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LaLiga has been at war with Cloudflare for years over piracy. It has just joined forces with its main competitor

April 10, 2026 by usatoday24

We have bad news and worse news. The bad thing is that condemnation of the indiscriminate blocking of LaLiga IPs continues to occur more than a year later. The bad thing is that probably go more. Above all, after the agreement that LaLiga has reached with Fastly. what has happened. LaLiga yesterday announced an agreement with the company Fastly, a direct competitor of Cloudflare in the market “edge cloud“. Both provide CDN and content acceleration services as well as web security, but their philosophies are different. While one has become a great defender of the privacy of its clients and users, the other has teamed up with LaLiga to help it in this crusade against the broadcasts of football matches on IPTV platforms. In reality LaLiga He already made a similar move a year ago. AI to detect illegal emissions. According to the announcement, Fastly “has developed a smart, targeted detection system that leverages AI and content signals from owners to identify illegal broadcasts in near real-time.” This solution, they say in LaLiga, will allow the elimination of “illegal content (…) with greater precision and drastically reducing the scope for piracy.” The glitch that makes speed everything. The data from the Grant Thornton study cited in the press release are revealing: in 2024 at least 10.8 million unauthorized retransmissions were detected, 81% without broadcast suspension, and only 2.7% addressed in less than thirty minutes. An illegal issue of this type has a very short window of value. If it is not removed within the first few minutes, the damage has already been done. AI to detect… and a hammer to block? The system that Fastly has created promises surgical detection of these IPTV broadcasts, but there are no details or evidence that it actually fulfills that promise. The real question will then be another: if this detection information will end up contributing to the massive and indiscriminate blocking of IPs being even more massive and indiscriminate, or if it will improve that precision. It does not seem likely, because shared IPs are still the root of the problem: when LaLiga orders to block a Cloudflare IP, in reality that IP is shared by dozens, hundreds or even thousands of websites. Knocking down the guilty makes many innocent people They are punished again and again. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. LaLiga has been trying to force Cloudflare to collaborate for years through judicial means. That has had legal costs, collateral damage and a public relations battle that has clearly impacted the organization’s reputation. The alternative sought is to go to someone who precisely understands perfectly how the segment in which Cloudflare operates works. Not only that, if successful, Fastly may end up attracting other leagues and television producers from around the world. The real solution would probably be another. In Xataka | “We have gone from earning 70,000 euros a month to 40,000”: LaLiga’s IP blocks are bleeding many companies dry

the main ingredient is the plastic of the shampoo bottle

April 3, 2026 by usatoday24

We have been wanting for years retire to traditional brick. This piece that has been the pivot on which civilizations have been built has ended up becoming a headache. The same thing happens to us with him concrete: It’s easy, cheap, but very polluting. That is why there are universities, organizations and even agencies like DARPA investigating to find alternatives. A young woman in Kenya believes she has found -another- solution: plastic. And it is a very interesting 2×1. plastic bricks. Nzambi Matee is a young Kenyan materials engineer who founded her company Gjenge Makers with one goal: turning the numerous plastic waste into bricks. Whoever says bricks says any urban element such as paving stones, tiles or manhole covers. The idea is to address the plastic waste crisis in Nairobi while trying to provide a solution to the need for eaffordable building supplies. And, also, giving work to women and young people belonging to vulnerable communities. The process. To create these plastic bricks, Matee was experimenting with different formulas until he found one that achieved the right properties. To do this, it mixes the plastic with sand into a whole that is heated and compressed to form solid blocks. With the right proportions, they calculate that the plastic bricks are five times more resistant than traditional ones. When that step has been completed, the mixture is introduced into an extruder where it is heated, with the plastic reaching the melting point, but without chemically degrading. The material is then poured into molds and a hydraulic press compacts to achieve both a high density and the desired shape. When it cools, it is removed from the mold and we now have a batch of bricks. Properties. The result is a material that, according to those responsible, has good thermal resistance as it has a melting point of more than 350 degrees. For paving streets in Nairobi, this is an important detail because it ensures that it will maintain its shape under normal use. They also do not crack as “easily” as a conventional brick while maintaining some flexibility. What uses? Well…anyone that involves the use of a traditional brick. Apart from the cases mentioned, you can also pave sidewalks, patios, parking lots or as decoration, since they can be designed in various colors. Tackling the plastic problem. Many times we have echoed the so-called ‘neobridrillos’. There are a lot of materials, plastic being a common component to address the recycling problembut There are also cane ones, for example. And we always say the same thing: they are interesting, but they cannot be used because they are not approved. The difference is that the Kenya Bureau of Standards is responsible for legitimizing use for urban and residential projects in the country, and Gjenge Makers’ plastic bricks have obtained permits. Examples of use The plastics they use are also those that can be left out of the recycling circuit. Kenya, with 95% of its waste recyclable, but where only 5% are recycled, it is not the most committed country in the world in this sense (in fact, it is one of the great pending tasks of the planet). And the plastics used are common: HDPE -high-density polyethylene-, LDPE -low-density polyethylene- and PP -polypropylene-. They are widely present in shopping bags, wrappers, detergent bottles, ropes, buckets and many other containers that simply end up in traditional trash. According to the startup’s numbers, since the start of the project in 2020, 200 tons of plastic waste have been used to convert it into construction material. Beyond the brick. But something that we also often say is that it is one thing for the invention to be ready and work… and quite another for it to be consolidated as a new construction material. Because other elements such as the cost per unit or the economic interests of the traditional industry come into play there. And something that is also important is the social impact of the company. According to its website, it provides direct and indirect employment to more than 600 people. They are linked to the collection, classification and manufacturing of the product, and a large part of the workforce is women and young people who find it difficult to participate in other economic activities. In the end, it is a project that is located at the intersection between the circular economy, sustainable urbanism and social inclusion. And it is a nice program, but as we say, there are more and more sustainable bricks, but in the end we continue to choose the most polluting process. Images | Gjenge Makers In Xataka | We have just reinvented the brick. It is just as it was millennia ago

In its efforts to once again conquer the Peninsula, the brown bear has just found its main ally against the ranchers: tourism

March 25, 2026 by usatoday24

In the late 80s and 90s, the brown bear was on the verge of total extinction in Spain. There were just a few dozen spread across remote areas of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees. Today there are more than 400 And although we have been recovering the species for almost 40 years, the truth is that it has not stopped being controversial for a single moment in all that time. A controversy that, little by little, spreads throughout the country. An absence of 150 years. In the regions of La Cabrera, Sanabria or Carballeda and even in areas bordering Ourense, it had been more than a century and a half since anyone had seen a brown bear. However, a new study They have documented up to 85 tests that he has returned to the region. They are direct observations, verified footprints, damage to hives, phototraps and testimonies. It doesn’t matter, despite the size of these bugs, identifying them is difficult. The interesting thing is that, as another study pointed out, the bear has expanded to 17,000 km2. But… how did we do it? There are three key pieces to the system: great efforts were made to prevent poaching, their natural habitat was protected, and Slovenian bears were reintroduced to replenish populations. In the Pyrenees, in fact, the native line ended up disappearing (although, in 2025, it was recorded the first native bear cub born in the mountain range in more than 50 years). An even more important question: why are we doing it? That is, what purpose does a brown bear serve and why do we want to reintroduce it. Well, according to experts, the brown bear has several important functions in the maintenance of its ecosystems. To begin with, they are dispersers of seeds of fleshy fruits (something very beneficial for the forest mass), they control the populations of herbivores, they clean the forest of bodies as scavengers and it is a bioindicator of the quality of the ecosystem. The bear is at the top of the food chain: its presence improves ecosystems, manages them, maintains them. But, it creates problems… doesn’t it? That’s what the livestock industry says. According to data from the Aragonese Pyrenees, in 2024 there were 33 confirmed attacks (29 in Ansó and 4 in Hecho). The result was 44 dead sheep and 2 goats. The dispute is that, according to the ranchers, the compensation (22,431 euros in 2024) is insufficient. For them, not only deaths must be counted, but also stress abortions, disappearances and a drop in production. That is, what they defend is that part of the costs of the reintroduction of the bear are being paid by them. The issue, as its presence is consolidated, the interests of the ranchers are no longer the only ones. Little by little, the bone regions are attracting wildlife tourism which also generates money. A lot. In the Val d’Aran, there is even talk of overcrowding. In the end, the problem is always the same: Are we willing to pay the cost of living with the nature that we say we want to save? Whether we like it or not, the accidents on the farms in the Pyrenees and the massive replantings (up to 150,000 trees) in the Cantabrian Mountains are two sides of the same coin. It is not enough to throw it in the air and wait to see what happens. Image | Karl Paul Baldacchino In Xataka | Faced with the largest flood of wild bears in memory, Japan has taken a measure: emergency hunts

Spain’s main problem is not weapons, fighters or drones. It is the number of hands you need to use them.

February 23, 2026 by usatoday24

In recent years, the defense debate in Europe has revolved almost exclusively around money and technology. It talks about percentages of GDPmodernization and new systems capable of changing the battlefield. However, there is a much less visible factor that ends up being decisive when it comes time to turn plans into reality. A decade of losing muscle. The news Europa Press gave it. Since 2010, the Spanish Armed Forces They have lost 13,300 troops and they carry a structural deficit that the Military Life Observatory describes as chronic. As of January 1, 2025 there were 116,739 soldiers in active service, very far from the legal minimum of 130,000 established by the Military Career Law. The gap ranges between 13,000 and 23,000 uniformed personnel, a figure that is practically equivalent to an entire army within the system itself. Objectives that are not met. Several weeks ago another news item put the target on an enlightening fact: the regulatory framework establishes a maximum of 50,000 officers and non-commissioned officers, but there are only 40,656 dashboardsincluding 227 generals, leaving a wide margin unfilled. In the troops and Navy, the budget ceiling has limited staff numbers to 79,000 for years, although it is barely exceed 76,000 troops. The distance between what is provided for in the law and what is available in the barracks is not temporary, but sustained over time. More budget on weapons, fewer hands to operate them. The strategic debate in Europe has turned towards the modernization of systems and increased spending up to 2.1% of GDPbut the emphasis has not been transferred with the same intensity to the staff. Weapons programs and technological capabilities are expanding, but the number of military personnel is barely growing or even go back. Hence all this leads us to another reality very different from what we usually think: Spain’s main problem is not fighters, drones or new systems, but rather the great number of staff missing to use them and keep them operational. A 2025 that closed in negative. Despite the government’s commitment to increase staff by 7,500 personnel in four years, 2025 ended with 832 fewer soldiers than the previous year. The drop was especially pronounced at the officer level, where a thousand professionals they abandoned or passed to the reserve without sufficient replacement. Although non-commissioned officers and troops registered slight increases, the global balance was once again negative at a time when the international environment demands just the opposite. Lack of interest. The interpretation of these data leaves little room for doubt. The number of places offered has increased, but the proportion of applicants per vacancy has decreased worryingly. In the troop area the ratio has fallen to 4.2 applicants per placefar from the levels of a decade ago. In officers and non-commissioned officers, the descent is even more pronouncedwith fewer candidates and a worse selection margin, which limits the quality of replacement and anticipates problems of generational change. Salaries, mobility and little incentive for promotion. There is much more, as the report points to lower salaries to other bodies of the State and to an accumulated loss of purchasing power that discourages a military career. Constant mobility can imply a higher cost of living and low salary compensationleading many to give up promotions. The result is that “little interest” in progressing within the institution and a structure that ages without sufficient renewal. Stressed and aged. The other elephant in the room: more than a third of the dashboards exceeds 50 years and the troops also show progressive aging, while the reservists have decreased steadily since 2014. For its part, female participation grows slightly up to 13.1%above the NATO average, but it does not compensate for the overall loss of troops. I remembered the newspaper El Mundo that the system is also facing an increase in harassment complaints that adds reputational pressure at a time of low recruitment. Material capacity without critical mass. All this leaves a more or less illuminating map. Spain is investing in capabilities and is committed to increasingly demanding international missions, but it does so with less staff that fifteen years ago. The organizational structures and operational commitments have not diminished, rather the oppositewhile the human base it doesn’t stop shrinking. From that perspective, everything indicates that, if the trend is not reversed, the country may find itself with a future where the Armed Forces are modernized in equipment, but without the critical mass necessary to sustain them over time and respond reliably to an increasingly demanding strategic environment. Image | Air and Space Army Ministry of Defense Spain, Spanish Army In Xataka | Spain has a dilemma that is difficult to solve: call the US or be the last with a fighter jet in danger of extinction In Xataka | Spain has built a laser that shields the backbone of its Navy: the A400M is now ready for combat

for which phones it is available, main news and how to install it

February 17, 2026 by usatoday24

Google has begun to release the first beta version of Android 17, so if you have a mobile phone manufactured by the company you can now start testing what will come to all devices after the summer. Therefore, we are going to tell you everything you need to be able to try it. Remember that betas are test versions of a new operating system, so the first They will be full of errors and bugsin addition to the fact that they will have poor performance and will drain the mobile battery. That is why it is not recommended to use them on your main mobile phone. Also say that we are talking about the base version of Android 17, the one that Google launches for its Pixel devices. Then, Each manufacturer will adapt the system to their mobile phones with its own customization layers and its corresponding beta bases to test everything, find errors and solve them. You should also know that The first betas will not have tangible news in terms of new features, which will be implemented little by little in the next betas. They are basically a framework for developers to adapt their applications to the new developments in the operating system code that are to come. What phones are compatible The first beta of Android 17 is only compatible with mobiles created by Google based on the Pixel 6. New betas will arrive later and different manufacturers will incorporate their own devices, but initially the first to try it will be the Pixels. This is the list of compatible phones: If your phone is one of those on this list, then you will be able to update it to install the beta of the next version of Android. Remember that If you are going to do it, it is imperative to make a backup copy of all your data, because there are many errors that can arise and you can lose all types of files. News from the Android 17 beta This first beta version is basically a framework with future changes to the software for developers to start adapting their applications. Initially there will be almost no changesbecause the strong news of Android 17 They will begin to arrive in the following betas. These are the initial news of the first beta: Widget changes At a glance: This Pixel mobile widget can be removed from the devices’ home screen, although it will remain on the lock screen. Google includes a high contrast mode. Future changes in load diagnosis: The new function to diagnose battery charge and cycles begins to appear, although at the moment it still does not work and cannot be used. Design tweaks: There are small changes in the brightness, volume and quick settings menus. Shutdown menu customization: Google adds new information notices. Changes in Material 3 Expressive: A small evolution with some polishing of the animations and some buttons. More changes are expected in upcoming betas. New update model (Canary): Google removes the classic program Developer Preview of pre-release versions of Android, and changes it to a continuous channel that allows you to test new features faster. Adaptation to large screens: Applications will no longer be able to force their orientation (such as locking in portrait) on tablets or foldable phones. Now they will always have to adapt to the space available on the screen. This is only for apps, and at the moment it does not affect video games. Performance and fluidity improvements: Improvements are added to memory management and background processes. With them Android 17 should be able to save battery and CPU. Additionally, apps will no longer restart by default when changing minor settings. Changes in Camera and Multimedia: Added new fluid transitions between photo and video modes without screen freezes. Support for the VVC video format is also added, and blocking audio playback in the background is added if the app is not active. Privacy and security improvements: Android 17 will better protect your data by blocking sending unencrypted network data by default. Additionally, Google introduces new advanced cryptography standards to protect communications. Changes in connectivity and accessories: Permissions are grouped to link external devices faster. Specific profiles are also added that facilitate the quick configuration of activity bracelets and medical devices. How to install the first beta of Android 17 To install this first beta of Android 17, you have to enter the website google.com/android/beta. In it, go down to the section Devices eligible for the programwhere the mobile phone that you have compatible with the beta will appear. Here, press the button Participate that will appear below the device to enroll it in the beta program. Once you have done, simply check for new system updates on your mobilethe one you have enrolled. When you do, you will see the possibility to update appear. If you don’t look for it, you should also receive the beta in a few minutes. There is a second method to update your Google Pixel, although it is more delicate and is not as recommended. It’s about using the tool Android Flash Tool. The way it works is simple. First you connect the mobile via USB to your computer, and with it you enter flash.android.com. Inside here, click on Get Started and follow the instructions on the page. In Xataka Basaics | The best apps for Android 2026: new, essential and hidden gems

what it is, how it works, main news, and when it will be available

February 11, 2026 by usatoday24

Let’s explain to you what is Seedance 2.0the model of artificial intelligence designed by ByteDance. Specifically, it is a multimodal AI model capable of generating video from prompt descriptions, but also using other references such as audio, images and video. Let’s start by reminding you what Seedance is, so you know what exactly we are referring to. Then, we will tell you the main features of its new version, as well as the differences with its predecessor and some other things that you should keep in mind, such as when will it be available for use in Spain. What is Seedance and how it works Seedance is an artificial intelligence model created by ByteDance, the company that created the TikTok social network. This model is used for generate video from textbeing the competition of models such as I see from Google either sora from OpenAI. The truth is that ByteDance is one of the five most relevant Chinese companies in AI. In fact, it has its own family of models called Seedin which we have a Seedream to create images, Seededit to edit images, Seed3D to create three-dimensional models, Seed LiveInterpret to translate voice in real time, Seed-Music to create music and more. As in other similar models, its operation is simple. You simply describe what you want to see through a prompt, uploading a reference image if you want, and Seedance will create a video of several seconds with the scene you have described. To create the video, you will first be able to process and understand what you ask with natural languagesince it has been trained to understand the way we speak and express ourselves. It will then proceed to create the video, including synchronized audio based on the instructions you give it. Seedance tries to stand out from the competition with physical realism, so that objects move naturally and consistent with physics. Also with visual consistency, and duration, since it generates videos up to 10 seconds long. Seedance 2.0 Features As we all know, the race in generative artificial intelligence is frenetic, so every few months a new model comes out, revolutionizing everything. In this aspect, Seedance 2.0 is now the one that is surprising the most, being a multimodal model capable of combining images, video, audio and text to generate content. Think about this. You can add audio of a sound or conversation and generate the video from it, and even include another video or photo to use as a reference. Everything will be able to process simultaneously. The model supports precise reference capabilities, and is capable of exporting results in 2K resolution with 30% faster generation speeds than the previous version 1.5. It has also improved the level of understanding of the physics of sound, This new version of the model also introduces the so-called multi-lens storytellinga term that means you can keep the same character, with the same clothes and features through different camera cuts. Something that will allow the video to be more complex but maintain cohesion between the cuts. When will Seedance 2.0 arrive? ByteDance has not yet included Seedance 2.0 in the website of their modelsthat It is only available in testing phase for a very limited group of people. Even so, it is to be hoped that little by little it will also begin to reach everyone. You have to be careful, because there are also fake pages that use the name Seedance 2.0 as a claim. In Xataka Basics | How to create videos with artificial intelligence: 13 essential free tools

the main social video networks to go to if you are thinking of changing

January 27, 2026 by usatoday24

We are going to tell you which are the main ones alternative social networks to TikTok. We are going to focus on those that have a similar function and purpose, that of sharing short videos. Thus, in case you want a change of scenery you will know the best places to go. Let’s try to make the list varied. We will start with the heavyweights within the alternatives, other large platforms. But we will also mention other more independent and less known ones, which are gaining or have recently gained weight. Instagram and Facebook Reels If you want to stop using TikTok because you are concerned about privacy, Instagram or Facebook It will never be the best option with your Reels. However, we are going to start with them for audience reasons, because they are still two of the most popular and most used social networks in the world. The Reels become a copy of TikTokwhich Meta launched on its networks when the Asian social network began to gain importance. Therefore, its operation and options are basically the same, with the addition of being able to share the content in stories on these networks. YouTube Shorts YouTube also has its own system of shorter vertical videos with maximum duration of 3 minutes. It was also created after TikTok began to gain traction, and its main advantage is being accessible to the hundreds of thousands of users who already use YouTube. Loops If you are looking a social network where privacy prevailsit is inevitable to talk about Pixelfed. It is a decentralized alternative to Instagram, where users can create their own instances based on ActivityPuband its content is accessible from other social networks in the fediverse that use this protocol, such as Mastodon. Since 2024 Pixelfed has a parallel social network of alternative videos to TikTok called Loops. In essence it is the same, a decentralized social network of vertical videos. It is still in beta and does not have such a powerful user base, but it is there for anyone who wants to bet on it. Among the most indie alternatives we find UpScrolled. It is a network that claims to have arrived promising that all voices will be treated equallywithout algorithms that hide content, shadowbans, or favoritism for those who pay. This social network claims to be politically impartial, and that its algorithms are fair. It allows you to create videos, upload stories and chat with your contacts. It has a hashtag system, no space limits, and an interface clearly inspired by Instagram. snapchat Snapchat was once a powerful emerging social network, until Instagram overlapped it by copying its stories. Now it remains in the second row in terms of popularity, but still pretty solid with hundreds of thousands of users using it around the world. Although its main function is stories, it also has Spotlight, its TikTok-style vertical video feed, with filters, augmented reality, and many creation options. skylight One of the “indie” alternatives that is gaining the most traction at the beginning of 2026 is Skylight. It is an American social network which uses AT Protocolthe social media protocol of Bluesky. This means that you can use it with your Bluesky account, or create a new one in Skylight and make the content accessible from the paired social network. Skylight is not open source, but it is a public benefit corporation. These are companies that balance profits with purpose, and legally committed to creating positive social impact. The downside is that it can be a bit confusing when mixed with Bluesky, and that It is not yet available in Spainalthough you can view the content from Bluesky. RedNote RedNote It is a Chinese social network that is basically a clone of TikTok, and that in the past has positioned itself as an alternative that many were trying to switch to. However, It is not the best option in terms of privacy either.since like many massive social networks they collect a lot of sensitive personal data. And we end with another social network to take into account for the future. diVine is a social network supported by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, to resurrect the Vine platform of short six-second videos. Its applications are still in closed beta phase, but you can now play around with its web version. This network promises to adopt a decentralized concept similar to Bluesky, being able to have more control over moderation and algorithms. Its registry uses the Nostro decentralized protocol. Has positioned itself strongly against AIwith detection and blocking systems for this content to only have what is created by humans. In Xataka Basics | Your Bluesky account on Mastodon: how to create a bridge for your publications to reach the world

your main supplier is untouchable

December 2, 2025 by usatoday24

In October, Ukrainian intelligence carried out an investigation. Then he found, once again, that the hole that exists around international sanctions it is palpable and numeric. kyiv had begun analyzing parts of Moscow’s latest cruise and ballistic missiles. And what they found was a deja vu. The latest: A thorough investigation of the Russian Iskander missile clearly points to a superpower. Lethality on the production line. The ballistic missile Iskander-Mthe heart of Russian terror against Ukrainian cities, rests on a solid fuel whose half should be composed by ammonium perchlorate. It turns out that Russia, after decades of industrial decline since the Soviet collapse, can no longer produce the critical ingredient to make it at scale: high purity sodium chlorate. This technical deficiency, more than any of its military forces, defines the strategic vulnerability of a weapon that has devastated places like Kryvyi Rih, where, for example, an impact on November 2024 He killed a mother and her three children. The sustained decline in Ukrainian interception rates, even in areas defended by Patriot, demonstrates that every missile that manages to overcome air defense hits densely populated areas and translates that industrial dependence into human tragedy. The network that supplies. Now, in a RUSI investigationUkrainian intelligence has found that, in the absence of domestic capacity, Moscow depends on two essential suppliers: China, which supplies 61% of imported sodium chlorate, and Uzbekistan, which supplies the remaining 39% via Farg’onaazota plant acquired by Indorama for $140 million and family-related to Lakshmi Mittal’s conglomerate. In this way, between 2024 and mid-2025, only the Uzbek factory sent more than 18 million of dollars in inputs, part of a total flow close to 37 million that sustains the production of missiles used repeatedly against the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Kryvyi Rih, paradoxical victim of the same plot business that unintentionally contributes to fueling the Russian program. Launch of an Iskander in 2018 The hole in the sanctions regime. Although sodium chlorate is included in European sanctions as a substance that supports Russian industrial capacity (the EU cannot move it), the main suppliers (Uzbeks and Chinese) continue without being punished. In fact, specialist Olena Yurchenko identifies three structural failures: the lack of comprehensive coverage of all solid fuel precursors, the absence of restrictions on third-country suppliers, and the omission of sanctions on Russian exporters and importers directly involved. The result is a perfectly functional supply chain that operates between the legal shadowsallowing Russia to replenish its arsenal despite the Western embargo. Experts they point out that this phenomenon is repeated in sectors where Western companies indirectly tolerate “parallel import” circuits. Geopolitics and political calculation. They remembered in Forbes that it would be politically more acceptable for the EU to sanction Uzbekistan, whose economic weight and ties with Europe are lower than those of China. There is no doubt, punishing Chinese suppliers would imply deep diplomatic and commercial frictions, which explains the reluctance of some Member States. However, while those decisions are postponed, Russia is advancing new domestic production complexes that will not be operational until between 2025 and 2027prolonging a critical period in which foreign dependence continues to be the Achilles heel of its missile industry. The strategic irony that sustains the conflict. ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, the city’s economic pillar and a recurring target of the Iskander, has contributed more than 500 million in taxes to Ukraine and more than 18 million in humanitarian aid since the invasion. The drama is evident: the same business structure that contributes to rebuilding Ukraine is, on a distant link in its corporate orbit, linked to production of the missiles that destroy their infrastructure. If the EU were to simultaneously sanction Uzbek suppliers and major Chinese exporters, Russia would face years of instability, high costs and reduced industrial flexibility. It could even be forced to redesign its engines and fuels, compromising the reliability of its arsenal for an extended period. What is at stake. If you like, the decisive question is whether European politics will have the courage to close the loopholes that allow global conglomerates benefit (directly or indirectly) from both sides of the war. The reason is crystal clear: as long as this legal and economic exception persists, the Iskander They will continue to fly and slaughter, sustained by a supply chain that Russian technology alone cannot replace. Image | Vitaly V. KuzminMil.ru In Xataka | Something devastating is happening for Ukraine: death zones are disappearing, and its drones are flying blind In Xataka | For years Europe has wondered how to stop the Russian ghost fleet. Ukraine just showed you the way: with AI

The main problem of Europe’s rearmament is a number. If Russia attacks its borders, it has 45 days to roam freely

November 18, 2025 by usatoday24

The scene took place a decade ago at a Polish station, when several American Bradleys lost their turrets when passing under a platform that was too low, symbolizing a problem that Europe never solved: the structural vulnerability of your military logistics network. on a continent that is rearmed at a vunknown speed since the Cold War, the shortcomings are not only found in the absence of more tanks, ammunition or entire brigades, but in the physical inability to move them in time. The hidden fragility. In the month of July already we count the first indication. Then Europe realized that rearmament I had to start on the roads under a very simple premise: a Russian invasion would unleash fatal congestion. In fact, the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is already exposed that reality. France could not transfer his Leclercs to Romania via the shortest land route through Germany and was forced to send them by sea, a deviation that evidenced what military planners have been pointing out with frustration for years: Europe is not prepared to move a modern army from its western ports to the eastern border in a credible time frame for deterrence. Now, in addition, he is certain of a number: deterrence takes about 45 daysand in a real scenario it would be equivalent to losing a war before appearing on the front, so it is imperative to reduce. How much? The plan is to reduce it five or even three daysaccording to the objectives that Brussels is finalizing. That is the heart of problem that obsesses to German General Alexander Sollfrank: that everything, from documentation to the resistance of a tunnel and the availability of a train driver, will work “like a Swiss clock” when Moscow tests NATO’s reaction capacity. The political challenge. They remembered in the Financial Times that even before the first armored train crosses Europe, the critical obstacle is political. The experience of 2022 showed that, although US intelligence accurately warned of the imminent Russian attack, some European leaders did not believe that Putin would give the order. Military mobilization can only begin once governments accept that the threat is real, and that delay (hours or days) is gold for the aggressor. General Ben Hodges, former commander of US forces in Europe, formulated it to put it bluntly: the key is not just how to move troops, but how to speed up decision-making, open ammunition depots, activate convoys and do it before Russia launch your offensive. And more. Added to this is the strategic unknown of Donald Trump, whose record of oscillations against Russia keeps Europe in constant tension: even if Washington claims to remain committed with Article 5clarity, synchronicity and speed could be conditioned by your posture. Only when that political decision is made will the massive movement to the east begin, a flow whose magnitude (200,000 soldiers and thousands of armored vehicles from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom) demands a continental precision no priors. Geography as an enemy. That said, almost all analysts agree: the real bottleneck of European defense is on your physical map. Europe, despite being a densely developed continent, is not designed to move heavy divisions from one end to the other. The tunnels are too low, the clearances too narrow, the Baltic roads incompatible with those of the rest of the continent, the bridges (such as the collapsed Carola in Dresden in 2024) too old to support the weight of a modern tank. Even the inclination of the railway track can become at a risk When a train transports armored vehicles: the cargo could overturn. The realization of this reality led Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to launch the Rail Baltica projecta €24 billion investment explicitly designed to support oversized military trains and eliminate the dangerous process of transferring vehicles between networks with different gauges. And on the Peninsula. In Spain and Portugal, the situation is similarmaking any urgent transfer from the peninsula difficult. Germany, which should act as Europe’s great military highway, is perhaps the most worrying example: exhausted roads, bridges in critical condition and a railway network that years ago was no longer suitable for high-intensity operations. The logistical dimension. Moving an army in Europe is not just a matter of infrastructure: it is also a administrative nightmare. Since most of the countries crossed would not be formally at war, their labor and customs laws would remain in force even in full military mobilization. A convoy crossing three borders could clash to three different regulations on mandatory breaks for truck drivers, incompatible customs procedures or transit permits that must be issued on paper, since NATO avoids digital documents for fear of cyberattacks. Germany, Poland and the Netherlands have tried to break this labyrinth by creating a “military Schengen” embryonic, but regulation remains fragmented, slow and vulnerable. Brussels has identified 2,800 critical points of infrastructure that need urgent modernization, although only 500 have been prioritized, and the fulfillment of the plans depends on governments whose political priorities change every year. Added to this complexity is the vehicle multiplication and calibers in service, which makes it almost impossible to standardize the logistics chain. As Sollfrank warnsyou cannot plan every “screw”, but you can plan the scenarios, and today Europe is just beginning to understand the real scale of the problem. The industry as a decisive link. Plus: the modernization of military mobility requires not only adapting bridges and roads, but also rebuilding industrial capacity to transport a contemporary army. A light division may require up to 200 trains, each with more than 40 cars, which represents more than 8,000 logistics platforms for a single operational movement. European railway companies, from Deutsche Bahn to Baltic operators, are signing agreements to reserve military capabilities, while Rheinmetall begins to offer complete services for convoys crossing Germany, from mobile dormitories to emergency workshops. But Europe does not produce enough high-capacity railcars or specialized vehicles, and the industry requires joint tenders and unified specifications to be able to produce … Read more

the main gay dating apps disappear from the App Store

November 10, 2025 by usatoday24

China has a relentless censorship machinery. The one known as the ‘Great Firewall of China’ has been preventing its citizens from accessing certain services and websites for years. Its tentacles also reach the application stores, including Apple’s, which has just seen two apps disappear from its offering. And not just any two apps. What has happened? Blued and Finka are two dating apps aimed at the LGBTQ+ public and have just disappeared from the App Store in China, where they were the two most popular apps. According to Apple, the order came directly from the China Internet Network Information Center, also known as the Cyberspace Administration. This is Apple’s response to Wired: “We comply with the laws of the countries in which we operate. Pursuant to an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two applications from the Chinese store” It’s not the first time. There have been other cases in which Apple has had to remove apps by order of the Chinese government, such as last year when removed WhatsApp, Telegram and others from his store “for reasons of national security.” The reasons they argued were the same: they have to comply with the laws of the countries in which they operate. They are not just any apps. The case of Blued and Finka is especially sensitive and it is not the first time that they have blocked applications used by the LGTBQ+ community. In 2022, the well-known app Grindr was also removed from the App Store in China. It happened during the Winter Olympic Games, although in this case it was the Grindr developer herself who removed the app at the request of the authorities. Homosexuality in China. Until 1997, being homosexual in China was a crime and until 2001 it was considered a mental disorder. Today it is not penalized, but the weather is anything but favorable for the community: same-sex marriage is not recognizednor can they adopt, conversion therapies remain legal and there are no laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Censorship. Homosexuality is considered prohibited content by regulators, who have edited numerous films to eliminate any reference to sexual diversity. The case of ‘Lightyear’ and the scene in which two women kiss It was one of the most popular, but it was not the only one. In September of this same year, They used AI to turn a gay couple into heterosexuals in the movie ‘Together’. Image | Wikipedia In Xataka | There is an underground movement of Chinese women reading homosexual erotic literature. And China is cracking down on it.

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