Cypriot

The rival sides in ethnically divided Cyprus agreed on Thursday to partially reopen crossing points for Turkish Cypriots in the breakaway north to cross into the internationally recognized south amid a wide-ranging rollback of a two-month lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.

At least 91 Turkish Cypriots living in the U.K. have died from the COVID-19 pandemic, a representative of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in London said May 7.

Turkey late on April 21 slammed a statement by the Greek Foreign Ministry concerning the country's maritime jurisdiction areas and drilling activities.
"Greece, with today's statement, once again exhibits its unrealistic perceptions and rights-refusing attitudes regarding the problems in our region," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a statement.

Over 150 members of the Cypriot community in the UK have lost their lives after contracting coronavirus.

A newspaper published by the Cyprus expat community in the UK said that 95 Greek Cypriots, 55 Turkish Cypriots, and one Maronite Cypriot living in the UK have succumbed to the virus over the past few weeks.

Greek Cypriot police sprayed tear gas on March 7 as several hundred people protested against the closure of crossings on the divided island's ceasefire line over coronavirus fears.

Four Greek Cypriot police officers were injured allegedly in divided Nicosia during scuffles with demonstrators in which police made use of personal tear gas spray to disperse the crowd.

A so-far elusive deal to reunite Cyprus would mean more money in pockets on both sides of the ethnically divided island, a World Bank and UN-funded report said Monday.
Presenting the study's results, authors Enrique Aldaz-Carroll and Reena Badiani-Magnusson said a peace accord could boost the incomes of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots by 7 percent within a decade.

It took more than 45 years, but 219 paintings thought lost or stolen - artwork that includes some of the most significant works produced by Greek Cypriot artists - have gone on display.

One work by artist George P. Georghiou has been hailed as one of Cyprus' "most iconic paintings."

Nicosia on Thursday rejected a call by Ankara for a halt to drilling activities off the island's south as a precondition for it to stop its own activities off the divided island. 

The presidency is an important position for overcoming the "frozen uncertainty" in Cyprus and "the deadlocked problem can be solved with more creative and new ideas," according to a top Turkish Cypriot politician.

Turkey's ongoing survey and drilling activities off Cyprus aim at protecting the rights of Turkish Cypriots, a foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday, adding that "until these rights are guaranteed, Turkish Petroleum will continue to operate" in the areas licensed by the breakaway state.