check

More and more people are accusing Spotify of artificially inflating their listeners. There is no way to check the numbers.

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The doubts about the listening figures that Spotify handles They have always been there, but they have increased in recent times, when the possibility has been put on the table that some of their most listened to artists are actually the result of bot farms. At the moment there is nothing firm on the table, but we do have something indisputable: between this and the artists fleeing in a pack Spotify is going through one of the biggest reputational crises in its history. The demand. In early November 2025, rapper RBX, Snoop Dogg’s cousin, filed a class-action lawsuit against Spotify in California that has opened an uncomfortable debate for the music industry. streaming. According to the court document, between January 2022 and September 2025 an unspecified but “substantial” amount of the almost 37 billion views accumulated by Drake on the platform they would have been generated by botsautomated accounts (who listen to Drake 23 hours a day, something implausible) and traffic from, for example, Türkiye, masked with a VPN. Drake is not to blame. The Canadian artist not listed as accused (the lawsuit points exclusively to Spotify), but it appears to be an indirect beneficiary of this ecosystem where supervision is, to put it mildly, very relaxed. What is relevant is not whether Drake knew about these anomalies or not, but rather an issue that, if revealed as true, would reach the level of structural embezzlement: transparency about listening on Spotify is practically zero. How Spotify (doesn’t) work. The main problem with Spotify’s system lies in the opacity that surrounds its systems to detect fraud. The company has never publicly explained the exact thresholds that trigger its alarms, nor the criteria that distinguish an organic spike in activity from artificial manipulation. This lack of transparency generates detailed situations in this article: while emerging artists see their income blocked by a few thousand reproductions considered suspicious, statistical anomalies of colossal dimensions can persist for years. A lot of fraud. An analysis held in France in 2023 estimated that between 1% and 3% of all streams in the country were fraudulent. If these percentages were extrapolated globally, the losses would exceed $510 million. But Beatdapp, a company specialized in detecting fraud in streaming, dramatically raised that estimate in 2024: at least 10% of all reproductions would be artificial, which implies annual losses of between 2,000 and 3,000 million dollars. Other cases. These demands are not born in a vacuum. During 2024 and 2025, several cases have confirmed that the manipulation of streams and opaque commercial influence are common problems at Spotify. For example, in 2025, the Turkish Competition Authority opened a formal investigation against Spotify for alleged anti-competitive practices. The trigger was allegations from several top Turkish artists that certain performers were getting disproportionate visibility in exchange for direct payments to Spotify editors, all combined with the use of bots to artificially inflate national chart positions. Spotify has launched an internal investigation in what is the first case of editorial corruption reported by relevant artists. On the other hand, in September 2024, a 52-year-old musician living in North Carolina was accused of artificial inflation of streams through AI. Specifically, up to $10 million in fraudulent royalties through hundreds of thousands of songs created with AI that it played with up to 10,000 bot accounts. Smith strategically dispersed the fake wiretaps among tens of thousands of topics to prevent any of them from accumulating suspicious numbers. Spotify admits the fraud operated for years undetected. Header | Amber on Flickr / Alexander Shatov in Unsplash

how to check if it is down or if it is your problem

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Let’s tell you how to tell if ChatGPT is down and it doesn’t work because of a bug that is happening to everyone. It is possible that if you have problems with this service artificial intelligencebe it a small error that will be solved immediately. But it is also possible that this is a massive crash and it has stopped working. When this is the case, there is always a moment of confusion in which you doubt whether it is a general error or just your fault, and we are going to tell you how to do this check. These outages may be due to problems with the servers, a cyber attack or other problems, but the first thing is always to check if it has really gone down or if you have problems with your connection. In addition to this, you must also pay attention to error messages that may appear. Sometimes the fall may not be just one’s own. ChatGPTbut be linked to crashes of other services like Cloudflare. How to check if ChatGPT is down To check if ChatGPT is experiencing a general crash, you will have to use one of the websites specialized in detecting these problems that can occur. These are websites in which users report drops, and you can see the level of these reports in a graph. When the graph goes up a lot, it’s because there is a massive problem. It’s not you, everyone is reporting these bugs. The best option in the ChatGPT profile in Down Detector, which you can access on the web downdetector.com/status/chatgpt. Here you can see in real time the number of problems reported by users in the last 24 hours. The higher the reporting curve, the bigger and more people the fall will be affecting. You can also search for information on some social networks such as Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon or When you see that the fall is general, there is nothing you can do to solve it. You will have to wait for the owners of ChatGPT or the downed service to fix the problem. It is also convenient that pay attention to a possible communication after solving it in which they give some kind of explanation. In these communications they should clarify the type of error they have had, and even warn if it is due to a hack that has exposed user data. In Xataka Basics | The best prompts to save hours of work and do your tasks with ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot or other artificial intelligence

Nexperia had the entire European automotive industry in check. We have good news

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The Dutch Government is prepared to suspend the control it exercises over the semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia if China again allows the export of its most critical chips. According to sources Bloomberg, the Chinese government has already lifted the veto, so the move would end a conflict that threatened to paralyze automobile production world. The agreement on the table. According to Bloomberg, Dutch authorities were “prepared to revoke the ministerial order that gave them veto power over key Nexperia corporate decisions” as soon as next week. The condition: that the resumption of shipments of components from China be verified in the coming days and that the financial disputes between Nexperia and its Chinese operations be also resolved. China lifts veto. Just like assures In the middle, China has once again allowed Nexperia to export its semiconductors, paving the way for the Netherlands to suspend its powers over the Chinese-owned company. Chips have already started shipping again from Nexperia’s Chinese operations, officials from several auto companies confirmed to Bloomberg. The first shipments are already underway. Aumovio SE, a components maker that supplies Volkswagen, Stellantis and BMW, has shipped Nexperia semiconductors and components containing them after receiving an export license from China this week, according to declared its CEO Philipp Von Hirschheydt to Bloomberg. The manager added who informed him that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce lifted the export ban on Nexperia this Friday. “It will take some time before all procedures and processes return to normal,” the CEO warned. There is still the possibility of disruption in the next four to six weeks, but “if everything I know today is correct, we are not going to be affected,” he said. How it all started. The Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Vincent Karremans, activated a law dating back to the Cold War in September to take temporary control over Nexperiaowned by the Chinese technology group Wingtech. The reason was concern that Wingtech was weakening the company and putting the supply of vital components at risk. The Dutch government flagged some of Wingtech founder Zhang Xuezheng’s decisions as representing “misuse of financial resources for the personal enrichment of the CEO,” according to account Bloomberg. Wingtech denied these allegations. In response, Beijing imposed restrictions on exports of Nexperia products from China, which accounted for about half of the company’s pre-crisis volumes. Why does it matter? Nexperia makes power control chips used by large manufacturers such as Volkswagen. Until the conflict is resolved, European car manufacturers face production stoppages imminent as their reserves are depleted. Just like account Bloomberg, Honda Motor has already been informed of the resumption of chip shipments by Nexperia in China, so the Japanese carmaker plans to normalize its affected production during the week of November 21, according to its executive vice president, Noriya Kaihara. On the other hand, Bosch, one of the largest component suppliers in the world, also is receiving chips from Nexperia from China, according to sources close to the media. However, the media reports that until this Friday morning there were still production interruptions in several Bosch plants that manufacture automotive electronics. The situation remains tense. Despite positive signs, German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen is preparing for production interruptions, including temporary layoffs, as a precautionary measure. “It is unclear to what extent and at what speed deliveries from China could resume,” declared a company spokesperson told Bloomberg. “The situation remains very tense throughout the industry.” Signs of distension. The Dutch Government declared this Thursday that it expects Nexperia’s Chinese unit to resume chip supplies in the coming days. “Given the constructive nature of our discussions with the Chinese authorities, the Netherlands is confident that chip supplies from China to Europe and the rest of the world will reach Nexperia customers in the coming days,” Karremans said in a statement picked up by Bloomberg. Wingtech shares rose almost 10% in Shanghai after the news. European automakers and their suppliers also gained on the news, as Volkswagen shares rose as much as 2.7% in Frankfurt, while BMW rose as much as 2.5%. Shares of Mercedes-Benz Group and Stellantis also rose, according to the middle. What’s coming now. Resolution of the dispute will depend on effective verification that shipments resume and resolving outstanding financial issues between Nexperia and its operations in China. If these conditions are met, the Dutch Government could revoke his powers of intervention next week, putting an end to a crisis that has put the entire supply chain of the European automotive sector in check. On the other hand, the future of Wingtech founder Zhang Xuezheng remains uncertain following his suspension as CEO of Nexperia by an Amsterdam court on October 7. Cover image | Arthur Wang and Nexperia In Xataka | The EU wants to connect Madrid with Paris by AVE in 2035. Or in 2042 if you ask France

How do I check that it works without alerting the DGT

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The DGT is clear about the two greatest strengths of the new V-16 beacon. The first is that it can be installed on the roof of the car without getting out of the vehicle. By putting our hand out the window we can place it on the roof to alert us that there is an obstacle on the road. The second is your connectivity. In fact, it is the main reason why you have to be careful if you still have to buy a beacon of this type. Until 2021, the intention was simply for the driver to carry the beacon on him but from that year onwards It was decided that this should be connected so that when we activate it we give notice to DGT 3.0. This platform is what Traffic uses to be aware of everything that is happening and alert other drivers through warning signs that there is an obstacle on the road. Additionally, the promise is that all connected cars will receive an alert in the instrument cluster called signal V-27. This is all very well but… how do we know that the beacon works and that it does not have any errors without alerting the DGT? 100 seconds test As we have already told you, the V-16 beacons can operate with batteries. Therefore, it is important to carry a spare pack if you use the first and regularly check if the battery is charged if you choose this second option. Doubts arise when turn on the beacon for the first time. And in addition to carrying it charged or having batteries, we will have to make sure that the beacon works correctly. In that case, there is no choice but turn it on at home. But don’t be afraid if you think you are going to open an incident on the DGT platform, they are going to find out where you live and they are going to send emergency services to you. For a start, the DGT assures that the information sent by the V-16 beacon is completely private. It only indicates its geopositioning but there is no private data such as the person who activated it, the broken down car or any other detail that Traffic knows at that moment. You will also not launch a rescue plan when you activate the V-16 beacon. The DGT remembers It is the responsibility of the driver or passengers to notify the emergency services, their only responsibility is to monitor the incident so that it is reflected in DGT 3.0. Finally, from the moment the beacon is activated until the first warning is given to the platform 100 seconds will pass. This time window acts as a safety net to avoid false positives, but it is also one of the reasons that guarantee that the emergency light can have a battery for the minimum required 30 minutes. The beacon connects to DGT 3.0 through IoT networksknown as the Internet of Things. This network is not part of the typical bandwidth of 4G or 5G networks and allows the sending of very small data packets in a single direction, which maximizes the use time of a device. Every 100 seconds, the beacon sends its positioning to the DGT again. The system is similar to that of a sports Smartwatch in which you can choose how often the GPS position is recalculated, with the aim of extending the battery. That is to say, there is no problem turning on the V-16 beacon when you receive it at home. If you want to check that it works and that everything is correct, it is best to start it to make sure. Of course, you must turn it off before 100 seconds have passed so that a false positive does not occur. Photo | DGT In Xataka | Disassembling a V16 beacon and keeping its “free” SIM for 12 years sounds great. has a little problem

requirements and how to check if the one you have or want to buy works for you

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January 1, 2026 is approaching, the date on which V16 beacons are going to become mandatory. V16 lights the substitutes for the classic triangles of a lifetime when it comes to informing other cars that yours has a breakdown or accident, and from 2026 if you do not have one in the glove compartment you are exposed to a possible fine. And as always happens before a new rule like this is implemented, there is a bit of confusion. The point is that not all V16 beacons will work for youso it is advisable to know the characteristics they need to have to be legal and so that you can use them. V16 beacon requirements The DGT has an official list of more than 200 models of beacons in this database. But if you don’t have access to it, there are several requirements that you have to make sure that the one you are going to buy or have meets. For example, you must ensure that have a certificate code to ensure that it is properly approved. This code is usually a combination of alphanumeric preceded by the letters LCOE or IDAE. The other key point is that the beacon must be connected. This means that you must have a non-removable eSIM with which to connect to the DGT to indicate your location. This point is very important because it is less known. Connectivity is mandatory for at least 12 years, and It should be free for you.. Come on, you don’t have to pay any type of fee, subscription or need an additional app. This beacon must provide automatic geolocation when used, and direct communication with the DGT 3.0 platform the moment it is turned on. The first V16s that came onto the market did not have this requirement, which will be mandatory, so if you already have one, it is a good idea to check it to make sure that it meets this essential requirement. In addition to these two essentials, beacons must also have a minimum autonomy of 30 minutesalthough there is no maximum. Come on, the longer it lasts the better, but its battery should last at least half an hour. Additionally, they should be easy to replace or replace, and should be powered by a USB rechargeable battery or AA battery. Its useful life must be at least 18 months. Another important point is that they must offer 360º visibility at 1 kilometer away At the very least, although again, the further away you can see the better. This will ensure that there is better visibility both at night and on very foggy days. These beacons must be able stay stable on flat surfaces. But if due to height you cannot access the roof of the vehicle, they should be equipped with a magnet or other means of attachment. Here, it is best that they have a magnet so that you can simply lower the window and place them on the roof before opening the door, or so that they can be fixed to the driver’s door itself. If your beacon does not meet these requirements you can have sanctions. For example, a fine of 80 euros without loss of points when your V16 beacon is not approved. And if you use it correctly to report an accident or incident, if you do not place it in its place or if you travel without a vest, the fine can rise to 200 euros. In Xataka | Clarifying all the mess that the DGT has on its hands: the V-16 light, the V-27 signal and the emergency triangles

Ryanair has put the Spanish province airports in check. Fortunately for them, there is a thing called “capitalism”

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Spanish airports are living a tremendous snake in recent months, and the absolute protagonist is Ryanair. The Irish airline has been using smaller airports for months, such as negotiating weapon in battle against airport ratesthreatening to leave them lying if their conditions were not met. Threatened … and fulfilled, being Valladolid’s one of the most affected airports. But there Where Ryanair closedother companies have seen a chance. And, as the Minister of Transportation says: “To dead king, king on.” What’s happening. AENA is the public company that is responsible for the management of airports in Spain. A few months ago he announced that, as of March 2026, it would increase airport rates by 6.5%. This implies that the maximum entrance per traveler will go from 10.35 euros to 11.03 euros, a rise of 68 cents. The reaction Ryanair was … sound, so to speak. Through several very public profiles, including that of its controversial CEO, Michael O’LearyThe company described the increase as unjustified, stating that regional airports would be less competitive against other European destinations. In general, the defense of Ryanair is based on affirming that Aena acts as a monopoly when the benefits of travelers and regional connectivity are put. Affected. The manager justifies the climb to the need to face a Investment Plan of about 13,000 million euros with the aim of modernizing the network in the coming years before an expected increase in demand. All this led to the president of AENA and the Ministry of Transportation accused Ryanair of being blackmailing the country. Also accuses To the company to use that increase in rates as an excuse to stop operating in regional airports, moving to the “airports in which they can set higher prices in their tickets to earn more money”. In fact, a pulse can be allowed like this. Ryanair’s response? Trim a Million places Facing the Christmas campaign of this 2025 through the cessation of operations in those regional airports in which the airline was the main mode of connection with other airports. The most affectedin addition to Valladolid, Son Vigo or Santiago de Compostela, but also Tenerife Norte, Asturias, Santander, Zaragoza, Jerez or Vitoria. airport Capacity cuts for winter 2025 & 2026 Santiago Base closure (two less aircraft, 80% less capacity) sherry Closing Valladolid Closing Tenerife Norte Closing Vigo Closing Santander -38% Saragossa Closing Asturias -16% Vitoria -2% Canary Islands -10% Dead king, king. The truth is that Ryanair is one of the most powerful companies at European level, especially in these smaller airports, since its model is the one that allows connections between cities that other companies do not cover. However, his withdrawal of some Spanish airports is not something that worries one of the protagonists of this story: the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. Óscar Puente defended A few days ago, Ryanair’s march would be compensated with the arrival of other companies. The minister argued that “no company will condition airport policy with threats, underlining That “to dead king, king placed”, and it seems that those new ‘kings’ are already appearing their heads. To attack. It was the bridge itself who announced that airlines as Vueling would “immediately” cover the routes abandoned by Ryanair for this winter, ensuring that he has worked in negotiations with both vs. with other companies to fill that void left by the Irish company. Vueling will reinforce its presence in Santiago and Tenerife Norte, but it is not the only company that has seen an opportunity in this situation. Iberia Express or Wizz Air They also work to cover part of the routes operated by Ryanair. Specifically, from Independent comment which turning will increase its capacity by 15% in Santiago (reaching 578,000 seats) and 11% in Tenerife Norte (900,000 seats). Wizz Air, meanwhile, will open 40 additional routes until March 2026. Another of those who I could enter the game It is volotea, an airline that is focused on connecting small and medium cities that has already collected the Guante of Ryanair’s abandonment of French airports. Because this struggle of Ryanair against rates are also having it in parallel in France. And the train? Of course, Ryanair has put the increase in rates in the center of the debate, but there is something that has been forged in recent years: the expansion of high speed. A few weeks ago we already commented that that of Santiago and Vigo, airports in which the Irish has closed operations, are two cities to which The arrival of high speed is especially affecting. In Asturias There are still complicationsbut new sections are planned that will allow the train to fight the plane soon. And in Zaragoza not only Renfe operates: Ouigo and Iro They joined not so much. Now, where the train is not an option is in the Canary Islands, where Ryanair will reduce 400,000 places in winter, canceling 36 connections. There will be companies such as Vueling, Iberia Express or Binter who will have to demonstrate whether they can operate without travelers missing Ryanair. This next winter will be the fire test. In the end, Ryanair has been able to blackmail Aena (and other European organizations) to some extent, since if he leaves his routes, due to competition, there are other companies that are looking forward to occupying their place. Images | Ryanair, Robot8a In Xataka | In its extreme obsession with hand luggage, Ryanair has created a new and explicit product: “Backpacks to travel with Ryanair”

Two false dnis, three commercial calls and 70,000 euros of fine. Lebara has been expensive not to check who buys his sim

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Three commercial calls being in the Robinson list They have been enough for the Spanish Data Protection Agency to put the Mobiles SA out -of the focus, a company after which Yoigo operates. A particular and unusual case, in which the company has been sanctioned with 70,000 euros despite having demonstrated that the realization of These calls It was not at the hands of Yoigo. It was enough with three calls. The Exp202205208 file acts with a sanctioning basis for a claim filed in April 2022. The consumer presented to the agency the reception of Commercial calls In your mobile line promoting Yoigo servicesclaiming to be registered in the Robinson list. Only screenshots were necessary to provide the records of the three calls, made between March 18, April 11 and 12. The first question begins here. How is Yoigo possible to call a user of the advertising exclusion list for commercial purposes? It wasn’t Yoigo. In accordance with the data protection laws, the AEPD transferred said claim to Xfera, so that the operator informs within one month on these actions. Xfera’s response was overwhelming: None of his authorized lines had issued those calls. After the response of the operator’s corporate name, the case was filed. But it was not there. The user claimed again to the AEPD, making the case reopened. Xfera was urged, again, to investigate the three telephone numbers made the calls. Although none of them had officially called, he admitted that one of them was in his name during the months of April and June 2022. The AEPD continued to track, and contacted the owner of that line. The telephone bill and the call registration of recent months were reviewed, concluding again that it was not called from said phone. Although the user claimed that the commercial calls talked about Yoigo offers, the AEPD concluded next to Xfera that the line belonged to a SIM of Lebara, a small OMV also of the MásMóvil group and that only markets prepaid lines. Uncovering the cake. Of the three investigated numbers, only one had a postal address. The AEPD found that the other two lines were registered with False dnismaking the identification of those responsible for the calls impossible. In short, everything indicates that these calls for advertising purposes were nothing more than scam attempts, telephone scams to obtain the data from the one who received the calls. A fine for negligence. Despite having shown that Xfera was not the first responsible in this practice, the AEPD has imposed a fine of 70,000 euros for being the final responsible for the data processing. It obliges, in the same way, to implement within six months new measures to verify the real identity of new prepaid clients. Similarly, Lebara will have to audit and regularize all its active lines to verify that they are under verified identities. A particular case that, again, resolves that responsibility for certain scam attempts lies on operators. Something that remembers Recent Supreme Court ruling making it clear that, in case of bank fraud by Phishing, the person responsible is the bank. Image | Andrei Metelev In Xataka | Exposed to Sim Swapping: It’s time to upload the security bar when granting card duplicates

Saudi Arabia has signed a check of 7,000 million dollars for Nvidia. Jensen Huang is now 12,000 million richer

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In his Official visit to Saudi ArabiaDonald Trump has been accompanied by an entourage of technological entrepreneurs including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Lisa his and Jensen Huang. The presence of all these technological executives is justified within the framework of A GREAT COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT Between both countries valued at 600,000 million dollars, which includes the sale of more than 18,000 GB300 Blackwell GB300 chips in NVIDIA. After knowing the agreement, Nvidia’s shareholders launched a trip to buy shares of the manufacturer, causing Jensen Huang’s personal fortune to have increased by 12,000 million dollars in just a few hours. A breath of air for Nvidia. The agreement with Saudi Arabia arrives as A breath of fresh air After weeks of uncertainty about commercial limitations With China for tariffs, which underlines the strategic importance of this movement. “The AI, like electricity and the Internet, is an essential infrastructure for every nation. Together with Humain, we are building an AI infrastructure so that the people and companies of Saudi Arabia make the bold vision of the kingdom come true,” Huang said after the signing of the agreement. According to A statement of Nvidia, the agreement includes a first phase with the supply of 18,000 processors for AI GB300 Grace Blackwell For Saudi Arabia to develop Your data centers. Such and as they said From NVIDIA, the objective is to enhance the Saudi technological infrastructure and accelerate its digital transformation as part of the Vision 2030 Plan of which also It is part of neomand whose objective is that the country’s economy stop depending on your deposits of oil and gas. Humain and Saudi Arabia. The key partner of Nvidia in this agreement is Humain, the Saudi state company of artificial intelligence, Backeddirectly by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of the Saudi kingdom, which also Finance the pharaonic works of neom. Humain was created with the aim of developing AI technology. The company is directed by Tareq Amin, a exexecutive of Aramco Digital, and has the direct support of the heir prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The agreement with Nvidia is Humain’s first great step to materialize this vision and an important capital injection for Nvidia, which opens a new booming market for its chips for ia. A joy for investors. According The published by CNBCthe announcement of the agreement has had a Immediate and very positive effect In the quotation of Nvidia. Their shares rose 6% in a single session after the news is public, and maintains its upward trend adding an increase of 16.78% in recent days. With this announcement, the recovery of the technological giant price rhythm is consolidated, which recovers 37% from its minimum of 2025 registered in April after the uncertainty generated by the USA tariffs to China. Bank of America analysts They estimatedthe total value of the agreement at 7,000 million dollars, which together with the estimate of Chips sales to United Arab Emirateshas returned optimism to technological investors. Well for Nvidia, well for Huang. Jensen Huang cannot be more satisfied with the agreement signed with Saudi Arabia. Thanks to the response of his shareholders, the assessment of his fortune has increased by 12,000 million dollars in a single afternoon, achieving the Greater gain in dollars In a single day for an executive of the technological sector that controls 3.5% of Nvidia’s actions. This fortune places Huang at the doors of the top 10 of the world’s largest fortunes, with an estimated total heritage of 118.2 billion dollars, turning Huang into the eleventh person richer on the planet. The Nvidia CEO is just one step behind figures like Amancio Ortega – which occupies the tenth place In the Forbes ranking-; Steve Ballmer, Excus from Microsoft; or the founders of Google Serguéi Brin and Larry Page. In Xataka | The secret of Nvidia’s success does not hide in her chips: she is in the emails that Jensen Huang Lee every day Image | Nvidia

Something is changing in Europe if the country that has been neutral will also check it: Switzerland

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In the world, Ironiza A few months ago the European geopolitics expert Ulrike Franke, there are few certainties. One is death. Another taxes. And the third, almost at the same level as the previous two, is the military neutrality of Switzerland. Your own government presume that it is “one of the foundations” of its foreign policy, a status recognized internationally since 1815 and that in practice prevents it from taking advantage of armed conflicts or joining military alliances, no matter how much powerful (and above all lucrative) Let it be your arms industry. In an increasingly complicated world, marked by the three years of war in Ukraine, the approach of the US and Russia and relationships more and more tense Between Brussels and Washington, this status of neutrality seems to soften. What happened? That although Swiss neutrality is part of the country’s DNA, it is recognized worldwide and has overwhelming support in Helvetic society (91% in 2024), Something is changing in the Alpina nation. It comes with a quick turn by Google to find items that They wonder For the future that Switzerland has if he maintains his equidistance, they talk about “Relanding” either “questioning” of neutrality or even report how Bern It has been involved in projects of Military Cariz. It is not so much The president of the country was pronounced on the issue, Viola Amherd. “It should be reviewed”. The clearest evidence was left by the Swiss federal council in August, when he published A series of “recommendations” in terms of security prepared by an expert commission. Among them there is a centered on the neutral role of Switzerland that generated a special interest. The reason? Your firmness. “The neutrality policy should be reviewed, focus more on its security function and apply with more flexibility,” starts The chapter. They are just that, recommendations embodied in a report, but it is revealing. “The majority of the commission recommends to better align neutrality policy with the United Nations Charter and take into account the distinction between aggressor and victim,” The document aboundswhich also advocates to review the federal law of 96 in the matter of defense and the approach to the Atlantic Alliance and the 27 community states. “Cooperation with NATO and EU must continue to deepen with a view to achieving a common defense capacity and be a real cooperation.” The importance of context. The recommendations are understood much better in context light, one that has evolved clearly since it was disclosed The reportin August 2024. The first key is the Ukraine War. After his beginning Bern He decided to join To European sanctions to Russia Bajo The argument that supporting purely economic punishments does not imply positioning itself in an armed conflict. That reasoning did not prevent, however, a few months later, in August 2022, Moscow stop considering To Switzerland a neutral country and even rejected a Berna offer to mediate in the war. Geopolitics … and market. There are other keys, such as the fact that Switzerland was incorporated into the United Nations In 2002 (with everything that implies), but among them there is an especially interesting. Switzerland may be a neutral country, but has companies that export hundreds of millions of euros in war material. And while in 2022 that business reached A record levelthe following year the flow He collapsed partly by the neutral status of the country, which Block re -export of weapons and ammunition manufactured in Switzerland to countries at war, such as Ukraine. “Raise the ban”. In Your report August is also dedicated to the arms policy in which it is advocated to “strengthen and adapt better to threats” the Swiss industry. “The majority wishes to lift the prohibition of re -export to the countries mentioned in Annex 2 of the ordinance of February 25, 1998 on war material,” the document collects. In said annex A twenty and a half of countries are cited from different regions, including Germany or Spain, which in 2023 assured that Bern “blocked” the re -export of military material to Ukraine to reinforce his defense. And Trump arrived. That was the context a few months ago. Since November one more factor is added: Donald Trump, than from his Arrival at the White House He has revolutionized international politics, especially in Europe. In the two scarce months that the Republican has been in office, he has threatened take out to the US from NATO, he has complained that the alliance “Take advantage” from Washington and has implied that Europe will not be able to count forever or unconditionally with the “Defensive umbrella” United States. Has that climate influenced in Bern? Financial Times (FT) published a few days ago An extensive analysis in which he argued that the new scenario is pushing Switzerland to establish closer defense ties. At stake also enters a new name, Martin Pfistera colonel who in a matter of days will become the new Swiss defense minister and has already been favorable to greater cooperation in defense with NATO and the EU. “Absolutely necessary”. As collect the newspaper British, Pfister has publicly assured that he sees “absolutely necessary” cooperation and joint training with NATO. And that even though Switzerland, precisely because of its historic neutral status, is not part of the Atlantic Alliance. Beyond his words, the Alpine country has made several interesting movements over the last months without altering its neutral status: He has decided to join to an EU project to facilitate military mobility, He has signed a statement to be part of the European sky shield initiative (ESSI) and the government even It has been proposed Relax the restrictions for the export of weapons. “I have never seen a scenario that reflects the situation we are in,” Jean-Marc Rickli commentsfrom the Geneva Security Policy Center to FT. “In transatlantic relations there have been ups and downs, but the possible detachment of the US with Europe, in addition to aligning with Russia … has generated a shock in Europe, including Switzerland.” … Read more

How to scan a product and check with these apps if it is European and what country comes from

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Let’s tell you How to scan a product to know if it is European or what concrete country is coming. You can also know the relations that this country has with Spain, the description of the product, and if it is a foreigner you can even know the European alternatives. Due to the geopolitical context, many initiatives of this nature are emerging. In this case it is Several mobile applications They analyze the barcode or the product logo, and they tell you if they are European. We will tell you both the main apps to do this and the way to use them. Apps to know if a product is European Let’s start with a small list with Some applications for scanning products and know if they are European or not. At the moment, there is no multiplatform unified app, but we have several independent apps available for Android or iOS. BUY European for Android: A quite new app that analyzes the products for its barcode, and tells you the company to which they belong and the country they are. Is on Google Play. BUY European for iOS: It is not the same app as for Android, but does the same. You analyze the product barcode and tell you if they are European. It is in the App Store. Buyfromeu for Android and iOS: It allows you to know if a product is really made in Europe, and gives you alternatives. It also allows you to look for alternative for online services. Do not escape anything, you only use a search engine, and this is multiplatform. Is on Google Playand In the App Store. Buyeuropean for iOS: An app that does not analyze the barcode, but the face or cover of the product. Then look for that product and tells you its origin, and it is not European even gives you alternatives. It is in the App Store. How these apps are used In most cases, all you have to do is install the app and give permission to access the camera of your mobile. This permit is necessary to take photos of the barcode or the front of the product you want to analyze. Once you have done this, simply take a picture of the product or bar code, it depends on the app. Sometimes it is not even necessary to take the picture, you just have to point towards it. In any case, When reading the application, it will show you the product data And he will tell you if it is European or not. What this app does when detecting if the product is not European depends on each one, in some cases an alternative can be offered. What you can know with certainty is when one of these products is from some country on the continent. In Xataka Basics | 61 European alternatives to Google, X, Gmail, Chrome, Maps, Dropbox, Google Drive, WhatsApp and other popular services

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