countries

Mediterranean countries seemed ideal for solar panels. Until the dust storms arrived

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The Mediterranean has always been seen as a privileged land for solar energy: abundant sun, large extensions and A clear commitment to renewables. However, two factors that come from the south and of the climate change are putting this equation in check: the dust storms of the Sahara and the sustained increase in temperatures. The short. A new study warns that Sahara dust can reduce solar production in southern Europe by up to 50 %. Work, Posted in Renewable Energy magazine By the Hun-Ren Research Center of Astronomy and Earth Sciences of Hungary, analyzes the episodes between 2019 and 2023 in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece. More in depth. To reach these conclusions, the scientists resorted to a data arsenal: the forecasts of the European Network of Transport Systems Operators (ETSO-E), NASA MERRA-2 reanalysis, the European database Copernicus Cams V4.6 and satellite cloud and aerosols. Thus they were able to evaluate time and daily how dust alters solar irradiance and, therefore, the ability of panels to produce electricity. The additional finding is worrying: the current photovoltaic forecasts for the next day usually fail. In Spain and Portugal they tend to underestimate the real loss of energy (up to 15% less than expected), while in Italy and Greece the opposite occurs, with overestimations of up to 10%. A problem that aggravates. Saharan dust is not a new phenomenon, but climate change is intensifying both its frequency and its reach. And Spain, as a study of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) warns collected in Xatakait is a true “hot point” of European warming. In the last 50 years, temperatures have increased 3.27ºC in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, more than double the Mediterranean mean. Summer has extended 36 days, rainfall has decreased almost 20% and desertification advances by regions such as Murcia, Almería or Alicante. The scenario for 2050 is a country with steppe or even almost desert climate in much of its territory. If Spain becomes a warmer and more dry desert, dust storms will be more frequent and its impact on even greater solar energy. Is there a possible solution? Until now, the great enemy of conventional solar panels was not only dust, but also heat. As we have developed in Xatakafor each degree above 25ºC, traditional plaques lose between 0.05% and 0.34% efficiency, which can translate into falls from 10 to 25% in very hot days. But a recent study by Laughborough University proposes a script turn: The so -called photoelectocrochemical flow cells (PEC). This experimental technology not only supports heat, but takes advantage of it, with an optimal point around 45ºC. In addition, it does not require active cooling, which lowers installation and maintenance costs. In parallel, startups like the Australian Coolsheet They are developing Passive cooling hybrid systems that cool the panels and, at the same time, heat water for industrial or domestic use. Every 10º less on the plate can be 4% more electrical efficiency. Beyond the results. The research is not limited to more solar panels, but that It must be integrated In the new photovoltaic, more forecast of dust effects, improve real -time monitoring and design technologies that convert heat and extreme conditions into allies, not enemies. Spain and the Mediterranean advance towards a scenario in which the sun will be more abundant, but also more hostile. The future of solar energy is to accept this paradox: it is not just about installing panels, but of adapting them to a changing climate, full of dust, heat and drought. Scientific research, technological innovation and political planning must go hand in hand so that the sun remains the solution, and does not become part of the problem. Image | Eduardo Milla and Unspash Xataka | We believed that the Sahara was going to “eat” Almería and Murcia in the future. Some researchers believe that it will reach Mallorca

In this map we can see the countries in which cannibalism is technically legal. It falls very short

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He cannibalism It is one of the stars of horror cinema, but also of the most cases Morbose of serial murderers. Some of the most rugged (if you haven’t seen ‘Dahmer‘, in Netflix, it is very good) They have inspired films and series. And although we might think that it is illegal to be associated with serial killers And it may seem to us A prehistoric actwe would be wrong. At least, in much of the world. The act of eating the neighbor. Eate for each other It is something that has been present for millennia. Some societies enemies ate as supremacist actsreligious or simply to obtain nutrients. In other situations, it is the despair that leads us to cannibalism. Currently, we know that it is nonsense because We don’t have too many nutrients. Now, cannibalism continues to exist. It is associated with erotic fantasies that involve eating or being eaten as part of a sex Jeffrey Dahmer either Dorángel Vargas They ate parts of their victims as an act of extreme possession and cannibal acts have also been performed as part of magical rites, such as Red Zwazulu-Natal dismantled in 2017 In South Africa. We have cannibalism stigmatized for a good reason, but a few years ago this Map by Reddit in which it was stated that there were countries in which cannibalism was legal. The image problem? Well, it falls very short. A mess. That cannibalism is technically legal in some places does not imply that it is … legal. And the keyword is “technically.” In them, and in many others, cannibalism is not explicitly prohibited by any specific law. Does not appear in the Criminal Code or in the Constitution and, For example in SpainWhen cannibalism is mentioned, it is done in the context of animal protection against cannibal practices of its species. But of course, although there is no explicit criminalization, the acts to be performed to eat human flesh do constitute a crime. The murder, the damage to the neighbor, the manipulation of human remains or the illegal exhumation are acts pursued by the law. Therefore, although we can think that there is a legal vacuum, if we want to eat the neighbor, we will have to make a crime that, usually, is persecuted. In fact, a Armin Meiwesthe ‘Canibal de Rotiburg’, He was condemned for homicidenot by cannibalism (the victim was supposedly consented, but died in the process). Legal vacuum. We entered an extremely rugged gray area here with two cases that were given in Europe not so long ago. In 2010, the Norwegian artist Alexander Selvik He ate himself. Specifically, he consumed remains of his hip extracted surgically to prepare a dish that ate as part of an artistic project. A year later, in the Netherlands, there were two television presenters who They ate fragments of their own flesh and on the other in a live program. Both cases were investigated, but since cannibalism is not a crime, as was under its will and no other crime were damaged by law, No charges were presented. What there was was a debate about ethics and the limits of art. Requests. Of course, sporadic movements have been given for politicians to study if it would be worth including cannibalism as a crime in itself. In Spain, although some voice has been manifested to legislate, no serious request has been recorded. In the United Kingdom, a citizen petition for cannibalism was included as a specific crime. After six months, the platform record 38 firms of the necessary 10,000. In the petition, they detailed the following: “Canibalism is potentially dangerous and we believe that it is a little ethical act that should constitute a crime, even if the person whose flesh and/or part of the body and/or organ is being consumed has given its consent. There should be a minimum mandatory penalty of five years in prison for committing said crime.” Asterisks. In Papua New Guinea has been mentioned as illegal Sometimes and in the Central African Republic It was missing due to social contexts such as war conflicts. It remains a gray area and that, in some cases, is an implicit activity in others that are considered punishable. For example, in Canada it is not typified as autonomous crime, but the Criminal Code sanctions “Any outrageous interference with a human body or human remains.” And then there is the case of the United States. Although a rule similar to the rest is followed in the country (there is no specific prohibition, but performing cannibalism implies acts that are crime), There is a state in which The law is mentioned cannibalism expressly, penalizing it With up to 14 years in jail. It doesn’t matter if consumed with or without consent and does not only imply direct consumption: in 2024 the law was modified so that it is also punished if another person is supplied. There is only something that would free you if you eat the neighbor in Idaho: that it is a case of extreme survival. It means that what it means (it has not been given the case, until now). Image | The XXVIII terror house of ‘The Simpsons‘ In Xataka | A person has made Media Spain hook the most horrendous crimes: Clara Tiscar and ‘Criminopathy’

The main car manufacturing countries, exposed in a devastating map that shows the Asian domain

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It depends on what car segment let’s put the magnifying glass, but I know esteem that in 2024 They sold Between 75 and 85 million vehicles worldwide. It is a growth of more than 2% compared to the previous year, and if you have wondered which country is the one that manufactures the most cars, this map responds to perfection and highlights its own name: China. There are also trend changes that should be analyzed. Asian domain. Prepared by Visual Capitalist With data from the OICA (International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers), we can see in blue the countries that dominate cars manufacturing. China produced more than 31 million Of vehicles in 2024, the United States more than 10.5 million and Japan more than eight million. Among the three, 54% of all vehicles built during the past year, but we put the focus on Asia. Apart from China and Japan, India with six million and South Korea with four million are two other countries of that Asian “axis that contribute to the domain of the area in exports worldwide. All have more or less stable production compared to the previous year, being Japan that stars in a 10% decrease in production, but staying between the powers. The opposite case is Thailand, which closes the Top 10 with 1.4 million vehicles produced, assuming a 20% downturn compared to the previous year.

that of drones that sow terror in countries outside the conflict

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In the War of Ukraine we had seen drones throwing drones To tear down other drones, drone swarms stopping and prisoners To recruits, even drones acting practically on your own Thanks to the AI. But what we had not seen so far is that a drone lost the course and ended up arriving as far as a country outside the contest to impact. A drone in Estonia. Yes, the war in Ukraine has crossed borders disturbing. In Estonia, about 80 kilometers from the Russian border, a farmer found the Remains of a drone of Ukrainian attack that deviated from its target and exploded in its field without causing injuries or serious damage. According to the internal security of the Baltic Country, everything indicates that the aircraft, which intended Attack Russian facilities In St. Petersburg, he was diverted by the intense Electronic War Operations and the powerful GPS blockade that Moscow uses systematically in the border region. The incident is the first known entry of a Ukrainian drone in the territory of a non -belligerent country since 2022, underlining the Fragility of borders European air before the technological pulse between both sides. A vulnerability and electronic warfare. The director of the Estonian Security Service, Margo Palloson, explained that the device rushed in the middle of the night, diverting from the corridor planned due to the russian countermeasures of Spoofing and Jamming. Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur insisted in which these incidents are not isolated: Ukrainian drones have begun to end in Lithuania and Latvia, and another fell the same day In the Russian part of Lake Peipus, a few kilometers from Estonia. Russia has turned its borders into an invisible wall of electronic interference that affects both military and civil aviation, with potentially catastrophic consequences. The Ukrainian drone was found about 80 km within the Estonian territory Climbing in the Baltic region. The same day of the incident in Estonia, Ukraine attacked With drones, the Novatek Gasist Complex in UST-Luga, the largest producer of liquefied gas in Russia, located just 30 kilometers from Estonia. The Images of the explosions and the subsequent fire showed kyiv’s growing capacity to hit Russian critical infrastructures in the interior of the country. The geographical proximity has turned Estonia and the rest of the Baltic into involuntary witnesses of An climb that raises the exposure of the region to accidents and collateral damage, As is already happening In Poland, Romania, Moldova or Bulgaria with drones fallen in fields or near populations. Drone impact on Estonia Detect low flight drones. Plus: Estonias authorities recognize that the incident reveals the urgent need to strengthen detection capabilities. Attack drones fly very low to avoid radars, which makes them almost invisible. Prime Minister Kristen Michal claimed A layer defense system capable of covering all angles, although experts warn that absolute coverage is impossible. Countries as Poland They have chosen to invest in aerostatos with descending vision radars, a system that would allow not only drones, but also cruise missiles and aircraft that fly at low level. However, maintain permanent alert with aerial media, such as Awacs aircraftis extremely expensive in personnel and resources. The echo in Poland. The fall of the Ukrainian drone coincides with a growing pattern of accidental incursions. Poland denounced A Russian military drone, with a Chinese manufacturing engine, fell into A corn field Near Osiny, southeast of Warsaw. Warsaw also recalled That Russia never recognizes this type of facts, although Moldova has suffered eight similar incidents, Romania three, Lithuania others, Latvia Dos and Bulgaria one. These episodes, added to the constant Russian bombings against Ukraine, have forced NATO fighters take off repeatedly to control the risks in the airspace of the alliance. Effects on civil aviation. The diversion of Ukrainian drone also affected Civil air traffic. A passenger plane from Sharm el Sheikh and bound for St. Petersburg had to Emergency land in Amarin for the temporary closure of the Puckovo airport after drone attack. It is not a isolated: The International Civil Aviation Organization warned that Russian GPS interferences in the Baltic are a serious threat to civil flights in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland and Sweden. European countries such as France, Netherlands or Sweden They denounced Last year before the UIT that the Russian stations of Moscow, Kaliningrad and Pavlovka interfered with European satellite systems, even affecting the television signal and supplanting emissions with war propaganda. United Kingdom confirmed That an official flight with the then Minister of Defense Grant Shapps suffered GPS alterations on the Russian enclave of Kalinningrad, on a day in which more than 500 aircraft recorded similar blockages. An increasingly dangerous career. If you want, the backdrop of this incident is the accelerated race between kyiv and Moscow for displaying long -range armament. Ukraine develops new generation drones and missiles Like flamingoa land cruise missile with a scope of 3,000 kilometers and an explosive head of more than one ton, which would make it the most destructive projectile of its arsenal. Russia, meanwhile, progresses In drones and missiles more and more sophisticated and numerous. The objective is to intensify the war of long distance attacks, which multiplies the probability of projectiles to end up impacting outside the combat zone, causing an unwanted climb and a greater risk of involvement for NATO countries. Image | Er, Google Earth In Xataka | Ukraine has just opened the tanks used by Russia. The surprise is capital: West has manufactured them In Xataka | The war in Ukraine is lasting so much that it is affecting unthinkable sectors: construction and housing

He is preparing for possible failure in other countries

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Last week he gave us one of the most relevant news of summer: the US government I was negotiating with Intel The possibility of acquiring a 10% participation in the company. Most of the decisions made by administration since Donald Trump returned to the White House On January 20, it pursues a single objective: the American semiconductor industry must be strengthened and independent. Intel is the biggest manufacturer of US chips, so allowing its fall is not an option for the government. This precept has triggered the end we could foresee: as we told you yesterday, finally USA has bought 10% of Intel To save her from burning. The US administration has entered the shareholders, but has promised to have no decision -making power. A priori seems great news for this company, but it might not be so favorable. Intel herself has recognized it a few hours ago. Your sales abroad and access to future grants are in danger Lip-bu Tan, the general director of Intel, secure in a video Published by the US Department of Commerce that the entry into the shareholders of the Government Company is positive: “I do not need the subsidy, but I trust that the US government will finally be our shareholder.” This executive made this statement before closing the agreement with the Administration, but just a few hours after formalizing this Intel treatment recognized, as they have collected Reuters and CNBCthat government entry into the company can harm your business abroad and limit access to future government subsidies. The US market is very important for Intel, but the international is much more. In 2024 76% of your income proceeded from Sales outside the USand curiously, China contributed nothing less than 29% of its total income. And it is that of the 53,100 million dollars that this company entered last year no less than 15,400 million arrived from China. These figures reflect very clearly how important the country led by Xi Jinping for Intel is. And also how sensitive it is to the geopolitical context. During the fiscal year of 2024, 29% of Intel’s billing came from China In fact, SANCTIONS TO CHINA That the US government has deployed during the last three years have prevented this veteran company from selling its most advanced chips to its Chinese clients. Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom or Qualcomm has happened to them, but Intel is at a very delicate moment. Of the economic crisis facing We have spoken in depth In other articles. And, in addition, it can be aggravated by the commercial war that the US and China is currently. Chinese chip designers and manufacturers are capable of supply your own market with Mature chips that appliance manufacturers, telecommunications or cars equipment need, among other industries. However, many users, research centers and universities in China continue to use software for X86 and X86-64 processors, so at the moment they cannot do without the CPUs designed to execute it. Intel is currently benefiting from this need. And it is that China is promoting the demand for its oldest microprocessors for personal computers and servers. The US government entry into the company’s shareholders can degrade the confidence that both China and other countries in Intel products have, which in practice would trigger that their sales abroad come out. And, as we have seen, they are a fundamental pillar for this company. This is precisely what Intel has anticipated its investors in anticipation of a possible varapalo in its international business. Image | Intel More information | Reuters | CNBC In Xataka | Intel has confirmed that the 20A node will be skipped to reduce expenses. The 18A node will enter production in 2025

The countries with more nuclear bombs in 2025, gathered in this graph with two protagonists: China and India

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In January 2007, the Watch of the Last Judgment remained at five minutes of the devastation. In January this year, I was barely 89 seconds of midnight. This clock represents, symbolically, if we are close to a nuclear devastation, and the data of 2025 was the most bleak in its 78 to those of history. Although the United States and Russia continue to dismantle nuclear arsenal, they are still the powers that more atomic bombs have. However, China is putting the batteries And another country wants to demonstrate that it has no qualms about arming: India. And this graph perfectly represents the situation of world nuclear arsenal in 2025. The photo in 2025. Prepared by Visual Capitalist From data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or Sipriin the graph we can eloquently see the state of the nuclear arsenal until January this year. The United States and Russia evidently dominated The world nuclear arsenal during the Cold War and, although they are still the two nations that have the most ojas in their possession, that arsenal has been diminishing. During the last months, it is estimated that the United States would have discharged eight eyes while Russia would have ‘retired’ another 71. France and the United Kingdom, which recently confirmed actions to combine their arsenalThey are maintained, like Pakistan, Israel and a North Korea that has a secret arsenal, but with an estimated 50 heads. As can be seen in the image, the US and Russia continue to dominate the segment incontestable, but there is a third country that, also evident, is taking leaps and accelerated to get a good arsenal. China. About a year ago, A SIPRI report He surprised everyone by showing that China was increasing its nuclear arsenal at a stupid speed. Now is in a position that allows Ask for both the US and its allies With nuclear arsenal and that Chinese expansion has been the perfect excuse for the “Rearme” that the Pentagon has asked for. Of the 500 estimated heads of China in 2024, we went to 600, which represents 20% more in a few months that allows to see in an evident way that the Asian giant has taken the renewal of its forces seriously. Nuclear weapons investment is not the only thing we have witnessed, since China boasts electromagnetic catapults of his new warships, of latest generationof New combat fighters and Even a huge poaching plane. India puts the batteries. Despite those 600 heads, it is estimated that they have less than 30 strategically deployed (those that are ready to launch). The United States and Russia have less than 2,000 deployed, France has almost all lists to launch and the United Kingdom half, more or less. The one estimated that it has zero deployed bombs is India, but the new SIPRI report shows that the country’s nuclear investment is paying off. In fact, and without knowing really how things are going in North Koreait would be the only country that has increased its arsenal, adding another eight heads in recent months. They have reached 180 and arrive just at a time of high voltage in the Indo-Pacific region, with continuous demonstrations of force As the other big in the contest does, China. New generation of bombs. The current situation is … complex. With the invasion of Russia to Ukraine the Fear of nuclear war. With the recent conflict between Israel and its neighbors, Those drums have sounded again And, meanwhile, China promotes pacts not to attack first with nuclear arsenal while the treaty expiration is approaching START III which limited the amount of strategic weapons deployed by nuclear powers. Russia se He disconnected of that treaty, directly, in 2022. We will see in a few years how graphics of this type evolve, since France confirmed In 2024 a program to produce Nuclear bombs New generation and more recently they bet on new Actions to consolidate your role as one of the pillars of nuclear deterrence in the West, something that blocks with the Objectives of Rearme launched by Europe. In Xataka | In the Cold War, China feared a Soviet nuclear attack: its response was the largest underground nuclear base on the planet

The most self -sufficient countries on the planet at the food level, gathered in a surprising graphic

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Humanity has eaten what it played For thousands of years. With globalizationhe has started eating what he wants and that, together with the population increase, It has consequences. Not being able to meet the demand of some foods, Import is a necessity. But it turns out that there is a unique country in the world, a completely self -sufficient one if we talk about food. Guyana The All-Star of Self-sufficiency. In the upper graph, prepared by Visual Capitalistwe can see the 50 most self -sufficient countries in the world at the food level. It reflects seven food groups: Fruit. Vegetables. Legumes. Starchy foods such as flours or rice. Meat. Fish. Dairy. And the only country that not only complies, but exceeds the production of what its population of each of these groups needs is Guyana. It is a small country of about 815,000 inhabitants located in northern South America that has shot your GDP These last years. Partly, thanks to discovery Of great oil reserves in 2015, but before that boom, their agricultural and mining industry were the ones that pulled the car. Closing the podium. So much that it is, as we say, the only one that produces its own food in all groups, highlighting in one that does not usually highlight: starchy foods. Closing the podium, we must look at Asia. Vietnam and China are two other countries that meet in six of the seven groups. The common strong point is the production of meat and fish (Meritory in the case of China, but At the expense of half -world folders). The weak is that of dairy products. It is common in Asia, with cases as dramatic as Indonesia, Thailand, Tonga, Laos or Philippines, which satisfy 0% of their dairy consumption with the national product. To the tail … On the other side of the balance we have Armenia, Thailand and Greece. The three countries are in the group of those that meet in the production of four categories (where the vast majority of countries are found), but with low percentages in general in almost all groups and a total dependence on dairy and vegetables in the case of Thailand, starchy and, curiously, fish in the case of Greece and legumes and fish in the case of Armenia. Europe and the fruits that come through those who come out. Taking an eye on the panorama of the member countries of the European Union (Greece is an example), we see that some falter, others stand out. And vice versa. The north, for example, does not get along with the Fruit culturesomething that does stand out in the countries of the South. The key in this case is the Single market Agricultural that allows food products to circulate freely between member countries, without regulatory tariffs or barriers. More than 70% of EU’s food products is carried out between member countries, being something that ensures balance and supply even in cases of local productive problems. In Xataka | The size of the submerged economy of all countries in the world, exposed in this developer map

The countries with the greatest natural gas reserves, gathered in this graphic developer

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Natural gas has become a bridge fuel on the road to decarbonization. Emits less dioxide that coal or oil when used to generate electricity, and in a world that is hitting the Volantazo to renewable energiesgas has established itself as a vital element. Reason? Is being used to feed the voracious data centers And, in addition, it is A geopolitical element. And there, countries with the largest natural gas reserves have a lot to say. And that mixture between natural and geopolitical resources can be seen perfectly in this graph elaborated by Visual Capitalist: The powers. Russia, Iran and Qatar are the indisputable powers when we talk about natural gas reserves. The United States stays close, but the first three, according to these data from the US Energy Information AdministrationThey represent 51% of those world reserves. And the first ten countries, which are represented in the graphic, accumulate 83% of the total natural gas. Russia is the clear clear, with twice more than Qatar and almost tripling the reserves of the United States. The closest is Iran, Another oil power. Protagonist role. And who controls gas, controls a large percentage of the world energy cake. It is estimated that, currently, natural gas represents 23% of the global energy mix. This depends on the country, of course, but one of the largest whales is the United States and there represents 40% of the electricity generation. The reasons are the amount of and efficiency, being your Great advantage which is the most ‘dispatchable’ energy source. It can be activated and deactivated easily and, in a matter of minutes, operates with a capacity greater than 80% to satisfy demand peaks. In addition, what we have already commented: its emissions Co₂ are approximately 50% lower than coal and 30% lower than oil. Trend. The graph represents the status of reservations in 2023, but with more recent data, we see that it is still an essential fuel: Natural gas meant 33% of the increase in world energy supply. The demand for natural gas in 2024 increased 2.5%. Electric generation from natural gas also grew by 2.5%. Natural gas production increased 1.2%. And world trade by gas pipeline and LNG increased by 3.3%, being the first time it grows from 2021. Geopolitics. And that only a few countries have such an essential fuel for the rest, it implies that it is a source of economic, diplomatic power and, in times of crisis, also a weapon. In Europe we have witnessed this from two different fronts. Before 2022, near the 40% of European natural gas was Russian. The invasion of Ukraine caused a series of cuts in the supply and Russia He used it as a weapon in the contest‘drying’ the countries of the European Union that supported Ukraine. This has led the EU to rethink your energy safetydiversifying energy sources and investing in infrastructure such as those of the Green Hydrogen Corridor. And, in this situation, the US has gained weight becoming the largest gas exporter to Europe, using this resource in the Tariff trade war. Artificial intelligence. Beyond politics, this ability to satisfy demand peaks is something that is erecting natural gas as the most important fuel today. Data centers require something called “operational reliability”, or what is the same: they cannot stop working and They cannot depend on renewable energieswhich may have intermittent periods of activity, be their only energy source. In addition, at certain times of computational demand peaks, They need a huge amount of immediate energyand that is where natural gas can meet that demand. The energy need for these is such Data macrocentros that there are companies that are choosing to take over nuclear energy plants to meet your needs. Gas for a while. The natural gas is a complex scenario because, although we want to get rid of it in favor of renewable energies, factors such as its energy advantage and strategic pacts favor that it is rope for a while. The projections indicate That the energy demand of data centers only in the United States will grow from 180-290 twh from 2024 to 515-720 TWH in 2030. In the rest of the world, It will pass of the 415 TWH to 945 TWH in 2030. Globally, other analysis They point to an increase in that 50% demand by 2027 and up to 165% by 2030. Beyond the needs of the data centers, it is wait An increase of 32% in the world demand for natural gas by 2050, being Africa and Asia the main driving regions of this growing demand due to electrification and industrialization needs. These estimates can go to the fret if a Unexpected increase in renewables Thanks to new technologies or more efficient solutionss, or if the panorama of the data centers changes, but what is evident is that the Camino to decarbonization You will have to live with natural gas. In Xataka | If Europe is beating solar energy records this summer, why has the price of light shot?

thousands of layoffs and goodbye to factories in three countries

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It is no secret that Intel is going through a complicated stage. The historic processor firm It has been dealing with a crisis for years that can no longer hide, and whose consequences begin to become visible. Since last March 18, the new CEO, Lip-bu Tan, has taken the helm After the departure of Pat Gelsinger. And he has done it with decisions that mark a turning point. The layoffs are only part of the plan: what comes behind points to a deeper transformation. A silent cut (and wide) Intel has not announced dismissals as such. But just read between the lines. In its financial report of the second quarter of 2025the company makes it clear that its goal is to end the year with a template of some 75,000 employees. That is a significant reduction with respect to the 99,500 workers with whom it closed 2024, According to Reuters data. In that interval there were already discreet cuts – Intel himself speaks of “template actions” already completed -, so the exact number of layoffs cannot be specified. But the magnitude of the cut speaks for itself. The plan is part of a broader strategy to reduce operating expenses, gain agility and improve efficiency. In fact, the company has recognized 1.9 billion dollars in restructuring positions only in the second quarter, and those measures are already directly affecting its global operations network. Intel adjustment is not limited to reducing template. He has also begun to cut his presence in countries where he had key projects in progress. In Germany and Polandthe company has decided not to move forward with the expansion plans announced in recent years. They were strategic movements with which he sought to strengthen his manufacturing capacity in Europe, but now they are left out of the new map. In Costa Rica, the withdrawal goes one step further. Intel will consolidate its assembly and test operations, moving part of the activity to larger centers that it already has in Vietnam and Malaysia. The message between the lines is clear: less dispersion, more cost control. The company has also announced that it will slow the works in Ohio, one of its star projects in the United States to adapt the expense rhythm to the real market demand. It remains to be seen if that turn will be enough to recover land in front of rivals such as AMD, NVIDIA or TSMC, who have not stopped gaining muscle while Intel retreated. For now, the steps that are taking a transformation process that will be long, uncomfortable and With global implications. Because when a company like Intel shrinks, it is not only about numbers: it is an impact. Images | Intel | Thufeil m In Xataka | Intel’s fall symbolizes the end of an era: the model that dominated technology for 50 years has died

The countries with the greatest oil reserves, exposed in this graphic with a sad protagonist: Venezuela

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Humanity is still tied to oil. Although the rise of renewable energies He pointed to one revolutionrecently we have seen that, when things get ugly and We need energy peaksone has to Pull fossil fuels again. The oil companies themselves who got into the renewable car They unchecked a few months agoand that is why it is interesting to know What countries have that oil. And it is something that is illustrated perfectly in this graph. The rich. Prepared by Visual Capitalist With data from the EIAin it the production is not shown, but the reserves. They are two very different things and will make sense immediately. Before that, Venezuela’s reserves are imposing, with 303,000 million certified barrels. Secondly, Saudi Arabia with 267,000 million and, in third place, an Iran in which oil has been the protagonist in recent weeks due to the confrontation with Israel. A lot of distance from Venezuela we have Canada, Iraq, Eau, Kuwait, Russia, the United States or Libya. And, of these last names, the two American countries are those that are separated in the graph because they are not part of the OPEC. OPEC+ and the monopoly. In 1960, five heavy pesos on that list (Venezuela, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi IRK and Rabia formed the organization of oil export countries, OPEC. Its objective was to coordinate and unify oil policies to maintain stable prices, ensure supply and, above all, protect your interests. Over time other countries were added, forming the well -known OPEC+ (which has its own internal cohesion problems. Together, member countries concentrate about 80% of global oil reserves, but although Venezuela has imposing reserves, its production does not go to par due to political blockages and limitations. At its peak, they produced three million barrels per day. Today they are the twenty -first producing country with 770,000 barrels per day, behind countries with much lower reserves. One of the wells that China is operating China wants to sign up for the list. At the top, the United States, Saudi Russia and Arabia lead the ranking with 8-12 million barrels per day, but although it does not appear in the graph, there is a country that we should take into account: China. Currently, the Asian giant is the Greater World Oil Importerbut in recent years it has increased significantly Its internal production. Thanks to pharaonic works that include some of the deepest wells carried out by humanityin March of this year they got a record of 4.6 million barrels per day. It was the highest point in the history of the country and, although inequality was very high between production and import, apart from continuing excavating they have been made with record reserves in recent years. It is calculated that They tell With more than 1,180 million stored barrels that would shield them, for a while, of any cutting in the supply. The United States, for example, also has a reserve to respond to crises and the sources vary, but the updated figures point to about 400 million barrels. Pure and hard strategy. Beyond the obvious importance of oil on the economy of a producing country, we have the Strategic Facet. As oil continues moving the worldhaving large reservations allows countries to exercise their influence on international politics. As? Coordinating production to influence prices and economyFor example. And we have also seen how oil has been a protagonist agent in armed conflicts. The invasion of Iraq, for example, or the war between Iran and Israel that, without affecting the flow of crude oil, already caused that The market will panic. Images | Visual Capitalist, CNPC In Xataka | The oil market faces a triple coup and IEA is clear why: Iran, Opep+ and electric vehicles

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