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This is South Korea’s bet to enter the Western market

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There are military contracts that are won based on specifications. And there are others that play in the field of story. South Korea is betting on the latter in its offensive to place attack submarines in Canada: it not only talks about platforms, capabilities or industry, but about how to live within them. In the center of the speech appears a phrase that seeks to stay in the head of the reader and, above all, of the political decision-maker: building submarines as “five-star hotels.” Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, said this: in a message posted on Facebookintroducing Seoul’s diplomatic and industrial campaign. Industrial size offer. The proposal that South Korea is moving in Canada points to a program of around 12 diesel attack submarines whose investment is estimated at 10 billion euros. It is not only a military issue, it is also a candidacy with a strong industrial component, with a front that brings together the Government and large private actors. Names such as Hanwha, HD Hyundai and Hyundai Motor Group appear in that package, which are vying for a contract and, at the same time, a letter of introduction to Western buyers. Strategic agreement. South Korea’s interest in this contract is not explained only by the size of the project. In The Korea PostKang frames the objective as a big entry into the Western market and as a step to move towards the NATO environment, always in its formulation. That same ambition is presented as an attempt to consolidate defense partnerships with Western countries. It should be noted that South Korean and Canadian companies have already signed six cooperation agreements ranging from steel to artificial intelligence, rare earths, satellites and sensors. The recipient of that speech is not coincidental.. Canada has been suffering the wear and tear of an aging submarine fleet for years, and its replacement program is based on a specific fact: replacing some vessels that, as IE points out, were acquired in the 1990s. Therefore, what is at stake is not a simple replacement of material, but a decision that will condition the Royal Canadian Navy for decades, with enormous industrial, operational and budgetary implications. In this context, any candidate who wants to compete cannot limit himself to offering a platform, he also has to present a framework of reliability and long-term continuity. Germany also wants that contract. South Korea does not compete alone. In the race for the Canadian program the German Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) appearswhich is one of the world’s leading providers of integrated solutions in maritime defense technology. The bidding, therefore, is not reduced to choosing a submarine model, but to deciding which industrial partner best fits a long-term program. In this context, each candidate tries to gain ground not only with benefits, but also with the type of relationship it promises to build with the purchasing country and the ecosystem it trails behind. The battle for the Canadian program leaves a clear idea. The Western defense market is in full competition, and South Korea wants to play on the front line. Your proposal has been presented as more than just a product. On the other side appears a European rival with experience and a name of its own. For now, the only certainty is that there is an intense political and industrial effort to position itself. What is missing, precisely, is what decides these processes: the fine print, the guarantees and Ottawa’s final decision. Images | Royal Canadian Navy | Kang Hoon-sik In Xataka | Germany was a sleeping military giant: now it has been awakened and it is already surpassing the US in bullets produced per year

Until now, Mexican children under 14 years of age did not have to pass an interview to enter the United States. That’s over

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Mexico is preparing for an image that is difficult to see in recent years. With the changes in immigration policy and of access to the United States As a backdrop, the Trump administration has decided that both Mexicans under 14 and those over 79 will no longer be exempt to pass an interview with a consular officer to obtain their “non-immigrant” visas. In practice, this will affect children and the elderly who want to travel to the neighboring country to spend their holidays, for studies, business or for medical reasons. What has happened? That the US State Department has changed slightly the guidelines that Mexicans who want to apply for a nonimmigrant visawhich is used for tourism or business trips. And it has done so in an aspect that has generated some expectation in the country. From now on (from a few months ago actually) and as a general rule, Mexicans under 14 years of age and those over 79 must undergo a consular interview in person to obtain the document, just like the rest of the population. So far both (children and elderly) They used to be exempt. What does the US say exactly? The guideline collected in the official website of the US Embassy and Consulates in Mexico is quite clear: “All applicants for non-immigrant visas to the US, including those under 14 years of age and those over 79, will generally be required to appear for an in-person interview with a consular officer.” There are some exceptions, although for specific cases and as long as those involved meet “certain requirements”, such as presenting the petition in their country and not having been rejected before. For example, applicants for diplomatic visas or those who want to renew their B-1, B-2, B1/B2 permits or Border Crossing Card or Folio are exempt from the obligation. Of course, your passes cannot be expired for more than 12 months. This is also new, as remember The Country. Before they could take advantage of Dropbox process (visa interview waiver program) for 48 months following the expiration date of the document. Screenshot of the official website of the US Embassy and Consulates in Mexico. Why is it important? For several reasons. The first, as has been responsible for highlighting part of the Mexican press, is that in practice the change will mean that children and octogenarians will have to meet in person with a consular officer if they want to obtain their visa. In the case of minors under 14 years of age, it is no longer useful for their parents to come alone with all the documentation. The second reason is that the concept of “nonimmigrant visas” is broad. The list published by the US Department of State shows that its vast range includes those people who want to cross the Mexican border for business, tourism, to receive medical treatment, as athletes, to study or work as seasonal agricultural workers, among other cases. What do you recommend doing? The range is so wide that there are those who advises plan the procedures well in advance, especially at the busiest consulates, and starting from the base that the applicant will most likely have to pass the interview. The US administration itself remember That, if necessary, the consulate can request this procedure even from those who are exempt. Is it something exceptional? No. The US has tightened the access conditions for citizens of other countries (not just Mexico) and has become stricter with the requirements required of applicants for family-based immigrant visas. At the end of 2025 even transcended a proposal from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that proposes that foreign travelers who want to cross the border in the United States must reveal up to five years of their network history. In the case of consular interviews for Mexican visa applicants, the change in criteria has come up against another handicap: a confusion in the dates. As remember The ImpartialIn July 2025, a guide was published that advanced the changes and stated that these would come into force as of September 2. According to a later update, the change was activated later: in October. Images | Global Residence Index (Unsplash) and Francesca Albert (Unsplash) In Xataka | More and more Americans want to live outside the US but they have a problem: Europe is closing its doors

The director of the DGT says that in the future cars will not enter cities. It’s more of a wish than a reality

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Today is January 14, 2026 but, really, it doesn’t matter when you read this: Pere Navarro, director of the DGT, is once again in the news for some controversial statements. We could have titled this article that way, in fact, because the truth is that every time the Director of Traffic speaks at an event broadcast by the media there is something to scratch. This time it was at an event organized by Europa Press where Navarro showed off this particular superpower. There, he has assured the following: “We are all day with emissions, yes emissions, no such and such. Don’t look, you don’t go to the city center with electric, diesel or gasoline. Let’s not make a mistake. You go with public transportation and if you’re in a hurry, taxi, Uber or Cabify” They are literal words. There is no possible misinterpretation or audio cuts to take the message out of context. You can check it yourself in the tweet that accompanies this article. Click on the image to go to the original tweet The words clearly point to an ambition: to get the car out of the city center. It doesn’t matter if it’s gasoline, diesel or electric. There is a goal and that goal is vehicle sharing and public transportation. We could put our hands on our heads. We could say that they want to prohibit us from moving where the elites want. Of course, there will be those who relate this to 15 minute cities. However, we have been hearing similar messages for so long and the measures to be taken have been so lukewarm that, without fear of being wrong, I say: calm down. Once again, the same old thing This is not the first time, far from it, that we have heard this type of message from the director of the DGT. For two years, news and articles have been recurring that point to supposed prohibitions on using our cars if they are only occupied by one person. One of the most repeated formulas is found in these words from Navarro himself at an event called Global Mobility Call held in Madrid in 2024: “The future of traffic will be shared or it will not be (…) we must make a collective change in mentality that allows us to encourage high vehicle occupancy, because we cannot afford to move 1,500 kg every day to move a single person. Increasing vehicle occupancy is a challenge and a necessity” Navarro too has come to be described as “luxury” moving a single person in a vehicle. And in November he insisted again in that it doesn’t matter if the car is electric or not because the future of cities depends on public transport. However, the DGT has not taken any action that points in this direction nor is there anything on the table to debate it. The closest thing is the creation of a Bus-HOV lane at the entrance to Madrid where cars with two or more people traveling inside are rewarded. And that in 2019 it was also advocated from the DGT magazine for a city “with more pedestrians and fewer cars.” The statements have also been used to fill the network with articles pointing out that we will not be able to enter the center of our cities by car, linking them with the creation of low-emission zones. But the truth is that these low-emission zones have a very limited scope. In some of them, such as Madrid or Barcelonavehicles without a label are prevented from entering, but either there are exceptions or they allow all cars with a label to enter the very center of the city. It is true that sometimes you are forced to park in a parking lot but the passage, if our car has at least label Bit is open. Despite many statements by the DGT, the truth is that the efforts to reduce or not reduce traffic in cities go through the municipal corporations of each place. A context that has led to turning the issue of urban mobility into a political weapon. To the point of defending that traffic jams can be “a hallmark” of a city. The comparison between Madrid and Barcelona are two good examples. In the capital, the Popular Party won an election by ensuring that it was going to lift all circulation restrictions, something he didn’t do and that, in fact, he maintained to eliminate all unmarked cars (regardless of whether the driver lives in Madrid or not) from the city. Barcelona en Comú promoted a completely different way of understanding the city in Barcelona, ​​betting on pedestrianization, reduction of lanes in the city center and the creation of what are known as Superilles. It has also been promoted to be more aggressive and fence off the entrance to the city from the most polluting vehicles. Two different approaches that, however, have given a very similar result. And the measures against the car have been very lukewarm. In both cities, if the vehicle has an environmental label it can circulate inside, just taking into account a series of obligations that, in practice, barely change our daily lives. In Madrid, the idea of ​​preventing unlabeled cars from being banned was finally scrapped (as long as they are registered in Madrid). And prohibiting entry to city centers with cars is not something that is catching on in Europe either. Yes, the main cities have restrictions and barriers that discourage its use, but in all of them you can continue to travel to the city center by car. In London you want reduce traffic with tollsin Paris punishing street parking and in Berlin you are also forced to drive with certain modern vehicles. Be that as it may, the only certainty is that total prohibitions do not come and if citizens end up leaving their cars aside in the cities it is because they have been transversal jobs in different areas and sustained over timewith investments … Read more

What is it and how to enter to use AI as if it were Google Translate

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Let’s explain to you how to use ChatGPT translator. No, it’s not about use ChatGPT as a translator as you have been able to do for years. This is a page that is not very well known on its own. artificial intelligence in which you are shown a translator interface. For now, the translator of ChatGPT It is a fairly simple page with two writing fields, one where you write and another where the translation comes out. You can choose between several languagesalthough you do not have Google Translator or DeepL functions such as real-time conversations or translating by voice messages. It is something quite minimal but simple. How to use ChatGPT Translate To access the ChatGPT translator you have to enter the page chatgpt.com/translateCome on, it’s like the normal AI website, but then you have to add the /translate. The translator interface is very simple. In the left box you write what you want to translate, and in the right box the translation will be shown. You can have the language detected automatically or choose by hand the one from which you want to do the translation and to which you are going to translate the text. When you make a translation, in the results field you will have a button to copy the resulting text, and another to listen to how it sounds spoken the translated message. And that’s how easy it is to use. Below the translator you have several options to alter text and rewrite it. These functions are not from the translator, but when you click on them they take you to ChatGPT with the prompt necessary to do that task. In Xataka Basics | How to create a character in ChatGPT and Gemini to use it in all the images you make with artificial intelligence

To enter the best “mental gym” in the world you don’t need a ticket: just language

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Learning languages ​​is something that For many it is essential with the aim of opening up new job opportunities or being able to travel without problems. But beyond practical usefulness, in everyday life it can also be good insurance for our brain in the long term by acting as a barrier against cognitive decline. Analyzing data from more than 86,000 people in 27 European countries, a study published in Nature Aging has put figures on something that neuroscience has been suspecting for many years: speaking several languages ​​not only broadens our mind or allows us to watch series in their original version, but also the brain stays younger. An AI model. Behind the study is an artificial intelligence model designed to estimate the so-called “biobehavioral age.” This means that a patient’s real age will be compared with what their body reflects with the results of their analysis, how their brain works or whether they have diabetes or hypertension. This is not an algorithm that has been created by chance, but has been developed by a European consortium of neuroscientists and measures this gap and classifies those who age slower or faster with a higher biological age. When applying this model, the results were clear: multilingualism acts as a powerful protective factor against the deterioration associated with the passage of time. The more language, the better. For researchers, we are facing a phenomenon that is ‘dose-dependent’, and it is something that has been seen after removing different variables such as socioeconomic context, years of education or migratory patterns. In fact, multilingualism emerged as a “cognitive reserve” factor comparable to regular physical exercise or a healthy diet, both considered pillars of brain health. The bilingual brain: a gym that never closes. Jason Rothman, a neuroscientist at Lancaster University and an expert on bilingualism, describes it as a form of permanent training: “Every time the brain selects one language and suppresses another, attention, memory and executive control networks are activated, the same ones that tend to deteriorate with age.” These networks, which are located in specific areas of the brain, are ultimately responsible for cognitive flexibility and decision making. The more they train, such as alternating languages, the more resilient they will become. There are discrepancies. If we look at other studies carried out in the past, the truth is that people do not always think alike. Numerous large-scale analyzes point to the existence of publication biases such as lack of replicability and, especially, that many advantages attributed to bilingualism are diluted or disappear once other factors such as education or socioeconomic status are carefully controlled. An illustrative example is Lehtonen’s work in 2018which reviewed more than 150 studies and concluded that the benefits in memory, inhibitory control or cognitive flexibility are not systematic or universally replicable, and usually depend on the type of cognitive tasks used, cultural and contextual differences or the profile of bilingual speakers. It’s not a miracle. The message that predominates today among the majority of specialists is one of caution and nuance. Learning several languages ​​can be positive for cognitive development, enhance mental flexibility in certain circumstances or delay symptoms of deterioration in certain profiles, but it is not a “universal vaccine” against brain aging. Education, continued intellectual activity, socioeconomic level, physical exercise and a healthy diet maintain a much higher weight, and often, the benefits attributed to bilingualism reflect these concomitant factors more than a direct effect of speaking several languages. Images | zhendong wang Robina Weermeijer In Xataka | That a teenager begins to ‘hate’ his parents is something that is in his brain, and science has already found the pattern

This is the “danger zone” we enter after the massive death of corals

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The Earth has officially entered a grim new era. climate reality. According to a shocking new reportthe incessant increase in heat in the oceans has pushed the corals from around the world beyond its limit, causing a unprecedented large reef mortality because of this climate change. Something that is not good news at all. This event, according to scientists, marks the first climate tipping point we have passed as a planet, directly threatening the livelihoods of nearly a billion people. The report. This data has been collected in the “Global Tipping Points Report 2025”, prepared by an international consortium of more than 200 researchers. And the truth is that they are not at all positive, since they suggest that even in the most optimistic scenario, where global warming does not exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, practically all warm-water coral reefs will exceed a point of no return. This makes their loss “one of the most pressing ecological losses facing humanity,” although the disappearance of corals is only the tip of the iceberg. Experts point out that since 2023 we have witnessed how the temperature has increased more than 1.5 °C compared to the pre-industrial average. In this way, exceeding the 1.5 °C limit now seems quite inevitable and could occur around 2030, something that puts our planet on the brink of an abyss. What are ‘turning points’. These points are nothing more than critical thresholds. Once crossed, the climate system is pushed into a new paradigm, triggering effects that will go on in a chain. Specifically, we talk about events such as widespread death of the Amazon rainforestthe collapse of the Greenland ice sheets or the collapse of the circulation of Atlantic southern overturn (AMOC). The Amazon, in particular, is in a critical situation. The report warns that not only warming threatens the forest, but also the combination of this with deforestation. With 1.5°C warming, only 22% deforestation would be enough to reach its point of no return. The current figure is already at an alarming 17%. All is not lost. Despite the bleak outlook, the report identifies a silver lining, which is nothing more than a paradigm shift that, unlike the negative ones, triggers a cascade of beneficial changes. Since 2023, the world has seen very rapid progress in the adoption of clean technologies, especially in two key areas: velectric vehicles and photovoltaic solar energy. Accompanied by a drastic drop in battery prices, these factors are beginning to reinforce each other, accelerating the energy transition in a way that few anticipated. The problem. According to the report’s authors, it lies in governance systems. From national policies to multinational agreements, such as the from Pariswere not designed to address turning points. They are designed to manage gradual, linear changes, not abrupt, cascading collapses on multiple fronts at once. But these turning points are really threatening, so they point to a series of immediate actions to be taken in all countries to avoid a catastrophic situation. In this case they point to the following: Reduce emissions of short-lived pollutants such as methane and black carbon. Accelerate efforts to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Making global supply chains sustainable. Develop mitigation strategies for climate impacts. The message is clear and forceful: what we have done so far is not enough. Researchers urge not to look away. As Milkoreit concludes, “even having a reader have the courage to stay with the problem is work, and I want to recognize that work.” Images | quinguyen Chris LeBoutillier In Xataka | In the fight against climate change, we have developed the air conditioning revolution: ionocaloric cooling

The “Tiktok template” marks the way to follow for the rest. It is the formula for Chinese technology to enter the United States

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The agreement of Tiktok For the application to remain in force in the United States It is making begg. It is not for less, because it is in the core of a great Commercial War between the US and China. In addition, it also represents something that goes far beyond the application itself or its operation: it establishes a model that could open the doors to other Chinese technologies to operate in US territory. How Tiktok would survive in the United States. According to the leaks of the Wall Street JournalTiktok will operate in the United States through a new company controlled at 80% by US investors such as Oracle, Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz. The remaining 20% ​​will remain in the hands of Bytedance and other previous shareholders. The key is that the US government will have a direct seat in the Board of Directors of the new company. Why is it important. Until now, Chinese technology companies in the United States only had two options: being prohibited or selling completely American competitors. This “Tiktok template”, as Kevin Xu, founder of the Newsletter Interconnected, mentions it, introduce A third way: technological licensing under American majority control. As the expert explains, “this model opens the door for more critical, strategic and advanced technologies to flow from China to the United States.” The real award. Beyond Tiktok, this model could be applied to sectors where China dominates the global supply chain. Let’s think about byd wanting Sell ​​electric cars in the United States, Catl supplying batteries To American manufacturers, or Hesai distributing Lidar systems to robotics. These are technologies where Chinese companies have a considerable technological advantage and are ready to deploy today, while US alternatives could take years to be available on a large scale. The rules of the game. To work, xu Explain That Chinese companies will have to accept staying with a minority and passive participation, renouncing part of the commercial benefits in exchange for the “privilege” of selling in the US market. They must also find the perfect mix of politically related investors and companies with the White House to assemble the company that is responsible for managing the product in the United States. Between the lines. “This was a purely political problem from the beginning, so it could only be resolved with a political solution,” Recognize XU himself after years chasing the case of Tiktok. The analyst explains that neither technology, nor national security, even the laws matter. According to Xu, what works is to identify the most powerful figures and tie them in a network of conflicting but attractive interests that is difficult to reject. And now what. The Tiktok agreement, which Trump He says he will confirm this Friday With Xi Jinping, he could mark the beginning of a new era in technological relations between the two countries. That Tiktok continues in the United States is a decision that will not leave anyone indifferent, both for supporters and detractors. The template is ready, now we need to see who uses it first. In Xataka | The United States and China seem to compete in ia. The reality is that they play completely different sports

Openai estimates that it will enter 200,000 million dollars in 2030. The figure, like everything in OpenAi, is extremely ambitious

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OpenAI has set a target of 200,000 million dollars for 2030, as reported The Information. Your own internal documents reveal that to achieve this you will need multiply by 13 your current income In less than five years. Why is it important. The company is burning billions per month and plans to spend 90,000 million only in R&D by 2030. This represents 45% of its projected income, well above the percentage allocated by large technological ones, which remain mostly between 15% and 30% of their gross benefit, not even their income. If Openai’s income is below the goal, that percentage will be even greater. The figures. Openai expects to move from 13,000 million income at 2024 to 200,000 million in 2030. Its R&D expenditure would be proportionally double that of the most successful technological technological ones, much more mature and settled. To achieve this, it basically depends on large companies continue to invest in generative. If there is A brake on investmenteven if that does not imply the burst of a bubble, OpenAi will have accounting problems. In addition, this projection rises up to only one semester. OpenAI has increased the expected billing by 2030 by the beginning of the year. The big question. Is a business model sustainable where almost half of the income – even the gross benefit – is destined for research and development? If business income does not rise as Openai projects, the company will have a serious problem. Yesterday it was announced Your agreement with Oracle committing to a huge investment level to which you can hardly face except that you change the screws, or to deliver a good part in kind (business use licenses), as Microsoft did with it paying in Azure credits. In Xataka | Baidu is no longer satisfied with being the Chinese Google. His new AI model also wants to turn it into China Openai Outstanding image | IlgmyzinXataka

Its electromagnetic catapults enter the final phase

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It is being a busy summer in the Chinese Navy. There are no official ads, but two of their new naval fighters have ‘hunted flying in formation. And these last weeks have appeared indications that China is already finalizing the tuning of the crown jewel military arm: Fujian aircraft carriers. As? Testing their catapults Electromagnetic with real airplanes. And there is a key date for a demonstration of strength: the 80th anniversary of the Japanese defeat in the Second World War. The Fujian. China has the largest naval force in the world, it is something Key in its strategy in the South China Seabut in the aircraft carriers they were late in front of their main rival: United States. Compared to 11 nuclear propulsion aircrafts of the American fleet, China had two (And none with nuclear propulsion, something they still have). The third, built entirely with its technology, is Type 003, known as Fujian. Is part of the Maritime propaganda of the country And, although it has not yet been delivered to the Navy, it has been caught on several occasions performing maneuvers on the high seas and With deck aircraft. And something that the Fujian highlights is to be one of the only two aircraft carriers in the world with Electromagnetic catapults. Electromagnetic catapults. Although huge, the track carrier is not long enough for the ships to take security. That is why the plane is promoted by means of a complex mechanical system composed of cables, pipes and pumps of a hydraulic system. It is expensive and needs high maintenance, but there is an alternative: Emals. Known as “Electromagnetic catapult”, this system is a linear induction engine that, by electromagnets, displaces a piece that hooks the plane and moves at full speed through a raíl, pulling the ship until the end of the track, releasing it at the last moment. Marking muscle (in secret). This system not only allows heavier or more fuel airplanes, but reduce The mechanical tension on the fuselage of the airplanes themselves, prolonging its useful life, occupies less space in the ship and also reduces the maintenance of the launch system. It is a system that He headed up on the other aircraft carriers that mounts it, the already operational Gerald R. Fordbut refined, it is the future of the aircraft carriers. Well, there are indications that China is already testing this electromagnetic system with real airplanes. As we see in The War Zonethe authorities have not yet shown the launch of airplanes from the Fujian, but in recent days they have Images appeared that show airplanes with the post -founded postquelors and in the launch position on the Fujian deck. In addition, images of plane shadows projected in the same cover have been seen. This indicates that it is most likely that China is already launching and recovering airplanes from the Fujian or, at least, is very close to doing so as part of the final tests before delivering the ship for active service at the end of this year. Test aircraft And not so secret. What is official is that China has another new member of the fleet known as the 076 Type. It is an amphibious ship that would be unique in the world by having a large cover that, in one of its parts, also hides an electromagnetic catapult. The ship opened on August 1 with a Pompose ceremonyand the interesting thing about EMALS systems is that they can not only be used to launch airplanes. As they simplify the process of launching aircraft and are a more versatile system than the hydraulic, it can also be used to launch unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, a segment in which China is also very interested. Type 076 ‘Sichuan’ images Swarm attacks. One of the objectives of the Asian giant is to dominate the South China Sea. It is one of the most tense areas on the planet because it is the one that it shares with Taiwan or India, and we already know that both some as others are fortifying their maritime positions before possible Chinese military maneuvers. The United States also looks closely and That culmination of the modernization program of the fleet restless to Japanwho announced his rearm more ambitious Since World War II. And, in that maritime domain, ships with electromagnetic catapults play a fundamental role in allowing large -scale air operations. Compared to the hydraulic system, the EMALS allows you to launch a plane every 45 seconds, 25% faster than conventional catapults. This favors the adoption of tactics such as “swarm attacks”, or Alpha strikesin which aircraft are launched with a short cadence to saturate and overcome enemy defenses, achieving aerial superiority. China and the US, as usual. In addition to these advantages, it is a system that allows to extend the radius of action of the Naval Force to operate early alert planes and electronic warfare in a deeper way in the oceans. And this technology, as we say, only have both the United States – operating – and China with ships that are about to enter service. And the rest of the world? Well, he is working on it, but at another speed. France, for example, that has a fleet in which Charles de Gaulle is his crown jewel, is developing a system of Emals for Its new generation aircraft carriers that will enter service at some point in the late 2030s. India, which occasionally also Remember China that hashe is investigating it. And the United Kingdom, although he has considered it, has not yet adopted, since he has vertical take -off aircraft. September 3. The rivalry between China and Japan comes from afarbut a good time to officially present advances in the electromagnetic catapults of the Fujian can be this September, when the 80 years of Japan’s defeat in World War II are commemorated. The United States with the launch of two atomic bombs accelerated 6th Japanese surrender and you will be wondering what … Read more

A Spanish company imposed facial recognition to enter its gyms. Result: Fine of 96,000 euros

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The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has imposed A sanction of 96,000 euros to the gyms chain exceeds to violate the data protection of its customers. The reason? Have imposed facial recognition as the only method of access to your gyms. The facts were denounced by Facua in 2023 and now the resolution has been known. What happened? On August 4, 2023, a claim was filed to SIDECU, a company based in A Coruña in charge of the gyms. According to the document (PDF), the Sports Center exceeds Entrepuentes in Seville was “denying access to the facilities” because a new access method had been implemented through a facial recognition system. “ The complainant considered that this access was “invasive about his intimacy” and “excessive for access to said establishment.” Until the implementation of the facial recognition system, which had not been notified to the partners and was mandatory, it was possible to enter the gym using a card. This claim was added two more and, finally, in September 2023, Facua denounced SIDECU. The defense. Sidec defended himself wielding that he did not store images of the users, but generated a facial pattern through an algorithm patented by the company that developed the system. According to the gyms chain, this “template” was not enough to identify users or deduce their physical characteristics. For SIDECU, this was enough for the system to meet the RGPDbut the truth is that no. The first error. Misunderstand the regulations, thus breaking article 9 of the RGPD. Article 4.14 of the RGPD establishes that biometric data are “personal data obtained from a specific technical treatment, related to the physical, physiological or behavioral characteristics of a natural person that allow or confirm the unique identification of said person, such as facial images or dactyloscopic data.” According to article 9 of the same regulation, the treatment of “biometric data aimed at uniquely identifying a natural person” is prohibited. Image | Ryan Hoffman The second error. Impose the system and not warn, thus breaking article 13 of the RGP. Not only did it not warn users, but facial recognition was the only way to access the establishments and there was no other real option, thus entering the game: consent was not free. It is true that the company ended up implementing an alternative access system (teaching the ID at the door), but its arrival was later to claims. Do not warn users breaches article 13 of the GDPR. The third terror. Do not evaluate the risks, finally breaking article 35 of the RGPD. According to the sentence, SIDEC did not justify why it was necessary to implement this system, above all, less invasive and equally effective alternatives. The AEPD states that the company did not carry out the impact assessment in the protection of personal data (when it was not dealing with personal data) and that it acted without fraud, but negligently and without “the special diligence that is enforceable to this type of treatments.” The sanctions. Three, one for each article violated: 80,000 euros for violating article 9 of the RGPD, 30,000 euros for not having informed users in advance (article 35) and 50,000 euros for not having prepared the impact assessment on personal data protection (article 9). In total, a penalty of 160,000 euros that, due to the recognition of the responsibility and the Sidecu’s soon lamp, has remained at 96,000 euros. Cover image | Gold’s Gym Nepal In Xataka | Unsuspected fine for the European Commission in Europe: it violated its own General Data Protection Regulation

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