Cyprus government

The defense cooperation agreement signed by Cyprus and the US that outlines ways the two countries can enhance their response to regional humanitarian crises and security concerns has elicited Turkey's condemnation.

Humanitarian aid for Gaza is continuing to leave Cyprus by sea and will be held in floating storage off the coast of the enclave until a US-built military pier undergoes repairs, a Cypriot government official has said.

Aid for Gaza was being loaded onto a ship in Cyprus on Wednesday in what was expected to be the first cargo to be delivered using a US pier built to expedite supplies to the besieged enclave.

Containers were being stacked on the US flagged Sagamore, docked at the port of Larnaca. Some containers to the ship were labelled as aid from the United Arab Emirates.

The Cyprus government has reaffirmed its steadfast dedication to upholding international standards in combating money laundering and terrorism financing, as outlined in a press release by the Presidency of the Republic.

The Cyprus government and US energy company Chevron have successfully concluded negotiations on the development of the Aphrodite gas field, marking a significant breakthrough, according to a report by The Associated Press. 

The Aphrodite gas field, the first to be discovered beneath the seafloor off Cyprus, is estimated to hold 4.2 trillion cubic feet of gas.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides Sunday to discuss the situation in Gaza and, specifically, Cyprus' proposal to create a sea corridor for humanitarian assistance.

Cyprus authorities say they're take extra efforts to ensure flight safety isn't compromised from Turkish warplanes and military drones flying inside Cypriot-monitored airspace without filing either flight plans or communicating with air traffic control.

Cyprus' economy is expected to rebound by 4.5% of gross domestic product this year following a pandemic-induced contraction of around 5.5% in 2020, the country's finance minister said Thursday.

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides told an investment conference that the growth estimate comes attached with a "great level of uncertainty" because of how the pandemic may evolve.

The Cyprus government will be reissuing a call for the expression of interest by bidders who have acquired the necessary equipment needed for rapid Covid-19 tests, so that incoming tourists won't need to spend a night in quarantine until labs check their sample for the virus.

The Cyprus government announced an 'improved plan B' with a major input from the European Investment Bank to rescue the economy hurt by the coronavirus pandemic with loans worth €1.7 bln, as well as subsidies of interest rates for business and housing loans, after it failed to pass a smaller loans-guarantee scheme through parliament which would have required greater transparency.