Day: January 24, 2023

House President, Annita Demetriou, received on Tuesday the new Ambassador of Kuwait to Cyprus, Abdullah Al Korafi, to whom he wished all the best during his tenure here.

According to a House press release, the Ambassador underlined that his country maintains a stance of principles and stands by Cyprus, to which it offers every possible support as regards efforts to reach a settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Both sides stressed during the meeting the excellent level of relations between Cyprus and Kuwait and the common will to further enhance cooperation at all levels, including the parliamentary one.

The House President expressed appreciation over the steadfast stance of principles of Kuwait as regards the Cyprus problem, as well as the particular interest and the readiness of Kuwait to offer every possible help to efforts aiming to establish the fate of missing persons.

On his part, referring in particular to the work of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, Korafi noted the potential of providing know-how to his country that has been a victim of foreign invasion and has also experienced the missing persons tragedy. Moreover, he praised the excellent level of relations between Cyprus and Kuwait and the important progress achieve, particularly during the last years, as regards the cooperation of the two countries in various fields of common interest.

Demetriou and Korafi also discussed ways to further enhance the parliamentary relations between Cyprus and Kuwait.

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.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Oxular Limited, a clinical-stage ophthalmic company developing long-lasting targeted treatments for retinal disorders to improve patients’ vision, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted its Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for suprachoroidal OXU-001 for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). The IND enables advancement of the OXEYE Phase 2 trial, which will evaluate the safety and efficacy of OXU-001 and the potential to provide retinal specialists with a potent, long-lasting, safe, and broad-acting anti-edema and anti-inflammatory treatment for high-prevalence retinal disorders, beginning with DME.

OXU-001 is dexamethasone formulated in a novel biodegradable drug preparation known as Oxuspheres®. OXU-001 will be delivered to the posterior suprachoroidal space of the eye via Oxulumis®, Oxular’s proprietary illuminated microcatheter. This in-office treatment could lead to enhanced efficacy, favorable tolerability, and extended durability to address key unmet needs for people with DME and other retinal disorders.

In 12-month preclinical studies, OXU-001 was well-tolerated and related pharmacokinetic data confirmed that therapeutic drug levels were consistently maintained in target retinal tissues. These data suggest that a single treatment of OXU-001 may provide up to twelve-month treatment effects with an improved clinical safety profile.

“The IND clearance for OXU-001 marks a significant milestone for Oxular,” said Thomas Cavanagh, Chief Executive Officer of Oxular. “DME is the most common and sight-threatening complication of diabetic eye disease and can be debilitating for patients who are often of working age. Today’s treatment approaches have limited durability, requiring frequent anti-VEGF injections into the eye. Also, typically more than two OZURDEX® implants per year may be required. The opportunity to provide patients with a targeted, in-office treatment just once a year could be a game-changer for this prevalent disease. We look forward to advancing OXU-001 into the clinic and evaluating its therapeutic impact in 2023.”

About Oxular

Oxular is a biotechnology company developing long-lasting retinal treatments, delivered suprachoroidally, to improve patients’ vision so they can live better lives. The company has engineered sustained-release drug formulations designed to last up to one year following single dosing and delivery technology to access tissues in the posterior suprachoroidal space via routine, in-office administration. This unique combination aims to substantially improve patients’ vision by increasing therapeutic effectiveness, while reducing side-effects and minimizing the frequency of treatments. Oxular is developing a deep portfolio of product candidates that includes treatments for prevalent retinal diseases, such as diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy. For more information, please visit Oxular.com.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Mary Kay Inc., a global leader in skin care innovation and nutritional science, recently investigated the benefits of a botanical leaf extract when included in nutritional drinks containing protein, fat, and fiber. The findings, which the Mary Kay Global Nutrition Research and Innovation team shared at the American Society for Nutrition’s Annual Conference, could have a significant impact on our understanding of botanical leaf extract rich in polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and 1-deoxynojirimycin and other active components to lower glucose response and improve satiety in consumers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230119005863/en/

“Beauty is about holistic wellness. We’ve researched the benefits of nutritional supplements for more than 15 years. Consumers not only want to look good—they want to feel good. Beauty starts from the inside out, and our latest research helps inform us on the future of nutritionals,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science at Mary Kay. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

“Beauty is about holistic wellness,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science at Mary Kay. “We’ve researched the benefits of nutritional supplements for more than 15 years. Consumers not only want to look good—they want to feel good. Beauty starts from the inside out, and our latest research helps inform us on the future of nutritionals.”

According to research by Mary Kay, the consumption of nutritional drinks with this extract produced a significantly lower postprandial glucose response compared to consumption of drinks without it. The data also indicated that this extract supports “low Glycemic Index” properties. In addition, subjects who consumed the drink also reported improved satiety.

“This is just one example of the amazing research and efforts of Mary Kay scientists,” said Jen Alfrey, Senior Director of Global Nutrition at Mary Kay. “Investigating ways to enhance health, increase wellness, and improve beauty through nutrition is a priority for the team.”

The research revealed is just the latest effort by Mary Kay to reinforce the brand’s long-standing commitment to advancing skin health, research and development, and nutrition. Mary Kay holds more than 1,600 patents for products, technologies, and packaging designs in its global portfolio.

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey to economic independence through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230119005863/en/

Contacts

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications

marykay.com/newsroom

972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

Source: Mary Kay Inc.

Multimedia

Photo

“Beauty is about holistic wellness. We’ve researched the benefits of nutritional supplements for more than 15 years. Consumers not only want to look good—they want to feel good. Beauty starts from the inside out, and our latest research helps inform us on the future of nutritionals,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science at Mary Kay. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

Photo

“This is just one example of the amazing research and efforts of Mary Kay scientists. Investigating ways to enhance health, increase wellness, and improve beauty through nutrition is a priority for the team,” said Jen Alfrey, Senior Director of Global Nutrition at Mary Kay. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

Photo

Mary Kay recently investigated the benefits of a botanical leaf extract when included in nutritional drinks containing protein, fat, and fiber. The findings were shared at the American Society for Nutrition’s Annual Conference. (Credit: Mary Kay Inc.)

This material is not a CNA editorial material and CNA shall not bear responsibility for the accuracy of its content. In case you have any questions about the content, kindly refer to the contact person mentioned in the text of the press release.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Today, at the 15th European Space Conference, High-Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, presented the priorities for the 2023 European Space policy and the challenges ahead, focusing on competitiveness, resilience, sovereignty, and security of the European Union in space.

High Representative/Vice-President Borrell highlighted the geopolitical context and importance of space, which has become even more evident since Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The Strategic Compass identifies space as a strategic domain and the need for joint action to address the common threats.

To enhance the Union’s strategic standing in the geopolitical context, the High Representative and Commissioner Breton are planning to present an EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence this year. As 2023 will be the year to start implementing IRIS², the new flagship programme for space-based secured connectivity, Commissioner Breton called on the European space industry to mobilise the necessary investments, and to build functional alliances to submit innovative and agile commercial services. Regarding innovation, the CASSINI initiative is running at full speed to turn Europe into a hub of space entrepreneurship, with more than 100 space-tech start-ups already receiving access to finance, matchmaking and business development. He also announced the selection of nine New Space companies to become suppliers of Copernicus Contribution Missions data, each of them receiving five-year contracts worth €5 million.

This year’s Conference focuses on ‘Securing the Future of Europe in Space’. It will include dedicated sessions on the European space policy, its technological and industrial challenges, IRIS², the Union’s Secure Connectivity Programme, entrepreneurship, innovation and resilience of the spatial sector. The full programme is available online.

On Wednesday, Commissioner Gabriel will deliver a closing speech at the conference together with the Italian astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti. She will recall the relevance of the New European Innovation Agenda to enhance Europe’s strategic autonomy and attract talent in Europe. She will also evoke how the space programme under Horizon Europe can address our major societal challenges. All speeches are available on EbS.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, had a meeting on Tuesday in Nicosia with the Director of the European Commission DG REFORM, Judit Rozsa, and her delegation to the UN Protected Area to discuss current developments across the island and areas of collaboration.

The UN in Cyprus said in a post on Twitter that “top UN official in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, welcomed the Director of DG REFORM of the European Commission, Judit Rozsa, and her delegation to the UN Protected Area to discuss current developments across the island and areas of collaboration.”

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Today, the Commission proposed an operational strategy for more effective returns. Its key objective is to increase the overall numbers of effective returns, through swift implementation, in line with EU law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The strategy covers four focus areas: targeted actions on immediate needs including joint return operations in defined third countries; accelerating the return process; promoting return counselling and reintegration; and the digitalisation of return management. A press point with Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson and the EU Return Coordinator, Mari Juritsch, will take place today at 13:15 CET. This strategy will contribute to discussions at the Informal Justice and Home Affairs Council later this week.

An effective and common EU system for returns is a central pillar of well-functioning and credible migration and asylum systems, as well as of the comprehensive approach of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. An effective and common EU system for returns should also serve as a deterrent to help reduce unsafe and irregular migration. To enhance their take-up among those having to leave the EU, the Commission adopted a new Strategy on voluntary returns and reintegration in 2021. The appointment of the EU Return Coordinator within the Commission, bringing together the strands of EU return policy and supported by a High-Level Network for Return, is one of the key innovations of the Pact to achieve its overall objectives. The Return Coordinator and the High-Level Network for Returns will shortly finalise the operational strategy and ensure its implementation.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Through the policies implemented and through specific measures, we have managed in recent years to have a continuous decrease in work accidents, said the Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Kyriakos Koushos, on Tuesday, noting that “this year the decrease is estimated to be around 7%.”

The Minister was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference, held at the Ministry of Labour, to present the ten-year collaboration of the Department of Labour Inspection with the CERIDES Center of Excellence in a bid to create conditions for a healthy and safe working environment.

Addressing the press conference, the Minister said that the joint and systematic effort to develop and use research knowledge is part of Pillar 8 of the Cyprus Strategy for Safety and Health at Work.

“We focus our actions on the protection of human life and the health of workers, giving particular importance to the reduction of occupational accidents, occupational diseases and dangerous incidents in the workplace,” he said.

He noted that through the cooperation of the two institutions, the development and utilization of research knowledge and innovation is sought, in order to draw up policies to ensure the health, safety and well-being of employees, the quality of human life and the sustainability of businesses.

According to Koushos, this collaboration contributes decisively to the education and training of the staff of the Department of Labour Inspection in relation to new developments in the sector, assisting the effective exercise of their duties, through specially designed training programs as well as through the Master’s Program in occupational safety and health.

The Director of the CERIDES Center of Excellence, of the European University of Cyprus, George Boustras, stated that the collaboration emerged in order to cover a real need, while the Memorandum of Cooperation that was signed provided tangible results for both parties: the Department of Labour Inspection gets scientific tools to help it plan its campaigns and policies, and the Center of Excellence gets real experience through the workplace.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

The European Commission is delighted to announce the launch of the EU Scholarship Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community for the Academic Year 2023/24, funded under the Aid Programme. With a budget of €5 million, this programme will continue to provide opportunities in different areas and levels of education, training and professional development for the Turkish Cypriot community in the European Union with the overall aim of contributing to the reunification of the island.

In 2023, this flagship programme will continue to support students, professionals and adult learners across the community, contributing significantly to the objective of the Aid Programme to bring the Turkish Cypriot community closer to the EU.

The Scholarship Programme is also aimed at contributing to the economic development of the community by developing knowledge, hard and soft skills in different priority areas, from Software Engineering to Sustainable Energy Technology, that are in demand for skills in the labour market. At the same time, these efforts feed into the EU’s commitment to upskilling and reskilling, thereby providing a valuable contribution to the 2023 European Year of Skills.

In addition to the general call, the programme also includes the Alumni Connect initiative that aims to connect the approximately 2000 Turkish Cypriots that have benefited from the scholarships since 2007. By creating and enabling a diverse and inclusive alumni network, the programme will keep on supporting participants beyond their scholarship experience.

The call for academic year of 2023/24 is launched today, 24 January 2023 and applications will be accepted until 02 April 2023 at 23:59 Cyprus time. All interested applicants are invited to apply online via the EU Scholarships website www.euburs.eu.

For more information, please visit the website or send emails to: euscholarships-cyprus@goethe.de .

The EU Scholarships Programme is fully funded by the EU and is implemented by the Goethe Institut since 2022.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said that his government will continue to work towards a solution of the Cyprus problem, expressing the hope that the issue is resolved soon.

Cleverly was addressing a traditional event to welcome the new year organised by the Conservative Friends of Cyprus in the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, on Monday evening, in the presence of a number of Conservative MPs.

Addressing the guests Cleverly thanked the Cypriots for their “huge and enduring contribution” to the British society and added: “I also want to reaffirm our understandable desire to get a resolution to this very long standing issue, because this is a friction which I think nobody should want to see continue.”

“And we will continue to work to bring a lasting, peaceful resolution to this and I sincerely hope that can be something that can be achieved while I am in post,” he noted.

He pointed out that by this he means he wants the issue resolved “sooner rather than later” and not to necessarily see his time in post massively extended.

On behalf of the Conservative Friends of Cyprus, its Executive Chairman Jason Charalambous asked the Foreign Secretary for “clarity of message” that the UK supports the reunification of Cyprus.

The organisation’s President and north London MP Theresa Villiers, said it is important that pro-Cypriot MPs “are pledged to campaign for a free and united Cyprus”.

The Cypriot High Commissioner to the UK Andreas Kakouris commented that “peace is not the absence of war; it is the presence of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and in my country that is missing because of the continued Turkish occupation.”

The guests were also addressed by the Conservative Party Vice-Chairman Shaqib Bhatti and Dr. Matthew Offord MP.

Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain Nikitas, reminded everyone of their obligation to work against every form of injustice and promote truth and justice.

The event was also attended by the Greek Ambassador to the UK Ioannis Raptakis.

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.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Today, the Commission is presenting ‘A New Deal for Pollinators’ to tackle the alarming decline in wild pollinating insects in Europe, revising the 2018 EU Pollinators Initiative. Citizens have been increasingly calling for decisive action against pollinator loss, also through the recent successful European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Save Bees and Farmers’. The renewed initiative sets out actions to be taken by the EU and the Member States to reverse the decline of pollinators by 2030 as today, one in three bee, butterfly and hoverfly species are disappearing in the EU. It complements the Commission’s proposal for a Nature Restoration Law of June 2022 and is a key part of the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the European Green Deal.

Reversing decline of pollinators by 2030

The revised EU Pollinators Initiative sets objectives for 2030 and actions under three priorities. The key priority is improving pollinator conservation and tackling the causes of their decline. This will be done through:

Better conservation of species and habitats – for example, the Commission will finalise conservation plans for threatened pollinator species; it will identify pollinators typical of habitats protected under the Habitats Directive which Member States should protect; and the Commission jointly with Member States will prepare blueprint for a network of ecological corridors for pollinators, or ‘Buzz Lines’.

Restoring habitats in agricultural landscapes – notably through more support for pollinator-friendly farming under the Common Agricultural Policy.

Mitigating the impact of pesticide use on pollinators – for example through legal requirements to implement integrated pest management or through additional test methods for determining the toxicity of pesticides for pollinators, including sub-lethal and chronic effects. As the excessive use of pesticides is a key driver of pollinator loss, reducing the risk and use of pesticides as per the Commission’s Sustainable Use of Pesticides proposal will be critical.

Enhancing pollinator habitats in urban areas.

Tackling the impacts on pollinators of climate change, invasive alien species and other threats such as biocides or light pollution.

The initiative will also focus on improving knowledge of pollinator decline, its causes and consequences. Actions include establishing a comprehensive monitoring system, supporting research and assessment for example by mapping Key Pollinator Areas by 2025, and targeted actions to promote capacity-building and dissemination of knowledge.

A final priority is mobilising society and promoting strategic planning and cooperation. The Commission will support Member States to develop national pollinator strategies. The Commission and Member States shall also help citizens and business to act, for example by raising public awareness and supporting citizen science.

The full list of actions can be found in the Annex to the Communication ‘A New Deal for Pollinators’.

Next steps

The Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to endorse the new actions and to be actively engaged in its implementation, in close cooperation with all relevant stakeholders. The new actions will complement forthcoming National Restoration Plans (under the proposed Nature Restoration Law) where Member States will identify the measures to achieve the legally binding target of reversing the decline of pollinator populations by 2030.

Later this year, the Commission will respond to the Citizens’ Initiative ‘Save Bees and Farmers’ through a dedicated communication.

Background

Pollinators are an integral part of healthy ecosystems. Without them, many plant species would decline and eventually disappear along with the organisms that depend on them, which would have serious ecological, social and economic implications. With around 80% of crop and wild-flowering plants depending on animal pollination, pollinator loss is one of the largest threats to EU nature, human wellbeing and food security, as it compromises sustainable long-term agricultural production. Today’s geopolitical context has further strengthened the need to make our food system more resilient, including through protecting and restoring pollinating insects.

The initiative builds on comprehensive stakeholder consultations and institutional feedback from the European Parliament, the Council, the Committee of the Regions, and the European Court of Auditors. It is also in line with the recently adopted Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework which includes a global target to reduce the risk from pesticides by at least 50% by 2030.

Source: Cyprus News Agency