usatoday24

evacuate entire neighborhoods when roads disappear

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In July 2021, Zhengzhou floods they left a scene that went around the world: excavators advancing between streets turned into rivers to remove residents trapped because there were no longer roads. Five years later, China is facing the same problem again, although this time the answer seems straight out of a science fiction movie. 2026 tests China. Torrential rains have been going on for months hitting the center and south of the countrywith dozens of deaths, hundreds of thousands of people affected and massive evacuations. Reuters described Roads blocked, cities partially flooded and rescue teams forced to use boats, swimmers and improvised means to reach isolated areas. In fact, the emergency reached a new dimension when Typhoon Maysak hit Guangxi, forcing the evacuation of more than 130,000 people and leaving thousands of students trapped by water. Traditional rescue does not work. The floods left a repeated image again and again: entire neighborhoods where it was not possible to circulate overland. That problem has led China to deploy a ever-growing fan of solutions, one where we have seen from drones capable of maintaining communications or transporting cargo to heavy machinery adapted to move through water. It is not an improvised strategy, but an evolution of the lessons learned after previous catastrophes such as those in Zhengzhou. A gigantic floating “creature”. And among all the means deployed there was one that caught special attention. Several local media have shown a huge self-propelled pontoon used to evacuate thousands of people when the roads had completely disappeared. The Chinese media baptized as a kind of “rescue aircraft carrier”, a huge floating platform capable of transporting hundreds of people at a time to places where conventional vehicles can no longer reach. The new thing is the strategy. As of this writing, there are no independent sources indicating that this platform is a newly introduced development. Everything indicates that it derives from the self-propelled pontoons that for decades have employed military engineers to build bridges floating and crossing rivers with heavy vehicles. Rather, what is novel here seems to be its adaptation for large-scale civilian evacuations, turning a military technology into a kind of gigantic emergency ferry. The great teaching. The Guangxi floods have revealed something more important than a floating platform, which too. While much of the world continues to rely almost exclusively on ships and helicopters to respond to these types of disasters, China is incorporating dronesamphibious platforms and large floating systems to keep a city operational even when it no longer has streets. Maybe that marine “creature” It may be the most spectacular image, but it probably only represents one more piece in a much broader strategy to respond to increasingly frequent extreme phenomena. Image | CCTV In Xataka | In China, the drone that brings you your order and the drone that evacuates you from a flood are sometimes the same drone In Xataka | The mega transfer: China is executing the largest hydraulic engineering project in history before our eyes

this is what agricultural engineers ask for before you arrive

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The General Council of Official Colleges of Agricultural Technical Engineers of Spain (CGCOITAE) has called on all people who have chosen to see the solar eclipse on August 12 in rural enclaves. They remember that many of the most privileged places for observation are also spaces for work, food production and biodiversity conservation. For this reason, they insist on the importance of following a series of rules so that neither the crops, nor the ecosystems nor the work of those who carry out their work there are endangered. No sparks or trash. To begin with, the CGCOITAE remember the importance of avoiding any activity that could cause sparks. summer It is a time when the risk of forest fires greatly increasesboth due to the high temperatures and the dry state of the vegetation. Added to this is that these accidents are more likely when there are large gatherings of people. That is why extreme precautions must be taken. In fact, if not done, the consequences can be tragic on many levels. Forestry experts warn that, if there were a fire, many tourists would not know the best escape routes, which could congest rural roads and make evacuation maneuvers difficult. On the other hand, remember that the places where the observations are made must be left the same as they were before we arrived, not full of garbage. Respect private property. Experts warn that you should not enter farms or other private properties, even if they seem like ideal places to see the solar eclipse. In addition, you are urged to follow the access or use restrictions established by the competent administrations. They are workplaces. Since many of these enclaves are workplaces, it is important not to access crops and avoid parking vehicles that could hinder the passage of agricultural machinery. In reality, it is a unique occasion. Far from turning their report into a string of warnings and scoldings, the CGCOITAE points out that this solar eclipse will be a unique opportunity to enjoy the natural environment. many people have chosen vacation destinations that they would never have had among their options just to be able to enjoy this astronomical phenomenon. Therefore, it is a great opportunity for them to see how communities work in these places and, by the way, enjoy nature, both under normal conditions and in a situation as unique as the eclipse. It is likely that, during the maximum two minutes that totality will last, there will be flowers that close, birds that hoot at odd hours or livestock that try to collect themselves ahead of time. All of this cannot be enjoyed in the same way in cities, but it can be enjoyed in nature. The minimum, if we are going to enjoy all of this, is to do it with respect. Image | Magnificent In Xataka | A third of Spain will be completely dark for a minute or two. The astronomical event of the century is approaching

running in San Fermín recording it with glasses. The Police have another opinion

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Smart glasses have just collided head-on with the San Fermín running of the bulls. It is the new legal outrage of the most guarded confinement. The legal key is in the Pamplona running of the bulls ordinance: prohibits carrying cameras, mobile phones or “any image or sound recording medium” within the route and reserved fences. Article 4.11 of the Municipal Enclosure Ordinance makes it very clear. Unless expressly authorized, if you do so, you expose yourself to sanctions ranging from minor (601 euros) to very serious (6,000 euros). The video, shared by TikTok and accumulating almost 20,000 views, it shows that adrenaline-inducing moment of jumping and warming up before running in front of the halters. In first person, the video partly boasts about being able to record it and skip the lockdown ordinance. Since they are not carried in the hand, the glasses are considered a recording device that can distract, hinder the race and compromise the safety of runners and third parties. Before Meta there was GoPro. Is it worth recording the running of the bulls rather than running it? The suggestive idea of ​​using glasses has collided head-on with arrest. Tracking the user’s account, the Municipal Police of Navarra did not take long to identify the foreign runner wearing the Ray-Ban Meta. It was during the second running of the bulls of San Fermín 2026. It is neither the first time nor will it be the last. During the last years there are some other runner who chose to carry a camera knowing that he is “strictly prohibited“The Foral Police confiscated it. And although there are people covering the LED of this type of viewers to record without anyone noticing, that does not mean that it is legal: the Spanish Penal Code considers it a crime that, if by recording, it violates the “privacy of the other”, with prison sentences of one to four years and a fine of twelve to twenty-four months” Smart glasses and the law. Whether it is a cell phone, a GoPro or a drone, even if the support is more discreet and “modern”, recording is prohibited. The problem is that we come across a certain legal loophole because in Spain there is no specific law that says “Ray-Ban Meta is prohibited” in the abstract. What applies is the regulations of the event and, where applicable, data protection and security regulations if third parties are recruited without a legal basis. In a lockdown, the key is not so much technology as context. Jurisprudence or legal debate usually follows two paths: public security and image treatment. In a massive and sometimes dangerous event like San Fermín, the first weighs more, because the City Council considers that recording from within can cause tripping, divert attention or even put other runners at risk; The second, privacy, appears as a reinforcement if third-party images are later disseminated without consent. Four centuries before the bull. Ironically, the running of the bulls began as a tolerated infraction, and later became the regulated festival that every Pamplona resident knows: in the 16th century the young men began to run in front of the bulls, in 1776 the fence was established and in 1867 Pamplona formally regulated it by ordinance. Then came the starting rockets, the second rocket in 1927 and, already in the 20th century, the assistance protocols and professionalization with health devices, a safety manual and the entire police liturgy. The rules also provide that “anyone who litters the road and public spaces will be punished” and, unfortunately, it is not difficult to find glasses, even glass, along the route. In fact, you cannot stay on the tour if you are drunk or under the influence of drugs, but tourists usually ignore these rules and “a fine always falls on someone who is clueless.” With or without consent. Even worse are the cases of recordings of girls without your consent. An example is found in the penalty of 10,000 euros from the AEPD for recording a person in the street without permission and disseminating the video on networks, as in relation to the April Fair. Organic Law 1/1982, which regulates the fundamental right to honor, privacy and one’s own image, is clear about this type of illegitimate interference. At least, and with the second running of the Sanfermines in 2026 over, everything is functioning with ritual normality: short and very fast running of the bulls and with a controlled injury toll—just two injured per pole—, while the city continues to shield the race with more surveillance, more preventive messages and more awareness than ever about risky behavior. Images | Flickr (Paul Mison, Antonio Sánchez Serrano) In Xataka | There are people covering the LED on Meta’s glasses to record secretly. The company has just made a drastic decision In Xataka | Soon you won’t need to remember anyone’s name. Meta’s glasses will do it for you

archaeologists have hacked their way to a Mayan city hidden for centuries in the jungle

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They have baptized him ‘Minanbe’ (“there is no way”in Yucatecan Mayan) and the truth is that few names would better describe the pre-Columbian site that archaeologists have just discovered in the middle of the Campeche jungle, in Mexico. After traveling kilometers and kilometers using machetes and with the help of quadsunder the scorching sun of the Yucatán, a team of researchers led by the Slovenian Ivan Sprajc has reached a mayan city forgotten that, according to its first observations, must have played a relevant role during the Late Classica period spanning 600 and 900 AD Then the jungle devoured the settlement for more than a thousand years, a long period of oblivion that has just ended. What has happened? It is not strange that the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) of Mexico stirred the waters of pre-Columbian archeology with important discoveries. In recent years, however, there have been few as fascinating as the one just presented in Campeche. And not only because of its reach. The location and intra-history of the discovery of the ancient Mayan city of Minanbé is so surprising that two facts are known to understand its scope: it took more than a decade of work and traveling several kilometers of jungle to reach it. Why’s that? Because Minanbé was in an inaccessible place. And in this case we can use the word with all of the law. The city was “camouflaged among the jungle tangle of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve,” in words from INAH itself, who remembers that the archaeologists and technical staff of Ivan Šprajc’s team found it so difficult to get there that they decided to name their discovery with two words from the Yucatecan Mayan: mina’an (“there is not”) and bej (“path”). For good connoisseurs there are too many words. To reach the old settlement, located in Campeche, they had to make their way as best they could. First they traveled along an old forest path, advancing aboard quads. When the jungle became too thick for these vehicles, they had no choice but to advance on foot, clearing brush with the help of machetes and sinking their boots into the mud. “They opened a gap with the edge of a machete for five kilometers,” precise the institute. How did they know it was there? With the help of technology. Archaeologists identified the ruins thanks to aerial scans made with LiDAR, a tool which allows researchers to identify constructs impossible to observe at first glance through the vegetation. The first clues were actually obtained more than a decade ago. “In this field season the team once again entered the northern sector of the reserve to carry out a superficial survey of a site west of Chactún, a governing center reported by this same initiative. 13 years ago and for which they had airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) data,” explains the INAH. The images showed a settlement of about 15 hectares, but the most complicated task remained and has now finally begun: verifying these indications “at ground level.” A lot of causality, right? That experts were scarce in that area of ​​Campeche was not a coincidence either. Šprajc, attached to the Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Arts and Sciences, has been dedicated for decades to the study of the Central Maya Lowlands, “a fossilized archaeological landscape that was the habitat of between nine and eleven million people during the Late Classic period,” recalls the INAH. The truth is that Šprajc I intuited that the jungle could hide an undiscovered treasure. To begin with, there were no roads leading to the ruins. Not even the dirt trails opened by the logging industry decades ago. And although that complicated the team’s mobility, it was also a “good sign.” “Compared to other places where we have done surface tours, access here was much more difficult. However, in the last three years it is the first site we found intact. “There are no looting coves,” adds the researcher Slovenian. “It was a big surprise.” What is Minanbe like? If there is another word that defines Minanbé, besides “inaccessible,” it is “promising.” When the team arrived at the site they found “an urban nucleus” with squares, palatial and religious buildings, terraces and hydraulic pipelines. The ‘jewel in the crown’ is a pyramid-shaped temple more than 13 meters high and a style reminiscent of the architecture of Río Becidentified in dozens of sites and which is distinguished, among other things, by the complexes with towers. The experts stand out especially its masonry and the smooth panels of the dated, a steep staircase and moldings. Vitan Vujanović, one of the participants in the expedition, recognized It was recently the first time that he had the opportunity to record “a more or less well preserved temple and a stele still with glyphs.” One in particular stands out that represents a decapitation scene. Do we know anything else? Yes. The researchers took hundreds of photographs that have allowed them to create three-dimensional models of 14 altars and stelae, including the piece that shows how one individual wields an ax to decapitate another. These recreations help us decipher the engravings despite the erosion and have shown that this particular stele has a temporal reference that places it in 849 AD. “It is an important key because we can think that the entire set of monuments or some were erected for that moment of the Terminal Classic, close to the abandonment of the sites in the region, which happened in the 10th century AD,” comment another participant in the project, Octavio Esparza. The monuments have led experts to two other conclusions. First, Minanbé could have been an enclave with some political powernot a minor city. Second, over time groups from outside were able to arrive in the city and deliberately alter some monuments. Images | INAH-Vitan Vujanović and Daniel Santaella In Xataka | We had always thought that the Mayans disappeared due to an environmental “apocalypse.” Turns out we were wrong

with Bluetooth and USB-C. And it comes at the best time

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The physical format is immortal (unless ask PlayStation, of course) and what we have been seeing for some time is that not only are the formats that never really ended up coming back, but there is also the trend of retro hardware to play those formats. We are talking about digicams to take photos without the algorithms of a current mobile phone, but also about vinyl players. In video games, retro consoles have been a fantastic way to enjoy video games for years (and even more so now how the current generation is getting), there is nostalgia for VHS and it was another format that seemed forgotten: that of tapes or cassettes. Because it’s not just that you can find tapes at a good price, but there are a lot of players (misnamed ‘Walkmans’) that have adapted to the new times with lithium batteries and Bluetooth connection. And the most important thing is that, despite all the limitations of listening to music on CD, tape or vinyl, this is something that makes perfect sense if we want to disconnect from the algorithm and actively listen to music. Retro is back (and perhaps at the best time) The Walkman is today a collector’s item. I am referring to the legendary Sony TPS-L2 that hit the market in 1979. Since then, the Japanese brand’s player became a standard on which they were iterated both inside and outside of Sony itself. Improvements soon came with miniaturization and the WM-2, as well as the production of similar devices by other brands such as Aiwa or Sanyo. Legendary However, the CDs did not take long to arrive and Sony had to reinvent itself with the Discman. In fact, he had to reinvent the Walkmann itself and, already in the digital age, launched a line of devices to play MP3 and uncompressed files under the Walkman brand. It is much more convenient to have an entire library in your pocket and not need to change batteries, where does it end up. But it’s much better to have all the world’s music within reach of a data connection. With platforms like Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music and othersit seems that an MP3 music player does not make sense, much less a device as limited as a tape or cassette player. However, Starting in 2018, things began to change.. That year we began to see a rrise in sales of music on cassettesbut also companies that turned their blank tape production plants back on so that users could do the reverse digitization process: from their MP3 music to the cassette. The idea is clear: in front of the algorithm and having music as a mere companion, as if it were white noise, recover control and experience, active listening. I recently started collecting vinyl and, although I still I have to decide on a playerYes, I have started listening to most of my music on an MP3 that I bought. It’s a SnowSky Echo Mini from the FiiO brand, a company that is focusing on audio devices and that not only allows you to read high-quality files, but also takes up very little space, the battery lasts a long time and there is no algorithm controlling my listening: only my music. I have been thinking for some time about taking another step and take that portable experience to an even more physical plane: that of the aforementioned cassettes. FiiO has a player and, really, it is not a lonely animal in this market. You just have to go to Amazon to see that there are many ‘walkmans’ to choose from and that also have modern features. It all depends on how much you want to spend, since you have models like the ones my colleagues point out, which range from those that for 20 euros allow you to play and convert to MP3, to one of Energy System very basic, but with a retro design, passing through much more expensive models like the We Are Rewind made of aluminum or those mentioned from FiiO. As with any device, it all depends on what you want to spend. And yes, you can always go to the second-hand market for a real Walkman, but there you will still have to dig deep and you won’t have features like a battery or Bluetooth. Be careful, I’m one of those who thinks that since you’re here, it’s better without Bluetooth, but having it doesn’t hurt. In the end, it is clear that there is an interest in this and, in fact, we have companies like Medion bringing out ‘parrots’ with a lot of functions. My recommendation, if you are even remotely interested in getting into the possession of music, not depending on an algorithm or that tomorrow the company on duty will take away songs from your face (which happens), take a look at second-hand stores because the tapes can still be found at a fair price. My partner Tones, of course, He is very cool with this topic. Image | We Are Rewind In Xataka | Special defeated technologies: Laserdisc

Last hours to participate in the raffle for some JBL Live 780NC! Only for Xataka Xtra members

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Time is running out, xatakeros! Tomorrow the draw ends for some JBL Live 780NCgreat headphones to take advantage of their noise cancellation on your next plane or train trip. This is an exclusive giveaway for members of Xataka Xtra. If you still don’t know the Community, for only 30 euros a year You can be part of it and participate in draws like this, in addition to accessing a huge (and growing) catalog of advantages in digital services. JBL Live 780NC winner to be announced tomorrow, July 10, at 11:00 Spanish peninsular time. It will be communicated via email, on the members-only Discord server, and in an update to the original article. You can find it at this link. How to participate in the raffle for JBL Live 780NC This giveaway is reserved for Xataka Xtra members. If you are already part of Xtra, you just have to access your subscriber area and make sure the raffle entry box is checked. If you have already activated it to participate in a previous draw, you don’t have to do anything else. Make sure you check that box to automatically participate in the exclusive Xataka Xtra draws | Image: Xataka If you still don’t know Xataka Xtra, you can join for 30 euros a year (or from two euros per month) and access more exclusive giveaways like thisEl Consultorio, the Discord server, discounts on digital services and monthly meetings with editors. The winner will be chosen at random from all participating subscribers, along with two alternates. If the winner does not respond within the period indicated in the legal bases, the first substitute will be contacted, and if he/she does not respond either, the second will be contacted. Winning a giveaway does not exclude you from participating in the following ones. You can consult the complete legal bases here. In Xataka | Subscribe to Xataka Xtra

premium features such as high temperature washing for less than 500 euros

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Until not long ago, if you wanted a robot vacuum cleaner that not only swept, but also wash your own mops with hot water and dried them to avoid odors, you had to go for budgets that were around 1,000 euros. However, this year’s mid-range is closing gaps by leaps and bounds. A good example is the latest launch in Spain by the company Mova, which has just presented its new E50 range (composed of the Ultra and Pro Ultra models). These are two devices with a complete self-emptying base that cost less than 500 euros. Mova E50 Ultra Robot Vacuum Cleaner The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MOVA E50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum Cleaner with 30000Pa Suction and 12N Downward Pressure The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Two robots with plenty of power and automated maintenance The technical core of both models is supported by the TurboScrub system, which offers a 30,000 Pa gross suction power. For scrubbing, it uses a double roller rotating at 260 revolutions per minute and capable of exerting a downward pressure of 12 N to remove stains. In addition, it has a automatic lifting system so as not to wet the carpets when passing over them and an extendable side mop (Maxi Reach) designed to get as close as possible to the baseboards and corners of the rooms. Regarding navigation, both integrate a 360-degree LDDS laser sensor supported by a front sensor to map the house in real time and dodge small objects scattered on the ground. To avoid the classic problem of pet hair clogging, Mova has implemented a TÜV-certified anti-tangle system that includes a V-shaped rubber brush and the option to add internal blades (Clean Chop) to cut hair automatically. The station of both models is quite compact if we take into account everything it houses inside: a 3.2 liter dust bag, a five liter clean water tank and another 4.5 liter of dirty water. After each cleaning cycle, the base cleans the mops and applies hot air drying at 63°C to prevent the proliferation of moisture and bacteria. Although both models share the vast majority of specifications of their engine and navigation system, the main difference that justifies the price jump is found in the disinfection technology of the base itself. The Pro Ultra model stands out in particular because it heats the self-cleaning water up to 100 °C directly in the station and therefore Automatically dispense detergentsomething that in the Ultra model you will have to do manually. Availability and launch prices Both robot vacuum cleaners can now be purchased in Spain. He Mova E50 Ultra It is priced at 379 euros until July 12, while the top version, the Mova E50 Pro Ultrahas a price of 469 euros until next July 14. Mova E50 Ultra Robot Vacuum Cleaner The price could vary. We earn commission from these links MOVA E50 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum Cleaner with 30000Pa Suction and 12N Downward Pressure The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Other robot vacuum cleaners from the brand that may interest you Mova P70 Pro Ultra Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Floor Mop The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Mova E20 Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Floor Mop 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 | Mova In Xataka | Best robot vacuum cleaners in quality price. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models In Xataka | Best upright vacuum cleaners. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models

Finally, Toledo has its transportation app. It only took a decade of digital stumbles and analog queues

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Yurni is the new official application of urban transportation in Toledo. It has just been presented by the city council and goes hand in hand with the Ruiz Group with a concrete promise. If you search for them in the Google Play Store or the Apple store and you read “Yurni Linares” it is because, in fact, the application began offering service in the town of Jaén. Now it arrives at the mecca of Corpus Christi with the intention of resolving past problems, putting an end to COPI’s ordeal, allowing the card to be recharged from the mobile phone and offering reliable schedules in real time. Third time’s the charm. Yurni arrives with functions that should be obvious in 2026: consult real time and theoretical arrival time, plan routes according to transfers and duration, recharge entitlements, buy QR tickets and manage a virtual wallet without having to type the card number each time. In fact, the idea of ​​the service is to integrate recharging along with metrics such as calories burned or CO₂ saved on each trip. Before the launch, about 150 people tested it—including ONCE users—and the average rating rose from 4.5 out of ten for the previous app to 7.9, a sign that at least the interface and stability are no longer the recurring joke at the stop. Because there were days where not a single marquee met the estimate. It is estimated between 80,000 and 90,000 downloads. From ‘Toledo Bus’ to COPI. Yurni started in 2017, when GMV developed the Bus Toledo app for Unauto and the City Council, integrated into the Operation Assistance System. It was, de facto, the one used by any Toledoan who did not opt ​​for Google Maps or Apple Maps. Taking advantage of the onboard GPS and information panels at stops, the application worked at times. The City Council insists that this time the tool has been “validated by users.” So “I don’t know when the bus passes” should now be resolved with a glance which, in the process, corrects the trend of ghost schedules and poorly communicated incidents that led to constant complaints, whether you were waiting in Zocodover, in the Santa María de Benquerencia industrial estate, coming from Azucaica or waiting on the Paseo de la Rosa in Santa Bárbara. New urban offer. In 2024, the city launched COPI Toledo, developed by Vanwardia in collaboration with Unauto and Grupo Ruizpresented as a comprehensive urban mobility solution with real-time information and plans to integrate other modes of transportation on a single platform. And how does it work? Like almost all of them: as soon as you open the app it is linked to a phone number – although you can use it without login -, you receive an SMS and an associated account is created. You can ask it to launch alerts for route and schedule changes and the application will ask for geolocation permissions to recommend closer stops. The rest is as simple as entering the destination and receiving an estimated arrival time. Toledo grows; its roads, no. Toledo has been suffering from worrying traffic congestion for years. In addition to the constant works in the town, there have been blockages in the roundabouts attached to the new University Hospital, delaying the arrival of students to their homes by up to an hour every midday. But the numbers are clear: during 2025, Toledo set historic figures of more than 1.6 million overnight stays and almost 1 million travelers in the first eleven months, beating 2024 which was already a record year in itself. Toledo is, in addition to the fifth Spanish province where tourism is growing the most, a city on the rise: 86,070 inhabitants as of January 1, 2023 at almost 100,000 currentwith a certain concentration in usually more unpopulated areas—Valparaíso, La Legua and Los Cigarrales de Vistahermosa—. However, the diagnosis of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan indicated that only 7% of internal journeys in Toledo city are made by urban bus, which promotes congestion. The mismatch between supply and demand is estimated as the main cause. The most serious shortcomings occur in the industrial estate, Vía Tarpeya and peripheral urbanizations such as San Bernardo, where you have to walk several kilometers to reach an urban stop. Very irregular management. During the last two years, local media They have documented general dissatisfaction with the poor functioning of the app. The Unauto manager acknowledged that they had rushed the launch, forcing them to update the app just three months later to make the schedules more visible. In December 202025, a server outage left both the application and the card recharge website out of service, forcing us to return to the physical ticket or payment on board with a bank card. In that cycle of technological promises, the nominative cards experienced their own battle of Las Navas de Tolosa: at the beginning of 2026, the local government of PP and Vox decided to maintain the bonus of the 40% on the ticket only for registered votersforcing the creation of a special card for them, while the rest were left with the state’s 20%. The bus pass for those not registered rose from 0.38 to 0.51 euros per trip and the general monthly payment went from 20.40 to 27.20 euros, with the explicit message that aid should be concentrated on “the neighbors.” Unexpected consequences. For example, it is no longer possible to tick for someone else. Because in addition to requesting copies of the DNI and, in the case of minors, family books or other documents, photos have been requested that have never been inserted into the new cards. FACUA described the process as “illegal and abusive” due to the transfer of data to a private company. And, after the complaint, the City Council and the dealership rectified allowing the form and sending by email, but thousands of people still had to go through the small Unauto office, collapsing it right in the middle of the operation after Easter. In the … Read more

Xiaomi SkyNomad is Xiaomi’s new car brand and will arrive with a gigantic SUV where driving will be secondary

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Today we announce the second product from Xiaomi electrics: Xiaomi SkyNomad. The Xiaomi SU7 and XiaomiYU7 are positioned as “drivers’ cars.” Xiaomi SkyNomad is positioned as a “smart, configurable and spacious SUV.” Different product lines, two responses to two different use needs that we deliver after more than five years developing cars (in relation to the time that the car project has been underway) with this tweetLei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, has given the first details of SkyNomad, Xiaomi’s second brand of electric vehicles of which there are not many confirmed details but of which the horizon is clearing a little. This post is followed by a whole thread of explanations in which Lei Jun gives some keys to what we can expect with this new sub-brand of the company that “will be launched soon in China”. Let’s break down everything we know. SkyNomad, everything we know about the new Xiaomi brand To get an idea of ​​what Xiaomi has on its hands, the first thing we are going to do is review the Twitter thread in which Lei Jun has given the first glimpses of what we can find in these new cars from the Chinese company. And we will cross this information with the rumors that are on the table. In his publications, Lei Jun explains that the car market in China has changed rapidly and that they are now very common “feature-packed six- and seven-seater interiors”. This, added to the concept of “spacious SUV” that the company’s CEO mentions at the beginning of the thread, already gives a clear idea of ​​what we will find. In recent years we have seen how the big Chinese brands have launched their own gigantic six or seven-seater SUVs with abilities as crazy as turning on itself or floating. But these vehicles are designed, above all, to be enjoyed from inside and from the rear seats. BYD with its subbrands Denza and Yangwang They have theirs either in SUV format or in minivan format with huge seats. He Zeekr 9Xhe Aito M9 (which partly copies the image of a Mercedes Maybach) or GWM’s Tank line are good examples. These SUVs, as we say, are focused on and for the rear seat passenger. They are generally cars with huge seats that have their own remote control to control some functions of the car and some of them come equipped with screens and a multimedia environment to work, make a video call or enjoy the trip watching television. “On the road, transport your family, friends, luggage, even pets, with generous space for everyone. Parked, it becomes a workspace, a living room or a family activity area,” says Lei Jun in this tweet which perfectly sums up what these cars have become. They are not cars that are enjoyed driving, they are multipurpose spaces with wheels. And confirm your positioning a little further down: Who is it intended for? For people who need a single car to cover the daily commute, family trips and the ability to occasionally work from the vehicle. It does not define a lifestyle, it is a flexible tool built to adapt to what the day requires. Professionals and parents, not two separate categories. The same person, at different times of the day. Taking all this into account, it is obvious that what Xiaomi wants with SkyNomad is to enter the game of China’s huge electric SUVs. That leaves us with some doubts that have yet to be resolved. In CarNewsChina and other chinese media They assure that these cars will be extended range electric. That is, they will be cars that have a combustion engine (according to rumors, a 1.5 turbocharged as is usually common in this type of Chinese car) to function as an electric generator. It is a type of car that can operate in completely electric mode or as series hybrid. That is, the combustion engine works like an electric generator that burns fuel to fill the battery, but the car is moved by electric motors that are fed by the energy stored there. These cars have the advantage that the combustion engine operates at the optimal rpm to consume the least possible amount of fuel and they maintain an electric touch. Furthermore, in both China and Europe they are classified as electric cars. although deep down they are not. The other big question is where Xiaomi will position itself. Although the concept of a six or seven-seater car designed by and to be enjoyed in the rear seats is only understood in Europe from a luxury point of view, in China this is not entirely the case. And a Yangwang U8 or Hongqui’s proposals are much more expensive than a Li Auto, for comparison. Until now, Xiaomi has been very clear about its positioning: offering more features than anyone else for the least money possible. This is the only way to explainunlike the price of the Porsche Taycan or the Tesla Model S Plaidwhom it leaves behind mechanically. With the Xiaomi YU7, a slightly more luxurious proposal has been sought than with the SU7, but it does not fight in the luxury segment. truly luxury cars. Lei Jun has made it clear that this car arrives with a new platform called Xiaomi Kunlun that will be nourished by other intelligent products of the company and that will become a full part of the company’s ecosystem. It is something that we could already expect seeing the integration that the brand has done with its mobile phones and all types of home devices. through the HyperOS that it has in the two cars that it has already launched on the market. Given the type of positioning that is sought with the car and the emphasis that the brand has been placing on itit is expected that the car, which according to the first test mules is estimated to be 5.3 meters long, will have extensive driving assistance functions to automate much of the trip. Photo | … Read more

Those who played in the street until nightfall gained a skill that we have lost today

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In 1971, a pioneering study from the psychologist Roger Hart He asked dozens of children to draw a map of places where they could move alone. What he discovered It was surprising: Some traveled several kilometers without adult supervision and knew their neighborhood like the back of their hand. Decades later, Hart repeated the exercise and found that this “territory of freedom” had been drastically reduced, a trend that has since been observed in numerous countries. A value that many of us considered lost. For years, playing in the street until nightfall was remembered above all as an image loaded with nostalgia. However, a number growing research is coming to a conclusion much more interesting: that everyday freedom was also an unparalleled psychological training. Yes, resolving conflicts without adults, exploring the neighborhood, taking small risks or even inventing games on the fly thanks to “boredom” helped develop skills like autonomy, trust, emotional regulation and the ability to face uncertainty, skills that many experts today consider less and less frequent among the children. It’s not the parks, it’s the size of the world. Researchers use a very graphic concept to measure this transformation: the home rangethe territory that a child can walk without supervision. I remembered the Washington Post that just a few generations ago the baby could cover several kilometers. Today, in many cases, it barely reaches the door of the house. In fact, studies carried out in different countries show that less and less minors can go to school alone, cross a main street or visit a friend in the neighborhood without permission or constant supervision of an adult, a reduced independence that reflects the extent to which childhood has changed. Playing was not a waste of time. When a group of children were discussing the rules of a game, deciding who started, or finding a solution to recover a lost ball, they were doing much more than entertainment. The researchers they count that, without realizing it, negotiation, cooperation, creativity, frustration tolerance and decision making were practiced. Precisely for that reason, a study A recent study by Aarhus University concluded that children themselves consider it essential that the game belongs to them and not to adults, to the point that one of its authors summed up the idea with a phrase as provocative as it is revealing: “Sometimes an adult should shut up and go away.” Small risks also educate. Falling off a bicycle, climbing a tree or returning home with scraped knees are part of common memories for several generations. Nowadays, these episodes are usually interpreted as situations that should be avoided, but many psychologists hold that these controlled risks teach something difficult to acquire in any other way: evaluate dangers, overcome fear and verify that problems usually have a solution. In fact, various scientific works they point Even this gradual exposure to uncertainty can strengthen self-confidence and reduce the risk of anxiety in the long term. The data that proves it right. Nostalgia may idealize the past, but scientific evidence is beginning to support some of that perception. a study of the University of Exeter with more than 4,000 children concluded that those who played outdoors more frequently between the ages of two and four were more likely to maintain a good mental health profile up to eight years. Not only that. Other research with 2,500 minors found that outside play was associated with better social and emotional skills, reinforcing the idea that these benefits go far beyond physical exercise. It’s not the screens, but what they have replaced. In what they insist experts is that the decline in outdoor play cannot be explained by technology alone. Traffic, the disappearance of safe spaces, the reduction of recreation time, parental fear and a culture that tends to supervise any children’s activity also play a role. The result is a childhood much more organizedwith more guided activities and fewer opportunities to experiment, make mistakes and learn on your own. The great paradox. Of course, no researcher proposes returning to a time with fewer security measures or letting children do anything. The debate revolves around another question: strike a balance between protecting and allowing them to develop their own autonomy. After decades trying to eliminate any risk from childhood, psychology is beginning to remember an idea that many generations learned by playing in the street until nightfall: confidence does not usually appear when everything is under control, but when someone discovers that they are capable to get ahead on your own. Image | Joe Shlabotnik, Brittany Grater In Xataka | David Sands, expert in animal psychology: “If your cat licks you, he is signaling to you that you are his property.” In Xataka | If you’re overwhelmed, go for a walk: Science confirms that movement literally ignites your creativity

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