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Your lookahead horoscope: November 9, 2025

  IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY You won’t lack for good ideas over the coming year, but your birthday chart warns that only one or two of them will be worth pursuing. Set yourself one major goal and have a second goal as a backup for those days when you get bored. ARIES (March 21 - April 20): If you learn something to your advantage during the early part of the week be smart and keep it to yourself. That might sound selfish but the universe wants you to have a good crack at the opportunity before your rivals wise up. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21): You may feel the need to be more adventurous but with luck planet Jupiter about to begin its retrograde phase that may not be the best idea you’ve ever had. Consolidate your recent gains over the next few days rather than risk losing them. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21): You may want to boost your finances but the planets warn you could end up making a drastic move that is completely unnecessary. Do you have enough cash to meet your current needs? Th...
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Long Lines Form and Frustration Grows as Cuba Runs Short of Cash

 

In Havana, Cuba, long queues outside banks and ATMs have become a common sight. People stand in line early in the day, hoping to withdraw Cuban pesos for routine transactions like buying food and other essentials. The shortage of cash has become a significant challenge for many Cubans, adding to the complexities of the country’s monetary system.

Several factors contribute to this cash shortage, all of which are linked to Cuba’s deep economic crisis—one of the worst in decades. Let’s explore the reasons behind this frustrating situation:

  1. Government Fiscal Deficit: Cuba’s growing fiscal deficit has strained the availability of cash. The government’s financial challenges have made it difficult to maintain sufficient liquidity in the banking system.

  2. Lack of High-Denomination Banknotes: The absence of banknotes with denominations greater than 1,000 Cuban pesos (approximately $3 in the parallel market) exacerbates the problem. Without larger denominations, routine transactions become cumbersome for citizens.

  3. Stubbornly High Inflation: Inflation rates in Cuba remain high, eroding the purchasing power of the local currency. As prices rise, people need more cash to cover their basic needs.

  4. Cash Hoarding by Entrepreneurs and Business Owners: Most of the available cash is held by entrepreneurs and small- to medium-sized business owners. These individuals often collect cash from commercial transactions but hesitate to return it to the banks. Their reasons vary—from distrust of local banks to the need to convert Cuban pesos into foreign currency.

  5. Import-Dependent Economy: Entrepreneurs and business owners in Cuba rely on imports for almost everything they sell. To pay for supplies needed to run their businesses, they often hold onto Cuban pesos, intending to exchange them for foreign currency on the informal market.

Converting Cuban pesos into other currencies presents yet another challenge due to the island’s highly fluctuating exchange rates. As Cubans continue to grapple with this cash shortage, frustrations mount, and the daily struggle to access their hard-earned money persists.

The situation in Cuba highlights the complexities of managing a monetary system during an economic crisis. 

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