Nicosia

Athens has apparently found a possible way through the impasse in talks with Nicosia about the planned grid link, known as the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), but progress is expected to remain painstakingly slow.

Greece's Ports Planning Authority at the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED) is undertaking to draft a study to determine the best development approach for the port and marina of Larnaca in Cyprus in a fast-tracked procedure that Nicosia announced on Tuesday.

Delegations representing the Greek and Cypriot governments met in Athens on Friday for talks, within the framework of an understanding between Athens and Nicosia regarding the electrical interconnection project between the two countries, known as the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI). 

Hosting the meeting was Greek Environment and Energy Minister Thodoros Skylakakis. 

Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini's diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what a potential deal between Ankara and Damascus to delimit their EEZ's based on Turkey's "Blue Homeland" doctrine could mean for the region, and what steps Athens and Nicosia are taking to pre-empt it.

Tensions arose on Friday in Cyprus within the buffer zone between members of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNFICYP) and farmers who attempted to cultivate land in the area.

A 29-year-old man was the victim of a beating on Sunday night in Nicosia.

As shown in a video released by the website politis.com.cy, the incident occurred on Griva Digeni Avenue, in the center of the capital, and the video shows a group of young individuals chasing the 29-year-old.

The ongoing legal battle between the Republic of Cyprus and Greek contractor Intrakat over the Paphos-Polis highway project is continuing to evolve into a complicated mess with multiple court cases in play.

Bolstering Cyprus' defense capacity is critical for the east Mediterranean island nation so close to the war-wrecked Middle East, the country's defense minister has said.