Our daily adventure around the world

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 A rare “mother-of-pearl” cloud was spotted this week in the sky above Scotland. Officially known as a nacreous cloud, it only forms in air that reaches extremely cold temperatures – around minus 112°F – at an elevation of 12 to 19 miles, far above where clouds typically form. The shimmering colors are caused by sunlight diffracting as it passes through a mixture of ice crystals, supercooled water, and nitric acid. Nacreous clouds have been spotted just a handful of times in the UK dating back to 2016.

🇦🇺 Australia is removing the British monarch from its banknotes. Yesterday, the Reserve Bank of Australia announced plans to feature a new design on its $5 note that honors "the culture and history of the First Australians," rather than an image of King Charles III. The $5 bill was the country’s only remaining bank note to still feature the UK monarch, who is technically Australia’s head of state (though the role is largely symbolic). King Charles will still be featured on Australian coins that currently bear the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

🇵🇭 The Philippines reached an agreement with the US that strengthens military ties between the countries. The deal, announced yesterday, gives US troops access to four more military bases in the Philippines, in addition to the five it has access to already. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the new US-Philippine agreement was “especially important” due to China’s recent illegitimate claims in the South China Sea. The new bases' exact locations haven't been revealed, but the deal could place US armed forces fewer than 200 miles south of Taiwan, a democratically-governed nation that China claims – and the West denies – is part of its territory.