@Kate Bygrave's marvellous memes, now in a single handy thread! *seasonal service 😉

While the US dollar remains the dominant global reserve currency, its share is slowly declining, with a potential shift toward a multipolar system rather than a single successor. The Chinese yuan (renminbi) is considered a top contender to increase its share, with predictions suggesting it could become a significant reserve asset within five years as China opens its bond markets. Current Reserve Status (2025): - US Dollar: ~56.77% (down from 58.52% in 2022). - Euro: ~20.25% (down from 20.37% in 2022). - Japanese Yen: ~5.78% (up from 5.54% in 2022). - Pound Sterling: ~4.41% (down from 4.90% in 2022).

Because there is crime in Portugal (it's not a paradise...), I'll place some ocasional news about the subject here. Seven people were convicted to prison (7Y9M to 16 years) for a total of 36 robberies. They robbed houses, with old folks inside, and businesses, perpetrated in the districts of Coimbra and Aveiro in early 2022.https://www.jn.pt/3644566357/sete-dos-15-arguidos-do-caso-teia-dourada-condenados-a-prisao/

I was so delighted to talk with Zac Manuel De Freitas this morning (off-air, for later broadcast). On the face of it (pun intended), Zac sells watches. What I discovered, by taking the time to listen and understand his passion, was a beautiful antidote to the superficial and suffocating mundaneity that the age of AI has for us. Hear and see, here, the reviving joy of wristwatches, of inspiration, and the gift of Portuguese culture, embodied and shared within the Monserrate offering...

Not my words, but worth a read if not done so already Why is the Iberian Peninsula experiencing a continuous string of storms? In recent weeks, the Iberian Peninsula has experienced a drastic change in its weather pattern for this time of year, characterized by the incessant passage of fronts and storms. To understand why it keeps raining and why storms keep coming one after another, it's necessary to look to the upper atmosphere and analyze the behavior of the Jet Stream and atmospheric blocking patterns at high latitudes. 1. The Jet Stream The direct cause of this situation is the Jet Stream. It's a river of strong winds that circulates at an altitude of about 10-12 km and acts as the "conductor" of the weather in mid-latitudes. This current separates the cold polar air from the warm subtropical air and guides the polar front, which is the area where storms originate and move. Storms typically circulate at higher latitudes. However, when the polar jet stream shifts south and points directly toward the Iberian Peninsula, it acts like a conveyor belt or "highway" that brings storms directly to us. 2. The culprit behind the detour: The Anticyclonic Blocking System in the North The reason the polar jet stream has shifted southward and continues to point toward Spain lies in a phenomenon known as the North Atlantic Blocking System. • The Wall in the North: Currently, a powerful blocking anticyclone has formed between Greenland and Scandinavia (high latitudes). This high-pressure system acts like a rock in a river, forcing the jet stream to deviate. • The Open Path to the South: Unable to travel its usual route north, the jet stream is forced to shift southward. This opens a "corridor" or direct path from the Atlantic to the Iberian Peninsula, channeling a succession of very active storms toward our region. 3. The Negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) This atmospheric pattern coincides with a negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). • Positive NAO: Normally, the Azores High is strong and diverts storms towards northern Europe.