Cyprus has started to provide assistance to the government and people of Lebanon - including search and rescue team, medical assistance and equipment, humanitarian aid and supplies - following the two explosions which shook Lebanon at Beirut’s port, on Tuesday, 4th August 2020 (https://www.stockwatch.com.cy/en/article/genika/cyprus-president-expresses-condolences-lebanon). The President of Lebanon,...
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) – a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments - which takes into account the integration of environmental, social and governance factors, is paving the way forward (https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgkell/2018/07/11/the-remarkable-rise-of-esg/#63453f3d1695) (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/environmental-social-and-governance-esg-criteria.asp). The above statement...
It was announced by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on Tuesday, 21st July 2020, that Cyprus would receive over EUR 2.7 billion from the European Council deal on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021 - 2027 and the post-pandemic Recovery Fund (https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/president-welcomes-eu-recovery-fund-deal-cyprus-to-get-over-e2-7b/). Specifically, Cyprus would...
On Tuesday, 14th July 2020, Moderna American Biotech Company announced that it will begin human trials on 27th July, which is the third phase of the experimental coronavirus vaccine, (https://www.modernatx.com/modernas-work-potential-vaccine-against-covid-19?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=slider&utm_campaign=covid) (https://www.inventiva.co.in/trends/tamanna/covid-19-vaccine-us-based-moderna-companys-covid-19-vaccine-showed-effective-results-and-ready-to-enter-phase-3-trials-on-july-27/). The above announcement followed the promising immune response against the virus that also appeared safe in the...
On the 8th July 2020, the European Commission introduced its hydrogen strategy and launched the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to help deliver it (https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1259). It should be noted that hydrogen is essential to supporting the EU’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and for the global...
On 30th June 2020, the Council of Europe adopted a recommendation upon the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, excluding US, Russia, Brazil and Turkey from the accepted list, since their coronavirus infection rates are deemed worse than the EU...
On Tuesday, 9th June 2020, the EU Council adopted conclusions on shaping Europe’s digital future post Covid-19, addressing a wide range of issues related to the implementation of the EU digital strategy (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/06/09/shaping-europe-s-digital-future-council-adopts-conclusions/). The above follows the discussion by the EU Telecoms Ministers upon the text, on...
It was announced on the 30th May 2019, that with the approval by the Electronic Communications Division, Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) will be ready to proceed with the commercial introduction of the 5G network, within the first half of 2020 (https://www.kathimerini.com.cy/gr/oikonomiki/epixeiriseis/proxora-entos-2020-to-5g-tis-cyta). As noted by the Senior Director...
Energy Expert, Mr. Hani el Noqrashi, also advisor to the President of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on energy issues, announced on the 21st November 2018, that Egypt plans to lay down the foundation stone of the EuroAfrica Interconnector project before year-end 2018. (http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/3/60781/Egypt-to-lay-down-foundation-stone-of-EuroAfrica-Interconnector-project). The EuroAfrica Interconnector is the 1.707 km sub-sea cable that...
UNICAF, the largest online higher education platform in Africa, announced last week, that it has raised USD 28 million in a Series B financing round led by Goldman Sachs(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/africas-largest-online-university-platform-raises-28-million-to-meet-unprecedented-demand-for-higher-education-300750189.html). The UK Government's development finance institution CDC Group, leading higher education fund University Ventures, and EDEX, the founder of the University of Nicosia, are amongst the...