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The US has decided to leave paper straws because everyone hates them. The problem is the alternative: plastic

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Between him merchandising Maga with whom he dressed his bankrupt 2020 attempt For returning to the White House, Donald Trump included a much less resulting piece than his famous red caps, but endowed with the same political burden: plastic straws. The cannulas carried their last name in capital letters, were sold in packages of $ 15 and were, in the words of the Republican leader, the alternative to the “Liberal straws” of paper. They did not serve to win those elections, but to raise thousands of dollars. Now, back at the White House, He has decided that the whole government also begins to use plastic cannulas instead of biodegradables. And as happened in 2020, with it he launches a message that goes beyond the straws. What happened? Donald Trump doesn’t want more straws. Rather, he doesn’t want more paper straws. That’s why He has just signed An executive order with which he reverses the efforts of the administration of his predecessor, Joe Biden, who advanced right in the opposite direction. The Democrat aspired that federal institutions be disregarding plastic cannulas throughout The next few yearsfirst taking them out of their activities in 2027 and then suppressing them until they reduce them to zero in 2035. Why’s that? Simple. Because Trump doesn’t like them. He made it clear already during his failed electoral campaign of 2020 and has stressed again these days, in a resounding way and without half inks, faithful to his style. “These things do not work, I have had them many times, and sometimes they break, they explode. If something is hot, they do not last long, a matter of minutes, sometimes second. It is something ridiculous,” He settled. The republican argument does not end there. Trump has insisted that the attached straws that have been promoting as the ecological alternative to the traditional plastic are dissolved for years “disgustingly” in the mouth and even questions that its use is positive. For both consumers and the environment. Its decree in fact that they incorporate chemicals that “can entail risks to human health”, their production is more expensive than the conventional alternative and also generate waste. “Paper strases are sometimes involved individually in plastic, which undermines the environmental argument in favor of its use,” emphasize. Goodbye to biodegradable straws? Not quite. Trump’s decision is relevant and there are those who have seen in it A declaration of intentionssomething that goes far beyond the simple cannulas. The Executive Order declares that “US’s policy is to put an end to the use of paper straws”, but at the moment its scope is limited: it focuses on the federal administration, putting an end to The Biden era policy that sought that the federal government gradually eliminate the purchase of plastics from a single use. The regulatory framework around the straws is really something more complex. There are cities and states, including California, Oregon, New Jersey or Seattle, in Washington’s own territory, endowed with regulations that limit the use of plastic cannulas or prioritize biodegradable options. Trump’s goal is clear, in any case. Before journalists, he shared transparently what his bet is: “We will return to plastic straws.” Do paper straws work? Trump ensures that its use leads to “ridiculous” situations and even that they are “disgusting” in certain cases. Those are personal, subjective appreciations. What can be affirmed objectively is that science has demonstrated that biodegradable cannulas are far from being perfect and – beyond that they may or may not be softened while using some problems related to their materials. In 2023 a group of researchers published A study in which they exposed their conclusions after analyzing 39 brands of straws of different materials, from plastic or paper to glass, steel and bamboo. And his conclusion was that the biodegradable cardboard were the ones that contained the highest volume of PFAS. That is a problem because these synthetic substances are harmful to humans and the environment. Of a total of 20 paper cannulas brands, 18 showed PFAS. Why is it a problem? It He expressed clearly Two years ago at SMC Marieta Fernández, a professor at the University of Granada, precisely following that study. “The majority of paper analyzed (90%) contained pfas. They were also detected in 80% of bamboo, 75% of plastic and 40% of glass. The steel analyzed, “summarized the academic. Fernández recalls that PFAS are commonly used for non -stick purposes and to improve the resistance of water, heat or spots, so “it is not surprising” to find them in the cannulas. The problem, abundantis that their presence in paper and bamboo straws would question that they are really “biodegradable.” And what is so or even more serious: it question that they are really “suitable for human consumption” products. Better plastic? Paper strases may not be perfect, but those of plastic are also very far from being, no matter how much Trump likes them, confessed lover of sugary and gas sodas. As Remember Fernándezthe study of 2023 also detected PFAS in the plastic units. And while its percentage was lower than in cardboard versions, the result remained elevated: chemicals were detected in 75% of the samples. His big problem is nevertheless another: the impact they have on the environment. The data does not always coincide, but they usually show a worrying scenario. There are estimates that speak that in the US they are used a day 175 million of disposable straws, Straws Turtle Island Restoraction Newtory raises the data to More than 390 million And another calculation –so cited as disputed– points out that in the country each day more than 500 million of cannulas. And what does that mean? Let any of those figures or Another estimatethe truth is that we talk about a quantity of huge straws: hundreds of thousands daily, in the best case, which take only a few minutes to become garbage. The big question is … What to do with them when they are discarded? Do they all end up in the … Read more

Russia, China and North Korea have hypersonic weapons. The US has decided to defend itself with its own iron dome

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In the Reagan era, the United States proposed one of those defense plans that would give for an uncertain genre. The project was from such a draft that The media called him “Star Wars Initiative” for its similarities to what seemed like a shield in the full -fledged space. Now that Trump has come to power, the country somehow revives that rimbombante idea, although perhaps more earthly. A copy of Israel. What is known at this time is that Donald Trump has signed an executive order to develop an antimile defense system Similar to Iron Dome (iron dome) from Israelarguing that Ballistic threats represent the greatest danger For the National Security of the United States. In his own way, of course. So, just like With the “new” Gulf of Americathe project would be done Under the name of “Iron Dome for America”an order that instructs the Pentagon to present in 60 days a detailed plan that includes the accelerated development of hypersonic missiles and the deployment of space interceptors. The problem? Many experts question the viability of the proposal pointing out that The geography and size of the nation make a system like the Israelidesigned for a significantly smaller territory and short -range threats. Dusting Star Wars. In addition, and as we said at the beginning, Trump’s plan also seems to resume Ronald Reagan’s vision with his strategic defense initiative, The known as “Star Wars”which failed after having cost billions of dollars without concrete results. Its objective was to intercept enemy missiles before they achieved their goal, eliminating the need for nuclear retaliation. However, the program was canceled in the 90s due to its technical unfeasibility and its high costs. Despite this, some of their ideas have endured in the current defense systems, Like the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD)although its success rate remains limited. In this regard, critics like Sidharth Kaoushal warned in the New York Times That an antimile shield at national scale could be economically unsustainable, while Marion Messmer underlines The technical difficulties of intercepting missiles released from multiple directions and platformsincluding submarines. Again, the United States is not Israel. Space and new technologies in the equation. Trump’s plan emphasizes the use of spatial interceptors and sensors, Defense systems before launch (Left-Of-Launch) and energy weapons directed as lasers. There are already names on the table with Companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and RTX, which have shown interest in the project highlighting recent advances in lasers defense for cruise missiles. Threats and strategic challenges. Although the order does not specify which countries are considered threats, It is assumed by all that we talk about old acquaintances. Namely: Russia, China, Iran and, possibly, North Korea (it remains to be seen with Trump in power), all nations that They have developed increasingly sophisticated arsenalsincluding hypersonic missiles capable of evading current defenses. In Washington, the idea of ​​strengthening antimisile defense has some support, and experts like Robert Soofer argue that the current approach is insufficient Given the growing offensive capacity of these countries. In any case, the objective is clear: hypersonic weapons, with irregular trajectories and extreme speeds, They represent a significant challenge for traditional defensive systems. In addition, the Great Nuclear Arsenal of Russia, with around 1,700 eyes deployed (And the growing of China), they could overcome any anti -mile shield. Guam as an initial test. While the United States antimisile defense remains in a planning phase, The territory of Guam, a strategic enclave In the Pacific, he has advanced in the implementation of a multicapa defense system. We have counted it before. The island, which houses key military bases, It is less than 3,000 km from China and North Koreacountries that have been indicated as a objective in military exercises and threats. As we explained in December, the US army successfully performed the first interception of a ballistic missile from the islandusing the Aegis Guam Systema land -based system that has proven effective in ships of the Navy. Besides, THE THAAD SYSTEM (HIGH ALTIVITY TERMINE AREA DEFENSE) and the Patriot batteries They will be integrated to form a defensive shield of 360 degrees, capable of facing ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles. This system, although advanced, will take at least a decade to complete, reflecting the difficulty of building a similar shield at the national level. The great uncertainty. No doubt, at this time, lack of details in the executive order, the possibility that the Trump administration opts for a gradual deployment is left open, increasing investment in existing programs instead of developing a completely new system. In any case, the debate on the feasibility and costs of such a project are on the table, with warning that a plan of this magnitude could be economically unfeasible without offering an effective solution to the growing threat of long -range missiles. That without counting on The size of the United States to display an iron dome to use. Image | Israel Ministry In Xataka | Israel has an effective defense weapon in the iron dome. Except if all your enemies attack at the same time In Xataka | The United States fears that China’s long -range missiles will reach Guam. So he just launched one himself

After doing the Nazi greeting, Elon Musk has decided to get close to alternative for Germany

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With the Nazi greeting That Elon Musk dedicated to the Republican voters during the investiture of Donald Trump, the billionaire has returned (better than present) to the candlestick in an alternative rally for Germany at the gates of the German elections. The millionaire intervened through video call In one of the main acts of the electoral campaign of the alternative ultra -right party for Germany (AFD), in which the millionaire said Germany was doing “too much emphasis on past guilt. Germany’s children should not be guilty of the sins of his parents, much less of his grandparents. “ After the American campaign, it plays Europe. The increase in Elon Musk’s fortune After Donald Trump’s victory and its subsequent decreesthey are testimony that Musk’s political and economic interests They walk hand in hand. Once its position is consolidated near power in the United States, the millionaire seeks to increase its influence in Europe, where Musk also has important economic interests to defend. After having The pre -campaign heated Electoral attacking against the political leaders of Europe, the United Kingdom and, of course, Germany, Elon Musk has sneaked into the screen of the German elections with a live intervention in a rally of the German ultra -right. Musk message to the Germans. In his live speech at the AFD act, the Millionaire harangued the attendees with proclamations on “the greatness of the German nation” and his “thousands of years” empire, who raised controversy for the content and tone of their speech , criticizing “a multiculturalism that dilutes everything”, as the German Spiegel said. Musk pointed to the followers of the AFD present that they should “be proud to be Germans”, and then ensure that “it points too much to the fault of the past, that is something that must be left behind”, in clear allusion to responsibility of Nazi Germany in the Holocaust. The Millionaire also did not hesitate the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of “Ignorant Zoquete” and “Pellee”. Auschwitz’s 80th anniversary reactions. The words pronounced by Elon Musk before the voters of the German ultra -right and, especially their tone, have raised blisters in Poland, where the 80th anniversary of the release of the Auschwitz concentration camp is celebrated by the Soviet troops. The reactions of the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk did not wait and, from Your X profilehe responded to the words of the tycoon. “The words we hear from the protagonists of the AFD’s demonstration about” Great Germany “and the” need to forget German guilt for Nazis crimes “sounded too familiar and sidesested. Above all, a few hours after the anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, “wrote the Polish prime minister. His German counterpart He replied“I can’t agree more, dear Donald.” AFD’s proposal. The electoral proposal of the ultra -right party is practically a tracing of what Trump proposed in his program, betting on greater antieuropeistic nationalism, deregularization of the labor market, tax decrease for companies and deregularization of the energy market, as well as an related immigration policy to which Donald Trump is already applying. It is not the first time that Elon Musk’s interventions in German politics lift Polvareda. A few weeks ago, the owner of X granted an interview Alice Weidel, party leader, in which the German representative said with conviction that Adolf Hitler was a communist and the third Reich, socialist. Weidel put himself in charge of German training after the resignation of his European candidate Maximiliam Krah, after statements in which he banalized the holocaust. Krah said that “I will never say that everyone who had a uniform of the SS was automatically a criminal.” These statements led to other European ultra -right parties, such as national regrouping of Marine Le Pen or Italian League of Mateo Salvini, They broke their relationships With AFD. Elon Musk’s interests. Elon Musk’s interests in which AFD wins the elections in Germany have a name: Tesla. The gigafactoría that the car manufacturer has close to Berlin faced many doubts about its environmental impact before achieving the necessary permits to initiate their construction works. On the other hand, it is paradoxical that Musk supports the candidacy of the only party that openly opposed the construction of the Tesla factory in Germany, according to They collect local media. In addition, the strict Labor laws in Germany and its environmental restrictions Nor are they contributing to the interests of expansion of the German plant. Elon Musk would not be denied that, with the arrival of the AFD ultra -right party to power in Germany, Tesla Viera as reduced by his tax bill in Germany, such as the one that has provided the arrival of Donald Trump Trump To the great American technology. In Xataka | The next border of the super farms is no longer to be Milmillonarios, is to be Billionaires: Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos are candidates Image | AFD

Nepal has decided to get serious about the touristification of the Himalayas

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Everest is an extreme place, dangerousdifficult to access, roof of the world and one of its most unknown points. But of course It is not an inhospitable place.. Its magnetism is so powerful that every year hundreds and hundreds of mountaineers, plus their Sherpas, put their backpacks on their backs to climb its 8,849 meters. It is estimated that in 2018, before the pandemic, they reached the summit more than 800 climbers. And the forecasts for this year’s spring season are generous, with about 700 summits from Nepal and Tibet. With these data, the Nepalese authorities have made a decision: increase the rates They charge almost 40%. A demanding goal… and expensive. Summiting Everest is not easy. Not cheap either. Especially from September onwards, when Nepal expects skyrocket rates which charges climbers in exchange for the permits necessary to climb the highest mountain on the planet. Prices had not been touched for almost a decade, so in Kathmandu they have decided to go all out, increasing their rates about 36%. In hard cash that translates into thousands of extra dollars for those hoping to summit Everest. How much will they cost now? Starting in September, those who want a Nepalese permit to climb the mountain will have to pay $15,0004,000 more than now. This is during the most popular climbing season, April to May, and on the standard route of the southeast ridge, the South Col. From September to November and from December to February, less crowded months, rates will also increase by 36% to reach, respectively, 7,500 and 3,750 dollars. An expected rise. The update of rates (the first “in a long time”, defend from the Nepal Tourism Department), will make the climb to Everest even more expensive; but it will probably have caught few climbers by surprise. “We expected this increase in rates,” recognizes Guardian Lukas Furtenbach, from the Austrian expedition company Furtenbach Adventures. In his opinion, this is an “understandable” decision by the Nepalese Government and he trusts that the extra dollars that enter its coffers starting in September will be used on the mountain itself, protecting its ecosystem and reinforcing security. Key to the region. If we talk about mountains, Nepal is not just any country: it is home to eight of the 14 famous ‘peaks 8,000’ on the planet, making it a coveted destination for mountaineers. And that in turn generates an interesting source of income for its population. The BBC estimates that mountaineering and hiking more than 4% of the country’s economy and throughout recent years there have been several experts who have tried to quantify exactly how much mountain tourism contributes to the region. “Mountain tourism is an important source of income for the inhabitants of the Himalayas, since agriculture is limited in these places due to harsh climatic conditions and poor crops,” points out Sayas D. Joshi at Nepal Economic Forum. According to the data it managed in 2022, the activity leaves the villagers between 150 and 250 million Nepalese rupees each year in salaries and services, in addition to the activity it generates for agencies and operators. A valuable source of income. “According to data from the Nepal Mountaineering Association, seasonal employment in all categories of supporting labor ranges between 40,000 and 50,000 people. Climbing is a crucial business that brings much-needed income to the rural economy,” duck. “The 2021 spring season saw the highest number of Everest expedition teams since COVID-19, with more than 400 climbing permits issued. Mountaineering licenses have generated about 470 million Nepalese rupees in revenue for the Government”. For reference, that sum is equivalent to $3.4 million. The other bill. The influx of mountaineers aiming for the summit does not only translate into rupees, employment and fees. For Everest it means something equally or even more palpable: garbage and excrement, tons of waste which have even led the authorities to demand that mountaineers collect their own feces in biodegradable bags. The saturation of the mountain, with groups in which hundreds of people gather, also generates debate for years. Hundreds of permits. Reuters points out that each year some 300 permits to climb Everest, but the truth is that the total influx of mountaineers comfortably exceeds that figure. In 2019 it is estimated that they reached the summit 807 mountaineers and there are estimates that suggest that this spring season could be close to a similar number of summits, including those on both the Tibet and Nepal sides. Proof that the limits and sustainability of the mountain generate debate in Nepal is that not even a year ago, in April 2024, its Supreme Court demanded that the Government set limits on the issuance of permits to ascend Everest. The BBC remembers However, the order did not detail a maximum number. When money doesn’t matter. Nepalese fees are only a part (and not a very high one) of what it costs a mountaineer to climb Everest if all his expenses are taken into account. There are estimates that speak of $45,000others place the normal fork between 40,000 and 60,000they bring it closer to 70,000or even extend the total to the 200,000dollars. The truth is that money is not a problem for everyone. Financial Times spoke recently of a special seven-day package to ascend Everest. Its cost: 150,000. Why so few days and such a large sum? Partly due to a special pre-acclimatization treatment. Images | Mário Simoes (Flickr) and Munu Nepal (Flickr) In Xataka | Everest is growing faster than we thought because one river stole water from another 90,000 years ago

More and more cities are saying goodbye to horse-drawn carriages for tourists. Málaga has decided that this will be its last year

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Malaga no longer wants horse carriages. That its City Council does not feel comfortable with the tourist buggies that still roll through the city is something known and that its mayor, Francisco de la Torre, recognized no holds barred in summer. What the coachmen who continue to exploit the 25 current carriage licenses probably did not imagine is the extent to which the Consistory is in a hurry to say goodbye to them. A few days ago De la Torre announced that his goal is to eliminate all cars this same yearwhich would bring forward the end of the concessions by a decade. Surprise to start 2025. 2025 has started with a surprise in the capital of the Costa del Sol. A few days ago, during the Debate on the State of the Cityits mayor announced that he wants this to be the last year in which horse-drawn tourist buggies roll through the municipality. And it was not limited to expressing a wish or a simple declaration of intentions. De la Torre revealed that the City Council is already negotiating with the coachmen who remain in the city. What exactly did he say? His speech It can be consulted in full on the Consistory’s website. And it’s pretty clear. “We have set ourselves the goal of completing the amortization of the licenses for the horse-drawn passenger transport service this year,” he says. the document. “There are 25 left and we are in talks with the owners to compensate them, since their concessions have almost 11 years of life left.” Animal welfare and image. The councilor goes further and give the reasons why the City Council wants to dispense with a service that, in reality, has been losing weight in the city over time. “We take this step thinking about the well-being of animals and the image that the city offers to the world. In 2025 there are much more efficient and respectful ways to move.” In case there were any doubts, De la Torre remembered that Málaga is already working on an electric bike loan service to reach 1,000 and more than 100 stations. “The sooner the better”. The important thing in the councilor’s announcement is not so much the substance as the tempo. That horse-drawn carriages have their days numbered in Malaga is actually nothing new. In 2018 elDiario.es published a report about the precariousness of stables, animals and workers, in 2023 Ciudadanos (C’s) presented a motion to eliminate the service and just five months ago, during an interview With the Efe agency, De la Torre himself admitted that the idea was to put an end to the carriages “the sooner the better.” The key: when. Although that was the slogan (eliminate the service as soon as possible), the reality is that the coachmen who continue to work in Malaga do so thanks to licenses that still have years of validity left. In 2015 An ordinance was approved that contemplated that the permits would remain in force for two decades, meaning that they would not expire until 2035. However, De la Torre assured in August that he had encountered “a certain receptivity” among the drivers to reach a consensus. The question remained as to how on track the talks were and, above all, when the buggies could be removed from the streets of Malaga. The surprise came when a few days ago the councilor revealed that the City Council intends for the service to be abolished now this yeara decade before licenses expire. And under what conditions? That is the great unknown. in summer the mayor I remembered that the 2015 regulation was accompanied by a plan to rescue concessions. And it doesn’t seem to have gone badly for him. If in their day they operated in Malaga 60 licenses and a decade ago there were 55 in force, today their number has been reduced considerably to remain at 25. The average price of the rescues has been around 35,000 euros, according to the data managed by Efe. Going into detail. Media like ABC, SOUTH DIARY and Digital Freedom They say that a payment of 120,000 euros per license would be on the table. ABC even precise that the sum would be paid in two payments of 60,000. The professionals who exploit these 25 licenses and have responded to the press recognize However, there is something that worries them as much or more than compensation: their future work. “I’ve been here since I was born, since 1998. I’m already 45 years old. Where are they going to want me?” he wonders one of those affected by the suppression of the service who also works with a license of which he is not the direct holder, as frequently happens in taxis. “I leave with one hand in front and one behind.” The mayor already has shown willingness to offer coachmen a training plan to find employment. Crossover of arguments. The debate about the continuity (or not) of horse carriages is more complex. In fact, there are a good handful of arguments both for and against. Their supporters allege that there are dozens of families who live off the service, the horses are “well cared for” and they wonder what will happen to them once the service is discontinued. “What’s going to happen to them? They’re going to the slaughterhouse.” Among the detractors, it is questioned the conditions in which the horses work or the image that the city conveys by maintaining the service and they argue, as De la Torre mentioned in his speech, that there are alternatives “more respectful” so that visitors get to know the urban area. To all this would be added a strictly practical matter: the high cost of cleaning and maintaining the streets, whose pavement ends up deteriorating due to horseshoes. Losing ground. Whether you share one position or another, the truth is that horse-drawn carriages have been losing space in the capital of the Costa del Sol. SOUTH DIARY remember that a few … Read more

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