MOVES

Russia’s elite GRU moves its war against Ukraine’s power grid to Polish soil

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Winter in Eastern Europe is not just a season; It’s a damage multiplier. As my colleague Miguel Jorge described wellwhat is emerging in the region is a ruthless reality dubbed “thermal terror.” In this scenario, extreme cold becomes a weapon of war designed to make civil infrastructure – heating, electricity, water – the cruelest target. The ultimate goal is not only to destroy military capacity, but to make daily life physically unviable. Under this logic of making daily life unviable to wear down the population, the Kremlin’s most feared cyberespionage group has decided to cross a dangerous border. 500,000 homes in the spotlight. As Poland prepared for the holidays, its security systems detected what Energy Minister Milosz Motyka called the “strongest attack against Polish energy infrastructure in years,” as reported by Reuters. The sabotage occurred on December 29 and 30 and was surgical. The targets were not chosen at random, but instead targeted two cogeneration plants and systems that connect renewable energy facilities — such as wind farms — to power grid operators. In other words, directly to the key nodes so that energy reaches homes. local media they collected the statements from Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who put figures at risk: if the attack had been successful, half a million people would have been left without heat in the middle of winter. Fortunately, as detailed in the press release of the Polish Governmentthe defenses worked. “At no time was critical infrastructure threatened,” said Tusk, although the incident has been treated with the utmost seriousness, mobilizing the special services to their full capacity. Sandworm’s signature. The attack took on an international dimension when the cybersecurity firm ESET announced the discovery of the weapon used: a destructive malware called DynoWiper. As reported by TechCrunchESET attributed this operation with “medium confidence” to the Sandworm groupan elite unit within the Russian military intelligence agency (GRU). The choice of dates does not seem coincidental. As investigative journalist Kim Zetter points outthis attempted blackout in Poland came almost exactly ten years after the first Sandworm cyberattack against Ukraine’s power grid in 2015, which left 230,000 homes in the dark. For experts, the use of a wiper on Polish soil is an unprecedented event, as it marks Russia’s move from simple espionage to destructive sabotage against a NATO member. Furthermore, this is not an isolated episode because since the beginning of the Ukrainian War, Poland has undergone a sustained increase of cyberattacks attributed to Russian actors. Nevertheless, according to the Ministry of Energy itselfthe December attempt was a turning point both in its intensity and in its objective: it was no longer about probing defenses, but rather about causing a real blackout. Anatomy of the attack. To understand the seriousness of the issue, it is necessary to break down the technology used. Unlike the ransomware commona wiper It is software designed exclusively to destroy. Your goal is not to ask for a ransom, but delete permanently information and leave equipment unusable. In this case, the attackers went directly to the ICS (Industrial Control Systems) systems since these systems are the ones that allow electric companies regulate the supply and monitor the network. So, Sandworm sought to break communication between renewable energy sources and distribution operators. When attacking these nodes, the technicians’ margin of action is minimal because the failures propagate in a chain. A conflict that expands. The Polish Prime Minister directly linked this attack to his country’s support for Ukraine. “We sell electricity there and, in critical situations, we receive it from them,” Tusk explained.. Attacking the Polish network is, by extension, attacking Ukraine’s energy rear. This Russian aggressiveness is not new for Western intelligence services. In fact, the United States government keeps a reward 10 million dollars for information about six GRU officers belonging to Sandworm, responsible for global attacks such as NotPetya, which caused losses of 1 billion dollars. According to Microsoft, Sandworm—whom they call Iridium— has launched nearly 40 destructive attacks against critical infrastructure since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, seeking to degrade not only military capacity, but the population’s trust in its leaders. From NATO’s point of view, attempted sabotage does not automatically activate collective defense mechanisms, but it does reinforce disturbing evidence: hybrid warfare makes it possible to strain the European system without formally crossing the red lines of an armed conflict. The next frontier is no longer territorial, but digital. Faced with the growing threat. The Polish Government is finalizing the Law on the National Cybersecurity System, a regulation that seeks the “autonomy and polonization” of security systems to reduce dependence on devices that facilitate foreign interference, according to official information. However, December’s failed sabotage is a reminder that in modern warfare, the front lines are on power plant servers. While in the trenches of Ukraine soldiers try to hide their thermal trace from drones, in cities like Warsaw or Krakow the battle is being fought so that the simple act of turning on the heating does not become an impossible luxury. For now, Poland has won this defensive battle, even achieving a historical record of energy production a few days after the attack. However, Sandworm’s shadow is still long. The hackers’ message is clear: “If we can’t turn off the light, at least we can scare you.” The war for control of the European switch has only just begun. Image | Unsplash and freepik Xataka | La Gomera has been suffering constant total blackouts for years. Now you have a solution: a cable that is unique in the world

The sale of a 22 million euro mansion moves the axis of luxury on the Andalusian coast: to Sotogrande

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The price of housing in Spain it doesn’t stop going upbut this unstoppable increase has not been a brake on closing the most expensive real estate sale in Andalusia. That the mansion protagonist of the unusual record have your own name It is already an indicator of the economic level to which this home points: Niwa, a mansion in Sotograndehas closed for more than 22 million euros. To put it in perspective, that price implies that its new owner has paid about 5,116 euros for each of the 4,300 meters built of this property. Taking into account that the average price in the province of Cádiz is about 2,249 euros/m2, places the operation at levels of the price of homes in premium areas of the big cities.​ Niwa: 4,300 m2 of sustainable luxury Niwa is located in The Seven, the most exclusive sector of the already exclusive luxury development The Sotogrande Reserve. The property occupies a 10,000 m2 plot on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean and facing Gibraltar, surrounded by the Los Alcornocales Natural Park.​ The mansion consists of 4,300 m2 built, distributed in nine suites, with an outdoor infinity pool, an indoor covered pool, spa, gym, cinema room, wine cellar and garage for eight cars. The project came from the pencils of Manuel Ruiz of ARK Architects and was carried out with construction techniques more advanced and sustainable with the environment since 95% of its structure was prefabricated in a factory and then assembled in the chosen location. This allowed us to reduce the impact on the environment and reduce emissions.​ Sotogrande began its development in the early 60’s as a private residential area with 24 hour security. It currently has five golf courses and is considered one of the most luxurious urbanizations and exclusive to southern Europe, which attracts foreign buyers for its designer mansions, its privacy and its proximity to exclusive services. In 2024, the average sales prices of their houses reached 1.9 million euros, with transactions reaching up to 17 million euros. Some of the new construction phases that were started were sold at 85% in phases such as Village Verde. Plots in the most exclusive areas of Sotogrande, such as The 15, start at three million euros, while in The Seven, where Niwa is located, they can exceed eight million euros per plot. “Over the last ten years, Sotogrande has invested in its facilities, maintaining its essence as a low-density, high-quality destination. It is very exciting to see how this positioning is increasingly relevant for our clients,” assured in statements to The Confidential Rita Jordão, Marketing Director of Sotogrande SA. Luxury moves south “The sale of NIWA marks the beginning of a new era for Sotogrande, where architecture and lifestyle multiply their value on the Costa del Sol and, I would dare say, on the entire Mediterranean coast. NIWA is a modern palace reinterpreted with a contemporary language that is situated halfway between the classic and the current, with a very special materiality,” confirmed its creator, pointing to a substantial change in the preferences of ultra-rich clients who seek to settle in Andalusia. Given the growth in popularity of these new luxury enclaveshistoric luxury areas, such as Marbella, are losing relevance after decades of urban pressure, and foreign buyers They have begun to set their sights on Sotogrande. “The record sale of NIWA firmly consolidates Sotogrande as a destination among the best in the world. What is happening is not a change of course, but a natural consequence of what Sotogrande offers is increasingly valued in the luxury market,” confirmed Jordão. In Xataka | A businessman built a mega mansion without permission: the neighbors have gotten the city council to demolish it Image | ARK Architects

More than 40,000 people were left in MOVES III limbo when the Auto+ Plan was presented. It has just been resolved

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The presentation of the Auto+ Planthe Government’s new direct aid program to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles, has come with more than just announcements of millionaire investments and promises for the sector. It has also raised doubts. Specifically, it has generated expectations about what will happen with the thousands of people who have been increasing the waiting list for the plan that is about to retire, the MOVES III. Logical. After all, it is calculated that there are tens of thousands of people who still They are waiting for your help. The Ministry of Industry already has confirmed that the Auto+ Plan will not cover the loose ends left by its predecessor. Their solution would be another: inject more funds into MOVES so that the autonomies attend to all the “pending requests”. In fact, it has already committed to mobilizing 400 million thinking about the users who were left in administrative limbo with the change of plan. What has happened? That the announcement of the new Auto+ Plan has generated expectation… and doubts, unknowns that can be explained for three reasons. The first is that the Auto+ Plan will arrive in 2026 to retire MOVES IIIapproved retroactively last spring to support electric purchases made between January 2 and December 31, 2025. The second reason is that, due to the design of MOVES III, its funds They didn’t take long to run out in several communities, generating a considerable waiting list. The third reason is that the Government itself has made clear since Auto+ will not cover the pool of pending payments that MOVES III applicants have made up. What is the difference between MOVES III and Auto+? Basically, they are two different plans, with notable differences in their approach and application. In spring the Government provided MOVES III with 400 million euros designed to support purchases made throughout 2025, an injection of funds that was managed with a peculiarity: although the plan comes from the central government and is carried out through the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), its funds are distributed among the autonomous communities to process the applications. This bet allowed the system to be decentralized, but it was also focus of criticism due to delays and blockages. The Government seems to have taken note and on Wednesday announced “a new line of help” endowed with another 400 million euros by 2026, the Auto+ Plan, which will be carried out directly by the ministry. “This aid will be managed by the central government, not the Autonomous Communities, to guarantee greater speed and homogeneity in management,” confirm from La Moncloa. The new plan also differs from its predecessor, MOVES III, in other details, such as that it will not cover personal charging points and the aid will be delivered at the time of purchase. Although the program generated some doubts, there was one in particular that clouded its presentation… What the hell happens with the pending issues that MOVES III has pending once it retires? Is that important? Yes. And it is because of a revealed piece of information a few days ago by Europa Press: MOVES has 40,000 clients on a waiting list pending receipt of aid. Not only that. The agency assures, citing sector estimates, that the amount pending payment would be around 300 million euros. Such a figure is partly explained by how the plan was designed, with a distribution of resources based on the population and not on where the demand for electric vehicles is actually registered. This caused Madrid and Catalonia to exhaust their funds after just a few months, in July and September, respectively. And what is the situation now? At the end of November Europa Press assured that there were 10 autonomous communities that had already exhausted their funds. However, as MOVES III did not expire until December 31, 2025, it continued to add applicants who piled up on a waiting list. The same one that was surrounded by doubts after the presentation of the new plan. If Auto+ centralizes management and creates a single fund for the entire country, this will prevent buyers who request aid from depending on whether or not their regions have exhausted the allocated amounts in the future. The problem is the past: the approximately 40,000 clients who, according to the news agency, are keeping an eye on the MOVES piggy bank and see how the plan is about to expire. Has the Government said anything? Yes. The waiting list has generated so much expectation that the Ministry of Industry and Tourism has had to come out to clarify some keys. Yesterday, during a visit to Valencia, Jordi Hereu confirmed that the new Pan Auto+ direct aid plan will focus “on present and future demand”, which will not cover the pool of users carried by MOVES III. Does that mean that the Government will leave lying to those thousands of buyers waiting for your help? On Thursday Hereu did not go into details, but he did say that the Executive will look for a way to shorten the waiting list of the previous plan. “(Everything that) has been done and managed in 2025 with MOVES III, which has been a success, is an element that we will surely address in due course,” guaranteed. And how will he do it? The answer has arrived today. Just 48 hours after announcing its new program, the Government has committed to mobilizing an extra 400 million euros in 2025 to meet pending MOVES III requests. The news is spread by economic media, such as The Economist and Expansionthat assures that the IDEA contacted the CCAA yesterday to confirm that the funds have been expanded so that they can cover the users who were left in limbo. The injection is added to that of Auto+. Images | Precious Madubuike (Unsplash) and Pool Moncloa/José Manuel Álvarez In Xataka | The European Union decided that our future involved the electric car no matter what. Until Germany realized something

a star that moves like it’s drunk

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Astronomers love mysteries, and Kepler-56 has been one of the great puzzles of our galaxy for years. This red giant, located about 3,000 light years from Earth, rotates too fast and with its internal structure literally twisted. Now, we have an explanation. A star that spins wrong. To understand why Kepler-56 is so strange, just compare it with any similar star in its old age. When a star like the Sun runs out of fuel, it expands and becomes a red giant. Typically, as it increases in size, its rotation slows down, like a skater extending his arms. However, Kepler-56 does the opposite: its outer shell rotates at an absurd speed, 10 times faster than normal for a red giant of its type. And the strangest thing is that the core of the star and its outer envelope rotate with axes inclined in different directions. Something didn’t add up. Kepler-56 has two confirmed planets orbiting it (Kepler-56 by Kepler-56 c), gas giants that orbit very close to their host star. Until now, the theory trying to make sense of Kepler-56’s strange movements was that these two planets pulled on the star using tidal forces, accelerating its spin. But Takato Tokuno, a researcher at the University of Tokyo, He realized that this explanation did not hold up.. For those planets to be responsible, the tidal efficiency would have to be orders of magnitude higher than what physics dictates. Another actor was needed in this crime scene. It was bad digestion. He study led by Tokuno seems to have reconstructed what happened: the Kepler-56 system had a third planet, but the star ate it. This third planet, a hot Jupiter, orbited dangerously close to the star, closer than the two planets we see today. So much so that, when the star began to age and expand, it was absorbed. It was not a smooth process. Tokuno explains the effect with a clear analogy: like a giant meteorite hitting the Earth glancingly. The planet would absorb the energy of the impact and accelerate its rotation. As it was engulfed, the planet transferred its angular momentum to the star’s atmosphere, causing it to spin at full speed. When hit at an odd angle, the star’s outer shell ended up spinning on a different axis than its core. The planetary life cycle. According to mathematics, the engulfed planet must have had a mass between 0.5 and 2 times that of Jupiter, and a frenetic orbital period of between one and six days. Its end was not unusual for a planet. We know that stars devour planets. In fact, our own Sun is expected to engulf Mercury, Venus and probably Earth within about 5 billion years. But catching a star still digesting is extremely difficult. And that’s what we’re apparently seeing. Image | David A. Aguilar (CfA) In Xataka | What is the Fermi paradox and why the architect of the atomic bomb gave a twist to the search for extraterrestrial life

After the demonstration of China’s force, the US moves a card sending its new missile platform to Japan

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China is celebrating. The country commemorates the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of the Second World War. Within that framework, on September 3, Beijing converted the Tiananmen Square In the center of a demonstration from outside as few have seen to date. More than 10,000 military personnel participated in a parade that lasted about 70 minutes and that the authorities themselves announced as something unpublished for a reason: they were going to present armament that the world had not seen until now. At least in his possession. On the margin of ballistic missiles, the vision of Chinese defense passes through drones, directed energy weapons, New generation combat fighters, Purtive aircraft and A great maritime power which served as a message to the world about the military self -sufficiency from the country and how They can change order in the Pacific. And so without taking into account what we have not seen. Being an extremely sensitive area, especially for Recent encounters with Japan And above all, TaiwanIt is something to take seriously. The United States response has not taken long to arrive: They have confirmed that they will deploy their avant -garde Typhon missile system on Japanese soil within exercises Resolute Dragon. And it is something that China has liked anything, but neither does Russia. Resolute Dragon and the Typhon missiles in Japan Allied forces perform joint exercises. In them they focus on the coordination for the defense of areas in the event of an open war, and those that the United States and Japan do jointly are called Dragon Resolute. The 2025 exercises will be held from September 11 to 25 and will focus on the defense of remote islands of the Japanese archipelago. Thus, the terrestrial self -defense forces of Japan and the United States marines will test their response capacity to an attack, and The great contribution of the United States for the year Resolute Dragon This year is the Typhon missile platform. Also called MID-RANGE CAPABILITY, or MRC, it is a mobile shuttle in standard containers, but that is able to shoot so much Tomahawk missiles like the SM-6. The Tomahawk are subsonic missiles with a flush flight profile capable of conducting precision attacks against terrestrial or naval objectives in a range of between 1,500 to 2,400 kilometers. SM-6 are less striking, since they have a range of 240 kilometers and are more focused on aerial defense, anti-man-and defense against ballistic missiles. The Typhon system can be deployed in heavy vehicles and can be transported by land, sea and air, and although it is not planned that any missile will be launched, its presence alone It has been taken as an attack by China. As we read in Reutersit was a spokesman for the Japanese forces who confirmed that the US will deploy Typhon during the exercises, and the response has arrived by Guo Xiaobing, director of the Center for Weapons Control Studies of China. In a releasesays that, although Japan and the US affirm that the deployment is temporary and will be removed after exercise, you must not trust. The reason? The same said when Typhon deployed In similar exercises in the Philippines during the past year and, according to China, the system has remained there since then. “These movements not only increase the surveillance of neighboring countries, but also represent hidden dangers for Japan’s own security – Guo Xiaobing The manager considers that it is a movement that “directly undermines the legitimate security interests of other countries and raises a real threat to regional strategic stability.” In addition, he affirms that, if a war against the United States explodes, it is likely that “The system becomes a tool that drags Japan towards turbulent waters”and he has not lost the opportunity to remember that “this year 80 years of the end of World War II, something that should cause a deep reflection and a good neighborhood policy, but Tokyo seems anxious to break the armament policy exclusively oriented to the defense.” This, by the way, is not new, since in 2023 we count how JApon broke with seven decades of demilitarization by considerably increasing your military budget. That China has not fun this announcement is a fact, but as we read in Business InsiderRussia does not see it with good eyes either. Maria Zakharova, spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the maneuver as “another destabilizing step within Washington’s strategy to increase the potential of short and medium -sized land missile missiles”, adding that Typhon’s presence in Japan “It represents a threat direct strategy for Russia”. Until now, as we say, Typhon had only been deployed in logistics maneuvers in the Philippines in April last year, as well as in Australia in July of this 2025. The particularity of the deployment in Australia is that Yes, a shot was done Real of an SM-6 against a maritime objective, demonstrating the anti-mock capacity of the system from the mainland. In Xataka | Something unprecedented in Ukraine is happening: combat drones do not need humans to coordinate and attack

In the center of Africa a race for minerals that moves the world is fought. And China is winning it

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Lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and, above all, Rare earth. These are some of the minerals and metals that dominate the world today because they are key to current and future industries. Revolutions such as renewable energies or that of the electric cars They go hand in hand with these materials, but they are also key to medical, aerospace and military industries. China It has advantage because Master the extraction and processing of key raw materials, but also for its enormous influence on the great world mine: Africa. Treasury search. We are talking about a key territory not only as a business opportunity, but as fountain of critical strategic minerals for the development of technologies that move the world and, also, the future of industries such as that of renewable energies or the electric cars. This is something that has encouraged several countries to want to invest in Africa, since ensuring certain resources is to cement that future. What countries are key? Congo Democratic Republic – It’s about the great world mine when we talk about copper, gold or cobalt. It is estimated that 70% of the world cobalt is extracted only in this country, but it is also crucial for coltan, tungsten, lithium or bauxite. The technology industry cannot work without them. Gabon – Another prominent territory when we talk about gold, but it is also an important source of manganese, iron and other essential minerals. China strategy. China and Western countries are very interested In those two countries in particular, but there are others, such as Zambia, of which they extract more lithium, metals of the platinum or nickel group. But China’s strategy is something that attracts attention throughout this panorama. The Asian giant has been doing years investments Of more than 10,000 million dollars to exploit the mines, extract the materials, process them and send them to China. They control the entire supply chain of these key minerals and esteem that import about 4,000 million dollars in minerals and metals every month. Central Africa is a priority area for China’s supply, but that is also an opportunity for the African countries involved. Investments and opportunity. Within China’s strategy, there is something that is very important: politics. Summits and bilateral agreements are held to ensure access to resources by China, but African countries also remain with their part. Within that interested investment in China, we see that ports, roads and railway lines are being developed. Jobs are also created, joint laboratories and training centers are created to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation. Geopolitics and debt. But, as is usually the case, there is a dark side in this story. On the one hand, competition between China and other global actors. That growing influence of the Asian country in central Africa is not something that makes the United States or European countries. It is something that generates more tension between them, but can also contribute to the tense political and economic stability of the African regions involved. There is studies that point in lack of transparency in contracts and the possible cooperation with authoritarian regimes to extract those resources. And they have also observed some risks of over -indebtedness by African countries. Arms. In all that geopolitical, commercial and collaboration context, and taking into account that we talk about territories with political instability and several armed groups, we cannot overlook another lucrative business for China: the sale of weapons. As we read in South China Morning Posta report by the Rand Corporation prepared in 2023 placed China as the main arms supplier for sub -Saharan Africa. Between 2019 and 2023, at least 21 African countries received great deliveries from Chinese weapons that includes weapons, ammunition, artillery, rockets, drones, missiles, armored and electronic warfare systems. It is also estimated that 70% of African armies use Chinese armored armored extended Its presence in countries such as Senegal, Ivory or Mali coast with new offices. This goes far beyond armament, since China also exports military and private security forces to protect the country’s mining interests. And this occurs because Chinese military exports are usually cheaper and with lower political conditions than Western alternatives, which is very sweet to those African states with a geopolitical context that is not stable. An asymmetric relationship. It must be added that China promised an investment of 50,000 million dollars in three years in the region and that it has pledged to train police and military in the area, but as already pointsall this investment in Africa is generating is an asymmetric relationship between countries. It seems that Africa is receiving much more than China because the former let them exploit their mines and the latter invest in infrastructure, employment, safety and sell manufactured products, but in the end what is achieved is that Chinese influence is huge in Africa. This rapid expansion in recent years causes sovereignty to be questioned and reinforce the idea of ​​what will happen in the area when strategic minerals have been extracted, since many depend on those Chinese investments, seeing how their local economic and political autonomy can stagger. And it must also be said that what we now see with China is something that, traditionally, have carried out other countries in those same territories, and it is something that they are in competing With its great adversary right now: the United States. Images | Hansueli Krapf, Africraigs, Steve Jurvetson In Xataka | In its particular underground war with Europe, China has found a new weapon: to monopolize copper

The EU moves token and approves its retaliation tariffs to the US: we already know when the counterattack will begin to be applied

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The commercial war between the United States and a good part of the world is no longer a latent threat: it is happening, and Europe is part of the board. In recent times, the Donald Trump administration has launched three direct offensives against the European Union. First imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum; Then he did the same with the cars, And now he has added the so -called “20% reciprocal tariffs”. Brussels has decided to answer. First firm step. The answer has already begun to take shape. The Member States of the Community Block The first commercial countermeasted package against the United States has just approved. The proposal was treated this Wednesday and received a majority support. From the European Commission they have not left doubt: they consider that Washington’s tariffs are “unjustified and harmful” and that “cause economic damage to both parties, as well as the world economy.” {“Videid”: “X8WLH9Q”, “Autoplay”: False, “Title”: “United States vs. China: The chips war”, “Tag”: “Webedia-prod”, “Duration”: “1611”} The details, still to be known. The Commission has officially confirmed the approval of these measures, but has not detailed the concrete percentages or the products that will be affected. That information will be announced in the next few days through a formal ad. However, media such as The New York Times, which accessed the documentation related to the voting, They assure that these are 10% and 25% tariffs on a wide range of categories. Appliances, vessels and even dental thread. These percentages coincide with the information published this weekwhere it transpired that the European package would reach consumer and leisure goods, such as appliances, motorcycles, recreation vessels and cards, in addition to food products such as sausages, poultry and other agricultural products. Personal care articles would also be included, such as dental thread. Date indicated in the calendar. Although formal steps are still missing, such as the publication of the act of execution, the European Commission has already advanced the key date: “Rights will begin to be raised as of April 15,” According to the institution itself. That is, the countermeasures will be effective within a few days. The dialogue continues on the table. The movement does not imply a total closure to the dialogue. From Brussels they have stressed that Member States maintain the intention of negotiating with the US administration, although any agreement must be based on “balanced and mutually beneficial” conditions. In that line, the Commission has confirmed that the countermeasures “can be suspended at any time.” In Xataka China has no intention of backing: it will put tariffs of 84% to all US imports Who will really pay these tariffs? The answer is that you possibly impact consumers. “Tariffs function as taxes applied to imports”, Remember the Tax Foundation. “In practice, that additional cost is rarely assumed by companies: it ends up impacting directly on the consumer pocket.” If nothing changes, we will see more expensive American products in the European market. Images | European Parliament | The White House | Alexandre Lallemand In Xataka | The international wine market was already broken, but a single idea has put it against the ropes: 200% tariffs (Function () {Window._js_modules = Window._js_modules || {}; var headelement = document.getelegsbytagname (‘head’) (0); if (_js_modules.instagram) {var instagramscript = Document.Createlement (‘script’); }}) (); – The news The EU moves token and approves its retaliation tariffs to the US: we already know when the counterattack will begin to be applied It was originally posted in Xataka by Javier Marquez .

Emirates has fallen in love with shows with drones. It already moves millions of dollars and aims to have no rival in the sky

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More than a decade ago It was held next to the Danube Riverin Austria, the first show of drones of which you have registration. It was during a local music festival, with Few flying devices But with a huge technical deployment. Since then, this type of exhibitions has not stopped evolving. Today, drones have become an increasingly popular alternative to fireworks. The United States and China have taken the lead with mass shows, but the United Arab Emirates want to take the proposal a step further. And are willing to strive to achieve it. Emirates wants to lead the future of shows in heaven Talking about Arab Emirates is talking about a country accustomed to megaprojects. From the Burj Khalifa to the artificial island Palm Jumeirahgoing through The future tower with the highest watch in the worldtheir ambitions do not know limits. Behind this deployment there is a clear strategy: diversify the economy and reduce oil dependence. One of the last steps in that direction is to turn Abu Dhabi into a cultural and technological pole. Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed al Nahyan has opted for an unpublished show: The largest exhibition of drones in the world. The objective is to launch more than 10,000 illuminated drones, coordinated in real time to form three -dimensional images. The challenge is not less. Until now, few have managed to operate such a number of drones simultaneously. The record is held by Shenzhenin China, With 10,197 devices in 2024in a sample that beat two Guinness records. The United States has also advanced, With exhibitions of up to 5,000 drones in Texas. Although Abu Dhabi has not yet confirmed the date of the ambitious event, it is known that it will be in charge of Nova Sky Stories (a Colorado firm) with Analog, a Emiratí company specialized in mixed reality and physical intelligence. Arab Emirates was a pioneer in adopting this technology, and the shows began to gain popularity in 2020. Today they are a usual part of great conferences and festivals. According to Rest of Worldan average show in the region costs some $ 112,000 and implies around 400 drones, well above what a traditional fireworks show costs, which is around $ 13,000 and $ 41,000. The global market is also taking off. In 2023 it was valued at 338.9 Millions of dollarswith the Middle East representing 41 million. And, from what we have seen, there is still a generous margin of growth. The AI ​​is already changing the way these shows are designed. Skyvertise, one of the most active companies in Emirates, explains that algorithms allow reducing manual labor time to Automize much of visual planning. The future of air entertainment is changing, and the Emirates want to be in charge. Images | Cyberdrone Drone Show In Xataka | Emirates financed a study to know if it can cause rain in the desert with solar farms. The answer is yes

The electric car has sold more than ever this February without Moves plan. It is an illusion that will end soon

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We already have enrollments last February. In Spain, 90,327 cars were recorded, 11% of cars more than in the same period of 2024. Growth is striking but it is not as much as electric cars enrollments, which grow 60.4% and continue to chain good sales figures compared to what we had so far. According to data from the National Association of Vehicle Sellers and Repairing (Ganvam) and the Business Association for the Development and Impulse of Electric Mobility (Aedive)in last February they enrolled 6,260 electric cars. It is one 60.4% rise Regarding the same period of the year 2025. and in the accumulated of January and February, Spain adds 11,419 vehicles enrolled, which represents an increase of 54.9%. But, wasn’t it a market stopped without the aid to the electric car? Were not essential state subsidies to sell these vehicles? How can it be that we have not been helpful for weeks and at the same time more electric cars are sold than ever? Well, because the electric cars that are reflected in these data are not being sold. Or, at least, this is not exactly like that. Some data that arrive late To understand well what is happening, the difference between car sales and registration must be clear. It may seem the same but it is not exactly like that. The sale of cars is the transaction that makes a brand or concessionaire with an individual or a company. That sale You can go hand in hand with a registration That same month but you can also count the sale in January and not arrive registration until March. If the bought car is responsible for a factory or, simply, it has already been manufactured but is on its way to the concessionaire, it is very likely that the customer has to wait a few weeks or months for the car to be delivered. At that time the registration is recorded and it is when it is counted in the listings that are usually used to be clear about the “bought” vehicles in Spain even if it is not exactly like that. Another good example is what happens at the end of the year. Car sales and enrollments usually have similar numbers but it is possible that registration exceed sales. This is because in the months of November and December, companies often tighten the accelerator with automation. They serve to slightly make up the numbers or comply with the quotas assigned for each country within the company’s commercial strategy at the continental level (European Union) or world. You just have to see how Tesla substantially increases records of deliveries in the last month of each quarter and the end of the year. Those automatrications They have not been sold and then you have to give them exit. The manufacturer appears better in the photo and allows him to have an available stock of vehicles that can be delivered at any time to the customer who wishes. Of course, the car will drop in price and the profit margin achieved by the manufacturer will be lower. In addition, there is a risk of creating a stock too large, devaluing the product. This is what It happened to Stellantis in the United StatesFor example. Therefore, if the car is not delivered in the same month of the purchase, we have a delay in the data that we are collecting. The hangover in the electric car This is the same that is happening with the electric car. Last January 23, Electric car aid fell. Since then, those who have approached the dealers to be interested in the purchase of a new vehicle will have found a higher price to the one who could expect. Since the fall was formalized, the government has launched messages that will reactivate aidrumored that They will be delivered at the time of purchase And, shortly after, rumoring that the procedure will be the same as until now although it will be reduce waiting times To collect help. In summary, A lot of noise But no concrete measure approved. The lack of these aid has triggered the fear that electric car sales would stop dry but enrollment figures, as we see, do not reflect it. So what can be happening? There are several possibilities. In the first place, electric cars are arriving at the market that were commissioned a few months ago, when the MOVES III PLAN that he delivered to 7,000 euros of help to the purchase and a maximum of 3,000 euros with its relief in the income statement. What we have in hand are enrollments, therefore, from electric cars that were bought under the umbrella of the Moves III Plan. Another discharge possibility is that the manufacturer returned the purchase signal to whom he had commissioned an electric car and those cars have preferred to automatically. Until now, the aids were also contemplated for semi -new vehicles, so the manufacturer may have automatulated the conscious car that it will lose some money but that the future buyer can continue opting for the subsidy if a future Moves plan is renewed in the same terms. Finally, it remains to wait (if a new line of aid is not approved) to know the real impact of the situation. Experience in other European countries He tells us that, without aid, the electric car stops dry. The impact on the potential sales that could have been made from January 23, in which the fall of subsidies was confirmed, we will not know it if time goes by and we continue without a plan. From Ganvam have this same reading and the information that manufacturers have transferred to us when we have had contact with them is the same. They assure us that, taking temperature with the thermometer they have with His own dealersinterest in electrical models has stopped dry since it is known that there are no aid for them. Therefore, orders have slowed down and if a line … Read more

Without MOVES in sight, the electric car threatens to disappoint in Spain

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The electric car needs important financial aid to take off. Perhaps not in the future but if something has taught us the short trajectory of technology is that where it has triumphed it has done so with a sustained plan of purchase aids. In China, government subsidies They have accumulated one after another. First because popularize technology It has allowed them to create an industry that threatens to win a relevant role in the automotive, a market where they had gone unnoticed. And secondly, because Chinese economy itself needs to be dynamic And vehicle sales is a good tool for this, especially now that they need to place what threatens to be an overproduction. Norway, where the electric car represents almost 100% of saleshas also reached this situation with A sustained aid plan. Constant and also pointing to a tax reduction, the customer has ended up embraceing technology. Germany (even China) is a good example of what happens when You eliminate aid: Sales stop. It happened to the German country last year. In its first full year since the government was forced to withdraw aids to purchase, Electric sales collapsed 27.4%. Although there are still no concrete data, the perception is that Spain walks along the same path. Essential aid In the middle of last January, the refusal to approve the already famous Government’s Bus Decree made the Transport aids, To pensions And, among other things, The Moves III Plan. With a huge delay when delivering aid to purchase (so much that some brands advanced the amount delivered by the Government), the MOVES III PLAN It was still a value when placing an electric car compared to other technologies. With him, the buyer could be discounted up to 7,000 euros of the purchase, 70% of the charger installation In the house and up to 3,000 euros in the income statement. We talk about aid that could therefore overcome the 10,000 euros For those who, yes, It was mandatory to arm himself with patience. The latter led the government itself to promise that it would reform the Moves III Plan with the aim of expediting all the processes and came to slide that the aid would be delivered at the time of purchase. However, none of this ended up getting ahead. In fact, Two weeks before finishing 2024 And, with him, the Moves III Plan falls, nothing was known about the future of aid. In those last days ended up an extension which was active until the middle of January. Since then, the interest in getting an electric car has stopped, according to manufacturers. Paco Pérez Botello, president of Volkswagen Group Spain Distribution, says that “orders have stopped dry” since the Moves III Plan ends. “We will begin to notice it in March enrollments if there are no aid again,” he clarified in words collected by Five days. The atmosphere among the Germans is the same as reigns in other brands. During the presentation of Hyundai insertresponsible for the company confirmed that the visits to their dealers to be interested in the model had shot themselves as a result of starting the television ads campaign but that, just a few days later, It had collapsed When the aid had been removed. Although it has been slid that the aid will reach those who had requested the electric car In the first days of January And that the new aid program will also contemplate the sales of February, it has logic that the customer delay their purchase due to the lack of guarantees. Reactivate aid can be essential for the performance in Spain of the aforementioned companies that have recently put the insert and the Skoda Elorq But also for him Ford Capri or the Renault 5cars that also just land in the market. “We can reach a 10% electric market share in 2025, but it will depend on the incentives that there are,” said Pérez Botello. The perverse part of aid is the same as that of a Price war between companies. The client, aware that the aid can be approved before or after, delays the purchase waiting for a better price that, in this case, does not seem to finish arriving. In any case, we will see to what extent the rope is tense and when we will see a new program of aid that clients and manufacturers wait with open arms. Photo | Xataka In Xataka | Catalonia is determined to lead the conversion and sale of the electric car. His great objective is called Madrid

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