usatoday24

The Japanese technique to dry clothes in closed spaces in a more efficient and faster way

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

It doesn’t matter that we are in winter, with short, cold and wet days, or in the middle of summer heatthere is a household task that is always complicated: dry clothes. If you don’t have a good outdoor clothesline, a balcony or a dryer can become a real nuisance. In winter they do not dry the sweaters. In summer, beach towels and swimsuits. Or at least that’s how it is in homes in most of the planet, where to get by, solutions are usually used that either require too much space or increase the electricity bill: dryers, radiators, dehumidifiers… In Tokyo they have another way to solve it. Learning from Japan There they have found a way to dry clothes in rainy seasons efficiently, quickly and without bad odors. In the Japanese capital, a city of climate humid subtropicalgenerous in rainfall and where there are also abundant small apartments —so many and so small that sometimes it is necessary to talk about “microhousing”— have developed a technique to keep their clothes clean and well ventilated all year round. And without the help of dryers. The system is called “hanging rainbow”, and while it sounds a bit poetic it is actually a graphic description of how the clothes should be arranged. The first step is to find a well-ventilated room in the home, through which the air circulates and, if possible, is warmed by the sun during part of the day. There we will install our clothesline, bar or rope, on which – and this is a key part of the technique – we will arrange the garments. in the shape of a rainbow. As? Trying to make the clothes draw an inverted “U”, so that the longest garments would be at the ends and the shortest ones would be distributed in a staggered manner towards the interior. In it Apts real estate portalaimed at leasing in Tokyo, even include a graph on how clothes should be arranged for efficient and quick drying. “When hanging clothes, leave enough room for air to circulate. Japan’s humidity can make the air seem heavier, which means clothes will take longer to dry —platform abounds—. A good trick is to hang the clothes in the shape of a rainbowhooking the longest ones at the ends and the shortest ones as you move inward. For towels, hang one side longer than the other for better air circulation.” According to their calculations, the technique allows considerable time savings. If drying a load by arranging the clothes in a V shape can take four and a half hours, arranging it as an inverted U can reduce that time to just four hours. It is not the only thing you should take into account. If you want a good drying and prevent your clothes from taking on a musty smell, Apts also advises not leaving them in the washing machine for longer than strictly necessary. And that means removing the clothes “immediately”, without waiting, once the washing cycle has concluded. “Even leaving clothes in the machine for 10 minutes can cause odor,” he warns. Other tricks involve placing the clothes perpendicular to air circulation and in opposite direction at the entrance of the room or use hangers to avoid that, once distributed on the clothesline, the fabrics are close to each other. Ideally, they should be as far apart as possible. For smaller socks or underwear, you can use an octopus. The goal: to make drying clothes in autumn and winter less of an ordeal… …without having to dedicate space and money to a dryer. A previous version of this article was published in November 2024. Images | Leroy Tan (Unsplash) and Atul Vinayak (Unsplash) In Xataka | Japan has reopened a nuclear reactor affected by the Fukushima accident. It is only the first of 33 in the entire country In Xataka | Japan has one of the youngest automobile fleets in the world. Their secret: an absurdly expensive ITV *An earlier version of this article was published in November 2023

“There are legal grounds that justify Renfe returning the money if you travel without air conditioning”

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

Madrid-Extremadura without air conditioning. Not, at least, working at full capacity. That is what is being experienced on some Renfe trains. As confirmed by Renfe itself, the heat is being so intense these days that, in some cases and to protect the train itself, the air conditioning is turned off. And for this you can ask for your money back. Yes, grab a chair. an oven. This is what some of the train cars are becoming. Renfe Madrid-Extremadura trains that these days travel through the plains of Toledo and Extremadura before reaching Badajoz. And just as CCOO unions have denouncedin some of these trains the air conditioning is being turned off. According to Renfe, this is because the trains are being exposed to such high temperatures that the train itself has to protect itself because the cooling system is not enough to keep it running. Saving resources, trains turn off the air conditioning in some cars and continue to their destination. Controlled? At Renfe they assure that yes. The company accepts the union’s criticism but assures that the train crew is ordered to move passengers from cars without air conditioning and relocate them to where it does. In addition, they assure that when these extreme weather conditions occur, they stop selling tickets to ensure that there are enough free seats to relocate passengers. And your rights? Your right as a consumer allows you to file a complaint and even request a refund of the ticket money. This is what they point out from the OCU, an organization from which they tell us the following: “The relationship between the traveler and the railway company is articulated by a transport contract whose content is not exhausted by the obligation to transfer, but rather includes the conditions under which this must be provided. And although there is no legal rule that recognizes an express right to a full refund of the ticket for traveling on a train without air conditioning, there are legal bases that can justify said refund when the breakdown constitutes a serious breach of the transport contract” And it is also confirmed by Renfe itself who confirms that the traveler has the opportunity to file a claim if they consider that the conditions of the service do not meet expectations. And the European Union defends that if the consumer does not receive a service of a quality as expected, he will have the right to request a refund of the ticket when the company does not ensure the “cleanliness of the rolling stock and the station facilities (control of air quality and temperature in the carriages, hygiene of the sanitary facilities, etc.)”, as reflected in the Regulation on the rights and obligations of railway passengers. Some minimums. As stated in this document, all companies that offer public transport services must adhere to minimum quality standards to offer their journeys. The company states in the general contracting conditions that the client has the right “to receive the contracted service in adequate conditions of quality and safety.” If these minimums are not met, customers have the right to claim the money for the ticket and the company will be obliged to provide a response in less than three months. “The fundamental question of whether or not to obtain a refund will depend on whether the absence of this service is considered an essential breach of the contract or not, depending on the specific conditions of the case,” they specify in the OCU. And they emphasize: “It must be sufficiently argued, not in general, but in this case, that the lack of air conditioning cannot be equated to a simple annoyance or a minor incident on a high-speed train during the summer, but rather a direct breach of the essential conditions of the service. For example, if the train runs for several hours with very high temperatures and without cooling, it can be argued that there is defective performance of the contract, it is not an accessory service (like the Wi-Fi connection for example)” The cases already known. As Renfe and the Facua experts recognize, complaints about not offering air conditioning on the train are not entirely unrelated to the company. In 2018a user claimed from Renfe (and won) the return of his ticket because the air conditioning had broken down. But the most striking case is the one that Facua itself reported a few weeks ago. The consumer defense organization pointed out that one of its members had gotten the money back for a Zaragoza-Barcelona match for this same reason… but The claims spanned three years. in which they had to communicate with Renfe on various occasions. Is it a precedent? The most important thing here is that the facts known and defended by Facua do not generate any type of legal precedent because there is no judicial ruling involved. It is “a solution reached extrajudicially between a consumer and Renfe, with the collaboration of a consumer association (Facua), and therefore does not consolidate any rights. Traveling by train without air conditioning does not automatically generate the right to a full refund of the ticket,” they explain from the OCU. They emphasize, on the contrary, that “the relevance of the case lies in the fact that the railway company itself recognizes that a breakdown of this nature can justify, in itself, the full refund of the amount paid” and that if we find ourselves in this situation “it is advisable to complain to the company. If no response is obtained or it is not favorable, legal advice can be sought, such as that provided by consumer associations, as well as appeal to the Transport Arbitration Boards or the Courts.” Photo | Pablo Nieto Abad In Xataka | If the question is who is going to pay your compensation for taking five hours to Madrid-Barcelona, the answer is clear: nobody

the physics behind the most violent explosions in the universe capable of extinguishing entire galaxies

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

We tend to think about the stars as what we see: millions of bright dots that appear every night above our heads. However, what lies behind it is much bigger. We see light that was emitted dozens or even hundreds of years ago, coming from immense celestial objects, inside which reactions more energetic than any chemical reaction are taking place. And it is not about chemistry, but about something much more intense: nuclear fusion. The “fire” that we see from Earth is the fruit of this fusion, but there comes a time when there is no longer any fuel. With no more fuel to add to the bonfire, the star collapses and dies. This death can be cold and silent, as happens with the smallest stars, but it can also be explosive and colossal when it comes to the largest stars. After that explosion, known as supernovaa black hole or a neutron stardepends on the size of the star that died. The supernova explosion is one of the largest that occurs in the Universe. It is estimated that it releases energy equivalent to 1030 times that of the Hiroshima bomb. It is a phenomenon that releases so much radiation that even has become related with two of the five great mass extinctions that have taken place on Earth. But what makes the death of a star end up becoming something so huge? To know, we must start at the beginning. What is a supernova? A supernova is the last death of a star with a mass at least eight times that of our Sun. When runs out of fuel to continue maintaining the nuclear fusion running, it collapses, releasing a lot of energy. But this is not something that happens quickly. A massive star goes through several phases before reaching the point of generating a supernova. How is a supernova formed? Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which the nuclei of two light atoms fuse to form a heavier onewith a great release of energy. In the case of stars, this process is essential to keep them “on” during the early stages of their life, since They fuse hydrogen nuclei and transform them into helium. It occurs in all stars, although it occurs much more quickly in larger ones. While nuclear fusion occurs in the nucleus, there are two forces that remain in balance. On the one hand, gravity, which pushes all the material inward. And, on the other hand, the radiation pressure, which is generated by the effect of fusion in the stellar core and pushes outward. This occurs unchanged until the time comes when that hydrogen runs out. When spent in the core, the forces are no longer in balance. Gravity overcomes radiation pressure, so the core is pushed inward and compressed. It heats up so much that the helium that remained in the core also acquires the ability to fuse, becoming a new fuelwhich will be transformed into carbon and oxygen. But there was not only hydrogen in the core of the star. This element is also found in its outermost layers, with the difference that it remains inactive. Does not merge. Or, actually, it doesn’t at first. When this first compression occurs, with the consequent stellar heating, the outer hydrogen begins to fuse, causing the growth of the star, which becomes a red giant. Unlike smaller stars, those with a lot of mass have enough energy so they can continue fusing other atoms beyond helium. Carbon, for example, fuses to give rise to neon and magnesium. Neon does the same, generating oxygen and magnesium. That oxygen fuses to produce silicon and sulfur and, finally, the silicon atoms fuse very quickly, generating an iron nucleus. Here comes a key point, since Iron is the most stable element of all those producedso the fusion is slowed down. Cores cannot continue to merge. It is now impossible to continue generating energy and the gravity we talked about at the beginning completely defeats the star. As a result, the core collapses on itself until reaching a limit where a large shock wave is generated and the outer layers collapse, which are violently released into space. We are facing a supernova, an explosion that can last from weeks to months or years. In reality, this explosion can also occur in a binary star systemwhen one steals material from another. Therefore, when we talk about supernovas we must differentiate several types. Types of supernovae All we have seen so far is the description of the most common supernovae. Nevertheless, there are other types of supernovaewhich differ both in the nature of their parent star and in the mechanism by which the explosion takes place. Mainly, The differences are seen when analyzing their spectrum. That is, the light they absorb or emit. This is a process used to determine chemical compositions, as different elements absorb or emit light in very specific patterns of wavelengths. Type I supernova: Hydrogen is not identified in its spectrum. Type Ia: They do not have hydrogen or helium, but they do have a strong line of silicon. This indicates that they are produced by a thermonuclear explosion in a binary system, when a white dwarf accumulates additional material from a companion star. Type Ib: The spectrum does not have hydrogen, but it does have helium. It is the classic supernova that we have talked about so far. The one generated as a remnant of a neutron star or a black hole after the collapse of a large star. Typically more than 8 solar masses. It does not have hydrogen, because the outer layers of the star that contained it were lost. On the other hand, those of helium were preserved. Type IC: There is no hydrogen or helium in the spectrum. In this case, we are also facing an explosion like the one we have described so far. The only difference with type Ib is that, during the explosion, its outer layers are stripped of both hydrogen … Read more

Lidl sells out its 45 euro evaporative air conditioner. We have found a very similar and cheaper alternative

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

Lidl has many products in its bazaar, and some of them are hard to believe are sold in the online store or in physical stores (I still remember seeing an electric guitar many years ago). Now that we are going through a very hot time, it is logical that we find devices aimed at combating it, as is the case of the Tronic air conditioner which has a price of 44.99 euros. The price is so attractive that right now it is out of stock in the online store and the supermarket does not mention whether it will replace new units. However, on Amazon there is a very similar air conditioner that is even cheaper: it is the Cecotec EnergySilence 3500 Cool Compact what does it cost 39.90 euros. Cecotec EnergySilence 3500 Cool Compact The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Two air conditioners with an excellent quality-price ratio Tronic air conditioning (left) and Cecotec air conditioning (right). We are talking about two air conditioners that are quite similar, even in design. The one from Cecotec, which is the one that is available in stores, offers the same 65W powera low figure but enough to relieve us from the summer heat, especially when using water or the two coolers that are included (like the one from Lidl). The most important difference is in the tank: the Lidl one has four liters, while the Cecotec one has a 3.5 liter tank. As you can see, the difference is not too big and, in practice, we are going to have a very similar experience. The Cecotec air conditioner incorporates a button panel at the top that is quite intuitive. It includes three speeds to regulate the intensity of the air flow and offers an automatic 70º oscillation. Furthermore, the good thing is that incorporates wheelsso it can be moved from one room to another comfortably and quickly. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: Cecotec EnergySilence 3500 Cool Compact offer today ✅ THE BEST Its price: This is an air conditioner that stands out above all for how cheap it is. Your button boxwhich is very intuitive to select the different speed modes. The wheelswhich allow the air conditioner to be moved from one room to another. ❌ THE WORST The water tankwhich with 3.5 liters will not be enough to use it for many hours in a row. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are looking for a very economical air conditioner to use in the office or bedroom for a while. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You want to use the air conditioner for many hours (such as sleeping), since for this it is recommended that the tank have a capacity of between five and eight liters. You may also be interested Orbegozo AIR 45 – 3-in-1 evaporative air conditioner, 3 speeds, directional fins, 4 l tank, removable filter, 60 W The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Orbegozo AIR 55, Evaporative air conditioning, 3 ventilation speeds, 150 W, maximum timer 12 hours, oscillating interior slats, pivoting wheels, 35 L tank, black and white color 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 | Lidl and Compradicción (header), Cecotec In Xataka | Best portable air conditioner. Which one to buy and seven recommended penguins In Xataka | Best evaporative air conditioners. Buying guide, opinions and best models from 50 euros

Latin America has to take El Niño seriously and it has to do it now

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

Seven months ago, El Niño was a distant, diffuse threat: it did not exist. It existed as a forecast, as a possibility, as a reminder of a phenomenon that has been coming and going for 10,000 years. But, of course, that was December 2025. Now El Niño is not only here. According to NOAA, 81% is one of the largest since 1950. If the world has a problem, Latin America has it raised to the nth degree. But you’re getting ready, right? For example, and this is a great example, the Panama Canal Authority began to ‘save water’ in the Gatún Reservoir weeks ago. It’s not an occurrence. Historically, El Niño drastically reduces rainfall in the Panama area and this usually causes a severe deficit of fresh water in the swamps that feed the lock system of the interoceanic waterway. Without that water, the canal becomes inoperative. In other words, that water is crucial And that’s why I say that the Canal is a good example. Because it is not that Latin America is not preparing: it is that the calculations are not working out. But… let’s start at the beginning. On July 9, NOAA upped the ante and announced that its models gave a 81% of possibilities that El Niño will be “very strong” already between October and December. That would place it among the largest since 1950. In addition, he believes that there is a 97% chance that it will last until the spring of 2027. But surely none of these are the most worrying sign. Above all, if we look at the coast of Peru and Ecuador. The anomaly off this coast is 2.2 degrees above that of the western Pacific. This is reminiscent of 1982-83 and 1997-98 (the worst recent ENSOs) and not 2015-16. And, as it could not be otherwise, the authorities know it. Nobody is sitting idly by. Peru has in alert Since March, the Red Cross had been preparing since AprilEcuador presented his plan on July 1st. However, it is not enough. The director general of IICA, Muhammad Ibrahim, published these days a grandstand calling for a “proactive regional strategy” in the face of an episode that is increasingly clear will be historic. And it does so because the level of preparation seems clearly insufficient. And, be careful, it is not a reproach. It is more of a symptom. Even when we prepare we are late: the consequences (added to a fertilizer crisis that does not end) are going to be very serious. Above all, because not even the strongest events produce the typical impact everywhere: they only indicate probabilities and we do not have a system capable of preparing for all scenarios. But we should have it. Image | In Xataka | The key El Niño zone is now recording the highest temperature ever measured: another worrying fact that adds to a historic ENSO

review with features, price and specifications

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

They are not as versatile as dry cordless vacuum cleaners, but scrubber vacuum cleaners also have their audience: people with homes with tile floors. There they are the absolute kings of mambo if you want to vacuum and scrub in one go. However, this category has always had an Achilles heel: they are heavy items, which makes them, for example, uncomfortable for my mother. So Dreame has put its latest model in the segment on a diet and the result is this T16 Pro Heat that we have just tested thoroughly. ✅ Buy it if… You have a house with tile floors. You have little time to clean and you want to vacuum and mop at the same time. Your floor stains easily. ❌ Don’t buy it if… Your budget is tight. You just want to aspire. You want a versatile scrubber vacuum cleaner. The essentials in 30 seconds The Dreame T16 Pro Heat is a scrubber vacuum cleaner, so you fill the tank with water and cleaner, press the power button and go around the house to clean it. Simplicity to power. You can’t choose to just vacuum or just mop, it does both at the same time and that has good and not so good things: it’s true that it saves time, but, for example, if the floor has a lot of hair (I live with two dogs weighing 35 kg each), it’s not the most pleasant or the cleanest. And be careful, it is not because it is not powerful: it is capable of swallowing even pellets of feed. I liked how easy it is to use, setting the automatic mode and forgetting about everything else. However, the best thing is that it is moderately light and manageable for a scrubber vacuum cleaner. Here’s my tenths to the Dreame design team. Of course, this lightness has its fine print: you will have to refill the dirty water tank often, but it is not something complex and/or dirty either. Of course, the most convenient thing is how it is cleaned: you place it on the base, press the button and a few minutes of noise later, you have it spotless to use again. And loaded. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Dreame T16 Pro Heat What a piece of design. From the honesty: normally these types of cleaning devices are a tremendous piece of junk, but Dreame has said “hold my tank” and has reduced it to a minimum. It has just what is necessary to function (well) and it is placed in a very small capsule located in the central area, so that the distribution of weight both upright and lying down is balanced. In addition, the clean water tank goes in the brush area, which thanks to its motorized wheels literally slides by itself. The outstanding thing is that it barely measures 10 centimeters wide, so you can pass it under some furniture such as, in my case, the TV. Operation: a piece of cake. Everything is managed from the handle, where there are the buttons and a colorful screen where you can switch modes and receive notifications. My recommendation is not to complicate things and set it to automatic, so that it is the device that chooses when to increase the power and when not to. However, it also has a completely dispensable but interesting app for more personalized management and to have more information. Surprisingly effective in cleaning. The device itself detects when an area is dirtiest and at that moment you can hear it suck harder, and the truth is that it swallows even a popcorn. In general, loose solids go inside and it also has a medium-high performance with smaller and lighter ones such as hair or grit. But the best are the stains: drops of dried coffee, a spilled soda, sauces… I was surprised that even grease is removed well. Of course, it doesn’t clean with water alone: it is very hot and also has a built-in cleaner. A huge difference with respect to the mop is that it has a plastic plate to dry evenly, so that you pass the head and in less than a minute you can step on the floor without fear. The floor in a good part of my house is laminate and I have not been afraid of humidity precisely for that reason. The only “but” I have is that since the head is large, there are areas where it inevitably does not fit. The battery is not going to be a problem. I admit that most of the time I have used the automatic mode because it is the one that best optimizes battery and performance, that is, it only increases the power when necessary. But even in scenarios where the house was dirty and had to run at full capacity almost all the time, I had enough battery to clean my apartment (70 square meters) twice in a row. To Caesar what belongs to Caesar: you are the one who holds the handle, you don’t make too many passes and we have already seen that this Dreame takes advantage of each pass. Then you place it on the base and you have it ready to use in every way. Maintenance: chiaroscuro. When you finish cleaning and leave the Dreame T16 Pro Heat on the base, all you have to do is press a button to start self-cleaning. At that moment a symphony of noise begins in which it has been thoroughly cleaned and dried with air and hot water, something essential because cleaning by hand would be a hassle and if you don’t do it, it would soon start to smell. Of course, it swallows a lot of water in the process, so you have to remove the tank from the head, put it under the tap and with a little skill, refill it. When you receive the notice, remove the dirty water tank … Read more

Disney faces losing more than 100 million dollars with Moana because it has not been able to read the signs of an announced failure

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

Unlike another similar film with comparable results, ‘Snow White’, ‘Moana’ has neither a controversial actress, nor a cultural war behind it, nor a disastrous trailer to blame for a gross of just $95 million in its world premiere. Against a budget of 250to which we must add marketing expenses that could reach 145 million additional. We are facing one of the Disney’s biggest box office blows in recent times, and one that can put in check one of the company’s most profitable strategies. What there is to lose. With those numbers on the table, it is projected that Disney could lose between 100 and 125 million dollars in the theatrical exploitation of ‘Moana’, and that is assuming it manages to gross 250 million worldwide before closing its run in theaters. Not exactly a small disaster for a company that has just experienced a big disappointment with the weak collections for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’. It looked good. The fact is that ‘Moana’ started with very flattering expectations for the company: A- in CinemaScore, between 90% and 91% of the public in Rotten Tomatoes which has finally dropped to 89%, a 63% “definitive” recommendation according to PostTrak… Critics, on the other hand, have sunk it with just 31% on Rotten Tomatoes for considering it, basically, a shot-by-shot carbon copy of the 2016 animated version. It is one of the most pronounced gaps between critics and the public of the summer, but it is not a completely unusual phenomenon. Who is to blame then? The success of ‘Moana’ and other problems. As we told a few days ago, the original animated film of ‘Moana’ is the most watched movie in the history of Disney+with more than 1.5 billion hours played. ‘Moana 2’, released in November 2024 after being converted from a series planned for streaming, broke the Thanksgiving premiere record with 225 million in five days and ended up surpassing 1 billion worldwide. And there may be a reason for the failure: families had seen ‘Vaiana 2’ less than two years ago and were certain that this version, clearly derivative, would soon arrive on Disney+ (and it could have been worse: when Disney announced ‘Vaiana 2’, it delayed the release of this live-action version by a year so that there would be at least two years between the two). In addition, the premiere occurred on a particularly competitive weekend: Disney itself had ‘Toy Story 5’ in theaters, and there was also ‘Minions & Monsters’. Competition everywhere: Disney’s own streaming offering, traditional rivals and a sequel that was still fresh. Little time. Some media point because nostalgia is the real driving force behind Disney’s most profitable remakes, and Moana arrived too early to activate it. ‘Lilo & Stitch’ It raised more than 1,000 million with a hiatus of more than twenty years compared to the 2002 original, but ‘Moana’ has tried to repeat the formula with only a decade in between and a recent sequel competing for the same audience. Disney opted for a property that did not yet need a relaunch and that the public did not demand with such urgency. In Xataka | The failure of ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is something more worrying for Disney: what the hell is it doing with Star Wars

NATO wants to get on the drone bandwagon before it’s too late

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

Two weeks. That is how long it has taken Europe to confirm that its military reconstruction now has absolute protagonists: the drones. NATO has introduced a new initiative specific to this technology, the United Kingdom has committed billions of pounds to anti-drone systems, Germany has moved to acquire 50,000 units for Ukraineand German startup Helsing just closed a round that values it at 18 billion dollars. It’s not a coincidence. Lessons from the Ukrainian battlefield, coupled with Iran’s use of low-cost Shahed drones in the Middle East, have made one thing clear: cheap, AI-enabled drones. artificial intelligence (AI), capable of gathering intelligence, extending the range of conventional weapons and operating in an increasingly autonomous manner, have become the centerpiece of the modern battlefield. This lesson is rewriting the purchasing decisions of governments across Europe, opening a window of opportunity not only for drone manufacturers, but also for software, electronic warfare and secure communications companies. NATO, the United Kingdom and Germany are pursuing drones at the same time NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced last week that the alliance will become an organization drone-readywith an investment of more than $40 billion in anti-drone capabilities over the next five years. Rutte was blunt: Drones have fundamentally altered the character of modern warfare and have become a decisive factor on the battlefield, citing the war between Russia and Ukraine as an example. The United Kingdom, for its part, committed 5 billion pounds (about $6.7 billion) within its Defense Investment Plan for a national “drone transformation” program. The future of warfare will depend as much on software and autonomy as it does on traditional military hardware Germany is following the same path, although with a more discreet movement. Last Monday, the defense software company Auterion and the Ukrainian manufacturer Skyfall announced an order of 90 million euros for 50,000 drones equipped with the Auterion operating system, ordered by a NATO member country that, as confirmed by a source to CNBC, It’s Germany. Its CEO, Lorenz Meier, sums it up eloquently: this is the first war being fought at a time when software already defines the battlefield, and its operating system allows drones to continue reaching their objectives despite electronic interference. In any case, the clearest symbol of this turn is Helsing. This Munich-based company, which manufactures drones and underwater surveillance systems in addition to developing AI software for military applications, has just secured that $18 billion valuation that we talked about in the first paragraph of this article. It is a figure that confirms where the European defense industry is looking: the future of warfare will depend as much on software and autonomy as on traditional military hardware. Be that as it may, the complete photograph leaves a strong message: in just fifteen days, NATO, the United Kingdom, Germany and the capital market have taken a step forward by the same technology. Europe is no longer late to the drone war, although it still has a lot to prove. Image | Pok Rie More information | CNBC In Xataka | Europe has encountered a problem bigger than Russia: drones cannot be stored for more than eight weeks

MediaMarkt starts new promo with phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Pixel 10 and more

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

We have a new window to renew a mobile phone if we are looking for a high-end one. MediaMarkt starts today a new promo focused on phones where there are some of the best mobile phones of this 2026although also options with very good quality-price ratioas is the case of Galaxy A27 or the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G. Google Pixel 10, Obsidian, 128 GB, 12 GB RAM, 6.3″ Actua OLED, Google Tensor G5, 4970 mAh, Android 16 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links This promo, Available only until next July 24has several interesting offers, as we say. We have selected the five that we like the most: Google Pixel 10 Pro by 829 eurosone of the best Google phones to date. iPhone 17 Pro by 1,259 eurosa powerful mobile phone with a great camera system. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra by 1,329.05 eurosphone with the best Snapdragon chip and privacy screen. Google Pixel 10 by 549 eurosan ideal high-end mobile if you like compact phones. Samsung Galaxy S25 by 539.10 eurosa top quality-price option this 2026. Google Pixel 10 Pro A compact phone with a very good camera system and the best Android experience. The Google Pixel 10, launched last year, is a versatile and very complete phone that, despite not having the most powerful processor on the market, will offer us outstanding performance. In addition, its seven years of updates are a guarantee. Right now it is available for 829 euros. Google Pixel 10 Pro, Obsidian, 256 GB, 16 GB RAM, 6.3″ Super Actua OLED, Google Tensor G5, 4870 mAh, Android 16 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links iPhone 17 Pro This new MediaMarkt promo also has some iPhones. In this case, the one we have selected is the iPhone 17 ProApple’s compact mobile until now. Its A19 Pro processor offers performance that cannot be faulted and has an all-terrain triple camera system, capable of performing great in almost any scenario (both in photography and video). It is available for 1,259 euros. Apple iPhone 17 Pro, Silver, 256 GB, 5G, 6.3″ OLED Super Retina XDR, A19 Pro Chip, iOS The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra We now continue with the best Samsung mobile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It is a phone that has inside the best Android processor there is so far, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and a 6.9-inch screen that, in addition to looking great, has a privacy screen. The price of its version with 512 GB of storage and 12 GB of RAM is 1,329.05 euros with financing option at 0% interest. Mobile – Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Black, 512 GB, 12 GB RAM, 6.9″ QHD+, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, 5000 mAh, Android 16 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Google Pixel 10 Quality-price, the Google Pixel 10 It is one of the best compact phones there is. It is a phone very similar to the Pro model that we have placed above, mounting the same processor, in fact. It loses in some aspects, such as RAM or the camera system, but in exchange we have a more affordable mobile: right now it is available for 549 eurosits historical minimum. Google Pixel 10, Obsidian, 128 GB, 12 GB RAM, 6.3″ Actua OLED, Google Tensor G5, 4970 mAh, Android 16 The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy S25 For a little less, we have available the Galaxy S25. It is a phone that came out last year, but is still highly recommended in 2026 (and more, costing 539.10 euros). It includes the Snapdragon 8 Elite and 12 GB of RAM, which ensures good performance for many years. It has a fairly versatile triple camera system and is very light, since it barely weighs 162 grams. Mobile – Samsung Galaxy S25, Navy, 128 GB, 12 GB RAM, 6.2″ FHD+ with AI, Snapdragon 8, 4000 mAh, Android 15 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 | MediaMarkt, Xataka, Google, Apple, Samsung In Xataka | Best mobile phones 2026. Which one to buy based on use and six recommended models In Xataka | Best mobile phones in quality price. Which one to buy based on use and ten recommended models

It is updated in real time with each incident on the road

July 16, 2026 by usatoday24

in summer road trips multiply. Most drivers trust Google Maps either waze to guide you on the journey because they give precise directions and also provide real-time traffic information. Although both apps are very complete and practical options, There is an additional tool that is interesting to consult if you are going to travel by car for Spain. We talk about DGT traffic mapa web tool where you can check the status of the roads in real time. In it you will be able to see every incident, from accidents, blocked roads, construction sites and much more. Constantly updated with all road incidents Apps like Google Maps or Waze are powered by user data. This means that if it warns you about an accident or a section of roadworks, it is because another driver has indicated so. It also uses information from other vehicles to determine if there is a traffic jam or delay at a specific point. On the other hand, the DGT map draws directly from the information of the DGT itself, which has a network of cameras, aerial systems and of course traffic agents through the Traffic Group of the Civil Guard. In this sense, your map It will reflect incidents more quickly and, above all, more accurately.. For example, we can know what time a traffic jam started or when an accident occurred and even how many lanes have been cut. This is what the map looks like on mobile The downside, and what it does not surpass Maps and Waze, is that it is not a navigation application that we can use while driving, but rather it will touch Consult it before starting to drive. To access the DGT map you must enter the website infocar.dgt.es/etrafficWEB from the browser and either give it location permissions or directly zoom in on the area we want to consult. On the map we will find a lot of icons marking the different incidents on the road. By default everything is checked, but if we only want to check the retentions or if there is an accident, just click on the icon with the three lines (top right) and a menu will open with all the types of incidents so that we can select only those that interest us. By clicking on an incident we can obtain many details. When we click on one of the incidents on the map, A window opens with all the details of it. For example, in this case it notifies us of a vehicle stopped on the A7 heading south and even tells us that it started at 08:27 in the morning. In the event that the incident has closed a lane, it also indicates this. There is more and the map shows us the traffic on the roads with a color code. If when we zoom in we see that there is a section of the road in red, it means that the traffic is denser than if it is orange or yellow. Additionally, by clicking on the fire flame icon at the top right we can see the fires that have caused road closures. The main drawback of the DGT map is that, as we said, It is a website and its interface is not the most polished in the world. Consulting it from your mobile phone is somewhat uncomfortable, although it adapts well to the screen and is functional. It is not a map designed to be consulted on the road, but rather information to review before setting off. Images | Xataka In Xataka | An expert finds the key: “It is not the wild boars that cross our roads, it is our roads that cross their habitats”

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