The US had a ship with 2,000 marines ready to invade Iran. Now he has sent it right to the place where China worries the most

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An image that is still studied in military academies occurred in 1942, when during the call Battle of Midway The Americans managed to sink four Japanese aircraft carriers in just a few hours. That battle showed that, in the Pacific, moving a handful of ships to the right place could upset the strategic balance of an entire region, a lesson that continues to influence American naval planning more than eight decades later. A movement and what it reveals. For weeks there was speculation that the United States would expand its confrontation with Iran through more aggressive operations on the ground in the Persian Gulf. However, one of the most significant military moves has occurred far from the Middle East. He USS Boxeran amphibious assault ship capable of landing troops, vehicles and combat aircraft has abandoned any potential role in a ground operation against Iran and has set course to the South China Sea. On board is the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, some 2,000 troops specialized in rapid interventions and amphibious assaults. The decision suggests that Washington considers that the main strategic challenge today is not in Tehran, but in the growing rivalry with China. From the Gulf to the China Sea. When the Boxer left San Diego In March, in the midst of the crisis with Iran, many interpreted its deployment as a way to keep open the option of carrying out limited landings or capturing strategic objectives if the conflict escalated. However, after a logistics stopover in Singapore and a transit through the Andaman Sea, the ship has reappeared in the South China Sea integrated into the Indo-Pacific Command structure. It is a platform comparable in concept to the Juan Carlos I Spanish, capable of operating landing craft, amphibious vehicles, helicopters and F-35 fighters, allowing it to act as both a light aircraft carrier and a ground intervention force. What changes for Iran. The boxer exit It further reduces the chances of a US amphibious operation against Iranian targets. While the USS Tripoli continues in the region performing functions focused on air strikes and naval support, Washington seems to be betting on a strategy based on blockades, precision bombings and economic pressure, avoiding committing troops on the ground. The decision can be interpreted as a partial military de-escalation, although it also reflects a simpler reality: the United States believes it can contain Iran without deploying significant amphibious forces, while competition with China requires a constant presence and visible in Asia. The concern of Asian allies. Reuters counted that the issue was very present in the Singapore Shangri-La Dialoguewhere numerous Asian defense officials expressed doubts about whether the United States will be able to simultaneously maintain its focus on the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Although Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted in which Washington can manage both scenarios at the same time, countries such as the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand they are reinforcing their military capabilities and deepening their mutual ties to complement the American security umbrella. The goal is to build a stronger regional network in the face of growing pressure from Beijing. Japan and the new security architecture. Japan is becoming one of the pillars of that strategy. Tokyo has made more flexible historically its arms export rules and aspires to act as a connection point between the different partners in the region. The idea is that deterrence against China do not depend exclusively of the United States, but of an increasingly integrated network of countries capable of sharing equipment, training and military cooperation. This shift reflects the extent to which the perception of China’s military rise is transforming Asian security policy. The center of gravity of global competition. The arrival of the Boxer coincides with intense military activity in the Indo-Pacific. The USS George Washington aircraft carrier has started new patrols from Japan, while the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning operates in the Western Pacific under surveillance of neighboring countries. In this context, the deployment of a US amphibious force in the South China Sea has a strong symbolic and operational value. Because beyond the crisis with Iran, the Boxer’s journey summarizes an increasingly evident trend: although the Middle East continues to generate immediate conflicts, the great strategic competition that defines Washington’s priorities is being fought in Asia and, especially, in the face of the rise of China. Image | US Navy In Xataka | China has resurrected the strangest concept of the Cold War: a plane, a ship and a missile launcher in one machine In Xataka | Something is happening over the skies of Chile: the US and China are fighting their particular “cold war” in silence

university courses dedicated to rare earths

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The West is clear about breaking China’s dominance over the rare earth. But the challenge is not only that, but that Beijing has been cultivating a pool of specialists for decades trained since university. And according to a Reuters investigationthe country has built an entire educational ecosystem dedicated to these critical minerals. What is happening. Every year, several hundred young Chinese study university degrees focused specifically on rare earths, the 17 elements that power many of the advanced devices and technology of our time, from jet engines to electric cars to wind turbines and much more. Reuters identified at least 11 universities and technical centers that offer these degrees, with more than 500 students enrolled per year, in addition to more than 40 specialized laboratories spread throughout the country. Outside of China, according to the same media, there is no center that offers a specific university degree in rare earths. Why it is important. China processes more than 90% of rare earths refined and of the magnets of the world. And apart from mines and factories, people are also needed who know how to extract and separate elements of almost identical chemistry, a technically complex and expensive process. And the advantage of Beijing, in addition to geological and industrial, is that it also has the talent. In detail. Just like details In the middle, a good part of these schools and laboratories are concentrated near the large mines. An example is Baotou, in Inner Mongolia, about 150 kilometers from the largest rare earth deposit in the world. There, the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology trains students who receive more than 100 hours of classes in subjects such as rare earth chemistry and materials science, some taught directly in the facilities of companies in the sector. The industry is so tied to these schools that it is normal for students to start working immediately. “In China, I hired kids straight out of college and they were instantly productive; anywhere else I needed to train them for three years,” explained to Reuters Constantine Karayannopoulos, former CEO of the companies Neo Performance Materials and Molycorp. Between the lines. Some universities openly acknowledge that they are forming geopolitical assets. Li Chaozhong, dean of the rare earth program at Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (JXUST), counted told state television CCTV that these minerals are “essential bargaining chips” in global politics, and that his university’s new program also seeks to ensure that China maintains its global leadership in the sector. JXUST students learn the entire supply chain, from processing and metallurgy to magnets, and work on research projects with companies before graduating. ccontrast with the West. Although the refining of rare earths It was Western dominion. Until the end of the 20th century, the industry practically disappeared from Europe and the United States, and with it specialized training. As the media highlights, mining has never attracted much attention to American students, who often see it as a dirty and old-fashioned sector. In 2023, US institutions They awarded just over 200 titles mining engineering and metallurgy generalists. There are specific exceptions, such as the Colorado School of Mines, which is preparing new research centers with the Department of Energy, but little else. Why is it so difficult to close the gap? China has tightened in recent years export restrictions of technology and equipment for rare earths, and according to sources cited by Reuterswould have limited contact between its technicians and foreigners, going so far as to withdraw passports from some of them. Control was intensified following the “Liberation Day” tariffs announced by Donald Trump in April 2025. And now what. The United States has begun to move, with billions of dollars allocated from 2024 to rebuild their experience in mining and legislative proposals to cooperate with allies in formation. The complicated thing is to build a pool of specialists like the one in China. That is something that is not achieved overnight. Cover image | Dominic Vanyi and Arthur Wang In Xataka | The treasure that Europe was looking for in China is in Jaén: rare earth concentrates of 19.4%

exit Google search

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Europe has proposed let depend on the US in technology and now is taking real action to get the desired digital sovereignty. According to Politicalone of these measures will come into force tomorrow and consists of something very specific: saying goodbye to the Google search engine. what’s happening. According to an internal email to which Politico has had access, as of Thursday, June 4, “Qwant will replace Google as the default search engine on the European Parliament’s computers.” The reason for this change is to continue “Parliament’s commitment to digital sovereignty and the protection of users’ personal data.” Why is it important. The European Union has realized (too late) that The US is not the reliable partner I thoughtand that depending on their technology is a problem. Changing the search engine on parliament’s computers is a symbolic measure, in the sense that it is one of the easiest to execute and will not have a real impact on technological independence, but it is important to send a message: it is possible. Qwant. It is a search engine that focuses on privacy protection, in fact its slogan is “the browser that knows nothing about you.” Qwant does not store search history or resell browsing data, has an extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari and comes with built-in AI to summarize web pages. And most importantly, it is European, specifically French. Yes, but. When an MEP searches from the address bar in the browser of one of the parliament’s computers, Qwant will be the default search engine. However, they will be able to both access Google to search and change the settings to make it the default search engine. That is, there is no prohibition or block to use Google or any other search engine. More measurements. A few days ago we learned that the European Union is preparing a “technological sovereignty package” with four key measures to reduce its dependence on the United States. These measures focus on four critical areas: Cloud: audits and stress tests for suppliers. Chips: the European Commission will review the Chips Act to be able to cancel contracts and centralize emergency purchases. Software: creation of a strategy to promote European free software. Data centers: 200 billion for the construction of data centers and 20 billion for digitalization and AI in energy. It’s going to be complicated. The EU’s dependence on US technology is enormous. According to Synergy data70% of the European cloud market is owned by just three American companies (AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud) and only 15% is controlled by European companies. In the field of chips, although there is ASML, the external dependency is enormous as evidenced with the case of Nexperia and China. Not only is Europe late, its ability to compete in these critical sectors is negligible compared to that of the United States or China. Image | Guillaume Perigois and Alex Dudar on Unsplash In Xataka | The CEO of Mistral sends a message to Europe: the end of being the technological vassal of the United States

three premieres in 48 hours

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As the first months of 2026 have progressed, an unavoidable question has been imposed on the calendars of the large companies that have been made public: who was going to have the courage to stand up to ‘GTA VI‘ in November. He Sony’s latest State of Play has made it more or less clear than anyone else. But this collective flight may have an additional price, beyond the tacit pact of keeping distance from the giant: the entire weight of autumn has shifted towards September and October, and that entails additional problems. The State of Play. We have had an avalanche of news from Sony, and as expected, no game with a confirmed date was close to November. In fact, November is a solar. Some of them were ‘Marvel’s Wolverine’ (September 15), ‘Control Resonant’ and ‘Silent Hill: Townfall’ (September 24), ‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword’ (September 25), ‘Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve’ (October 2), ‘Rayman Legends Retold’ (October 1), ‘Dune Awakening’ (on consoles September 22). And ‘Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis’, which prefers to wait until February 2027. And we already knew before the event that ‘Blood of the Dawnwalker’ was arriving on September 3 and ‘Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4’ and ‘Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter’ on the 17th. Polygon describe it like “a 200-car accident”: September has too many big games hot on each other’s heels, fighting not to get too close to the fateful November. Nobody wants November. Already in March 2025 some executives were talking to avoid the release date of ‘GTA VI’ like it were the plague. “There’s no point in swimming against the current,” said one. It has been assumed, not without some good sense, that competing with Rockstar’s game directly is losing money. In this State opf Play it has been sensed, in games like the new ‘God of War’ or ‘Until Dawn 2’, that games without a date at this point will go directly to 2027. Collisions. That is the problem with the entire weight of autumn landing in just two months. ‘Control Resonant’ and ‘Silent Hill: Townfall’ share an exact date, September 24. ‘Onimusha’ arrives 24 hours later. ‘Wolverine’, nine days before. ‘Dune Awakening’ the same week. There are those who claim that “The spectators wonder how they are going to be able to afford all the games presented.” And it’s not just a matter of domestic economics: media coverage, space on release lists, critics having to decide which game to pay attention to… With a dozen big or very big games in two weeks, it’s impossible for them all to get the attention they deserve. Is it a good idea? The reaction of the companies is understandable, but… do all these games really have to be so afraid of GTA VI? There will be players from the Rockstar title and ‘Silent Hill: Townfall’ who coincide, but… will they all? Is it worth giving up Halloween and cramming Konami’s title between ‘Wolverine’ and ‘Onimusha’? The very familiar, with nothing in common with ‘GTA’ ‘Rayman Legends Retold’ is another case: wouldn’t it have worked better during the holiday period, perhaps in a package with a console to make it easier for the Kings? Many questions, and without a doubt one certainty: there are times when panicking is the worst strategy. In Xataka | ‘GTA Online’ has become one of the most profitable video games in history. That’s a problem for ‘GTA VI’

We thought catnip was cats’ favorite drug, there is another plant that they like more. And it’s not because of the high

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Cats love catnip, just look at the shelves of any pet store full of toys with catnip. They sniff it, bite it, roll on the floor and even drool, as if they were entering a kind of trance. We believed that this herb was our kitties’ favorite “drug”, but researchers have discovered that there is another plant that attracts them even more. The experiment. A group of Japanese researchers set out to discover which plant attracts cats the most, catnip or matatabi (also known as silvervine). To do this, they combined three trials: free cats in a garden with fresh plants, free cats with a brick impregnated with the extract of both plants and cats in captivity with impregnated papers. The researchers recorded on video the episodes of self-anointing, which is when they rub each other and make “croquettes” near the different plants. The matatabi wins by a landslide. All groups of cats that participated in the experiment showed a clear preference for matatabi. In the case of free-ranging cats that had access to both the plants and the impregnated brick, almost all self-anointing episodes occurred with the matatabi. Among the captive cats, 15 responded only to the matatabi, three to both, and three sniffed a little but did not rub against them. The curious thing is that the chemical analysis revealed that catnip was much more powerful (it contains much more nepetalactone) than matatabi, but despite this the cats had a very clear preference. Masao Miyazaki, project leader, states in Phys that One might expect that a plant containing more active compounds, and compounds that clearly work in laboratory tests, would trigger a stronger behavioral response under free-choice conditions. But that’s not what we observed.” The Overwhelmed Smell Theory. The authors’ hypothesis is that catnip, especially when fresh, releases an excessive amount of these compounds and makes the smell too intense, hence cats prefer matatabi because it is milder. This fits with an anecdote in ‘The Gardeners’ Dictionary’ published in 1789, which observed that cats preferred catnip when it was wilted rather than fresh, which reinforces the idea that it can saturate their senses. A biological reason. Rubbing against these plants is not simply to get high, it also hides an evolutionary purpose: it acts as a defense mechanism against mosquitoes and other parasites. When you rub your face and body with the plants, they become impregnated with the substances (iridoids) that they release, acting as an insect repellent. The reason they prefer matatabi would be because it offers more reliable protection as it produces a more complex mixture of iridoids, especially when they nibble on the plant. That is to say, it is much better against mosquitoes. Image | Sergey Dvorkin, Pexels In Xataka | We have been vaccinating our dogs and cats every year all our lives. Science is seeing that it is not the most correct

Western brands are looking for the perfect car. Their way of achieving this is to sell us renowned Chinese cars

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There was a day when China lured Europe with the promise of vacant land and cheap labor. Today those days are over. Today the automobile industry has taken the road back. Today, more and more Western manufacturers are partnering with Chinese companies. And the reason is obvious: to sell you a rebuilt Chinese car as your own. What is happening? That traditional manufacturers are assuming Chinese technology to simply sell their product to you cheaper. A product that has little of its own and a lot of Chinese, for better and for worse. The reasons They are different: Pressure to jump to the electric car Complications in making that leap (either due to monetary issues or internal difficulties) Duty A Chinese technology that is above Brands that are on the verge of bankruptcy For some of these reasons (or the sum of several), more and more traditional manufacturers are intertwining with Chinese companies to advance their products. Products that, as we say, are sometimes pure Chinese cars “disguised” as Western. The Stellantis case It is the most recent but far from unique. It is also probably the most complex. The automobile conglomerate has faced serious financial complications in recent years. The cost reduction in many of its models led to the PureTech scandal. With the obligation to manage 14 brands, some of them have lost all types of identity. And their partnership with Leapmotor has shown them that they can get a lot of juice out of the Chinese electric car. During the presentation of its latest strategic plan, the company confirmed that they have reached an agreement of 1,000 million euros with the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng to produce Peugeot and Jeep cars in China. They will be New Energy cars (NEV). This is what they call electric cars and plug-in hybrids in China. At the moment, not many more details have been given but a key detail does seem confirmed: These are cars designed to be sold in China and exported. That is, they are not cars manufactured in China whose main market is Europe. This suggests that they will probably be entirely Chinese cars that adopt the design language of these two Western brands. Chinese production is not the only one that is compromised. The agreement opens the possibility for European plants to produce Dongfeng cars, specifically the Voyah brand. This allows Stellantis to keep the work committed in its plants (specifically, the Rennes plant in France is targeted) and Dongfeng could sell these electric cars without paying tariffs, as is happening right now. But in addition to this latest news, China has become more and more rooted in the bowels of Stellantis. Since 2023, this automobile conglomerate manages the distribution and sale of Leapmotor outside China. This company is one of those that seems to have greater potential when it comes to selling electric cars at a low price. For now, Stellantis has already confirmed that some of these cheap cars will be produced in Europe. Specifically, Figueruelas (Zaragoza) has been one of the chosen locations. This plant, therefore, will carry out small electric cars from Peugeot, Citroën and Opel and, in parallel, those from Leapmotor because they do not share a platform. However, the latter has already begun to be debated. Tianshu Xin, director of Leapmotor International, pointed out a few weeks ago that “Leapmotor vs Stellantis They are two independent manufacturers and have their own platforms. However, one of the strategic objectives of this alliance is to generate synergies, which could include platforms and their components. “About 65% of Leapmotor components are manufactured in-house, and there are synergies that would allow Stellantis to use Leapmotor parts in its future platforms,” ​​in words reported by forumelectriccars. A few days ago Stellantis presented its STLA Onethe new modular platform that will replace STLA Small for segments B, C and D. This leaves the door for the smallest size, that of segment A, just where the new Citroën 2 CV will arrive, which has fueled rumors about a greater presence of Chinese components or software in the car. To this we must add that A new Opel electric car from 2028 will have Leapmotor technology but German dress. And the relationship between Stellantis and China does not seem to end here. In recent days the rumor has gained strength that the automobile conglomerate could look to JAC for a collaboration to move Maserati forward. The Italian sports car firm has already thrown away billions of euros in its jump to the electric car and JAC manufactures luxury cars together with Huawei in China. Producing them would allow Stellantis to put an electric Maserati on the street without taking more risks. Are you sure it’s western? That a car uses Chinese technology and is re-bodied like a Western one does not have to be bad in itself. In fact, automotive conglomerates such as Stellantis or the Volkswagen Group have made their synergies between brands one of the keys to building their success. However, in some cases yes it can be a problem. When a brand boasts of being different and unique, it has a problem if it only uses a “disguise” to camouflage that what is under its body comes from outside its factories. This is what can happen to Maserati and what Mazda is playing with. Until now, the Maserati customer has bought Maserati because, quite simply, their product was a Maserati. Italian elegance with a heart inherited from Ferrari to conquer a public that preferred its cars to, for example, Porsche. When you buy this type of car, not only buy numbersbuys an aesthetic and a sound and boasts of going against the grain compared to the majority German options such as Porsche or Mercedes. Just give up the engines ferraristas It was a serious problem for his image.. The Mazda 6e and CX-6e have a Chinese heart and soul despite the fact that the brand defends the Japanese philosophy in both cars If Maserati only … Read more

All that was needed was a subsidiary in Malaysia

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The US Government has suspected for several years that Chinese companies and research centers dedicated to artificial intelligence (IA) acquire Nvidia’s most advanced GPUs through Singapore and Malaysia intermediary companies. In 2022 it decided to ban the sale to China of the most powerful AI GPUs designed by Nvidia, AMD and other American companies in an attempt to stop the use of this technology by the Chinese military. Since then, the US and Chinese Administrations have maintained a constant pulse that not only affects the integrated circuit industry; It permeates everything to the extent that AI chips support a critical technology for both nations. Be that as it may, the biggest obstacle that the US faces in this scenario is parallel import routes. The Commerce Department is trying to make it harder for cutting-edge American chips to reach China, but surprisingly, the Trump Administration hasn’t made it easy. In May 2025 the Government led by Donald Trump decided to freeze the AI ​​Diffusion rulean AI GPU export control regulation that the Biden Administration approved in its final days in office, in January 2025. This regulation established a three-tier system for global access to advanced AI chips. In this way, US allies could obtain them without limitations, but China, Russia or Iran had access completely blocked. Malaysia: the biggest legal loophole in the chip war between the US and China AI chip designers led by Nvidia reacted strongly against the AI Diffusion rule. Their argument maintained that this regulation was essentially bureaucratic and penalized sales to allied or neutral countries. Donald Trump’s government responded. In May 2025 it announced that it would develop its own regulations, and that it would be “bolder and more inclusive”, so it left the AI Diffusion rule not applied. The Trump Administration unintentionally created a legal loophole that has been taken advantage of by many Chinese companies Here comes the unexpected turn of events. By suspending its application, the Trump Administration unintentionally created a legal loophole that has been taken advantage of by many Chinese companies. The AI Diffusion rule required the granting of a license by the US Department of Commerce to be able to sell chips to foreign subsidiaries of Chinese companies. Since this regulation did not prosper, according to SCMPDuring the last year, many Chinese companies have freely purchased Nvidia’s Blackwell and Rubin GPUs, and AMD’s MI350x, from their subsidiaries in Malaysia. Just 48 hours ago the Office of Industry and Security of the US Department of Commerce public a guideline that seeks to close that legal loophole. What it does is simply require compliance with licensing requirements for advanced chips destined for entities based in China, even when those entities are physically located outside the country. However, this new guideline does not require data centers to stop using chips already purchased, so according to Chris McGuirea technology expert and former State Department official, “closes one loophole, but leaves another open.” McGuire does not specify what that second loophole is, but experts point out to the path that remains open through TSMC: Chinese subsidiaries can also access the manufacturing capacity of the Taiwanese semiconductor giant without the new guideline explicitly regulating it. Image | Nvidia More information | SCMP In Xataka | We can forget about AI without hallucinations for now. Nvidia CEO explains why

the holy grail of space propulsion is closer thanks to plasma

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For many years, the aerospace industry has worked on the development of rockets powered by solid fuels. These have many advantages, such as simplicity, long life and high thrust-to-weight ratio. However, they have a huge drawback. Once these fuels start burning, they continue to do so until they are spent. There is no way to stop and restart the reaction, as is normally done in space maneuvers. Despite everything, a group of scientists from the Aerospace Corporation, the University of Southern California and the Naval Postgraduate School has been working in the development of new generation solid fuels, in which there are solutions for each of these drawbacks. At the moment, they only have a proof of concept in the laboratory, but that first experimental development has given very good results. The problem. Solid fuels are blocks of solid propellant that already include within them the oxidizing substance that, with the necessary spark, starts the combustion reaction. The problem with these fuels is that, once they start burning, there is nothing to stop them and restart them. It would be useful to use electricity to dictate when combustion starts and stops, but until now that has not been possible. An ingredient and a mechanism. These scientists have developed their solid fuel with the help of an ionic liquid polymer. Although this is manipulated to form part of a solid matrix, it retains the electrical conductivity properties of the molten salts with which it was manufactured. On the other hand, this new solid fuel undergoes a process known as nanosecond pulsed plasma discharge (NPPD). In this process, very short, very high voltage pulses are generated, lasting less than 100 nanoseconds, giving rise to an ionization process in which we obtain plasma as a product. Then what? NPPD plasma is generated in the gas of the combustion zone. During ionization, electrons and free radicals are generated that, thanks to the ionic conductivity of the propellant, can interact with the flame front and control combustion. This can be stopped or reactivated by activating or interrupting the electrical pulses. Other advantages. Other great advantages of these fuels is that, due to their compact shape, they can be integrated into all types of space platforms, from CubeSats even large ships. The most benefited. Although many agencies and companies could jump on the solid fuel bandwagon if they become viable, the small ones will benefit the most. satellite operatorssince they normally cannot afford a complex liquid propellant-based upper stage in their rockets. Although they are simpler, they also need to maneuver, turning combustion on or off in steps such as orbit insertion. Solid fuel engines are simpler and can be cheaper. If the problems they already have are solved, they will become a real revolution for big and small fish. Image | 中央通訊社 In Xataka | 2023 was the year with the most space launches in history. The vast majority of SpaceX and China

Now they are returning to Romania leaving a void in the labor market

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During the 2000s, Spain was the host country for many Romanian citizens. With the real estate bubble about to explode and a financial crisis in the making, the outlook in Spain was still better than that of the Romanian economy. Now, almost three decades later, those emigrants return to a growing Romania, leaving Spain without a valuable skilled labor. The Romanian exodus. According to Eurostat databetween 2010 and 2013, Romania’s population decreased by more than two million people. A good part of these people had emigrated to countries such as Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria or Israel. According to the INE data Regarding the foreign population residing in Spain in June 2013, the Romanian community was the largest in 2012 with 798,970 people of that nationality, closely followed by the Moroccan nationality with 771,632 people. The latest data from December 2025 available data reveal that, currently, the population of Romanians residing in Spain barely exceeds 609,270 people and has fallen to the third largest community in the country. Qualified workforce. Most of those migrants who arrived in Spain in the early years of the 2000s did so fleeing unemployment and the poor economic situation in sectors such as construction or agriculture in Romania. These new workers incorporated as labor for those sectors in Spain, and the second generation of those citizens was formed to become a skilled workforce for the Spanish labor market. The Romanian miracle. In recent years, the economic situation in Romania has given a turnaround. “When the Romanians overthrew its regime in a rapid (and violent) revolt in December 1989, it was one of the poorest countries in Soviet-dominated Europe. That is no longer the case. After a slow start, Romania’s free-market reforms took effect. The country’s economy has quadrupled in size since 1989, and it has joined NATO and the EU,” noted Daniel Fried, former US ambassador to Poland in a report for Atlantic Council. According to data According to the World Bank, the GDP Per Capita adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP) of Romania has gone from 13,313 dollars in 1990 to 40,666 dollars in 2023, compared to the 31,639 dollars that Spain registered in 1990 and the 47,142 dollars in 2023. The most notable difference in the GDP of both countries was recorded precisely in the period of greatest migration of Romanians to Spain, between 2000 and 2012. This is what Csaba Balint, member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), rated of the “golden era” of the Romanian economy. Coming home: exodus 2.0. After the invasion of Ukraine, the economic boom and the Romania GDP growth has slowed down, but continues at a rate of 0.7% in 2025. However, this upward trend has built the foundations so that those first migrants who arrived in Spain in the 2000s can return to their country, just as the Spaniards who emigrated in the 60s and 70s returned years later. According to the immigration data According to the INE, between 2024 and 2025 alone the population of foreigners with Romanian nationality decreased by 11,193 people, chaining the downward trend of recent years. This workforce is now much better trained and more productive than the one that arrived at the beginning of the millennium. The return of Romanian citizens to their country is another factor in the labor shortage recorded by the construction sector, since a good part of this migrant population were bricklayers, carpenters, electricians or plumbers and they filled those positions that now they are left without generational relief. A version of this article was published in January 2025 In Xataka | With unemployment at historic lows, Spanish companies are looking for workers. The problem is that they can’t find them Image | Unsplash (aboodi vesakaran, Mina Rad)

how long it usually takes for your 2026 return and what they can review if it takes them long

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Let’s tell you When are they going to pay you the refund? of Income 2025, which is what we do in 2026 to catch up on the last fiscal year. According to the Income calendarthe period to submit the declaration ends at the end of June, but if you have already done it and you get a refund, it is normal that the Treasury has already paid you. The in-person declaration It started in June, so it is normal that returns are not being made yet. But if you have made the rent online either by phone In the past few months, perhaps you should have received it by now. Therefore, we are going to try to clarify the times for you. How long does the Treasury take to pay? The normal thing is that the Treasury takes a little time to pay you once you present a tax return that you have to return. In fact, it could be a week or two if everything goes well and they haven’t detected anything. However, there are times when Payment may be extended due to additional checks what the tax agency has to do. In these cases, the Treasury has a period of six months since the declarations end on June 30. In other words, returns can be extended until the end of the year. There are some factors that can accelerate the process. For example, submit the declaration as soon as possible, since they are usually processed in order. Also confirm the draft without changes, although you should ALWAYS review it to avoid errors. And if you attach your correct bank details with an account in your name, delays due to verification are also avoided. Why it may take them a while to get your money back If you detect that your return has been returned, but several weeks have passed and the Treasury has not yet made the payment, it may be because They are reviewing some points of the declaration or making some checks on aspects that are not clear. To find out if the delay is due to this, you can check the status of your declaration from the web or from the mobile app. If the status shows that it is under verificationthis means that the delay is effectively due to the fact that they are carefully reviewing the information you have submitted, and that is why the return is being delayed. One thing you should know is that when the Treasury starts to look at something closely, You may receive a request for information. This will be a postal letter that will arrive asking you to provide invoices for deducted expenses, tax certificates, money movement information, or whatever they consider necessary. These are the main reasons why the Treasury may be reviewing your data and sending you a request: Deductions: There are a large number of income deductions through which you can save money on your tax return, from renovating your car to buying a car or spending money on glasses. But there are some that vary depending on the autonomous community, and if you have deducted something in the declaration that does not correspond or something for which you have not provided the necessary information, they will require invoices or more information to verify it. Housing rental. When you rent a home you have income that is not billed as such, so at the beginning of the rental you may be asked for the contract and payment receipts so that the deduction can be applied correctly. It will be verified that everything is as indicated on the papers. Cryptocurrencies. The Tax Agency increasingly checks the movements you can make with cryptocurrencies, and it is very important that you declare them properly in your Income Tax to know the benefits you may have had with them and that the corresponding percentage of Personal Income Tax is applied to you. Debts with the administration: On some occasions, even if the declaration is correct, the return may also be delayed in the event that you have a debt with the Treasury, Social Security, your town hall or even unpaid fines with the DGT. If so, these will be deducted from your deduction. If any of these cases occur, the Tax Agency officials will take extra time to check your data, and will send you a request to ask for additional information if they see it necessary. The Treasury has until December 31, 2026 to make returns, so they may take it easy. In Xataka Basics | Income Guide 2025: calendar, previous steps and how to prepare for the 2026 declaration

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