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☆ Israel-Hamas war: Why Hezbollah is threatening Cyprus
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

While experts say war between Israel and Hezbollah remains unlikely, the very mention of Cyprus adds a new dimension to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Stavros Ioannides/PIO/ReutersWhat has Cyprus’ role been in the Gaza war? Cyprus has been keen to dispel any suggestions that it is implicated in the Gaza war, noting its humanitarian efforts that helped bring some aid into Gaza. It would mean that an EU country is, for the first time, directly involved in an expanded Gaza war. “The US also does not want to find itself in another Middle East quagmire, especially with presidential elections looming.”

Persons: Hassan Nasrallah, ”, Nikos Christodoulides, ” Peter Stano, Abdallah Bou Habib, Constantinos Kombos, Lebanon’s, Israel, “, Eli Cohen, Stavros Ioannides, PIO, Christodoulides, Yiannis Kourtoglou, ” Mohammad Ali Shabani, Amwaj.media, ” Lina Khatib, ” Khatib, Biden Organizations: CNN, Lebanese, European Union, EU, United Nations, Lebanon’s, Cypriot, Israel, The, NATO, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Reuters, Spanish, North Africa, Chatham House Locations: Cyprus, Israel, “ Cyprus, Iran, Lebanon, EU, Greece, Gaza, East, Europe, European, Delaware, Republic of Cyprus, Turkish, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkey, The Republic of Cyprus, Nicosia, Tel Aviv, Larnaca, ”, UAE, Russian, Syria, London, Haifa, “

☆ Why Hezbollah is threatening this tiny European country
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

An island in the Eastern Mediterranean located on a geopolitical fault line between the Middle East and southern Europe, Cyprus is geographically much closer to the conflicts in the Middle East than it is to European power centers. The island has previously been caught in the crossfire of regional conflicts, a reminder of its proximity to the volatile Middle East. It would mean that an EU country is, for the first time, directly involved in an expanded Gaza war. “It is normal for both Israel and Hezbollah to have military plans in place for handling a potential escalation. “The US also does not want to find itself in another Middle East quagmire, especially with presidential elections looming.”

Persons: Hassan Nasrallah, ”, Nikos Christodoulides, Israel, Constantinos Kombos, Eli Cohen, Stavros Ioannides, PIO, Christodoulides, “, Yiannis Kourtoglou, ” Mohammad Ali Shabani, Amwaj.media, ” Lina Khatib, ” Khatib, Biden Organizations: CNN, Lebanese, Union, Israel, The, NATO, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Cypriot, Reuters, Spanish, European Union, North Africa, Chatham House Locations: Cyprus, Israel, “ Cyprus, Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, East, Europe, European, Delaware, Republic of Cyprus, Turkish, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, The Republic of Cyprus, Nicosia, Tel Aviv, Larnaca, ”, EU, UAE, Russian, Syria, London, Haifa, “

☆ Western special ops activity is on the rise around a new US partner in a strategic but unstable area of the Mediterranean
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewA former Russian partner who has drawn closer to the US in recent years has lately become something of a hub for Western special operations activity. The country's proximity to Israel, Gaza, and the Red Sea is important for special operations training. Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) conduct live fire weapons training with Cypriot Underwater Demolition Command (MYK) forces near Limassol, Cyprus on Jan. 29, 2024. In 2015, Nicosia signed a deal with Moscow allowing Russian warships to access its ports for replenishment. AdvertisementFollowing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Cyprus barred Russian warships from its ports and scrapped the 2015 agreement, something the US had demanded.

Persons: —, Bill Gallagher, Bill Carlisle, Jeff Butler, Butler, Gallagher Organizations: Service, US Navy SEALs, Warfare, Cypriot, Business, Naval, Craft, Cypriot Underwater, Command, US Navy, Navy, NFL, Super, White House, Cypriot National Guard, Turkish, New Jersey National Guard, Navy SEAL Locations: Russian, Cyprus, Gaza, Germany, Netherlands, Akrotiri, Yemen, Limassol, Levant, North Africa, Asia, Israel, East Coast, Russia, Nicosia, Moscow, Greece, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkey, Ukraine, Cypriot

☆ Second Man Jailed in Moldova's 'Fraud of the Century'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Alexander TanasCHISINAU (Reuters) - A Moldovan court jailed a banker for 10 years on Monday, the second man to be sentenced in connection with the ex-Soviet state's "fraud of the century" in which $1 billion was removed from the banking system and taken out of the country. The country's anti-corruption prosecutor announced the sentence handed down on Viorel Birca in connection with the 2014-2015 fraud on charges of mass fraud and "acting in the interests of a criminal group". Moldova's Constitutional Court subsequently outlawed a political party bearing his name. The fraud case continues to reverberate in Moldova's politics a decade after the events. Moldova's parliament last month dismissed central bank chief Octavian Armasu for failing to act to recover the money lost in the scandal.

Persons: Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, Birca, Ilan Shor, Shor, Maia Sandu's, Vlad Plahotniuc, Octavian Armasu, Alexander Tanas, Ron Popeski, Stephen Coates Organizations: Moldovan, Journalists, Prosecutors, Banca de Economii, Birca Locations: Soviet, Moldova, Israel, Northern Cyprus

Menendez, the senior Democratic senator for New Jersey, has been a vocal opponent of Turkey receiving aircraft to update its fighter fleet. “One of our most important problems regarding the F-16s were the activities of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez against our country,” Erdogan told journalists on a flight back from Azerbaijan on Monday. “Menendez’s exit gives us an advantage but the F-16 issue is not an issue that depends only on Menendez,” Erdogan added. Neither Washington nor Ankara have openly admitted a link between Sweden’s bid to the F-16 deal but it is widely acknowledged unofficially. “We will raise our voices even more for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to be recognized by other countries,” Erdogan said.

Persons: —, Sen, Bob Menendez, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Menendez, U.S . Sen, ” Erdogan, Antony Blinken, Hakan Fidan, Erdogan, Blinken, Fidan, ”, “, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: U.S, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, U.S ., Turkish, NATO, Finland, Israeli, General Assembly Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkish, New Jersey, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ankara, Greece, Sweden, Stockholm, Ukraine, Hungary, Washington, Nakhchivan, Nagorno, Karabakh, Baku, Armenia, Iran, Tehran, New York, Israel, Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

☆ Ex-Goldman Sachs trader to lead Greece's leftist Syriza party
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Renee Maltezou | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] The newly elected leader of Syriza leftist party, Stefanos Kasselakis walks outside the party's headquarters in Athens, Greece, September 25, 2023. Syriza was catapulted to power at the height of Greece's debt crisis in 2015, but lost to the conservative New Democracy party in 2019 and in June 2023. Kasselakis replaces Alexis Tsipras, a firebrand leftist whose anti-austerity rhetoric rallied voters around Syriza during the debt crisis. After coming to power, Tsipras was forced to accept a third international bailout and more austerity. Since Kasselakis is not a lawmaker, he will most likely need to appoint a party deputy to lead Syriza's parliamentary group.

Persons: Stefanos, Louisa Gouliamaki, Syriza, Alexis Tsipras, Goldman Sachs, Effie Achtsioglou, Kasselakis, Joe Biden, Tsipras, Nikos Pappas, Tyler Macbeth, Renee Maltezou, Michele Kambas, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, ATHENS, Sunday, Syriza, New Democracy, ERT, Democratic, firebrand, Facebook, Kasselakis, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, Kasselakis, Achtsioglou, United States, Syriza, Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

☆ The US is making 'irreversible' progress with a former Russian partner in a tense corner of Europe, but not everyone in NATO will be happy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

For Cyprus, it's a move away from its longtime partner in Russia, but Turkey isn't happy about it. Cyprus has made "important strides" in its military and security cooperation with the US, Michalis Giorgallas, Cyprus' minister of defense, told Insider in response to written questions. Giorgallas told Insider. "This trajectory will continue," Giorgallas told Insider, adding that after the National Guard partnership, "our defense cooperation with the US has become irreversible and we look forward to what's to come." Giorgallas told Insider that the area is historically an unstable one and that the instability has become more visible in more domains, such as at sea and in the air over the region.

Persons: it's, Michalis Giorgallas, aren't, ROY ISSA, Panteleyev, Yiannis Kourtoglou, Giorgallas, John Yountz, —, IAKOVOS HATZISTAVROU, Christopher Cavoli, BIROL BEBEK, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, NATO, UN, Getty, Cypriot, Russian Navy, Airbus, US Army, Staff, Military Education, Training, Cypriot National Guard, New Jersey National Guard, National Guard, US European Command, Turkish, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn, Twitter Locations: Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus, Russia, Turkey, Wall, Silicon, Europe, East, North Africa, Moscow, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ankara, Washington, Crimea, Ukraine, Limassol, AFP, US, Nicosia, Larnaca, John Yountz Cypriot, Cypriot, Greece, Tartus, Northern Cyprus

☆ Turkey says UN peacekeepers intervention of Turkish Cypriot roadworks unacceptable
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Scuffles broke out on Friday between U.N. peacekeepers and Turkish Cypriot security personnel when peacekeepers tried to prevent roadworks starting in an area the U.N. says is part of a buffer zone under its jurisdiction. Erdogan also said Turkey will continue to side with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a breakaway state recognised only by Ankara. Turkish Cypriot authorities want to build a road that would give residents of Pyla/Pile, a village in the U.N.-administered buffer zone, direct access to territory under Turkish Cypriot control. Turkish Cypriot authorities say the peacekeeping force, known as UNFICYP, overstepped its boundaries. Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar characterised the road project as essential.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Anitkabir, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Erdogan, Scuffles, Ersin Tatar, Ezgi, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Supreme Military Council, Presidential Press, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Peacekeeping Force, Turkish Cypriot, Thomson Locations: YAS, Ankara, Turkey, Rights ISTANBUL, Cyprus, Pyla, U.N, Turkish, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkish Cypriot

☆ Erdogan says Putin talks could lead to restoring Black Sea grain deal, media report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, July 21 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his planned talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin could lead to restoration of the Black Sea grain initiative, and called on Western countries to consider Russia's demands, Turkish broadcasters reported on Friday. "I believe that by thoroughly discussing the matter with President Putin, we can ensure the continuation of this humanitarian effort," Erdogan added. Western countries say Russia has had no trouble selling food, which is exempt from financial sanctions. "We are aware that President Putin also has certain expectations from Western countries, and it is crucial for these countries to take action in this regard," Erdogan said. "I believe that, without prolonging the process, we will ensure the continuation of the Black Sea grain initiative.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Erdogan, Putin, Huseyin Hayatsever, Daren Butler, Jason Neely, Peter Graff Organizations: United, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkish, Gulf, Cyprus, Russia, United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow

☆ Russia hits Ukraine's grain for fourth day, practises seizing ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Olena Harmash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Moscow has described the attacks as revenge for a Ukrainian strike on a Russian-built bridge to Crimea - the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. Russia's defence ministry on Friday said its Black Sea fleet had practised firing rockets at "floating targets" and apprehending ships. The president of Turkey, which brokered the deal alongside the U.N. said, he hoped planned talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin could lead to the restoration of the initiative. Western leaders have accused Russia of seeking to loosen sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine, which already exempt exports of Russian food. Russian grain has moved freely through the Black Sea to market throughout the conflict and traders say Russia is pouring wheat onto the market.

Persons: Oleh Kiper, Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Putin, WAGNER, Russia's Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Yuriy Malashko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden's, Zelenskiy, Anna Pruchnicka, Philippa Fletcher, Peter Graff Organizations: Press Service, Operational Command, Ukrainian Armed Forces, NATO, Poland KYIV, UN, Washington, . Security, Ukraine, United, U.S, West, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Odesa region, Russia, Poland, Odesa, Moscow, Crimea, Ukrainian, Washington, Turkey, Gulf, Cyprus, POLAND, Polish, Belarus, People, Zaporizhzhia, Kostiantynivka, Donetsk, Iranian, United States, Russia's, Kyiv, KYIV

☆ The US has a new friend in the Mediterranean that could help it isolate Russia, but not everybody in NATO is happy about it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Cyprus long had close ties with Russia, but it has turned to the West in recent years. John YountzHowever, Nicosia has been moving away from Russia and pursuing a closer relationship with the US. "We keep a strong military-to-military relationship with Cyprus," Cavoli said. Unhappy neighborsA UN peacekeeper looks at a map of the buffer zone between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in Nicosia in April 2021. ROY ISSA/AFP via Getty ImagesBurgeoning US-Cyprus ties would appear to benefit NATO, but not all of the alliance's members are happy about it.

☆ A quiet US move in the Mediterranean may help put more pressure on Russia, but not everyone in NATO is happy about it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The US lifted its 35-year-old arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus in September. But the US decision has rankled Turkey, which is at odds with NATO ally Greece over the island. Increased cooperationThe Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team and US Naval Special Warfare Task Unit Europe train in Cyprus in September 2021. "This is a landmark decision, reflecting the burgeoning strategic relationship between the two countries, including in the area of security," Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades said after the announcement. Cyprus is one of many points of contention between Greece and Turkey, whose worsening relations have worried other NATO members.

☆ Turkey to re-inforce military presence in northern Cyprus -Erdogan
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Turkey will re-inforce its military presence in northern Cyprus after the United States lifted defence trade restrictions on Cyprus, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. Speaking in a televised interview with broadcaster CNN Turk, Erdogan said the lifting of the restrictions was "inexplicable in terms of content and timing." We cannot," he said, adding that Turkey already has 40,000 troops on the island and will reinforce them with land, naval and aerial weapons, ammunition and vehicles, Erdogan said. Since then, Cyprus has been run by a Greek Cypriot administration in the south that Ankara does not recognise. The breakaway Turkish state on the northern side of the divided island is only recognised by Ankara.

☆ 18 haunting images capture Cyprus' divided border that's effectively frozen-in-time
▼ + stars: | 2014-04-10 | by ( Jeremy Bender | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The buffer zone was hastily evacuated during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Read on for a visual tour of the zone that's effectively been frozen in time. Loading Something is loading. For the past five decades, Cyprus has remained divided between the southern Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which has only been recognized by Turkey. Ranging from 11 feet at its narrowest to 4.6 miles at its widest, the zone was hastily evacuated during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

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