Egypt and Cyprus are expected to sign the first of three bilateral agreements on natural gas when Egypt’s energy minister Tarek El Molla visits the island on August 31, 2016.

The prospect of a land-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant could be back on the table if Total finds significant quantities of gas when it drills in Block 11 or if the new licensing round comes up with large discoveries, according to Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis.

Bank of Cyprus has announced that its new holding company, Bank of Cyprus Holdings PLC was incorporated in the Republic of Ireland earlier this year, in order to be included in the FTSE UK index series.

The Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism announced that it is offering scholarships for graduate degree programmes beginning during the 2016-2017 academic year in fields relevant to hydrocarbons.

The acquisition of Cypriot pharmaceutical company Remedica, by international Ascendis Health, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is a strong and clear vote in favour of the local economy, Finance Minister Harris Georgiades said.

Some 14.3% of people unemployed in Cyprus found a job between the last quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016, according to Eurostat.

Cyprus’ retail trade rose 2.1% in terms of value in the first half of the year, and 5.9% in terms of volume compared to the respective period of 2015, the statistical service said.

India’s cabinet approved the renegotiated double tax avoidance treaty with Cyprus, the South-Asian country’s Finance Ministry said.

The number of real propertiesbought by non-Cypriots rose an annual 12% in the first seven months of the year to 876, which is almost one quarter of the number of properties which changed hands this year, the Department of Lands and Surveys said.

The Public Debt Management Office said that it will deposit €430m of government funds in Cyprus’ banking system after receiving offers from commercial banks at an auction.