reached

Europe has reached the end of winter with depleted gas reserves. A country has a model to save it: Spain

by

This winter, which is coming to an end, is being colder than expected, something that as we have seen has caused havoc. Without going any further, there have been planes that have not been able to fly due to lack of antifreeze. If we talk about gas for heating, storage has also reached red numbers: the Netherlands has a reserve of approximately 12%, Germany and France are around 21%, according to AGSI data. In this low-minimum scenario, there are two countries that deviate from the norm: Spain and Portugal, with reserves of 56.87% and 76.7%, respectively. Of course, the difference in capacity is abysmal: 3.57 TWh for the first and 35.9 TWh for the second. It is not a coincidence: it is that the Spanish state has a particular infrastructure that has led it to this point. The context. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia that began in 2022 accelerated the independence of the old continent from Russian gas. Among the measures from Brussels, an emergency rule by which all EU member states had to start the winter with their gas reserves at 90% to ensure supply. However, in 2025 the EU decided to maintain that 90% target. but relaxing the norm to optimize costs. This greater flexibility together with a harsher than expected winter has brought an end to winter with reserves that are at their lowest in the last five years. The harsh European winter. In mid-January, deposits fell below 50%. If the winter ends with a capacity of 30%, Europe will have to inject 60 billion cubic meters of gas. To get an idea, approximately the annual gas consumption of all of Germany. In short, Europe has to refill its tanks in the summer and it will need a lot of imported gas to do so, which means go out into the market and face other competitors and the logistics of bringing it here in an increasingly complicated geopolitical scenario. The Spanish strategy. The Spanish gas storage system is based on two pillars: underground storage and LNG regasification. The second leg is providential, insofar as it is where Spain makes the difference and, furthermore, It is a powerhouse. In fact, Spain owns 35% of all LNG storage capacity in the EU, how Sedigas collects. Its enormous regasification capacity enables diversification of origin, with USA as first supplier with 44.4% of the total gas and another 15 different countries later, according to Enagás data. Spain has an infrastructure of seven plants that makes it possible to receive LNG ships from different sources, thus ensuring supply in case any mishap (technical problems, conflicts, political decisions) fails. Spain started the winter making decisions. Although the previous strategy gives it an advantage over other member states, Spain adopted a conservative strategy When facing this winter 25/26, adjusting to concentrate reserves in January and February, the coldest and with the most demand. A management decision to not waste that cushion prematurely. He was absolutely right: in January gas consumption rose 10.2% compared to the previous year, with a 30% increase in that destined to generate electricity because renewables contributed less than expected. Spain plays in another league. Thanks to its infrastructure, Spain no longer only consumes gas: it re-exports it. It has become a hub for redistributing gas to Europe as a kind of energy logistics platform, providing geopolitical and economic value to a state that, due to its geographical location, is isolated (which, for example, in the electrical field plays tricks on him) Is there real risk? While it is true that widespread shortages are not expected, there are localized risks in Europe. As summarizes El Economista, Spain has precedents of similar levels, such as 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, where supply was not compromised. Of course, we will have to see what happens with the demand for LNG in summer globally, because it could make European replenishment significantly more expensive. In any case, Spain will get to that moment better than most. The scenario is not very rosy at the moment, precisely, with the Strait of Hormuz closed and the diplomatic crisis between Spain and the US, its main supplier. In Xataka | Europe believed it had won the gas war against Russia. Now it faces a much more uncomfortable reality: its dependence on the United States. In Xataka | The gas market becomes unpredictable: we have tanks full and ships on the way, but the price remains an enigma Cover | Pronor

In the middle of Valentine’s week, strawberries have reached figures never seen before in half of Europe. The problem is not love, it is Spain

by

Hearts, chocolate, bouquets of flowers and pink decorations everywhere: Valentine’s week is synonymous with many things, but above all with crazy prices. What was not expected in half of Europe is that strawberries were going to rise so much. And when I say ‘so much’, it’s ‘so much’. What happened to the strawberries? The peak in demand is predictable: every year, coinciding with Valentine’s week, the demand for strawberries skyrockets. And, furthermore, it is a very inelastic demand: since it is a “special” day, people continue buying them “almost” independently of the price. That has not changed in 2026: what has changed is that the supply has suffered a huge shock. A shock called Spain and Portugal: And more specifically its meteorology. If the frosts of a few years ago caused the shortage of red peppers throughout the European continentthe historic rainfall in recent months has reduced strawberry production, its quality and shelf life to almost historic lows. To give us an idea of ​​the collapse: in Huelva, production has fallen by half compared to 2025. And despite efforts to catch up, production is 38% below from that of the 24/25 campaign. This has meant that strawberries are arriving in the Netherlands at 5.83 per kilo and in France at 6.44. The problem naked. In this case, the problem is that Europe depends completely on Huelva and, in recent decades, it has not been able to do anything to avoid it. Huelva producers have demonstrated an impressive capacity to produce with very high quality at very low prices. That (and the constant rise in production) has meant that no one can build a parallel agribusiness. The problem is that the climate becomes increasingly volatile, the ‘security’ of the Andalusian countryside decreases. and this episode has only confirmed it. What’s behind the story. So what is hidden behind the strawberries at seven euros per kilo in a market in Alicante is the story of the loss of hegemony of one of the most solid and refined economic pillars in southern Europe. That is to say, while strawberries are on their way to becoming an ‘ultra-luxury’ product, Andalusia’s competitive advantage is fading. Are a giant with feet of clay. Image | Alba Otero In Xataka | Spain’s problem with its supermarkets: Huelva strawberries are now cheaper in Germany

the price of storage batteries has reached its minimum

by

For years, detractors of the energy transition have clung to a seemingly immovable argument: the sun and the wind are intermittent, and saving that energy for when it is not blowing or it is night is economically unviable. This mismatch between supply and demand generates the phenomenon known as “duck curve”where solar energy is abundant during the day but drops drastically just when nighttime consumption skyrockets. To balance this balance, battery storage stands as the definitive solution. Today, that last bastion against the total viability of clean energy has just collapsed. The last piece of the renewable puzzle now fits, but its lowering price has uncovered a much more complex problem: a fierce geopolitical race to control the materials that make this technological miracle possible. The economic barrier has fallen. If we take a look at the data, the graph of the cost of batteries shows a historic plummet. According to the report Levelized Cost of Electricity 2026 of BloombergNEFstoring energy in four-hour projects is today 27% cheaper than a year ago, bottoming out at $78 per megawatt-hour (MWh). Never since records began in 2009 has saving electricity been so accessible. And this positive anomaly is supported by three very clear pillars: The reduction in prices of battery packs. Increased competition between different manufacturers. Excess manufacturing capacity coming from the electric vehicle market. Fuels pay the price. While clean technologies become cheaper, fossil fuels suffer the opposite effect. Driven by the voracious electrical demand of new data centers, new gas plants have seen their equipment become more expensive. In fact, the report of bloombergNEF highlights that the global cost of electricity for combined cycle gas turbines has risen by 16%, reaching a record of 102 dollars/MWh. The market has already ruled: in the United States and Canada, wind energy has displaced gas as the cheapest source for new generation, while renewables already exceed the operating costs of existing fossil fuel plants in key Asia-Pacific markets. The elephant in the room. If global costs have plunged, it is largely because China has flooded the market with massive overproduction. This overwhelming figure, however, was born of a systemic dysfunction. As the analyzes from two years ago warnedChinese provincial regulations forced solar parks to install batteries by law, which led to the accumulation of systems that were barely used due to the lack of incentives in the electricity market. Beijing achieved its goal: scaling production to a level unattainable by the rest of the world. Today, in 2026, that inertia has mutated into an industrial tsunami. According to the recent report of BloombergNEFthe current price collapse has been accelerated by a new factor: excess manufacturing capacity coming from the electric vehicle market. The fierce competition between Chinese manufacturers and the overproduction of car batteries has ended up drastically making large-scale systems cheaper, forever transforming the economics of the global electrical grid. The “brain” of the network and the gallium trap. Having millions of cheap batteries is useless without a system that manages them. Storing energy is only the first step; To feed it into the grid in a stable manner, immense power inverters are needed. These devices function as the electronic “brain” of the facility, composed of logic modules and high-performance chips that decide in milliseconds when to absorb surpluses and when to release them. And it is here, in semiconductors capable of withstanding these extreme voltages without melting, where the real battle is fought. For decades, the West operated under a mirage. As analyst Gillian Tett points outWestern elites assumed that making things was low-margin “dirty work” that could be outsourced. They became obsessed with software as China quietly built the physical infrastructure of the 21st century. Today, Beijing has what investor Craig Tindale calls “processing sovereignty”: controls 90% of rare earths and an overwhelming 98% of gallium. The latter is that irreplaceable strategic metal for advanced semiconductors that manage energy. After flooding the market for years to suffocate Western mining, China imposed export controls, causing its price to triple to reach historical records above $1,500 per kilo. From “red mud” to chips: the Western counterattack. For the United States, this is already a matter of national survival. The response of Washington and its allies has been to design an ambitious plan to become independent from Beijing by extracting gallium directly from industrial waste, known as “red mud”. The strategy It is an intercontinental triangle: In Australia, the Wagerup refinery has teamed up with the US and Japan to filter gallium from bauxite processing, aiming to cover 10% of global demand without opening new mines. In Louisiana, the Gramercy plant has received $150 million from the Pentagon to process its own aluminum waste to meet total U.S. demand. But the economic risk is enormous. Experts warn that the gallium market is dangerously small, and if Western production increases too quickly, prices could collapse. To protect these investments against dumping Chinese, the White House has deployed the Project Vaulta strategic reserve of 12 billion dollars. The human bottleneck. Even with all the money on the table, the West facing a problem that cannot be solved by printing banknotes: the “human bottleneck”. After decades of deindustrialization, Western engineers and workers who knew how to operate complex chemical plants and foundries have retired. Reconstructing that physical sovereignty requires expert hands that, today, are scarce on this side of the world. However, in this interdependent world, China It also has a critical vulnerability. Despite its monopoly on materials, its industry is still forced to import almost all of the advanced logic modules that control turbines and networks in real time. Beijing has the factories and the minerals, but the West still has the “brains” and the fine chemistry that makes complex systems work. A future with many edges. The economic viability of a world powered 100% by renewables is already an irrefutable reality. Batteries are no longer the economic brake on the transition. However, we have escaped the geological tyranny of oil only to discover … Read more

The consequence has also reached payrolls, according to Levante

by

We live in a world where cyberattacks have a growing impact on everyday life. It’s no longer just about data leaks capable of compromising privacy or fueling new waves of cyber scams. Nor only from rescheduled flights because the systems of an airport or an airline they have been committed. Cybersecurity incidents can also, indirectly, delay something as basic as collecting a payroll. This is what the employees of a Spanish agricultural company would have recently experienced. The cyber attack. Levante-EMV points out that Agriconsathe Valencian company responsible for the juices and preserves of the same name, suffered a computer intrusion at the beginning of last week. Official details are scarce, but the incident would have altered the company’s normal operations for several days. Subsequently, activity would have been restored normally, which suggests a relatively quick response capacity on the part of the actors involved, including an external company whose specific role has not been specified. Delay in payrolls. Agriconsa workers found themselves in an unusual situation this February. Instead of receiving their payslips on the scheduled date, the payment arrived late. Sources consulted by the aforementioned newspaper assure that the cyberattack caused a “total blockage of the computers.” As a direct consequence, essential processes such as order management, sending invoices or paying payrolls were temporarily affected. What they say from the company. Levante-EMV collects statements from José Juan Felici, director of the company in Algemesí. According to the manager, “the external company” that collaborates with them reacted quickly and allowed normality to be recovered progressively. Felici acknowledges that it took them “a couple of days to recover,” but maintains that the problem is now completely resolved, while regretting the inconvenience derived from the cybersecurity incident. One of the most revealing elements of his words is that the external company in charge of the systems carries out updates and implements improvements. Even so, the company ended up suffering from the attack. This highlights that even organizations that invest in protection can become victims of malicious actors whose primary motivation is often to obtain illicit financial gain. Ransomware attack? In an incident of these characteristics, one of the first hypotheses usually points to the participation of a ransomware group. This is what the sources consulted by Levante-EMV suggest, who maintain that the release of the systems depended on the payment of a ransom. Felici, however, denied to that medium that he had received any financial demand to restore the equipment, although he did confirm the existence of the computer incident. Companies, in the spotlight. Companies continue to be one of the priority targets of cybercriminalslargely due to the possibility of obtaining a payment in exchange for unlocking previously encrypted systems. In some cases, preventive measures are insufficient and even backups may be compromised. In others, restoration is possible without having to give in to the attackers’ demands, which shows the diversity of scenarios that can occur after an attack of this type. From Xataka we have contacted Agriconsa to obtain more information about what happened and we will update this article as soon as we receive a response. Images | Google Maps | freepik In Xataka | How to know if your passwords have been leaked on the Internet

consolidates a terrain where Google has not yet reached

by

Don’t know where your suitcase ended up after a trip? Or have you lost sight of your keys just when you were in the most hurry? To clear up doubts in this type of situation, Apple users have had the AirTagthe company’s tracker, which is now renewed with discreet but important changes. And it is advisable to be clear about them if you are thinking of buying one. What exactly does the new AirTag bring?. We are facing the first update since the launch of the original AirTag in 2021. On the outside, the device is identical to the first generation model. The difference is on the inside: Apple has updated the hardware to introduce concrete improvements without increasing the price. That is, more benefits without paying more. Second-generation ultra-wideband (UWB) chip: it is the same component that devices such as the iPhone 17 incorporate, the iPhone Air or the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11. The result is a 50% improvement in Precision Search, the function that guides you with arrows, vibrations and sound to the object. New speaker: Also with a 50% improvement in power, which makes it easier to hear the AirTag from a greater distance and speed up the location process. Precision Search from Apple Watch: if you have a Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or a Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, you can use this function directly from the watch to find the AirTag and, by extension, whatever you have attached to it. If we talk about the price, it can now be reserved on the Apple website and in the Apple Store app, and it will arrive in Apple Store stores later this week. It is available for 35 euros the unit or in a pack of four 119 euros. And, for those who want to complete the set, Apple also sells the fine braided keychain for AirTag for 45 euros. How the AirTag works. The key point of the AirTag is that it does not have integrated GPS. Its operation is based on Bluetooth and Apple’s Find My network: the AirTag emits a signal and, when an iPhone, iPad or Mac passes nearby, it detects it and sends an approximate location to iCloud. That location is what we then see on the map from the Search app. When you are already close, ultra-wide band (UWB) comes into play, which is the technology that allows Precision Search: locating the AirTag with much more accuracy at short distances. Google still does not release its own. As we can see, the AirTag works solely within the Apple ecosystem, and that integration is a big part of its appeal. On Android there are alternatives, but an equivalent commitment signed by Google is still missing: its own tracker that plays in the same league, and that can compete head to head with Apple’s proposal. On Android there are trackers, but… The temptation is to think that Android is at a disadvantage because it does not have an official AirTag. But the picture is more nuanced. Google has Find Hub and around that network a fairly active market of compatible trackers has already been built, with names like Chipolo either Pebblebee. The problem is that this ecosystem does not have a single direction: there is no iconic model that sets the standard, that pushes specific functions and that serves as a reference point for everything else. In practice, there are many trackers, but not such a uniform experience. The technology that makes the difference. To understand why Apple insists so much on ultra wide band (UWB) You have to look at the most complex moment of any search: when you are already close, but you don’t see it. Bluetooth can help you narrow it down, even make it sound, but it’s not particularly fine. UWB, on the other hand, is designed for that final phase: it allows precise location within a few meters, with clear guidance and in real time. That’s the difference between “it’s over here” and “it’s two meters away, to the left.” Why UWB is so rare on Android. If you’re wondering why UWB is still so rare on Android, there’s a pretty simple explanation: the market isn’t pushing it hard yet. Most Find Hub trackers are designed to work with Bluetooth, which is more universal and helps control the price. The side effect is that UWB is reserved for few models and, therefore, for few users. Samsung and its commitment to UWB. UWB, as we say, exists on Android. There are cases like the Moto Tag 2 or the Samsung SmartTag+ as the most representative model. But that advantage in the case of the South Korean brand comes with fine print: its proposal is linked to the Galaxy ecosystem and SmartThings. It is not an “Android” experience in the broad sense, but rather a branded solution. And that reinforces the underlying idea: there is progress, but dispersed, without a common standard pushed by Google. “Pixel Tag”: more than a device, a push. In this context is where the great absence makes sense: a Google tracker. Not so much because of the gadget itself, but because of what it would drag behind it. A “Pixel Tag” would be, above all, a declaration of intent: a product capable of setting a benchmark experience on Find Hub, pushing the real use of UWB and forcing the platform to mature faster. What changes for users. If Google took the step, the change for the user would not be so much “having another tracker”, but rather gaining a more coherent experience. Today, many solutions work well, but vary too much depending on the model and brand. With its own product as a reference, Find Hub could become more consistent: better search accuracy, more integration, and more features. Images | Apple | Samsung In Xataka | Apple has made the quietest turn in its history: its design teams no longer report to design

that the war in Ukraine has reached the Mediterranean

by

For months, the so-called “tanker war” between Ukraine and Russia had remained contained in a relatively limited space: the Black Sea and its immediate accesses. There, attacks with naval and aerial drones against ships linked to Moscow had become a logical extension of the conflict, an indirect but effective way to hit Russian energy revenues without directly confronting its war fleet. Until now. An invisible line. Everything has taken a 180 degree turn with the attack against the oil tanker Qendil in the Mediterranean, which represents an unprecedented qualitative leap. Not only because of the distance (more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukrainian territory), but because it shows that kyiv is willing to carry out this campaign much further of the traditional theater of operations, calling into question the idea that European sea routes were safe from war. The fleet in the shadows. He Qendilan Oman-flagged crude oil tanker built in 2006, was not chosen at random. Before heading to India it had departed from the Russian port of Novorossiysk, one of the key outlets for Russian oil to the global market. Both the European Union and the United Kingdom consider it part of the called “shadow fleet”the network of ships that Russia uses to avoid sanctions through flag changes, opaque ownership structures and routes designed to dilute legal responsibilities. For Ukraine, these ships are not simple commercial assets, but a direct extension of the Russian war efforta source of income that fuels the war. Hence, the Security Service of Ukraine has defended the attack as a legitimate objective under the law of armed conflict. A surgical operation. According to SBU sourcesthe attack was an “unprecedented special operation”, carried out by its Alpha Special Group using bomber-type aerial drones. The broadcast images They show munitions falling onto the ship’s deck from a hexacopter, pointing to a short-range attack launched from a nearby platform, probably a ship. Tracking data indicate that the tanker was sailing between Malta and Crete when it made a sharp turn and changed course towards Port Said, Egypt, a move that reinforces the idea that something abnormal happened at that point in the journey. Although the ship was empty at the time of the attack (reducing the environmental risk), the SBU holds which suffered critical damage that leaves it unusable for its original function. The message. Beyond the physical damage, the blow has enormous symbolic and strategic value. It comes on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that it would cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea in retaliation for the attacks on the shadow fleet. kyiv’s response seems clear: if Russia can finance its war by exporting oil along increasingly distant routes, those routes too can become a battlefield. The SBU statement That Ukraine “will strike the enemy anywhere in the world” is not just rhetoric, it is a signal to shipowners, insurers and governments that the conflict is no longer limited to a specific sea. Echoes of other wars. This type of attack is reminiscent of the covert war that for years Iran and Israel have fought against merchant ships in the Middle East, a campaign of targeted sabotage designed to send political messages without escalating into open conflict. Everything indicates that Ukraine has studied that model and it is adapting it to its own war, using relatively cheap drones to impose disproportionate costs on the adversary. The possibility of using drones in the future of greater scopeeven with satellite links like Starlink, suggests that the radius of action could be expanded even further. Maritime consequences. He attack on Qendil introduces a new factor of uncertainty in the Mediterranean. Although the target was directly linked to Russia, the simple fact that armed drones can operate against merchant ships in such busy waters forces the maritime sector to rethink security measures, routes and insurance. For Moscow, the message is disturbing: its floats in the shadowestimated at more than a thousand ships and essential to sustain its crude oil exports, is no longer protected by geographical distance. For Europe, it is an uncomfortable reminder that a war that began on land and in the Black Sea is beginning to cast its shadow over one of the planet’s main trade corridors. A conflict that expands. Plus: the attack against the Qendil is not just a tactical action, but an implicit statement that the maritime war is entering a new phase. Ukraine demonstrates that it can bring economic and military pressure to spaces that until now They were considered peripheralwhile Russia threatens to respond without making clear how. Between them, the Mediterranean appears suddenly as a potential scenario of a confrontation that no one has formally declared, but that is already beginning to be felt in commercial navigation. As so many other times After this war, the border between the military and the civil becomes more blurred, and the feeling that there are no completely safe areas begins to extend far beyond the front. Image | x In Xataka | Baba Yaga is a Slavic mythological witch who devours skulls at night. And Ukraine has decided to make it a reality In Xataka | Ukraine has asked Russia if it is going to stop the war for Christmas. Russia has responded bluntly

Drones have reached France’s nuclear submarines

by

What began more or less a year ago in a hesitant way has become a certainty: Europe has entered a new phase hybrid confrontationone where traditional lines of defense become insufficient in the face of a range of tactics that combine cheap technology, covert actors and deliberate strategy to saturate to the states with ambiguous threats. The last barrier that has been jumped is, perhaps, the most dangerous. Disturbing mutation. The recent drone flyover on the nuclear submarine base of Île Longue, in France, and the immediate declaration a few hours ago of the state of emergency in Lithuania due to balloons from Belarus, these are not isolated incidents but manifestations of a growing pattern which seeks to explore vulnerabilities, overwhelm alert systems and expose the fragility of European security. Both episodes show the extent to which hybrid warfare has ceased to be an abstraction and has become an operational reality that affects civil aviation, nuclear infrastructure and political stability on the eastern border of the European Union. Drones on nuclear deterrence. That five drones of unknown origin managed to lurk over the weekend on Île Longue, the most sensitive installation of the French deterrence apparatus, marked a turning point. This base houses the four nuclear ballistic submarines of the French Navy, the core of the capability “second blow” of the country. The military response It was immediate: deployment of units, electronic counterattacks using jammers and activation of the alert protocol for strategic installations. It turns out that no drone was neutralized nor identified to its operators, which increases the feeling, once again, of a threat that operates deliberately in the dark. France had already registered similar raidsbut the temporal coincidence with others in Europe and the systematic use of drones near bases with nuclear weapons reinforce the suspicion that these maneuvers seek to test response times, map defensive patterns and, above all, generate a climate of concern both among military officials and the population. Extra ball. Although the French prosecutor’s office insists that there is no evidence of foreign interference, strategic context points to more than just random flights: from Ireland to Denmark, passing through the Netherlands and Germany, anonymous raids on airports, air bases and reinforced security zones have proliferated, many of them documented by military authorities that do not rule out the hand of Moscow. A vulnerability and pressure of airspace. He episode in Irelandwhere several military-style drones appeared in the air corridor planned for the landing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, raised even more alarm. The reason: Ireland lacks radars operational, it does not have solid protocols to classify aerial threats and has minimal capabilities to counter drones, a strategic void that was exposed in the face of a possible operation designed to highlight national weaknesses. On a continent where drones have already forced to close airports Repeatedly, the Irish incident fits into a sequence of actions that seek to demonstrate that any country, even one that is not militarily involved in the war, can be vulnerable. Irish experts they warn that, regardless of the authorship, the confusion generated and the inability to react clearly represent a victory for any actor seeking to erode European cohesion. An official inspects a balloon used to transport cigarettes, in an undated photo released by the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service Balloons from Belarus. In parallel, a few hours ago Lithuania was forced to declare the state of emergency due to the constant arrival of weather balloons from Belarus. At first glance, these devices seem harmless, mere carriers of contraband. But in logic of hybrid warfarewhat is important is not so much the sophistication of the medium but its ability to force a disproportionate state response. The balloons have invaded Lithuanian airspace, forcing to close repeatedly Vilnius airport and have introduced concrete risks for civil aviation, forcing authorities to mobilize civil, police and military resources. A war of attrition. For Lithuania, a country bordering both Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, these incidents are not perceived as minor events, but as part of an attrition strategy intended to saturate their surveillance capacity and underline their exposure. After months of drone incursions, cyberattacks and electronic warfare, Vilnius interprets balloons as another step in a calculated escalation that uses cheap means to obtain strategic effects. Signs and a more aggressive phase. If you also want, what connects drones on French nuclear submarines, unidentified devices over Ireland and smuggling balloons that force an entire country to activate a state of emergency is its strategic role: demonstrate that Europe can be destabilized with simple tools, difficult to attribute and capable of generating considerable psychological, economic and political costs. So far, each incident individually can be minimized, but together they paint a picture. simultaneous pressure map on European airspace, on critical infrastructure and on the institutional cohesion of the EU. France already speaks openly about a “hybrid confrontation”Denmark attributes some incidents to “hybrid threats” of probable Russian origin and the Baltic countries consider each action a destabilization test. The result is a Europe that recognize the dangerbut that is still far from a unified response capable of tackling a threat that thrives precisely on ambiguity, the proliferation of small incidents and the difficulty of proving direct responsibility. An unprecedented threshold. What does seem crystal clear is that these episodes as a whole reveal that Europe is crossing a threshold where conventional security is no longer enough. Russian hybrid warfare (or, at least, the widespread perception of its advance) is now manifesting itself in ways that disrupt civil lifecompromise nuclear assets and overwhelm state apparatuses where they are most vulnerable. The presence of drones on a base that houses the french nuclear deterrent and the need for Lithuania to activate extraordinary powers to stop improvised balloons are signs of the same trend: the adversary does not need spectacular victories to cause damage because it is enough to multiply ambiguous threats until stability is eroded. Perhaps that is why the big question has been on … Read more

Sam Altman’s biometric project aimed to scan a billion eyes. It has not even reached 2%

by

World, Sam Altman’s ambitious project for verify human identity using iris scanshas managed to register 17.5 million people since its public launch in 2023. A figure that, although it may seem impressive, it barely represents 2% of its initial goal of one billion users. a promise. Altman’s idea was to create a global network of digital identity verified by ocular biometrics. To do this, users have to appear before a spherical device called Orb which scans your irises and generates a unique digital code, the World ID. In exchange, they can access an application with various services while also receiving cryptocurrency tokens. worldcoinwhich is currently worth about 60 euro cents per unit. “He is creating the disease, but he also wants to create the cure,” claimed a former employee of the company told Business Insider. Regulation. The project has run into a wall of institutional rejection. Just like share The medium, Spain, Hong Kong, Portugal, Indonesia, Germany and Brazil have imposed vetoes, suspensions or precautionary orders, while in Kenya it was banned a month after the launch. German authorities concluded last year that data protection measures “would not be sufficient to implement an appropriate level of security against cybercriminals or state attackers.” In October, the Philippines issued a cease-and-desist order, Colombia ordered to halt operations and delete data, and Thailand conducted raids arresting suspects for operating a digital asset business without a license. according to Business Insider. On the other hand, the Chinese Ministry of State Security warned that collecting iris data for cryptocurrencies could pose a threat to national security. A questioned model. Beyond the legal obstacles, some experts consulted in the middle they have questioned the viability of the project. Nick Maynard, vice president of fintech research at Juniper Research, said that “I don’t see a definitive use case that they have solved that is going to generate significant traction. They need a real purpose to exist, and that is not entirely clear yet.” The corporate structure is also complex, as Tools for Humanity (based in San Francisco and Munich) develops the technology; the World Foundation, from the Cayman Islands, controls the project; and World Assets Limited, in the British Virgin Islands, manages the token distribution. At the moment, the company has raised $240 million from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, Bain Capital and Khosla Ventures, at a valuation of $2.5 billion. The expansion strategy. According to former employees who have contacted with Business Insider, the company opted for an aggressive growth strategy in emerging markets, prioritizing countries where the promise of free cryptocurrencies generated traction among economically vulnerable populations. In Mexico, local operators had to cover the majority of costs for scanning locations, although Tools for Humanity paid the rent for a year. In Argentina, external organizers they even sent buses with people who traveled to be scanned in exchange for money. Image: World Luis Ruben De Valadéz, who worked as head of operations in Mexico, commented to the media that had to raise about 100,000 Mexican pesos (about 4,705.75 euros at the exchange rate) from family and friends to open seven stores in Mexico City. As he shared, independent operators charged commission in Worldcoin, and it was common for exchange houses to emerge near Orbs stations where users immediately exchanged their tokens to obtain cash. The monetization dilemma. The company does not charge users to access its platforms, and its CEO Alex Blania has promised that they will not become data brokers. The company is known to earn revenue from verification fees (World ID fees) when external applications use its services. They also earn income through a program that allows them to rent or buy their own Orbs, and from processing fees on their World Chain blockchain. However, a former employee revealed The company expressed doubts about whether these fees would generate profits on their own, indicating that the financial future would depend above all on the continued flow of capital from investors. “I have trouble seeing it as a business. There is no incentive to buy or lease an Orb beyond making money by scanning tons of eyes, and for users it is to get more coins,” commented Martha Bennett, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, told Business Insider. Bet on alliances. To accelerate growth, World announced partnerships with established companies. There is a pilot program with Match Group to verify Tinder users in Japan, and agreements with Stripe, Visa and the gaming company Razer. According to reported Semafor, Reddit was also in talks to use its verification services. Nikhil Bhatia, professor of finance at the University of Southern California and specialized in cryptocurrencies, commented to Business Insider that “it is difficult to judge something that is a crypto with a market capitalization of 2 billion as anything more than experimental or a fad. Worldcoin is not a contender in any way as a currency or asset against the dollar or Bitcoin.” And now what. The company has announced its intention to reach 100 million registrations over the next year, according to sources cited by the New York Post. But the road is full of questions. If you continue to require people to physically show up at your offices to have their eyes scanned, scalability could become complex. And if regulatory problems persist in the most populated markets in the world, it will be even more difficult for the company. World faces something common in many technological projects: with a powerful futuristic vision and plenty of capital, it does not seem to have a product that solves an immediate problem for the majority of users nor a clearly profitable business model. At the moment many people need to be convinced. In Xataka | The question is not whether AI will succeed in creating works of art. The question is whether we will consider them as such

China has taken a new step in its high-speed race. The CR450 has just reached a new milestone in its tests

by

China has spent years perfecting machinery that not only symbolizes speed, but also industrial precision. Its last exponent, the CR450has shown the scope of that search: in its most recent tests, two trains reached a combined speed of 896 km/h at the intersectiona new record in the Chinese system. It is not an isolated gesture, but a step within the innovation program launched in 2021 to raise the bar for high speed with more reliability and performance. The new registration was confirmed on October 21. During tests on the high-speed line connecting Shanghai, Chongqing and Chengdu, two CR450 trains crossed each other, reaching a relative speed of 896 km/h. In the same test campaign, one of the prototypes once again reached 453 km/h per unit, equaling the record set in 2023. The tests, they explain, are part of the “evaluation operation” that is currently being carried out on the Wuhan–Yichang section, a prior step to a more demanding phase scheduled for 2026. Speed ​​is on the table, but the operation is not yet At first glance, it might seem that two trains traveling at 453 km/h should add up to a crossing speed of 906 km/h. In practice, testing conditions prevent this. As China Railway Group explainedthe exact moment when both units are on parallel tracks it only lasts a few secondsand getting them to maintain the same speed at that point is extremely complex. For safety reasons, technicians increase speed gradually, ensuring stability and synchronization before attempting new records. The CR450 is not an isolated project, but one more piece of the railway plan that China launched in 2021 to raise commercial speed to 400 km/h. The challenge is not minor: maintaining that pace without increasing consumption or noise. Before entering service, the prototype must complete 600,000 kilometers of tests under real conditions, an essential requirement for its certification. This year, trials have extended from the Chongqing to Qianjiang sections to the Wuhan–Yichang line, where technical teams continue to fine-tune the train’s behavior in prolonged use scenarios. How Sina collectsmuch of the CR450’s advancement can be understood by looking inside its engineering. The train incorporates permanent magnet motors with a total power of 11,000 kW. The weight has also been reduced about 50 tons thanks to the use of carbon fiber and magnesium alloys, and the aerodynamic profile has been optimized with a longer nose, 15 meters. They claim that at 400 km/h, the noise level inside the car barely reaches 68 decibels. Although the CR450 has already demonstrated its technical capabilities, its commercial deployment remains without a clear destination. Today there is no operational line in China prepared to travel at 400 km/h. The first that contemplates this possibility is the Chengdu–Chongqing Central Line, approved in 2021 with a base design of 350 km/h and adaptable sections for future tests at higher speeds. According to China Economic Newsthe plan is that next year the train will undergo a more demanding testing phase there, the closest so far to a real service scenario. The development of the CR450 is divided between two of the main railway manufacturers in the country. The CR450AF version has been built by CRRC Qingdao Sifang, while the CR450BF is built by CRRC Changchun. Both They share an eight-car configuration —four engines and four trailers—. Official information indicates that they incorporate advanced communication and braking systems, as well as high stability bogies designed to maintain balance even in extreme speed tests. The immediate future of the CR450 passes through the aforementioned line, where over the next year it will undergo tests closest to real operation. There is still no confirmed date for its entry into service, and those responsible for the project emphasize that the priority continues to be technical validation. For now, we have to wait to see if all the promises of the program materialize and if the new train manages to transfer its laboratory achievements to the operational field. Images | China Railway Group In Xataka | The shortest launch in history: a million-dollar luxury yacht sank just 200 meters from the dock

How Turin’s beast reached 212 km/h in 1913

by

The beginning of the 20th century were wonderful for engineering and mechanics lovers. Taking the first steps in this temporal field, the Wright brothers became famous with the First airplane in history. In 1908, the Ford Model T entered the production chain, Despite disbelief Henry Ford’s own lawyer. And shortly after, Fiat would break the barrier of the 200 km/h.While in Spain the registered cars arrived with dropper, Fiat had ambitious plans for their cars. Since the automotive began to take off, speed records and the first car races had become an obsession and a way of demonstrating the latest technological advances. They were a perfect sign of what each manufacturer was able to do. It is considered that First career in history covered the distance between Paris and Rouen. 127 kilometers that should decide who was the best in “The carriage race without horses”. It was July 22, 1894 and that day the Steam cars. Despite this, in The avant -garde They rescue a previous case dated in 1887 but that is not considered competition because, at the time of truth, only a vehicle was presented in the exit line. And in search of new challenges, Fiat launched the race to become the manufacturer with the fastest car in the world. And he succeeded in December 1913 when he reached 212.87 km/h of peak speed. A record that, however, has remained in the digital file and on paper because it never received the official “fastest car in the world” title. Fiat S76, Turin’s beast that ran out of crown On horseback between the nineteenth and twentieth century, in 1899 the Italian Fabbrica Automobili Torino. Fiat grows during the first years of life with the production of cars but quickly diversifies their business entering the railroad market and heavy transport, with their own trucks. But in the brand they were aware of the importance it had break milestones. With the automotive in embryonic state, getting new records or winning the victory in the few races that then existed were a tremendous opportunity to make known. Therefore, in 1910 they decided to create a monstrous car for which there were no insurmountable challenges. And they did it in the only way they knew: a gigantic engine. Fiat’s idea was to create a car that was all gross power. His engine was four -cylinder but his displacement was 28.4 liters. To get a better idea, A modern sport that exceeds eight liters of displacement is already something totally exceptional. The engine was able to generate up to 290 horsepower at 1900 rpm, had three spark plugs per cylinder and was cooked by water. The problem is that its weight was fired at almost 1,700 kg in what was a rarity for the time. Of course, if we get one, we can drive it without the need to acquire the B+ card that arises in Brussels. However, you have to contextualize it in your time. Barney Oldfieldaboard a Blitzen Benz He had achieved 212 km/h. If a four -cylinder and 21.5 -liter engine had worked for him, the answer should be to get an even larger engine. The way to follow was clear and Fiat stepped on with two Fiat S67 units, which is considered to be Turin’s beast. In The Old Motor They collect fragments of Fiat Book by Michael Sedgwickwhere the brand’s story is told and where they explain that Fiat S76 was “one of the most scary creations emanating from any factory.” Sedgwick explains that, After trying it in TurinThey found that the car had potential. There he reached 185 km/h in second march. It was time to launch for the record. The car was transferred to the Brooklands track(England) for Pietro Bordino to try to achieve what no one had reached until then. However, Bordino feared for his life and refused to take the car beyond the 90 mph (145 km/h). Next to the sea, in Saltburn Sands, Fiat again achieved speeds of 185 km/h. However, not the author explains that they did not find the right place, because there was not enough distance for the Fiat S76 to display its entire potential. Discarded Italy and England, Ostend, in Belgium, and Arthur Duray, as a pilot, were the chosen protagonists. It was about reaching the Germans. And there they got it, where they marked a peak speed of 212.87 km/h. However, the organized race was round trip and a fault prevented Fiat S76 from covering the route in the maximum allowed time. Turin’s beast had an informal record. Unfortunately, World War I passed over the Fiat S76, which had to be dismantled. Despite this, little by little a unit has been recovered and, completely restored, In 2019 it was dropped by Goodwood where he covered the entire circuit of the climb to one of the most famous hills in the motor world. The video puts the hair on end. In the images you can see how the body is twisted with engine violence. It is impressive to see the flares that come out on the sides of the vehicle. Sedgwick assured that Turin’s beast was going through the city “shooting flames in the faces of innocent pedestrians and deafening them. “We do not doubt it. Photos | Goodwood and Matthew Lamb In Xataka | The Mercedes T80, the car mounted on the engine of a hunt with which Hitler wanted to reach 750 km/h

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.