plan

The United States imagined that China would veto its export of rare earths. Has a plan B: The Pacific Fund

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In the midst of the tariff war that has ended up becoming a bilateral front between the United States and China, the Asian giant He has responded blocking rare earth export. The White House seems to be seen coming and has played with one of its last buzas. The forecast. The Trump administration has written an executive order to allow the storage of metals found in the marine bed of the Pacific Ocean, According to Financial Times. This initiative seeks to counteract China’s influence on supply chains of critical minerals, since it controls 70% of the global market. A Great Reserve. These metals are found in the polymetallic nodules of the seabed, which contains minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese and rare earth traces. As The British media has had accessthe US government has considered that deep water mining will guarantee a national source of these materials, so it seeks to accelerate mining requests under national legislation. Within that idea, it would include the creation of a strategic reserve of minerals to self -abuse. It won’t be so easy. The International Marine Funds Authority (ISA) is responsible for regulating mining in international waters. In a recent meeting, still an agreement has not been reached About how to proceed in underwater mining, and many countries are asking for a moratorium on this practice due to the impact on little known marine ecosystems. In the case of the United States They have not ratified The United Nations Convention on the Law of the 1982 Sea, the treaty that gives the ISA legal support. In other words, it is not within the entity, so the big doubt opens if you can legally grant permits to companies to operate in international waters. For their part, entities like The Metals Company have insisted that the ISA It does not have an exclusive mandatebut some legal experts have warned that acting without their guarantee is a risky movement that can put all nations against. That ocean and not another. While the United States is in this situation, the Pacific choice has much more background and has to do with the Asian giant. China is One of the main actors in underwater mining, with exploration contracts granted by the ISA In the Clarion-Clipperton area (CCZ), a region rich in polymetic nodules. In addition, it is estimated that this underwater corridor can contain more critical minerals than many combined land reserves, which makes it a strategic objective. Taking advantage. Recently, China It started The construction of an underwater laboratory at 2,000 meters deep in the Meriodional China Sea, reinforcing its scientific and operational position in oceanic funds. According to Financial Timeseverything responds to a broader vision: andThe Pacific as the new Front of Economic and Military Competition, where the control of deep resources can make a difference. 80% without mapping or exploring. The oceanic background It is our great unknownsso the ISA is holding these meetings to establish a mining code between all nations as soon as possible. For its part, scientists and environmental groups They have warned that ocean protection is prevailing due to the irreversible effects that could be given. Image | Trump White House Archced and Mister Pommeroy Xataka | There are billions of dollars in rare land buried in full view: you just have to look at the coal ashes

The US plan to reduce oil is about to derail what worked best in its economy

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Brent and Wti crude prices suffered a great fall of the barrel two days ago. This situation caused a very large alert In the markets, since since February 2021 there was no such low data. After the storm, prices have stabilized around 60 dollars the barrel for the Trump measure of suspend for 90 days The highest tariffs to different countries. In this way, the commercial war has become A direct conflict against China that does not know the scope tariffs, leaving an economic paradox in reducing oil price. Lowering prices. Until now, the United States has managed to reduce its commercial deficit thanks to the revolution of the shale, which has made the USA Net oil exporter Since 2020. This expansion prior to Trump’s second mandate had achieved reverse decades of foreign oil dependence. However, the impulse to pierce with the famous “Drill, Baby, Drill” Together with tariff policies, it has caused global uncertainty, According to PVM analyst Tamas Varga in Reuters. There are no good ideas. And it is evident that Trump’s policies They lack a coherent direction. According to Reutersthe fall in crude oil prices is a reflection of the loss of confidence in American economic policy, especially in the middle of a commercial war, affecting the global demand for oil. Also, like He has stressed Energy expert Javier Blas, drilling and production costs are not profitable below $ 65 per barrel in the United States. In other words, if prices fall too much, production would decrease, which would force more oil and, therefore, would expand the commercial deficit, which is precisely what Trump wants to reduce. The paradox. The contradiction in Trump’s policies is clear: its strategy of reducing oil prices to control inflation and stimulate the economy will have the opposite effect to the desired one. According to Blas explainedTrump’s objectives was precisely to reduce the commercial deficit. Before its presidency, the revolution of the shale, which allowed the United States to become a net oil exporter, was one of the factors that contributed significantly to improve the trade balance in the last two decades. However, by pushing prices at lower levels, Trump is running the risk of undoing the advances achieved, generating a macroeconomic imbalance that would seriously affect local production and increase import dependence. Besides, Anz Bank analysts in Reuters They expect that, if world economic growth falls below 3%, oil consumption could decrease 1%, which would further aggravate the situation. Depending on oil. This Trump strategy also affects other countries than their income They are derived of the export of oil, such as Saudi and Russia Arabia. Although oil has experienced very significant fluctuations for more than five years, it is not even this commercial war when tensions have been exacerbated causing a strong fall. This situation can cause a new layer of geopolitical tension. On the one hand, Saudi Arabia needs raw barrels to exceed $ 90 to continue building and investing in their macroprojects, Like Neom. On the other hand, the fall in prices in Russia has generated Even more pressure on its economy, which is already weakened by the Ukraine War. Forecasts. As He has warned Javier Blas, “drilling, drilling, drilling” will not work if the barrel is 50 dollars and if the United States does not pierce, it must import it. In short, leaving a scenario in which the US president, in his attempt to control prices, can end up undoing the most effective tool he has had to reduce the commercial deficit in decades. Image | Gage Skidmore and Unspash Xataka | China responds again to US tariffs and rises to 125%: from here it would be a “joke” to keep climbing

Now the company has a plan to stop benefiting its rivals, according to FT

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Deepmind, the firm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that Google acquired in 2014 and officially integrated into a single division in April 2023it has been for years one of the great referents of the sector. Over time, he has earned that place for the quality of his scientific publications and for gathering some of the brightest researchers. But there are reasons to believe that this approach has begun to change. Several experts cited by Financial Times They ensure that Google Deepmind is delaying the publication of certain advances that it considers “strategic” or delicate in the field of generative AI. The measure is part of a strategy designed to preserve its competitive advantage and prevent its most recent and valuable developments from being exploited by rivals such as OpenAi. Transformers, star architecture Much of the development of generative artificial intelligence is not understood without Google’s advances. One of the most influential milestones was the publication in 2017 of the article ‘Attention is all you need‘, signed by eight researchers, who introduced the Transformers architecture. This approach, in general, allowed the models to process data more efficiently within large volumes of information. This architecture became the base of models such as Bert (bidirectional encoder representations from transformers), developed by Google itself and incorporated into its search engine in 2019 to improve the understanding of natural language. It was also key to the development of presentful systems such as GPT (Generative pre-trained transformers) of OpenAi, where the current ones are framed GPT-4 and GPT-4.5. Google is one of the world’s largest companies in the world. It has a huge financial muscle and access to key technology. Even so, the launch of Chatgptbased on GPT-3.5a model built on Transformers architecture, He took by surprise to the teams directed by L sundaria Pichai. The reaction was a “red code” and an urgent reorganization to compete again in an AI race that today leads OpenAi. It is no secret: when a company becomes a Big Tech, it loses part of the dynamism that defined it in its beginnings as startup. As we counted exactly one year agothey end up transforming into giants where the “move quickly and breaks things” no longer fits. They have too much to protect and a gear with thousands of pieces that cannot allow failures. Risking is not as easy as it seems. Even in this context, it surprises the speed with which the company of the search engine has managed to catch up. In a short time he has launched a AVALANCHA OF IA PRODUCTS based on advanced language models. There it is Geminihis direct rival of Chatgpt; Gemini Livedesigned to compete with Openai’s advanced voice mode; the Gemsthat work as Personalized GPTS; and amazing tools, such as Notebooklm. The new Google pulse The last years have forced the Mountain View company to introduce internal weight changes. One of the most significant affects the policy of publication of scientific articles: if the content is considered strategic, an seizure of six months is imposed before making it public. In addition, the group led by The Nobel Prize winner Sir Demis Hassabis He has hardened his internal processes, with a stricter review. One of the researchers who spoke on condition of anonymity with Financial Times was clear: today he cannot imagine Google by publishing a document like Transformers for general use. In this new dynamic, they say, “the company has become more concerned about the product and less for sharing the results of the investigation for the benefit of the common good ”, an address that can generate some discomfort in the community. Images | Boliviainteligent | Google Deepmind In Xataka | Openai has just lifted the greatest financing round in history: there is a blind faith in the AI ​​despite everything

In the Norwegian cold war he devised a plan underground to detain the Soviet. Invasion to Ukraine has reactivated it

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The story took place at some point in The cold war. The plan started from a premise: how to contain a more than likely Soviet naval attack by one of the key maritime corridors in the Arctic Ocean? Thus the Term Bear Gap and a plan that germinated in a series of underground constructions with which Norway would put its grain of sand. Today, and after the Russian invasion in Ukraine, these secret constructions have reactivated. The origin of the bases. As we said, during the Cold War, the strategic location of Norway, close to the then Soviet Union, carried out the country to carry out a plan: build approximately 3,000 underground facilities destined to protect aircraft, submarines and troops both Norwegians and allies before a possible attack by Moscowand thus placate the offensive. Many of these structures, camouflaged in mountains and fjords, remained in secret even for the local population. Among them, the Bardufoss Air Base and the Naval Base of Olavsvernauthentic fortified complexes excavated in rock which had hangars, command centers, maintenance areas, fuel storage and underground exits designed to resist nuclear attacks. The reactivation. As I counted The BBC weekenddecades after the collapse of the USSR, Norway has decided to reactivate Bardufoss and Olavsvern due to the deterioration of regional security after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the increased activity Russian military in the Arctic since the mid -2000s. The Bardufoss Air Base, opened in 1938 and Used by Germans During World War II to protect TIRPITZ battleshipwas adapted in the postwar to protect combat planes against a possible Soviet offensive. Today, modernized and equipped to accommodate F-35 Lightning IIits main function is guarantee survival of these aircraft before threats such as kamikaze drones, whose effectiveness It has been tested In the Ukrainian conflict. Unlike improvised solutions in battlefields, such as networks or tire covers, Bardufoss offers real protection thanks to their hardened shelters under the mountain. One of the underground bases used in the past by the United States Olavsvern and its importance. It We explained recently. The Naval Base of Olavsvern, built from the 50s With strong financial support from NATO, it was conceived to control The so -called Bear Gapa vital maritime step between the Norwegian coast, the island of the bear and Svalbard, where they traditionally travel Russian submarines towards the Atlantic. Olavsvern has an underground port with direct exit to the sea, dry dock, control center and large logistics facilities, protected by thick layers of Gabbro and a monumental anti-explosion door. Although Its closure in 2009 and its subsequent private sale (in A controversial operation that even allowed access to Russian vessels), in 2020 the company Wilnor Governmental Services, linked to the Norwegian Defense Ministry, He regained his control And he began his rehabilitation. Currently, the base has once again received active military presence and, As we countthe United States Navy has shown great interest in using it for its nuclear submarines. Bear Gap. It is of a strategic term used to describe that maritime corridor between the coast of Norway, the Bear Island (Bear Island) and the Svalbard archipelago, in the Arctic Ocean. The area is considered a key step or natural strangulation (Chokepoint) where Russian submarines and warships that seek to leave from the base of the fleet of northern Russia, located on the Kola Peninsula, towards the North Atlantic. During the cold war and even today, NATO considers this corridor a Critical point to monitordetect and, if necessary, block Russian naval forces, since it is one of the most accessible routes that connects the Barents Sea with the Atlantic. Hence, bases such as Olavsvern and other Norwegian facilities in the Arctic have so much strategic importance. Controlling or monitoring this step is essential to prevent Russian submarines with strategic (nuclear or conventional) missiles can operate freely in the Atlantic. The Arctic Resurgence. Far from being an isolated phenomenon, the reactivation of these bases is part of a broader trend. Russia He has reopened nearly 50 military facilities Arctic of the Soviet era, while countries like Sweden They have reactivated its underground naval base of Muskö and China has built New underground complexes For submarines and command centers. They will, meanwhile, too has followed this path with his “Missile City” In the Persian Gulf. Norway, aware of the intensification of Russian military exercises in the Arctic and their renewed interest in exploiting natural resources in the region, has resumed its defensive logic of dispersion and protection undergroundnot only for its strength, but also as an essential point of support for NATO. Utility and limitations of bunkers. It is the last of the legs to be treated. Despite their apparent strategic value, experts warn that Reactivate old bunkers presents Important challenges. Many have been dismantled, flooded or present degraded structures, making their modernization expensive and complex. In addition, the truth is that facilities such as Olavsvern have already been identified by satellites as a potential objective for decades, reducing any type of surprise factor. Thus, analysts also agree that underground facilities are still One of the best defenses Faced with modern aerial threats, including guided missiles, provided that their vulnerabilities are correctly updated. Norway seems to bet on resilience and deterrence, accepting that, given strategic uncertainty, underground security remains a prudent and effective option, especially in a region where Russia seems determined to project all its can. Image | Rawpixel, Marine In Xataka | The US plan B in the Arctic is an underwater cave in Norway. The only drawback is that it is not for sale In Xataka | Trump wants to keep Greenland. There are two countries for which it would be a serious problem: China and Russia

The plan to empty in six days its islands closest to Taiwan

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Two news in recent months have ended up becoming a revealing announcement. The first occurred at the end of January, when many of the Sakishima Islands (the closest to Taiwan) began a series of a series of any weekend Evacuation drills. Shortly after, Japan made a historical decision: deploy long -range missiles In some of these islands. How much? Enough to get to China. Now, in the face of doubts to a war conflict, it has officialized a plan. Evacuate mission. Japan has presented for the first time A formal plan To evacuate more than 100,000 civilians, including residents and tourists, of the remote islands near Taiwan, specifically Sakishima archipelagolocated at the southwest end of the country. The plan occurs in a context of growing military tension In the Taiwan Strait, where the threat of a possible Chinese invasion has generated concern in Tokyo and the international community. To be exact, the measure includes the evacuation of Approximately 110,000 residents and 10,000 tourists through the mobilization of ships and airplanes to eight prefectures of Western and Southwestern Japan, with the goal of completing the operation in a Maximum period of six days. The evacuees would be initially transferred to the island of Kyushu and from there distributed to different destinations that are already being prepared with temporary accommodations. Military and drill preparations. As we said at the beginning, the drills have been carried out In the last datesbut without great explanations about the main reason. Now, and as part of the reinforcement of security and logistics preparation, the Japanese government has announced that as of April next year it will carry out Evacuation exercises In the Sakishima Islands, which are part of the Okinawa Prefecture, a key region that houses almost 50,000 American soldiers and that has historically been considered strategic for the defense of Japan. In addition, and as we count a few days ago, the installation of units of Surface-Aire missiles on the island of Yonagunilocated only 100 km from Taiwan, and the construction of provisional underground shelters, equipped with food and supplies for at least two weeks. These measures seek to improve defense capacity in the event of an eventual attack and ensure the protection of local populations. Increasing tensions. Although the evacuation plan does not explicitly mention Taiwan, it is evident that the growing possibility that the self -governor island (claimed by China as part of its territory) becomes the epicenter of a military conflict has been the trigger for the initiative. China ha Increased military pressure About Taiwan in recent years and has not ruled out the use of force to Force “reunification”. The precedent of the Russian invasion to Ukraine and the hardening positions Geopolitics, especially after Donald Trump’s return to the presidency of the United States, has increased the fear that the Taiwan Strait becomes the next great focus of conflict in Asia. United States and the weakness of the alliance. Possibly, the key reason that has led to Japan to missile implantation long range and to formalize an evacuation plan is uncertainty with the United States. In fact, the evacuation plan has been widely Extended in Taiwanwhere it has generated worrying interpretations about the reliability of regional alliances. Many Taiwanese and local analysts see the Japanese initiative as a sign that Tokyo does not trust In which Washington, under the policy of “America First” of Trump, maintains your commitment to defense against a conflict in the Strait. To this we must add the Recent statements from Trumpquestioning the reciprocity of the United States-Japan Security Treaty and highlighting that Tokyo It is not obliged To defend the United States in case of aggression, which has accentuated these concerns. A culture broth that has led to the perception that Japan is preparing “discreetly” to ensure its withdrawal of vulnerable areas without depending on US intervention. Reinforce regional defense. As we also said, Japan, in addition to the evacuation and militarization of the Sakishima Islands, has intensified its defensive strategy through the planned deployment of long -range missiles In Kyushu, expanding its ability to respond to threats from the Asian continent. Simultaneously, the Senkaku Islandsdisputed with China and administered by Japan, continue to be a friction point that could further complicate security in the region. The Japanese government has made it clear that all these measures are part of a comprehensive strategy Based on the forecast of “imminent armed attacks”, as Yoshimasa Hayashi, chief secretary of the Cabinet said. Vulnerability in the islands. The population of the most exposed islands shares government concern. In this regard, The Guardian told That Gen Nakatani, Minister of Defense, recently recognized the “strong sense of crisis” that is perceived among the inhabitants of these islands, who have historically witnessed the territorial disputes and military maneuvers in the region. The proximity of Yonaguni and other islands of the archipelago to the Strait of Taiwan, as well as the growing presence of China in the surrounding waters, make the feeling of threat constant. Therefore, the combination of planned evacuationstrengthening shelters, Armament deployment And cooperation with Washington, despite tensions, has a fairly clear objective: reinforce Japan’s resilience to a possible military escalation. Image | US Pacific Fleet In Xataka | Japan has made a historical decision in the face of the uncertainty of the US: to display missiles that reach North Korea and China In Xataka | The Japan islands closest to Taiwan have begun to evacuate the area. They have been preparing for the worst for two years

Mexico’s plan to disarm its population

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The scene is the least shocking. Throughout the last weeks, in Mexico City or more recently in locations in the states of Gentleman and Chiapasrows of armed people with revolvers, shotguns, rifles, cartridges and bullets have been organized. They are not military. No traffickers. No police. In the tails you can see citizens of all kinds, from men with their children to the elderly, ladies or young people. Everyone does the same: They wait for their turn patiently before a tent occupied by military With their weapons or ammunition under your arm. They are there to make a peculiar barter: change their weapons for money or appliances. And incidentally contribute to Claudia Sheinbaum’s last attempt by fight violence In Mexico, the program “Yes to disarmament, yes to peace”. Gun by toasters? It is a peculiar barter, but that is what has been done This Monday in Tapachulaa town of Chiapas, on the southern border of Mexico. There, in the Municipal Palace, a collection point was set up with Army personnel for citizens who wanted to deliver their weapons in exchange for a reward. Which? In this case, appliances, such as Inform The EFE agency. The first to participate was a young man who got rid of a revolver of the 38 caliber. It is not known what he received in return, but in The photos The ceremony shows that in the position mounted by the Government there are several boxes with whippers or coffee makers. Tapachula’s act marks the beginning of A campaign of collection of weapons, ammunition and explosives that will run until Saturday by other locations in the state of Chiapas, such as Metapa or Mazatán. And why do we collect weapons? For destroy them. Or at least remove them from the streets. In the post of Tapachula could be seen in fact how, after receiving the 38 caliber revolver, the army staff I was useless live. Although The goal Last is more ambitious: what Sheinbaum is looking is fight crimesviolence and insecurity, in addition to accidents. “Weapons are a symbol of violence and death. We do not want any family to have a weapon at home,” He claimed The Mexican president in January, when she presented the campaign, baptized ‘Yes to disarmament, yes to peace’. The Secretary of the Government Rosa Icela went further when talking about the campaign and made her claim clear: “Each weapon received is a crime or injury less.” Rewards … and anonymity. To encourage people to take out the guns, rifles and cartridges that may have been stored, sometimes for years and inheritances, the Mexican government has played two large buzas. A, Anonymity. Another, the reward, either in pesos or with appliances, as seen This same week In the state of Chiapas. One of the key messages From the campaign ‘yes to disarmament, yes to peace’ is that citizens can get rid of their guns, bullets and explosives Without having to give explanations nor fear that the exchange activates an investigation into its origin. “The collection of weapons will depend on the population attending the exchange module voluntarily and anonymously, without legal consequences for the fact of possessing armament,” they collect The bases published by the Mexican Executive. Click on the image to go to Tweet. A good gesture … with a reward included. Although the government insists In the advantages of the program for the population, who participate directly has offered another more palpable reward: money. As collect The countrythe General Secretariat of the Interior has set certain amounts that apply depending on the characteristics of the weapon, its model, caliber or useful life. The exchanges can in fact at 26,450 pesos, just over 1,200 euros. In the case of a grenade, the planned payments move between 12 and 70 dollars. On other occasions what is offered in exchange for guns and rifles are appliances. It could be seen a few days ago In Tapachulabut also in the municipality of Progreso de Obregón, in the Hildago state. The National Defense Secretariat itself I recently uploaded photos To his X profile in which he saw how a military distributed boxes with toasters or plates, among other devices. The initiative also has a pedagogical dimension and aspires to transfer a message to the new generations of Mexicans. During the presentation of the CDMX campaign there were children who exchanged “war” toys, such as plastic guns, for others without that connotation. “The objective (is) that no boy or girl has a toy that has to do with violence. We replace a war for another educational,” advocated At the beginning of the Sheinbaum year. Is it a new idea? Not quite. Is The first time that the strategy to withdraw weapons from households and the streets is launched nationwide, but before it had already been launched in the capital, where Sheinbaum exercised for years as Head of Government of CDMX. In fact in The official website From the capital administration there is a section dedicated to the program ‘Yes to disarmament, yes to La Paz’ in which it stands out that since its inception, in 2019, 6,546 weapons were recorded. “It seeks to withdraw the weapons of the civilian population, whether they have acquired it legally or illegally, to reduce high -impact crimes associated with firearms,” argues The CDMX government. For now and expect the campaign Keep advancingthis new effort seems to be also paying off. In February Icela stressed that in just one month he had served to collect 540 weapons and on March 21 that figure had fired until The thousand. That without counting 84 large, thousands of bullets and several dynamite cartridges. Images | Government Secretariat of Mexico City (X) and National Defense Secretariat (X) In Xataka | Mexico has forbidden to kill or hurt bulls in runs. Spain already tried in the Balearic Islands and did not go well

The Government approves the new Plan for DTT. One with more 4K channels and the nth “blackout”

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The Council of Ministers He has approved today the new National Technical Technical Technical Plan. His great objective, As we mentionedis to generalize emissions with quality UHD/4K so that the quality of these emissions is as much as possible. But to that prominence of the emissions in 4K another news is added. 4K EMISSIONS BY FLAG. With this new plan, both the legal and the technic framework are established so that the DVB-T2 transmission technology is adopted at all levels (state, autonomous and local). That will allow all emissions to end up making the leap to the quality of ultra high definition (UHD, also known as 4K, although There are slight differences). The immediate future. The Royal Decree must be confirmed by Congress within a maximum period of one month. From there, both the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Secretary of State for Telecommunications must initiate the frequency migration process and technical adjustments. That will allow the emission spectrum to adapt to that new situation. SIGHTING RESTIPIZATION. As indicated In The Objectivethey will have to migrate a daring channel, another of Mediaset and the Radio Blanca (DKISS) signal. That will force consumers to suffer their televisions or TDT adapters. It is not known when it will be necessary to carry out that subsidization of the channels, but it will probably occur in autumn of 2025. It is the nth “blackout of the DTT”, a necessary process to enjoy these new channels in UHD quality. The next to have UHD channels. This reorganization will allow both Atresmedia and Mediaset to have a frequency with UHD emissions each. It is for example what TVE already has, which has been using this channel in tests for a year, and also leaves the door open so that other chains can also request UHD emissions. A two -phase process. The first plan will work to “favor the implementation of technology”, so that the adaptation of the TV receptor park is promoted To be compatible with DVB-T2. From there, phase 2 will begin, with a global implementation of this technology and UHD quality in all TDT services. And new auction channel. All these changes will allow according to the announcement that a part of the capacity of one of the multiple digital is free for a new standard quality channel (SD) of state. The license of said channel will be held soon, so the offer of TDT channels will be expanded, explain those responsible for the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function. Deadlines. If everything goes as expected, after the theoretical final approval of the Congress, the bidding sheets would be prepared in the same month of April, the contest to auction the new channel would be held in May. Before the summer, the award should have been completed, which would prepare us for that reseintonization when the 2025-2026 course begins. Who will that channel be? According to The Objective, the great candidate to keep that channel is a group of shareholders of the Prisa Group. They already have 20 million euros of budget for the first three years and the objective would be to get 3% of Share at the end of that period. Nothing is determined, and both Atresmedia and Mediaset or even Telefónica seem to be considering presenting their offers. Image | TIM MOSSHOLDER In Xataka | The DTT changes again in 2025: what will we need on our TV so that the transition to DVB-T2 does not affect us

They are not going to fit the 60,000 satellites that plan Spacex and company

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More than 10,000 active satellites Orbit our planet. Two thirds are from the Starlink constellation Spacex, which has A team working 24/7 to prevent collisions against other satellites and large fragments of space garbage, of which there are at least 40,000. It is a known problem, but we did not expect it to get worse for climatic reasons. The effect of climate change on space garbage. Carbon dioxide emissions, responsible for global warming due to their greenhouse effect, cause the opposite effect on the upper atmosphere, cooling and shrinking the highest layers, which makes the atmosphere itself become less dense. This phenomenon favors the accumulation of space garbage. As? The upper atmosphere acts as a natural “cleaner” for space garbage. When the objects orbit near the earth, they touch the atmosphere, however light, slowly slowing down until they fall and burned. But, with a thinner atmosphere, this cleaning effect weakens significantly, which means that space garbage remains in orbit longer. The projections are scary. According to a study published in Nature SustainabilityIf we continue to generate greenhouse gas emissions without control, the atmosphere will become so thin that, by 2050, the ability to house satellites of the low terrestrial orbit orbit would be reduced by 27%. By the end of the century, the reduction would be between 50 and 66%. The study introduces the concept of “instant orbital capacity” to calculate how many satellites can operate simultaneously without generating uncontrolled growth of space garbage, emphasizing the cyclic variability of the sun: during the minimum solar, the atmosphere is further contract. The problem of constellations. The growing technological demand of the land orbit is dominated by Starlink, which will soon follow other Chinese, European and American constellations with their Plans to launch up to 60,000 satellites In the coming years. The low orbit (between 200 and 1,000 km of altitude) where most satellites operate could become unsustainable. In the worst stage, a single collision would cause A destructive waterfall Known as Kessler syndrome: a chain reaction in which each shock generates more fragments, exponentially multiplying the amount of space garbage and returning the practically useless earth orbit. What we are doing to avoid it. Beyond reducing emissions that aggravate this phenomenon with the energy transition, there are companies and space agencies Testing techniques to remove space trashlike the famous satellites capable of capturing old objects. But the most effective solution, which bets on the European space agency in its Strategy 2040is to stop adding trash through launching and design regulations of the strictest satellites. Jared Isaacman, nominated for NASA administrator, stressed in his X account the seriousness of the problem: “Even an aluminum fragment of millimeter size, traveling at orbital speed, can cause considerable damage,” wrote. For Isaacman, the solution is to immediately stop the creation of new space garbage and Avoid military conflicts in orbitthat could trigger the dreaded Kessler syndrome. Image | Max Alexander/Steve Kelly (ESA) In Xataka | Space garbage is such a real problem that Starlink satellites make thousands of evasion maneuvers every month

The US has drawn its polygraph. The person who leaked that Elon Musk has the secret plan of a war with China is sought

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The story began Last Thursday. Apparently, the Pentagon had organized an informative meeting for Elon Musk. So far, all more or less “normal” The government role who has obtained the richest man in the world since Trump was re -elected. The problem was the task of the apparent meeting, According to the New York Times: Put Musk aware of the Military Secret Plan that has in the United States before a possible war war with China. The schism has been such that Pentagon itself seeks at this time to the culprit. Presidential denial. After the Times articlePresident Donald Trump did not take long in reject publicly The possibility that Musk has access to secret military plans related to a potential conflict with China. As we said, according to the newspaper, Musk would have been scheduled to receive a high -level informative session in the Pentagon on US military strategies against Chinawhat aroused concern due to their extensive commercial links With that country. Trump denied the existence of this session and said that, although Musk is significantly helping the government, identifying “waste, fraud and abuse,” It would not be appropriate Sharing high sensitivity information, emphasizing that, in his opinion, Musk himself would not want to put himself in that position. The visit and multiple interpretations. Musk, CEO of Spacex and Tesla, in addition to part -time government advisor, visited the pentagon the day after the exclusive Times, on Friday, March 22, and said A private meeting Of more than an hour with the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and with the Vice Chief of the Joint General Staff, Admiral Christopher W. Gray. Originally, according to two officials cited by the TimesMusk was going to be received in “The Tank”, a high security conference room within the building, to discuss defense strategies in case of a confrontation with China. It was also mentioned that the meeting would include Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, head of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. However, this last session seems that It was finally canceled After the publication of the article. Musk finally met at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, not in the “Safe Sala”, which could have limited access to classified material. Postures and ambiguity. During an event in the Oval office in which Trump and Hegseth announced a new defense contract for the new Air Force hunting, Both denied The version of Times, describing it as “a false story.” Hegseth insisted that the visit It was informal and revolved around government efficiency issues. Trump claimed to have learned of the alleged classified session Through the newspaper And he declared that he had called his chief of Cabinet and Hegseth to confirm the veracity of the information, who discarded it as absurd. Despite this, Trump took the opportunity to underline that, due to Musk’s businesses in China, It would be reckless Share sensitive military plans, marking one of the clearest limits so far regarding the relationship between the tycoon and the administration. Lack of clarity. I counted in Another later article The Times there are areas Gray at the meeting. Neither Musk nor Hegseth answered questions from the press at the end of it. When questioned by a reporter of the Times about the content of the meeting, Hegseth replied Dry: “Why would I tell you?”, Before retiring without clarifications. A senior defense official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said Musk attended to provide, and not receive, an informative session focused on industrial policy and sharing experiences linked to their companies. Trump, meanwhile, He reaffirmed this version Subsequently, stating that the visit was related to Musk’s efforts to reduce the size of the government and improve the efficiency of public spending. Tension after controversy. Be that as it may, the United States Department of Defense has started formal investigationwhich includes the use of polygraph tests, to identify those responsible for internal leaks after the accusations arising around Musk’s recent visit to Pentagon. The decision was promoted after Musk itself publicly demandedthrough Your social network Xthe prosecution of Pentagon officials that would be disseminating “maliciously false information” about their relationship with the military institution. Criminal implications. Before the magnitude of the scandal, Joe Kasper, Hegseth Cabinet Chief, announced the immediate start of research to identify unauthorized leaks of information on national security. In a memorandum issued on March 21, Kasper indicated that the investigation will collect A complete record of unauthorized disseminations within the Department of Defense and will issue recommendations to improve confidentiality protocols. Who are responsible will be referred to criminal authorities corresponding for prosecution. This investigative offensive, which includes interrogations with lies detector, represents an unprecedented response within the American defense apparatus and reflects the level of concern generated by filtration. Tesla and China. The truth is that the controversy that has emerged is much less trivial, and has to do with the Musk’s delicate balance Between the two powers. Tesla, Musk’s automotive company, has been one of The big beneficiaries of Chinese policies in favor of electric vehicles. His factory in Shanghai is the biggest and company productive, and represents approximately 37% of its global sales. To fully operate in the country, Tesla has received incentivesregulatory approvals and privileged access to the market, including authorizations to display autonomous driving technology. Starlink and China. In parallel, Spacex and its Starlink satellite system, essential for the operations of the Department of Defense, place Musk in a dual position: as a key supplier for the national security of the United States and as an entrepreneur with strong interests in a rival power. Dissonance becomes even more evident for the past comments of Musk himself, who Taiwan has described as “an integral part of China” and has proposed a reintegration model similar to Hong Kong’s, ideas that have been Well received in Beijing But harshly criticized by Taipei and by US officials. Concern in Congress. Had the weekend The Washington Post That both Republican and Democratic legislators have expressed concerns about how the Chinese Communist … Read more

Europe’s access depends on the United States. ESA has presented a strategic plan to become independent

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Guarantee the technological autonomy of Europe in space will be key in the rearma of the European Union. He ESE Strategic Plan For the next 15 years it has just made it clear. The document, entitled “Strategy 2040: raising the future of Europe”, establishes as one of the priorities of the space agency to strengthen autonomous access to orbit and independent from NASA. At what point is that. With an annual budget of 7.7 billion euros, the European Space Agency has a powerful scientific exploration program: it has just presented The first Euclid space telescope data set, He is on his way to Jupiter’s icy moons with Juice and Has Hera traveling to the Dimorfo asteroid as a spatial defense mission. ESA also develops the Galileo navigation system of the European Commission, which is more precise than the American GPSis behind one of the most advanced land observation programs that exist: the constellation of Sentinel satellites, which is part of the European Copernicus program. Also together with the European Commission, ESA just closed An agreement of 10,000 million euros (between public and private funds) to build the constellation of Iris2 satellites. The objective: reduce the strategic disadvantage of Europe in front of the Starlink constellation and the incipient Chinese constellations. Europe also has a wide network of observatories and the ability to communicate with deep space with antennas in Madrid, Argentina and Australia. In fact, one of the NASA deep space network stations (DSN) has A station operated by INTA in Robledo de ChavelaMadrid, from where he communicates with his Martian rovers and other probes. What depends on NASA. ESA does not have its own spacecraft to transport astronauts. From the veto to Russia and its Soyuz capsules, it depends exclusively on the Crew Dragon ships of Spacex to access the International Space Station, either in NASA long -term missions or in commercial missions of short duration of the AXIOM company. The same thing happens with the Artemis missions to the moon. ESA is one of NASA’s most important partners in its lunar program. Plans to carry up to 1,500 kg of load With each flight of the Argonaut lunar moduleand has contributed a key component of the manned ship Orion: the service module. However, NASA has prioritized the presence of a Canadian astronaut in the Artemis II mission and A Japanese astronaut In the future of the launning. The giant’s rear. While that collaborates closely with NASA in many important missions, such as the detection of objects close to Earth, James Webb space telescope or the mission of recovery of land samples mars mars sample return (Now in pause), Much of its infrastructure follows the rear of the American space agency. Especially in launching capacity. In addition to the best funded space agency (25.4 billion dollars of annual budget), the United States has the most buoyant and advanced private space industry in the world. Spacex puts 80% of the mass that is launched globally a year, and is the only company, along with Rocket Lab, which usually reuses its pitchers. In recent years, Europe has had to launch some of its most important missions (including Galileo strategic satellites) in Falcon 9 rockets of Spacex for an internal crisis of pitchers. The European plan. For all the above, added to the political context, one of the central objectives of the EES in its Strategy 2040 is to reduce the dependence of the United States in spatial matters. A good part of their future public contracts will be oriented to boost the growth and competitiveness of the European private space industry. The goal is to generate more than 250,000 jobs related to space in Europe. At the same time, ESA will take advantage of its research facet to collaborate more closely with European universities in the development of new generation technologies. For this they need to attract talent to the careers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, so it starts from the work will be inspired by young people with space missions and the communication work of their astronauts, Among them Pablo Álvarez and Sara García. Reusable rockets. European releases have been stagnant in an inefficient duopoly: heavy satellites are thrown with French Ariane rockets and light satellites do it aboard Italian rockets Vega. Ariane 6 and Vega C are barely beginning to operate normally after erratic years, but its disposable nature puts Europe in a vulnerable situation against Spacex and the US New Space. Things are going to start changing. The German company Isar Aerospace could become this March 24 In the first European company that launches a commercial rocket, the Spectrum, to the land orbit. The Spanish PLD Space hopes to do it at the end of the year with the Miura 5ura rocket. There are only two examples of the effervescent panorama of European microlanzores, but all have in common the support of the ESA and ambitious plans to turn their rockets into reusable. Pld ha announced even a manned ship called lynx. At the forefront. Recovering the lost terrain with its own reusable rocket ecosystem and manned ships is only part of the plan. ESA also plans to expand its satellite constellations, lead the world in the elimination of space garbage, participate in future orbital stations and lunar bases, and develop high thrust engines such as Spacex or Blue Origin, for which you have granted A contract to the Spanish company PANGEA AEROSPACE. He does not expect to have everything ready suddenly, but the strategic plan projects an increase in launches from 2030 and an increasing capacity to launch heavier loads at more distant orbits, without depending on foreign pitchers and without neglecting the development of other technologies, such as advanced communications systems and autonomous capabilities for asteroid surveillance. In short, give the 23 member states that finance ES an autonomous access to space. A matter of money. In return, the European Space Agency asks Europe for something very concrete: more money. Its budget is less … Read more

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