Day: June 2, 2022

Cyprus Foreign Affairs Minister Ioannis Kasoulides participates today in the deliberations of the 14th EU-Jordan Association Council.

According to a tweet of the Ministry, Jordan is a key partner of the EU and a pillar of stability in addressing various threats & challenges in the region of Eastern Mediterranean & Middle East.

On Wednesday, in the sidelines of the Council, Kasoulides met with his counterpart Ayman Hsafadi

“Delighted to meet with my dear friend Ayman Hsafadi on the eve of the 14th EU-Jordan Association Council. Good opportunity to continue our discussion on topics of key significance on our Bilateral & Regional agenda in which Jordan’s role is critical,” Kasoulides wrote on his Twitter account.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation has been selected as one of the organisations to run the French Space Command’s competition DefInSpace will take place, a classic hackathon for space defense.

This is the first time that the French Space Command’s competition DefInSpace is held worldwide, and it comes to Cyprus, as one of a handful of countries that have been selected to run this high-profile competition. In Cyprus it takes place on 3 – 4 June 2022, at CSEO Discovery Alpha, in Nicosia.

The DefInSpace 2022 Hackathon is open to students or young innovative people from the space sector, passionate and eager to discover the world of defence.

“Cypriot teams have always performed well in international competitions; several teams have won globally in their categories in NASA’s annual Space Apps Challenge. Cypriot teams have also received special commendations in ActInSpace, Europe’s space start-up competition, which returns later this year”,Colm Larkin, CSEO’s Director of Discovery Alpha, told CNA.

Anyone with a passion for space and a good idea can take part. Special skills or specific degrees aren’t needed. The competition is purposely divided in two challenges. One that does not require any technical skills and one that does require technical, scientific and engineering skills.

The two challenges for this year are: Challenge 1 (General): How can the EU approach the Space Traffic Management problem, on both the regulatory and strategic levels (autonomy, stakes, space diplomacy etc)? What are the stakes for the Ministries of defence of the member states? Challenge 2 (Technical): What resources (sensors, networks, data processing etc) are mandatory to benefit from an autonomous and reliable Space Traffic Management system on an EU level? What contribution could the armed forces of the EU member states bring?

Participants will work on the two challenges related to Space Traffic Management, individually or in teams, and will deliver an analysis and an action plan.

After 24 hours, a jury comprising judges with various backgrounds (such as academia, industry and armed forces) will appraise each entry to choose the two teams that will represent Cyprus in the international semi-finals and finals, in Paris, at the end of June 2022.

The International Final takes place on 28 June in Paris, and the world winning team will have the opportunity to attend the launch of a rocket and its satellites at the European Space Agency’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana.

Furthermore, the participants will receive mentoring on space engineering and space matters. They will also be provided with networking opportunities and possibly even career opportunities.

“As with every competition we ran in the past, the most valuable aspects are the experience gained and the future career opportunities to the participants”, Colm Larkin told CNA.

DefInSpace is part of CSEO’s Innovation and Start-up program – creating innovative solutions to challenges in space exploration and research and progressing them into commercial entities, as part of CSEO’s space cluster, stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship.

DefInSpace Cyprus is organised by the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO), with partner the Municipality of Nicosia, and media sponsor the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The impact of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, initiatives for cooperation in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, as well as transatlantic EU-US cooperation were the main topics of discussion during a meeting between Defence Minister Charalambos Petrides and US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Dr. Celeste Wallander on Wednesday at the US Pentagon.

The consultations took place in a constructive atmosphere, in light of the rapid development of defence cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the US over the past two years, which includes, among other things, the partial lifting of the arms embargo, joint exercises and training, access to the international military training programme, the establishment of the CYCLOPS training centre and the establishment of the security dialogue, a Defence Ministry press release says.

It further notes that “agreements and cooperation programmes are expected to be concluded in the coming months that will further upgrade the political and military cooperation between the two countries, with the first visit of the Defence Minister to the Pentagon being a milestone for further deepening bilateral relations on defence issues.”

Petrides also visited the State Department, where he met with Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis, with whom he discussed, among other things, the full lifting of restrictions on the acquisition of US military equipment, the press release continues.

It says, that the Defence Minister visited the National Security Council, where he met with Director for Europe Amanda Sloat and the Director for the Middle East Stephanie Hallett, with whom he discussed European and regional issues, as well as the role of Cyprus as a factor of stability in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis has stressed the need for international cooperation for strengthening the efforts and fulfilling the commitments for sustainable development.

The Minister was speaking at the International Meeting “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity” (Stockholm+50) that takes place five decades after the 1972?United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Environment, the Meeting was attended by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the King of Sweden, among many other prominent personalities.

Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis participated in the Meeting on behalf of Cyprus and the President of the Republic.

In his intervention, Kadis expressed the appreciation of Cyprus to the UN Environment Programme for its commitment over the last 50 years in the promotion of a sustainable development and environmental protection throughout the world.

The Minister stressed the need for international cooperation, strengthening of efforts and fulfillment of the commitments for sustainable development. He also stressed the commitment of the Republic of Cyprus to the implementation of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 as well as with the European Union’s goals for climate neutrality by 2050.

On the sidelines of the Meeting, the Minister held a series of contacts with his counterparts from several neighboring countries of Cyprus, in relation to the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus to address the effects of climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. During the meetings, the Minister presented the developments in relation to the Cyprus initiative, focusing on the Ministerial Meeting that will be held in Cyprus on June 7.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

A team supervised by the Cypriot Professor at the University of Cambridge, Dr. George Vasiliou, discovered how gene mutations affect hematopoiesis and cause leukemia.

According to a press release by Karaiskakio Foundation, a new study conducted by scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and their collaborators has revealed how genetic mutations during production disrupt the production of blood and how these violations are related to aging and the development of leukemia, as well as other age-related diseases.

The study, published on Tuesday in Nature journal, is the first to investigate the effect of genetic mutations on the dynamics of hematological cell growth.

Professor George Vasiliou, lead author of the study, Professor of Hematology at the University of Cambridge and Senior Researcher at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, said that ”this interaction explains the development of different hematological malignancies at different ages. With this new understanding, we can focus on developing approaches / treatments to prevent these incurable diseases.”

As reported, all human cells acquire genetic changes in their DNA during their lifetime, with a small number of specific mutations leading the cells to proliferate. This process, called clonal hematopoiesis, is becoming more common with age and is a risk factor for developing leukemia and other age-related conditions.

The researchers monitored nearly 700 blood cell clones from 385 people over the age of 55. Participating volunteers donated blood samples regularly for many years.

The researchers found that the behaviour of clones changed dramatically with age, depending on the identity of the mutated gene.

These changes in the behaviour of different genes / clones, it is noted, reflect the frequency of occurrence of different types of leukemia, explaining for the first time why different hematological malignancies develop at different ages.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

In April 2022, industrial producer prices rose by 37.2% in the euro area and by 37.0% in the EU compared with April 2021, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Meanwhile in Cyprus, industrial producer prices increased by 21.8% this April compared to April 2021.

Compared with March 2022, industrial producer prices increased by 1.2% in the euro area and by 1.3% in the EU. In March 2022, prices had increased by 5.3% in the euro area and by 5.4% in the EU.

In Cyprus, industrial producer prices increased by 2.2% in April 2022 compared with March 2022. In March 2022 prices had increased by 3.9% compared to the month before.

On the EU level the largest increases in industrial producer prices compared to last year were recorded in the energy sector.

Industrial producer prices by sector, compared with April 2021, increased by 99.2% in the energy sector, by 25.1% for intermediate goods, by 11.2% for non-durable consumer goods, by 8.5% for durable consumer goods and by 7.2% for capital goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy increased by 15.6%.

In the EU, industrial producer prices increased by 97.2% in the energy sector, by 25.4% for intermediate goods, by 12.0% for non-durable consumer goods, by 9.1% for durable consumer goods and by 7.5% for capital goods. Prices in total industry excluding energy increased by 16.1%.

The industrial producer prices increased in all Member States, with the highest yearly increases being registered in Denmark and Ireland (both +62.3%), Romania (+60.4%) and Belgium (+52.7%).

Industrial producer prices by sector, compared with March 2022, increased by 3.8% for intermediate goods, by 2.7% for non-durable consumer goods and by 1.0% for capital goods and durable consumer goods, while they decreased by 1.2% in the energy sector. Prices in total industry excluding energy increased by 2.6%.

In the EU, industrial producer prices increased by 3.9% for intermediate goods, by 2.8% for non-durable consumer goods and by 1.0% for capital goods and durable consumer goods, while they decreased by 1.1% in the energy sector. Prices in total industry excluding energy increased by 2.7%.

The highest monthly decreases in industrial producer prices were recorded in Ireland (16.4%), Romania (3.2%), Portugal (-2.2%) and Italy (-0.3%).

The highest increases were observed in Slovakia (+9.3%), Luxembourg (+6.0%) and Bulgaria (+4.1%).

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The EU and Jordan signed on Thursday their Partnership Priorities in the framework of the 14th Association Council.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes in its twitter account that there is “commitment to further strengthen the political & institutional partnership between the two sides in a broad array of issues”.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides also attended the Association Council.

According to a previous tweet of the Ministry, Jordan is a key partner of the EU and a pillar of stability in addressing various threats & challenges in the region of Eastern Mediterranean & Middle East.

On Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Council, Kasoulides met with his counterpart Ayman Hsafadi

“Delighted to meet with my dear friend Ayman Hsafadi on the eve of the 14th EU-Jordan Association Council. Good opportunity to continue our discussion on topics of key significance on our Bilateral & Regional agenda in which Jordan’s role is critical,” Kasoulides wrote on his twitter account.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

New credit granted by Cypriot banks dropped by almost 50% compared with the previous month, pushed downward by a sizeable reduction in new housing loans.

According to data published by the Central Bank of Cyprus total new “fresh” credit in April amounted to €193.6 million compared with €378 million the month before, marking a monthly drop of 49%. Compared with April of last year, new loans dropped by 1.4%.

All new loan categories as reported by the CBC dropped compared with the previous month with housing loans and loans over €1 million, which represent the largest loan categories, marking sizeable reductions.

New consumer credit in April amounted to €11.4 million, compared with €12.3 million in March, while housing loans dropped to €64.8 million compared with €195.2 in the previous month. The drop may be attributed to the Easter holidays as well as the price hikes in raw materials which pushed house prices upwards.

New credit up to €1 million amounted to €44.4 million compared with €68.3 million in the previous month, while new loans over €1 million declined to €66.9 million compared with €95.4 million in March.

Total restructured loans for which new loan contracts have been signed amounted to €71 million in April compared with €128.7 million in the previous month.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The completion of the large-scale exercise “AGAPENOR-2022”, which involved assets and personnel from the National Guard and the Israel Defense Forces, was announced on Thursday by the Ministry of Defence.

According to the statement, the exercise, which began on May 29, is part of the implementation of the bilateral defence cooperation programme and highlights the excellent relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the State of Israel in the field of defence and security.

Furthermore, is it stated that the exercise took place over a large part of the land, sea and airspace of the Republic of Cyprus and included combined land, air and naval operations, combat in residential and mountainous areas, special operations and logistics operations.

As noted, the purpose of the exercise was to enhance the interoperability of the armed forces of the two countries, to increase their operational capabilities through joint co-training and exchange of experience, as well as to provide tangible evidence of good neighbourly relations between the two countries.

It is also added that the direction and coordination of the exercise was conducted by the General Staff of the National Guard in cooperation with the Israeli General Staff, with the development of a single Operations Center and the exchange of liaisons between the two staffs at various levels of command.

Finally, it is noted that during the “AGAPENOR-2022” exercise, 70 members of the National Guard travelled to Israel where they participated in a residential area combat exercise held in specially designed facilities.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

European Union remains focused on finding a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem and condemns once again Turkey’s actions in the fenced off town of Varosha, President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said, responding to a question by Cyprus MEP Loukas Fourlas.

In the letter, sent to the press Thursday by the office of the MEP, von der Leyen noted that Turkey’s commitment to finding a solution is significant adding that all the interventions made towards Ankara, are to this end.

As regards Varosha, she underlines that EU has condemned all actions by Turkey and has described as unacceptable all statements made by Turkey’s President Tayip Erdogan and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Ersin Tatar, in July 2021 about the opening of the town.

Von der Leyen says that EU has called on Turkey to revoke its unilateral actions and to terminate all measures taken so far in the area since October 2020 and reminds of the UN resolutions on Varosha.

She notes that no action is to be taken as regards Varosha that does not comply with UN resolutions.

The President of the Commission also notes that in 2019 the European Council has taken certain measures as a response to Turkey’s actions and in support and solidarity with Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

Varosha, the fenced off section of the Turkish occupied town of Famagusta is often described as a “ghost town”, and the UN Security Council resolution 789 (1992) urged that with a view to the implementation of resolution 550 (1984), the under the control of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus, should be extended to include Varosha.

Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, announced in July 2021 a partial lifting of the military status in Varosha and on October 8, 2020, the Turkish side opened part of the fenced area of Varosha, following an announcement made in Ankara on October 6. Both the UN Secretary-General and the EU expressed concern, while the UN Security Council called for the reversal of this course of action.

Source: Cyprus News Agency