Europe

China will premiere its new Hong Kong in December. And Europe is not prepared for what is coming

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December will mark a turning point in the Chinese commercial strategy. The island of Hainan will launch its large -scale independent customs operation, becoming The new nerve center For international trade with China. A movement that arrives five years after Hong Kong lost his historical role as a bridge between the East and West. The western entrance door to China. Hong Kong has lost much of its appeal to Western companies since 2020, when Beijing The National Security Law imposed In the territory. This change in Hong Kong has been one of the ingredients that have contributed to the cooling of foreign investment in China, and that adds to a list that includes The growing geopolitical tensionsminor growth prospects and increased risk perceived after Trump’s return to power. The former British colony, which for more than two decades had worked as the privileged entrance door to China, no longer offers the predictable commercial environment sought by Western multinationals. A new commercial bridge. Hainan is presented as the “new and improved Hong Kong”, and The figures They support it more and more: 74% of Tariff lines They will have tariff -free products, compared to current 21%. Tax free items will go from 1,900 to 6,600. In addition, imported products that experience at least 30% added value when processing in Hainan will be able to enter Chinese continental territory without tariffs. That is, China is creating its freer economic zone just when the rest of the countries are fragmented in commercial blocks. Prepare, Europe. European companies now face a dilemma: maintain coherence with the geopolitical positions of their governments or take advantage of a real economic opportunity. While Europe debate A separation Of its financial connections on the country, Beijing is offering commercial conditions that will be difficult to reject for many multinationals. The Chinese strategy is clear: to turn Hainan into an irresistible magnet for foreign investment at a time when geopolitical tensions are at its highest point. The signals are already there. First semester data show that companies with foreign investment in China registered A 2.4% growth In its commercial value, reaching 751,720 million euros. The number of foreign companies with commercial activities in China amounted to 75,000, the highest figure for the same period since 2021. Switzerland, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany increased their direct investment by 68.6%, 59.1%, 37.6% and 6.3% respectively. What comes now. Europe has not shown a clear strategy yet. While the United States maintains a more defined position in Its strategic competition with ChinaEuropean countries are debated among their economic ties with the Asian giant and pressures to align with Washington. Hainan represents the Chinese commitment to demonstrate that it can offer better conditions than any other emerging market, precisely when its economic model is most questioned. The countdown has begun. December 18China will officially open its new gateway to the world. Cover image | Denny Ryanto In Xataka | China has a prey capable of changing the rotation of the earth. Now they are building an even bigger

While Europe fights with its rules on AI, the US is betting on the contrary: an unprecedented normative relaxation

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The AI is already redefining our relationship with technology, but is also redrawing the spheres of power in the world. United States and Europe They say they are committed to their development, but they are doing it from very different places. The most recognized companies in this area are Americans: Google, Openai, Microsoft, Amazon. Europe has some outstanding startups, such as Mistral or the Spanish Freepik. Now, while the EU cautious applies its ambitious regulation of AIThe United States presents a plan that goes right in the opposite direction. Washington draws its path: less rules, more speed He “Ai action plan“Presented by the White House is, above all, a declaration of intentions. More than 90 measures grouped into three pillars – innovation, infrastructure and international leadership – that draw a road map for the United States to win the AI race. The keyword, throughout the document, is speed. {“videoid”: “x8jpy2b”, “Autoplay”: fals, “title”: “What is behind it like chatgpt, dall-e or midjourney? | artificial intelligence”, “tag”: “Webedia-prod”, “Duration”: “1173”} The Trump administration not only wants to boost the development of new AI models, wants to do it by eliminating obstacles. Federal agencies will review their own regulations to withdraw those considered “onerous” for innovation. And the export of technology with complete packages – scrub, software, models, applications – designed for strategic allies will be facilitated. To all that is added an impulse to the infrastructure that had already taken its first steps: Relax permissions for data centers and chips factories, enable federal soil, modernize the electricity grid and form technical labor (electricians, air conditioning technicians, maintenance). The message is clear: less bureaucracy, more investment, but also more Washington influence. While Washington Dregula, Brussels regulates The European Union It was the first great power to raise comprehensive legislation on AIwith the objective of guaranteeing transparency, security and respect for fundamental rights. AI ACT entered into force on August 1, 2024. The prohibitions and literacy obligations in AI began to be applied on February 2, 2025; The rules for general purpose models will do so on August 2, 2025; And the obligations for high -risk systems will arrive on August 2, 2026 (some will extend until 2027). The regulation is ambitious: it establishes risk categories, it limits uses such as mass facial recognition and demands strict controls for the most advanced models. In addition, it has introduced a code of voluntary practice to advance part of these demands. Goal has publicly refused to sign the documentincluding a series of criticisms of the position that the community block has adopted. To that rejection are added internal pressures: a group of large European companies – among them Airbus, Lufthansa, Asml, Totalenergies or Mistral–They asked Brussels at the beginning of this pause or simplify the application of the regulation. From the commission, for now, they insist on maintaining the planned calendar.     Criticism from both sides Neither the American nor the European strategy are exempt from criticism. Both generate tensions, doubts and warnings from different fronts. In the United States, the deregulator approach has generated a wave of reproaches. The plan talks about maintaining global technological dominance through deregulation, infrastructure and alliances. For many, That is a clear bias in favor of great technological. JB Branch, by Public Citizen, denounced that the plan It is in practice a favor treatment of Silicon Valley. More than 90 organizations launched the “People’s ai Action Plan“As a counterpart, accusing the White House of prioritizing corporate interests on social welfare.” The plan is written by and for those who want to use AI about us, not with us, ” They said Sarah Myers West and Amba Kak, from the AI Now Institute. In Xataka We thought the Antispam law had not served at all. The responsible companies are already being fine Europe, meanwhile, deal with its own problems. European startups and multinationals claim more margin to compete without normative ballast United States and China. The balance between promoting innovation and guaranteeing control remains far. Images | Xataka with Gemini Flash 2.5 | Igor Omilaev In Xataka | Google’s summaries are reducing clicks to half. And that only points in one address: the collapse (Function () {Window._js_modules = Window._js_modules || {}; var headelement = document.getelegsbytagname (‘head’) (0); if (_js_modules.instagram) {var instagramscript = Document.Createlement (‘script’); }}) (); – The news While Europe fights with its rules on AI, the US is betting on the contrary: an unprecedented normative relaxation It was originally posted in Xataka by Javier Marquez .

Europe had killed its hopes to find oil in the continent. Poland has just changed that

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“The oil market is misleading.” This is warned by analyst Javier Blas In a recent article for Bloombergwhere he points out that under the apparent price stability a deep transformation that has altered the seasonality of global consumption is hidden. It is no longer winter, but summer, the moment of greatest demand for crude. And in this new scenario, Poland could be facing a turning point: the finding of the largest conventional hydrocarbon deposit in its history, in the waters of the Baltic Sea. A submerged treasure. The Canadian Central European Petroleum (CEP) company, backed by Norway investment, has announced the discovery of the Wolin Este site (We1), located just six kilometers from the coast. TVN24 He has reported That the site includes 22 million tons of oil and 5,000 million cubic meters of natural gas, with a total estimate in the concession of 33 million tons of crude oil and 27,000 million cubic meters of gas. According to calculations cited by BBCthis figure would represent around 200 million barrels of oil, which makes it a strategic finding both for its volume and its location. It doesn’t change everything, but it changes a lot. Poland consumes about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, but its local production does not exceed 18,000. The rest matters. In that context, a discovery that can triple national production represents more than good news: it is a potential turning point. Wolin’s exploitation could multiply national production by three, according to CEP Executive Director, Rolf Skaar, In statements collected by TVN24. In addition, the crude found has an API index of 33.4, which classifies it as light, that is, easier and more economical to refine. This finding comes when Poland has already taken Russia’s energy distance after the invasion of Ukraine: it has connected to Norwegian gas through Baltic Pipe, has reinforced its import capacity of LNG since świnoujście and has diversified its access to crude oil through Naftaport, in Gdansk. But still depending, to a large extent, abroad. Wolin can start changing that. From the finding to extraction. The concession of Wolin, of 593 km², was perforated by the specialized platform Noble Resolve, reaching a vertical depth of 2,715 meters. The We1 well was left in future conditions and geological analysis confirmed a 62 -meter hydrocarbon column in the main dolomite formation (CA₂), As detailed Gospodarka Morska. CEP has already invested about 200 million Zlotys in seismic studies and drilling, and now looks for Polish and international partners to undertake the exploitation phase. Conversations with companies such as PGNIG (now integrated into Orlen) have been restarted after the fusion of state energy. International Resonance. Wolin’s discovery occurs while the international crude oil market navigates uncertain waters. According to ReutersBrent’s futures closed Monday under 70 dollars. The reason: the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia, which now prohibit the importation of refined products in third countries with Russian crude, such as India. Although analysts believe that the supply will find new paths, concerns arise about the impact on the diesel market, more difficult to replace. That tension adds an important nuance: the new deposits in European soil are not only an energy advantage, but also a geostrategic asset. And now what? The new site will not solve the Polish energy dependence on its own, but it could mark a turning point. As the energy expert points out Wojciech Jakóbik in BBC, the finding “will strengthen energy security, provided that estimates are confirmed in practice and develop the necessary infrastructure.” Today, it is not clear if a new pipeline will be built or existing infrastructure will be used. Meanwhile, CEP holds conversations with multiple actors and, as Jakóbik recalls, the project requires companies with “greater risk tolerance and investment capacity”. An energy window in convulsive times. The discovery in the Baltic Sea comes just when the global market enters its moment of maximum seasonal demand, in the middle of the northern hemisphere. As Bloomberg explained, the seasonality of crude has changed: it is no longer winter, but the summer months that mark consumption roofs. The big question is whether Poland can take this opportunity without repeating the mistakes of the past. The window is open. But it will not be forever. Image | Pexels Xataka | This graph shows that Venezuela has more oil than anyone. Your production is another song

Panticosa has been a ski sanctuary for years. Now he wants to reconvert … with the most beastly slide in Europe

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Panticosa is a small town in the region of Alto Gállego, in Huesca, famous for its Pyrenean landscapes and the skiing station Panticosa-Los Lagos. Soon it will be for something else: a Huge slide of mountain almost three kilometers long, half a hundred sleds and a deep unevenness of more than 700 meters that will be unique in Europe. With him the Government of Aragon aspires to disseminate the tourism of the region now that the facilities dedicated to snow sports face a uncertain future. For now, the technical tabogán file impresses. A slide to dominate them all. If you like the slides go by reserving hole for Panticosa. The president of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, put yesterday The first stone which aspires to become “Mountain slide with the greatest uneven in Europe.” At the moment we only have The photos of the presentation and some data of their technical file, but they serve to open appetite: the slide will measure almost three kilometers long and will cover an unevenness of more than 700 meters. According to the Regional Executivethere is no other installation of its kind with a larger slope. At least in Europe. Is there more data? Yeah. Diario del Alto Aragón Precise That the exact slope will be 707 my the slide will run along the hillside from the top of the telecabine to the lower one. The obstacles that are on the way will draw them with bridges and tunnels. The government has also specified that the sleds (with a capacity for an adult alone or with a child) will complete the almost three kilometers of travel in nine minutes. The maximum speed will be 40 km/h, a mark that will not be exceeded thanks to a brake system. “It is not invasive”. In total, the slide will have fifty sleds that, according to executive calculations, will allow transporting about 1,100 people every day. “The system takes advantage of the energy of the telecabine during the climb, since it works with the same exploitation of the skiing track. Then, the descent is done by gravity. Not requiring concrete foundation is not invasive for the environment,” Comment to Aragón News Ignacio Vicente, head of the project. The installation includes A warehouse and shape it will cost in total 7.7 million of euros. More than 90% (7.2 million) will leave the coffers of the Aragonese Executive and the rest of the Panticosa City Council. If the deadlines are fulfilled, the idea is that it is operational to late 2026. OBJECTIVE: Destationalize. With the new installation, Aragon has A clear objective: Diversify the offer that visitors are in Panticosa and that the region is less dependent on snow -linked tourism. “It is an example of an economic engine and the de -stationalization of tourism”, highlighted Azcon at the beginning of the works. “This slide can serve tourists for ten months a year and will be a central element in the de -stations of tourism that face ski stations.” The initiative is in fact framed in the Pyrenees Planas the Regional Executive recalls, among its objectives, it has among its objectives to “de -stationalize” tourism in the four regions of the Aragonese Pyrenees. The 7.2 million dedicated to Panticosa Tobogán are added to the 12 that have already been invested in the Valley of Tena in 2024 to install or replace 547 cannons for the production of snow in formigal-panticosa, “which meant an impulse in the capacity of innivation in the stations of this area”, claims The Azcón team. New life for the valleys. In 2023, al present the master lines Of the Pyrenees Plan in Panticosa, the Aragonese President explained that his goal is to “boost” the valleys of the northernmost region of the region, for which he already foresaw at that time an injection of more than 70 million. Among its initiatives, the Montanuy road and Panticosa’s slide, both projects designed among other things to enrich tourism in the area. It is no accident. Throughout the last years, ski stations (in Spain and other countries) have been seen in difficulties for the shortage of snow, which has condemned them to suffer “Lightning seasons” or directly to closing. Images | Aragon Government (X) In Xataka | Cantabria wants more visitors in the Cabárceno Park. So you will create a large alpine slide to travel at 40 km/h

Its nuclear bombs return to Europe

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Belicist machinery is a plagued scenario of symbology. We do not talk about mere ornaments, it is our own language that serves to remember, to communicate intentions or even to sow messages both on the allied side and in the enemy. From the emblems in the Uniforms to the shields painted in the fuselages, passing by badges either Levadas flags In conquered territories, each symbol can condense centuries of history or project what is to come. The latter is what has revealed A simple currency. What hidden politics. A find in Visual culture of the United States Air Force has offered the clearest signal to the date that nuclear weapons have returned to Europe, specifically to the air base of RAF Lakenheathin England, after almost two decades of absence. THE KEY: THE NAME AS Challenge coinsalso known as “round metal objects” or RMO, a very important part of the culture and tradition of military aviation. These currencies include characteristics such as the designation of unity, colors, pet, nickname, slogans and slogans, symbology and references to their history and tradition. The symbol. The piece in question is A commemorative currency 493rd Fighter Generation Squadron (FGS), a unit reactivated in 2023 and part of the 48th Fighter Wingwhich shows unambiguously a B61 nuclear bomb and an atomic fungus, visual elements that unequivocally refer to an active nuclear mission. The capture of the currency It is Tony Osborneeditor of the European Defense Section in Aviation Week. The unit in question, which together with the 494th FGS constitutes one of the First maintenance squadrons Fifth generation in Europe, directly supports combat squads of F-35athe most advanced hunting of the West Arsenal and fully compatible with the most modern version of the B61 bomb: the B61-12. Since 2021, Lakenheath is also the first wing of the US Air Force outside the United States that operates these fighters. One of the currency faces (the other on the cover) Silent return of deterrence. Although the Pentagon maintains its traditional policy of “neither confirming or denying” the presence of nuclear weapons in specific locations, multiple indications converge on pointing out that the b61 bombs already They have been deployed or they are about to arrive at Lakenheath. Among them A flight stands out of C-17A RCH4574, detected For open source intelligence sources, which started from the Kirtland nuclear base, New Mexico, after a scale in Mcchord, and landed in Lakenheath on July 18. The aircraft belongs to 62nd Airlift Wing, the only certified unit to transport nuclear weapons routinely. This journey, together with the stay of the plane in the area of the Kirtland Nuclear Weapons Center, suggests an operational transfer rather than a logistics exercise. Inert test version of a B61 in an underground vault of the Arms Storage and Safety System (WS3) at the Volkel Air Base, Netherlands Other clues. Besides, Since 2022 HE has documented The modernization of 28 of the 33 aircraft shelters in Lakenheath, equipping them with WS3 underground vaults intended for safe nuclear weapons storage. These reforms are part of the NATO Safety Investment Program (NSIP), whose 2023 budget explicitly includes the United Kingdom for facilities of “special storage”. To this are added contracts of the Department of Defense They mention The “imminent nuclear mission” of the 48th Security Forces Squadron, as well as specific training for nuclear personnel, a cultivation broth confirming that the necessary infrastructure would already be operational. Lakenheath, strategic pivot in European deterrence. The possible permanent reintroduction of nuclear weapons in Lakenheath should not be understood as an isolated gesture, but as part of A strategic readjustment in the nuclear stance of the United States in Europe. The base could serve as much as permanent storage point as backup platform For other nuclear facilities already knownsuch as Kleine Brogel (Belgium), Büchel (Germany), Aviano and Ghedi (Italy), Volkel (Netherlands) and Incirlik (Türkiye). Of all of them, Lakenheath stands out not only for his renewed infrastructure, but also for his ability to OPERATE F-35Awhich positions it as a key node for the future doctrine of tactical nuclear deterrence in Europe. Lakenheath Air Base Why UK. Here it is important to highlight that the United Kingdom, although officially does not participate in the NATO nuclear distribution program, has expressed interest In acquiring F-35a (In addition to their Current F-35b short takeoff and vertical landing) and could eventually integrate into the use of B61-12 under bilateral agreements with the United States. This would open the possibility that British fighters armed with American nuclear weapons operate from Lakenheath in coordination with the American squads already deployed. B61-12 and F-35a: New nuclear power equation. As for the new B61-12 bomb, it represents A qualitative leap within the American nuclear tactical arsenal. Endowed with a Precision guidance system Through a tail with inertial navigation and stabilization rockets, it allows nuclear attacks with much greater accuracy than its predecessors. Combined with the poaching and penetration capacity of the F-35A, it makes this duo a strategic platform with flexible response capacity, ideal for dynamic deterrent scenarios on the east flank of NATO. It is estimated that about 100 b61-12 bombs American property is currently deployed in Europe, and their redistribution, with Lakenheath as a new headquarters, could reinforce the credibility of the United States nuclear umbrella. Shared deterred vs. nuclear autonomy. It We count A few days ago. Since Trump’s arrival to power, he has grown among European allies (especially France and the United Kingdom) The concern that Washington reduces or even cancels your commitment to the NATO nuclear cast program. This fear has revived debates about the need to build a European nuclear deterrence Autonomous. In that context, the possible Return of nuclear weapons British territory acts as a counterweight and reaffirmation of the American commitment, although it does not completely close the concerns on long -term sustainability of the current model. A clear sign. Be that as it may, the symbology of A commemorative currency It may seem anecdotal, but in this case condenses … Read more

Pontegadea turns Luxembourg into the new homeland for the Empire of the brick of Amancio Ortega in Europe

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Pontegadea, the Real Estate Holding of Amancio Ortega, It has grown so much In recent years that he has had to review his management strategy for the company’s European assets. Given this change of structure, the company has taken advantage of centralize management Of all the real estate holding company, making the one that until now was the subsidiary of Luxembourg in its new international headquarters. Luxembourg, the new Pontegadea headquarters. Amancio Ortega has completely reorganized the operational structure of its real estate holding company in Europe to convert its subsidiary Pontegadea Luxembourg into a giant that will manage real estate assets worth 7,033 million euros. However, although restructuring has been completed in 2025, it has been forging since 2024, as confirmed From Pontegadea EuropePress. The decision that has encouraged this change is that the great duchy is in a geographical position closer to the assets that it manages, in addition to having a much more friendly taxation for the taxation of the large real estate operations. Expansion under the structure of Luxembourg. In January 2023, Pontegadea registered the Luxembourg subsidiary to, throughout 2024, make several purchases of strategic real estate such as the offices of the Clifford Chance firm or the purchase of two more office buildings more worth 321 million euros. The luxembourgish subsidiary has absorbed the French, and takes control of all the residential buildingshotels, logistics centers and shopping centers that the company has in Germany, France, Ireland, Italy or Netherlands. In addition, it will also take control of the management of some assets in Canada and the United States. Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom stay out. Despite its proximity, the assets that Amancio Ortega bought in Spain and Portugal, as well as The properties of the subsidiary Pontegadea in the United Kingdom remain outside this luxembourg dependent reorganization, and remain under the umbrella of Pontegadea investments. Under Pontegadea investments, 50.01% of the participation of Amancio Ortega en Inditex, Telxius, the telecommunications company that shares with Telefonica, and the entire investment arm in investment in Renewable energy and natural gas that the company has in Spain and Portugal. Why Luxembourg? The short response is for taxation. The long answer is that, the Pontegadea model does not consist of obtaining surplus value of real estate, but of become the landlord of important companies such as Amazon, Apple, Meta or Spotify, as well as renting their buildings To large hotel chains so that they exploit it commercially. All those rental income They are taxed in the countries where the properties are located, but Luxembourg’s fiscal advantage lies in a low tax burden when buying those properties. Amancio Ortega goes shopping in Europe. With this movement, Pontegadea has laid the foundations to begin its expansion throughout Europe, as demonstrated by the latest movements with the Purchase of an office building in the port area of Dublin for 70 million dollars; with the acquisition of the headquarters of the Editorial Planeta in Barcelona for 250 million euros; wave recent acquisition of the Luxury Banke hotel in Paris, for 97 million euros. Both the Dublin building and that of Paris, have directly passed to the Pontegadea Luxembourg asset portfolio. With assets valued at more than 110,000 million euros, Pontegadea has become the largest real estate in Spain, surpassing giants in the sector as colonial or Merlin. With this strategic movement towards Luxembourg, the investment arm of Amancio Ortega prepares to advise a blow to the European real estate market and position itself among the largest in the old continent. In Xataka | Amancio Ortega knows that millionaires are moving to Florida: a skyscraper has been bought for 165 million dollars Image | Gtres, Pexels (ABODI VESAKARAN)

Drones are revolutionizing war in real time and Europe already has its following evolution: the “hybrid” drone

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The drones are Very present In war. The UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) have proven to be versatile and competent tools on the Batallo field both in the offensive and in intelligence, but they have an important limitation: when they are on land they are useless. A small drone can get through a window and check a room, but it has no wheels to sneak into recesses in terrestrial operations. Not being, of course, it is a Rooster. A what? A Rooster. This peculiar “hybrid dron” is manufactured by the Israeli company robotic and stands out, as it is obvious, for its form factor. Unlike conventional drones, which can usually only fly, Rooster can fly and run thanks to a side wheel system. They are not really wheels as such, but a kind of cages that, on paper, should pay correctly even on complex land. Teams of three. This drone can be operated independently or in teams of three. When they come together, the three drones forms a mesh, interconnect with each other, share sensors (such as cameras) and can be controlled by the same operator. In fact, this can see in real time the image of drones on the control screen. This connectivity is key, especially if there are no GPS signal in the area. More Specs. The device weighs 1.6 kilos and is to be able to transport loads of up to 300 grams, such as a radiation sensor or a thermal chamber. Its autonomy is 12 minutes of flight and 30 minutes on ground. Seeing it in operation is, at least, curious, since it can pass another in real time, which allows to explore a plant on the ground, fly over the sale, climb to the second floor flying and return to the land exploration. It has cameras (night vision included), records even in Fullhd and, of course, it has ia to detect obstacles. The Rooster flying | Image: robotican In the hands of Israel … and NATO. This drone has already been adopted by the Israeli armed forces, but now it is ready to make the leap to the international market. Just three days ago, the Rooster got he NATO STOCK NUMBER. This is a 13 -digit code used by NATO that guarantees that all objects, from a bulb to pants, are cataloged and are easily accessible in supply chains. Also, in some way, it determines that they are trustworthy devices and that they meet the standards of the alliance. The company also confirmed that has sold its drones to “elite units in Europe”, not to mention exactly countries. We do know that, currently, they are employed by Israel’s defense forces and By the American Dea. The Spanish army He also had occasion to put the rooster tested during a demo that took place in forum 2e+i in Toledo in 2023. The rooster on land | Image: robotican The current context. Israel, One of the world’s great weapons manufacturersIt is not a NATO member country, which adds 32 members, but a partner through the 1994 Mediterranean dialogue such as Jordan, Mauritania or Morocco. The relationship with this country at this time is tense. On the one hand, he has the United States as a great ally, to the point that Israel is considered a MNNA (Important not-oan ally). This designation is made by the United States government to those countries that it considers closest allies. Israel was one of the first five countries to be part of this list after the creation of the MNNA level in 1987 by Ronald Reagan. On the other hand, there is the European Union, which He has condemned Israel’s acts in Gaza and supports the Palestinian authority, but still without agreeing on what measures take against Israel. Some countries, including Spain, defend that agreements with Israel must be suspended and advocated by taking measures and By a arms embargo. The future is the remote control. If something has made clear the recent events that have shaken the international geopolitics, in particular the Israel-Palestine conflict and The Ukraine Warthe thing is Drone control It is capable of decant the balance and make a difference. Unmanned vehicles allow precise maneuvers without putting military personnel at risk. Having more versatile options, such as a hybrid drone capable of developing on land and air, opens many possibilities and supposes, without a doubt, an advance. Cover image | Robotican In Xataka | Solving one of the great mysteries of war video games: if weapons have copyright or not

France needs to cut 40,000 million euros. And he has decided to start for something sacred in Europe: the holidays

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In France there are officially 11 holidays nationals per year, all established through Code du travail (Labor Code). In Spain, on the other hand, we cannot complain: “We enjoy” up to 14 of this type of day. It happens that the French have come up with an idea to refloat their maltrecha economy: start removing holidays from the labor calendar. That Europe trembles. Delete the party. French Prime Minister François Bayrou has presented One of the most radical and politically risky budgetary proposals of the last decades in France: freezing public spending, cutting pensions and social benefits, suppressing two national holidays and applying a new “solidarity contribution” to the great fortunes. Its objective: prevent the country from succumbing under the weight of a public debt that this year It will devour 62,000 million of euros only in interest, an amount equivalent to the combined expense in defense and education. In an appearance that defined as “the moment of truth”, Bayrou warned that France runs the risk of falling into a debt crisis similar to that of Greece in 2008 if it does not act in decision, and launched a message to the citizens: “We have become addicted to public spending. We must all make an effort.” The cost of two holidays. Among the most controversial measures, the holiday suppression of the Easter Monday And on May 8 (Victory Day), with which the Executive estimates Save 4,200 million of euros. France has 11 national holidays, compared to the eight of the United Kingdom or the 14 of Spain, which according to Bayrou is An incompatible luxury With the current fiscal situation. The measure aims to increase the number of working days as an indirect tool To stimulate economic growth. But beyond immediate savings, the elimination of days of deep historical and cultural burden represents a high -voltage political challenge, one that has aroused a transverse rejection in Parliament and public opinion. The attack on collective memory symbols, in a country where the history of world wars is a national identity pillar, has turned the proposal into an emotional catalyst. Structural austerity. Bayrou’s budget plan includes 44,000 million euros In tax and cuts increases. Among them, a general freezing of public spending by 2026 (which has been called A Année Blanche) without automatic inflation reviews, and without increases in pensions or social protection programs. This single measure would save 7.1 billion euros, the second largest component of the plan. The Rationalization of health expenditureincluding medications and low disease, as well as the unification of multiple social aid in a single payment with a stop, focused on low income. Bayrou also wants Cut the benefits by unemployment and reduce its duration. The only exempt from adjustment is the debt service and the defense budget, which will increase by 10 % (6.5 billion euros) In direct order by Emmanuel Macron, in response to the deterioration of the international environment and Russian threat. Suicidal political bet. He counted The Financial Times that, aware of the rejection that its plan causes throughout the political spectrum, Bayrou has been willing to Apply article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the budget to be approved without parliamentary vote, although with the risk of facing a motion of censure. This would be the same mechanism that led to the fall of its predecessor, Michel Barnierin 2023, for trying to unlink the pensions of the inflation index, an idea that Bayrou has now resumed. Marine Le Pen, leader of the national regrouping, has not taken long In threatening to censor him If you do not withdraw your proposals, denouncing a plan that “attacks all French, the workers and retirees, instead of ending the waste.” The left considers the project as A “wild austerity” that aggravates inequality and leaves intact the privileges of capital. Mujtaba Rahman, director for Europe of the Eurasia Group analysis group, defined it as “A kamikaze maneuver”: A proposal that has no chance of being approved but puts on the table the magnitude of the fiscal problem. A country on the edge. With a deficit 5.8% of GDP (the third highest in the EU after Romania and Poland) and a debt that is headed towards 115% of GDPFrance is at a critical crossing. If corrective measures are not applied, the cost of the debt could climb to 100,000 million of euros per year in 2029, becoming the largest structural burden of the budget. Bayrou has designed a five -year plan to stabilize that debt/GDP ratio, with the ambition to reduce the 4.6% deficit in 2026 and 3% in 2029. But analysts have warned that such objectives could be “inaccessible” Given the political fragility of the government, parliamentary polarization and the foreseeable social resistance. In Bayrou words: “We know the risks perfectly,” but suggests that giving up the attempt would be even more dangerous. Would it be possible in Spain? In Spain, the possibility of eliminating holidays nationwide is legally possible, but not unilateral or automatic, since it would require a normative reform and institutional negotiation. The reason? It’s not an exclusive competence of the central government and, unlike France, the Spanish system distributes this faculty between the State (fixed 8 days), the autonomous communities (set up to 4 days) and the municipalities (set up to 2 days). Plus: Remember that 14 annual holidays per worker are a right recognized in the Workers Statutebut its concrete distribution is variable. The law allows some holidays to move to Monday, replace them with others or even suppress in specific years, provided that 14 days in total are respected. France and a last act. In the case of France, rather than an economic proposal, Bayrou’s budget plan has acquired the form of a kind of Declaration of principles in front of a fractured country. It is the bet of a veteran politician who seems willing to assume the cost of impopularity to address A structural problem that most of their predecessors have avoided. One thing is clear: parliamentary arithmetic is … Read more

The strange buzzing that you can only listen to at an age. The frequency that Japan, the US and Europe uses against young people

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In 2009 IHe listened to listen for the first time in the streets of Tokyo. For years, the Kitikahama Parkin the district of Adachi, he had been recurring white of acts of vandalism, especially in public facilities such as bathrooms and urban furniture. Damage, mainly attributed to groups of adolescents who frequent the area at night, had meant a significant cost for local authorities. And since then, a Imperceptible noise For much of the population has been recurring. A sound that has its origin in Europe. The mosquito. Years before, in 2005, the New York Times spoke of the arrival of an invention to the United Kingdom. What began as a child auditory discomfort was transformed years later into an unusual solution for a persistent urban problem. Howard Stapletona British engineer, he remembered how, at age 12, upon entering a factory with his father, he was forced to go out immediately by an unbearable sound that adults did not even perceive. Decades later, that experience led him to create The mosquitoa device that emits a high frequency buzz perceptible only by young ears (mainly around twenty) and practically inaudible for those who have passed thirty. Its purpose was as direct as controversial: drill teenagers that congregate in noisy in front of stores, generating discomfort, intimidations and even episodes of theft and violence, without the need for direct confrontation. Personal idea to experiment. The first real mosquito test took place in Barry in 2005, a town in southern Wales, in front of a spar grocery storemanaged by Robert Gough and his family. Before the installation, the place suffered daily La presence of adolescents They smoked, drank, insulted customers and broke into the establishment. Gough had considered resorting to classical music to large volume, but never implemented it. It was Stapleton who offered to install the device testing. In a matter of little time, the usual congregation of adolescents disappeared. Some tried to resist, entering the store with their fingers in their ears and asking to turn off the buzz. Gough, ingenious, told them that the device was to scare birds due to avian flu. The result was a Radical transformation: Before conflicting teenagers now entered, bought, and they went without causing problems. Mosquito installation in a Philadelphia store It hurts, but it doesn’t exhaust. We talk about a device that emits a kind of chirp pulsating by Above 17 kilohertzup to 75/80 decibels, comparable to a noise of tinnitusIt is not painful, but very irritating. Stapleton said he tested different frequencies with the help of his own children to formula That “I did not harm, but it would bother enough to want to leave.” His intention was never punishing, but Simply dissuadecausing an discomfort that pushes the adolescent to retire on its own. While some adults can still perceive the sound, the device is designed thinking about behavior patterns rather than strict age ranges: hardly a 30 -year -old person is around the entrance of a store for hours. Professor Andrew King, an expert in neurophysiology at Oxford University, I recognized years ago To the Times that although the hearing of high frequencies decreases with age, that loss is gradual and, therefore, some adults could also hear it. Stapleton will consider it irrelevant: “The mosquito is not for them.” Cross borders. After its appearance, the mosquito It generated great interest. Stores, railway deposits, shopping centers and British local authorities They requested units. Stapleton, at that time, already contemplated more powerful versions Activable by panic button, designed to repel crowds that enter into mass to steal, which in the United Kingdom is known as Steaming. Its logic It was simple: “It is difficult to steal with the fingers in the ears.” From Europe and the US to Japan. Four years after the invention was established in different cities from the United Kingdom, then Europe, and finally the United Statesthe mosquito made the leap to Japan. Given the numerous acts of vandalism, the district of Adachi decided to resort to the controversial technological solution, but growing in popularity. Pilot test In Japan, some shops and They had implemented Previously after receiving complaints about garbage, noise and concentration of youth groups, but 2009 was the first time it was installed in A public park. The Adachi administration, which had hired the device to the Melc Co LTD company, based in Chiyoda, installed it in the area as part of an essay that would last until March 2010. Background: Vandalism costs in the 470 parks and public areas of Adachi in the previous years had overcome the 3 million yenso any solution that could reduce non -invasive figures represented an attractive option. According to Melc representatives, the objective It was clear: generate an environment uncomfortable for offenders without altering the tranquility of the rest of citizens or provoking neighborhood complaints. And in the trains. Although today the number of facilities of this type is unknown in Japan, in the social networks They abound videos and comments of young people alluding To this type of sounds. Bloomberg had that even a version of the mosquito has also been installed in trains stations. In many of them ultrasonic devices had been placed that emitted a high frequency sound only noticeable for children under 25 years. The devices, designed to discourage merodeus without confrontations, caused obvious reactions In students: discomfort faces, accelerated steps and complaints, without most knew where the sound comes from. Meanwhile, older adults walk imperturbable, unable to hear the signal. The technology, originally from Wales, had found in Japan its most systematic and culturally accepted use. Between defense and stigma. Counted in a long NPR interview to Stapleton that the mosquito has generated a debate about the Technological intervention limits in public space. While some celebrate their ability to restore tranquility in commercial and school areas without violence or clashes, others consider that their indiscriminate use It can be equivalent to criminalizing the default youth. Stapleton responded That the true enemy is not adolescence, … Read more

Lyft, closer to landing in Europe. The platform has taken a key step to buy Freeow from BMW and Mercedes

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Lyft wants to enter Europe and has begun to move. The company has notified the National Commission of Markets and the Competition the purchase of Freeow, the taxi app that until now shared BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The operation, valued at 175 million euros It represents a key movement: if completed, it will allow Lyft to deploy in more than 150 European cities, including Madrid, Berlin and London. Instead of building a network in Europe, it is committed to acquiring a platform that already operates in some of the most important markets on the continent. Freeow not only has a consolidated presence in key cities: it also has local agreements, active fleets and an approach that fits the European ecosystem, more regulated than the American. The operation would allow Lyft to enter with a base already made. The operation is not closed. On July 9, Lyft officially notified the purchase from the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC). With that step the initial phase of the regulatory process in Spain is activated: the agency now has a month to pronounce. If you consider that the operation needs a more detailed analysis, a second phase will be opened that could be lengthened between three and four months, As Europa Press collects. Only after overcoming this process the transaction could be completed. For users, nothing changes for now. But there are clear promises. Both Lyft and Freeow have confirmed that, for the moment, there will be no changes in the experience of use. The app will continue to function as until now. However, in the medium term, improvements such as more consistent prices, faster vehicles and new functions are expected. They are future objectives, even without a concrete date, but that are already in the road map of both companies. The Integration of Freeow would allow him to significantly expand his scope, both in number of cities and in potential volume of users. According to its internal estimates, the total market to which it aspires would reach more than 300,000 million annual journeys, with an expected increase in gross reserves of 1,000 million euros. Freeow does not disappear: he maintains his team, his brand and his local DNA. The agreement contemplates that Freeow retains its current structure. There will be no mergers or rebranding: the brand will remain active and directed by the same team. That continuity is part of the strategic value of the operation, since it allows Lyft to access a consolidated network without altering its internal operation. An agreement that meets two different, but complementary cultures. Lyft arrives with an experience focused on digital platforms and large volume management. Freeow brings the knowledge of the land: relations with fleets, authorities and operators in each city. Both companies assure that it is not an absorption, but a collaboration that aspires to climb what already works, without losing local identity. Images | Lyft/Freeow In Xataka | Europe has denied 1,100 million euros to Spain with a single goal: that we pay more for diesel

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