talks can…

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