During his official two-day visit to Cyprus, US Vice President Biden reiterated the US recognition of the island's sovereignty when it comes to exploring and exploiting its hydrocarbon reserves and urged for a Cyprus solution.

The Finance Ministry has approved applications for six-year domestic bonds worth €7.04 million, the public debt management office said recently.

Cyprus is considering selling bonds in 2014, as it prepares a gradual return to markets before an international bailout expires in 2016, according to Finance Minister Haris Georgiades.

Taking customer service to the next level, Orbex, with headquarters in Limassol, recently launched a new Click to Call website feature, giving clients and partners the ability to place a free call at any time to the Orbex Customer Service team.

President Anastasiades expressed recently the government’s unwavering decision to see Cyprus join the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) as a full and active member.

Details of the government’s agreement with Britain to concede the right of development to owners of property in the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) were recently unveiled by Interior Minister Sokratis Hasikos.

The public can learn more about EU funding opportunities and how to obtain part of the €950 million allocated to Cyprus from European structural and investment funds for the period 2014-2020.

Low-cost carrier Ryanair recently launched its Paphos 2014 schedule, with eight routes in total, which will deliver over 550,000 customers a year and support over 550 on-site jobs at Paphos airport.

The music streaming service Rdio has expanded to nine new countries in Europe and Asia, including Cyprus and is now available in 60 countries worldwide.

Innovations in the reduction of ship operating costs were the main focus of discussion at the International Conference on Ship and Offshore Innovations 2014 that took place recently in Limassol.