Middle Eastern countries

Cyprus relaxes banking restrictions

Cypriots can now cash cheques and have higher limits on transactions. Also in business news: Switzerland will grant 500 Croatian workers access to the country's labour market.

Banking regulations were imposed last year as part of the austerity measures in Cyprus. [AFP]

Bank of Cyprus will release some of the 933 million euros of deposits still frozen under a recapitalization of the bank last year, it said on Wednesday. [Reuters]

New sewage plant contributes to peace in Cyprus

Development of a new sewage treatment plant in Nicosia brought the Turkish and Greek communities together with a new hope of peace and tolerance.

UN peacekeeping troops patrol the Green Line in Nicosia. [AFP]

Hundreds of Greek Orthodox pilgrims, some coming home after 40 years of forced exile, commemorated the crucifixion of Jesus in a rare Good Friday service in northern Cyprus.

A new sewage plant was opened in Cypriot capital Nicosia by the mayors of northern and southern part of the city as a joint initiative of the city's Greek and Turkish population.

The high-tech plant costs EUR 29 M, with a third of the money provided by the European Union, BusinessWeek reported.

EU supporting water treatment effort in Cyprus

Cyprus's economic crisis could hasten a deal to end decades of enmity between the island's estranged Greeks and Turks, its outgoing United Nations envoy said on Thursday.

Reunification talks resumed between the two sides on February 11.