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‘Mickey 17’ is the new dystopian science fiction film that leads the box office. The problem is not enough

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There are times in which to crown the box office with a number 1 means nothing: ‘Mickey 17’, the new Bong Joon Ho movie, director of ‘Parasites‘ and ‘Snowpiercer‘, has been number 1 on American lists. Even so, the high cost of this ecologist dystopia of satirical dyes make it a questionable investment for Warner and, above all, the finding that in Hollywood they still do not curdle the ambitious projects that are not sequelae or reboots. The figures. ‘Mickey 17’ He has pocketed Only in the United States 19.1 million dollars, which are added 25.4 in 66 international territories. Not bad for a real -extravagant movie and that has dethroned films such as Marvel’s last captain America (also with good collection, but with a trajectory that has had to turn on Some other red light in Disney). However, its cost of 118 million, to which to add about 80 in marketing and distribution, leaves the approximately 300 million that it should raise so that Warner does not consider it a failure. A quick comparison. If the question is whether these amounts are expected, we can compare them with those of your immediate rival at the box office: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ collected 88 million at the box office In its first weekend, and although it started from a budget much higher than the one to aim (200 million), to exceed 50 million in the United States would have been closer to a satisfactory figure for Warner. Doubtful direction. To this initial collection, which The first analyzes estimate as insufficient Before the challenge of reaching the 300 million commented, it is added that the film has not aroused a unanimous opinion between criticism and public: Its mere 78%-72% In ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ it is not especially high (especially considering that its director has signed films that have previously dazzled to public and critical). Among the obstacles of the film to improve its collection in successive weeks is the extravagant argument (Pattinson gives life to a worker who in the future is cloned again and again every time he dies in the course of the dangerous mission of helping to colonize an icy world), and also his tone of farce, acid and very little commercial, which is detected in all the films of the Korean director, but that is ever unleashed here. Warner: decisive year. Without successes guaranteed as new sequelae of its star franchises (‘Dune‘ and ‘Godzilla‘) In perspective, Warner has a year full of very expensive productions but are not a guaranteed success. For example, ‘Alto Knights’, Robert De Niro’s return to a certain “prestigious” cinema; ‘Sinners’, one blaxoploitation vampire of the director of ‘Black Panther’; ‘A Minecraft movie’, whose first advances have a chilling appearance; and the start of James Gunn DC Universewhich looks very good, but that does not have the best precedents. Only sequelae. The prick of ‘Mickey 17’ is one more symptom of the latest trends of a Hollywood that seems to have turned its back on the original high -budget products: by sujuesto that there is always space for a ‘Anoraor any other bombing indie. But The 2024 figures made it clear: sequels and REBOOTS They mark the step at the box office: no Top 10 movie was completely original. The success of ‘Barbie’ (which is not that it was an absolutely isolated product of a franchise) and ‘Oppenheimer’ the previous year It was little more than a mirage. Without franchise there is no return. There is an extra detail that should underline so that it does not go unnoticed: the budget of 120 million dollars is high, but it is triggered to levels that rival the Marvel herself if we add the very high expenses in marketing. This means that on many occasions, the films bet in a lost depth, knowing that only with a box office can not be recovered, but trusting that it is achieved with derived products: books, video games, attractions in parks, spin-offs … and above all, that money serves as something already invested as part of the future marketing of sequelae. A fish that bite the tail and is condemning the original blockbusters such as ‘Mickey 17’. Header | Warner In Xataka | Warner has a problem with the new Harry Potter series: JK Rowling’s opinions

We have a problem with the future of cement and excess plastic. Someone has come up with the most obvious

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Mortar is easy. We have been doing thousands of years and, although we have refined the formula so that it is not the same as They used 10,000 years ago in Jericho or in the construction of First pyramids of Egyptthe recipe is simple. A part of cement (or an binder in antiquity), one of water and three of sand. With that, we have a mixture that carries millennia serving perfectly. But, although we have been polishing the formula with best materialsthe mortar has several problems, and the researchers at the University of Newcastle have proposed solve them. As? With an ecological mortar that adds plastic to the dough. Sand at the point of view. The use of sand is Key for mortar production. Also for concrete, this being a material that we have been trying to withdraw thanks to alternatives They appear from time to time. And the reason to use sand is a problem is because We are exhausting reservations World Cups of this material. In addition, make mortar, cement and concrete It is very polluting. HE esteem That the cement industry is responsible for approximately 5% of CO₂ global emissions and, this being a fundamental component of the mortar and concrete, the more we reduce its use, the better. Extracting sand can also cause ecological damage In rivers and beaches, as well as health risks due to particle inhalation, for example. Ecological mortar. It is there where research to create green concrete or the one we mention from the University of Newcastle comes into play. In his studyThe team details how thanks to Aergel Silica and recycled plastic they have created a new mortar that manages to be respectful of the environment. The team developed different mixtures by adding more or less substitute for the sand and found that the most effective is the one with 7% of silica aerogels and 3% of PET plastic. White is the silica aerogel. THE GRAY THE PET Plastic Rescue plastic. But … effective in what? Well, curiously, this new mortar comes to solve several problems of conventional sand. The first thing that highlights is that the new mixture of mortar is able to reduce the loss of heat from a structure by up to 55% if compared to the conventional mortar. This helps both to cool a stay in summer and to retain heat in cold months. This occurs because conventional mortar is a bad thermal insulator, allowing heat to escape easily. But not only this: the new mortar is also lighter than the conventional one, which implies a lower cost in transport by associated fuel savings. Thermal conductivity tests of this ecological mortar. We need to try it in the real world … 2×1. Apart from contributing to a construction more efficient at the energy level, this plastic -based mortar Solve another problem directly. PET plastic particles used come from crushed plastic waste (bottles, mainly), so the massive use in mortar can help reduce that contamination of plastics that brings us head. Tests are missing. The team explains that they have achieved British standards for the construction of this new mortar and are already working on the following big step: finding collaborators as a construction company to request financing and build a house with the ecological mortar. It is what will allow them to obtain the direct evidence of that potential energy savings, something that until they put into practice in a large -scale real environment, it remains only in the theory. But well, while we wait to see if they get that opportunity, the truth is that it is striking how researchers from the whole globe are committed to Jubilate cement, mortar and concrete. Another thing is that the new more ecological alternatives are able to compete in costs, which is what would ultimately convince those who raise the buildings. Images | Newcastle University, Scientedirect In Xataka | In Europe, recycled plastic is worth more than the new and the culprit is a known old man: the councils directive

Finland has a problem with renewables. You will solve it by building a storage megabattery

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Finland has experienced A rapid growth of wind energy, becoming the second source of electricity in the country. However, the Nordic country is presented with a challenge with the characteristic intermission in this type of sources. Finland has found a great solution to this problem. The largest in the country. A new battery storage project It has been approved Em Nivala, Finland. The companies in charge will be Locus Energy of Seb Nordic Energy and Ingrid Capacity AB, and the construction begins immediately. An expansion of renewables. Finland has not taken into account the intermission of wind after of his great betwhich It has caused fluctuations In electricity prices. During periods of excess production, prices can reach negative levels, which forces us to pay more. To give an example, last year, 725 hours were recorded with negative prices, compared to only five hours in 2021, exceeding 455 hours from Germany and other European countries, according to data from Aurora Energy Research that Bloomberg has had access. For this reason, this has generated an urgent need to store the surplus of electricity, and the batteries are presented as a solution. How will it be. The project will be 70 megawatts, which means that you can supply approximately 70,000 to 140,000 homes for an hour. The system will store that energy and release it when necessary, working for two hours at full capacity. The construction will begin immediately, and it is expected to be operational in the second half of 2026. But this is not the only one. Finland has been investigating storage for a while, because the government has established The goal of being totally neutral in carbon by 2035. In fact, it was in Finland when he began to experience With sand batterieswhich offer a long -term storage solution. Growth. Finland has joined a trend that many countries already adopt and that have found in storage the response to combat the intermission of renewable energies. In fact, it is expected that by 2035 the new battery facilities will multiply by 10. In a Ránking of nations, for the moment China is in the leadfollowed by the United States, then the rest stays in Europe with Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. In The Spanish case Before the lack of sufficient batteries to store energy efficiently, Spain has resorted to its reservoirs. From a hydraulic pumping system it has managed to store energy. In fact, in the last 15 years, Spain has doubled the amount of energy stored through this method, which has allowed to better manage the intermission of renewable energies and optimize the use of clean energy sources. Bet on wind, and nuclear? Despite the growth of wind energy in Finland, the country Keep betting by nuclear energy because it is a constant source of electricity. In addition, Finland has advanced in the safe storage of nuclear waste, with The onkalo deposit to manage long -term waste. However, the country’s goal is to diversify its energy sources and has found in energy storage a solution to balance the variability of renewables and ensure stable supply. Image | Kallerna Xataka | Research on submarine cables cut in the Baltic has taken a turn: it was not Russia, it was inexperience

Hunting has been printed in the National ID of Spain for centuries. Now you have a problem: there is no relief

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Hunting ages in Spain. A lot. Fast. And in a way that invites you to think that in a matter of decades the collective, which until not so long ago He presumed That only federated soccer and basketball surpassed him in the number of federated, he will see his even smaller weight. This is reflected at least A study Posted in People and Nature in which it is analyzed how the practice of hunting in the Iberian Peninsula has evolved throughout the last half century and what are the forecasts for the next decades. The scenario they paint is not precisely flattering and leaves several questions, such as their impact on the mountains. Hunting in Spain, under examination. That is what a group of researchers has done, among which there are several members of the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIC), In a broad article Posted in the magazine People and Nature. The title already leaves little margin for interpretations: “The demographic collapse of hunting in the Iberian Peninsula”. For analysis, experts have analyzed six Spanish regions (Navarra, Madrid, Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia and Andalucía) and Portugal, covering a population of hunters that in 2020 reached 583,575. Work graph published by Mario Gaspar and the rest of the authors in “People and Nature”. A percentage: 45%. One of the first conclusions reached by researchers is that the population of hunters has been reduced notably during the last half century. And if the trend is maintained, it will continue to do so in the coming years. The study It shows that in the last and a half decade the number of hunters fell in the area analyzed by 26%, a percentage that rises to 45% if we expand the focus to 50 years. In practice that translates into moving from about 1.06 million in 1970 to just under 800,000 in 2005 and lowering the 600,000 in 2020. And the researchers already warn that the future does not paint better. “By 2050, if the average trends observed during the last five decades are followed, hunters throughout the study area are expected to decrease by 70%,” They point The authors of the study. As a reference, they remember that in 2007 Spain added 980,000 hunters, the second largest registration in Europe, only surpassed by France. Its calculations point out that in 2050 in the area studied, which does not cover the entire country but much of the territory will remain 176,815. The key: the generational relief. One of the great challenges with which hunting is the lack of wise new. The aging of the population, the rural exodus and social and cultural changes have taken its toll to the collective and that is clearly reflected in Your figures. Researchers talk about the fact that, at least in the regions they have analyzed, “recruitment” has decreased more than 89% in just 50 years. From 44,000 new hunters between 1970 and 1979, it went to less than 5,000 in the 2010 to 2020. And the descents were even greater in regions with a strong tradition, such as Castilla-La Mancha or Portugal, both with falls that exceed 90%. The result is that the participation of young people in hunting has dropped to “Historical minimum”further complicating the future of the activity. The largest proportion of young hunters is found in the smallest municipalities, of less than 100 inhabitants, where it reaches 14%. In the localities with more than 10,000 neighbors that incidence collapses below 1%. Work graph published by Mario Gaspar and the rest of the authors in “People and Nature”. ​ One more aged group. The result is obvious. It is increasingly easy to meet in Spain with major hunters, which have passed 60 years. And more difficult to see twenty -year -old or thirties by the mountain with the shotgun hanging on the shoulder. If the trend does not vary over the next few years the researchers already They warn that in the middle of this century the proportion of hunters who have already blown the 60 candles will go from 40 to 61%, thus becoming a comfortable majority. “The hunting population studied, with about 600,000 hunters, is strongly aged, being the most abundant cohort that between 61 and 70 years, and its prevalence is eight times higher in smaller populations than in large cities,” They reflect The authors of the study. The figures are again revealing: the strip of hunters from 61 to 70 years was the most abundant, with 23%, despite the fact that experts detected that the abandonment of hunting is accelerated from 65 years. The age cohort below 20 years is testimonial, with only 0.92%. Question of changes. Change hunting, but also changes society and the Spanish population itself. In fact your Paulatino Aging It coincides with that of the whole of society and the abandonment of the rural one, another key that seems to affect the practice of hunting. Researchers have proven that the average participation rate is much higher in small municipalities than in the large ones: in the villages of less than 100 neighbors it reaches 8%, compared to 1% in those of more than 100,000 inhabitants. With all the population weight of the latter, he explains that most hunters reside in large locations, especially those between 10,000 and 100,000 censored. The global photo can be even worse for the collective, since, like They recognize The authors themselves, the investigation does not cover the whole of the Spanish territory. “The real decrease rates throughout the Iberian Peninsula are probably higher, since the regions not included in our study, located mainly in the northwest of Spain, are the most aging and where the hunting is likely to have decreased more,” they assume. A fact, several questions. The study of People and Nature It is interesting because it reflects, with concrete figures and percentages, the “demographic collapse” that hunting in the peninsula is suffering. However, those same data leave some important questions, one of them outlined In the report itself: … Read more

Tariffs imposed by the US to Mexico are going to shoot many prices. Those of these car brands are going to be a problem

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The United States decision of Implement 25% tariffs On the imports of Mexico and Canada it will have many and varied consequences, but there is a sector that will be specially affected by it: the automotive industry, especially from North America. After several postponements, the measure entered into force on March 4without the possibility of a new negotiation. There are already names of affected companies and models. An interconnected industry. Throughout the last three decades in the United States, with The signature of the NAFTA (Gasoline) in 1994 and its subsequent evolution towards the T-MEC (USMCA), car manufacturers have developed supply chains highly interdependentin which engines, transmissions and other components cross the borders multiple times before assembling in a final vehicle. The premise behind this model is clear: take advantage of the economic and logistics strengths of each country to reduce costs, improve efficiency and offer more competitive prices to its consumers. However, new tariffs could break this structure, drastically more expensive and generating uncertainty about what cars will be considered imported or national. What is really an imported car. It had the New York Times. Before talking about the repercussions, it should be explained how a vehicle is “mounted”. The central problem of tariffs is that defining what an imported car is is not so simple. In legal terms (and USA key), a vehicle is classified as imported when its final assembly occurs outside the United States. However, the complexity of supply chains This definition has become obsolete. The medium exposed concrete examples of this interconnection. Namely: the Chevrolet Blazer is assembled in Mexico, but uses engines and transmissions made in the United States, the Nissan Altim He assembles in the United States but with only 25% of its American parts (the engine comes from Japan and the transmission of Mexico). Extra ball. There is another problem: that the Trump administration has not specified How will you apply tariffs To these components that cross the border several times. This, no doubt, generates a climate of uncertainty for manufacturers, who do not know how to calculate production costs and define their commercial strategy. A true chaos. Affected companies and models. What seems clearly clear is that, if tariffs are permanently implemented, a summary of Several companies that could be forced to reconsider investments or even transfer production to other regions. Who is it? The main automotive with operations in Mexico and Canada that They would be impacted For tariffs they include: BMW: Its plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, produces series 3, 2 Coupé and M2 models, mainly intended for the US and global market. Ford: operates three floors in Mexico and exported almost 196,000 vehicles to North America in the first half of 2024, of which 90% went to the United States. General Motors (GM): It imported around 750,000 vehicles from Mexico and Canada in 2024, including key models such as Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra and SUV medium. In addition, its Mexican plants assemble two of its new electric vehicles (EVS). Honda: with 80% of its Mexican production for the United States, it already warned that it could rethink its manufacturing strategy if tariffs become permanent. KIA: Its factory in Mexico assembles its own models and the Santa Fe SUV for Hyundai, which are also exported to the United States. Mazda: exported 120,000 vehicles from Mexico to the United States in 2024 and evaluates to stop future investments if tariffs enter into force. Nissan: Its two plants in Mexico produce the Sentra, Versa and Kicks models for the United States, with a total of 505,000 units assembled in the first nine months of 2024. Stellantis: Assemble in Mexico the RAM, Vans and Jeep Compass trucks, in addition to manufacturing Chrysler models in Canada. In 2025, he plans to restart the production of a new Jeep model in his Canadian plant. TOYOTA: Produces Tacoma in its factories in Mexico, with more than 230,000 units sold in the United States in 2024, which represented 10% of its sales in that market. Volkswagen (VW): Its plant in Puebla, Mexico, manufactured about 350,000 vehicles in 2024, including the Jetta, Tiguan and Taos, all for export to the United States. Audi: His factory in San José Chiapa, Mexico, produces the Q5 and uses more than 5,000 people. Only in the first half of 2024, exported almost 40,000 units to the United States. Plus: In Canada, Volkswagen is building a battery gigafabrica in Ontario, which will begin production in 2027, a project that, obviously, could also be affected by commercial uncertainty. Possible consequences. The first is the most obvious and we can Explain with an example: If a car manufactured in Mexico has a base price of $ 25,000, a 25% tariff would add 6,250 to the final cost. In the market, the impact would be enormous: the car would be less competitive in front of the United States automotive industry and generate a tension in the commercial relations of both countries, since Mexico would begin to look to other sides. But there is more. First of all, Price increase For consumers in the United States. Additional costs could be transferred to customers, making cars, trucks and SUVs assembled in Mexico and Canada. The reduction of competitiveness is also pointed out, since brands such as Ford, GM, Toyota and VW could lose market participation against production manufacturers in the United States or outside North America. Plus: the Reconfiguration of the supply chainsince some companies could seek to transfer operations outside of Mexico or Canada to avoid tariffs, although this would imply high costs and prolonged deadlines. Finally, analysts also point to Impact on employment and investmentsince automotive plants in Mexico and Canada generate hundreds of thousands of jobs. Uncertainty about tariffs could cause investment reduction, mass layoffs and lower expansion of the sector in the region. How much prices will increase. It is the big question. Manufacturers have analyzed the direct impact of tariffs on production costs. According to Patrick Andersonfrom Anderson Economic Group, … Read more

Aemet already knows when the storm that is soaking Spain is over. The problem is that another act comes another

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Precipitation has returned to the east and southeast of the Peninsula. A Episode of instability whose ending to see the meteorologists. Of course, there are still days of heavy rains in much of the country. Last special notice. Yesterday Tuesday, the State Meteorology Agency (AEMET), updated its Special notice of adverse phenomena associated with storms that these days suffer different points of the Peninsula. In the notice, the agency, in addition to accounting for the weather forecasts, addressed the probable evolution of the event in the remainder of the week. Changes, perhaps not what we expected. Aemet’s forecasts indicate a trend change as of Friday. Of course, this change in the atmospheric situation will not imply the end of the rains. The reason is in An Atlantic storm which will become responsible for instability over the weekend. What will change will be the areas where the rains are concentrated. On Friday the instability will be reduced in the east peninsular, while in the west will begin to notice the arrival of the new storm. Aemet points out, of course, that uncertainty is high regarding this new meteorological phenomenon. Meanwhile… Waiting for the arrival of the change in trend, Aemet warns of the persistence of the rains. According to their forecasts For today, “strong and/or persistent rainfall” is expected that will affect a good part of the east and southeast peninsular, as well as the environment of the central, narrow system and areas of Malaga, the agency indicates. Accumulated rainfall could occur in Castellón, Valencia, Murcia and Almería. In some areas of these provinces, the 100 millimeters could be exceeded. The notices Yellow by rains extend for a good part of the east and southeast, while the orange notices are concentrated in the provinces of Tarragona, Castellón and Valencia. Few changes. The situation on Thursday will be similar, with “strong and/or persistent rainfall” in the central system and especially in Valencia, Castellón, Tarragona and surrounding areas. In some of these areas, 150 mm could be exceeded. They are also possible, adds the agency, the “strong showers” in the prelital of Catalonia and Malaga, as well as indoors in the southeast peninsular. The notices For rains they will be similar to Wednesday, with various areas of the east and southeast in yellow warning and a good part of the provinces of Tarragona, Castellón and Valencia under orange warning. A partial relief. The arrival of a new storm in a practically consecutive way implies that in many of the areas affected by rain the relief could only be temporary. It is still early to know to what extent and for how long this new storm will affect the Peninsula, so it will be essential to pay attention to weather predictions throughout the week. In Xataka | Saharian dust clouds reach Spain and Europe. The other problem is what accompanies them Image | ECMWF

The main problem of Ukraine if the US is called is GMLRS, and it will occur when Russia attacks more than 30 km

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After the failed meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump the situation in the Ukraine conflict is more uncertain than ever. While the United States has taken as the first measure the suspension of military assistance, from Ukraine it is requested to sit and negotiate those alleged minerals that would open a negotiating table again. As things are, the question seems clear: how long could kyiv resist Without American help? In the short term there is no problem. The measure adopted by the Trump administration freezes Ukraine access to The 3.85 billion dollars in military aids previously approved by Congress. Plus: Block the Military equipment delivery which had already been authorized by the administration of Joe Biden. However, and since before the arrival of Trump, Ukraine He has been preparing For a possible cessation of American aid, accumulating armament and ammunition in anticipation of this scenario. In fact, a senior western official confirmed that much of the necessary military team He entered Ukraine Before Trump’s possession, which will allow the country to stay in combat beyond the estimated period for negotiations of a fire. Fedir Venislavsky, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Defense Committee, said that Ukraine has a safety margin of approximately six monthswhich will allow you to resist in the short term without US assistance. However, he acknowledged that the situation will be much more difficult without the constant flow of weapons and defensive systems. Ukraine’s biggest bet: drones. In 2025, Ukraine It depends much less on the United States to cover their daily needs on the battlefield compared to the early stages of the war. Its current defensive strategy is based on the use of mines, attack drones and traditional artillery fire to wear Russian forces in A range of 0 to 30 km. In other words, most of the roller casualties (More than 50%) They are caused by mines and national manufacturing drones, which reduces dependence on imported weapons systems. To get an idea of The “industry” that has ended up forming The country, according to the Minister of Defense, Rustem Uumerov, Ukraine has become the largest drone manufacturer in the world, with a monthly production of almost 200,000 dronesincluding low -cost FPV models with DJI Mavic drones imported from China (although this carries a time in question). In any case, the Ukraine approach has been to expand the “death zone” of Your kamikaze dronesincreasing its scope and lethality, which represents a low -cost alternative to Himars systems and Atacms missiles Americans. The problem will be at a great distance. Analysts agree that the most serious impact of the suspension will be seen in the ability of Ukraine to perform precision attacks more than 30 km. The reason? The Systems like GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) They are still crucial to hit strategic objectives in the Russian rear, and the lack of these should affect the operational effectiveness of Ukraine. In addition, the Advanced interceptors suspension Air defense and antimisiles provided by the United States will reduce Ukraine’s ability to protect its infrastructure and troops from Russian missile attacks. Thus, as time passes, these limitations could become critical. Another key point is Equipment maintenancethe supply of spare parts and technical support. Without the United States assistance, the operational capacity of Ukraine will gradually degrade. Plus: It is not clear if the suspension will also affect the provision of intelligence, training and other forms of indirect support, which could further aggravate the situation. In this sense, much will depend on how much material and spare parts you have managed to store Ukraine and to what extent Europe can intervene to cover the gap. In addition, some European countries have limited inventories and in certain cases the United States could block the transfer of equipment by third parties. The GMLRS in Action The Patriots and their interceptors. As we explained, despite European support, the most sophisticated defense systems depend exclusively on the United States. Among them, the Patriot Air Defense Systems and its interceptors, designed and manufactured exclusively on American soil. The impossibility of replenishing these missiles once exhausted will put key cities at risk and Ukrainian strategic locations, increasing vulnerability to Russian attacks with ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones. Another critical factor is the provision of long -range intelligence. Until now, Washington has provided recognition data to alert Ukraine about Russian bombings with planning pumps and to identify strategic objectives within Russia. The interruption of this information flow would deprive Ukraine of a key advantage in the modern war. Starlink. Finally, we must not forget the Starlink communications system of Elon Musk, widely used For the Ukrainian forces on the battle front, and that depends on a contract with the Pentagon. Although a possible alternative would be the Eutelsat European satellite service, it is not clear if it could match Starlink’s efficiency and coverage in the middle of the war. And Europe? It is the great unknown after hearing yesterday that grandiloquent word: rearmament. Europe has tried to compensate for the reduction of US support with significant military assistance, which from the beginning of the war rises to 51 billion dollars. Currently, European aid represents 25% of the totalexceeding 20% ​​from the United States, while the rest of the weapons and supplies comes from the Ukrainian industry or direct acquisitions of the Zelenskyy government. In some aspects, European support already exceeds the American. It is expected that in 2025 Europe will produce two million projectiles Artillery for Ukraine, compared to the 850,000 planned by the United States. Despite this, combined production remains less than The 4 million projectiles that Russia plans to manufacture this year. No doubt, this lag raises the question of whether the difference in fire capacity will be decisive in favor of Moscow. Resist and risk. Under this scenario, the suspension of US military aid does not seem to represent an immediate collapse for Ukraine, but yes A progressive deterioration of its war capacity. With the accumulated supplies before Trump’s possession and … Read more

After the controversies with the wolf, farmers and hunters begin to have a problem with another protected species: the lynx

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The return of the Iberian lynx (Lynx Pardinus) is seen by many as one of the great successes achieved by conservation policies. The species has passed in the last decades of touching the extinction to its recent recthtelogation by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): these felines were no longer considered as a species “in danger” but as “vulnerable.” End of idyll. The reintroduction of this animal could also be seen as a success in marketingwhich turned a stretched and disdain animal on the Iberian Fauna icon. Now that image seems to be blurring. At least among farmers and hunters, as Ramón Pérez de Ayala, responsible for the WWF species program, recently explained, in statements collected by eldiario.es. Frustrated reintroductions. The misgivings from the agricultural sector are not exactly new, but in recent months their complaints seem to have won some battles. The most recent, in Catalonia, where last month the Government ended the plans to reintroduce to the cat. It was not the first battle that lost the lynx in recent months. In October, Ministry of Environment, Housing and Planning of the Territory of the Board of Castilla y León approved the reintroduction of the lynx In Palencia But he left the Zamoran Duero’s cannons outside the project, according to The local press explained at the time. In this province, the rejection by the agricultural sector had become evident months ago. What’s happening. The obstacles to this animal could be striking but respond to the complexity of integrating the feline reintroduction plans with the agricultural system in the new habitats designated for the species. The problem does not have so much to do with the lynx but with one of its prey: rabbits. The rabbit is a central part of the lynx diet. So much so that Fear of farmers and hunters is in the possibility that the plans for reintroduction of the lynx will be accompanied by protection measures for rabbits. Different sectors, different perspectives. For hunters the problem is double: first because they must compete for dams With these animals; second to the possibility that the protection measures of lynx and rabbits prevent the hunting of the latter. For farmers the problem is with the possibility that the measures trigger the population of rabbits. These herbivores, They have denounced Sometimes from the agricultural sector, they suppose a threat to crops, which unleashes the misgivings of the sector to the plans to reintroduce to its predator. The furtivism, another threat. The problems for the lynx and their lace in Spanish ecosystems do not stay there. Last year for example He denounced the illegal hunting of these cats in Murcia, and the impact of this on the probabilities of success of reintroduction efforts. In recent decades, problems with the attacks of these carnivores to farm animals have also been occasionally recorded. A study Published in 2013, he pointed out that in the previous six years 40 lynx attacks were counted that were charged with the lives of hundreds of farm animals. The problem He has persisted In the last decade. Not just the lynx. Problems with carnivorous reintroductions such as lynx, wolf or bear in Spain have become a almost constant confrontation focus between environmentalists and the agricultural and hunting sectors. The problem is not exclusive to the country even of the Peninsula. So much so that from Europe the possibility of lowering the protection of the wolf seems aimed at materializing in a matter of weeks. In Xataka | We have lost track of one of the few mammals that put eggs. Now we have rediscovered it Image | Konrads Bilderwerkstatt

Japan has encountered a problem with the aging of their growing foreign community: they cannot bury them

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Japan and their society have been immersed in a process of transformation where the role of “foreigner” every time It is more important. Waves arrive in the country, and in many cases to stay. The clearest example is giving with many Chinese who They arrive not to returnbut it is exponential to all nations. This is resulting in the population of advanced foreign residents is increasing, and with it, of deaths. A problem that nobody saw. I told this one Nikkei weekend. Foreign residents in Japan are dealing with serious difficulties in burying their loved ones. The reason? The Cremation predominancewhich has become the norm in the country. He 99.99% of the deceased In Japan they are cremated, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, which leaves those who require burial for religious reasons or simply by tradition with very few options. The problem is especially critical for Muslim and Christian communitieswhich consider unacceptable cremation. The situation is aggravated as the foreign population ages and grows the demand for burial spaces, which has turned the issue into an increasingly urgent challenge for the nation. Examples of a crisis. In the medium report they had a case that occurred last January after the death of A Pakistani man in Kanagawa which unleashed a frantic search for a cemetery that allowed its burial. His family, with limited resources, could not repatriate his body, and after multiple rejections and high costs, they finally managed to bury him in the Cemetery Honojo Kodama in Saitama, for a amount of 300,000 yen (around 2,000 euros), paid by friends of the community. There are more similar cases that are repeated throughout the country. For example, that of a Korean Christian woman 80 years old who died in October, and his son took a month and a half to find a burial site. During that time, his body had to be stored in a police installation. Factors that hinder burials. There are several keys to understanding the controversy around the shortage of cemeteries that allow burials. The first one already said: the predominance of cremation. Japan has gone from burying their dead to incinerate them almost entirely in the last 50 years. In 1913, only 31% of the deceased were cremated, but by 1934 it had already become the majority practice due to health concerns and lack of space. But there is more. Another problem is derived from The scarcity of landsince the large amount of land necessary for cemeteries in a country with limited space is a key obstacle. Also the Environmental concernssince there is fear that burials contaminating groundwater (although there is no clear evidence that supports said statement). Finally, it points to the local community resistancesince in many regions residents oppose the construction of new cemeteries, which has frustrated several projects. The aging of the “foreigners” and the future impact. Japan currently houses 3.41 million foreign residentsof which 220,000 are 65 years or older, an increase of 150% in the last decade. The aging of this population implies that the demand for burials will only grow in the coming years. In this regard, Professor Hirofumi Tanada, an expert in the Muslim community in Japan, estimates that there are around 350,000 Muslims in the countryfacing problems similar to those of other religious minorities. Tanada warned that in 10 or 15 years could be even more difficult Find places of burial, which will intensify the crisis. Regional disparity in the availability of cemeteries. Another of the problems of the problem. Japan presents strong regional inequalities In access to cemeteries. Namely: while in the Kanto region (which includes Tokyo and its surroundings) there are four private cemeteries that allow burials, in regions such as Tohoku and Kyushu have none. Again: despite the growing need, the efforts to create new cemeteries have found obstacles. Last December, the governor of Miyagi proposed to build a cemetery in the region, but received an avalanche of calls and emails from Citizens expressing your opposition. The attempt of a Muslim cemetery. It happened in 2018when the Beppu Muslim Association in Oita Prefecture tried to build a cemetery in the town of Hiji. After seven years of negotiations, they finally agreed with local authorities and residents to build the cemetery in municipal land, with conditions such as the limitation of the use of the cemetery to residents of Kyushu and a regular monitoring of water quality. However, The project was canceled When a new mayor revoked the sale of the land, citing environmental concerns. This left the Muslim community without viable options in the region. Proposals and barriers for a solution. Professor Khan Muhammad Tahir Abbas, director of the Beppu Muslim Association, told that the lack of cemeteries not only affects foreigners, but also Naturalized Japanese and converts to Islam or Christianity. Since 2021, requests have been presented to the Ministry of Social Welfare requesting the creation of adequate cemeteries for religious minorities. However, to date, Japan has not adopted No clear policy about itarguing that differences in customs and beliefs make it difficult to implement a standard solution. Meanwhile, other countries have managed to integrate religious burials into their funeral infrastructure. In Norway, the United States, Canada or Singapore, among others, specific sections have been designated in public cemeteries for Muslims and other religious minorities. A challenge that the nation cannot ignore. With the Foreign resident figures In hand, Japan is facing a problem that cannot be ignored. The lack of accessible cemeteries For this group it is a challenge that will only be aggravated over time. Although the cremation remains the norm, the aging of the foreign community demands a more inclusive answer by the Japanese government. As They explained in Nikkeiif the nation wants to fulfill its objective of being a more diverse and cozy society, it should facilitate solutions that allow religious minorities to bury their dead with dignity. This requires overcoming the local opposition, adapting funeral policies and developing adequate infrastructure, as other nations with … Read more

‘No Other Land’ is the best documentary of the year according to the Oscars. The problem is that in the US nobody can see it

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No one escapes that The Oscars They are not only recognition in the form of awards for some of the most outstanding films of the year, but an authentic commercial maneuver that gives the box office to films of all kinds. But … what happens when a movie has not found distribution? This is the case of the winner with the Oscar for the best documentary feature film, ‘No other Land’. A movie about Palestine. This documentary is led by four Palestinian activists (Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szo, two of them Israelis) in co -production with Norway and premiered at the last Berlin Festival. In it, we focus on the life of a young Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, a West Bank region. We can see the Gradual destruction of your homelandwhere Israeli soldiers break down houses and evict their inhabitants. He will establish friendship with an Israeli Jewish journalist, which highlights the contrast between the lives of both. No distribution. The special of ‘Not Other Land‘It is that the film has no distribution in the United States due to the conflict of its theme. In our country, for example, it was seen in cinemas last November and is currently in the Filmin catalog (among another twenty of countries in the world). This has greatly limited its reach in the Oscar country, has opened a new debate about the power of commercial censorship, much more powerful than openly political, and raises the irony that a film like this has reached few Americans beyond academics who have been able to see it for their condition of voters. An anomaly. In one Interview with Variety Before the nominations, its creators talked about the anomaly of the state of the distribution of the film, which saw as “something completely political. Obviously, we are talking about the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, and it is very unpleasant. The film is very, very critical with Israeli policies.” And they added: “Part of the reason we made the film is to reach people who may not support what we do, to whom the film could challenge. (…) If you have a large distributor, you reach people of various political opinions and with various degrees of knowledge about Israel and Palestine. And those are exactly the people we want to show the film, because it is how we can boost the change.” It is not the only one. There are other documentaries that are facing this problem in recent times. ‘The Last Republican’, for example, is a portrait of Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman who became one of the great critical voices against Donald Trump. Josh Braun, one of the directors of the company that distributed the film, confessed to The New York Times That “with the result of the elections, I think there is a question about some political content films.” Unusually apolitical Oscar. All this occurs in the context of a Oscar delivery unusually apolitical, where comments from presenter and guests that allude to the situation of the country are not usually lack. However, this year, Donald Trump has been avoided openly, although guests have alluded to sensitive issues such as diversity, immigration, and conflicts that affect the country, such as those of Palestine and Ukraine. Jimmy Kimmel, for example, presented in 2017 the gala coinciding with the first year of Trump’s previous mandate, and filled his monologue with references to the president. Conan O’Brien, however, has a less political style, and those references were missing, as in most aseptic speeches. In Xataka | Oscar’s “ghost” category: it exists but it is so demanding that there have never been films that opt ​​for it

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