Cyprus

Cyprus is considering repaying early the remainder of a 2.5 billion euro ($2.83 billion) loan that Russia granted the island nation in 2012 amid a financial crisis.

Greek opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Nicosia on Thursday for a two-day visit during which he will also hold talks with President Nicos Anastasiades.

Arriving in Cyprus, the conservative leader was welcomed by the head of Cyprus' Democratic Rally (DISY) party, Averof Neofytou.

Beyond the antagonistic statements of Turkish government official on issues of sovereignty, former military officers and former officials are now claiming that five Greek islands belong to Turkey.

The claims are directly related to the delineation of the Exclusive Economic Zones of countries in the wider region.

The second tier of Cyprus soccer will resume on April 19 after a week-long suspension prompted by match-fixing suspicions, the island's soccer governing body said, giving teams a warning of points deductions and financial penalties in future.

A Kurdish man facing extradition to Germany on terrorism charges used his time in a Larnaca court to spell out his grievances against Turkey.

Belgium-based Titan Cement International has submitted a share exchange offer to shareholders of Athens-listed Titan to facilitate new listings in Brussels and Paris.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on April 16 that he is pressing on with a bid to re-start negotiations on reuniting Cyprus, nearly two years after talks collapsed.

Cyprus is considering the issuance of a new bond to repay part of the Russian loan. Back in 2011 Cyprus sought Russian assistance at a time when it had no access to financial markets, as Demetris Christofias's government was trying to avoid requesting a bailout from the EU and the IMF.

A number of 28 large-size pictures showing images from every European Union member state will be exhibited over April 18 - May 16 on the pedestrian street Nicolae Balcescu in the central Romanian city of Sibiu, to celebrate the Romanian presidency of the Council of EU, ahead of the European Union Summit to be held here on May 9, informs a release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.

Cyprus is in a position to "find a whole new day in its relationship with the United States and with the West," US Senator Robert Menendez said during a visit to Nicosia on Tuesday.