Cyprus state gas company DEFA says it has received four proposals to supply natural gas to the island, an interim solution for power generation before its own reserves come online.

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING) has the biggest research infrastructure in the area of genetics in the region, said its acting chief executive medical director, as the organisation marked world DNA day.

Reuters says Israel's drive to export its natural gas could help to rebuild strained ties with old regional allies, but could deprive Europe of an alternative to Russian gas, through Cyprus.

Nikos Christodoulides has been assigned the duties of Government Spokesman, following the recent announcement by Christos Stylianides to step down to run for the European Parliament in the May 2014 elections.

The trade deficit of Cyprus recorded an annual decrease of €19.3 million in January 2014.

The European project PLANT-NETCY, was recently selected after evaluation by the European Commission as one of the ten best projects across Europe co-funded by the European LIFE programme and completed in 2013.

Credit card expenditure for March spiked 18% in the use of local plastic for purchases in Cyprus.

Emirates, will increase capacity on its services to Cyprus, with the addition of three more flights a week from 1st August 2014.

The rent-to-mortgage scheme, under consideration as a means of protecting primary residences, will be effectively financed by the state budget and will only apply to specific cases, says Finance Minister Harris Georgiades.

Cyprus has already met the set targets of the Europe 2020 strategy in education, according to data released recently by Eurostat.