UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's historic visit to Cyprus underscores strengthened ties as the island aligns with the West, shedding its Russian-linked past. Talks focused on sanctions expertise, regional stability, and Britain's role as a guarantor of Cypriot independence.
Britain and Cyprus pledged on Tuesday to boost ties during a visit by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in an endorsement of the pro-west tilt the Mediterranean island has taken since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
A former British colony, Cyprus has worked hard to shake off a reputation as a haven for Russian businesses and light-touch regulation, and is aligned with the west over Russia and amid growing turmoil in the Middle East.
Starmer, on a multi-day visit to the Middle East, was in Cyprus on Tuesday, the first visit of a British prime minister to the former colony since Edward Heath in 1971.
After a short welcoming ceremony, Starmer told Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides he felt privileged to be there.
Christodoulides was received at the White House earlier this year in a first by a Cypriot president in almost three decades.
Britain has offered expertise for the island to create a sanctions unit, which was a focus of discussions. It still plays a role in Cypriot affairs as one of three guarantor powers of Cypriot independence, along with Turkey and Greece.
Starmer visited service personnel and families at RAF Akrotiri, a British military base on the southern coast.
Tuesday's visit drew criticism from breakaway North Cyprus, a statelet recognised only by Ankara, for ignoring the Turkish Cypriots as the other main party in the Cyprus conflict.
UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has suggested that the government may consider Chinese investment in British Steel, but he emphasized that any such bids would be subject to thorough scrutiny, particularly due to national security and economic concerns.
Britain’s labour market showed signs of weakness ahead of April’s employer tax hike, with job cuts and falling vacancies. Despite this, strong wage growth challenges the Bank of England’s decision-making, as it weighs inflation risks and economic slowdown amid global trade uncertainty.
Kyrgyzstan and the United Kingdom have discussed expanding bilateral cooperation through UK-backed financing for major investment projects in energy, construction, and digital development.
Britain has delivered a second payment of 752 million pounds ($990 million) to Ukraine as part of a broader $50 billion international loan package aimed at supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts.
The UK has announced a major new package of support for Ukraine, worth £450 million, which includes hundreds of thousands specialised drones.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia on Thursday, ahead of a second round of talks between Tehran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, Araqchi will meet with senior Russian officials during the visit.
Greece has submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plan to the European Union, outlining how it will organize various maritime activities such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy, and more.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 10th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A quiet Thursday afternoon at St. Peter’s Basilica turned into something extraordinary, as visitors caught a rare glimpse of Pope Francis — not in his familiar white papal robes, but dressed in black trousers and a striped blanket.
In a dramatic about-face, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on newly implemented tariffs for dozens of countries — a move that eased market turmoil but further escalated tensions with China.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
U.S. President Donald Trump will personally attend a key meeting with Japanese trade officials on Wednesday, signaling his direct involvement in negotiations stemming from his recent wave of tariffs on global imports.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia on Thursday, ahead of a second round of talks between Tehran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, Araqchi will meet with senior Russian officials during the visit.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia on Thursday, ahead of a second round of talks between Tehran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, Araqchi will meet with senior Russian officials during the visit.
Greece has submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plan to the European Union, outlining how it will organize various maritime activities such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy, and more.
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