Greek language and culture are part of the “innovative” teaching programme of the afternoon school in gymnasiums, Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou said Thursday.

The government will buy 36,000 tons of barley and corn, in two shipments, to ease a shortage of grains on the market in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis said on Tuesday.

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism has announced for 2022 the scheme to offer people the opportunity to participate in workshops promoting crafts that are part of the country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Ministry of Health has announced that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid (also known as NVX-CoV2373) to prevent COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age, will be available on the vaccination portal.

Consumers in the Republic of Cyprus no longer have to use a Safe Pass to enter supermarkets and other shops selling necessity goods, after the health ministry adopted categories of high, medium, and low risk venues.

The European Commission has approved a €5.7 million Cypriot scheme to support certain farmers active in the livestock sector affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictive measures that the Cypriot government had to implement to limit the spread of the virus, according to a statement by the Commission.

An action plan for replacing the lost tourism from the Russian and Ukrainian markets is being prepared according to the Minister of Transportation, Communications and Works Yiannis Karoussos, on Friday. The plan focuses on approaching European and Middle-East markets to make up for the loss in tourist arrivals this year.

The European Investment Bank’s €200 million funding for Cyprus this year is not affected by the crisis triggered when Russia invaded Ukraine, EIB Vice President Lilyana Pavlova said Friday.

Credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s affirmed Cyprus’ long-term credit rating at BBB-, while maintaining a positive outlook, stressing that despite the Ukrainian crisis and economic sanctions against Russia, the medium-term outlook for the Cypriot economy remains strong.

Petrol prices, electricity, fruit and vegetables have driven inflation up in February to 6.6%,  according to the Cyprus Statistical Service.