kilometers

The war now happens thousands of kilometers from our heads

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It could be material for a apocalyptic science fiction film. A missile of the future with antibalistic, hypersonic and exoatmospheric capabilities, triggered in search of its goal to intercept it: a ballistic missile to Match 5 whose technology literally exceeds the same line of karm at 1,500 km away. Both sophisticated systems are in the exosphere to elucidate a single winner. And yet the scene It is happening in These momentscompletely changing what we understood by war conflict. Invisible theater. The war Between Israel and Iran marks an unprecedented inflection point in the history of the armed conflict, not only for its political implications, but for the radicality of its means and dimensions. What began as an announced escalation, backed by decades of latent tensions, has become a confrontation Without borderswithout terrestrial fronts and without armies facing face to face, an “improved” version of what already We had seen in Ukraine. Because more than 1,500 kilometers away Among the capitals, without sharing borders and without direct implication of the intermediate countries, both states They are attacked flying over and overcoming alien geographies. Israel displays its aerial power over Iran thanks to a fleet of F-35, F-15 and F-16 long-range, replaced in flight and operating on foreign airspace with total impunity. That operational freedom is only possible because they will go, after years of sanctions, it lacks of air capacity To offer resistance. Thus, in the Iranian heavens, any object that moves must be considered an enemy. ASIMETRÍAS AIR WAR. It I remembered On the weekend the historian and professor in Columbia, Adam Tooze. While Israel uses guided fighters and pumps precision attacks (including those Antibunker bombs Made in USA), Iran responds with a more economical strategy but No less ambitious: long -range ballistic missiles. It is an asymmetric war. Israel flies thousands of kilometers to launch bombs. Iran launches missiles that travel that same distance through the air. It We have counted before. Each of these projectiles can cost millionsalthough together they represent a fraction of the value of the Israeli aircraft. The extraordinary thing is that these missiles not only reach objectives to more than 1,000 kilometers away, but also cross The karm linethe border of exterior space, reaching altitudes of up to 400 kilometers Before rushing to your whites. It’s about Exoatmospheric trajectories unpublished in real conflicts, a direct evolution of the technical legacy of the V2 rockets of Nazi Germany, recycled by Soviet and Iranian programs. The “star” shield. Here appears one of those elements that seem taken from fantastic literature. Because the Israeli response to these attacks Cosmic is Equally Futuristto. Thanks to decades of collaboration with the United States, Israel has deployed the Arrow 3 systeman interceptor capable of neutralizing ballistic missiles in The emptiness of space. Derived from SDI program from Ronald Reagan, the system (developed by IAI, Boeing, Elta and Elbit Systems) Base on the premise of “impacting a bullet with another bullet”, yes, with a “deficit”: a cost of 2 million dollars per unit. These interceptors reach the Iranian missiles at their highest point, even before they enter the Israeli atmosphere. In fact, the first successful interception in combat occurred November 9, 2023marking a milestone: the first time a missile was destroyed in space during a war. Kárman line The dome and the price to pay. Tooze told An anecdote that betrayed the heart of the use of these “stellar” defenses. During The massive attack April 2024, more than 550 projectiles (between ballistic and cruise missiles) launched against Israel. The aerial defense responded successfully, avoiding the closest to a cataclysm. He also counted That the tangible result of that night was that the population returned to work normally. However, this degree of protection has an exorbitant price: up to 285 million dollars by night in defensive operations, According to the Washington Post. In addition, interceptor missile production is limited. Israeli and American factories simply They cannot manufacture enough Arrow 3 to hold that rhythm for a long time. Hence, in the current conflict, the great strategic question is Who will exhaust before His arsenal: They will go with their missiles or Israel with their interceptors. Europe and a shadow. Thus, while the United States and its allies carefully observe that kind of “Star Wars in real life” that reagan pursued, Europe seems determined to acteven convincing Spain. We count it months ago: under the Sky Shield project promoted by Germany, they have Batteries in charge of the Arrow 3 system for billions of euros for that promoted rearme How much Ansia the United States and his wallet. Although the Israeli experience does not automatically translate into the defense of the American continental territory against ICBM, it does for the European continent, which sees in this shield an response to coming threats. New war paradigm. In the background, something that It intuited From the drone war triggered after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and that this confrontation Missilistics Between Israel and Iran He has enhanced: The beginning of a new military era. Gone are conventional wars where the fronts were measured by terrestrial kilometers. Today, war is no longer A geographical matter and attack trajectories cross continents and atmospheres, battles are fought From the exosphere Even nuclear facilities basements buried in mountains. What seemed science fiction (intercept rockets in space, living under invisible defensive domes or coordinating surgical bombings at 1,500 km away) is now part of the Routine Arsenal of the most militarized states in the world. An unpublished experiment. First It was Ukraine. Now, the war between Israel and Iran has confirmed, in geostrategic terms, a Radical rupture. Not only because of its extension or its protagonists, but for the type of technologies That he uses, the scenario in which he is fought and the fundamentally technical, automated and remote nature of his operations. It is no longer just a regional confrontation: now it points to the beginning of An orbital era of distance war, where supremacy is defined in … Read more

9 kilometers of water keep the planet in suspense

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The tension climbing Between Iran and the US it has had a peculiar effect: it has led to half the world (and the other medium too) to look at a tiny navigable channel located in the Middle East, the Ormuz narrow. In view of the satellite it does not seem much, a narrow sea language that connects the Persian and Oman Gulf, but in practice it is a strategic artery for the world’s fuel traffic. Every day dozens of metaneros and oil companies navigate. Now Tehran considers to close it as punishment to US attack against its nuclear baseswhat would put Above up The oil market. What is the Ormuz Strait? A strategic channel for global hydrocarbons transport. A “critical point of oil strangulation “. And a tiny corner of the Map of the Middle East who today look carefully at the economists and leaders of half everyone. Ormuz is a narrow navigable between Oman and Iran that joins the Persian and Oman golves, which in practice makes him an artery for traffic with the Arabic sea. A Fast look The map arrives to understand two characteristics of Ormuz, both interrelated. The first is its narrow geography. At its closest point the channel measures only 33 km wide, although the navigation zone is even smaller: the two reservations for the passage of oil companies barely reach Three kilometers Each one and are separated by a damping zone with a similar width. Hence The Wall Street Journal point out that world markets are really pending a strip of nine kilometers. Why is it important? Because dozens of huge ships loaded with crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that drives the economies of world world powers, including China, are going through these routes, including China, including China, including China, including China, including China, The biggest buyer of Iranian oil. The data speak for themselves. The Vortexa firm Calculate That between the beginning of 2022 and last month every day they flowed through the narrow millions of barrels of oil (between 17.8 and 20.8) of different types, which means that the Ormuz Strait channels the fifth part of the world consumption of crude oil. And that is just oil. There are those who calculate that Something more than 20% From the metaneros ships that navigate the world pass through that narrow channel that Iran and Oman separates. The firm Lloys List has thrown accounts and calculates that every day they transit about 15 million barrels of crude oil, 2.5 million barrels of products, 20% of liquefied natural gas and one third of Liquefied oil gas. AND It is then distributed by the world, with a special impact on Asian economies. The AEI assures that 84% of crude and 83% of the LNG that passed last year through the Ormuz Strait ended in Asia markets. Why is it news? Because the stability of the channel is on the tightrope. After Washington Atacase the weekend Three Nuclear Bases of Iran, the world now expects Tehran’s response and among its possible movements is the blockade of the Ormuz Strait, which would submit to the fuel market (and by extension to the global economy) to strong pressure. How is probable? That is the million -dollar question: will they really go to close the Strait? Although there are analysts who doubt that Tehran will adopt a measure that would damage their own economy and that of its neighbors, Like Saudi Arabiathe Iranian government has already shown that the idea is on the table. On Saturday the Islamic Advisory Assembly recommended The closure of the channel, although the final decision is not in its hands, but in those of Ali Jamenei. For now, the government has made it clear that they do not rule out taking a step that would tighten the markets and would probably have its reflection in prices. Yesterday the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard insisted in that the closure of Ormuz “is being considered”, and warned: “Iran will make the best decision.” The channel blockade is only one of the options that Tehran would have to respond to US attacks. The analysts They speculate With other options, such as direct attacks on US forces, hitting diplomatic missions or cyber attacks. How would the Strait close? It is not the first time that they will love with tensioning the markets. He did it Already in 2018, in full strip and loosen with Washington for the sanctions to Tehran. TWSJ appointment Naval analysts and operators of the oil sector who remember that the Iranian Navy has been expanding its power in the area thanks to different resources, such as the use of boats capable of attacking objectives. They also talk about the possible use of mines or even the assault of ships from helicopter with the purpose of “retaining them for long periods.” A few years ago, In July 2019the Islamic Revolutionary Guard of Iran already assaulted a British oil tanker in the Ormuz Strait and kept it blocked for months in response to the arrest of one of its ships in Gibraltar. Washington could answer with their war ships, but there are experts, such as Antony Gurnee, former director of the oil sector, who warn that clearing the Strait would take time … with its consequences for the international market, as verified Not long ago In the Red Sea with Hutis attacks. What effects would the closure have? The first would be evident. Qatar, Baréin, Arab Emirates or Kuwait would face serious problems to export their crude. Saudi Arabia could continue to supply a part to the market thanks to its East-West pipelinebut its global export capacity would be strongly affected. Iranian oil would also be harmed, since it uses the same river access road, and would affect one of its great world buyers: China. The threat for Beijing is so serious that Washington already He asked him that intermediate to remove Tehran from the head the possibility of closing Ormuz. Sable noise and … Read more

France is building a high security megacárcel for its most dangerous prisoners. 7,000 kilometers from France

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In 2024, 110 people They died In France for reasons linked to drug trafficking and another 341 were injured in accidents or account adjustments. Although they are lower figures than those of 2023 —139 dead and 413 injured – in the Ministry of Interior they consider that they remain unacceptable. Your solution: attack the problem at the origin. 7,000 kilometers … and with a jail. The plan. Gérald Darmanin is the Minister of Justice of France and, a few weeks ago, advertisement The opening of 2028 of a new maximum security prison. As we say, curiously it will not be on European continental soil, but in the French Guiana on the other side of the Atlantic. In an interview, Darmanin commented That the goal of this third high security prison in France is to “leave out of the most dangerous drug trafficking profiles.” And, precisely, that those drug traffickers are at that distance from continental France will contribute to “take them away lasting their mafia networks.” Cocaine route. French Guiana is a overseas territory in France. Previously a colony -but abolished as such after the French revolution -, this French territory has established itself as a key platform for cocaine traffic from Brazil and Surinam Towards Europe. The figures scare: esteem that between 15% and 20% of the cocaine that enters France does it through the French Guayana-Paris route. It is done through “mules”, person (young and single mothers, especially) who are pushed by situations of extreme poverty to accept about 7,000 euros per successful trip to Europe carrying the merchandise. And the estimate It is that, on each flight from Cayena (the capital of the territory) to Paris, they travel between 20 and 30 mules, of which one third manages to pass without attracting attention. The jail. France’s goal is to build the new prison in the commune of Saint-Laurent-Du-Maroni. It will be about seven kilometers from the urban center and very close to the border with Surinam, one of the hot points of that cocaine route. The budget My dear It is about 450 million euros and the intention is that the complex, in addition to the prison itself, includes a court to expedite all judicial processes and procedures associated with inmates. It will have capacity for 500 inmates, of which 60 will be classified as “maximum security” and another 15 as “terrorists”, with a wing especially destined for those more dangerous inmates and will not only serve to fight drug trafficking, but to give a respite to the other prison of the French Guiana, a Rémon-Montjoly that has a capacity for 614 inmates and houses almost a thousand. And that inmates nickname “Dry guillotine“ Past ghosts. It may seem like a fissure plan to build a maximum security prison in the heart of drug trafficking towards your main territory, but far from it. The problem, or one of them, is all that it entails … and the historical precedent. Inspired by chow the British used AustraliaNapoleon III established a criminal system in the French Guiana that served as the main overseas criminal colony of the country from 1852 to 1953. In that century, especially the Salvation Islands and the Diablo Islandthey became the point where both common criminals and political prisoners shared space. They performed forced labor, severe punishments and there was a very high mortality rate: 75% in the blackest points. The few who could return to France told their stories in the place, making public opinion promote the gradual closure of the facilities that are currently Tourism focus. And fear. And how we read in BBCthe idea of ​​returning to the French Guiana that condition of ‘overseas prison‘He has outraged his population. A local deputy, Davy Rimane, considers that it is a unilateral decision by France, since they have not had the deputies of Guayana and that “transferring criminals from high level to Guayana, people who France do not want, return us to a terrible past, painful and full of suffering.” Because they are not only drug traffickers, but also Islamist terrorists who will be relocated to this prison. Rimane points out that they are not “the France dump.” Also in statements to BBC, the criminologist Marion Vannier of the University of Manchester considers that it is “a bad idea” to go from wanting one jail to relieve the other present in the country to devise a new system in which there are dangerous prisoners and high -level drug traffickers. “ As we say, the idea is that France has its new overseas prison from here to three years, but we will see if the plans are fulfilled because the Francaguayans do not seem happy with the idea of ​​returning to that dark past 70 years later. Image | Ministry of Justice In Xataka | That crazy occasion we wanted to fix Europe by dividing it into 24 radial cantons

Bird nests and kilometers of garbage

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Among the technologies that have been applied on the battlefield in Ukraine, few as currently recognized as one of the Mortifical weapons. We talk about drones and fiber optic cables, a lethal conjunction that has the potential to change the dynamics in the contest. In fact and how We have recentlyin Ukraine, every Russian drone that raises the flight becomes a silent bet between life and death if a cable accompanies it. Now, in addition, technology is leaving an unpublished trail. Invisible summer. It Forbes explained The weekend. Ukraine is entering a new phase of technological war with the massive deployment of attack drones guided by fiber optic cables, marking what is already known as The “summer of fiber drones”. Thus, in fields and villages, the remains of these systems, which leave fiber ribbons gathering as Cobbles on the groundthey have become omnipresent. In this regard, the immediate environmental impact is already long term of the wiring kilometers remains uncertain, but From CEOBS There are works that are exploring several concerns, such as the possible release of degraded cable microplastics, pollution from hazardous chemicals such as PFAS, risks to wildlife due to physical tangles and the complications that they can mean for activities such as demining. Not just that. Recent images even show Bird nests Built with cable fragments, an unnoticed but eloquent symbol of the reach of this new technology. What began as a Tactical innovation now it is transforming the way They fight the battles: Ukrainian and Russian operators can introduce drones by windows and doors to locate and destroy hidden vehicles, overcoming the limitations of conventional drones that They depend on signals of radio vulnerable to electronic blocking. Forgotten concept evolution. Like almost everything in war, the idea is not new at all: already in the 2000s, Darpa had conceived Guided drones by fiber optic cable to avoid electronic interference. But it was not until the war in Ukraine when that concept found real application. Russia was the first in deploy fiber drones On a little more than a year ago, and quickly went to a broader production. Ukraine, with the support of international volunteers Like former Marine American Troy Smothers, It has accelerated: 15 local companies already manufacture these drones (although at a distance from Russian machinery). The Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, has led the effort, promoting collaboration between private initiative and defense capabilities. Unlike traditional drones, which can lose communication if they fly low or after a hill, fiber maintains an uninterrupted connection along tens of kilometers, and do so without issuing signals that can be detected by the enemy. Lethal tactics. The first fiber drones barely exceeded 3 kilometers, but today missions have been documented up to 41 kilometers. In fact, A Russian video It even shows a 50 km coil that weighs less than 4 kilos, compatible with larger models. Thanks to the low energy consumption of cable connection, some drones can land and stay In ambushed mode For long periods, ready to activate When passing from an objective. Russia has also shown prototypes of small land robots that work as mobile platforms To launch fiber drones, expanding its autonomy and coordinated attack capacity. The concept of a “cobweb operation”, with multiple drones connected and launched from unmanned vehicles, is dangerously approaching to become reality. How to stop the impossible. We counted a few days ago that Ukrainian troops have tried everything, even scissors. But current defensive measures are ineffective to the new threat. Physical networks can stop some drones, but a slit to allow their entry, such as They demonstrate videos Where Ukrainian drones go through Russian meshes without resistance. In addition, tracking the cable to its operator has become impracticable to the entangled landscape of abandoned fibers. Cutting the cable is also A theoretical option more than practical: there is A video which shows a quadcoptera achieving such a feat, but doing so requires an extremely complicated precision and synchronization combination. Drones equipped with shotguns They have shown efficiency in demolishing other drones, but they are Little useful Given the speed and discretion of fiber FPV. Some Ukrainian units, Like the Birds of MasharThey have managed to intercept Russian devices with the help of tactical radars, but their reach, again, is limited and not scalable. No clear rules. The proliferation of fiber optic drones It is accelerating on both sides, and the defenses still They do not adapt to the rhythm of its deployment. Thus, the battles of the immediate future could include fighting between autonomous drones in the air, where human reaction time is no longer enough. Hence, the need to develop automatic interceptors capable of detecting and neutralizing these real -time drones has become urgent. The problem? That the development of countermeasures goes behind offensive innovation, and no one can predict how long this era of tactical supremacy based on invisible cables will last, nor what will be the trigger that ends. Image | 12th Brigade Azov In Xataka | Ukraine soldiers are starting to carry scissors. It is the only way to face Russia’s most lethal weapon In Xataka | A technology 20 years ago took Ukraine to the Russian bombers. Moscow’s response comes from China: a laser cannon

The war in Ukraine had a red line of 70 kilometers. West has just eliminated it after Russia’s last attack

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The last 48 hours in Ukraine have been plagued by actions and decisions that can change the course of the conflict. Russia has carried out The biggest attack to date on Ukraine with a swarm of drones and a number of missiles released as not remembered. kyiv, meanwhile, needs the help that does not arrive (Patriots) from the United States to deal with Moscow’s disposses, and in the meantime, the West has taken A decision that could change everything. The resurgence of TU-95. In the early hours of March 26, Russia executed the Most significant aerial offensive of the last months, by deploying ten strategic bombers TU-95msm To launch a wave of KH-101 cruise missiles About Ukraine. Six of these aircraft took off from the Olenya Air Base, to the north of the country next to the border with Finland, and the remaining four from Engels, east of Sarátov, in the heart of the European Russia. The trajectories of the missile substantial increase of Russian troops in the northeast of the front. The operation underlines the renewed Centrality of TU-95 In the Kremlin air strategy, despite being a design that sinks its roots in the Soviet era. We talk about a bomber that He was born In 1950. Intercontinental scope. But as important as this vestige of the past are the weapons it carries. Each Tu-95msm can load up to eight KH-101 missilesmounted externally and capable of traveling more than 5,000 kilometers, which allows them to attack objectives throughout the Ukrainian territory without abandoning Russian airspace. Empharged with pools, electronic countermeasures and 400 kilos, these missiles have become one of the pillars of the Russian offensive since the beginning of the war. Although its high cost and the existence of cheaper and smaller alternatives have generated debates about its efficiency, Russia plans to increase its production 600 units per year In 2025, a sign of its commitment to maintain strategic pressure through high precision attacks from long distances. Tu-95 Acorralado Ukraine. On the other sidewalk, Ukraine faces a new and alarming phase in its aerial defense in the face of the increase in Russian attacks With ballistic missilesthe most feared for their speed, destructive power and difficulty of interception. These projectiles, responsible for having destroyed almost half of the country’s energy capacity, have evidenced again the Patriot systems shortageunique capable of dealing effectively. Ukraine failed to intercept any of the nine Russian ballistic missiles launched, including two directed against kyiv, despite having deployed there Patriot units. Although the rest of the more than 900 drones and 65 cruise missiles were mostly neutralized, ballistic missiles represent an uncontrollable threat that has caused dozens of dead only so far from 2025, including lethal attacks against Sumy and Kryvyi Rih. Washington: Yes but no. The change of administration in the United States has meant a drastic turn in military assistance policy. While Trump has verbally condemned the last Russian attacks (he reached Call Putin “Crazy”), he did not offer new aid commitments, and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, was sharp by stating that “we don’t have” more patriots to send. Instead of direct donations, Washington is pressing its European allies To give Part of its own arsenals, something that does not progress, because no country wants to weaken its internal defense. Raytheon, American manufacturer of the Patriots, has not yet achieved increase your production to meet the post-2022 demand. Under this new paradigm, kyiv believes that the White House would be arranged to sell systemsbut not give them awaywhich forces Ukraine to adapt its strategy to a more transactional relationship: the defense is now negotiated, it is not granted. West breaks its limits. A few hours ago, and in a significant turn in Western military policy towards war in Ukraine, Germany, together with the United Kingdom, France and the United States, has first eliminated the first time the scope restrictions in the weapons that supplies Kyiv, allowing him to directly attack military objectives within the Russian territory (beyond the 70 km). The announcement was made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after The biggest attack With Russian drones that we commented, an offensive that stressed the need to allow Kyiv to respond forcefully. The news marks a Posture change Regarding previous fear To provoke an escalation with a nuclear power such as Russia, and according to Merz, it establishes an essential difference between the legitimate military purposes of Ukraine and the deliberate attacks against civilians by the Kremlin. With this, they open new strategic possibilities For Ukraine, which until now had acted with containment regarding the use of western armament beyond its borders. The open doors. Although Merz He did not confirm If Germany will send Taurus missiles long range, that during your political campaign He openly supportedavoided detailing any concrete step so as not to offer informative advantage to the Kremlin. Since his arrival to power just a few weeks ago, the new chancellor has adopted an approach more discreet and pragmaticstating that total transparency can play against national security. Despite this public reserve, in Berlin the expectation that Merz could soon announce the Armament delivery For greater scope, especially in the context of the imminent visit of the Ukrainian President Zelenski to the German capital. The moment suggests that Germany is preparing the land to take that step, but wants to coordinate it carefully with its allies. The red line evolves. No doubt, the elimination of scope restrictions represents a rupture with narrative maintained by Western leaders since the beginning of the conflict, when they warned that allowing Ukraine to attack within Russia could be interpreted by Moscow as a direct involvement of NATO In war. However, the wear and tear of the diplomatic front, the repeated negative of Kremlin to participate in significant conversations and the growing brutality of Russian attacks have weakened those old red lines. For Merz and his allies, deterrence is no longer to limit the Ukrainian response, but to give Kyiv the ability to dissuade … Read more

torture him with three million kilometers

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Are cars now more or less robust than in the 60s? Are they less reliable or do we have a distorted perception of reality because they were simpler to repair? When we buy a car we want it to be practical, that we like visually … and that it is reliable. Although the price is probably the most decisive criteria, reliability rivals (and much) with any other search criteria for our next vehicle. A few days ago I read in L’Automobile Magazine The reasons that had taken a French journalist to buy the car with “The worst engine in history”. He explained that he had bought a Mazda RX-8 and that he had done it from the heart. Beyond that There is controversy about the bad reputation of the carthere are times when We do not always buy our heads. But when a car is, purely, for day to day and we do not want to run any risk, reliability is one of the most important points. That is why as much attention is paid to studies as those of Consumer Reports and other specialized associations in clouds to Japanese brands collect customer experience. Under this premise brands like Toyota or Honda have built an entire empire. That fame of “unbreakable car” It is a classic of the Japanese and, perhaps, one of the reasons why they are being overcome (at least in the short term) For Chinese electric cars. That obsession to get a car that does not break is much less new. In fact, as we said and Perhaps due to an increase in electronics In our cars, the feeling is that cars break more. Or maybe it is because brands do not put so much effort to move the work they do so that their cars last hundreds and hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Before that exercise was done. And when a brand was obliged to demonstrate to what extent things like Renault 4 gave importance to reliability. Three million kilometers In the 50s, Renault did not go through his best moment. Citroën’s compatriots were dominating the market with the Citroën 2 hp. The formula was very simple: a simple and affordable car but to which all kinds of dogs could be done. The fame of the car that I endured everything and of go through any place He has taken the car to be called by some as the first SUV. But it has also resulted in absolute follies as Take it to Paris-Dakar or at the birth of the Sillieth Pop Cross with a practically drearted car competition. To recover land, Pierre Dreyfus, then General Director of Renault, gave a clear order: a rival of the 2 hp had to be launched. The challenge was capital because they had to square the circle. The car had to be affordable but also very reliable. So much that it was a reason for purchase. And the development of an extremely reliable car has never got along too well with cost savings. Guillermo García Alfonsín Explain in your Mercedes 300E W124 test Why extremely reliable cars were so expensive to develop and produce. The client received an authentic tank that could resist more than one million kilometers but the company spent four years to do all its tests (the development went eight years). In fact, 14 million kilometers were made. Mercedes won the reputation of having the best car in the world with this car but also discovered that perhaps it was not the most interesting for its bank accounts. Renault, two decades before I had tried something similar. Without computers that simulate the fatigue of the components to subsequently make a few hundred thousand kilometers of test as it happens now, there was no other to try the car. And the car was not approved until it covered a total of three million kilometers. They explain in Hermetic garage that those three million kilometers of testing put a new ribbon in the industry. The message was clear: this car has been tested more than any other. He wanted reliability and Renault was responsible for letting them know that they had put more effort than anyone in creating the most experienced car in history. At least until then. The rest of the history of Renault 4 we already know it. The car has been one of the best selling models of the brand and its commercial life extended for 31 years, which gives an idea of ​​the confidence that the client deposited in the car. And if you think it is not enough, you just have to see the story of this driver who brought his Renault 4 to a million kilometers. Photo | Dogs.barking.duster.roling In Xataka | Renault and Geely have an engine to convince the undecided of the electric car. The secret is that it is combustion

Aragon wanted his children to eat more fruit at school. So he went to look for her 10,000 kilometers away

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The Aragonese political debate has waited these days with two unexpected protagonists: fruit and schools. Or rather, the fruit that is distributed in schools. Although Aragon has thousands and thousands of hectares full of fruit and vegetable trees and stands out in the production Of cherry, peach and apples, among other fruits, the farmers of the region have raised their voice to complain that in the educational centers of their villages, pieces that arrive from plantations located abroad are being distributed, in some cases thousands of kilometers. The complaint the has launched the union of farmers and ranchers of Aragon (UAGA) and puts the finger in a yaga that already has taken to the collective To the street. What happened? The complaint has been made public UAGA-COAG. In A statement Published yesterday the Agrarian Organization ensures that there are dining rooms of educational centers in Aragon in which fruit arrives from foreign countries is being distributed. Moreover, UAGA goes further and claims to have witnesses confirming that in several schools in the region oranges from Egypt and pears of South Africa have been delivered, cultivated to more than 10,000 kilometers of distance. As a test, the association includes a photograph in which a box of pears is shown that indicates that its origin is South Africa, although there is no reference that reveals that the image was taken in a Aragon school. Click on the image to go to Tweet. “Unfair competition”. In its statement UAGA claims to feel “outraged” by the importation of fruits that it is perfectly possible to find in the Spanish fields and questions that countries from which the merchandise is brought meet the sanitary, environmental and labor standards that the European Union does require that community farmers. “It involves the violation of the demands of the organization and the fruit growers that require the application of ‘mirror clauses’ to imports from third countries “, They emphasize From the collective. UAGA-COAG wields two reasons that, in their opinion, condemn local farmers to suffer “unfair competition” against imports from other countries. The first is the strict regulation imposed by Brussels to European plantations on the use of pesticides, manipulation and conservation of fruit. The second is labor costs. While in Spain they go up every year, in Egypt, complaintthe minimum wage is 176 euros per month and in South Africa it is around 270. Looking at the EU. The complaint of the UAGA has reached enough draft for the Aragon Government to have gone to give explanations. The regional press appointment Sources of the Ministry of Agriculture that clarify that the key is in the financing of the lunch and sowing program to schools: the funds start from the EU, with what they arrive accompanied by their standards. When hiring the fruit supply, a geographical proximity requirement is not applied nor is it requested that the products be of community origin precisely to avoid a “discriminatory competitive advantage” in the process. The regional government argues that its role is that of intermediary. And now what? The Regional Executive emphasize Also that the objective is to “consolidate healthy eating habits” among schoolchildren and that fruit and milk are distributed at times such as lunch and snack, not in dining services. The program is not exactly new, but now it is offered with mixed funds that combine a community contribution and another from Aragon. With the EU money, a lot of 300,000 euros that is managed with the requirements of Brussels is paid. With the one contributed by the Aragon government, another 200,000 is financed that can handle with its own criteria. And the administration already guarantees that, “in line with its defense of the local product,” will give priority to proximity productions. The idea is to distribute cherries, apricot and nectarines, although they can also be replaced by apples or pears if requested by the centers. Beyond schools. The fruit distribution program is important because it reaches hundreds of school points and thousands of children, but the “outrage” of Uaga-Coag is not explained only by the alleged distribution of pears of South Africa and oranges of Egypt instead of fruit grown in the Aragonese countryside. Farmers It has come out To the street On several occasions to claim decent prices, changes in community policy and greater controls to ensure that the merchandise that comes to the country conforms to the community demands with which they work. “These parameters make it possible to import fruit from third countries profitable for certain companies and generate unfair competition at all levels,” the Agrarian Association in Your statement. “To end these practices, UAGA insists on claiming public administrations (regional, state and European) the regulation of markets and the recovery of the principle of community preference.” Images | Federicoeth Photography (Flickr) and Uaga In Xataka | We have a hard time differentiating a banana from a banana. And an illegal network was taking advantage of it in Spain

A youtuber has a car that is worth four million euros. To drive it you have to pay 7,000 every 60 kilometers

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If there is a brand that has understood that maxim of whether you can put a price on exclusivity, that is Bugatti. Luxury brands play with the lists of people Millionaires who aspire to have the object in question to their credit, and part of that exclusiveness It is achieved both with the price and with the very scarce units. Of the Chins Super Sport? Just 30 units. What do you want Centodieci? Too bad, s10th 10th were manufactured. Even with their very high prices, Volkswagen every bugatti sold It cost him moneyso they had an idea: make the difficult thing not to buy the car, but to maintain it. Also Sell ​​customization packages with which customers They invest 500,000 euros on averagebut that is another topic. And within the exclusivity of Bugatti, there is a specific model that is not the most expensive of the concessionaire, but yes It costs a kidney and part of the other as you want to do kilometers. The reason? Their wheels cost a money and you have to change them every 60 kilometers. This is the very exclusive Bugatti Bolidewhich is also not made for roads. You’re going to remember every time you want to change the wheels The Bolide was presented as a concept in 2020 and began to be delivered in the middle of last year. It costs about four million euros and we return to the issue of exclusivity: there are only 40 units worldwide. It is a car that is very similar to the rest of his family, but with a peculiarity: he is not approved to circulate by road. It is a luxury hyperdeportivo, yes, but its natural atmosphere is the circuit. Changing anything in Bolide costs a moneyas in any bugatti and the rest of the supercar. The reason is that it is not as simple as lifting the hood, loosening a couple of nuts and making the change: you have to disassemble part of the car to, for example, make an oil change. And this is something that must be done frequently because the engine consumes more oil than that of a normal car. But Bolide’s issue are, as we say, the wheels, because in this case it is like a Formula 1. When you buy the car, the manufacturer includes four very fine tires that only serve to transport the car of the circuit asphalt. Once there, the main tires are mounted, Michelin specials who are like the slicks (without drawing) of those of competition cars. There is also rain version. These tires should be preheated before starting the car (again, as in the maximum engine competition) and degradation is bestial. The Bolide weighs about 1,300 kilos, but generates A suction force of more than 1,800 kilos. This makes the car stick to the ground, Like a vacuumto face the curves better, but also degrades the tires. Acceleration of 0 to 300 km/h in 7.37 seconds, 1,850 hp and total traction You eat some wheels that have to be changed every 60 kilometers. And what does that translate? The YouTuber Manny Khoshbin, a car lover, collector and who does not mind informing about the money that each of them costs him, Comment In one of its last videos that these changes at 60 kilometers cost about 7,000 euros. In the end, these extreme benefits entail the very short life of the tires in a car that is absolutely brutal. You just have to listen to how the engine roots when many lights it (just turning it on sure it costs more than filling the tank of my car). And the comfort that we have left is that … that of Lego costs less than 50 euros. Something is something. Images | Santaclaus93, CALREYN88, Bugatti In Xataka | They are founders and ultra -ups, but they have not always driven luxury supercoches: a review of the cars of the Tech millionaires

We have just found a 1,700 -year -old Mayan treasure. The problem is that it should be 1,000 kilometers from there

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July 2024. A group of archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology (INHA) announced One of those findings that change history books. With the help of Lidar they had found an amazing treasure. Everyone knows Teotihuacán, but it turns out that in another inhospitable area of ​​Mexico There were hidden pyramids. Now, in a twist that few could expect, they have found another relic of Teotihuacan … 1,000 kilometers where it should. An painted altar that changes everything. A limestone altar found in the center of an old Mayan residence in Tikal (Guatemala) has revealed an unexpected presence of Mesoamerican history: direct influences of The city of Teotihuacanlocated more than 1,000 kilometers away. Datted towards the end of the fourth century DC, the altar presents murals in red, yellow and black that represent a figure associated with the “god of the storm”, a characteristic of the Teotihuacan art. Its location, style and function (a domestic altar dedicated to deities, instead of rulers, as was a Mayan custom) indicate that it was the work of an artist formed in the tradition of Teotihuacan, and not of a place. The finding was made in The 6D-XV groupa residential area that, According to archaeologists, It was inhabited by individuals from Teotihuacan or closely linked to that culture, who led not only their architectural and funeral practices, but also the freedom to express their cultural identity in Mayan territory. A foreign elite. Tikalfounded in the year 850 BC, became a great dynasty towards 100 AD and established links with other Mesoamerican cities, including Teotihuacanwhich for the year 100 AD was already one of the largest cities on the planet. Relationships between both cities would have begun as commercial exchanges, but According to the researchersover time they became more complex and possibly conflicting. Assumptions. The found altar is part of an architectural sequence that includes a first constructive phase between LOS YEARS 300 AND 400 DCfollowed by an expansion of the sanctuary between 400 and 450 DCreflecting a prolonged and organized presence. The anthropomorphic figures found in the residence, adorned with those reddish tassels, reinforce the Mexican cultural imprint in this portion of the city. No doubt, the finding allows us to assume that rich and powerful Teotihuacan leaders They once resided In Tikal and imposed their own ritual structures, perhaps as part of a control or direct influence strategy on local power. Cultural tensions and buried memory. Although Tikal was a city built on a constant renewal logic (burying structures and building on top), what happened with this complex was different. At some point after the year 450 AD, the altar and its buildings were deliberately covered with land and debris, without reusing the space. Archaeologists interpret this as a symbolic gesture: a rejection or distancing of what happened there, probably linked to the decline of the Teotihuacan power already ambivalent feelings of the Maya towards that stage of foreign domain. Far from being a simple military occupation, the presence of Teotihuacan in Tikal seems to be deep, structured and, in the end, object of ritual oblivion. The altar Closing. As The researchers explain From Brown University that led the study, the site was treated almost as a “radioactive zone”, a place that should be completely closed, perhaps to exorcise an influence that was once dominant but that over time became uncomfortable and politically toxic to Mayan identity. Foreign power According to inscriptions found decades ago, in 378 AD a foreign military intervention in Tikal known as the entrance displaced the local monarch and replaced it with a ruler linked to Teotihuacan. From that moment, the material traces of the Mexican presence multiplied: from real and ceramic burials to hybrid architectural sets. The altar discovered was recently installed shortly after this blow, and the space that housed it worked as family ritual patiosimilar to those found in Teotihuacan. There were burials such as an adult in a tomb and that of a seated child, a more common custom in central Mexico than in the Mayan area. Foreign ritual. The construction of the wine accompanied by a series of extremely symbolic mortuary rituals: Three babies were buried Under the corners of the altar, with offerings instead of the fourth body, a pattern identical to the documented in Teotihuacan residential complexes. The altar, in addition, not only had a devotional, but also political function: it was the material expression of the Teotihuacano installed In the conquered city. Its proximity with a local replica of the Temple of the feathered snake (One of the architectural icons of classic Mexico) reinforces the idea that Tikal housed an entire neighborhood dedicated to replicating the ceremonial structures of the foreign empire. Image | TG Garrison / H. Hurst In Xataka | A public database reveals a lost Mayan city full of pyramids and squares. I was hidden with the naked eye under a jungle in Mexico In Xataka | How to make an appointment at the IMSS online in Mexico

400 kilometers loads in five minutes of ByD are as impressive as it is not very useful. At least they think of Mercedes

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“Probably, no.” With that forceful response, Andrew Cornelia, CEO of Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging and therefore the head of the company’s recharge systems, explained his opinion on the Awesome recharge system presented by byd A few days ago. The answer has arrived in Plugged-in podcastthe radio space of Insideevs. There, Cornelia explained that the exercise for having such a rapid recharge under the arm obeys the need to give a backup to users than to the real utility of the same. The origin of these comments must be sought in the presentation of ByD a few days ago. The company confirmed that it has two cars ready and a load platform that allows recharging up to 400 kilometers of autonomy in five minutes. They get it, on paper, Delivering 1 MWh of sustained power. At the time we explain that it would be necessary to do to what extent it is true to recharge 400 real kilometers in five minutes. Keep in mind that the Chinese homologation cycle is much more lax than the European WLTP that, in fact, It does not completely reflect consumption From electric cars at highway speeds 120-130 km/h in the vast majority of European countries. With such a power, yes, the data is almost irrelevant because to fill 400 kilometers in five minutes it is possible that very little more time is needed. Of course, you have to have some conditions into account. The first is that, Assuming a consumption of 20 kWh/100 kma figure that is not especially good or exceptionally high, it would be necessary to fill the battery with 80 kW to make those 400 real kilometers of autonomy. This implies that a much larger battery is needed. Keep in mind that the loading power decays substantially when the battery goes from 80% capacity to protect from excessive degradation. The usual thing is that the cargo peak arrives, at least, after the first 10%. Therefore, filling 80 kW from 10 to 80% of the battery capacity would imply having about 115 kWh capacity under the body. In addition, the charger must be able to supply this power during those five minutes without resenting the least. The load should be, at least with a power of 960 kW. An absolutely unknown figure currently in European loaders. For Mercedes it makes no sense And they are probably right. Although those 400 kilometers of autonomy in five minutes sound especially good, what they say in Mercedes is that a stop to fill a gas tank involves stopping about 10-12 minutes on average. And that is where you have to point. In order to load that amount of kilometers, huge infrastructure is needed around each electric car. Byd will have to display your own loaders And only a few cars can assume that stream of electrical power. To get an idea, a Tesla Model and Juniper It has the capacity to recharge its batteries at 270 kW (about three times) and a Porsche Taycan, one of the models with the best figures on the market, “only” admits 320 kW of power in a recharge. With 320 kW of power, Porsche Taycan only needs 18 minutes to move from 0% battery to 80%. With that 80% battery, which has a useful capacity of 97 kWh, it should be able to make the aforementioned 400 real kilometers. If we add that the driver will never arrive with 0% battery to the load point … it is expected that with the appropriate charger the Porsche Taycan receives that amount of energy in 15 minutes more or less. According to Mercedes accounts, there is hardly any difference with what would take time to fill the deposit. In fact, I encourage anyone to think how long it takes to make a stop during a long trip with a combustion car. I do not talk about sitting down to eat, maybe or to ask for coffee, enough to go to the bathroom. I doubt that the driver has to “wait for the car” in that case, it is very likely that little by stretching his legs he has the battery ready to continue again. And we are not talking about 200 kilometers, we talk about replenishing 400 kilometers in just over 10 minutes. However, Mercedes gives relevance to the development of this type of rapid recharges. “It’s key,” says Cornelia in the podcast. “It’s an amazing advance, The industry will follow its example“, But stressed that” there is only a limited number of use cases in which such a fast recharge really makes sense (…) If you go to the cinema, you do not need a 1,000 kW load. You need something that lasts two hours. If you go to a cafeteria, you may want something faster, but it is still a 15 -minute stop to enter and leave. “ In spite of everything mentioned above and although Mercedes has recognized us That they prefer to focus on efficiency and low consumption or a greater and better density of their batteries, it is true that Byd’s advance is very interesting. First for the company that allows you to have an added value in the process of purchase of the next electric car of a potential customer, As the Tesla charger has meant in the United States. But, also because it offers support and security to the customer. You may never use it very counted throughout the useful life of the vehicle. What happens with these extremely powerful chargers is the same that happens with the Autonomies of 1,000 kilometers In an electric car (exist or not). In practice they are not necessary but help strengthen the security of those who adopt the new technology because blur your barriers With what it is to drive a combustion car. In spite of everything, one thing must be very clear. Until now, what is presented by ByD is an advance for China with two very specific models, it is not something that will reach Europe … Read more

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