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North Korea has just launched its impressive frigate with a vertical missile system. He has sunk

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Satellite images, those imposing air views from space, have allowed us to see our planet from Another perspective. These snapshots make screenshots To analyze how it affects the passage of time, for example, to the environmentbut also for reveal other secrets. An example of this we saw recently, when in North Korea it appeared An imposing construction that left little doubt. That half -finished frigate has appeared in society. And it has not lasted much afloat. A naval failure. It happened few hours ago. The launch ceremony of the second most advanced frigate in North Korea, held in the port of Chongjin with the presence of Kim Jong Un, ended in disaster when The ship overturned sideways after a technical failure during its side launch. Satellite images Subsequent show the nave tilted next to the spring, partially sunk and covered with blue canvases to hide the incident. The incident, qualified by Kim himself as A “criminal act” As a result of an “absolute negligence”, it was publicly recognized unusually rapidly by state media, in an attempt to anticipate the inevitable dissemination of satellite images. Official research points to a Bogies failure (The cars that support the helmet during the slip) that caused an asymmetric detachment and the consequent structural imbalance. Kim has demanded a Urgent restoration Before the plenary meeting of the central committee of the party in June, although experts doubt that this is possible given the magnitude of the damages. A sunk symbol. The sinister frigate belongs to the same class as The Choi Hyonlaunched In April From the western port of Nampo, and it is, with its 5,000 tons Dear, the largest North Korean war ship to date. Designed not only for coastal defense but also for strategic projection operations, the Choi Hyon class stands out for its 74 launch cells Missile vertical (VLS), which could house from ballistic missiles to supersonic cruise or advanced anti -aircraft defenses. They counted in The New York Times That the construction speed of these frigates, unprecedented in the country, suggests a somewhat hurried and politically motivated campaign, more focused on propaganda than in naval operability. In fact, during the armed tests of the Choi Hyon He suspected that still lacked complete propulsion systems, which reinforces the idea that key phases of development have been ignored with such With the terms of the regime. The lateral launch. Apparently, the method used (the lateral launch, unusual in North Korea) required a precise distribution of weight along the helmet, as well as a specialized infrastructure. According to him CSIS analysis (Center for Strategic & International Studies), the ruling could be due to the poor condition or poor installation of the rails of the side slide, aggravated by the fact that the Hambuk shipyard, selected to build this second frigate, It lacks experience in large tonnage ships. Traditionally, this shipyard has limited itself to minor vessels, such as chargueros or patrols, which raises doubts about its suitability for a program of such a magnitude. Plus: The simultaneous use of cranes and barges, detected days before launch, could have contributed to collapse structural. Political impact and consequences. A failure of this caliber always has consequences, but in a space like North Korea perhaps more. Beyond the technical error, the incident represents a considerable setback for the naval aspirations of Kim Jong Un, who seeks Transform the Navy Popular Korean (KPN) in a water force capable of strategic offensive operations. Failure not only puts that narrative in check, but It exposes vulnerability of a program that mixes excessive ambition with insufficient industrial capabilities. In fact, Kim has promised severe punishments To those responsible, which could translate into personal repercussions for engineers and officers of the shipyard. Although it has not yet been determined if the ship is a total loss, its recovery seems unlikely in the short termand any delay directly undermines the political schedule of the regime. Little operational effort. As we said and underlined In the Washington Postthis frigate program, rather than building a really capable naval force, seems oriented to reinforce the image of North Korea as self -sufficient military power before its population (and the world). Kim’s presence in the tests, the deployment of experimental missiles and the media fanfare that surrounded the Choi Hyon class indicate that the goal was more prestigious than tactical. However, the simple existence of these platforms, potentially armed with nuclear missiles, represents a latent threat that, of course, should not be underestimated. Under that context, the failure of the launch in Chongjin is not only a technical setback: it is a symbolic blow to the heart of Pyongyang’s strategic story. Image | Maxar Technologies, Csis In Xataka | North Korea has built a resort so great that it now faces another problem: find tourists to fill it In Xataka | Russia has confirmed one of the great unknowns of war in Ukraine: North Korea accompanies them and not only with troops

A North Korean spy tried to infiltrate a cryptocus. I didn’t expect you to ask him for Halloween

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The cinema, the video games and the stories of double agents They have been showing the image of the spies as riskylonely and, sometimes, lustful. The reality is that this field work has gone to the background in an era in which cyberspage and labor infiltration prevails. China and North Korea are protagonists from time to time when we talk about this matter and, sometimes, the cover is so rough that a single question is enough to uncover the cake: What is done on Halloween. Steven Scott Jr. Smith. That name is the most American, the equivalent of José Pérez in Spain. Steven asked for work in Kraken, a bank and exchango of American cryptocurrencies and, from the first minute of the test, something failed. As we read in FortuneSteven, who claimed to have 11 years of experience as a software engineer in companies like Cisco and two years living in Houston, Texas, connected to the video call with a different name than the one he showed in his curriculum and changed it quickly. He also answered simple questions with hesitation and, for more complex ones, it took something more to answer, as if he were talking to someone else who smeared the answers. Cornering the spy. That alerted the recruiters, and that is where they began to ask questions that had nothing to do with work, since they hid another intention: catch what they thought it was a spy trying to sneak into their system. The interview was conducted on October 31, Halloween party in the United States, and recruiters asked three key questions. Given the comment that that night it would be necessary to close before because there would be children calling the doors of the houses, Steven commented that he would not do “special” if they called his. Among the interests that reflected in the curriculum was the food. One of the recruiters told him that he would go to Houston in a few days and that if he could recommend a city restaurant. Steven looked around, smiled and said “there is nothing special here.” Rare, considering that, in a city of 2.3 million inhabitants, at least one good restaurant must be. The third request was to show him an identification. Steven commented that he did not have it at hand, but after a few minutes, he shared a photo of his driving card with an address that is more than 480 kilometers from Houston. In the following video of CBS you can see both the license and the question of the restaurants: Culture of productive paranoia. Kraken herself tells the story in her blog, detailing that they realized that something was going wrong and continued with the interview with an objective: to study their focus to try to extract details about their identity. The companies that are dedicated to the crypto have had recent robberies and Nick Perceco problems, one of Kraken’s security responsible, states that these attacks are not an exclusive problem of companies such as their own, but a global threat. It also points three keys to this recent espionage/robbery strategy: Not all attackers force the entrance, but try to enter through the main door of the companies, applying as employees. The generative AI facilitates deception, since it is used to pass the initial tests such as the curriculum or the photo, so the interviews seem key with verification questions that avoid predictable patterns. Halloween’s example or restaurant recommendation, for example. Finally, it is key to have a productive paranoia culture. They affirm that security is not only the responsibility of the recruitment and security equipment of companies, but that it should be a more global mentality. It is not isolated. When Kraken’s team investigated Steve’s operational history, he discovered interesting things. For example, I used a Mac desktop located in a shared data center. It was connected using a VPN to hide both the location and the network activity and its curriculum was linked to a github profile in which a mail address compromised in a data filtration was included. This agrees with previous research and discoverieswith spies that use that same proceed when connected using VPN to simulate that they are in a direction in the United States, but really being in North Korea and China. And they are not only trying to sneak into American companies: Europe does not get rid. Missile industry. The suspicion of researchers? Double. On the one hand, there are spies that directly steal in their companies. An example are cases of crypto companies. But another case has to do with the sending of its full salary to the North Korean government to finance the arms industry. Famous is the case by Christina Marie Champman in Arizona. A farm of remote computers operated from which the attackers simulate that they are on American soil. As noted CNNusing that network, 6.8 million dollars were achieved for, according to Bloombergfinance the North Korean nuclear weapons program. China does not get rid, but it has another approach. And not only North Korea is interested in sneaking into Western companies: he has also caught China on occasion. The objective, however, is different: while some seek funds for their arms industry, others want knowledge for the development of the chips industry. At the end of 2003, ASML (the European company that creates the most advanced machines to create avant -garde semiconductors) denounced the theft of confidential information, suspecting that one of its former employees andNt added business secrets to Huawei. Another spy was also accused of stealing SK Hynix information, DE new, for Huawei. It is a major problem for the West, but also … for China. In mid -2024, the United States sent an alert message to ASML and the rest of the Netherlands universities: “Beware of Chinese students”And this is something that obviously puts a target on all students, also about the legitimate ones. Images | Xataka with chatgpt In Xataka | North Korea’s military tactics that prevents defections. … Read more

The Benidorm of North Korea is about to open. Your problem is how to fill the crazy number of rooms

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In October 2024 confirmed the plan that had Pyonyang in hands. Benidorm is only one, but if tourism has become the Economic engine Of so many nations, they did not want to stay in the saga. Thus, North Korea announced that the ambitious project to turn Wonsan into a kind of Benidorm to the Korean There was a stern wind. The idea is now about to become a reality, it is called Wonsan-Kalma, and the number of rooms has gone hand in hand. An unparalleled resort. As we have gone countingKim Jong’s ambitious tourism project on the Kalma Peninsula, on the east coast of North Korea, seeks to position itself as one of the world’s greatest holiday complexes. A fact exposes the intentions: it has an estimated capacity between 7,000 and 20,000 rooms. Conceived as a tourist city from scratch, the resort Wonsan Kalma is described by analysts as the most huge tourism project ever driven by the regime. Announced Back in 2014the complex suffered multiple delays attributable to international sanctions and then at the closure of borders during the pandemic. However, its opening is already planned for June, and the regime has rehearsed a shy reopening to international tourism, although the economic viability of the resort remains deeply uncertain. Tourism as a strategy. Kim conceives the resort not only as a source of income in foreign currency, but as showcase of power and the modernity of your regime. However, the attractiveness of the enclave is in question: experts like Bruce W. Bennett and Marcus Noland They explained this week The doubts that foreign visitors attract in sufficient quantity to justify their huge investment. The logical basis of the project, which presumably aspired to capture South Korean tourists for its proximity and purchasing power, collides with the diplomatic impossibility of allowing them to enter. Meanwhile, and as We explain weeks agoRussian agencies have begun Offer tour packets for Citizens of Vladivostokbut even there the enthusiasm is doubtful. Russian travelers, According to the operators themselvesThey continue to prefer traditional destinations such as Thailand or Dubai. Oasis restricted to internal consumption. Thus, another plausible strategy of the regime would be to take advantage of the resort as an internal control and reward mechanism. They counted in Insider that the facilities could be used as an incentive for loyal citizens or exemplary workers, and the complex is designed with areas reserved for presidential delegations and suites. The problem? As Bennett points outaccess will be rigorously segregated, mainly to prevent North Korean citizens from entering foreign visitors. This structure reinforces the propaganda nature of the resort that, a priori, would serve more as a political showcase than as a real tourism center (something similar To “little manhattan” They raised recently). Structural limitations. Despite the monumental effort, the project drags many of the endemic problems of the regime. The Lack of experience North Korean in the hotel industry and the rigid state censorship are important obstacles to offer a credible tourist experience. In addition, recent history of the Ryugyong Hotel (That unfinished skyscraper for decades and symbol of North Korean failed excess) remains a latent warning. Plus: Kim’s fear of the free flow of information is incompatible with the logic of contemporary tourism. Therefore, although it is seen of modernity and luxury, it is likely to end up being Another monumental decorationwithout sufficient and useful tourists only as a propaganda tool. There is several examples similar A “diplomatic” letter. If you want, in parallel, the complex can be seen as a piece on the diplomatic board. In 2018, Trump had suggested Kim towill help your “big beaches” For economic development, and it is not ruled out that the resort is used precisely as a symbolic gesture in future negotiations, especially if Pyongyang seeks recognition as a nuclear power. Remember that the nation already has made “resort” For Russian soldiers. In that context, Kalma can always fluctuate, like promise or threat: It can be used to show openness or reinforce the cult of the leader. If so, Kim Jong Un, determined to differentiate himself from his predecessors, could see in “his Benidorm” not only a tourist destination, but a political statement to the world. Image | Diego Delso, Clay Gilliland In Xataka | Kalma is the first real effort of North Korea to become a holiday place. For now only for Russians In Xataka | North Korea has revealed a small manhattan of 10,000 apartments. The problem is what is behind the facade

The north of Spain has been complaining about mass tourism for years. Asturias has discovered the bitter consequences of losing it

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The formula of nature, calm and good kitchen that for years promoted Rural tourism In Asturias It seems to lose bellows. AND clearly. Although the photo of recent years is distorted by COVID, the housing of the principality specialized in this type of tourism have seen how His activity descended until they were driving before the pandemic. At least according to INE data. It is not so much a “puncture” in the flow of travelers and in that of the rooms (They last less) and the loss of interest in the national market. The phenomenon is interesting because it coincides with another or even more media: complaints in a large part of the peninsular northern ( Galicia to Cantabria or in your own Asturias) For precisely the opposite, the effects of tourist massification. While in Cantabria they cry for not being “The North Ibiza” And Galicia complains about The “fodechinchos”inside and the Asturian mountain the hoteliers cry out for measures that avoid the slow decline of rural tourism. An icon in low hours. A quick search arrives on Google to verify that rural tourism does not go through its best moment in Asturias. TO The news of the Regional Press about The fall of activity those in the sector claiming are added “Specific aids” and those of the Principality trying to reassure him. In fact, in January Adrián Barbón He promised to “rethink” rural tourism of the region “to recover thrust.” Shortly after its executive announced a Bond program With discounts designed to encourage demand. That the situation of the sector arouses so much interest in the Principality is more than understandable. In the mid -80s, and thanks largely to your campaign “Asturias Paraíso Natural”the community managed to make a place in a sector in which until then the tourism of Sun and beach prevailed. Today Asturias adds hundreds of establishments with thousands of places (in August the INE computed almost 1,400 and 14,800respectively) and stands out for its volume of rural houses per capita. What do the data say? That the sector has known better times. The INE shows that last year the Rural Accommodations of Asturias received some 304,000 travelers who paid for 924,400 overnight stays. The first data is not exactly bad. It is a slight increase of 1.7% compared to 2023 and is online of 2019. The second worries. In a Growth scenario The number of hired nights fell 3.2% year -on -year and remains away from the almost 975,000 overnight stays that the sector managed in 2019. The 2025 start has not been especially good. During the first quarter the volume of travelers and overnight stays fell with respect to last year, although the data should be handled cautiously. First because in 2024 Holy Week, a period of strong tourist demand, fell in March and this year did so in April. Second because There may be variations important from one month to another. In fact the Principality He has checked already for the growth of February. “Very black winter”. The truth is that the sector is far from satisfied. Recently the president of the EO-Porcia association implied in An interview with eldiario.es that the balance has been of everything but good in recent months. “50% of the peoples that are still inhabited today are for rural tourism. Fixed population and allows you I recognized. In its own accommodations, three apartments and a house, it did not register any reserve between the Bridge of the Constitution and last Holy Week. Looking for the causes. The big question is … What are you due to these data from the sector, especially overnight stays? Why if in August 2001 the average stay In rural accommodations, was 6.13 days passed to 4.76 in 2019 and 4.24 last year? For Ana Llanoof the Fuentes del Narcea Association, one of the keys is the change in demand. Tourists are looking for different things today during their vacations. Or rather, it does so at a different rhythm and way. “Before people came to spend the summer, to spend a few days in nature, to enjoy the house themselves. Now people want regrets In eldiario.es. His comment is in tune with the data on the duration of the rooms and another key indicator: the overnight stays fall in the rural one, but grow in the set of Asturias. “They end rural tourism”. To that challenge others are added: the de -stationalization, the need to enrich the offer with packages or the competition of other types of accommodation, such as Tourist housing (VUT) or the “illegal establishments” that (precisely by acting outside the administration) also blur the balance of the sector. There are those who speak of tens only between Vegadeo and Navia and who focuses the focus on the VUT. “They are ending rural tourism,” they said recently From the sector to The voice. Foreign lifeguard. The general photo leaves another interesting nuance. Asturian rural accommodations may be invoiced today less overnight than before pandemic, but that fall is mainly due to domestic demand. The nights hired by Spaniards fall, but those reserved by tourists from outside the country have grown considerably. With that backdrop last autumn the Principality launched A campaign aimed above all to the Asturian themselves. His slogan: “Are you sure you know Asturias?” When tourism does not arrive. The case of Asturias is interesting for something else. Between record tourism data and with the open debate on the effect of the sector on the real estate market, over the last years in much of Spain they have happened The protests against tourist. Especially in points such as the Canary Islands or Balearic Islands, but also in areas of the North, including Galicia or Cantabria, where the saturation of certain points has become a matter of debate. The Asturian rural and interior situation leaves a key question: what happens when tourism stops arriving or comes less? What if the Fodechinchos Do they stop traveling or areas that have developed … Read more

North Korea accompanies them and not only with troops

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Since the Russian invasion in Ukraine began, a doubt has remained despite the apparent evidence. Neither The videosneither The testimoniesnot even the capture of prisoners North Korea by Ukraine ended up confirming the entire planet that, indeed, Pyongyang was fighting with Moscow. That moment of doubt has come to an end. Both nations They have confirmed How far their ties arrive. It is official. After months of rumors, Russia and North Korea They confirmed publicly that North Korean troops have been fighting on Russian soil next to Moscow’s forces in the war against Ukraine. The announcement, almost simultaneously by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, celebrated the role of thousands of North Korean soldiers who, according to both leaders, contributed decisively to the “complete release” of the Russian border region of Kursk, a territory that had been briefly occupied by Ukrainian troops during the previous summer. So and according to the figures that move, North Korea has already sent about 14,000 soldiersmainly special forces, and replaced to more than 4,000 That, according to southern Korea estimates, they have died or results injured since 2023. But there is much more, since other military personnel, Pyongyang has supplied Millions of projectiles of artillery and ballistic missiles that Moscow has used against Ukrainian cities. Common objective. The joint recognition of this collaboration marks not only a military intensification but also diplomatic, at a time when both nations seek reinforce your position International against the United States. For Russia, the direct involvement of foreign troops allows you to snatch an important negotiation resource (Kursk’s partial control) just when Trump presses by a rapid resolution of the conflict. For North Korea, having poured blood on the Russian battlefield creates a kind of symbolic and political debt In Putin, expanding the margin of Kim Jong-un maneuver in future negotiations with Washington, including its stagnant nuclear program. Symbolism and propaganda. He counted The New York Times That in North Korea, Kim ordered to erect a monument in honor of fallen soldiers in Russia, a gesture that seeks to institutionalize this alliance as a brotherhood sealed by military sacrifice. Putin, meanwhile, exalted Korean fighters as decent heroes The same recognition as its Russian peers, a statement aimed at strengthening the internal narrative of the Kremlin and to consolidate an international cooperation that is increasingly depending on authoritarian regimes. The alliance is based not only on tactical interests but also on concrete benefits: North Korea, subject to hard sanctions, would be receiving in return Direct financial aid and Advanced military technologies that could improve their arms capacity. According to experts, it is not ruled out that Pyongyang Send more troops or expand your presence in the conflict with the aim of deepening your strategic links with Moscow. A clandestine arsenal. According to the Guardian And focused on arms aid, the use of a North Korean ballistic missile in a Russian attack that left 12 dead in kyiv had already put the depth of this collaboration in the foreground. It was a KN-23 missileendowed with an eyelet of up to a ton, which according to the Ukrainian Intelligence Services and South Koreans is part of a broader delivery of at least 148 kn-23 missiles and KN-24 Sent by Pyongyang since the late 2023. To this is added the supply of millions of artillery projectiles, multiple launch rockets and long -range artillery systems, which have reached the front through 64 maritime and railway shipments carefully tracked, representing Up to 70% of the weapons Artillery used by Russia on some fronts. War as a test field. It is another of the slopes of this alliance. The British environment explained that beyond the quantitative, the North Korean contribution has a strategic value that exceeds the simple replacement of obsolete reserves: many of these weapons are modern, and their deployment in Ukraine offers the Kim Jong-a regime Real Laboratory to Test and perfect its military technology. Missiles of the Hwasong-11 seriesself -propelled mortars and multiple pitchers not only reinforce the Russian offensive, but allow North Korea to evaluate the fight in combat of their own weapons systems. As the war extends, analysts of the Stimson Center and Network Nuclear Open foreseen a escalation in the arms supplyincluding anti -tank missiles, joint development drones and anti -aircraft systems that are already being studied for future deliveries. Barter geopolitics. For experts as Hugh Griffithsformer member of the UN sanctions monitoring panel, without the help of Kim Jong-un, Putin could not sustain his current offensive. In exchange for sending weapons and soldiers, Pyongyang I would be receiving Strategic components and technical knowledge that could transform their own offensive abilities, both in the Korean Peninsula and outside it. Redrawing the balances. In short, this war cooperation Between two of the most isolated regimes in the world represents a new chapter in the Ukraine War, one that acquires an increasingly internationalized dimension. While Ukraine disputes the narrative about Kursk control And it maintains the hope of using that land as a currency in peace negotiations, North Korean involvement transforms that front into a symbol of Global rearrangement of alliances. By participating directly in the European conflict, Pyongyang is not only positioned as a more ambitious military actor, but also redouble your challenge to the international order led by the West. In the background and between the lines, what is consolidated is a Moscow -Pyongyang axis with long -term implications for regional security in Asia, European stability and the already tense pulse between the United States, China, Russia and their respective allies. Image | The Presidential Press and Information Office In Xataka | Thousands of North Koreans came to fight with Russia. The question now is where they have gotten two weeks In Xataka | “I wanted to watch romantic films”: This was the surreal capture of the first North Korean soldier in Ukraine

North Africa was outside the bronze age map. A metallic waste has been put in the center of history

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If we look at the map From the Bronze Age, we observe that much of Europe and the Middle East are the protagonists of the period of the Ancient bronze. For a long time it was estimated that Egypt was the only focus of Metallurgical development In Africa during the Bronze age. For years, we thought that the rest of the territories were empty and it was with the Phoenicians when settlements and metal development began. We were wrong. And young archaeologists have shown that Morocco was more connected to other Mediterranean regions of what we thought. And the Kack Kouch settlement is the test. The Phoenicians. The Maghreb was an absent zone in the debates about late prehistory in the Mediterranean region. It was known that he received some influences from the European bronze, but they were pieces, because they did not produce their own metallurgy until the colonization of the Phoenicians. Morocco arrived around 800 AC, founding colonies such as Lixusbut it turns out that there were already stable settlements on the Mediterranean coasts of Africa. In North Africa, the representation is Egypt … and it ended Kach Kouch location Kach Kouch. In 1988, a team formed by Moroccan and Spanish researchers discovered the settlement of Kach Kouch. It was an important finding, since the survey made in 1992 revealed that, at some point between the VIII or VI ac centuries, there had erected a half -hectare camp with cabins built with mud. It was probably an agricultural people and the researchers said that, probably, Kach Kouch had been founded by Phoenician sailors to control access routes to the Mediterranean from the Lau River. Why the Phoenicians? Because the remains found belonged to amphorae of this culture that would have served to transport wine, oil or wheat. Frozen. After the 1992 excavation, the archaeological site had not been analyzed again, until now. He Kach Kouch Archaeological Projectled by researchers from the National Institute of Archeology of Morocco, set out to reach the bottom of the settlement. Literally. The SE development In two phases – in 2021 and 2022 – and, although the archaeological interest was present in both, one of the objectives was that the students of the institute be formed in archaeological methodology. What they found was far beyond what would be expected of training practices: Kach Kouch was not a Phoenician settlement, but had centuries there. Through drones, differential GPS, 3D models and radiocarbon dating, the team of researchers discovered that three phases of occupation had been given in the settlement. Occupation phases | Image of The Conversation, H. Benattia Ancestral occupation. These occupation phases were between 2200 AC and 600 BC and the researchers They have isolated The three phases due to the remains they found. First phase: Between 2200 and 2000 AC the remains are scarce, such as ceramic fragments without decorating, a flint lasc and bovine bones. It could have been a sporadic occupation, but existing. Second phase: Between 1,300 or 900 AC the occupation would have already been stable with circular housing and warehouses, evidencing a sedentary society. Kach Kouch would be agricultural, mainly, due to the silos and grinding stones found. For the remains, it is estimated that they cultivated barley and wheat that complemented with the breeding of sheep, goats and cows. Third phase: Between 800 and 600 AC here and the Phoenicians have played a role. This external cultural influence brought elements such as ceramics to lathe and iron tools, which were mixed with local architecture and stone buildings. From left to right: plant remains, carved bones, flint lacquers The metal. Therefore, the new discovery indicates that, centuries before the arrival of the Phoenicians, Kach Koach was already a stable settlement. But there is a key piece that reveals that the first bronze object found in the region could have arrived through the broader exchange networks of the Mediterranean: among the important recent discoveries, a bronze fragment dated between 1110 and 920 ac This is the oldest bronze evidence in the Maghreb area and, although the phrase is very manida, it is something that changes everything in the archeology of North Africa because the fragment is a waste of the function in a mold, but it is the oldest bronze object known in North Africa if we do not have Egypt into account. In the image on the right, we see a rest of an amphora. On the right, objects A a are grinding tools. E a g are the metal remains so relevant The Phoenician influence. Hanza Benattia is one of the authors of the study, as well as the director of the Kach Kouch archaeological project and, as explained in The conversationevidently the Phoenicians played a role in this story. During the VIII and VII AC centuries, the inhabitants of the settlement had the same material, architectural and economic culture they had during the previous phase, but contact with the Phoenicians introduced new cultural practices. “For example, circular housing coexisted with other squares made of stone and framework of wood and mud, combining phenistic and local techniques,” says Benattia. In addition, he points out that products such as vine and olive tree began to be cultivated, and that was when they began to use ceramics made around and the use of iron objects. This is the first thing that was found in 1992 and for what was considered that the settlement was Phoenician. However, the archaeologist points out that, towards 600 BC, the settlement was abandoned. There is no evidence of violence, so social or economic changes would have pushed the inhabitants to other more prosperous close settlements. To look for. It is curious how a simple waste from a material that should not be there changes the historical perception not only of a specific place, but of a region. As we said, the Magreb was excluded from the conversation about the late prehistory of the Mediterranean, but as Benattia points out, this discovery “not only … Read more

Russia and North Korea

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A few days ago, Donald Trump set up in anger, or at least that seemed like face the public. The president showed his anger with Putin for the obstacles in the negotiations of a high fire in Ukraine. The apparent initial closeness for this agreement with the Russian leader, where he even seemed to blame him for the war, gave way to a threat: to impose secondary tariffs up to 50% About Russian oil. Today, and after knowing each other An almost universal list Of tariffs by Washington, we lack two nations: Russia and North Korea. Indulgence to adversaries. It We count this morningto. In a new and unknown phase of his commercial war, President Donald Trump imposed high tariffs on some of the closest allies and partners in the United States, a list where we find Japan (24%), South Korea (25%), India (26%) or Taiwan (32%). Territories were also included tiny and remote like Tokelau (New Zealand) and Svalbard (Norway), However, it seems that it exempts from rates to adversary nations such as Russia, North Korea, Belarus and even Iran, a country to which only applied 10%less than Israel Tax (17%), its historic ally. Background: a policy that aligns with Trump’s strategy In his second term, one characterized by punishing allied countries, threatening them even with military actions, and showing themselves, although with asterisks, with traditional adversaries from Washington. The official position. The White House has left the step giving A justification. The total absence of tariffs to Moscow, together with countries such as Cuba, Belarus and North Korea, is due to the fact that “these nations already face sanctions and rates so high that they limit their trade with the United States.” However, the data show that, despite the sanctions, Russia still maintains commercial exchanges significant. Privileged relationship. They remembered a key In Firstpost To understand what is happening. Trump had formalized your affinity With Russian President Vladimir Putin, seeking to transform Russia as an adversary to partnerand this despite the fact that Moscow has not yielded in its aggression to Ukraine or has moderated its position towards the West. Despite the official justification from the White House that Russia, North Korea and others are already subject to sanctionsthe truth is that commerce with these countries is nothing less null. Namely: in 2024, the United States maintained exchanges with Russia by value of 3.5 billion dollars (yes, in 2021 the bilateral trade was from 35,000 billion of dollars), including US exports of Medical supplies and essential pharmacists. Even North Korea and Iran, under sanctions, maintain Reduced commercial flowsbut existing, in sectors such as pharmaceutical products, chemicals (and even works of art in the case of Iran). Meanwhile, allies as Ukraine (In full war) they also entered that 10% of tariffs, contradicting the logic that policy seeks to protect strategic partners. The validity of Russia. Moreover, like They explained in Axiosin practice, the United States trades more with Russia than with many of the countries sanctioned by new rates, evidencing a contradiction in the official justification. Karoline Leavittspokesman for the White House, he reiterated that Russia could face “new and strong sanctions” in the future, especially after Trump expressed that public discomfort towards Putin for his recent statements about Ukraine and threatened Impose secondary rates to Russian oil. Stagnant negotiations. Russia, on the other hand, has asked the Trump administration Partial withdrawal of sanctions As a key to negotiations for a fire in Ukraine, a process that remains practically frozen. Meanwhile, Trump seems to have chosen to hit traditional partners and smaller economies before Russia, maintaining that pattern that seems to characterize its foreign policy: hardness towards allies and flexibility, or At least containmenttowards strategic adversaries. The Israel-Iran case. We said it at the beginning. Especially striking is The case of Israelwhich recently eliminated its tariffs on American products as a gesture of good will, waiting for the exclusion of sanctions. It has not been so, and finally Trump has not only imposed a 17% tariff to Israelbut has applied a minor one, only 10%, to Iran, country considered declared enemy both from the United States and Israel and “sponsor” of hostile groups to both. What’s doubt, the decision has caused outrage at Tel Aviv And it has been interpreted as a sign that Trump’s commercial policy in his second term does not distinguish between strategic friends and enemies. Controversial turn. What seems clear is that the choice of some and the exclusion of others in the list is not due to random (not with other micro territories and uninhabited spaces). As a result, the strategy has generated bewilderment between Washington experts and allies, seeing how the country hardens its treatment with historical partners and, at the same time, softens your measures Against geopolitical rivals. Far from being only an economic measure, the pattern seems to reaffirm the Trump approach to destabilize traditional alliances in favor of direct relations, although inconsistent, with adversaries, even if they have not offered diplomatic or commercial concessions in return. Image | Office of the President of The Russian Federation In Xataka | The most surreal victims of US tariffs: remote islands, islets only inhabited by penguins and a secret base

They actually signed North Korean cybercounts

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Finding technological talent has become a career with more expected obstacles. For many companies, expanding their teams is no longer just a matter of publishing an offer: it is to deal with processes that often lengthen and with the possibility of not having chosen the right person. And when, finally, an incorporation closes, The high rotation of the sector threatens to return everything to the starting point. But what many companies probably do not imagine is that, without knowing, they could be hiring North Korean cybercounts. This threat, that began to gain strength in the United Stateshas begun to spread. According to Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG)the environment has become more hostile for these actors in US territory, and are now displacing their attention to Europe. A threat in Europe. GTIG details the case of one of the workers linked to North Korea, whose modus operandi reflects the usual pattern of this type of operations. This individual used at least 12 different identities to run for jobs in Europe and the United States. In addition, it resorted to other identities controlled by himself to provide false references and gain credibility to recruiters. List of countries affected by North Korea’s workers Objective companies. Although the range of companies that hire IT profiles is broad, North Korean actors have focused their efforts on very specific sectors: above all, companies linked to the industrial defense base and government agencies. To achieve this, they took advantage of the rise of remote work and infiltrated false identities carefully prepared to overcome security filters. Income for North Korea. Every time the North Korean regime exhibits a new military advance, the same question returns: Where do you really finance it? Although the data on their economy are scarce and deeply opaque, it is clear that the international sanctions have been trying to stop the war machinery of one of the most isolated and hermetic countries on the planet. There are several investigations that point to at least two revenues for the country led by Kim Jong-un. One of them is the theft of cryptocurrencies: North Korean attackers have perfected their techniques and now hit high -value international objectives. The other is the deployment of false workers, such as the one we are seeing at this time, to carry out data theft and extortion practices. Not only attempts. Real cases. Although there is no exact figure of false workers hired by European companies, the GTIG notes that it has detected a diverse portfolio of projects in the United Kingdom executed by employees linked to North Korea. Among them include web developments, bots, content management systems (CMS), advanced artificial intelligence and applied blockchain technology. Images | Tai Bui | Xataka with chatgpt In Xataka | North Korea’s military tactics that prevents defections. Pyongyang’s “trick” to maintain the loyalty of his army

North Korea has built a “Manhattan” of 10,000 apartments … only for the most loyal to Kim Jong-un

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We could say without fear of being wrong that North Korea has a very clear plan in an economic key for this 2025: open (A little) abroad. How much? It will depend, not only on the nation itself, but on the rest of the countries and the ability to seduction for tourists from outside. Wonsan It will be the cornerstone that will define the rest of that expansion. And the locals? For them there is also great news: a new mega district in the capital, although it will not be for everyone. Hwasong and what we don’t know. North Korea has proudly revealed its new residential district of no less than 10,000 homes in Pyongyanga work that remembers the famous New York enclave and that symbolizes both the propaganda desire of the regime and some of its internal contradictions. Located In Hwasongthe new neighborhood of imposing skyscrapers and large avenues has been presented through the state agency KCNA as a sample of the Kim Jong leader’s commitment a with the improvement of the level of urban living. The official inauguration is scheduled for April 15day that, of course, has not been chosen randomly, since the birth of Kim Il Sungfounder of the country and grandfather of the current leader. The new urbanization represents the third stage of a ambitious five -year plan announced in 2021 for Build 50,000 apartments In the capital, an objective that is inserted into a greater offensive to renew infrastructure in a country whipped by poverty, international isolation and a wobbly economy. Luxury on the outside, doubts inside. Despite the images that show modern buildings and an architecture urbanistically imposing, including two towers linked by a bridge High, reality can be far from a luxury standard. Counted in a wide CNN report That, in North Korea, life on high floors is complicated due to the frequent power cuts left by inoperative elevators. In fact, that is the reason why the floors are assigned based on age of residents: young people occupy the upper floors, while the elderly receive units at low levels. This organization illustrates how structural deficiencies camouflage under a facade of urban modernization. Although Pyongyang enjoys conditions significantly better than other areas of the country, housing in rural regions and mining cities They are still precariouswith limited access to electricity, drinking water or basic sanitation services. The new district in Hwasong The modernization plan. The Hwasong project is not an isolated case. Adds to other recent urbanizations such as Look Scientists Street and Songhwa Streetthis last home of the second highest tower in the country, completed in 2022. All efforts of the regime to show a renewed image of the nation, while they underpin the cult of the personality of Kim Jong Un. Plus: As the state press explained, the leader has been directly involved in the design and planning of the new district, repeating the classical narrative of the regime that associate each achievement with your address staff. In fact, even constructions are designed to reinforce the country’s privilege system. As? Housing are assigned by the Government to people loyal to the regime or considered strategically usefulsuch as scientists, engineers or allegates of the party. Inequality. A report From the South Korean Institute of Civil Engineering and Construction Technology, it estimated that North Korea has enough homes only for 70% to 80% of their homes. Beyond Pyongyang, the housing situation seems critical. Despite the new projects in mining and rural areas, these works depend on the forced labor of soldiers and civilians, which work in hard conditions and Without worthy remuneration. Plus: Construction in North Korea is mainly driven By the popular armywhose participation not only responds to the magnitude of the works, but also to an ideological logic: each brick becomes a piece of propaganda that reinforces the image of the State as a modernizing force. Facade of glass. Although the regime promotes the speed with which it rates skid (as the case of the 70 -story building in Ryomyong New Town whose structure was completed in just 74 days), experts have expressed concern about The quality of the materials and technical supervision. In 2014, the collapse of a building in Pyongyangwhich allegedly housed dozens of families, highlighted the risks of an accelerated construction without adequate controls. The state press attributed the disaster to An “irresponsible supervision”without providing dead figures or assuming clear responsibilities, in a country where transparency is little less than non -existent. “Military” construction. It is another of the legs on which the civil “work” is sustained. The military apparatus it’s a central role In all these developments. With More than one million soldiers In active duty and a mandatory conscription system of at least ten years since the age of 17, the state labor becomes the main engine of these works. Even after serving their service, former soldiers are usually integrated into civil paramilitary forceswhich consolidates a system in which the population remains subject to state control through military obedience structures. Urbanization, therefore, not only responds to housing needs, but also to social surveillance and containment mechanisms. Reopening and isolation. In addition to everything described, the inauguration of the Hwasong district coincides with the first steps of North Korea Towards a reopening controlled after more than five years of closing by the pandemic. We have it: although the capital has remained mostly inaccessible, in 2024 the entry of A small group of Russian tourists. Another foreign group could only visit Rasona special economic zone near the borders with China and Russia. This still shy reopening context also serves as a backdrop to show internal achievements such as the new district, whose symbolic value exceeds the direct benefit that it can represent for North Korean citizenship. Seen this way, Hwasong is not only a residential district, but an emblem of how North Korea tries Project modernityhiding Behind concrete A reality closer to scarcity, control and structural inequality. Image | KCNA In Xataka | After years with its closed … Read more

This app was passed through a file administrator, but it was a North Korean spyware

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Download applications from the official store of our Android device is the safest option. However, that does not mean that it is free of risks. Despite Google’s efforts to improve the security of Play Store, every so often some threat is filtered. This time it has been a North Korean spyware, which has managed to sneak out without raising suspicions. A spyware disguised as file administrator. Cybercriminals have perfected their tactics for camouflating malware within applications that seem completely harmless. Many of them even work normally, but in the background they execute malicious actions. File Manager, as his name suggests, was presented as a Android file manager, but actually hid something very different. According to the cybersecurity firm Lookout, File Manager hid a malware known as Kospy, which they believe with “high confidence” that was linked to North Korea. They have reached this conclusion, among other things, discovering that the malicious application uses domain names and IP addresses that were previously identified as present command and control infrastructures used by the groups of North Korean Cadincommers APT37 and APT43. What could the malicious app? Experts warn that this application collected a Alarming quantity of confidential information, including SMS text messages, call records, device location, stored files and even user key pulsations. In addition, I could access details of the Wi-Fi network, obtain a list of installed applications and perform even more intrusive actions, such as recording audio, taking photos with the camera and capturing screenshots in the background. A threat that was quickly neutralized. Although the Kospy spyware managed to infiltrate the Play Store, Google acted quickly. A company spokesman confirmed to TechCrunch that all identified applications were eliminated. According to a lookout screenshot, the malicious app came to download a dozen times before being removed from the Android store. Integrated protection measures. Android devices have several layers of safety, including Google Play Protect, which analyzes applications before discharge, inspects the device in search of malicious software and, if it detects a threat, can automatically deactivate the harmful application. In addition, some manufacturers incorporate their own safety solutions, adding an extra layer of protection for users. Avoiding the hook. The best defense against malicious apps is caution. Before installing any application, you should check what permits request. If a simple flashlight app requests access to our files, contacts or accessibility settings, something does not block. Another effective strategy is to download applications from official sources. Instead of looking for “Microsoft Authenticator” in the Play Store and risk falling into a malicious imitation, it is safer get the link directly from the official Microsoft website. The same applies to any other service: if we need the BBVA app, Better go to your website and find the corresponding link therethus avoiding falling into traps. Images | Xataka with Dall · E 3 In Xataka | A group of North Korea hackers signed the greatest robbery of cryptocurrencies in history. Now we know how they did

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