midst

In the midst of the RAM and SSD crisis, there are those who are launching laptops and mobile phones with more capacity at the same price: Apple

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Apple has set out to eclipse the Mobile World Congress. He does not attend the Barcelona fair, but he has presented products. For now, the iPhone 17ethe new MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro and M5 Max processorsthe new MacBook Air M5 and the renewal of your monitor Studio Display. And what has caught my attention the most is the “generosity” of an Apple that has not accustomed us to it. Because, with the one that is falling with the RAM crisis and of SSD priceApple is offering more without increasing the price. And it is something that has several readings… and some asterisks. The new devices. There isn’t much new in anything the company has presented so far. It is assumed that there is still a ‘cheap’ MacBook throughout this Wednesday, March 4, but what they have already presented is, basically, the same as last year, but with new processors. The iPhone 17e is a mobile phone with an outdated design, but it includes a slightly cut version of the processor of the iPhone 17 Pro. The MacBook Pros were already beasts in many ways and now they can be equipped with the M5 Pro and M5 Max that reach absurd figures for GPU capacity and memory bandwidth in the most powerful versions. And the MacBook Air was already a very interesting device for mobility, but now also somewhat more powerful. As I say, not much new on the front, until we look at the storage. With the one that is falling… At this point, no one is aware that we are experiencing an unprecedented component crisis. It’s not like 2020, when a bunch of factors caused a global chip crisis. Now there is only one “culprit”: artificial intelligence. There is three main companies that manufacture memory (Micron, SK Hynix and Samsung), and the three have focused almost the entire his production to memories for AI. This is causing not only us to have to pay more to be able to buy RAM or an SSD for our PC, but also the manufacturers themselves are changing their device launch plans –the steam machine-, there is someone who is selling laptops without RAM or without SSDwho looks to Chinese manufacturers to see if they can find a solution or, directly, those who can withdraw from the market. And, in the middle of that hurricane, Apple (which It is not characterized by its popular prices), launches devices. And the surprise came. Generosity. I’m not going to explain much, I’m just going to give some information: The iPhone 17e starts with 256 GB of storage and costs 709 euros. He iPhone 16e It started at 128 GB and cost 709 euros. The MacBook Air M5 costs 1,199 euros with 512 GB of SSD. He MacBook Air M4 It cost the same at launch, 1,199 euros (in October last year they lowered it by 100 euros to 1,099 euros), but with 256 GB. On these devices, Apple has doubled the storage while maintaining the price. And not only that: the Studio Display XDR was sold with a basic tilt adjustment stand, but you could purchase the articulated arm that allowed you to adjust both angle and height. The price of support? 999 euros, which became a meme. Now, the new Studio Display XDR It comes with that ‘Pro’ support included. Of course, the base MacBook Pro M5 costs 100 euros more with a 1 TB SSD instead of 512 GB. Generosity? What is happening here, is the first thing I thought when I started analyzing the price. There are several options that can be compatible… and even all at the same time. No company is there to give away, so it is simply possible that they have a huge stock of 512 GB SSDs that they now mount as a base in their computers. This would make sense if we take into account the very high price of expanding the memory on an Apple device. The most basic option would be the most chosen, so those with 128 GB on mobile phones and 256/512 on MacBooks would be the best sellers and, therefore, have a surplus of the expanded options that fewer people would opt for. Another reading may be that, due to the high price of the devices, Apple decides to absorb part of the cost of RAM because it’s still worth itmaking money per device sold and expanding the Mac user base at a time when Windows laptops can have a very difficult time. What Apple saves are the chargers in its new equipment. The MacBook Pro no longer included a charger, but the MacBook Air did. Now not even that. The turn. The other option is that… it will be our turn. The prices that I have detailed are in euros and for Spain if we take into account the launch price, without subsequent offers or reductions. In the United States, things are very different. They have also doubled the storage, but the MacBook Air in its 13 and 15-inch versions now They are 100 dollars more expensive than the previous generation. It is always complicated because direct conversions cannot be made from the US price to the European price (in fact, the M5 MacBook Air costs $1,099 and $1,299 compared to our 1,199 euros and 1,499 euros), but we may simply have to face that price increase in 2027 models. Because, unfortunately, the RAM crisis is going to last a long time. Intel He thinks he has the rest of the decade ahead of him, NVIDIA does not have good forecasts either and Samsung has just said that, if that, it will begin to ease in 2027. Images | Apple, Samsung In Xataka | Apple has been the industry’s first customer for decades. AI is relegating it to the background

In the midst of the RAM crisis, Intel counterattacks with ZAM. It is the chip to break South Korean hegemony

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Few would have guessed not so many years ago the Intel transformation. The company that will dominate consumer processors and servers for generations has been through a real ordeal through the desert under the rule of AMD. However, they have returned for their rights and not only –rescue through– have positioned themselves to be the great American foundry, but are looking to take a bite out of the gigantic South Korean RAM memory industry thanks to its new memory: ZAM memory. And its weapon is three-dimensionality. Z for ‘zolution’. Do you remember when, in math class, you drew the first cube? The X axis is east-west. The Y axis is north-south. What the square needed to become a cube is the Z axis, the one up and down. That’s what engineers SAIMEMORYthe company resulting from the collaboration between the Japanese SoftBank and Intel, have applied traditional DRAM memory with a single objective: to assault the enormous market for high-bandwidth memory, or HBMwhich dominates data centers. Puff pastry. A few months ago we told you that the two companies They had embarked on a joint path to stand up to the dominance of Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron in the creation of high-performance memory. lHBM memory is preferred for data centers because it has a beastly bandwidth that allows a greater number of simultaneous operations. It’s like a huge highway. However, it has limitations: it is expensive to produce, requires a lot of energy, and gets hot enough to require expensive dissipation systems. Conventional DRAM memory was not an alternative, but Intel and SoftBank began to ‘play around’ with stacked DRAM memory. It is like a puff of RAM memory (simplifying things a lot), whose main limitation came when connecting each of those thin layers of memory so that the final product had the same capabilities as that highway that is HBM memory. ZAM. After a few months of research, a few days ago at the Intel Connection in Japan, SAIMEMORY and Intel presented the ZAM prototype. According to the companiesa ZAM module can have a capacity of up to 512 GB, it is easy to produce because it consists of designing vertically stacked chips and most importantly: it can reduce energy consumption by 40% to 50% compared to conventional HBMs. If HBMs are expensive and take time to produce, ZAMs are cheaper, can be the solution to alleviate restrictions in the supply chain and, in addition, would lower the energy consumption of data centers (which is one of the problems they have), and are also easier to cool. At the moment, the company’s research points to a theoretical limit of 20 layers, but current designs move around 16 layers, so performance may be better if this current limitation can be overcome. Real alternative. Intel’s ambition is total, since they point out that their DRAM module joining technology allows them to offer two to three times the capacity of HBM modules while being up to 60% cheaper to produce. It all seems like a plus and doesn’t seem like bad technology when established giants in HBM memory creation like Samsung are also researching how to overcome the limitations of connections in stacked DRAM memory. The prototype | Photo by PCWatch Ambition. And, almost as important as the presentation of the ZAM prototype, is the alliance itself. Intel has been away from the memory market for many years. He tried it in the 80s and, again, years later with his Optane technology -that died miserably without making the slightest gap in the market. On the other hand, SoftBank represents a Japan that had the lead in this sector in the 1980s, but was overshadowed by emerging South Korean companies. In fact, Intel’s memories were eaten by the Japanese… and the Japanese by the South Koreans. SAIMEMORY has behind it not only those sharks, but other Japanese companies such as Fujitsu, Shinko Electric Industries, PowerChip Semiconductor Manufacturing or the University of Tokyo. And if ZAM memory works on a commercial level, it will not only be good news to alleviate the memory production chains (perhaps this will also alleviate the domestic market totally destroyed for the data center needs), but will mark the birth of a new and ambitious player who seeks to break the hegemony of the trident he currently leads. We will see it, of course, in a few years, since SAIMEMORY plans complete prototypes in fiscal year 2027 and begin commercialization in 2029. Image | Samsung, Maxence Pira In Xataka | The CEO of Nothing is clear that we do not need a high-end mobile phone every year. A mix of RAM crisis and common sense

The Government applauded Repsol’s discounts in the midst of the gasoline crisis. Competition the fine now with 20.5 million for them

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February 2022. Spain is still suffering the economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis. After two years with workers suffering ERTES, Russia invades Ukraine and a war breaks out that we continue to suffer four years later. Immediately, the economy of the entire continent is reeling. Basic products skyrocket in price and, among them, fuel enters a runaway inflationary race. One that, in turn, once again raises the prices of basic products. February 3, 2022 we counted on Xataka that gasoline was more expensive than ever. We paid 1,538 euros per liter. 24% more than the previous year. In summer we were close to two euros per liter. By then the Government had launched its action plan. After a transport strike and with France applying state aid to the purchase of gasoline, the State began to subsidize with 20 cents/liter the purchase of fuel for all drivers. The measure only proved to be a plug through which water leaked. In summer the most pessimistic voices already pointed to a price of up to three euros per liter in gasoline. The pump price, fortunately, did not reach that point. In fact, that same summer another war began. This time at the service stations. And although the price of gasoline continued to rise to the point that at the till We were paying 1.80 euros for each liter again, The big oil companies brought out all their weapons: points cards, temporary discounts, loyalty plans… Movements that hid something that the CNMC already warned about that same summer: the big oil companies were getting rich. Now, it is the same CNMC that has made a decision: to fine Repsol 20.5 million euros. Abuse of power against competitors The CNMC has confirmed a sanction of 20.5 million euros to several Repsol Group companies and punishes them with disqualification from participating in public contracts for six months on the understanding that they abused their position of power to narrow profit margins with the intention of driving competitors out of the market. Competition defends that the discounts applied during the year 2022, which at the time were applauded by the Governmentthey narrowed the profit margins in the sale of fuel to the point of preventing companies selling low-cost fuel from competing on equal terms. The CNMC alleges that “competition law requires that companies in dominance position are especially responsible for not restricting competition. They assure that after various complaints they went to the Repsol Group service stations at the end of 2022 and that at the end of 2023 They initiated the disciplinary proceedings with the information collected. In the investigation. The behavior of Moeve, then Cepsa, and BP was also analyzed. However, only Repsol has been sanctioned. From the company, they point out in Five Daysassure that they will appeal the fine while arguing that “it is the first time in the history of national and community competition law that the CNMC sanctions a company for applying discounts.” Those days of 2022 were marked by the role of the oil companies. In April, when the State began to apply the discount of 20 cents per liter of fuel, low-cost operators They threatened to strike because they understood that the money they had to put out of their own pocket (of the 20 cents/liter, five were borne by the operator) destroyed their profit margins. Later, the CNMC confirmed that the companies in charge of supplying fuel were obtaining a juicy profit with the increase in fuel prices, to the point that their profit margins had widened despite having to put money in to subsidize fuel, with record gross margins. Now, the entity in charge of ensuring competition points out that Repsol also took the opportunity to try to sweep away the competition. It will have to be Repsol that manages to demonstrate that it did not act in this way and as the CNMC defends. Photo | Repsol In Xataka | For the first time, electrified cars are outselling gasoline cars. It is the beginning of the inevitable

In the midst of the RAM memory crisis, Samsung takes a leap with its HBM4 memory. It does not imply good news for the pocket

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We are in full RAM price crisis. The industry is a cake that three large producers share and the data centers and the artificial intelligence They want to eat the whole cake. Samsung is one of the companies that manufactures memory for consumption and data centersand will soon begin mass production of its latest broadband memory chips: the HBM4. Don’t throw the bells in the air too soon. HBM4. This technology represents a crucial advance in stacked memories. Its density allows double the bandwidth, key to transmitting more data per second, but they are also up to 40% more energy efficient than HBM3. In short: they consume less energy and have fewer bottlenecks, which translates into an improvement in data processing. Industry sources point out that Samsung will use the 10-nanometer D1c manufacturing process for the matrix of these HBM4 memorieswith an internal structure of 4 nm. It’s a more advanced process than the 12-nanometer D1b from its main rival, SK Hynix. In addition, it will achieve a data transfer speed of 11.7 Gbps compared to 9-10 Gbps of the current standard. Hello Nvidia. South Korean media they point that these new Samsung HBM4 modules they would have passed Nvidia certification testing and will be in february when the company starts mass manufacturing them. Where will they end up? Some to Nvidia’s new AI acceleration system, called Vera Rubinothers at the heart of Google’s seventh-generation TPUs. After these reports, the company’s shares they went up 5.3% in the Seoul market. The enemy at home. In statements To South Korean media, Samsung representatives have commented that they feel quite confident with a new product that will clear up doubts about the company’s ability to supply the demanding needs of data centers. The fifth-generation HBM3E memories were a bottleneck for the company, so major players in the AI ​​industry looked next door: SK Hynix. Also South Korean, she is the second leg of memory chip manufacturing. The third is the American Micron Technology, a considerable distance from the two South Koreans. A year ago we already told that SK Hynix had achieved enormous efficiency in the DRAM stacking process to create these HBM memories, which allowed it to be 8.8 times more efficient than Samsung or Micron and, therefore, produce more modules for an industry that never stops asking. Meanwhile, the two South Koreans were in a race for the development of the new generation HBM4, and Samsung seems to have struck the first blow. Of course, it is estimated that Hynix will also begin mass production of these new memories on the same dates. And the consumer… what? Well nothing. If you were expecting good news related to the price of RAM, it must be said that no improvements are expected. These HBM4 modules will go to Nvidia, but we recently commented that OpenAI had reached an agreement with Samsung and SK Hynix to supply with 900,000 wafers per month. It is the volume equivalent to 39% of the estimated global capacity… and only for one company. Translation? Bottleneck in the market, a manufacturing speed that may not meet that demand and more bad news for the user. We have seen that Micron has abandoned its Crucial brand for consumers in favor of RAM for data centers, and that Samsung and SK Hynix are focused on HBM4 memories en masse, although they are not used in consumer devices, implies that this is where they will focus on this lucrative AI market. In short: Samsung may be dominating the new generation of memories, but 2026 seems difficult for anyone who wants to build a PC, expand RAM of yours, buy a new mobile or even wait for good news from the Steam Machine. Image | TSMC, Google In Xataka | RAM has become so, so expensive that there are manufacturers selling computers in an unprecedented way: “pre-assembled”

In the midst of a race towards immortality, China believes it has found a way for us to live 150 years: with grapes

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Aging is the objective that a good part of society has right now with different diets to look younger, ‘anti-aging’ treatments or even cocktails that promise this (although our biology has a fairly clear limit). Now, China is targeting a biotechnology company that affirms be developing a pill capable of prolonging human life to 150 years. A simple grape. A priori it seems that it has nothing to do with human aging, but we are quite wrong. The Shenzhen biotechnology company claims to have identified in its seeds a compound called procyyanidin C1 (PCC1) which achieves the effect that many want and has a great antioxidant effect. Zombie cells. To understand how this supposed miracle compound works, we must first talk about the enemy of aging: senescence cellular. As time goes by, some of our cells stop dividing, but they do not die. They remain in a state of limbo, accumulating in the tissues and secreting inflammatory substances that damage neighboring cells that are not so lazy and continue dividing. These cells that do not want to die is what known as ‘zombie cells’ because in the end there are quite a few parallels. As. Once taken into account, this is where PCC1 comes into play, which is nothing more than a natural flavonoid. Where the interesting begins is in a key study published in Nature Metabolism where it is pointed out that PCC1 acts as a senolytic agent. This means that it has a fairly important selective capacity to act on the cells that are bothering us the most. Specifically, at low doses, PCC1 inhibits the toxic substances emitted by zombie cells, but at high doses it kills them without harming healthy cells. And up to this point everything is quite solid, since it has been scientifically proven. There are ‘buts’. The scientific basis that the Chinese laboratory uses for its claims comes almost exclusively from animal models to whom this substance was applied. In this way, the researchers achieved several things by applying PCC1 on old mice: Reduce the load of senescent cells in vital organs. Reverse motor dysfunctions, making the mouse have more strength and better balance. Increase life expectancy between 9 and 60%. The big ‘but’ we found is that it has only been tested on mice and not on humans. And given this we can ask ourselves something quite simple: why are we skeptical about the claim of 150 years in humans? There are several reasons to be so. The first of them is that saying that because a mouse lives 60% longer, a human will live 60% longer is also a biological fallacy. The metabolism of mice and humans is not similar at all, and that is why there are drugs that, although they have worked in a mouse, have failed in humans. we are not equal with the mice. That’s why we don’t age in the same way. Although it is true that humans have senescent cells that are related to aging, we are much more complex. Aging involves genomic instability, telomere shortening, mitochondrial dysfunction, and stem cell exhaustion. That is why cleaning the ‘zombie cells’ could improve health in old agebut it is unlikely that on its own it will make us exceed the current biological limit of our species. This is also added to the fact that to date there are no published clinical trials that support the safety and effectiveness of using this compound in the human body. That is why, in conclusion, we can conclude that PCC1 is a very important finding to identify a door to therapies that make us age better. But talking about extending life to 150 years undoubtedly presents many doubts, since surely this ‘Chinese pill’ will not make us immortal overnight. Images | Maja Petric Daniel Franco In Xataka | Not all brain cells age at the same time: we have found a “hot spot” of aging

In 2011 Japan closed the largest nuclear power plant on the planet. Now he has decided to reopen it in the midst of the energy debate

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The nuclear debate, which Japan thought closed, returns to the scene. The authorization of the governor of Niigata to reactivate Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the largest atomic plant in the world, has set off alarms: citizen distrust, the shadow of Fukushima and doubts about whether TEPCO is the right company to lead the country’s new energy stage are emerging. A new nuclear revival? The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, managed by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), has not produced a single kilowatt since 2012. The closure was a direct consequence of the 2011 tsunami and the three meltdowns from Fukushima Daiichia blow that left reactors with similar designs under suspicion. That technical coincidence was enough to keep its seven reactors on hold for more than ten years, despite the fact that the plant was essential for the electricity supply of northeastern Japan. According to Japan TimesHideyo Hanazumi has authorized a step-by-step reactivation that will start with reactor 6—one of the most recent and powerful—and that, later, will also include reactor 7. Altogether, the complex exceeds 8,000 MW of capacity, a figure that not only imposes: it maintains it as the largest nuclear facility on the planet. A significant change for the Japanese country. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa has gone from a technical project to a strategic move. As reported by the Financial TimesTokyo trusts that its reactivation will contribute to lowering the electricity bill and ensuring energy sources with fewer emissions, at a time complicated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fall of the yen, which makes fossil fuel imports more expensive. Japan, which before Fukushima generated almost 30% of its electricity with atomic plants, fell to practically zero after the disaster. Since then 14 reactors have reopened and others await local or regulatory approvals. The government aims for nuclear energy to once again represent 20% of the mix in 2040. In addition, TEPCO would improve its annual accounts by around 100 billion yen thanks to the restart, according to Japan Forwardat a time when it continues to face enormous costs for the dismantling of Fukushima Daiichi. The reactivation process. The restart will begin with unit 6, which already has fuel loaded and will begin commercial operations before March of next year. To move forward, TEPCO must respond to the Government’s demands, which include updating all security systems and improving emergency evacuation plans. The process has not been easy. As detailed by Japan Timesthe plant passed safety reviews in 2017, but then suffered a veto from the Nuclear Regulatory Authority due to deficiencies in anti-terrorist measures, lifted in 2023. In addition, TEPCO had to incorporate biometric controls and correct security flaws after new internal incidents. Is there controversy? Yes, and a lot. According to a survey cited by the BBC50% of Niigata residents support the revival, while 47% oppose it. However, almost 70% express their concern because the person operating the plant is the same company that caused the accident. From Japan Times He adds that the rejection intensifies in some of the towns located within 30 kilometers of the plant, where the majority fear a new disaster or distrust the company. Another source of discomfort, also pointed out by this medium, is that the electricity generated is not used in Niigata, but in the Tokyo region. The political dimension is equally tense. Hanazumi, aware of the sensitivity of her decision, has announced that he will submit his continuity as governor to the vote of the prefectural assembly, the only body that can remove him. But there is something else at play. The reopening of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is seen as a pillar to ensure the country’s energy security and avoid possible power outages in Tokyo. It would also allow reducing electricity rates that have increased notably since 2011. At the same time, Japan is not only restarting reactors: it is also is planning the construction of new plants with fourth generation reactors, which would mark a new chapter in the country’s energy policy. More than a return to the atom. The country that one day vowed not to depend on atomic energy again has ended up returning to it, driven by necessity, geopolitics and the urgency to decarbonize. It remains to be seen if this decision will also ignite the confidence of a citizenry that still carries the memory of Fukushima or if, on the contrary, the return to the atom will deepen a division that has been open for more than a decade. Although the governor’s approval is the decisive step, there are still procedures: the prefectural assembly must debate and vote on the decision in December, and the Japanese nuclear regulator must complete the formal procedures for reactivation. Image | IAEA Imagebank Xataka | In 2011, Japan promised itself not to bet on nuclear energy again. Until he met reality

In the midst of rearmament, Europe has realized an unimportant detail: it does not have enough bullets

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The European defense industry is experiencing a decisive moment after decades of demilitarization, outsourcing of key processes and a growing dependence on suppliers that seemed assumed to be structural until the Russian invasion of Ukraine revealed its weaknesses. In that context, that of rearmamenta chemical compound with more than a century of military history has reappeared as a critical link: there is no TNT. The strategic resurgence. Yes, the shortage threatens the continent’s ability to sustain its ammunition production. The panorama is as simple as it is disturbing: Europe, with giants such as Rheinmetall, BAE or KNDS, only has a TNT plant operational (Nitro-Chemin Poland), while Russia manufactures millions of projectiles annually and receives direct support from North Korea. This combination has created a strategic asymmetry that the EU is trying to correct with massive investments and new industrial playersamong them a Swedish start-up that aims to break a historical blockade with a modern and fully European factory. At the center of this story appears Joakim Sjöbloman entrepreneur who abandoned fintech to build the first Swedish TNT plant in 30 years and contribute, as explainedfor her daughter to grow up in a continent capable of defending itself. The geopolitical urgency. Although its origin was almost anecdotal (a yellow dye produced in Germany at the end of the 19th century), the TNT It became a fundamental piece of modern warfare since its explosive properties were discovered. Today it is essential for almost any ammunition that exceeds the size of a bullet: artillery projectiles, grenades, aerial bombs and countless military loads require this compound which, paradoxically, is almost no longer manufactured in the West. The gap between capabilities is evident: while Russia produces between 4.5 and 5 million of projectiles per year, Europe barely reached 600,000 in 2024a figure that rose to 1.2 million adding US production, but still far from what is necessary for a balanced deterrence. Each projectile requires about 10 kg of TNTso matching the Russian pace would require about 50,000 tons of explosive per year. The great dependence. Nitro-Chem It manufactures a significant part of that volume, but exports much of it. outside the EUand the rest of the European market depends on India and China, suppliers that would automatically be left out of the equation in a conflict between blocs. For Sjöblomthis dependence is an intolerable risk: any diplomatic or military crisis could immediately cut off the supply, just as happened with vaccines during the pandemic. The Swedish bet. It counted on Insider that Swebalthe company founded by Sjöblom after selling Minna Technologies to Mastercardaims to produce 4,500 tons of TNT per year in a facility located a few kilometers from Alfred Nobel’s historic dynamite factory. The project (which plans to start in 2028) aims to only use Swedish and Baltic raw materialscreating a completely European supply chain and drastically reducing delivery times that today depend on ships diverted around the Horn of Africa. Although its capacity does not even remotely cover the continental gap, Sjöblom himself maintains that it will be a significant contribution for at least a decade, because even adding all the projects planned in Finland, Greece, the Czech Republic and the United States, Europe would still be far from balancing the industrial pulse with Russia. The rebirth of TNT is not a historical eccentricity, but the reconstruction of a capacity that Sweden had until 1998 and that it dismantled because demilitarization made it unnecessary to maintain a dangerous, expensive chemical industry for which there were no commercial incentives. A dangerous process. The construction of a TNT plant It requires overcoming a regulatory labyrinth that Sweden applies rigorously even in the era of rearmament. To obtain the environmental permit, Swebal has had to carry out 14 studies on protected faunaarchaeological remains, acoustic impact and risk analysis, in addition to guaranteeing a perimeter isolated by forests that would act as a natural barrier in the event of an explosion. The plant’s own architecture reflects the delicate nature of the process: acid tanks connected to a concentration tower, chemical reactors enclosed in an enclosure of six-meter earth walls, video control, electrified fencing and permanent security equipment. Automation. The goal is that 90% of the process be automatedso that workers only enter in a final laboratory testing and in a shielded control room. Mixing toluene with sulfuric and nitric acid involves managing extreme temperatures and toxic gases, and any mistake can lead to lethal fumes or spontaneous detonation. Additionally, producing TNT generates “redwater”a carcinogenic waste that Swebal will send to an external plant for incineration, avoiding repeating polluting practices of the past. All this requires between 80 and 90 million of euros of investment, well above the initial financing of 3.5 million that the company has already closed. The European dilemma. Behind this industrial commitment there is an economic argument that transcends TNT. Europe spends 200,000 million euros annually on defense, but more than 60% of that money is allocated to US suppliers. For Sjöblom, relocating supply chains would generate millions of jobs and reinforce strategic autonomy, two objectives aligned with the plan ReArm Europe 2030which could mobilize up to 800 billion in investments and loans for the defense industry. However, the sector continues to face a structural obstacle: Orders do not arrive as quickly as companies need to take risks. This inertia (coupled with the lack of interoperability between European weapons, which forces the maintenance of multiple calibers and standards) is, according to Sjöblomone of the greatest dangers to the defense of the continent. If Europe does not unify criteria and build a robust industrial base, it will end up depending on others to support its own security doctrine, a reminder that is summarized in a phrase which he considers essential: “either you have an army, or you have someone else’s army in your country.” Local tensions. There is no doubt, the factory, located near a group of summer huts next to a lake, has awakened reluctance among the residents of Nora, who fear truck … Read more

In the midst of the battle between Ryanair and Aena, there is a Spanish airport that is suffering more than any other: Valladolid

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Villanubla airport has lost 60.7% of its passengers so far in 2025, accumulating only 59,689 travelers between January and September. The figure contrasts greatly with the rest of the airports in Castilla y León, which are growing at double digits, and makes the Valladolid airport the great victim of the fight between the Irish airline and Aena. The trigger of the crisis. Ryanair left Valladolid on March 28 after accuse Aena of applying “excessive rates”. The Irish airline, which had been the main operator of the airport, confirmed in September that I wouldn’t return either during the winter season. Without their presence, the airport has been practically disconnected: in September it transported only 6,037 passengers, 58.5% less than the same month in 2024. A solo drama. While Villanubla collapses, the other three airports in the community they rise strongly. León increases its passengers by 18.6% to 56,925, Salamanca grows by 17.5% to 21,736 and even Burgos, with only 2,413 travelers, achieves a modest increase of 1.4%. The Valladolid airport, which depended largely on the influx of Ryanair, has seen how the fight between this airline and the airport manager has taken a toll on its usual traffic, unlike the rest of the provinces in the community. What’s behind. The conflict between Ryanair and Aena has been going on for years. The Irish company has been around for a long time eliminating seats in many regional airports as a lever to negotiate discounts on airport taxes. Aena, for its part, has maintained a firm position in its pricing policy, also aware that giving in to pressure from Ryanair would set a precedent that would not suit the rest of the airlines. Valladolid has been caught in the middle of this battle. The cascading impact. The 60.7% drop in passengers not only affects the airport, but also hits the entire provincial economy. Fewer travelers means fewer connections for local businesses, less tourism and a greater perception of isolation. The 4,647 operations registered until September represent a 14.1% less than in 2024which means that other airlines have not covered the gap left by Ryanair as has happened at other airports. The only escape route. He return of Vueling This same month of October could mark a turning point, especially taking into account the seven months of operational drought at the airport. However, it remains to be seen if its offer of routes and frequencies will be enough to reverse the collapse. Cover image | Lucas da Costa e Silva In Xataka | Using the WiFi on the train in Spain is the worst. The question is why there is so much difference compared to the rest of Europe

In the midst of the cocaine furor, in 1990 they thought that the message should be clearer. So they called the Ninja Turtles

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Who better than a large group of television animation stars to warn the creatures addicted to the cathode tube of the dangers of drugs (those not related to the cathode tube). This happened in 1990, in a clash of animated titans that had international reach: here we saw it on Antena 3 and presented by the famous Reina Sofía. How and why was this firefighter idea born? Be good. There was something that the cartoons of the eighties were very good at, and that was preaching. We all remember the taglines that Mattel added to the ‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe‘ to cushion accusations of excessive violence and in which the heroes reminded the kids to brush their teeth and listen to their elders, unless that elder was a stranger who told them to get in his car. And while here a generation was duly seasoned by the messages of disturbing anti-capitalist terrorism of the Electroduendes, in the United States they brought together successful cartoon characters of the time so that the kids could say no to drugs. To the rescue. ‘Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue’ is a 1990 half-hour animated special focused on drug prevention, which brought together popular characters from several animated series (ten in total: the Smurfs, ALF, Garfield, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Winnie from Pooh, the Little Ones, Slimer from ‘The Real Ghostbusters’, some Looney Tunes, a Turtle Ninja and Donald’s nephews from ‘DuckTales’). The plot revolves around a teenager who uses marijuana and puts his younger sister at risk due to his addiction. Cartoon characters come to life for emergency intervention. Important financing. The production was financed by McDonald’s and its children’s charity Ronald McDonald Foundation. The White House supported the invention with an introduction by President George HW Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, something that would be repeated in different countries with different presenters. The four major American television networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox) collaborated to broadcast it and the franchise owners gave up the rights for a good cause. It was produced by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and animated in Taiwan (because shit is shit) by the very prolific Wang Film Productions. To end the avalanche of stars, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, at the time on the crest of the wave thanks to their soundtrack for ‘The Little Mermaid’ just a year earlier, composed an original song, ‘Wonderful Ways to Say No‘. In Spain, the queen. The version broadcast in Spanish-speaking countries was called ‘Cartoon stars to the rescue.’ In Spain It was broadcast by all television networks, but at different times: La Primera, the international channel, Antena 3, regional channels with programming in Spanish (Canal Sur, Telemadrid, TVG, ETB-2 and Canal Nou), Tele 5 and Canal+. There were also various presenters: in Mexico, President Carlos Salinas; in Chile, the first lady Marta Larraechea; and in Spain, Queen Sofía, at that time very involved in drug prevention campaigns and protection of the rights of minors. Avoid drugs. Since Nixon got muddied in the early seventies in a interested war on drugsthere have been relentless educational campaigns aimed at removing glamor and providing tools so that the youngest people do not fall into addictions. Often sinning naivety and Manichaeism (and this cartoon special has plenty of both), many of its slogans have remained embedded in pop culture: ‘Just say no‘, ‘This is your brain in drugs‘… and in Spain the legendary “Avoid drugs” (which at the very least generated a great song by Esteban Light) and “Say no to drugs“, with cocaine ray worm spot included. In Xataka | Amphetamine consumption in Spain is concentrated in one autonomous community. And we know it with a “simple” trick

Your network group is separated in the midst of a massive internal restructuring

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Lip-bu Tan, the general director of Intel, is deeply restructuring this company with the purpose of increasing its competitiveness and returning to profitability. Just four days ago formalized quarterly losses of 2.9 billion dollarsand, in addition, since June 18 and throughout the month of July they will be forced to leave their jobs Between 8,000 and 10,900 workers Of the factories that this company has spread throughout the planet. Shortly after his arrival It was leaked that lip-bu so He planned to launch a new cut of the Intel template in a clear attempt to reduce their operating expenses, among which personnel costs or marketing expenses are counted. The figure that the company was considering on this occasion amounted to 20% of its workforce, which in practice implied Become approximately 20,000 workers. These people join the more than 15,000 employees of which Intel has dispensed with during the last months of 2024. Now BU has launched the second phase of his deep restructuring plan. And the first thing he has done has been to split his group of networks, known as Nex (Network and Edge Group). From now on, this division will be a completely independent company specialized in the development of network hardware and the deployment of communications infrastructure. “This new independent company will accelerate its customer -oriented strategy and its product roadmap innovating faster,” Sachin Katti holdsChief of the group and current strategy leader of artificial intelligence (AI) of Intel. Now are the Intel factories that are in the spotlight The rescue of Intel semiconductor factories is A priority for the US government. The bad economic results that has chained this company For several consecutive years they have placed it in a very delicate position that at the beginning of last December triggered The departure of Pat Gelsingerits general director for almost four years, through the back door. Anyway, Intel cannot fall. And cannot do it because it is the largest manufacturer of integrated circuits in the US. The administration led by Donald Trump asked TSMC in mid -March to help rescue Intel chip factories Its network of production, packaging and chip verification extends not only for its country of origin, but also by Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Central America. The problem is that it is not competitive. This is the reason why the administration led by Donald Trump asked TSMC in the middle of last March that helped rescue intel semiconductor factories. An initiative like this would hardly prosper not to have the government’s approval, but not only has it; The US administration is promoting it. Two years before leaving, Pat Gelsinger acknowledged that I saw with good eyes the possibility that the network of integrated circuit factories of the company will break somewhat from the Intel matrix. At that time this was an interesting option to increase the competitiveness of its chips production plants, and in current circumstances it seems even more advantageous. Especially if TSMC, The largest semiconductor manufacturer on the planetget on this car. However, this last company has insisted on several occasions in which she is not interested in taking care of Intel factories. We will see what happens finally. Image | Intel More information | Tom’s hardware In Xataka | Bill Gates has radiographed Intel. And his diagnosis is overwhelmingly accurate

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