Gold

Two arrested for stealing quantity of valuables

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Two arrested for stealing quantity of valuables

A 38-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were arrested in Paphos after police found a large quantity of valuables, jewellery, electrical, and electronic devices in their home. The arrests followed a police raid based on a tip-off, during which coin and stamp collections, gold, jewellery, 62 keys to apartment and hotel room doors, cameras, mobile phones, computers, and electronic devices were discovered and confiscated. The suspects failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the possession of these items and were arrested for illegal possession of property. They appeared before the Paphos district court, which is set to announce a two-day remand.

Michael Saylor wants to raise $600M to buy more Bitcoin (BTC) as NuggetRush reaches new highs in funds raised

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Michael Saylor wants to raise $600M to buy more Bitcoin (BTC) as NuggetRush reaches new highs in funds raised

– MicroStrategy plans to sell 0 million in convertible senior notes to fund additional Bitcoin purchases and already owns 193,000 Bitcoin. Michael Saylor, the company’s executive chairman, believes Bitcoin is the world’s most popular investment asset.
– NuggetRush (NUGX) is a new GameFi project on the Ethereum blockchain, integrating crypto trading, artisanal mining, and play-to-earn mechanics. It aims to impact the physical world positively and has a defined roadmap for its 500 million tokens distribution.

Gold extends rally above $2,160 ahead of US NFP

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Gold extends rally above $2,160 ahead of US NFP

The price of gold reached a new all-time high above ,160, influenced by a weaker US Dollar, a decline in US Treasury bond yields, and expectations for a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in June. Dovish commentary from central bank policymakers, including Fed Chair Jerome Powell and European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde, also supported gold prices. Powell indicated the Fed is close to being confident enough to cut rates, while Lagarde suggested the ECB might ease policy in June. Additionally, geopolitical tensions and safe haven buying, particularly following a Houthi attack in the Red Sea, contributed to the demand for gold. Despite investors pulling metal out of Gold-backed ETFs, central banks remain strong buyers of gold.

No fuel to run the economy

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No fuel to run the economy

Inflation in Cyprus was reported to be lower than expected and below the Eurozone target average of 2%. Despite this, the real economy is facing challenges with small to medium-sized enterprises closing almost daily due to rising electricity costs and fuel prices, which are expected to increase further due to a rise in world crude prices. Small businesses are also burdened by local fees and taxes. The consumers’ association criticized the Energy Ministry for a lack of transparency regarding the formula for determining fuel prices at the pump, suggesting that more openness could have reduced fuel prices by about 3-4 cents a litre during October to December. Additionally, the price of olive oil increased by 54% over the past year, with a further 3.4% increase in February. Some goods and services have helped keep the consumer price index in check, but prices in several sectors continue to rise due to a lack of healthy competition in the Cyprus economy. The “photovoltaics for all” scheme has been criticized for not adequately supporting households unable to invest in lower-energy appliances. The current administration has been reluctant to introduce more support measures for vulnerable people, aiming to maintain a sound fiscal policy.

Bitcoin NFTs overtakes Ethereum NFTs: Whale accumulation fuel Pepe and NuggetRush rally

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Bitcoin NFTs overtakes Ethereum NFTs: Whale accumulation fuel Pepe and NuggetRush rally

– Bitcoin NFTs have experienced an 80% increase in sales, reaching 8.5 million, surpassing Ethereum NFTs.
– Two prominent investors have acquired over 840 billion PEPE tokens, contributing to its price increase.
– Over 211 million NUGX tokens have been purchased, representing more than 98% of the token supply available for public sale, in anticipation of a significant price increase.

Arweave (AR)a nd Theta Network (THETA) gain significantly as holders prepare profit for exciting NuggetRush presale

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Arweave (AR)a nd Theta Network (THETA) gain significantly as holders prepare profit for exciting NuggetRush presale

– Arweave (AR) reached a peak price of .07 in November 2021 but experienced a downtrend in 2022 and early 2023. A million investment in August and September 2023 led to a slight price increase.
– Theta Network (THETA) has increased over 80% since January 2024, co-founded by YouTube’s creators, and saw a 60% increase on February 27, making it a top performer in the altcoins market.
– NuggetRush (NUGX) is a new NFT gaming project that combines play-to-earn gaming in a gold and mineral mining environment, allowing users to customize NFT avatars and build mining operations.

Indian state to inspect outlets of global fast-food chains after McDonald’s cheese crackdown

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Indian state to inspect outlets of global fast-food chains after McDonald’s cheese crackdown

India’s Maharashtra state is expanding its scrutiny to include global fast-food brands to verify if they are using cheese alternatives while falsely advertising products as containing real cheese. This action follows a crackdown on McDonald’s, where the state’s Food and Drug Administration will inspect outlets for compliance with display and labeling rules. McDonald’s largest India franchisee, Westlife Foodworld, has been under scrutiny for allegedly using cheese analogues. Despite disagreements with the findings, Westlife dropped the word “cheese” from several product names. Other brands such as Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and KFC, operated by Indian franchisees, will also be inspected. Shares of Westlife and Devyani International, which operates Pizza Hut and KFC in India, saw declines following the news. The state has the authority to suspend licenses for food safety violations. Westlife asserts it maintains high standards and uses real cheese.

Indian state to inspect outlets of global fast-food chains after McDonald’s cheese crackdown

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Indian state to inspect outlets of global fast-food chains after McDonald’s cheese crackdown

India’s Maharashtra state is expanding its scrutiny to include outlets of global fast-food brands to verify if they are using cheese alternatives while falsely advertising products as containing real cheese. This action follows a crackdown on McDonald’s, where the state’s Food and Drug Administration will inspect outlets for violations of display and labeling rules. McDonald’s largest India franchisee, Westlife Foodworld, has been defending its use of “real cheese” after allegations of using cheese analogues made of vegetable oil. Following these allegations, Westlife Foodworld removed the word “cheese” from many of its product names. Shares of Westlife dropped by up to 6.7% after these reports. Inspectors will also visit outlets of other brands like Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and KFC. Indian authorities have the power to suspend licenses of restaurants that mislead consumers. Westlife, along with other franchisees like Jubilant FoodWorks (Domino’s), Restaurant Brands Asia (Burger King), and Devyani International (operates Pizza Hut and KFC), have not commented or declined to comment on the inspections. Devyani shares fell by 4% following the news. Maharashtra, being a significant market for these brands, has seen one McDonald’s outlet’s license suspended and later revoked on appeal for allegedly using cheese analogues. Westlife reassured consumers that it uses real milk for its cheese and does not use substitutes.

The Heritage Private School

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The Heritage Private School

The Heritage Private School and Institute is located along the Limassol to Troodos road in Cyprus, offering views of the mountains and sea. It serves over 1,500 students aged 2 to 19 from diverse cultural backgrounds. The school is approved by the Cyprus Ministry of Education and is academically selective, aiming to provide a high-quality education comparable to reputable UK private schools. Instruction is in English, following the Cambridge International Primary Programme and the National Curriculum for England. Students can earn qualifications such as Cambridge International Checkpoints, IGCSEs, A Levels, and a formal School Leaving Certificate (Apolytirion) at the end of Year 13. The Heritage is a Cambridge International Fellowship Centre and a center for Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel International Examinations, as well as ICDL. Most students advance to universities in the UK, Europe, the USA, and other parts of the world, including prestigious institutions like the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, MIT, Berklee College of Music, Johns Hopkins University, and Sciences Po.

The school incorporates technology into the curriculum, including an iPad 1-1 program, and collaborates with Engino® in the Early Years and Primary School to integrate STEM principles and develop robotics and computer programming skills. Outdoor learning is emphasized, especially in the School Forest. The Secondary School offers a Gifted and Talented Programme for identifying and nurturing gifted students.

The school’s ethos focuses on academic excellence, personal and social development, respect, collaboration, and self-discipline. It has a well-qualified staff, a School Counsellor, and a Special Education Needs Coordinator to support student mental health and learning. Over 100 after-school clubs and academic Institute classes are available, along with sports teams, drama and music classes, a school choir, and an orchestra. The school participates in various EU educational and community projects, Model United Nations Conferences, and offers the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Scheme.

The Heritage Private School holds the British Council International School Award (ISA) since 2008, is the only APSnet UNESCO certified private school in Cyprus, and one of two PASCH accredited schools in the country. It has received 11 Cyprus Education Leaders Awards, eleven CY GPP environmental awards, and several Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel Outstanding Learner Awards. The Executive Head was a member of the Cambridge International Education Advisory Board.

They’re changing directions, they should change behaviours as well

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They’re changing directions, they should change behaviours as well

The initial finding of the Minister of Energy was a lack of cooperation among public entities managing energy matters. The Minister prioritized restoring cooperation with the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) and efforts were made to improve relationships. However, there were failures in cooperation between the EAC and the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA). The recent change in the board of directors of EAC is expected to improve cooperation. Concerns were raised about the potential influence of the dinner between the Minister, the president of CERA, and the new president of EAC. Unions of EAC targeted the president of CERA, accusing him of causing uproar over potential electricity price increases. The President of the Republic also played a role in the situation by sending a message to the new EAC board to avoid price increases. The unions’ statement did not contribute to rectifying the situation. The column hopes that the Minister’s policy directions for the role of EAC in the green transition and energy security will be adopted by other public players.