Latest Cyprus government News

Jordan stations 2 firefighting helicopters in Cyprus to help as summer fire season arrives

May. 06, 2024 13:46 PM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Jordan on Monday stationed two helicopters in Cyprus to help the Mediterranean island nation combat potential forest fires until it can lease firefighting aircraft of its own for the summer fire season. Cypriot Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou said the...

EU announces 1 billion euros in aid for Lebanon amid a surge in irregular migration

May. 02, 2024 16:37 PM EDT

BEIRUT (AP) — The European Union announced Thursday an aid package for Lebanon of 1 billion euros — about $1.06 billion — much of which will go to boost border control to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants from the small, crisis-wracked country across the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus...

Cyprus gives Chevron another 6 months to come up with a timetable on a natural gas field development

May. 02, 2024 04:13 AM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The Cyprus government has given Chevron another six months to come up with a revised plan to develop a sizeable natural gas deposit off the island nation’s southern coastline after an earlier plan proposed by the U.S. energy company lacked a timetable, an official said...

Migration agency chief warns that even more Syrians will leave Lebanon as donors cut back on aid

Apr. 30, 2024 15:00 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The number of Syrian refugees leaving Lebanon is likely to keep rising as donors cut back on aid, the head of the U.N.'s migration agency warned Tuesday, as pressure builds over their arrival on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Amy Pope, director general of the...

UN refugee agency tells Cyprus to stick to the law in its efforts at sea to thwart refugee boats

Apr. 19, 2024 13:25 PM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The United Nations' refugee agency said Friday that Cypriot efforts at sea to stop numerous Syrian refugee-laden boats departing Lebanon from reaching the European Union-member island nation mustn’t contravene international human rights laws or put passengers at risk. ...

Cyprus suspends processing of Syrian asylum applications as boatloads of refugees continue arriving

Apr. 13, 2024 16:08 PM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus said Saturday it’s suspending processing all asylum applications by Syrian nationals because large numbers of refugees from the war-torn country continue to reach the island nation by boat, primarily from Lebanon. In a written statement, the Cypriot...

Cyprus president and Lebanese caretaker premier urge EU financial aid to curb migration from Lebanon

Apr. 08, 2024 09:35 AM EDT

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese caretaker prime minister and the Cypriot president are calling on the European Union to provide financial support to help cash-strapped Lebanon stop migrants from reaching European shores. President Nikos Christodoulides’ visit to Beirut Monday,...

Cyprus president asks EU Commission chief to get Lebanon to stop migrants from leaving its shores

Apr. 02, 2024 16:26 PM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The president of Cyprus said on Tuesday that he has personally asked the head of the European Union’s executive arm to intercede with Lebanese authorities to stop boatloads of Syrian refugees from heading to the east Mediterranean island nation. President...

Cyprus minister says a proposal to set up safe zones in Syria for refugees to return is advancing

Mar. 22, 2024 11:39 AM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A Cyprus government proposal to enable repatriations of Syrian refugees by designating specific areas within the country as safe zones is “gaining ground” among the island nation's fellow European Union member states, the Cypriot interior minister said Friday. ...

How the US military is scrambling to build a floating dock for urgently needed aid to Gaza

Mar. 09, 2024 00:03 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Even before President Joe Biden announced in his State of the Union address the plans for providing aid to Gaza by sea, the Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade and other units were scrambling to pull equipment together. They received their orders before the...