The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced its human medicines committee (CHMP) started a rolling review of VLA2001, a COVID-19 vaccine developed by French company Valneva. The CHMP’s decision to start the rolling review is based on preliminary results from laboratory studies (non-clinical data) and early clinical studies in adults. These studies suggest the vaccine triggers
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Inflation in Cyprus kept rising to 4.3% in November due to the sharp increase in the price of electricity and petroleum products. According to the Statistical Service, in November, the Consumer Price Index increased by 0.57 units to 105.36 from 104.79 in October. For the 11 months to November, the CPI increased by 2.2% compared
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Cyprus has awarded natural gas exploration rights for an offshore block to the ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum consortium, Energy Minister Natasa Pilides announced. In comments to the press, Pilides said that Block 5 would be administrated by ExxonMobil, which will own 60% of the rights, with Qatar Petroleum owning the remaining 40% share. “I have
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The government has approved more COVID-19 measures following the emergence of Omicron and the rising cases, including banning Christmas events at shopping malls. All Christmas events planned by department stores and malls are banned from Monday, regardless of whether they are held outdoors or indoors. Working from home will also be reintroduced, the cabinet agreed
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Every passenger arrival in Cyprus must undergo mandatory PCR testing for COVID-19 after the country introduced tighter measures in the wake of the new Omicron variant. All passengers aged over 12 arriving at a port of entry, regardless of vaccination status, must take a PCR test at their own expense (15 euros), the cabinet decided
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A hand-made explosive device caused extensive damage at a Limassol primary school pre-dawn on Thursday, while a Nicosia village school was the target of arsonists, with evidence suggesting links to anti-maskers. Police have not ruled the incidents could be linked to recent demonstrations organised by parent groups against a government mask mandate at primary schools
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Pope Francis arrives in Cyprus on Thursday for a historic trip to the island, the second Pontiff to do so following the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. The government has welcomed the visit as a significant event of world-class calibre. Pope Francis arrives at Larnaca airport at 15:00 local, where an official welcome
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The Bitcoin rally stalled on heightening worries about inflation, but it remains “a better shield than gold,” according to the chief executive of a leading financial advisory and fintech. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation ended three consecutive days of healthy gains, before stabilising, after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Tuesday it
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Communications Minister Yiannis Karousos said Cyprus and Italy are in consultation for training programmes to suppress illicit trafficking of antiquities and clandestine excavation. Addressing an event entitled Digging History – 50 Years of Archaeological Relations Between Cyprus And Italy, the minister aid that contacts are already in place with the Cyprus Police, the Department of
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Cyprus reported the first Covid death for December on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 598, as new infections dropped to 492 from the recent high of 613, with hospitalisations also reduced, to 116. The health ministry said in its daily bulletin that the latest victim was a 60 year old man, with the death
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