With the auction for 5G broadband in Cyprus starting on December 17, the four bidding electronic communication networks are on high alert, Philenews reported on Thursday.

Inflation rate in Cyprus remained in negative territory for the eighth consecutive month in November with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) declining by an annual 0.6%.

Cyprus Airways has added Moscow and St. Petersburg to its flight network for winter 2020-21 after Russia lifted an embargo on the airline carrying passengers.

An inter-ministerial committee set up to spearhead the gradual resumption of flights agreed on an updated action plan on Thursday that allows those passengers who have been vaccinated against coronavirus to be exempted from the requirement of showing proof of a negative test.

EY releases findings from a global survey finding significant differences in how the public and private sectors view the future of ethics, governance, privacy, policy and regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. According to the Bridging AI’s trust gaps report, developed in collaboration with The Future Society, AI discrepancies exist in four key areas: fairness and avoiding bias, innovation, data access and privacy and data rights.

With approval expected from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine expected by the end of the year, Cyprus has ordered the special equipment needed for storage, it emerged on Wednesday.

Vaccinations against the new coronavirus are expected to start soon, Dr. Christos Petrou, Associate Professor of the Pharmacy Program at the University of Nicosia, told CNA on Wednesday, adding that the distribution of vaccines in Europe will begin in the last ten days of December.

Cyprus posted a general government deficit amounting to €727 million for the period of January – October 2020, compared to a surplus of €639 million in the respective period of last year due to launch of government support measures and the reduced public revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cyprus hoteliers are placing their money on a new three-tier safe travel list, which the government is working on for the next tourist season, granting conditional entry to all travellers.

Employers cannot justify laying off staff by blaming the coronavirus crisis, as the government will continue to support businesses until the end of the year, said Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou.