For over half a century, British banknotes have told the story through the faces of great figures from the past, such as Winston Churchill. Today, the UK is preparing to turn the page.
Cuba has been plunged into darkness. A total blackout has affected the entire Caribbean island, leaving millions without electricity. This was announced by the state-owned Unión Nacional Eléctrica de Cuba, which speaks of a "complete disconnection of the national electricity system". The interruption occurred simultaneously across the country, as if someone had literally flipped a switch. The notification came through via the Havana Electricity Company's Telegram channel: recovery protocols have been initiated, but the causes of the grid collapse are still unclear.
The Australian state of Victoria is preparing for a turning point that promises to fuel debate in the work place.
Since February 28 - the day of the US-Israeli strikes against Iran - the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively paralyzed. Traffic has collapsed by 81% compared with levels at the start of the year: from 10.3 million gross tons per day to around one million.
Brent opened on Monday, March 9, at $108.5 per barrel (at the time of publication it's quoted at $105.17 per barrel, the price is constantly being adjusted), up 17% from a week earlier. West Texas Intermediate stands at $104.9, +15%. These are the highest levels since 2022, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine disrupted global energy markets. This time around, the catalyst is the war in Iran.
Trust in cash is based on a silent equilibrium: each bill that passes from hand to hand carries with it an implicit pact between payer and receiver. When this pact breaks down, even for a fake 50 euro bill, you feel like you've been betrayed in a mundane, almost intimate daily action.
Pharmacies are absorbing the burden of this crisis in a silent but increasing manner. Today, a pharmacist spends an average of 12 hours a week managing stock-outs: finding alternatives, contacting prescribing doctors, supporting patients, preventing errors and dealing with administrative formalities. That's twice as much as five years ago.
When it comes to electric cars, public debate almost always revolves around range, charging stations or performance. But the real revolution - which determines whether the mobility of the future will truly be sustainable - takes place much earlier than the moment when a car goes out on the road.
The Strait of Hormuz, the maritime corridor between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, was officially closed by Iran following military attacks by the United States and Israel.
A Pokémon card has rewritten the history of the collecting world. The Pikachu Illustrator, rated PSA 10 - the highest possible rating assigned by the Professional Sports Authenticator - was hammered off for $16,492,000 at an auction organized by Goldin (one of the world's most renowned auction houses specializing in pop culture collectibles, from cards to sports memorabilia), setting the record, as set by the Guinness World Records, for the most expensive trading card ever sold at an auction.