Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou on Monday delivered new computers to a Nicosia primary school with the pledge that all schools will be suitably equipped so as to facilitate the use of digital technology.

A Moody’s analysis said nonperforming exposures held by Cyprus banks declining 43% despite the pandemic is credit positive for the economy.

Cyprus ranks first in the EU as regards COVID-19 tests (40,958 tests per 100,000 population) and has the second lowest positivity rate in the EU (0.8%), the ministry of health said on Sunday.

Cyprus’ vaccination program will reach people aged 53 on Friday, as the Health Ministry announces more COVID-19 jabs are available to book with thousands of AstraZeneca doses snubbed.

The European Commission announced on Monday the official decision for the registration of halloumi/hellim as a protected designation of origin (PDO) product, protecting it against imitation and misuse across the EU.

The Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Mrs Natasa Pilides, has addressed the establishment of a UBO Register for companies in Cyprus as an important tool for strengthening transparency, prevention and combating the use of companies and other legal entities for money laundering and terrorist financing activities, in harmonisation with the provisions of European Union (EU) law.

The nationwide pay-as-you-throw scheme is due to be announced later this month but is already running in Aglandjia municipality, where waste has been reduced by a whopping 41% since it was fully launched in January.

Venus Minerals has started diamond drilling in the Troodos, and this means that Cyprus will soon be able to take advantage of the rising demand for copper.

Hellenic Bank, Cyprus’ second largest lender, posted a net profit amounting to €50.5 million for the year 2020, despite the pandemic and the consequent elevated provisions for credit risk amounting to €67 million, of which €43 ml associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic the Real Estate and Construction sector in Cyprus contributed 17% to the country’s Gross Value Added during 2020.