For the past few days, in Mexico, Japan and the Philippines, some Instagram users have been seeing a new option appear in their settings: a new paid subscription.
There are days that end without really ending. You close the laptop, turn off the lights in the office, go home with your head still entirely in overdrive. The body lies on the couch, the mind remains upright. In that in-between space of fatigue and stillness, a glass of something to drink is often sought for.
The name is known by few people outside the energy sector, but Iran's offshore South Pars gas field has become the focus of a global crisis in a matter of hours. The Israeli attack on Wednesday, March 18, on parts of its infrastructure marks a new stage in the Middle East conflict: for the first time, one of the pillars of global energy supply is directly affected.
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.