Month: March 2026

The search for the greatest threat to the US has begun

by

In 1999, during the Kosovo wara single American stealth bomber was able to traverse one of the most defended airspaces in Europe and attack strategic targets without being detected until after impact. Since then, every time one of these devices takes off for a real mission, experts assume that the target is not so much on the surface, but hidden where almost nothing else can reach it. A conflict over missiles. The war between United States, Israel and Iran has entered a phase in which the prominence is not given to fighters or frigates, but to long-range projectiles. Tehran has one of the largest ballistic arsenals from the Middle East, with thousands of missiles capable of reaching Israel and a good part of the Gulf, in addition to drones and cruise missiles that complement its offensive capacity. Although it lacks modern aviation and its air defenses have been weakened, its missile muscle It compensates for these shortcomings and has become the axis of its response strategy. This dynamic fits into what many analysts describe as a “war of salvos”where the objective is not to conquer territory, but to neutralize the volume of fire of the adversary before it manages to overwhelm one’s own defenses. The underground cities. To protect that arsenal, Iran has for years built underground complexes excavated in mountains at great depth, authentic missile cities capable of storing, protecting and in some cases launching projectiles directly from the inside. These facilities, scattered throughout the country and even located hundreds of meters underground, house models such as the Shahab-3he Sejil or the Khorramshahrwith ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers. Their compartmentalized tunnelsreinforced entrances and hidden launch systems are designed to resist conventional bombing and preserve firing capability even under attack. That is, as long as these bases remain operational, Iran retains the possibility of maintaining the exchange of salvos and maintaining pressure on Israel and US bases in the region. The arrival of the B-2s. The entry into combat of stealth bombers B-2 Spirit changes the nature of the air campaign. These platforms, capable of flying from the US mainland and penetrating contested airspace thanks to their low detectability, are designed to attack targets that no other aircraft can destroy with the same probability of success. Its ability to transport multiple penetration bombsincluding specialized ammunition against bunkers, makes them ideal tools for hitting buried infrastructure. Therefore, the arrival of the B-2s can only mean that the systematic search for Tehran’s greatest threat, those cities underground filled with missiles. It is not about punishing visible targets, but about disabling the core that sustains Iran’s missile capacity. Seal instead of raze. They counted the TWZ analysts that completely destroying these enclaves would be extremely complex for Washington due to their compartmentalized design, but there is another way: seal their access and neutralize their launching points. Collapsing entrances, disabling openings in the ceiling where missiles are fired, or destroying internal ramps can turn these bases into useless traps. From the air, this requires precision, detailed intelligence, and munitions capable of penetrating rock and concrete before detonating. That is where the figure of the B-2 appears, which with its combination of stealth and massive load of guided and penetrating bombs aims to be the appropriate instrument for the task. Between intelligence and resistance. If you will also, the success of this phase will possibly depend less on the volume of bombs dropped and more on the quality of the information. Accurately locating entrances, galleries and drop zones requires real-time intelligence and constant surveillance to prevent Iranian forces from reopening damaged access points. While some facilities already show signs of collapse in satellite images, Tehran’s ability to keep firing indicates that part of its underground network remains intact. The war has moved underground: the outcome will depend on whether stealth bombers manage to turn those missile cities into sealed caverns or whether Iran manages to keep the heart of its arsenal open long enough to sustain the all-out war. Image | Kate T., Planet Lab In Xataka | The US and Israel are attacking Iranian military sites. Iran is attacking something more delicate: the international image of the UAE In Xataka | 80 million barrels of crude oil paralyzed in the sea: this is the Hormuz “swarm” that threatens to break the $100 barrier

The US Government stopped using Claude because it was a “woke AI”. Right after he bombed Iran using Claude, according to WSJ

by

This February 28, Israel and the United States They bombed Iran. It is something that occurs in parallel to a ‘war’ that is taking place on American soil: that of what AI should the country’s military arm use. Because yes, AI has become an essential tool for Intelligence operations, to the point that there are reports that suggest that Claude was key in the massive bombings on Saturday. But there is a problem. Hours before the attack, Trump ordered that Claude and any Anthropic artificial intelligence tools not be used in military operations. And the fact that the Pentagon has disobeyed only responds to one thing: Claude is too deep inside the United States military systems. The Anthropic Mess. This topic is complex, so let’s go with some context before getting into it. When the United States was looking for an AI to support its defense systems and will integrate with PalantirAnthropic offered theirs for the modest price of one dollar. That it was worth it a 200 million contract and both Anthropic and the Pentagon got to work integrating the company’s models into all kinds of systems. Claude’s support is so important to the Pentagon in massive scale data analysis that it is estimated that he was used for the capture of Nicolás Maduro a few months ago. The “problem” is that Anthropic programmed its AI not to violate two red lines: It will not be used to massively spy on American citizens. It will not be used for the development or control of autonomous weapons and attack systems. “The Woke AI”. The War Department and Donald Trump They didn’t agree with this. and last week they released a ultimatum: Either Anthropic gave up its ‘unleashed’ AI, or there would be consequences. What consequences? Play the card Defense Production Act of 1950 to take over the force of Anthropic’s creation. The company had until 5:01 p.m. last Friday to respond, and boy did it do so. In a long statement signed by Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, it was stated that the company was on the side of the country’s defense interests, but not at any price. Their moral standard was very clear and they were not going to give in to the blackmail of a United States that hours before threatened to “make them a Huawei” by putting Anthropic on a blacklist. Amodei’s response infuriated Trump and Pete Hegseth. The Secretary of Defense called Claude an “AI Woke,” a line that Trump himself followed. On his social network Truth Social, Trump pointed out that Anthropic is a “radical left-wing AI company run by people who have no idea how the real world goes.” Striking, to say the least, and with another response: the United States ended its collaboration with Anthropic and prohibited the use of its AI. The problem is that it’s… fake. “I am ordering ALL US federal agencies to IMMEDIATELY CEASE all use of Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and we will not do business with them again! – Donald Trump Claude to attack Iran. As soon reported The Wall Street Journalthe air attack against Iran was carried out with the help of those same radical left tools. The media noted that commands around the world, including the United States Central Command in the Middle East, used Claude’s tools to assess the situation, identify targets and simulate battle scenarios. Dependence. And this just paints a scenario, one in which the Pentagon is going to have a very difficult time removing those Anthropic tools from its system. It happened in Venezuela and it seems that it has happened again in Iran. Claude is too deep inside the Pentagon’s systems, maintaining an almost symbiotic relationship with the Palantir software, and breaking that from one day to the next seems complicated. HE esteem that it will take six months to eliminate Claude’s trace from the Pentagon software, but despite the prohibition of use and his inclusion on the blacklist by Hegseth, another decision seems to prevail: if we already have this, we will use it until we find a successor. OpenAI goes out for the crumbs (millionaires). And it didn’t take them even half a second to find that new AI provider. OpenAI -ChatGPT- issued a release in which he noted that “the United States needs AI models to support its mission, especially in the face of growing threats from potential adversaries that are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence technologies into their systems.” Interestingly, they have the same red lines that Anthropic imposed (no use for mass domestic surveillance, no direct autonomous weapons systems, no AI making high-risk decisions automatically). But there is a difference: if Anthropic refused to give full powers to the Pentagon, OpenAI points out that, despite maintaining the same moral principles, the use of its AI is tied to the legal use that the Department of Defense wants to make. This is ambiguous because if a certain use is considered legal, it does not conflict with that “morality.” We will see if it is a mere exchange of chips resulting from anger because someone opposed a government order or if the change from Anthropic to OpenAI translates into what the US needs for its security. In Xataka | The war between Anthropic and the Pentagon points to something terrifying: a new “Oppenheimer Moment”

Sam Altman has spent his entire life saying one thing and doing exactly the opposite. And this time it didn’t even take 48 hours.

by

A Mecano’s great song —I know, this is very Kiss FM—he said that ‘the face you see is a Signal ad’. And in case any of our painfully young readers don’t know, Signal is a brand of toothpaste. And if there is anyone whose face is exactly like that, it is Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who with a perfect and convincing smile tries to convince the world that his company is just as perfect and convincing. For many people, today is not the case. what has happened. These days we have seen how the US and its Department of Defense (or War, as they like to call it now) have decided that if any AI company wants to work with them, they are going to have to let them use the AI ​​as they see fit. That we have to massively spy on people? He spies on her, totally, we have already done it. What should we tell AI to develop lethal autonomous weapons? Well too. Anthropic stands. But lo and behold, precisely the company that was working with the Pentagon He said that oranges from China. Anthropic, which had been collaborating with the Government for months—Claude was used for the arrest of Nicolás Maduro—, has made it clear that there are red lines that he will not cross. If Anthropic doesn’t want to, let OpenAI do it. At the Pentagon they have threatened to turn Anthropic into a pariah company, but at the moment they have not made any official move. What has happened is that the US Government has decided to change its technological partner. OpenAI has replaced Anthropic and appears to have reached an agreement to work with US defense and security agencies. Sam Altman seizes the opportunity. This has been indicated by Sam Altman, who in an ad on Twitter (I still resist calling her “X”) explained that her company had agreed deploy their models on the US War Department’s classified network. The curious thing is that this agreement establishes the same red lines that Anthropic had: no espionage on American citizens and no autonomous weapons. In the official announcement they even highlight that their agreement “has more safeguards than any previous agreement for classified AI deployments, including Anthropic’s.” There is, for example, one more requirement: that their models not be used for “social credit” systems with which citizens are rated based on the information collected from them. But. Although both Sam Altman and the company’s blog appear to place limits on the War Department’s use of its AI, the terms of that agreement contradict Altman’s claims. The announcement mentions a specific paragraph of the agreement that explicitly states the following: The War Department may use the AI ​​system for all lawful purposes, consistent with applicable law, operational requirements, and well-established security and oversight protocols. “The AI ​​system will not be used to independently direct autonomous weapons in any case where human control is required by law, regulation or Department policy, nor will it be used to make other high-risk decisions that require approval from a similarly competent human decision-maker.” Mass spying on American citizens is legal in certain scenarios as part of the Patriot Act that was passed after the 9/11 attacks, and that would allow AI to process data and communications collected by mass surveillance systems. Jeremy Lewin, a State Department official, has indicated that this agreement “flows from the pillar of ‘all legitimate use’”, and points out that what Altman proposes regarding red lines is not as clear-cut as it seems. Internal protests. Last Friday at 5:01 p.m., Anthropic was due to accept the Pentagon’s terms, but it did not do so. During that morning, several OpenAI and Google employees showed their support for the ethical and moral positioning of the rival company, and almost 800 of them (681 from Google, 96 from OpenAI) signed an open letter entitled “We will not be divided.” Altman says one thing, does another. In an interview with CNBCSam Altman said on CNBC that despite all the differences he has with Anthropic, “I trust them as a company, and I think they really care about safety.” On Thursday, the CEO of OpenAI sent an internal statement expressing his desire for “things to de-escalate between Anthropic and the Department of Defense.” The message came to nothing less than two days later, when he announced the agreement with the same Department. Altman says one thing, does another. In an interview with CNBCSam Altman said on CNBC that despite all the differences he has with Anthropic, “I trust them as a company, and I think they really care about safety.” On Thursday, the CEO of OpenAI sent an internal statement expressing his desire for “things to de-escalate between Anthropic and the Department of Defense.” The message came to nothing less than two days later, when he announced the agreement with the same Department. The world against OpenAI. Many have ended up criticizing OpenAI’s way of acting on social networks. On Reddit they appeared several messages that encouraged users to “Cancel ChatGPT” with thousands of positive votes and also thousands of comments in which the tone was indignant with the way in which OpenAI and Sam Altman have taken advantage of this circumstance. We have seen critical movements in the past —Facebook, Netflix—, but it usually happens that after these first moments, companies end up recovering from the criticism and even come out stronger for a simple reason: Human beings have very bad memories. In Xataka | OpenAI has a problem: Anthropic is succeeding right where the most money is at stake

Texas has the same problem of sinkholes and potholes as Spain but believes it has the solution: plastic roads

by

It is barely one kilometer but the promise is enormous: converting the roads into a huge plastic recycling plant. Testing began at the University of Texas at Arlington (United States) promulgated by Sahadat Hossaincivil engineer and director of the Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability at the University of Texas, but they have already taken the leap to the road. Hossain tells the story in The Conversationwhere he explains that the project was born from his obsession with recycling plastic. The engineer points out that he grew up in a low-income neighborhood of Bangladesh and that there he observed that people who lived closer to the landfills suffered more health problems than those who lived a little further away. His childhood experience has focused much of his research, focusing on the impact of materials on the environment and possible solutions for recycling them. Among the most complicated to recycle and, without a doubt, the most used: plastic. Now, under their research, in the United States they have launched a project to use plastics used in the construction of roads. And the results are being successful. Harder and more resistant In Texas they have a problem: it’s hot. Very hot, in fact. When building a road, taking the climate into account is essential. ANDIn warmer places, harder bitumens are needed. because they tolerate heat better. The problem is that asphalt also becomes more fragile and breaks more easily. The problems are even more pronounced if a wave of bad weather with a lot of water hits a fragile pavement, as has happened in Spain. A solution could go through make the asphalt a little more elastic but this has an intrinsic problem. And if the asphalt is more elastic, it also resists heat less well and in the harshest months it can soften and melt, as has happened to the United Kingdom in recent years. But this is, always, if we use traditional methods. What Sahadat Hossain’s team is testing is injecting plastics into the bitumen that binds the mixture of stones and sand that makes up the asphalt. At the moment, they are trying to inject plastics that make up between 8 and 10% of the bitumen mixture that binds the rest of the materials. It may not seem like a lot but, according to Hossain, at a test site near Dallas they used 4.5 tons of plastics that came from single-use plastic bags or bottles that were discarded to build a mile. It is a not insignificant amount if we think that we are talking about building about 1,600 meters of road while giving a new use to a material that produces about 400 million tons a year and of which barely 10% is recycled. To be useful, the process requires shred plastic until you get a very fine material that can melt with the bitumen and thus not leave elements in the air. And the result is being good. The first tests were done in university parking lot but they have already been scaling the project to roads with intense road traffic. According to their experience, the asphalt continues to resist heat (with good performance on days that exceeded 100º Fahrenheit, almost 38ºC) and is more flexible than with the traditional system, which reduces the risk of cracks and fractures. Point at The Conversationthat one of these tests has also been carried out in Bangladesh, where a heat wave caused more cracks and fractures in traditional roads while this road with plastics suffered much less wear. It is, therefore, good news when it comes to extend the useful life of the pavement and save money on maintenance. The good news is that the project is monitoring all the results with high traffic volume roads (also the adverse ones such as the possible emission of microplastics when vehicles pass by). And this test is by no means the first. In Rotterdam there was already talk of building these roads with recycled plastics a decade ago. However, its fatigue is much lower. The advantage here is that its performance can be studied under constant and high-tonnage traffic. Photo | The University of Texas at Arlington In Xataka | Until 2020, Spain had the most praised roads in Europe. Now it has something else: a hole of 13,000 million euros

Iran has put the price of oil at stake by attacking it with drones

by

The world stage is Monday, a Monday marked by Iran bombing by the United States and Israel last Saturday. Iran has not sat idly byresponding with something it has already used in the past: suicide drones to attack bases of the allies of the aggressor countries. They have attacked Dubaibut also Saudi Arabia, causing the closure of one of the key refineries globally: Ras Tanura. And the result is -another- earthquake in the world market. In short. A few hours ago, Saudi Arabia and Aramco (the oil company) made the decision to stop production at the refinery Ras Tanura. The decision came when Saudi defenses intercepted several remains of Iranian drones. They did not impact, but their remains have caused some fires within the storage facilities of the power plant. Ras Tanura. We are talking about some of the largest refineries in the world, with an estimated capacity of about 550,000 barrels per day. Its closure implies that the export operations associated with the complex stop, which is addition to the closure of other energy infrastructures in the region, such as gas infrastructure in Israel and Kurdistan. As pointed out Bloombergthe problem is that Ras Tanura is one of the key refineries in the transportation fuel segment, specifically diesel, and not only have operations stopped, but very close is one of Aramco’s largest export terminals for refined products. This is the Strait of Hormuz, with dozens of ships waiting Hormuz. Uncertainty and military operations are once again causing the Strait of Hormuz to become abuzz. Hormuz is, after Malacca, the second largest oil corridor in the worldand a disturbance in normal functioning causes the entire chain to wobble. Uncertainty is causing a monumental bottleneck with ships stopped on both sides of the strait, waits that do not know when they will end, rescheduling, diversions to other ports and, ultimately, chaos in oil transportation. Impact. And you can already guess how the market is responding. Crude oil is one of the economic thermometers today, and the initial reaction has been as expected: a strong rise in prices. The barrel has risen around 10% in some markets after learning of the closure of the refinery, but it is already estimated that they could rise more than 20% if the situation continues and the strait closes. How much? Well, it is currently around $80, more than $100, according to some analysts, and it depends on how long the situation lasts that we begin to see how this price increase affects the fuel market. Vital. It is not the first time that refineries in the area have been attacked. They have become essential enclaves in the country’s economy, but also in global geopolitics. As pointed out Reuterssuch an attack is not just another military action, “it marks a significant escalation in violence.” It implies that Iran has the Gulf’s energy infrastructure in its sights because it knows its importance to the economy of the entire globe. And, evidently, an attack on its plants could cause Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors to join the US and Israeli military operations against Iran. Now, Iran has also been ‘touched’ by that basic infrastructure for its economy. The country is the third largest producer in OPEC and on February 28, explosions were reported on the island of Kharg, where process 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. In the end, it is one more example of the domino effect and the fragile nature of the supply chain for a basic good. It’s just a part of a perfect storm whose consequences are far from reaching their ceiling. Images | MarineTrafficUS Army, VALGO In xataka | Europe believed it had won the gas war against Russia. Now it faces a much more uncomfortable reality: its dependence on the United States.

Apple made a splash with its cheapest iPhone. And the iPhone 17e is coming to repeat the play

by

Apple has just renewed its entry-level iPhone, the successor to the e family. Last year we saw a iPhone 16e that landed with a clear purpose: to be that iPhone for those who want a completely new iPhone, but with the basic specifications. Thus the iPhone 16e was born, a phone that has just been renewed in true Apple style. We tell you all the specifications, technical characteristics and news about the new iPhone 17e. iPhone 17e technical sheet iPhone 16e Screen OLED 6.1″ Super Retina XDR 2,532 by 1,170px (460 dpi) Up to 1,200 nits True Tone, HDR Processor Apple A19 Bionic Storage 256/512GB RAM memory 8GB Dimensions and weight 147.67×71.5×7.8mm 170g Software iOS 26 Apple Intelligence rear cameras Main: 48 MP, 26 mm, f/1.6 front camera True Depth 12 MP, f/1.9 Battery nd Connectivity USB-C 2 Wi-Fi 6 NFC Others Face ID Dynamic Island IP68 resistance Emergency calls Accident detection Price From 709 euros (Much the same. but better The iPhone 17e is not a mobile phone in which technical specifications prevail. It is a mobile phone in which the basics prevail. The phone repeats with an OLED screen, with Retina XDR resolution (2,532 by 1,170px) and a sin that we already criticized last year: a brightness of 800 nits which goes up to 1,200 nits for HDR content. Taking into account that the iPhone 15 went on sale in September 2023 with a panel that reached 2,000 nits, and that low-mid-range models are already around 3,000 nits, it is a brightness that is not typical of a phone that starts at 709 euros. The main novelty is that, this year, the front part is protected with Ceramic Shield 2, being much more resistant to scratches. Specifically, Apple promises up to three times more. The processor also changes, the same Apple A19 Bionic that the iPhone 17 incorporates. Like its older brothers, this model starts with 256 GB, finally banishing the 128 GB from the map. Regarding wired charging, it is 20W and promises a 50% recharge in 30 minutes. Same autonomy, more charge Apple promises the same autonomy in this iPhone 17e, despite the fact that the processor is a priori more efficient. Yes, there are improvements in fast charging, now including MagSafe and going up to 15W wirelessly compared to 7.5W in the previous generation. The camera repeats with a 48 megapixel sensor onlywith 2x “lossless” zoom thanks to the cutout in the central area. It’s Apple’s way of offering “a telephoto lens” and a sort of dual-camera setup on a phone with a single sensor. For the rest, we are looking at the same phone, these being its main new features: faster CPU 9 more hours of video playback Double the internal storage 15W wireless charging with MagSafe Panel with Ceramic Shield 2 Versions and price of the iPhone 17e The iPhone 17e returns from 709 euros, although it must be taken into account that it now starts at 256 GB. 250 euros than a iPhone 17but with some specifications behind a iPhone 15such as the double camera or the panel with dynamic island and 2,000 nits. Shock more or less, the iPhone e formula works. The iPhone 16e had very good sales resultsand the new model with more power, more storage and some additional improvements points to the same path. Image | Apple In Xataka | iPhone 16e Vs iPhone 16. Which Apple mobile to choose according to your tastes and needs

features, price and technical sheet

by

It is about to be a year since Apple unexpectedly announced the iPad Air with M3 chip. Already then we told you that it was a model that hardly changed compared to its predecessor, except for the M3 chip, of course. Well, history has repeated itself, although with a very interesting change: the price. iPad Air (M4) technical sheet 11″ ipad air (m4) ipad air (m4) 13″ dimensions and weight 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm 464 grams 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1mm 616 grams screen 11-inch IPS Liquid Retina Resolution 2,360 x 1,640 pixels DCI-P3 True Tone Oleophobic layer integral lamination Brightness: 500 nits 11-inch IPS Liquid Retina Resolution 2,732 x 2,048 pixels DCI-P3 True Tone Oleophobic layer integral lamination Brightness: 600 nits processor Apple M4 CPU 8 cores GPU 9 cores Neural Engine 16 cores Apple M4 CPU 8 cores GPU 9 cores Neural Engine 16 cores ram memory 12GB 12GB internal storage 128, 256, 512GB, 1TB 128, 256, 512GB, 1TB rear camera 12 MP, f/1.8, 5x digital zoom, AF with Focus Pixels, HDR4, True Tone flash 12 MP, f/1.8, 5x digital zoom, AF with Focus Pixels, HDR4, True Tone flash front camera Wide 12 MP, f/2, Center Stage, HDR4 Wide 12 MP, f/2, Center Stage, HDR4 battery 28.93 Wh Up to 10 hours of WiFi browsing 36.59 Wh Up to 10 hours of WiFi browsing operating system iPadOS 26 iPadOS 26 connectivity WiFI 7, Bluetooth 5.3, USB type C (USB 3) Optional: 5G, LTE Gigabit, eSIM, GPS WiFI 7, Bluetooth 5.3, USB type C (USB 3) Optional: 5G, LTE Gigabit, eSIM, GPS others Apple Pencil/Pro support Touch ID Apple Pay Apple Intelligence Stereo speakers Double microphone Apple Pencil/Pro support Touch ID Apple Pay Apple Intelligence Stereo speakers Double microphone price 128 GB: 649 euros 256 GB: 779 euros 512 GB: 1,029 euros 1 TB: 1,279 euros 128 GB: 849 euros 256 GB: 979 euros 512 GB: 1,229 euros 1 TB: 1,479 euros Two sizes, same design Apple repeats the recipe that it knows works for it and the iPad Air is still available in two sizes: 11 or 13 inches. The screen is IPS, with a resolution of 2,360 x 1,640 pixels and 2,732 x 2,048 pixels, offering a density of 264 dots per inch in both cases. Once again, the screen is still 60Hz, the high frequency is still exclusive to the iPad Pro. If you look at the dimensions, there is a noticeable change between them, which translates to more than 150 grams of difference. What they do agree on is the thickness, with only 6.1 millimeters. The design also follows the same line, with those rounded corners in contrast to the straight edges and the matte aluminum back. Available colors are space gray, blue, purple and star white. Finally in this section, the cameras are both 12 megapixels. The front has the Center Stage function that keeps us focused during video calls. New brain The novelty of this generation, like the previous one, is that it integrates the most current chip, in this case the M4. According to Apple, the M4 is 2.3 times faster than the M1 and 60% faster graphics performance thanks to its 9-core GPU. The one in charge of processing tasks related to AI is the NPU (Neural Engine), which has 16 cores. Plus, the new iPad Air increase RAM memory from 8 to 12GBwhile storage remains the same, with four versions for each model. Regarding the battery, as is customary, Apple does not give the data in milliamps/hour, but they assure that both models offer 10 hours of WiFi browsing. Versions and prices of the iPad Air M4 The processor may be the most notable novelty, but there is another one that will be more than welcome by those who want to update their iPad and that is that the price has dropped. All 11-inch models are 50 euros cheaper than the iPad Air with M3 were, while the 13-inch models drop by 100 euros. It can be purchased starting next March 4. Images | Apple In Xataka | Apple knows how to do something very well: sell iPhones. There is something it doesn’t know how to do so well: sell more phones than Samsung in Europe

The closure of QatarEnergy shoots up the price by 45%, reviving fears of 2022

by

Just when Europe breathed a sigh of relief, convinced of having stabilized its energy supply after the traumatic cut of ties with Putin’s Russia, the specter of the 2022 crisis has materialized again. A new “Black Monday” has shaken international markets, but this time the epicenter is not in Eastern Europe, but in the waters of the Persian Gulf. An unprecedented escalation of war in the Middle East has culminated with the temporary closure of the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in the world. Europe reaches this moment in a position of vulnerability, since the gas market has mutated: it has ceased to be a simple raw material and has become a “high-speed financial asset” dominated by volatility. Added to this is that the continent has changed its dependency of Russian gas pipelines by methane tankers from the US and Qatar, today facing unusually low gas stores. The spark that set the markets on fire jumped on March 2, 2026. The state-owned company QatarEnergy issued a statement announcing the cessation of production of LNG and associated products after suffering military attacks on its strategic facilities in Ras Laffan and the industrial city of Mesaieed. According to the Qatari Ministry of Defense collected by Al Jazeerathe country was attacked by drones launched from Iran. One hit a water tank in Mesaieed and another hit an energy facility in Ras Laffan. Although the toll is about 20 injured and “minimal damage” after a rain of dozens of drones and missiles against the country, the decision to paralyze operations in Ras Laffan – which manages a capacity of 77 million tons per year—has been devastating. The chaos, however, not limited to Qatar. We are facing a regional domino effect. Saudi Arabia has been forced to temporarily close units of its giant Ras Tanura refinery after Iranian drones were intercepted. In parallel, Iraq has stopped the flow of a key pipeline to Türkiye for security reasons, and the Israeli government has ordered Chevron to halt production from its huge Leviathan gas field. The energy system faces a logistical problem There are some 150 ships paralyzed in the areawhich means an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuzthe bottleneck through which a fifth of the world’s maritime oil and gas trade transits. The situation is so serious that, according to the Financial Timeshalf of the world’s largest marine insurers will suspend their war risk coverage in the area, completely deterring cargo ships. But the paralysis of QatarEnergy has a deeper reading. For geopolitical analyst Bachar El-Halabi, consulted through their social networksthis is not just a supply shock, but a clever maneuver. By stopping production, Doha internationalizes the conflict: sends the message that it will not be a simple passive game board and puts the pressure directly on its partners in Washington, Europe and Asia. The macroeconomic impact is already visible. From the British environment They point to widespread falls in the stock markets -with the Stoxx Europe 600 losing almost 2%— and a flight of investors towards gold. As stated by Simone Tagliapietra, analyst at the Bruegel think tank cited by Bloomberg: “The threat to security of supply is immediate (…) we are facing a new scenario.” So, is the price of gas going to rise? The market’s immediate reaction has been one of true panic. The reference gas contract in Europe (Dutch TTF) recorded intraday increases of more than 50%. According to data collected by The Economistthe megawatt hour jumped sharply from below 40 euros up to touching 47.5 euros. At the same time, Brent oil rose 9%, hovering around $80 per barrel. The European citizen might ask: “If only 10% of the LNG that reaches Europe passes through the Strait of Hormuz, why does it affect us so much?” The energy expert Joaquín Coronado sums it up perfectly: Gas markets do not operate based on isolated physical volumes, but rather based on global prices. If Asia suddenly loses the Qatari tap, it will compete fiercely with checkbook against Europe for shipments from the United States or Africa. In fact, Coronado warns that the consulting firm ICIS projects that a closure 90 days in Hormuz would raise the TTF up to €92/MWh. However, in the midst of the noise, analytical voices ask for calm. The columnist of Bloomberg Javier Blas he remembered on his social networkssupported by the economic journalist Miquel Roig, who although a 45% rise is scary in the headlines, the current ones €46/MWh They are nothing compared to the absolute record of €345/MWh in the summer of 2022. As Blas states: “As always, putting the wide angle lens on helps.” Although we are far from historical highs, the current situation finds Europe unprotected. Joaquin Coronado provides worrying information: European gas storages are at 30%7.5 points below the 2025 level. In Xataka we explain it with the phenomenon of backwardation: since gas in the future was cheaper than current gas, it was not worth it for companies to fill their warehouses. This price spike has direct and immediate consequences. Crowned already advance that the price of electricity in the Spanish wholesale market (OMIE) will reach €106.6/MWh in tomorrow’s peak hours. For intensive industries (such as chemicals, fertilizers or ceramics), the profitability threshold usually is among the 50 and 60 €/MWh. If prices stagnate there, we could see a new wave of factory closures and a rebound in inflation. On this board, Spain lives its own paradox. Although it has regasification plants and ships on its coasts, it functions as an “energy island.” Our country lacks sufficient interconnections (pipes through the Pyrenees) to pump all that gas to Germany or Central Europe, preventing Spain from serving as a total lifeline for the continent. The closure of the QatarEnergy plant serves as a stark reminder of current energy geopolitics. Europe believed it had shielded its system by becoming independent of piped gas from Russia, but it simply has replaced one vulnerability with another: dependence on sea routes and American and Qatari … Read more

It costs 700 euros less and is a TV with a brutal 55-inch OLED screen and Ambilight

by

When setting up a home theater, if you want to enjoy a quality experience, the ideal is that you should opt for a TV with an OLED panel. It is true that it is the most expensive technology but, sometimes, you can find good offers like this one from PcComponentes. Now you can take this smart tv Philips Ambilight 55OLED820 with a discount of 700 euros, for 999 euros. Philips Ambilight 55OLED820 4K OLED Smart TV The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A TV with a beastly panel and a very competitive price Although the quality of OLED panel of this Philips TV is one of its main claims, for me, the Ambilight It’s what catches my attention the most. I am a staunch fan of this immersive lighting system from Philips as it allows you to enjoy a totally immersive experience with LEDs that adapt to the content you are watching on the screen. Its 55-inch size makes it a perfect option for standard-sized rooms. In addition, the image quality is good since it offers 4K UHD resolution and is compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. In the audio section, its four speakers and subwoofer offer a power of 70 W and are compatible with Dolby Atmos. The operating system under which it works is Titan OS and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. When it comes to connectivity, the options are multiple, since it comes with Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.2, Ethernet, four HDMI, two USB 2.0 ports and headphone output. And if what you want is to use the TV to enjoy your console PS5 either Xboxyou will be able to exploit it to the fullest thanks to its 120Hz. Although this does not stop there, since it has HDMI 2.1, VRR, FreeSync Premium, ALLM and G-SYNC. ⚡ IN BRIEF: offer for Philips Ambilight 55OLED820 smart TV today ✅ THE BEST Very top screen: Being OLED, this TV offers a totally realistic viewing experience. It offers deep blacks, realistic colors and great contrast. The Ambilight: If you want to enjoy total immersion when watching series and movies, I can’t help but recommend the Ambilight system on this TV. ❌ THE WORST The operating system: Titan OS is not the most intuitive operating system for TVs on the market; In this, webOS and Google TV beat it. But don’t worry, you can always add an external dongle to enjoy another operating system. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are a lover of series and movies and are looking to set up your own home theater with an OLED TV without spending a fortune. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… If you are only going to watch DTT and do not need to enjoy an immersive experience, since paying 1,000 euros for this TV could be excessive for you. Some accessories that might interest you for this TV Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LG S40T – Smart Sound Bar, 300W, 2.1 Channels The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Philips In Xataka | Best televisions in quality price. Which one to buy and seven recommended 4K smart TVs In Xataka | Mega-guide to set up a home theater: projector, screen, sound system and more

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz already points to gasoline at two euros/liter

by

Unpredictable, unexpected and extreme impact. There are three characteristics that define what Nassim TalebLebanese philosopher, mathematician and essayist, pointed out to explain the “black swan theory”. With it he tries to explain what position to take in the face of such an inexplicable event of which we cannot understand its consequences. The theory takes its cue from the poet Juvenal, who once spoke of “a rare bird on earth, and very similar to a black swan“, a phrase that makes it clear that there was a time when it was believed that the swan, invariably, must be white because a black one had never been discovered. The phrase, in fact, was popular in England centuries ago. For Western Europe, swans were white. Spot. But a Dutch expedition at the end of the 17th century in Australia found that the black swan did indeed exist, which forever changed the knowledge we had on this subject. It was an unexpected, unpredictable event whose impact was extreme in its branch. Nacho Rabadán, general director of CEEES (Spanish Confederation of Service Station Employers), the most representative association of the sector, rescues this theory to point out what can happen with a constant block of the Strait of Hormuz. “Whenever there are problems in the Middle East, there is speculation about a possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz and whenever that possibility is on the table, the price of oil rises. If Hormuz were really closed, we would be talking about a black swan, there would be an immediate and violent reaction in the price of oil and we would be in a scenario similar to that of the spring of 2022 with the invasion of Ukraine,” Rabadán explains to ABC. Gasoline at two euros/liter If the prices of the first days of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are reached, we would be talking about gasoline at a sustained price of between 1.80 and 2.00 euros/liter. At that time, Europe got to work to contain the impact on homes, mitigated in our country with one of subsidy of 20 cents/liter that did not end up stopping the rise in price and which, in fact, came to be used as means to attract clients according to the CNMC. Those days when OPEC maneuvered to keep the price of oil above $80/barrel seems far away. It even reached $130/barrel. But now they seem more alive than ever. The Strait of Hormuz is a key passage for energy for much of the world. It is an enclave of high tension, where the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf narrow to leave just a passage of between 60 and 100 kilometers for ships loaded with oil. For Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, controlling the passage of ships is key. since two weeksthe traffic is committed and with the attack by the United States and Israel on Iranand the country’s response to neighboring countries with US bases, the closure seems confirmed. A closure that has caught some 240 ships stopped in the middle of a historic traffic jam. Of them, Bloomberg The number of detained ships loaded with the precious commodity is estimated at 40 supertankers. The impact on the oil futures market was immediate once the attack became known but, for now, the price per barrel is close to 73 euros/unit (a few days ago it was around 65 dollars/barrel). The impact should be felt in the coming days if the fight becomes entrenched and Hormuz remains closed. For now, the price of gasoline has already risen slightly but the figures we find at the pumps will be, in the opinion of analystsmuch lower than we can expect in a few days. With the Ukrainian War and the Russia’s exit from the market (legal) of fuel, the price of gasoline shot up to 2.15 euros/liter and diesel to 2.10 euros/liter. The fear, of course, is not that only the price of fuel will skyrocket. Increasing its price impacts a general rise in prices since transportation is much more expensive. In fact, indirectly, not only the closure of Hormuz to the passage of oil can make products more expensive. Have to border the entire African coast to reach Europe to avoid attacks by some and others would raise the final bill. Both because of the extra fuel spent and the higher cost of keeping a ship traveling for more than 10 days, which extends the route in traffic between Asia and Europe. Photo | Marek Studzinski and Glenn Fawcett, Gieling, Rob In Xataka | Spain was supposed to raise diesel in 2026. It was supposed

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.