Month: October 2025

Now it is a label that worries the West

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I propose a mental exercise: close your eyes for a moment and try to remember what perception you had of most of the Chinese products a decade ago. With a few exceptions, you probably associated them with cheaper and lower quality alternatives than their Western equivalents. We talk about everything: from smartphones to cars. But something changed during this time. The Asian giant has completely transformed its role in the global economy, causing a real earthquake in multiple industries. Today, consumers—people like you or me—already have a very different perception when we see a label that says “Made in China.” And the question is inevitable: how did they achieve it? How China is moving from assembly to the forefront On the YouTube channel where formats such as 24/7the series Domotize or die trying and Science and Apartwe launch a new Xataka Presents dedicated precisely to understanding that transformation. Ana Boria invites us to look beyond the headlines to discover how China went from being the world’s factory to becoming a true technological benchmark. “The tension between the US and China for more than five years is due to a very obvious purpose: these two countries are disputing for world supremacy, and it is no secret,” explains our colleague. He also remembers how, in recent years, the administration of an American president recognized something that few in his country wanted to hear. With its Made in China 2025 plan, the country set an ambitious roadmap to lead in a wide range of strategic sectors. Some of them are obvious, such as the automotive industry. “It manufactures 57% of electric car batteries of the world,” says Ana, who goes into detail about why controlling the battery ecosystem It is key to understanding the rise of BYD, OMODA or JAECOO. But the list does not end there. “China controls 90% of the world market for drones, both those used to record professional video, as well as those used for agriculture or security.” DJI, its flagship manufacturer, has also become a reference brand among content creators thanks to its cameras and microphones. “China controls 90% of the global drone market.” The industrial muscle of the country led by Xi Jinping even extends to rail transport —where it dominates with the largest high-speed network in the world— and materials, with examples as relevant as graphene. “Furthermore, they consider it strategicso they invest millions in research for applications in medicine, energy and electronics. The result is that they control 83% of the market in Asia and the Pacific.” Ana also reviews the reaction of the United States to the Chinese advance, both in terms of innovation and trade restrictions. And it brings an important point to the table: not everything in this plan is brilliant. China is still years away from its competitors in certain sectors, although its pace of progress seems unstoppable. You can discover it in the full video available on the Xataka YouTube channel. Images | Xataka In Xataka | China was the great polluter of the planet: now it is emerging as the first “electrostate” in history In Xataka | Speed ​​has moved to China: BYD and Xioami are breaking all the records that Europe once dreamed of

Crossing the A-5 works on foot has become a risky sport. The Madrid City Council solution: AI

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He burial of the A-5 It has become a headache for the neighbors. It is not only that traffic jams are the daily routine or that the works have forced the route to be diverted, creating a kind of Mario Kart where drivers have to avoid unexpected curves, unexpected exits or the appearance of cranes and heavy machinery. Pedestrians also begin to look with horror as his life becomes complicated every time they have to cross from one side of the highway to the other. The promise Being able to cross the road at the top of it surrounded by a park instead of dark and uninviting passageways is closer. But, for now, crossing from the Batán neighborhood to Lucero or Aluche is nothing short of a pipe dream. One in which the Madrid City Council has decided to intervene with artificial intelligence. With a little AI A couple of weeks ago, the large underground work on the A-5 appeared with a couple of unexpected traffic lights around Villagarcía Street, near the junction with Batán. The intention was to regulate traffic at one of the most complicated intersections in the area. Taking advantage of this unnecessary action, the neighbors began to demand that zebra crossings be set up so they could cross on foot to the other side of the road and have a quick access to the neighborhoods of Lucero and Aluche. In this way, residents would also have access, for example, to public transportation that circulates a little less than a kilometer from their homes, schools or work centers but which are much more difficult to reach on foot since the works began. Now we know that the Madrid City Council is going to take advantage of these works to also test one of the latest purchases announced: traffic lights with artificial intelligence. They explain in The World that current traffic lights already have cameras to control road traffic. This will help, taking advantage of an artificial intelligence system, to regulate traffic on demand. The traffic lights will detect the number of pedestrians waiting for the green light to turn and the system will decide when to let vehicles and pedestrians pass. Thus, it will open the way to the latter for a more or less time depending on demand. The area is conflictive because there are schools that are currently wedged between the Casa de Campo and the underground works of the A-5. With the installation of traffic lights with artificial intelligence, an attempt will be made to prioritize the passage of pedestrians at peak times when entering and leaving educational centers. The use of the system, as we said, is not new. a few weeks ago the Madrid City Council confirmed the installation of these systems in various parts of the capital, especially complicated by the large influx of pedestrians. For example, they already adjust the steps at the intersection of Calle Princesa and Alberto Aguilera, on the Segovia and San Isidro bridges (Madrid Río area) or in the Plaza de Grecia next to the Metropolitan Stadium where traffic lights with artificial intelligence regulate the passage if there are concerts or large events to improve fluidity. Photo | Xataka and Madrid City Council In Xataka | The residents of Madrid had been longing for the A-5 to be buried underground for years. Now he’s making their lives miserable.

vote in the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025

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If there is a technology that has burst into the world like an elephant in a glass shop, it has been generative AI. Through its different forms, flavors and proposals, AI has managed to penetrate our daily lives in a way that we have not seen in a long time, probably from the smartphone. Precisely for this reason, at Xataka we want to recognize this impact through a new category in our awards. He award for best generative AI tool seeks to reward the best tools, excuse the redundancy. Not to the model, not to the specific function within a suite, but to the tool as a whole; to that platform that the user can access to obtain information or execute some action, from generating text or images to 3D models or automations. As in the other categories, you, our xatakeros, will decide the finalists with your votes. These votes will be added to that of the jury with a weight of one third to decide the winners, who will be revealed at the grand gala on November 20 at the Capitol Cinemas in Madrid (Tickets can now be reserved, by the way.). That said, here are the candidates for best generative AI tool. Best Generative AI Tool Note: If you are browsing from a mobile phone and the form does not look good, you can vote from here. For the voting system we use Google Forms, so in order to send your vote you need to be logged into your Gmail (or Google) account in the browser, whether desktop or mobile, so that each reader can cast their vote. Thank you. NordVPN offers you a fast and stable connection thanks to your more than 6,300 servers in more than 110 countries. Enjoy advanced cybersecurity tools with Threat Protection Pro™, securely access your streaming platforms favorites wherever you are and enjoy the best offers on flights and hotels. Advice offered by the brand How voting works The mechanics of the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 are the same as in previous editions. It is divided into three phases: Public vote: Over the next few days we will be publishing articles with our categories and the candidates selected by the Xataka team so that you, our xatakeros, can vote for your favorites. Jury vote: With the finalists that the public has chosen, the Xataka jury and other technology experts will vote for those who are, in their view, the best devices. Choice of winners: The jury’s votes will be combined with those of the public to choose the winners, who will be announced on November 20. The selected candidates are tools that the user can use in Spain today, regardless of whether they are paid or not. The tools are considered as a whole, not the specific functions within a suite or the specific models that can be accessed through them. Vote in other categories: These are all the categories of the Xataka NordVPN Awards 2025 in which you can now vote: Thank you very much for participating! Image | Xataka In Xataka | Xataka NordVPN 2025 Awards: reserve November 20 for the great annual technology festival

a company limited in equal parts and various real estate investments

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The reunion of La Oreja de Van Gogh with its original vocalist is raising a lot of comments, perhaps not all as positive as the band itself expected. The terms in which it was done not all fans liked thembut the truth is that if we look at the group’s accounts, it makes all the sense in the world: this is the underground economy that beats behind Van Gogh’s Ear. A controversial return. Why so much conflict? The long-awaited return of Amaia Montero, the group’s original singer between 1996 and 2007, has emerged after a separation with vocalist Leire Martínezwho left the band after 17 years, in a context marked by constant rumors. The official confirmation of the reunion has also brought with it another announcement: the departure of the composer of most of the group’s hitsguitarist Pablo Benegas, which implies a significant change in the group’s historical formation. The return of Amaia Montero has been accompanied by the announcement of a tour for 2026, which at the moment is resulting in considerable success. The economic background. One of the main factors behind Amaia Montero’s return to La Oreja de Van Gogh are reasons that are not necessarily economic, since the singer has very healthy accounts, according to it has been possible to go away knowing in the last few days. Amaia, in fact, has been away from live music for approximately seven years and without new record releases, precisely because she doesn’t need it. However, the economic attraction of this return is very juicy. Limited Company. The truth is that La Oreja de Van Gogh is a company, not a typical pop band. La Oreja de Van Gogh SL, established by the five original members and still active, has a 20% stake for each one, and assets valued at around 2.9 million euros in 2022. The band’s return promises to substantially increase income derived from sales, concerts and advertising contracts, but the truth is that the company has allowed its partners to receive income even in seasons without tours or releases. Amaia too. But there is more. Amaia Montero has her own personal business company Poquito a Poco SL, which has a turnover of several million euros annually (more than 2.3 in 2023, and total assets valued at 3.7 million). Esya will see notable growth thanks to new activities linked to the band, although the singer has maintained a solid financial capital even during her periods away from live music. As? With real estate investments. The singer has: An apartment in San Sebastián valued at around 400,000 euros, acquired in 1999, when the success of La Oreja de Van Gogh was starting. A luxury apartment in the Salamanca neighborhood in Madrid, purchased in 2009 for 1 million euros and currently valued at approximately 3 million. It has about 289 square meters. An exclusive land in Guipúzcoa with a tennis court, swimming pool and fronton. A whole rosary of investments that allow us to discuss the reasons for a return to the band’s stages. But the economic ones do not seem to be among them. In Xataka | Rosalía, from virgin to martyr: the artist has embraced Catholic iconography in ‘Lux’ and controversy is served

features, price and technical sheet

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Toyota has been practically absent from the electric car. He has done so by his own decision, ensuring that his fight was in the hybrid and in a strategy that he said was based on give each market what was expected of it. But also because Toyota bZ4X It has had an almost testimonial reception. Its production has been a headache, it came with significant construction problems that led to calls for review by problems with your wheels. And the car was expensive for its autonomy, derived from very high consumption. Now, Toyota wants to remake itself and take positions. With an electric car that continues to grow in Europe and encouraged by the recent update of its first electric car that has given it a step up in sales, it arrives with an electric car that the customer seems to be asking for: contained size, commensurate price and a battery that promises good autonomy data. Technical data sheet of the Toyota C-HR+ Toyota C-HR+ Body type. Five-seater SUV. Measurements and weight. 4,520 meters long, 1,870 meters wide and 1,595 meters high. Wheelbase of 2,750 meters. Trunk. 416 liters. Maximum power. 224 hp WLTP consumption. Spirit (single-engine front-wheel drive): 13.8 kWh/100 km Advance (dual motor all-wheel drive): 15.4 kWh/100 km Environmental distinctive. Zero emissions. Driving aids (ADAS). Mandatory by the European Union. Door opening alert. Proactive driving assistance (obstacle anticipation and deceleration assistance), adaptive cruise control with automatic braking. dynamic light assist, Others Screen for the 7-inch and 14-inch central instrument panel. Infotainment system compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (wireless). Double wireless charger. Electric hybrid. No. Plug-in Hybrid. No. electric. Yeah. Spirit (front-wheel drive): 165 kW (224 hp) Advance (all-wheel drive): 252 kW (343 HP) Both versions with 77 kWh battery (72 kWh useful). Price and launch. Now available. Deliveries in the first quarter of 2026: Spirit (front-wheel drive): from 36,500 euros Advance (all-wheel drive): from 44,000 euros Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? The expected electric Toyota Although we had already had a first preview of what we could expect with this Toyota C-HR+, it was not until today that all the details have been completely revealed… including its price. Aesthetically, the new Toyota C-HR+, the electric version of the SUV, does not differ much from the already known hybrid models. Of course, it grows in size until it reaches 4.52 meters in length. In width it remains at 1.87 meters and the height goes to 1.60 meters. That is, it grows about 16 centimeters in length and 5 centimeters in height but maintains its width. The battle takes advantage of the fact that the car is stretched and goes to 2.75 meters of wheelbase, 11 centimeters more so the interior size should grow obviously. It continues to use the e-TNGA platform like the Toyota bZ4X but being smaller it places a 77 kWh battery (72 kWh useful) that is combined with two motors. The front-wheel drive model has a single motor with 165 kW (224 HP) and will offer a range of “up to 609 kilometers.” The approved consumption (pending confirmation) Toyota anticipates will be 13.8 kWh/100 km. The all-wheel drive option mounts two motors (one on the rear axle) and together they combine 252 kW (343 HP). In this case, the autonomy will be “up to 500 kilometers.” In this case, the expected consumption is 15.4 kWh/100 km. What does this mean in terms of highway data? In the absence of testing it and checking whether Toyota has improved the efficiency of its electric motors, the aforementioned consumptions indicate runs of more than 400 kilometers without recharging for the single-motor version and around 350 kilometers for the two-motor version. Regarding its charging power, the car can be charged in direct current at a maximum of 150 kW (the brand promises to be able to go from 10 to 80% in 30 minutes) and in alternating current at 11 kW in the single motor version and 22 kW if we talk about the double motor option. Once inside the car, behind the steering wheel there is a seven-inch instrument panel and is accompanied by a 14 inch central screencompatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The top version includes an 800W JBL sound system with a nine-inch subwoofer and eight speakers. As for driving aids, the car comes from the start with Toyota Safety Sense that includes blind spot detector, automatic light control, emergency braking and parking sensors. If you opt for the higher version, front cross traffic alert, lane change assistant and 360º camera are added. In addition, an alert warning is incorporated when opening the doors, whose handles light up red if the presence of an approaching car is detected. Regarding availability, the first units will arrive in the first quarter of 2026 and can be obtained with the following prices before applying the aid from the MOVES III Plan: Toyota C-HR+ Advance 165 kW (224 HP): from 36,500 euros Toyota C-HR+ Spirit 252 kW (343 HP): from 44,000 euros Photos | toyota In Xataka | While half the world doubts the electric car, Toyota smiles: it is achieving the best results in its history

OpenAI has turned the global economy into Russian roulette with a single bullet: AGI

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2025 is being the year in which OpenAI has ceased to be a technology company and has become a black hole that attracts capital, expectations and the destiny of companies that move billions, with a ‘b’. Sam Altman has designed a scenario where there are only two possible outcomes: AGI for them or collapse for everyone. Why it is important. OpenAI’s valuation has reached $500 billion as an unlisted company. It has moved more than a billion (also with ‘b’ and it is not a false friend of “billions”) in deals in recent weeks. Those figures only make sense if they get the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). If not, everything explodes. The panoramic. A year ago, a round of 6.6 billion It seemed like an astronomical figure. Nine months later, 40 billion. Now we talk about 100 billion with NVIDIA. And so naughty. When we reach these magnitudes (and they are repeated) we stop talking about simple capital injections and talk about binary bets on the future of the world economy. The problem is that these figures have dragged other giants to the same precipice. The backdrop. Microsoft was the first to get hooked. Then he considered divorce and since then They are still together, but sleeping in separate beds. Furthermore, OpenAI has achieved something more dangerous: chaining Oracle, AMD and above all NVIDIA, the most valuable company on the planet on the stock market. If OpenAI clears its throat, all NVIDIA knobs jangle. And if NVIDIA falls, it drags down the S&P 500. The domino effect would reach pension funds, corporate spending and the US GDP. And from there, a chain effect for the economy of the rest of the world. behind the scenes. NVIDIA is not only funding OpenAI, it is also guaranteeing some of the debt the startup needs to build its own data centers. Is circular money: NVIDIA sends money in exchange for shares. OpenAI uses it to rent chips from NVIDIA. And those contracts allow NVIDIA to take on more debt to continue financing OpenAI. A loop that only works as long as the music continues playing. When the Titanic began to sink, the orchestra’s musicians were forced to continue playing. Yes, but. AI already works. It is already transforming sectors. Nobody doubts it. You don’t need to be AGI to have value. The problem is that OpenAI does need AGI to justify these insane valuations. They have set up a structure where any slowdown, any sign of doubt, will trigger panic. The money trail. Altman has found in Masayoshi Son to the perfect partner. The SoftBank founder has a history of big bets blowing up and miraculous saves (Alibaba, ARM). The Altman-Masa combination is a capital cannon pointing skyward. But it is also a detonator: if they fail, the explosion will be proportional to the ambition. According to Altman’s analysis, OpenAI has to beat Google before the latter’s TPUs hit the market and change the rules of the game. That’s why the rush. That’s why Atlas. That’s why the agreements with Broadcomconversations with Intel, promises to AMD. It’s not just about building the best AI, it’s about surviving until you get it. The big question. What if another macroeconomic event stops everything before superintelligence arrives? OpenAI is racing against the clock, it needs AGI before the economy trips over its own shadow. Meanwhile, the market rewards these alliances with instant increases. Oracle has multiplied its value just by announcing agreements with OpenAI. Capitalism of expectations: benefits are no longer needed, only promises of a future that does not yet exist. The same thing happens to others because OpenAI is the new King Midas. Decisive moment. This is no longer a bubble that can burst. It is a bet that can fail. And the difference matters. A bet drags down everything around it. OpenAI is already too big to fail without causing a cataclysm. Which makes it probable an Intel-type state bailout if things go wrong. Altman knows that many AI companies will disappear when the euphoria ends. Only the largest will survive. OpenAI plays at being so big that it has to be rescued. It’s already happened with the dotcoms‘. It can happen again. OpenAI has forced a binary scenario: either we achieve AGI or we face a brutal recession. AI works, transforms, improves processes. But that is no longer enough. We need trillions in value created. And if they don’t arrive in time, the collapse will be rapid. And ugly. In Xataka | AI is giving a second youth to unexpected actors: the old guard of enterprise software Featured image | OpenAI, Alexander Gray

They are the last hope of an ecosystem on the brink of collapse

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Under the waters of the Mar Menor, a tiny army has just deployed on a pyramid of biodegradable clay bricks. There are 55,000 flat oysters —Ostrea edulis— born in a hatchery of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) and today converted into hope to filter and regenerate a system on the brink of collapse. The operation, carried out by the IEO team and the Association of Southeastern Naturalists (ANSE) with the logistical support of the WWF solar boat, It is the first experimental reef native oyster from the Mar Menor. A deep project. The project is called RemediOS-2, and it doesn’t come out of nowhere. Its first phase, RemediOS-1demonstrated in 2022 that it was possible to produce oyster seed from native specimens of the Mar Menor. In just four months, the IEO hatchery in Lo Pagán produced 60 million larvae from just 36 broodstock. Now, the second phase makes the leap to the open sea. The idea is simple, but ambitious: oysters are natural biofilters. A single oyster can filter five to ten liters of water a day, removing organic matter and nutrients. The researchers estimate that a well-established culture will retain up to 20% of the nitrogen that enters the lagoon each year, and that the entire oyster population would be able to filter the entire Mar Menor in just 23 days. But how does it work? The experimental reef is located near Isla del Barón, one of the most sensitive areas of the Mar Menor. There, 175 blocks of biodegradable clay designed by the company Oyster Heaven were anchored. Larvae settled on them, which now grow feeding on excess nutrients in the water. Each block functions as a “temporary home”: the material slowly degrades while the oysters attach themselves to the bottom and form their own natural reef. In total, the system occupies about 12 square meters of seabed, but represents a key experiment in ecological restoration. Scientific monitoring is carried out by ANSE under the direction of the IEO-CSIC. Technicians analyze the survival, growth and stress level of the oysters, in addition to measuring their sexual maturation and the accumulation of contaminants such as bacteria. E.coli or marine biotoxins. An extra help. To monitor this entire process they need even more hands. So the project counts too with technological support from the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT). Its researcher Francisco López Castejón used a remote underwater vehicle (ROV) to inspect the reef and see how this technology can monitor underwater habitats where diving is difficult. With science and technology working together underwater, the next question is inevitable. Why oysters in the Mar Menor? For decades, this sea has suffered from the accumulation of nitrates and phosphates from intensive agriculture. These nutrients feed an excess of phytoplankton that clouds the water and depletes oxygen, causing massive episodes of anoxia and death of fauna. The goal of RemediOS-2, in the words of the Department of the Environment of the Region of Murciais that the flat oyster acts as a natural regeneration tool. Its filtering helps reduce eutrophication and its shells, rich in calcium carbonate, contribute to carbon storage, an added benefit in the face of climate change. Beyond restoration. The project is also a test bed for a new blue economy. According to the Pleamar Program, The project aims to involve the local fishing sector, organize marine spaces for future restoration actions and demonstrate that regenerative aquaculture can be compatible with environmental recovery. The third phase of the project will include genetic studies to check whether local oysters are better adapted to climate change, with the aim of producing resistant “seeds” that can be reintroduced both into the lagoon and the Mediterranean. Forecasts. For now, oysters continue to grow under the gaze of researchers and underwater robots. The third part of RemediOS is already in planning. Perhaps these 55,000 oysters alone cannot save the Mar Menor, but they can demonstrate that environmental restoration can start with a mollusk, a handful of biodegradable bricks and a simple idea: let nature repair itself. Image | IEO Xataka | The reservoirs in the Segura basin are at their limit. The question is whether the new rains can save them

It is a strategy that we know well

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China has recorded one of the fastest growth in its manufacturing industry. batteries for electric vehicles in recent years. Between January and September 2025, the total production reached 1,122 GWhwhich represents an increase of 44% compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from the Chinese Passenger Car Association (CPCA). collected by CLS. In September alone, 151 GWh were manufactured, 50% more than in the same month of the previous year. Why it is important. We have been seeing this exponential growth for years and it does not take us by surprise, since it is an industrial strategy that China has been running for years in multiple sectors. Flood the product market with dozens of manufacturers competing simultaneously, gain global share based on volume and price, and gradually expel foreign competitors. The goal: dominate the entire electric mobility value chain before Europe, South Korea, Japan or the United States can consolidate their own industrial alternatives. More figures. The sector remains robust thanks to increasing sales of electrified vehicles within China and growing international demand. In September, 50% of total production was installed directly on vehiclessix percentage points more than at the beginning of the year. Of that volume, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries They represented 52%, their highest level of the year, while the ternary type remained at 44%. An increasingly atomized market. Although CATL maintains its leadership with 41.7% of the market in the third quarter and BYD occupies second position with 21.4%, both have given up quota: 3.6 and 3.4 percentage points respectively compared to 2024. Who is gaining ground? Manufacturers such as EVE Energy, CALB, Sunwoda, REPT, SVOLT, Gotion High-Tech (backed by Volkswagen) and Jidian New Energy. The list does not stop growing, and it is a characteristic that reflects China’s strategy: multiply manufacturers, increase installed capacity and compete by volume until margins are compressed for everyone. Between the lines. Although this energy ecosystem is booming, it can also be a ticking time bomb due to overcapacity. And when you produce more than the market can sustainably absorb, prices plummet, margins disappear and a war of attrition begins. China has already experienced it in sectors such as solar or steel. In the short term, this allows you to gain global share based on price. In the medium term, many of these manufacturers will end up disappearing or merging. This is a calculated sacrifice that China has been making for years in multiple sectors: losing profitability today to control the market tomorrow. Technological change as a commercial weapon. The replacement of ternary batteries with LFP also works in China’s favor. LFPs are cheaper, safer and less reliant on critical materials such as nickel or cobalt, whose supply chains are more fragmented. Only 7% of models In the third quarter of 2025, they installed batteries with a density greater than 160 Wh/kg, compared to 11% the previous year. The most common range is between 125 and 160 Wh/kg, sufficient for most applications. The shift to LFP, where China dominates, reinforces its competitive advantage over Korea and Japan, more specialized in ternary chemistry. The context of the electric vehicle. Production of new energy vehicles in China reached 9.59 million units in the first nine months of the year, 29% more than in 2024. Of them, 5.8 million were pure electric vehicles (+44%), 3.28 million plug-in hybrids (+10%) and 460,000 electric commercial vehicles. As it could not be otherwise, this growth fuels the demand for batteries, and China continues to be the main world market, both in electromobility and export. In Xataka | The throne of the fastest car in the world already belongs to China. BYD has swept Xiaomi on the most famous circuit in the world

Ukraine has opened Russia’s cruise and ballistic missiles. War is impossible if your allies make weapons for you

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He fed up with Ukraine with the hole that exists around international sanctions it is palpable and numeric. kyiv intelligence has hundreds of reports in your possession that reveal that Russian drones have passed those sanctions for the lining. And not just drones, even in the tanks. The latest: Ukraine has begun analyzing parts of Moscow’s latest cruise and ballistic missiles. And what they found is a deja vu. Clandestine circuit. Three and a half years after the start of the invasion, Ukraine continues to dismantle the last Russian missiles and drones and find tens of thousands of parts inside made in the westthe majority of his “allies” (microcontrollers, sensors, connectors, converters) from countries that have theoretically embargoed the supply: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan. Of course also, Moscow’s allies like china. In fact, Zelensky put in more than 100,000 the foreign components found only among 550 vectors used in a single recent bombing, confirming that the sanctions have not turned off the tap: if anything they have made it more expensive and slowed down, but not dried up. The escape mechanism. It we have counted before. The mode of entry does not require sophisticated espionage, but rather exploiting loopholes in global trade: pieces “dual use” sold to civil actors who then they deviatecomponents placed on the market before sanctions, networks of shell companies and brokers in lax jurisdictions, and triangulated purchases via third countries that do not apply or execute controls. The sanctions gave the West three years to close the gaps, but they also gave Russia (and those who traffic for it) the same time to learn to get around them. In practice, it is a market: if you pay more, there is always someone willing to move the merchandise with layers of opacity sufficient to break traceability. Iran and North Korea. Moscow relies on two veterans of the sanctioning regime: Iran (which has spent decades refining the engineering of commercial border hopping) and North Korea (capable of moving components and complete systems despite being formally embargoed). Cooperation with both not only transfers material: it transfers method. Both logistical routes and corporate and financial camouflage techniques now migrate to the Russian military supply chain. What is possible and what is not. They remembered on Insider that the West hardens the perimeter: compliance guides for companies, “catch-all” to block sensitive exports (even if they are not listed), border inspections, criminal threat to repeat offenders, closures of loopholes when Ukraine identifies specific pieces. But even so, the regime is not airtight: global trade in components is massive, triangulation via third countries It is structural and already exists “pirate” production replacement that replicates or falsifies sanctioned parts. By design, control is reactive: it is as if each new closure encourages Moscow to seek an alternative route. Partial effectiveness. Plus: just because embargoes haven’t cut off the flow doesn’t mean they’re irrelevant. London estimates that the sanctions have deprived Russia of at least 450,000 million of dollars and have multiplied by up to six the price of dual pieces, draining war liquidity and adding temporary friction to the Russian military chain. This, a priori, penalizes rhythms, quality, scaling and maintenance, even if it does not prevent the material from arriving. The structural limit. If you want, the export control It is an instrument of soft power: its real power depends on what the rest of the world is willing to do and tolerate. It can raise the cost, strangle necks, penalize intensities, but it can hardly seal an economy-state Russian size connected to global intermediaries willing to charge for the risk. The result is an industrial war where the blockade is never binary (flows / does not flow), but rather marginal: raising the cost per Russian shot, reducing the cadence, pushing failures due to logistical stress and buy time, but hardly prevent a chip made for a laptop I ended up controlling the guidance of a kamikaze drone over a Ukrainian city. Image | Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation In Xataka | After Cubans and North Koreans fighting alongside Russian troops, new guests have appeared in Ukraine: Chinese In Xataka | In 2023, a pilot from Ukraine had an idea for Star Wars. Not only did it go well: his kamikaze plan has rewritten the war manual

Science is moving creatine from the gym shelf to a more relevant one: cardiovascular health

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When we think of creatine, the mental image It is almost always that of a gym: someone shaking a white powder in a shaker to get more strength or a faster sprint. However, science has greatly expanded the focus on this compoundand its applications are reaching unexpected places, such as cardiology consultations. Opinion of cardiologists. The surprise recently popped up on the podcast I have a plan where cardiologist Aurelio Rojas claimed that creatine “is one of the most essential supplements” that he uses in his patients with a dose of between three and five grams daily. This statement, which may seem shocking at first, is actually the tip of the iceberg of a large body of scientific literature that attempts to explore how apply creatine in daily clinic of a doctor with his patients. But what does a sports performance supplement have to do with the heart? And does science support this enthusiasm? Muscle motor. To understand the connection, you first have to understand what creatine does. Simply put, creatine is key in cellular bioenergetics, especially by facilitating rapid production of ATP, which is essential for muscle and heart function. Creatine monohydrate is most researched and recommended way for supplementation, as an improvement in muscle contractility, performance and exercise tolerance has been seen. in the heart musclecreatine acts by stabilizing energy metabolism and may have a relevant role in situations of heart failure or ischemic diseases. Within the scientific literature It is highlighted that creatine and phosphocreatine depletion is characteristic in failing hearts, and exogenous administration can contribute to the metabolic protection of the myocardium.​ Furthermore, there is scientific interest in the potential role creatine protector on the vasculature in risk populations, by reducing chronic inflammation and contributing to better control of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.​ Beyond the gym. All this means that the interest of cardiologists goes beyond gyms and the number of repetitions they can do in a specific exercise. One of the first diseases where emphasis is placed is heart failure and its supplementation with creatine. Although it is not a cure, the findings suggest which can improve muscle strength, endurance and exercise capacity in these patients. By improving the energy efficiency of the musculoskeletal system, the overall workload of the heart is reduced. Sarcopenia. A medical term that refers to the loss of muscle mass and strength related to age and chronic illness. It is a silent enemy that drastically worsens the prognosis of cardiological patients. and here is where creatine shinessince it is essential to increase muscle mass, especially when combined with resistance training. For a 70-year-old patient who has lost muscle mass after a cardiac event, regaining the strength to get up from a chair or climb stairs is essential. Creatine, in this context, is not an aesthetic supplement, it is a therapeutic tool to improve quality of life as they point out. the studies. It doesn’t work for everything. Creatine is not perfect. It is excellent for very intense, short-duration exercises that need immediate energy such as sprinting or lifting weights. But in low-intensity and long-duration exercises such as a marathon it is of no interest, since the aerobic metabolism of the muscle that maintains constant ATP production endogenously. The myths. Despite being a really studied supplement, creatine continues to spread myths. The ISSN is categorical about this In his review, he gives the following points: Does not damage the kidneysas long as the doses recommended by scientific evidence are followed. Obviously, if there is an underlying kidney problem, you should consult your doctor. It is not known if it causes baldness, or at least the scientific evidence has not been able to state it categorically. This is something that points to a study that showed an increase in DHT, but its relationship with hair has never been proven. It is not a steroid. It is a natural organic compound, made up of three amino acids, that the body produces and that we also ingest when eating meat or fish. In this way, science has moved creatine from the bodybuilding shelf to the general health shelf. Its ability to manage cellular energy makes it a valuable tool not only for athletes, but also, as Dr. Rojas points out, for clinical populations struggling with muscle weakness and energy depletion. Images | Alexander Saks Alexander Red In Xataka | When we stop sleeping our brain is irremediably damaged. Research believes that creatine fixes it

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