Mobile Tech & Gadgets

ended up sneaking in errors and references that didn’t add up

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Artificial intelligence has become an everyday tool for millions of people. Today many use it to write emails, summarize documents or translate texts in a matter of seconds. However, this speed has a less visible side: generative systems can also make mistakes, invent data or alter sources without the user immediately noticing. When these errors appear in one of the largest encyclopedias in the world, the situation changes completely. That is precisely what has happened on Wikipedia with a series of translations carried out with the help of AI. The opening episode. It all started within the Wikipedia community itself. Some editors began reviewing recent translations and noticed something strange: certain texts included phrases that did not appear in the cited sources or references that did not seem to fit with what the article stated. According to 404 Mediathese translations were part of a project promoted by an organization that sought to expand the presence of Wikipedia content in different languages ​​using language models to speed up the process. When translation invents. As editors began to examine these translations in more detail, the problems became more evident. One of the cases cited by 404 Media is that of a draft article about the French royal family La Bourdonnaye. The translated text included a reference to a book and a specific page to explain the origin of the family. However, when editor Ilyas Lebleu, known on Wikipedia as Chaotic Enby, reviewed that source, he discovered that the page cited was incorrect. Lebleu added that, when doing a quick review of several translations, he also found interchanged references, phrases without a source, and cases in which paragraphs were added based on material unrelated to what was being written. It was published or remained in draft. The case also raised a relevant question: whether these errors had appeared in already published articles or whether they were detected during the review process. At least one of the problematic examples was identified in a draft translation, allowing editors to revise it before it was finalized. With the material provided here, however, it cannot be stated how many translations with problems were published and how many remained under review. Who is behind these translations. Here appears the name of Open Knowledge Association (OKA), a non-profit organization that claims to work to improve Wikipedia and other open platforms. As the organization itself explains on its website, its model consists of offering monthly stipends to collaborators and translators who work full-time expanding the encyclopedia’s content, and “taking advantage of AI (large language models) to automate most of the work.” According to 404 Media, editors who investigated the project concluded that it relied on contractors. The editors’ response. As more problematic examples appeared, the Wikipedia community decided to intervene. The editors reviewed the operation of the translation project and ended up establishing new restrictions for those who participated in it. OKA-linked translators who accumulate four strikes for unverifiable content within a six-month period may be blocked without additional notice if a new case appears. Additionally, content added by a translator that ends up being blocked may be removed preventively, unless another reputable editor takes responsibility for reviewing it. OKA explains. The organization mentioned in the debate also offered its version of the events. Jonathan Zimmermann, founder and president of the Open Knowledge Association, explained to the aforementioned media that the project’s translators work on an hourly basis and that there is no fixed goal of articles per week. In addition, he admitted that “errors happen,” although he defended that the system includes human verification and review of sources. Following the discussion on Wikipedia, he added, the organization is introducing a second review with another AI model to detect possible errors before publishing, and is studying the possibility of adding peer review mechanisms if necessary. Images | Oberon Copeland @veryinformed.com | Luke Chesser In Xataka | Sam Altman says he’s terrified of a world where AI companies believe themselves to be more powerful than the government. It’s just what you’re building

the Webb telescope has just clarified a key doubt

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There are asteroids that go almost unnoticed and others that force us to look at them much more carefully. 2024 YR4 belongs to that second group. When it was discovered at the end of 2024, the first calculations of its trajectory still had enough margin of error to contemplate a very small possibility of impact with Earth. That scenario was soon ruled out, but, as ESA explainsthe case remained under follow-up for a different reason: a doubt was left open about the Moon which was not resolved until new observations arrived. Impact risk. With data available since spring 2025, trajectory models indicated that the asteroid had about a 4% chance of hitting the Moon on December 22, 2032, an estimate that NASA placed at 4.3% in its previous calculations. It was not a high percentage, but it was significant enough for the teams dedicated to monitoring near-Earth objects to follow it with special attention. Furthermore, we are talking about an object of about 60 meters. How Webb came into play. To clear up that doubt, something more than the usual telescopes was needed. An international team of astronomers identified two very specific windows in February 2026 in which the James Webb Space Telescope could try to detect the asteroid, which at that time was just an extremely faint point millions of kilometers away. It involved using one of the most complex scientific instruments built to date to locate an almost invisible object and measure its position with the necessary precision to project its orbit almost seven years into the future. Key piece. The observations were made on February 18 and 26, 2026 with the camera NIRCam of the James Webb telescope. From these images, astronomers compared the position of the asteroid with that of the background stars, whose coordinates are known with great precision thanks to ESA’s Gaia mission. ESA adds a relevant detail to understand why this went ahead: the planning and analysis was coordinated with ESA’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Center, NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies and the Webb mission team. With this new data package, the orbital models were adjusted enough to close the mystery. James Webb analyzed the position of the asteroid in relation to the background stars The flyby distance. With the new calculations, monitoring teams can now estimate quite accurately what the asteroid’s passage through the lunar environment will be like. According to NASA, it will pass on December 22, 2032 about 21,000 kilometers from the surface of the Moon. That range is enough to eliminate the impact scenario that had been on the table for months. In other words, the object will continue on its way through the solar system without hitting either the Moon or Earth. Surveillance doesn’t stop. Programs such as ESA’s Space Security or NASA’s tracking systems continue to detect and analyze near-Earth objects to anticipate any possible future threats. The logic is simple: the sooner a potentially dangerous object is identified, the more room there will be to study its trajectory and assess the real risk. In this case, the result has been reassuring, but it also illustrates, as ESA insists, what planetary defense means in practice when a doubt is resolved with more data and better measurements. Images | THAT In Xataka | We have been burning space junk for years to get rid of the problem. It turned out to be a bad idea

Navantia has just received a key piece to achieve it

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If one looks at the evolution of conventional submarines, there is one constant that repeats itself: the race to stay underwater as long as possible. It is not just about speed or weapons, but about autonomy in immersion, a factor that directly determines the discretion of the platform and its patrol capacity. When a submarine has to interrupt that cycle to ventilate, manage gases or refuel, its operating margin is reduced. For this reason, much of the engineering behind the new submarines focuses precisely on solving that problem. And that is where the technology that Spain is integrating comes into play. in the S-80 program. The jump of the S-80 submarine. Amper, through its engineering subsidiary Proes-OSL Iberia, delivered to Navantia the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂) catalytic reactors for the submarines S-83 “Cosme García” and S-84 “Mateo García de los Reyes”. These devices are part of the atmosphere revitalization system, integrated into the AIP compartment. According to the company itself, the project started in 2022 and the equipment has already received official certification from Navantia after completing the corresponding technical verifications. A key piece. The delivery announced by Amper has to do with a very specific element of the submarine’s technical ecosystem, the system responsible for maintaining the interior atmosphere within safe parameters during operation. Revitalization of the atmosphere in the submarine. The reactors developed by the company allow the controlled elimination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the compartment where the AIP system is integrated. The technology uses a catalytic combustion process that purifies these gases and helps maintain breathable air on board. In detail. The S-80 incorporates an AIP system developed by Navantia called BEST (Bio-Ethanol Stealth Technology). This system produces hydrogen on board using a reformer that uses bioethanol stored on the submarine. This hydrogen is then combined with oxygen in a fuel cell that generates electricity to power the ship’s systems during the dive, an architecture designed to extend operational autonomy without depending exclusively on batteries. What it means to stay underwater for weeks. Navantia explains that the BEST AIP system is designed to allow conventional submarines to remain submerged for prolonged periods in different environmental conditions. In that scenario, the unit reduces the need to interrupt its immersion cycle to manage power or interior atmosphere. Navantia links this greater autonomy with an expanded patrol area and with a “zero Indiscretion Coefficient”, a term it uses to describe a decrease in the probability of being detected during the mission. modern submarine. The design of the S-80 responds to the idea of ​​a modern ocean submarine capable of operating on long missions. Navantia describes the platform as a highly automated system that can be operated by a crew of 32 sailors, with eight additional spaces for on-board personnel. The ship is approximately 80 meters long, about 7 meters in diameter and has a submerged displacement of close to 3,000 tons. In addition, it can exceed 19 knots underwater speed and reach depths greater than 300 meters during operation. Apparently it is just one more component in the long list of equipment that makes up a submarine. However, systems like these are part of a much broader logic within the S-80 design. Each of them contributes to sustaining the operation of the submarine for longer periods without the need to modify its diving profile. As subsequent units in the series integrate these developments from their initial configuration, the S-80 program will show the extent to which these technologies can translate into greater operational autonomy underwater. Images | NAVANTIA In Xataka | The war in Iran is about to begin a suicidal combat: there are missiles, drones and kamikaze ships in the most fearsome point on the planet

Mexico wants to shield the ancient Mayan city of Toniná at all costs. So he has expropriated more than nine hectares

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Maybe not as well known as Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza or even the neighbor Palenquebut Toniná It is one of the great archaeological treasures of Mexico. The necropolis experienced its heyday between 600 and 900 AD and today it is preserved as one of the most fascinating complexes of the Mayan area and pre-Hispanic urbanism. In fact, it is crowned by a unique pyramidal structure in the region that is taller than the famous pyramid of the sun of Teotihuacan. Therefore, to guarantee its conservation, the Mexican Government has just made a radical decision: expropriate 9.2 hectares of the environment so that they become directly dependent on the National Institute of Anthropology (INAH). What has happened? That Mexico has just shown that it is willing to pull expropriation decree to protect your assets. And he has also done it in a practical way. The Executive led by Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that the National Institute of Anthropology and History has “taken possession” of a 9.22-h property in the vicinity of the Toniná site, in the state of Chiapas. The curious thing is how that land has been obtained, until recently in private hands. The transfer has been possible thanks to a decree that gave the green light to the sale in favor of the INAH. “The action arises from a cause of public utility, promoted in December 2025 by Culture,” clarify the authorities. Why have they done it? The Executive’s objective is twofold: to facilitate the conservation and research of the environment. In the words of INAH itself, the idea is to “guarantee the optimal conditions” of the site. “Toniná is an essential part of the living history of Chiapas and Mexico. This decree protects an asset of the nation and contributes to the exercise of cultural rights through access to knowledge and historical memory,” reasons Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Secretary of Culture. The leader insists that with the measure the State reinforces its capacity to “preserve heritage, ensure its management with technical criteria and sustain conservation, restoration and research tasks.” From now on, the INAH will expand its capacity to monitor, care for and study the ancient Mayan city. Why is it important? For several reasons. Beyond the legal formula used or its advantages to protect, conserve and study the site, the measure is interesting because Mexico wants to take advantage of it to promote Toniná. “In the archaeological zone, a comprehensive reactivation program will be implemented that will create a structured route for its eventual reopening,” keep it up the INAH. In fact, one of the objectives is to promote “responsible tourism.” Click on the image to go to the tweet. Is Toniná so important? Yes. And that is another reason why the recovery of the nine hectares has generated so much expectation. Located on the border between the Mayan highlands and the lowlands, the inhabitants of ancient Toniná left a fascinating acropolis, with overlapping platforms and a pyramidal structure that archaeologists considered “unique” in the Mayan world. In fact, it surpasses in height the famous Pyramid of the Sun of Teotihuacán, 65 meters. “The richness of this archaeological zone makes it comparable to other large sites in Chiapas, such as Palenque. Its heyday goes from the year 600 to 900, within the Classic period, and it was the last witness to the decline of the so-called Old Mayan Empire,” explains the INAH. The most famous governor in its history was Tzots Choj (‘Tiger-Bat’) and its greatest archaeological treasure is offered by its acropolis and central plaza. In it we find a staircase of 260 steps, the enormous pyramidal structure and a labyrinth of temples, palaces and roads. Experts have also located an altar for sacrifices and spaces to play ball. How long have we known her? The first to tell us about Toniná was Brother Jacinto Garridoin the 17th century, but the site has continued to fascinate experts since then. During the 19th century, expeditions continued and throughout the 20th century (especially between the 1970s and 1980s) excavations intensified. It was then when the studies and conservation work carried out by the INAH were launched, which has allowed its secrets to be discovered. Despite years of study, the archaeological institute trust in which there are still surprises: “Toniná still keeps many secrets that will have to be known.” Images | Wikipedia and SC (INAH) In Xataka | The Mayan Train has become a nightmare for Mexico: what seemed like a great plan has run into justice

the fear of living in 1973 again because of the war in Iran

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Just enter the tracking platform Marine Traffic to understand the magnitude of the paralysis. Dozens of red dots, representing colossal merchant ships, crowd motionless off the coasts of Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The steel giants do not dare to cross a strip of water that, at its narrowest point, barely measures 33 kilometers. The Strait of Hormuz It is the main energy artery of the planet. A fifth of the world’s oil – some 20.9 million barrels per day – and a vital percentage of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) sail through its waters daily. Today, that step is de facto blocked. Half a century later, an atavistic terror has awakened in Western capitals: the fear of reliving the energy collapse and rampant inflation of 1973. The spark that set the markets on fire jumped after a war escalation unprecedented in the Middle East, triggered by the attacks by the United States and Israel that culminated in the assassination of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran’s response has not been long in coming: a rain of drones and missiles on American allies and trade routes that has caused a blockade de facto of the Strait of Hormuz. The crisis broke out after an unprecedented escalation of war in the Middle East. The offensive by the United States and Israel (named “Operation Epic Fury”), which culminated in the assassination of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparked a quick response from Tehran: a rain of drones and missiles on American allies and strategic infrastructure in the Gulf. The physical consequences have been immediate. An Iranian drone attack forced to paralyze the Ras Laffan facilities in Qatar, the largest LNG export plant in the world, and forced Saudi Arabia to temporarily close units of its gigantic Ras Tanura refinery. The violence has directly reached the water: the British agency UKMTO reported the attack on an oil tanker near Oman, leaving several injured, and the energy expert Javier Blas warned of the explosion of another ship anchored off the coast of Kuwait, causing an oil spill into the sea. Given this panorama, transport giants such as Maersk or MSC They have ordered their fleets seek refuge. The panic has rewritten logistics rates: the cost of leasing a supertanker (VLCC) has shot up by 600%, hovering around $200,000 a day, while insurers have increased war risk premiums by up to 50%, as Alex Longley warns in Bloomberg. The echoes of the past are terrifying. Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee, warns in Fortune that a prolonged closure of Hormuz could have an impact “three times the scale of the energy crisis we saw in the 1970s.” What could happen if the tanks overflow The problem with ships not sailing is not only that the oil does not reach its destination, it is that it accumulates at the point of origin. The industry is facing a logistical collapse due to lack of physical storage. Iraq has been the first major victim of this logistical collapse. As you have detailed OilPricethe country has had to begin to turn off the tap on gigantic fields such as Rumaila (the largest in the world), withdrawing about 1.5 million barrels a day from the market, a figure that could double if the crisis persists. According to sources from the commercial sector in Financial TimesIf the blockade continues, Kuwait will be the next to give up in a matter of days, followed by the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia, thanks to its immense storage capacity, could last between two and four weeks before being forced to cut its extraction. Financial markets reflect absolute short-term stress. As analyst John Kemp’s charts illustrateBrent crude oil futures have entered a backwardation extreme, with a difference of almost 11 dollars per barrel between short- and long-term contracts, placing it in the 98th-99th percentile in history. This signals an acute and immediate shortage of barrels, especially for refiners in Asia, which have already begun to cut back on operations. If this funnel continues for three months, the unwritten rule of firms like Goldman Sachs suggests that crude oil could become more expensive by an additional $40, turning the barrier of $100 per barrel in the new normal. The differences with 1973 Despite the drama and the fact that a barrel quickly exceeded $80, the macroeconomic scenario is not a carbon copy of the Arab embargo. Global resilience has changed: The new oil sheriff: Today, the US economy depends much less on crude oil to generate wealth (barely 0.4% of GDP compared to 1.5% in 1979). Furthermore, the American country is now the world’s largest producer of oil, which protects it from supply shocks, as pointed out Fortune. The “Myopia of Hormuz”: Mukesh Sahdev, Chief Analyst at XAnalysts, points in Fortune that the market is overreacting. The main objective of the US (neutralizing the Iranian leadership) has already been met, and Donald Trump himself has suggested that the military campaign could be short, which would limit the long-term impact. Alternative routes to rescue: Saudi Arabia has a colossal lifeline. Your pipeline East-Westwhich connects the eastern fields with the Red Sea, has the capacity to pump about 7 million barrels per day, bypassing Hormuz. There are already signs that Riyadh is redirecting flows this way, as Blas explains. For its part, Iraq has managed to resume a modest flow of 50,000 barrels per day to Türkiye after a brief pause, as the analyst collects Bachar El-Halabi. Safety mattresses: Global onshore reserves reach 2 billion barrels, enough to weather the initial storm. For its part, the Trump Administration has tried to calm the markets by promising Navy naval escorts and state insurance of up to $1 billion per ship through the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). However, this is not a magic solution. As they warn in the sectorcaptains are the ones who decide to set sail, and sailing surrounded by US military destroyers often makes them more attractive … Read more

compensation of 22,503 euros

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Mercadona is one of the supermarket chains that better pay your employees. It is also one of those that applies a harsher labor policy, with complaints and lawsuits for unfair dismissals and pressures to its workers. The latest judicial ruling has condemned Juan Roig’s company to compensate the Galician Intersyndical Confederation (CIG) for violating the freedom of association of its workers. The Pontevedra committee. The conflict has its origins in the Health and Safety Committee (CSS) of Pontevedra, a body in which four union delegates for occupational risk prevention participate: two from UGT and two from CCOO, along with four representatives from Mercadona. The delegates of the Galician Inter-Union Confederation also attended the meetings, but unlike the four delegates of UGT and CCOO, they only had a voice in the committee, but no vote, as they did not hold the position of prevention delegates. No documentation for union members. In this context, the two union delegates of the CIG found that Mercadona denied them documentation relevant to the issues that were addressed in that committee, which it did deliver to the representatives of UGT and CCOO, while it only showed them the reports projected on a screen during the meeting. That is, they sat down to debate measures about which they had not previously been provided with information. A difference in treatment that the court has considered unjustified and contrary to the law. On December 2, 2025, the union requested in writing from Mercadona the psychosocial evaluation reports, the CSS regulations and the appointment data of the delegates of the other unions. That same day, without further delay, Mercadona rejected the request, arguing that the CIG delegates were not prevention delegates and, therefore, did not have the right to receive that documentation. Justice ruled in their favor. Given Mercadona’s refusal to provide the delegates with the necessary documents, the CIG filed a lawsuit before the Superior Court of Justice of Galicia to force Mercadona to deliver the documents that allowed them to assert the rights of the workers they represented. The court analyzed each of the union’s three requests and their denial by Mercadona, declaring them contrary to the fundamental right of freedom of association established in the article 28.1 of the Spanish Constitution. In statements To La Voz de Galicia, Transi Fernández, regional secretary of CIG-Servizos de Vigo, assured that “we do not understand this repression that the company is doing. This harassment has to stop.” Three out of three against Mercadona. The first conduct that the court reproached Mercadona for in his sentenceconsisted of denying the CIG delegates the same reports and documents on occupational risk prevention that the company did provide to the rest of the members of the CSS. The court stressed that the only limitation that the Occupational Risk Prevention Law imposes on the CIG union delegates in this body is the absence of voting, but in no case access to information. The other two conducts declared void were the refusal to provide a copy of the internal operating regulations of the CSS and the refusal to report on the identity and dates of appointment of the union delegates of UGT and CCOO, which prevented the CIG from verifying whether there was a deal unequal or favoritism between union organizations. The sentence was not a reprimand: there is compensation. The TSXG was not content with warning Mercadona and urging it to abandon its blocking attitude, but rather set compensation at 22,503 euros for moral damages, taking into consideration the violation of a fundamental labor right. Mercadona sources consulted by Europa Press They indicated that the company was “internally evaluating” whether to appeal the ruling, and defended that Mercadona “always” provides all information to the Health and Safety Committee “for its proper functioning.” “Now, the TSXG interprets that, in addition, we have to deliver this information and documentation to union delegates who are not prevention delegates,” company representatives have pointed out. founded by Juan Roigattributing the ruling to this “difference in legal interpretation.” In Xataka | There is such an obsession with supermarkets in Spain that they already have their own “hooligans” generated by AI Image | Wikipedia

China wants to lay a cable from Chile to Hong Kong. And in the process, it has put Chile in a storm against the US

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Next March 11, Chile will have a new president. Gabriel Boric will no longer be in charge of the country and José Antonio Kast will land in the presidential chair. And he arrives just to take care of a morrocotudo mess: the submarine cable that China is deploying from Valparaíso to Hong Kong. And, evidently, the United States does not like this situation one bit. To the point that he considers it dangerous for his safety. In short. On February 20, the United States revoked the visas of three Chilean officials. The reason? Concern about an underwater cable that will connect Chile and Hong Kong. It’s not so much the cable, but who is ‘pulling’ it: China. As they point out in Mercopressit was the outgoing president who managed the agreement to deploy this cable through a concession decree signed on January 27, which allowed the company China Mobile to install, operate and exploit the cable. 48 hours later, that act was annulled citing “technical errors” and the Boric Administration commented that the project was in the evaluation process. The United States, however, wasted no time and banned the visas of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, the Undersecretary of Telecommunications, and the Chief of Staff of Subtel (Chile’s Undersecretary of Telecommunications). The storm it had just started. political war. Marco Rubio is the Secretary of State of the United States and accused Chilean officials for having “knowingly directed, authorized, financed and supported activities that compromise critical telecommunications infrastructure.” You may be wondering what the United States cares about what Chile does, but Rubio continued by pointing out that this decision “undermines regional security in our hemisphere.” “Which hemisphere” is not the question, but what is happening now. Because Chile has responded that the accusation is “absolutely false” and describes the United States measure as “unilateral,” also pointing out that it is something that goes against Chile’s sovereignty. China has not stood by and, through its embassy in Santiago de Chile, accused the United States of acting in a hegemonic manner, ignoring Chile’s sovereignty to carry out these projects in its territory. If you look closely, the cables from the American continent pass through the US except for Google’s Halaihai, at least directly Cross-fire. Brandon Judd is the US ambassador to Chile and has sided with his government… going a little further in the accusations. Affirms which had already warned the Chilean authorities of what would happen, describing the agreement with China as an intrusion into Chilean telecommunications systems carried out by “malicious foreign actors.” And, as we said, it will be next March 11 when the new president will take office with a pending task: solving a monumental ballot. From the Foreign Relations Department of the incoming president, it has already been saying that “everything possible will be done to ensure that foreign policy allows for the best possible relations with all countries.” A 0º, neither cold nor hot. Influence. Leaving domestic and foreign politics aside, the cable is known as Chile-China Express and is estimated to measure almost 20,000 kilometers. It will link the Chilean city of Concón and reach Hong Kong. The budget is about 500 million dollars and its importance seems key because it would represent the first transpacific data route that would completely avoid routing through North America. From China Mobile it is pointed out that this cable will allow establish Chile as “the central node of the computing power network between China and Latin America.” Now we begin to understand what it is that “undermines regional security in our hemisphere” to which Marco Rubio referred. If completed, it will be a cable deployed by China and in which the United States will have no say, but which reaches the American continent. And we say that it is an important ballot for the new president because the United States injects a lot of money into Chile, being its main foreign investor, but China is the main trading partner of the country. A cable is going to put Kast between a rock and a hard place. Not only in telecommunications. In the background, we have a United States that is looking at the wolf’s ears. In recent months, and at an accelerated pace, China has been moving its chips. It has done this in developing countries on the African continent through energy deals, infrastructure construction, agreements to mine strategic elements and expand its automobile market. But he is also doing it in America. When the United States turned its back on Mexico with tariffs, China was there to offer to open factories. He is carrying out energy projects on American soil, he has interest in some of the strategic ports of the continent and is rolling out infrastructure, such as a railway line that, if completed, will link South America from east to west. The cable between Hong Kong and Chile is just one more piece of a puzzle that Beijing is weaving, which has already torn off with the works. And Washington only sees one thing: the wolf at the doors. In Xataka | The first great Atlantic submarine cable that connected us to the internet says goodbye for a simple reason: it was too expensive to repair it

more capacity and driverless trains

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It is the most used line of the entire Spanish railway network, and now faces its greatest transformation in decades. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has presented an investment plan of 1,350 million euros to renew the Madrid Cercanías C5 from top to bottom. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2031 and for this, two cuts are already planned in the next summers of 2027 and 2028. We will tell you all the details. A line that moves Spain. The C5 connects the south and southwest of Madrid (Alcorcón, Leganés, Fuenlabrada, Móstoles) with the center of the capital through Atocha, and absorbs 29% of all commuter travelers in Madrid, which together moves nearly 250 million people a year. According to Ministry data, some 72 million users use it every year, making it the public transport line with the most travelers in the entire country. Just like they count According to El Diario, 56% of these trips are for work or academic reasons. Because now. According to they count From El País, demand has grown by 10% between 2022 and 2024, and current infrastructures are not prepared to absorb that increase. The trains in service do not exceed 150 meters in length, the platforms do not allow longer vehicles and the signaling system has become obsolete. Furthermore, the Ministry deliberately delayed the start of these works so as not to coincide with the burial of the A-5works that have given more work to the C5 since last year by increasing frequencies by 30%. What exactly is going to be done. The plan collects about 28 performances which will be distributed between Adif (650 million) and Renfe (700 million). The most important ones include: The extension of platforms between 40 and 50 extra meters to accommodate trains of up to 200 meters. The construction of the new Móstoles-El Soto station. The reorganization of the track change points between Atocha and Móstoles (bringing them closer to metro entrances to facilitate transfers). The renewal of the signaling system to the European ERTMS Level 2 standard. Accessibility and safety improvements in tunnels and underground stations. Renfe, for its part, will allocate 600 million to the purchase of 35 new Stadler trains, which are already in production and are expected to be received in the coming weeks to be put on other lines first. The cuts: when and where. Puente comments that interruptions will be “inevitable”, but that they will occur at times of lower demand. The first major cut will affect the Atocha-Cuatro Vientos section for four months starting in the summer of 2027, to begin work on the underground infrastructure and the countervault of the Laguna station. The second will arrive in the second half of 2028, with another four-month window to renew exhausts and signaling on the sections towards Móstoles and Cuatro Vientos. Of course, the entire calendar is conditional on the Madrid City Council complete the burying of the A-5 in January 2027, as promised. So if the timing fails, the plan would have to be modified. Alternatives during outages. The Ministry provides free replacement buses operated by the EMT and reinforcement on Metro and other Cercanías lines. According to collect El Diario, Puente has requested the collaboration of the Regional Transport Consortium of the Community of Madrid, and has demanded “the same loyalty” that, according to him, the Ministry has had in delaying the works of the C5 while the burying of the A-5 lasted. Of the 700 million from Renfe, 40 will be specifically allocated to finance this alternative transportation plan. When will they end. If the schedule is met, testing of the new ERTMS system will begin in April 2029, the first trains with automatic driving will begin to circulate in April 2030, and the line will be completed in October 2031. The objective is to go from 72 to 100 million travelers annually, with a capacity 60% greater than the current one. Puente has described this project as “the most important in terms of mobility so far this century.” Cover image | Transport Network and Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility In Xataka | Ouigo arrived in Spain, knocking down prices to gain a foothold in the market: four years later it is already profitable

We have been observing the snow of the northern hemisphere from space for 40 years. The conclusions of the latest major study are devastating

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As some older people around us say: winter is already it’s not what it was. As we move forward in the decade, scientific data paints an increasingly clear and disturbing picture of the amount of snow that has accumulated in some parts of our planet. And the images seem to leave no room for doubt, since they suggest that snow coverage in the northern hemisphere is constantly reducing, altering the seasonal cycles that govern our climate. The data. The last job we have had access to was published in January of this same year, and the conclusion they have drawn is quite devastating when pointing out that 24% of the regions of the northern hemisphere show a significant decline in the presence of snow, compared to a mere 9% that has registered an increase in its amount. How it looked. To reach these conclusions, researchers have not limited themselves to looking at the thermometer. They have turned to a gigantic high-resolution database that brings together historical data since 1980 with information on both snow and ice. Mathematical model. But the real advance in this case lies in the use of advanced statistics. And, expanding on previous research from 2023, they have applied a two-state Markov chain model, which in simple terms is a mathematical model that allows analyzing the spatial and temporal probabilities of snow persisting or disappearing in specific grids on Earth over decades. That is why we are facing one of the most rigorous methodologies that currently exist to understand snow trends, eliminating the “noise” of the precipitation that is coming in the coming months. Early spring. But… Where exactly is the snow disappearing? The Markov model reveals that the decline is not uniform, but there is an alarming pattern that directly affects our side of the globe: spring melt is coming forward dramatically in Europe and Central Asia. Right now we are seeing snow melting earlier, shortening winter temperatures and directly altering the water cycle, which is vital for agriculture and ecosystems during the warmer months. The consequences. But it is not something new, since previous works already warned of this loss of snow, which is a decline that not only affects water reserves, but also the ability of the Earth’s surface to reflect solar radiation. Something that is not nonsense, since less snow means more exposed dark land, greater heat absorption and, consequently, an increase in regional temperatures. A consensus. In addition to this study, in 2025, research was also published that analyzed possible biases in climate records. NOAA historicalconfirming that the decline in snow during autumn and winter is a real phenomenon and not an erroneous measurement. But it does not stop there, since the last Arctic bulletin painted a very extreme scenario, since, although there was above-average snowfall until May 2025, the decline during June was so rapid and abrupt that snow coverage was reduced to half of what it was 60 years ago. A mixed and volatile pattern that shows a climate system under stress. Images | Mathieu Odin In Xataka | Under the Canary Islands rests a 1,625 meter volcano: it has now begun to show signs of life after ten years of vigil

While Europe fears for its pocket after gas cuts in the Middle East, France has a plan: its nuclear power

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Europe holds its breath in the face of the threat of a new energy crisis. The escalation of war in the Middle East has caused a real earthquake in the markets. The de facto blockade in the vital Strait of Hormuz puts in check the arrival of liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships from Qatar, forcing cargo ships to deviate towards Asia. With European gas reserves below 30% after an unusually cold winter, panic relives the nightmare of 2022 it is palpable. However, in the midst of this continental chaos, France observes the situation with an apparent and calculated calm. The French country believes it has an ace up its sleeve to avoid blackouts and industrial ruin: its imposing, and recently resurrected, nuclear fleet. A historical export record. While northern Europe trembles over gas, the French electricity grid operator, RTE, has just put figures on the table that support the Elysée’s optimism. According to the Bilan electric 2025Last year, France broke its historical record by exporting 92.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity. To put it in perspective, RTE’s Director General of Economics, Thomas Veyrenc, explained to the Revue Générale Nucléaire that this volume exceeds the annual electricity consumption of an entire country like Belgium. This milestone has returned France to its traditional role as Europe’s “electric battery”, a status that it had resoundingly lost in 2022. The secret of this success lies in the recovery of its nuclear park, which produced 373 TWh in 2025 (3.1% more than the previous year) thanks to better availability of its reactors. As pointed out by Financial Timesthis French nuclear fleet is precisely the energy lever that Europe was missing after the invasion of Ukraine, and could be the key to not having to turn on polluting coal plants again in the face of the current gas cut in the Middle East. The paradox: they export because they do not consume. Economically, the move is round. According to Le Mondethese exports have earned France 5.4 billion euros. By having so much low-cost electricity production (nuclear and hydroelectric), the country manages to maintain very competitive wholesale prices, situated at an average of €61/MWh in 2025, well below the suffocating prices suffered by neighbors such as Germany or Italy. But this “miracle” has some worrying fine print. As the specialized media warns Le Monde de l’EnergieFrance exports so much electricity mainly because its domestic consumption is stagnant. The country’s electricity demand remained at 451 TWh in 2025, 6% below pre-crisis levels. The reality is that France is far behind in the electrification of its own economy. Paradoxically, 56% of the final energy consumed by the country continues to depend on fossil fuels, especially in sectors such as transportation and heating. The energy clamp to Spain. The French master plan to establish itself as the energy savior of Europe has a clear loser: the Iberian Peninsula. As we explained in Xatakawhile Germany pays more than 100 euros for electricity and France pays 13 euros, in Spain and Portugal renewable overproduction sinks prices until they reach zero or negative values. Why doesn’t that cheap and clean Iberian energy flow to a thirsty Europe? Because France acts as a protective wall. The country maintains Spain as an “energy island” with only 2.8% interconnection, deliberately blocking vital projects in Aragon and Navarra in its network plan for 2025-2035. ANDThe eternal France-Spain conflict. The motivation is not technical, but pure geostrategy and economic survival. Paris needs urgently make profitable a pharaonic investment of 300,000 million euros in its atomic sector. Allowing the massive entry of competitive Spanish solar and wind energy would sink the prices and profitability of its nuclear plants. In fact, President Emmanuel Macron has come to attack the Spanish energy model in the international press, calling it unstable, arguing that a network does not support a 100% renewable model, and describing the urgency of interconnections as a “false debate.” However, the data dismantles the Elysée story. On the one hand, there is the “Danish mirror”: Denmark operates with more than 80% wind generation and does not suffer blackouts because it is ultra-interconnected with its neighbors to balance the load. On the other hand, the flagrant French amnesia regarding 2022 stands out, the year in which the French reactors failed massively due to corrosion problems and it was Spain that had to export electricity to rescue France from the blackouts. Because of this current plug, Spain is forced to throw it away (what is known as technical discharges or curtailment) around 7% of its clean energy because it literally “does not fit” into the grid. All this is part of a strategy of total domination by the Elysée: Macron not only seeks civil energy hegemony, but, how to collect CNBChas put a doctrine of “advance deterrence” on the table, offering the protection of its nuclear weapons to Europe in the face of the withdrawal of the United States. The Achilles heel: the uranium crisis. However, Macron’s nuclear fortress could have feet of clay. The chain RFI (Radio France International) warns that this “nuclear renaissance” faces great uncertainty over uranium supply. Historically, France obtained 20% of its uranium from Niger. But following the recent military coup, the ruling junta revoked the permits of the French company Orano, nationalized the mines and blocked exports, leaving Paris with a gaping supply hole. Now, France is desperately trying to look for new sources in countries like Kazakhstan (the world’s largest producer) or Mongolia, but there it comes face to face with the overwhelming geopolitical, business and infrastructure influence of Russia and China. A castle with a drawbridge. France has managed to build an energy strength that, in the short term, allows it to weather the Middle East storm better than its European neighbors, selling its surpluses at a gold price. But it does so at the cost of isolating the Iberian Peninsula and betting everything on a mineral, uranium, whose control is increasingly slipping out of its hands on the global chessboard. Time will … Read more

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