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A teenager in Mexico created a Hombres G fan website in 1998, with the band already separated. 9 years later they filled Las Ventas

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In 1998, Mexican Francisco Romero was 15 years old, had a new computer and a school assignment to complete. Looking for the best grade, he created a website about his favorite group: Hombres G, a Spanish band that by then was already dissolved. What began as an academic exercise ended up becoming the band’s first digital fan community, with thousands of members spread around the world. And it was also the trigger that convinced David Summers and his team to return to the stage. How it all started. In 1998, having internet at home in Mexico was not common: just a marginal fraction (2-3%) of the Mexican population had access to the network under these conditions. Even so, Francisco Romero, a teenager who had just gotten his first computer, embarked on completing a school project in which students were asked to create a web page. Romero chose the Hombres G as the subject of his project. He had arrived at the Madrid group, which had already been dissolved for five years, through friends from high school. And since finding documentation about the band was difficult (there were only two pages about Hombres G on the internet), he decided to create a community. Meeting point. The web, as Romero himself explainswas titled Club ‘We’re still crazy… so what?’, in reference to ‘We’re crazy… or what?’ title of one of the group’s first albums. The success was immediate: in its first five months, it received hundreds of requests from Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Peru and Japan (in times before algorithms and search engines crashed). They wrote to him, above all, from fans who had not had a space to talk about the band for years, to which they had not stopped listening since the last album they had released in 1993, ‘Bikini history‘. The contact. At the end of 2000an anonymous user left him a complimentary message on the page, to which Romero responded politely. Three days later, another message arrived from the same sender, who turned out to be one of the band’s two guitarists: “Please don’t give out my email, I’m Dani Mezquita.” Later they established telephone contact, which ended up leading to more frequent conversations. The significant fact: Mezquita was then working as marketing director at DRO East West, the Warner Music label that released almost all of the band’s albums. From his position he had noticed something: at the end of 2000, a compilation of Hombres G was the third best-selling album in Mexico at that time. A group without activity, without tour, without active label, without a single public appearance in years. That is, they had an active and completely underserved fan base. With these data on the table, and as told in the documentary ‘The Best Years of Our Life’ (released in theaters scheduled for April 30), the members met and proposed a modest return, with three or four concerts in Mexico. It gets out of hand. From there the expectation skyrockets. The reunification tour ended adding 70 performances during 2002 and 2003including a concert in Las Ventas before 20,000 people and several cities in Latin America and the United States. The album that accompanied the comeback, ‘Dangerous Together’, was initially released only in America, which says a lot about where the weight of the comeback was leaning. When he arrived in Spain he ended up obtaining the Platinum Record. In gratitude for Romero’s importance in this return, he has continued working continuously with the band from Mexico. And so we come to the present: on April 25, 2025, Men G performed before more than 60,000 people at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City. All within the framework of a tour titled ‘Thank you, Mexico Tour’. A name that makes it clear to what extent the very survival of the group is owed to a modest student from the city. In Xataka | Three millennia of pop: the oldest song in the world is 3,400 years old and we can still hear it

A company has filled a neighborhood with sidewalk outlets to charge electric cars. Their results are contradictory

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In 2022, a German company called Rheinmetall proposed a new charging solution: put outlets on the sidewalks. Trying to find solutions for those who wanted to jump to an electric or plug-in hybrid car but did not have a garage, the company proposed a system to charge on the same street, without having to go to an electric station. Three years later: we have the results. A pilot test. After receiving approval from the authorities, the company began a pilot in 2024 in central Cologne and Lindenthala residential neighborhood of the city characterized by its low and individual houses. Neighborhood where, by the way, you will find the status of the local soccer team. The idea is simple, you park on the sidewalk and on the ground, on the curb, you find a plug hidden in a cover. You scan a code printed on it and connect the car with your own charging cable for AC use. As if it were any other charging point, both ends are joined and when the payment is completed, it is passed through the use of a mobile application. The results. In general terms, the results have been good. According to the company, a total of 2,800 charging cycles were carried out in the pilot test in one year. On average, the cars recharged 18 kWh, which in the city means more than 100 kilometers of autonomy for an electric car and between 80 and 100 kilometers on the highway (depending on its efficiency). They point out that each day the plug has been used an average of twice a day and that its availability has been 99%, so there have hardly been any breakdowns. The figure is good if we compare it with the European and Spanish average. In our country, public outlets They are only used 1.5 times a day and, on average, each charger is only busy between 30 and 120 minutes a day in Europe. Customer opinion. The company has conducted a survey of users who have offered their point of view to the system. It included the score given by the drivers (five points maximum) and some notes, complaints or recommendations made by customers. In total, the system has obtained 4.38 points out of five. But, above all, they have received very positive evaluations among customers over 60 years old, who value the simplicity of the system. In addition, they highlight that the plugs have not been damaged by water and that vandalism or uncivil acts (such as not picking up pet excrement) have not been found to have been a problem when recharging. A curious solution is that the cover that hides the plug has been designed to open with a small push of the charging cable, allowing the customer to lift said cover without having to touch it with their hand. Good idea, with some cracks. They point out in forumelectriccars that one of the main problems with this type of charging points is the cost of the plug. Each one of them, which has refrigeration and air conditioning to improve charging, costs 5,000 euros, so it is a bad idea compared to a traditional home charger. Furthermore, if you want to get the most out of the system, it would be necessary to reserve space for these charging points on the street, so there is no difference with any other public charging point unless the street is filled with plugs. That is, as happens with public outlets that are not located at a gas station, the parking space is reduced to reserve spaces that are not always occupied. Other proposals. Public charging is one of the great challenges that the electric car represents. One of its advantages is to leave the house with a charged car or, at least, take advantage of its parking lot to fill its batteries since alternating current is slow and most of the time a car is stopped. The most obvious proposal is the electric stations, with a huge number of high-power plugs available. another is fill shopping and leisure centers with chargerssince a visit to fully recharge the battery can take days or weeks (depending on daily trips) without plugging in our car. With an average of 50 kilometers per day, a car that drives 500 kilometers of autonomy in the city has 10 days to go without plugging the car back in, just three days a month. But if we want to bring public charging to the city streets, Portugal, United Kingdom either Netherlands have been experimenting with public outlets on streetlights. The system is as simple as including sockets on the curbs but with the difference that the socket comes from a street lamp and does not require installation on the ground. The paradox of slow recharging. The problem with this type of recharge is that slow charging takes hours and hours with the car plugged in. If a socket charges our car at 7.4 kW of power, it will be necessary to spend about 10 hours to completely fill the battery of a 60 kWh vehicle, a small size that is on the border between those who want the car for an urban environment and those who want to dare to travel with him. Those refills They are interesting if the price is low But they require that, to get the most out of it, we have to leave the car parked there for an entire working day or an entire night. The system, therefore, is certainly inefficient in terms of servicing more than one car. To charge at this power, the data says that most electric car drivers charge at home. Outside of it, the customer usually chooses to recharge at higher powers. For example, a 50 kW plug can now fully charge a car in less than three hours, which is the time we spend watching a movie at the cinema. And on a trip, the most practical thing is usually to look for … Read more

Their songs about Greek myths on YouTube have filled the Movistar Arena. Twice

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Almost two years after announcing their temporary retirement from the stage, Álvaro Pascual and Rodrigo Septién return to the same place where they said goodbye. On January 3, 2026, Gutting History returns to the Movistar Arena with a new proposal called ‘The Dawn of the Gods’. They had closed their previous tour, ‘Loki Tour’ in January 2024 before thousands of attendees in Madrid, then declaring a break without a return date after mobilizing more than 75,000 spectators between Spain and Latin America. But they are back. How it started. Gutting history It started on YouTube in 2017, combining dissemination of stories and mythology with parody songs and handmade animations. The project started applying the format “draw my life“, popular on YouTube during those years, with his own songs until he ended up developing songs as diverse as the authentic ones. myths that inspired Disney movies or the stories of classical mythology, just as they were originally born. Origins. After a few humorous videos starring themselveshis video about the origin of Valentine’s Day established a formula that they would not abandon for a long time: very schematic illustrations on a white board, with rudimentary animations, catchy melodies and a humorous and demystifying tone. From there they would evolve until reaching the current state, where they exhibit animations much more sophisticated. The data. Currently the channel is approaching six million subscribers and according to HypeAuditor datahas a monthly growth of 0.16%. These are figures that position it as a benchmark for this type of educational content in Spanish. Monetization has evolved beyond YouTube: the platform’s advertising revenue estimates place its earnings between $4,100 and $5,700 per month for that channel alone, also according to HypeAuditor. However, the real commercial muscle came with diversification: they published books like ‘Gods of Olympus’, ‘The Craziest Gods’ or ‘The Craziest Monsters’, comics like ‘The Greatest Villains’, and they have developed merchandising that includes even dolls based on their characters. The ‘Loki Tour’ that closed in 2024 mobilized 75,000 attendees and took them outside of Spain, to countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Chile, as well as nine Spanish cities, a figure comparable to tours by established musical artists. A recurring jump. The jump from digital content to physical venues is not exclusive to Destripando la Historia. In the Anglo-Saxon sphere, several projects on mythology and history have consolidated sufficient audiences to monetize in-person events. The podcast Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! takes an irreverent approach to Greco-Latin mythology similar to Gutting History, while Mythologyproduction of Spotify Studios with theatrical finish combines dramatizations with historical analysis. Our Fake Historywhich debunks historical urban legends through hour-plus episodes, represents the more academic end of the spectrum. The case of Critical Role. However, the closest reference to the Guttering History model is Critical Rolea group of voice actors that has broadcast ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ games since 2015. Its expansion illustrates the commercial potential of this type of content: in October 2023 They filled the OVO Arena Wembley in London with 12,000 attendees. Their 10th anniversary tour in 2025 included Radio City Music Hall in New York and they already have an animated series on Amazon Prime, ‘The legend of Vox Machina‘, and they have founded a board game publishing house and a charitable foundation. The secret of success. There are several reasons to explain the impact of Ripping History, beyond the indisputable quality of its content. First, its hybrid format turns educational content into musical entertainment. Three-minute songs generate complete plays and relistens, which certainly pleases the algorithm. But they have also achieved something unusual: a transgenerational audience. Children enjoy the references to movies and myths they know through Disney, teenagers connect with the hooligan humor and adults appreciate the irony behind the proposal. The future. The question, once completely artisanal growth is established for the channel (unlike Critical Role, which rotates for months and has 180 employees) remains: can a duo sustain continuous content production without evolving towards a more business format, with specialized teams? Or, formulated another way, does the return to the Movistar Arena confirm that the model works in cycles, alternating digital creation with in-person peaks, instead of aspiring to the permanent machinery of Critical Role? In Xataka | The king of podcasting is no longer Apple or Spotify. It’s Google

Having China manufacture its cars in Europe seemed like a perfect plan. Until they were filled with Chinese workers

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Manufacture their electric cars in Europe so that they can sell them without tariffs. That was the promise of the European Union to Chinese manufacturers. The objective was to consolidate the electric car industry for Europe in Europe, closing the door to proposals from China at a much more attractive price. And the result is not what was expected. Manufacture in Europe. In October 2024, the European Union confirmed the tariffs to all the companies that bring their electric cars from China. Including European ones. With this measure that applies individually to each company (ensuring that not all have received the same benefits from the Chinese State) it was intended to attract factories to Europe. Why does an electric car have less autonomy than advertised? The strategy has gone well. First, because the Chinese State ordered to stop all investments in Europe that were in the negotiation phase, initially turning off the tap. Secondly, because it is not clear that the installed factories are giving great results in terms of employment. From China for Chinese. “There are currently manufacturers in Europe that assemble Chinese cars with Chinese components and Chinese personnel: this happens in Spain and Hungary. This is not right.” The words are from Stéphane Séjourné Vice President of Prosperity and Industrial Strategy of the European Commission, in an interview for the Italian newspaper La Stampa. In it he pointed out Spain and Hungary as the two hot spots. In this second country, BYD is building its first plant in Europe to produce electric cars. In Spain we have the Chery plant in Barcelona and, under construction, the CATL battery plant in Aragon. In all previous cases, criticism has multiplied because they are not impacting the area as expected. The Hungarian case. Séjourné refers to the plant that BYD has planned in Hungary. There, the Chinese company is building a factory that should produce 150,000 cars a year (with potential for 300,000 units) and employ 10,000 workers. However, the European Union is studying if the Chinese giant is receiving covert subsidies to carry it out, paralyzing its construction. In the early phases of the project, BYD has employed about 1,000 workers Chinese which has raised the suspicions of the European Commission as to whether there is really an intention to produce wealth on European soil. some of them They staged protests last summer by claiming that they had been fired just six months after joining despite receiving promises of large salaries upon arrival in Europe. BYD is at the center of controversy because the European Commission suspects that in the future Chinese workers may be the majority at the plant, since they would aspire to lower salaries. The company, yes, He already promised that he would employ local workers to advance vehicle production. The question is whether this first hiring of Chinese personnel responds to the start-up of the factory or the advancement of a way of acting that extends over time. The Spanish case. In Spain, two factories have concentrated China’s interest. The first to arrive was the one from Chery to Barcelona. There, the Chinese company has found that it already had the necessary machinery to remove cars from it since it responds to the occupation of the old Nissan plant. However, the plans are not meeting the expected deadlines. Chery is assembling kits of cars in Barcelona. That is, the car arrives in large pieces to Spain and is finished being assembled here, so the local impact is reduced. In this case we are not talking about employment but we are talking about the fact that the network of suppliers generated is minimal. The European Commission did not like this and, in fact, the electric Omoda 5 has been delayed in Barcelona because the regulators threaten to impose tariffs on them when they understand that the added value is zero. The other point of friction is that of CATL in Aragón. The Chinese battery producer announced an agreement with Stellantis to produce there the components that the automotive giant will use in its small cars. For now, we know that 2,000 Chinese employees will arrive and, again, the shadow of what impact the new factory will have on the local labor market is looming. According to T&Eit is not guaranteed that the CATL plant will guarantee long-term knowledge transfer. More pressures. In addition to the statements by European regulators, other voices have also raised their voices. France is one of the countries that is most under pressure to create a new category of cars to make electric vehicles cheaper. Their proposal is that they meet certain size requirements… but also that production be entirely European. These days, Josep María Recasens, president of Renault Spain, returned to the charge ensuring that “we cannot allow China to come to Europe to make four plates with wheels without added value.” In his statements he asked that Europe force Chinese companies to associate with European ones so that there is a transfer of knowledge as China itself demanded from Europe when its manufacturers began to produce on Asian soil. Photo | Official Lula on Wikimedia and BYD In Xataka | China is manufacturing many more cars than the world wants to buy. And that is a foretaste of serious problems.

In 2007, 20% of homes were bought by young Spaniards. Now that gap is being filled by another group: foreigners

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With the skyrocketing priceshe decoupling between supply and demand in cities and a market increasingly inaccessiblethe notaries of Spain have found themselves with a curious fact (not unexpected) when reviewing the home buying and selling data. Operations led by young people have collapsed in recent decades. If in 2007 they represented 22.5% of the total, now they do not reach 10%. Of course, all groups have followed the same dynamic. The statistics Notaries show that there is another group of buyers that has experienced a diametrically opposite trend: foreigners. What has happened? That the General Council of Notaries (CGN) has launched a new tool on-line which helps us better understand the Spanish real estate market. Above all to study key aspects such as the evolution of prices, the pace of purchases and sales or the amount of operations, offering an alternative vision to that of portals such as Idealista. If something has attracted attention During its presentation, however, another indicator was: the weight of young people in the real estate market. Or rather, how it has been receding little by little. What does the data say? The conclusion of the notaries is quite clear. If we look back and analyze the last two decades, we see that “the presence of young people in the market has been drastically reduced.” In 2007, the younger population (those between 18 and 30 years old) was behind 22.53% of sales. Today that percentage has been reduced to 9.55%. In fact, the statistical portal shows that they are one of the groups with the smallest footprint on the market, only behind the group that is already over 70 years old. In general the latest data Updated CGN data show that those under 31 years of age have represented 9.35% of buyers over the last year, far from the 25.7% of the 31-40 age group or 26.89% of the 41-50 age group. For more than a decade, in fact, the average age of those who buy has been around 50 years old. It’s not surprising at all. Other studies have been pointing out for some time the difficulties with which young people encounter to access the real estate market (only a part manages to buy or rent) and above all its gradual weight loss. Do they show anything else? Yes. Young Spaniards may play a much more discreet role in the sector today than just a few years ago, but there is another group that has grown. So much in fact that has covered the gap left by those less than 30 years old. CGN data show that operations carried out by foreigners have skyrocketed in the last two decades: from representing 7.5% of the total in 2007, they have risen to 20.1%. The Vanguard specifies that the increase has been especially pronounced in the case of non-residents, who would be purchasing of the order of 50,000-60,000 properties per year. He statistical portal of notaries allows us to go a few steps further and get a more approximate idea of ​​which foreign citizens are interested in the Spanish real estate market. According to their updated data, the British represent 8.7%, the Moroccans 7.7% and the Italians are close to 7%. They are followed on the list by Germans (6.9%) and Romanians (6.4%). It is interesting that in some of these groups, such as the British, the percentage of non-resident buyers is higher than those who do have their habitual residence in Spanish territory. When comparing the evolution of foreign buyers and young people (between 18 and 31 years old), the data must however be handled with some caution, since the General Council of Notaries does not clarify to what extent they overlap. And what about the prices? In recent years the real estate market has been marked by another phenomenon as or even more relevant: rising prices. The data of Idealistic show that, in Spain, on average, the square meter of residential use cost 1,522 euros in September 2015. It now stands at 2,517. The data does not exactly match the calculated by the notaries, but it still gives an idea of ​​the increase in housing prices. The group estimates that last year the sector recorded a variation rate price increases of 7.12%, one of the highest in the last decade. In fact, it was only surpassed in 2022, when the figure was 7.23%. “From January to August 2025, apartment prices in Spain (new and second-hand housing) have increased by 8% compared to 2024. This situation is worsened in the country’s capital, with Madrid registering a price increase of 15.2%. In Barcelona the increase reaches 9.23%,” concludes the CGN. The director of the Technological Center of Notaries, Alberto Martínez Lacambra, admits In fact, the rise in housing prices “is beginning to be worrying.” And beyond prices? The weight loss of young people is explained by several factors. Although the increase in the price of residential m2 is a key factor, there is an added difficulty in saving (costs rise in the purchase and sale market, but also in the rental market) and accessing credit or deep imbalance between demand and supply that the most saturated markets suffer from. The situation is so complex and young people have it so difficult that in fact notaries have found another revealing surprise: they are increasingly most common donations of housing (or cash for purchases) between parents and children. Regarding the increase in foreign buyers, the trend coincides with another undeniable reality. One that goes beyond the effect of extinct ‘golden visa’: he general increase of the foreign population, which has helped Spain increase its GDP and strengthening of the registry, a reality recognized by the INE itself. In recent years, the country has also gained appeal as a vacation destination, to the point that it threatens to become with more visitors of the planet. Images | Emil Gabrovski (Unsplash) and Roberto Tjalondo (Unsplash) In Xataka | A 40m2 “capsule” for 25,000 euros: the Chinese solution to housing that … Read more

Madrid has been filled with great fortunes and not by chance: it has known how to play its fiscal cards better than anyone

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During the last decade, Madrid has become the epicenter of money in Spain. Not only does it concentrate the headquarters of large companies and banks, but it has also become a magnet for large international and national fortunes. According to a study published by Fernando Rodrigo Sauco from the University of Zaragoza, based on the latest data from the Tax Agency, 41.9% of taxpayers with assets exceeding three million euros live in the Community of Madrid, compared to 22% who resides in Catalonia. A tax shelter within Spain. The high-net-worth migration trend analyzed in the study is not new, but it has intensified over the years. Since 2011, thousands of large fortunes have moved their tax residence to Madrid. The main reason why millionaires have gathered in the capital It is due to a more permissive tax policy with large wealth groups and the network effect of living close to where the wealth is concentrated. business and financial activity. What began as a tax difference has become a true geography of money within Spain. In Xataka 64% of Spaniards believe that they pay more in taxes than they receive from the State. It’s actually the other way around The rich live in Madrid or Catalonia. The report data indicates that 58.3% of the 1% of the richest population in Spain reside in Madrid (32.51%) and Catalonia (25.8%). Further away we find the Valencian Community, with a census of 9.76% of the country’s great fortunes, and Andalusia with 6.71%. However, if the bar is raised to the highest decile of the ultra-rich population –rich among the richest— which corresponds to 0.1% of the population, then the concentration is even more pronounced, with 68.59% of these great fortunes residing in one of the two communities, but the differences are beginning to be appreciated. In Madrid the percentage of ultra-rich increases up to the aforementioned 41.9, while in Catalonia they only amount to 26.69%. The presence of these ultra-rich residents in other communities remains more or less in the same proportions as that of the rich, with 8.2% in the Valencian Community and 6.31% in Andalusia. In Xataka Tell me where you live and I will tell you how much money you have: this is how wealth is distributed in the neighborhoods and municipalities of Spain Rooting conditioning. The study analyzes the conditions that can be decisive for a great fortune decide to pack your bags and move to the capital. This is what the study calls “migration elasticity” and defines, for example, the number of millionaires who would move if a certain tax (such as wealth tax) increased by 1% more or was reduced by the same proportion. In summary, what weight would taxation have in the decision over other factors such as roots, family, language or public services. In this context, until fiscal 2023Madrid maintained a 100% bonus on the wealth tax, which in practice means that the great fortunes residing in that community They did not pay that tribute. In the rest of the country, the tax can reach up to 3.5% of net assets. Added to this is a somewhat lower personal income tax in the upper brackets and the absence of inheritance tax for direct inheritances. Therefore, taxation gained weight in the decision to change residence. {“videoId”:”x8k9arv”,”autoplay”:false,”title”:”You could be LOSING MONEY with your 2022 INCOME RETURN”, “tag”:”Webedia-prod”, “duration”:”402″} A paradigm shift. The result of this tax policy that is friendly to large assets has been clear: between 2011 and 2015, more than 6,000 large fortunes moved to Madrid. According to the study, that flow remained constant over the next decade. However, in 2023 a differentiating factor came into play, the effects of which are not yet known: the entry into force of the temporary solidarity tax on large fortunes. This new tax applied a rule in which, with the excuse of avoiding double taxation, the State began to collect wealth tax that the communities that had it subsidized were not collecting. According to a report According to the Tax Agency, the 27.6% of large fortunes who paid the Wealth Tax in 2022 rose to 99% in 2023. Skyrocketing its collection in Madrid and Andalusia, where it was previously subsidized. That is to say, that tax advantage that previously conditioned the concentration of capital in Madrid has been diluted. In a few years we will see if this paradigm shift once again conditions the residence of the great fortunes. In Xataka | How much money do you need to be among the richest 1% in Spain Image | Unsplash (Manoa Angelo) (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); } })(); – The news Madrid has been filled with great fortunes and not by chance: it has known how to play its fiscal cards better than anyone was originally published in Xataka by Ruben Andres .

How Amazon Has Been Filled With Supplements That Sell Imitation Science

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Just over 20 years ago, the stem cell research promised a revolution against disease and aging. These master cells, with the potential to become any tissue in the body, seemed the key to true regenerative medicine, something that It moved away from the complex reality that we have inside our body. Although there are different merchants who try to sell us stem cells as a true wonder. Distorted. Something we are accustomed to (unfortunately) is that where science hits the brakes, the market hits the accelerator. In the infinite Amazon showcase, next to the vitamins and the collagen supplementsa new family of miracle products has emerged: stem cell supplements. Of course, they cannot contain cells in a capsule or in a cream, but that does not promise them to stimulate or regenerate them. Something that for many is the most ideal. This is something that a group from the Health Law Institute of the University of Alberta (Canada) has decided to investigate. has put the magnifying glass on this emerging market. To do this, it analyzed 184 of these products from 133 different companies associated with Amazon.com and has been able to conclude that behind an apparent scientific rhetoric hides a deliberate strategy to avoid regulation and deceive the consumer. The trick. The study published in the journal Stem Cell Reports shows how the sellers of these supplements exploit a legal loophole that allows them to launch ambiguous health messages without the need to demonstrate their effectiveness. The labels carefully avoid terms such as ‘cure’ or ‘prevent’ diseases, something that legislation prohibits. Instead, they use harmless verbs like “support,” “promote,” or “maintain” brain health, energy, or healthy aging. This ambiguity is its main weapon. In the United States and Canada, regulations allow calls structure/function claimswhich are vague claims that link a product to overall well-being without requiring rigorous clinical testing. That loophole is where most of these supplements slip through. The data. They can be summarized in several points: More than 40% of products explicitly mentioned “science” or “scientific evidence” to support the features they promised. 35% included references to health professionals or scientists to reinforce legitimacy. 94% of the supplements made promises related to specific ailments by pointing out that they were anti-aging, strengthened immunity or increased the consumer’s energy. This type of marketing, which the authors call scienceploitation (exploitation of science), “gives the consumer the impression that there is broad scientific support, which contrasts with the current state of stem cell therapies,” the study warns. Regulation. The strategy works because regulation in North America barely requires testing for safety or efficiency before a supplement hits the market. In theory, public bodies can sanction misleading advertising, but their oversight capacity is minimal. In the United States alone, it is estimated that there are more than 100,000 supplements in circulation. In practice, you only have to add a phrase that is “this statement has not been evaluated by the FDA” for pseudoscience to become legal. In Canada, although a license from Health Canada is required, a 2021 audit found that the agency did “little” to prevent poor consumer information from being provided. The case in Spain. Although the study in question focuses on the United States and Canada, its conclusions can be extrapolated. In Spain, any statement about health must be authorized by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) or the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS). However, law enforcement on the internet is often very lax, and on Amazon.es you can find products with language very similar to that reported by researchers. Products on Amazon.es that promise anti-aging effects thanks to the stem cells they contain. The authors of the work, led by Alessandro R. Marcon and Timothy Caulfield, warn that this situation not only harms consumers’ pockets, but also erodes trust in science and real research on stem cells. Selling products without a scientific basis under the umbrella of biotechnology is, they conclude, a form of marketing that exploits the prestige gained by science to sell smoke. Images | Doodlart mmmCCC In Xataka | Amazon lost 25 billion with Echo because no one bought with it: now it punishes you with constant advertising for having bought it

We have filled Europe with traps to combat the terrible Asian wasp. It was a bad idea

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That non-endemic species reach new territories It’s a colossal problem. It is estimated that more than half of contemporary extinctions They are the fault of invaders and there are examples of kicks (reaching the Arctic due to climate change). He coypu or the blue crab They are two of those invasive animals, but if we share something in Europe it is the “fear” of Asian wasps: a ‘bug’ that we have been fighting for 20 years and against which we are losing miserably. And the big problem is that we are killing flies with cannon shots. vespa velutina. About three centimeters long, this wasp came to Europe at the beginning of the century. Supposedly, he did so aboard a cargo ship from China, landing on the French coast and, since then, colonizing other territories. In 2010 the species spread to Spain, entering from the Basque Country, colonizing the Cantabrian coast and arriving in Galiciabut it has also expanded to Portugal, Germany and even the United Kingdom. It is already well established and, although it is true that it is not more aggressive than “our” wasp, when it gets angry and stings it can cause serious allergic reactions, causing occasional deaths. The worst thing is that it continues to expand at a rate of about 80 kilometers of territory gained each year. Invaders. It’s no longer that they can bother us, but rather that, as an invasive species, they do what they do best: destroy the native ones. And not with other wasps, but with bees. The Asian wasp is a predator of other insects, but has a predilection for honey bees. It attacks their hives indiscriminately, causing enormous damage to beekeeping. At a time when awareness about importance of bees in naturebeyond for him human consumption of honeythere are those who take matters into their own hands and have started setting traps. It moves fast Flies with cannon shots. There are several types. On the one hand, the most homemade: the typical upside-down bottle that we fill with mixtures attractive to wasps (juices, wines, fruits and sugar), creating a sticky paste in which the wasp becomes trapped. There are others that are more sophisticated and selective, with large holes for wasps to enter, but with release mechanisms for smaller animals and pheromones that attract insects. The problem is that they are remedies that can do more harm than anything else because, although commercial traps have release mechanisms for accidentally captured insects, you have to be careful and, basically, it is killing flies with cannon fire. Those who do not have to fall fall. And the main criticism is precisely that: the traps do not discriminate and damage is created to biodiversity because many insects that are not the Asian wasp are killed. Among them are moths, beetles, flies, bees and an ally that fights against the Asian invader: the European hornet. In a recent investigation published Pest Management Science has analyzed how in Galician vineyards, traps against Vespa velutina have turned out to be ineffective in controlling the damage that the insect does to grapes, but although Asian wasps are trapped, other species that have an important role in pollination are also captured. Solutions? The request of the researchers is that the Galician administration, promoter of this massive trapping, takes a step back because what is produced is a false idea of ​​effectiveness due to general captures, but without implying that the objective, which is to stop the Asian wasp, is met. What do they propose? That this elimination technique be reconsidered and look at the scientific evidence, since “environmental problems are complex and can rarely be solved with quick and easy solutions.” It is not a solution as such to the damage that these invasive wasps can cause, but it is to put an end to the indiscriminate killing of other insects that do a job in our ecosystem. What is evident is that, as we mentioned a few paragraphs ago, for a kind of outsider to arrive and establish itself so quickly in a territory is something devastating. And the Asian wasp is a perfect example. Images | Clame Reporter, Didier Descouens In Xataka | After centuries of disappearance, there are people releasing beavers into the Tagus and other rivers in Spain. The problem is that we don’t know who

In a town of 2,000 inhabitants on the edge of Ourense something strange happens every summer: it is filled with millionaires

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Neither Puerto Banusnor the resorts Caribbean, nor the coast of Malta, nor the exclusive Palm Islands from Dubai. When the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú It’s your turn to plan your summer vacation, one of the destinations that is always on your calendar is Planea hidden town in rural Ourense. And he’s not the only one. In the summer, magnates such as Amancio Ortega or Olegario Vázquez Grañasenior managers of El Corte Inglés and Abanca or even the cardinal of Mexico City, Norberto Riverawho came to considered papal. On its streets it is also not unusual to find a Rolls-Royce or Bentley. And all in a municipality that does not reach 2,000 neighbors. Welcome to Avion Seen on the map, Avión does not attract particular attention. The town is located in the Ribeiro regionbetween the Faro and Suído mountains, in the province of Ourense. In summer it is common for maximum temperatures go over 35º and to enjoy the beaches of the Rías Baixas you need to get in the car, take the highway and travel a good handful of kilometers. Its statistical data does not stand out on the Galician map either. The demographic winter has not passed Avión by, which over the years has seen how his census was deflating until you stay in less than 1,800 inhabitants. The percentage of population under 20 years of age in the municipality is only 5.66% and its aging rate far exceeds that of the rest of the region. As far as economy is concerned, Macro data recorded In 2021, an average gross income of 16,410 euros, below the capital of the province, which was close to 26,800. And yet, for years it has not been strange to find great magnates spending the summer in Avión. And no, the term “great magnates” is not a figure of speech nor is it an exaggeration. newspapers like Vigo Lighthouse either The Voice of Galicia They usually cover in detail how the Augusts go by in the town of Ourense, so we manage a fairly long and detailed list of businessmen, senior managers and authorities who have been seen in its streets and bars. Of all, perhaps the most striking is Carlos Slima Mexican billionaire with Lebanese roots who sneaks in often in the TOP 10 of the wealthiest people in the world. Forbes estimates that together with his family he has a fortune of about 85.7 billion of dollars. He is not the only fan of Avión, a regular destination for Vazquez Grañaone of the richest men in Mexico. Through its streets has also been seen to the founder of Inditex, Amancio Ortegaclosely linked to Galicia and which also stands out as one of the fortunes more overwhelming of the planet. Are they the only ones? No. The Galician press leaves a good list of personalities who at some point have paraded through the streets of the town of Ourense. The list is long. And curious. Vigo Lighthouse explains how in August 2014, coinciding with the celebration of the local festival (San Roque) and the anniversary of Olegario Graña’s wife, one could see in Avión a Miguel Rinconknown as “the king of paper” in Mexico by the Bio Pappel firm; the captain Alberto Abedfrom FlyMex; Isidoro Alvarezformer president of El Corte Inglés; or the cardinal Norberto Riveraa powerful prelate who entered the pools to Pope in 2005. Carlos Slim, orange tie, in the center. (Commons) The most curious thing about Slim or Vázquez Graña’s summer vacations in Avión is that the tycoons do not seclude themselves in mansions to enjoy the isolation and move discreetly from their heliports. Not at all. They use their Rolls-Royce and BentleyTrue, but they are also seen in the town’s bars to sit at the table to eat seafood or play a game of dominoes. And no, again that’s not a figure of speech. In August 2013 could be seen Carlos Slim, Vázquez Raña, Rincón and the notary Daniel Goñi playing with the black and white chips on the rubber of the Moncho bar. The print was repeated a year later and in 2017 The Country I recaptured a similar quote at the O Luar bar. Of course, there is no lack either food and music. The town even celebrates a mexican partywith mariachis included. But… Why Plane? That’s the big question. Slim lands with his private jet at the Peinador airport, in Vigo, and travels to the small town of Ourense. Why there and not to some paradisiacal destination or some secluded beach in his native Mexico or Lebanon, from where were originally your parents? The key is in the history of Avión, to be more precise in its very strong ties with emigration: during the 20th century, not a few of its neighbors were forced to pack their bags, get on a transatlantic liner and cross the ocean to find a life in Latin America. Some did well, quite well. And they or now their descendants they keep the link with the town. The case more paradigmatic and that largely explains Carlos Slim’s time at Avión is that of Vázquez Raña. “Our parents left here when I was little. As in many towns in Galicia, there was no future. The mosquitoes ate us. And on the unpaved roads our feet sank in animal excrement,” relates to Vigo Lighthouse Ricardo Hermida, a hotelier who emigrated to Mexico. In Avión they not only reconnect with their roots. There, despite the increasingly frequent coming and going of television cameras, reporters and photographers in search of the best snapshot, they enjoy a tranquility and naturalness that is difficult to achieve in other destinations. “In Mexico I move around in an armored car with six bodyguards; in Avión I am free, otherwise I wouldn’t come here,” admits Vázquez Graña. The expression “the Airplane method” is not ours, but Alberto Dacasaa Mexican businessman with Galician roots and a regular summer resident in the town of Ourense. Last year he released a … Read more

Europe has filled with Stellantis cars that are not sold. And Madrid and Zaragoza will pay the consequences

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Zaragoza and Madrid will suffer a temporary stop in vehicle production. This has been confirmed to us from Stellantis, who we have asked about the rumored machine stop in six European floors. With a stock that is not giving out, the company does not want to return to past times. Temporary. That is the makeup: a temporary stop. Although we have asked in Stellantis about stops distributed throughout Europethe company has only confirmed in our case those related to Madrid and Zaragoza. Nor have we been offered data on when and how long these stops will take place. If it is confirmed that the company for the Poissy factory, which produces the DS 3 and Opel Mokka, from October 13 to 31, 2025, according to the French media Echos. In Bloomberg They expand the stop to the Italian Pomigliano factory where the Alpha Romeo Tonale and the Fiat Panda are manufactured. There are already four confirmed plants but in the French media it was ensured that the strikes could affect up to six European factories. Spain. What is manufactured in our country? In Madrid, Stellantis produces the Citroën C4y C4 X, as well as its completely electric variants. For its part, in Zaragoza produces the small electric electric. That is, Los Lancia Ypsilon, Opel Corsa Ey Peugeot E-208. In addition, it had recently confirmed that the B10 Leapmotor would arrive in Spain and, everything indicates, should land in Zaragoza. The one that will not stop is the Vigo plant. There Stellantis produces the commercial vehicles of Peugeot and Citroën, as well as the 2008 Peugeot and its completely electric version that takes advantage of the lines of the electric vans. The stock. Stellantis’s intention is to reduce the stock of his stores. The company has long dealt with its stores at a healthy level. In fact, during The last call with shareholders Following the middle of the year results, the message was sent that the company had maintained a “strong discipline in inventories after the corrective actions of 2024” and that it is “maintaining that discipline throughout 2025”. These messages are not causal. The company has been dealing with an enormous overstock, especially in the United States. So much so that in that market some of their concessionaires came to accumulate so many fiat 500 electric that ended give them away to take them off. The company does not want to be in a similar situation but some of its products are becoming outdated and are increasingly complicated to sell. That is why the production of cars such as the Alfa Romeo Tonale or the DS3, which do not reap good results. A serious problem. In your latest results reportStellantis confirmed that the network has more than 1.2 million cars without selling. Of these, 300,000 are possession of the group but there are more than 900,000 cars distributed by independent dealers to those who have not given exit. In Europe, in addition, this inventory has grown by 7% compared to 2024 because products to the available cars portfolio have been added. Among the data maremagnum, he emphasizes that Stellantis has produced fewer cars but his margin has also collapsed. If we talk about Europe, the company had already reduced its production in about 100,000 units but its benefit for the sale of these cars has collapsed at 2,000 million euros, because of discounts to sell vehicles in stock, low sales and the obligation to repurry units set on the market. Sales. In that last fact, sales were made. At the end of August, According to AceaStellantis has reduced its sales by 8.9%. And what is worse, the rivals eat ground because their market share has gone from 17,%to 15.9%. The reorganization in the portfolio of its range leaves us dramatic falls in what we have been. For example, Opel, its third best selling brand, falls 11.8%. Fiat, its fourth best brand, falls 19%. Lancia, which only has the electric ypsilon, falls by 72.8%. And the electric? When it was confirmed that Zaragoza was going to continue receiving electric cars, Like the Leapmotorwe already explain that the news can be seen from two perspectives that seem contradictory. The optimistic is that Zaragoza will manufacture the electric cars of Stellantis, which should guarantee the future of the long -term factory, especially if we take into account that, together with CATL, the company will raise a battery production plant To nurture your lines. This should be the confirmation that the bet is very serious. The pessimistic is that although the small electric car Sales should increase (especially if manufacturers want to meet the maximum limits set and flee) They will have to put these cars on the market. But, for now, they continue to demand certain complications from their owners and, therefore, they are being more complicated to sell even if they lower their prices. And a financial situation … difficult. To all of the above we must add what we have already counted a few weeks ago. Stellantis is going through a complicated moment in some decisions made by Carlos Tavares in the past. His commitment to the multienergy platform has forced the company to make great efforts to develop the Stla Medium and Small. Those economic results are still green. But, in addition, they have gotten into investments such as hydrogen and two electricity cars that They have been canceled. In total, 3.3 billion euros in the trash. Photo | Stellantis In Xataka | Before developing a pile of hydrogen or competing with Chinese electric, Stellantis has chosen a third way: surrender

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