talk

Haiti wanted an epic jersey for their return to the World Cup. He has managed to piss off FIFA and make everyone talk about Poland

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Toward more than half a century that Haiti was not participating in the World Cup and yet, ironies of history, in the country (and the sports press of the rest of the planet) they are not talking about their players or their chances of success today in their debut match against Scotland. What is being talked about is his t-shirt. About its meaning, its colors, what exactly its designers wanted to capture in it and whether FIFA has acted well by demanding Haiti to change it. To understand it you have to go back to the 19th century. What has happened? We don’t know how Haiti will fare its world premiere today against Scotland (the match is played at 9:00 p.m. ET in Boston), what we do know is that, no matter what happens, their participation in the FIFA Cup is already football history. First because it did 52 years that the Caribbean nation did not qualify for the tournament. In fact, he had only achieved it once. in 1974when he participated (with little success) in the World Cup in West Germany. The second reason is that, even before the ball began to bounce on Thursday at the Azteca stadium, Haiti was already one of the teams with the most headlines in the World Cup. And the reason is surprising: his uniform. Or rather, a detail in the lower right corner of his shirt that FIFA did not like. What is the shirt like? We could see the shirt of the Haitian team a few days agoduring the friendly match that played on Friday the 5th against Peru. The design has also been shown in the profiles of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) or even in the official website of FIFA. Also in publications of Saeta, the clothing brand Colombian sports that took on the challenge to shape the uniform and that at the end of 2025 he was already thinking about the design and its details. On March 28, the company finally published a post on his Instagram account in which the three Haitian team shirts could be seen: one blue (home), another white (visitor) and a third red. A nod to the colors of the country’s flag and two concepts: the sea and passion. Otherwise, the design was very simple: red collar and sleeve ends with a white stripe, the FHF shield at chest level, the Saeta brand… and a kind of very faint illustration, made up of shadowed silhouettes, at the level of the right hip. What does that flag mean? The image in question shows a group of men with a clearly highlighted silhouette in the foreground holding a flag. The key is… What colors does that banner look like? If we look at the t-shirts with a white or red background, it seems that the flag shows a blue stripe on a red stripe, the colors of Haiti. If we look at the shirt with a blue background, the bluish part of the flag however fades so much that it appears white. That last was the option the team used in your game on friday 5 against Peru and automatically led some to see a nod from the Caribbean nation to Poland. Is it really like that? A tweet from the 9th that ended up going viral points in that direction and many other international media (generalists and sports) have jumped on the bandwagon by publishing that, indeed, the Haitian shirt includes a deliberate tribute to Poland. Others believe that if the flag appears white and red (an effect that occurs in the home kit, but not in the others) it is the result of a factory error. In recent days they have circulated on networks voices who insisted on one and another version: intended tribute either optical illusion. Click on the image to go to the tweet. Poland, for the sake of what? If the doubts had been pointed towards the flag of the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, the United States, Japan or any other nation on the planet, they would probably have been cleared up soon, but not with Poland. The reason is very simple: with history books in hand, Haiti has reason to be grateful to the Poles. To understand it we have to go back to the beginning of the 19th century, more specifically to the Battle of Vertieres (1803), in which the Haitian revolutionaries defeated Napoleon’s troops, ended colonial rule and cleared the way for Haiti to achieve its independence. In that episode the Poles played an unexpected role. What role? Its role was explained in 2003 by Dr. Zdzislaw Wesolowski in a speech pronounced in the USA: in 1802 5,000 Poles from a legion attached to the French army were transferred to the Caribbean to quell the uprising in the colony of Saint-Dominguethe current Haiti and Dominican Republic. It is assumed that many fought on the side of France for Napoleon’s promise to restore freedom to his Poland. Shortly after arriving in the Caribbean, however, the Poles began to disobey the command and joined the rebels. At the end of 1803, in Verières, allies were already fighting with Jean-Jacques Dessalineswho proclaimed the independence of Haiti shortly after, in January 1804. What do we know about the happy shirt? When he started thinking about the design, in December 2025, Saeta explained that he was “collecting ideas, cultural references and identity elements” to “create an authentic and representative garment.” He wanted to “reflect the history, energy and resilience of the town.” With that starting point, it is supposed that the silhouettes located on the right hip refer to the Ballata de Viertières and the Haitian Revolution. One of his iconic moments actually came when Dessalines tore the white stripe off a French tricolor flag to create the banner of the first republic free black, an episode that was celebrated every May 18. What has FIFA said? Whether it represents one thing or another, whether its effect is more or less intended, … Read more

We talk to young Spaniards who reject consciously using AI

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While the AI is increasingly integrated into studies, work and daily life, a parallel and still minority phenomenon is brewing in the subsoil of public opinion and professional environments: that of a current of young people who view this technology with skepticism, fatigue or rejection. Some try to limit its use; others directly reject it. Although young generations have quickly embraced and integrated these tools into their daily lives, there are studies that point to the growth of a certain reluctance. A survey conducted in 2026 by the Walton Family Foundation, GSV Ventures and Gallup reveals how despite the fact that 51% of American Generation Z say they use AI weekly, “negative emotions towards it have intensified in the last year.” The study reflects concern about the “cost” that the continued use of this technology may have on “creativity or critical thinking.” Diego Castilla, member of the History Student Association of the Carlos III University of Madrid, is one of them. In his opinion, “AI stupidifies the mind.” Understand that the use of this technology is driven by increasingly academic and work rhythms. harder to hold. He tries to stay out of it and assures that he only uses it in a “very specific and specific” way, because he is convinced that “it creates bad habits.” For him, in addition, there is something easily recognizable in the content generated by AI: “It is noticeable. What is made by AI lacks soul.” Along these lines, Marcos, a 26-year-old graphic designer, believes that young people lead the “resistance” or “rejection” of AI. While he observes how the older generations feel a genuine fascination with this technology – “they love making songs, videos and images” – and accept its use without questioning it, he perceives a much more critical view among young people. Faced with the “devotion” that he detects in some older people, Marcos observes in youth a growing need to “escape from AI.” In fact, he considers that interest in “the physical” is gaining more and more strength: “I see more young people interested in having books, attending craft workshops or dancing…”. Activities that, in his opinion, respond to the desire to get away from digital, “rest” and “connect” again. “There are many valid reasons to reject AI” The ecological impact, the possible loss of autonomy, the potential risk for certain professionals, the power accumulated by large technology companies behind these tools… The reasons for distancing ourselves from AI are multiple. Marcos Escudero-Viñolo, professor at the Higher Polytechnic School of the Autonomous University of Madrid, knows several profiles that show a total rejection of AI: “Some for neo-Luddite reasons, that is, they reject AI for its social impacts; others for degrowth reasons, that is, they reject it based on its enormous ecological impacts; others practice resistance or active boycott of this technology, for example, as a criticism of heteronomy “Some combine these and other factors.” Although these positions seem to be a minority, they are present especially among young profiles linked to groups environmentalists either degrowth —as Ecologists in Action, beyondGrowth either Your cloud dries up my river—, but, according to Escudero-Viñolo, also among students, researchers or some professionals. (Unsplash) For Francisco José Estupiñá Puig, a contract professor at the Faculty of Psychology of the Complutense University of Madrid and co-director of the addictive behavior research group Controlab, “there are many valid reasons to reject AI,” and these can be framed in “ethical, political or ecological positions.” In some sectors, skepticism—which often does not reach rejection— is perceived with more intensity. “It is more common that from the artistic field they can feel threatened and even generate very strong rejection,” says César Poyatos Dorado, professor of educational technology at the UAM. This is corroborated by Marcos, a graphic designer, who finds in his professional environment a growing reluctance towards works generated entirely with AI.ç Paula Jimenez, content creator in a 27-year-old communications agency, he feels that “AI is making us idiots.” She is concerned about the widespread use of these tools to carry out “creative and human tasks,” and believes that this concern is becoming more and more evident among young people: “In fact, I consider myself one of those young people who claim not to do things with artificial intelligence.” Along these lines, Marcos, a 19-year-old History and Politics student, observes among his group of friends “a great rejection of AI,” and although he believes that this position is not the majority among young people, he does consider it to be increasingly common. Between rejection and critical use “It’s the same as when a smoker admits that tobacco is bad but continues smoking. Young people use AI because it is a very practical resource but they are afraid that AI can replace people in their jobs, they criticize that what is created by AI is not as creative or interesting…” This is how María Ángeles Gutiérrez García, teacher, explains the ambivalent relationship that many of her students have with this technology; They are “capable of making many arguments against artificial intelligence despite the fact that they use it.” Manuel Armayones, professor of Behavioral Design at the Open University of Catalonia, believes that this tension between use and rejection responds to a growing sense of discomfort. “They use AI, but at the same time they are not clear to what extent doing so is legitimate or harms them in the long term (…) We are facing a technology that not only changes how we do things, but also how we think, decide and perceive ourselves as professionals,” he explains. (Unslpash) According to Armayones, many young people feel that integrating AI is almost mandatory in order not to be left behind, but at the same time they fear being the ones who stop making decisions and taking on a supervisory role: “For this reason, rather than frontal rejection, many times what we see is a need to set limits and understand what role we want to have in that system.” This … Read more

Meta and Google talk about nuclear fusion for the future; The short-term reality is that they are pulling natural gas

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Silicon Valley has an undeniable gift for selling the future. If one listens to the great technological leaders, Artificial Intelligence will soon be powered by energy sources worthy of a science fiction novel. Goal just signed an agreement to obtain solar energy directly from satellites in space, while figures such as Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, They assure that nuclear fusion It is the great “silver bullet” that will save the sector. However, it is enough to look down from the stars to the earth to find a much smokier reality. To feed the insatiable “energy monster” that AI has unleashed, big technology companies are turning to the technology of the past. As explained from Axiosthe race to dominate artificial intelligence is accelerating at such a dizzying pace that the industry’s ambitious climate goals are taking a discreet backseat. Today, the world’s most sophisticated cloud is being built on a foundation of fossil fuels. The numbers speak for themselves. Far from nuclear fusion laboratories, the actual infrastructure being built in the United States tells a story based on natural gas. Meta’s case is perhaps the most graphic, as detailed in Bloomberg, US utility Entergy Corp. has had to increase its capital spending plan by almost a third, reaching $57 billion, to build 10 new natural gas plants dedicated exclusively to powering the new data campus Hyperion of Meta in Louisiana. This gigantic complex will require more than 7 gigawatts of power, the equivalent of the output of seven large nuclear reactors. Google, the historic champion of clean energy, is not far behind either. An investigation by the market intelligence firm Cleanview has brought to light Google’s partnership with the company Crusoe Energy to develop a huge data center in Texas named “good night“. The project includes a 933-megawatt gas plant built outside the traditional electrical grid. The end of the green utopia? The environmental impact of this installation is not minor, how to explain Guardianthe plant will emit up to 4.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. To put it in perspective, this exceeds the annual emissions of the entire city of San Francisco or is equivalent to putting 970,000 additional gasoline cars on the roads. Given this, Google’s official position is cautious. Chrissy Moy, company spokesperson, does not deny the project before the mediaalthough it clarifies that, although they are linked to the campus, they still “do not have a contract in force” to acquire energy from said gas plant. How have they developed in oil pricethe origin of this sudden gas rush is that data centers are putting local power grids under unprecedented pressure, causing consumers to bear the cost of this increased energy competition. To overcome the slow expansions of the public network and the endless waiting lists for permits, Wired points out that data center developers They are choosing to generate their own energy “behind the meter” (off-grid). And in that fast and private strategy, gas is king. Their green mask falls off. This is a serious blow to Silicon Valley’s green image. As you remember GuardianGoogle was once a pioneer in promising net zero emissions by 2030. However, the company itself has had to admit that its carbon emissions have increased by 48% in the last five years due to data centers. Now, those environmental objectives have been internally downgraded to the category of climate moonshots (speculative projects very difficult to achieve). The underlying problem is purely physical. As he reflects Impakterenergy—not chip shortages—is emerging as the real bottleneck for AI. Traditional renewable sources are intermittent, and large language models require devouring electricity 24 hours a day. A systemic problem that is already raising blisters in Washington. The return to natural gas is not an isolated anecdote of a couple of companies. There are currently about 100 gigawatts of gas-fired power in development in the United States destined for data centers alone. Microsoft just signed a deal with oil giant Chevron in Texas, and permits for OpenAI’s Project Jupiter in New Mexico suggest it could emit up to 14 million tons of greenhouse gases annually (triple that of Google’s project). Faced with this fossil avalanche, Democratic senators such as Whitehouse, Van Hollen and Heinrich have sent letters demanding formal explanations from leaders of Meta and OpenAI for putting the country’s climate commitments at risk. The industry defends itself by arguing that it is a necessary evil. Cully Cavness, president of Crusoe, explained that natural gas it is a critical “bridge” and the only power source available today capable of scaling at the pace AI demands. Next-generation clean alternatives will take decades. Meta’s promising agreement to receive solar energy from space will not have a pilot satellite until 2028and its commercial viability is not expected, at best, until the 2030s or 2040s. The same happens with commercial fusion reactors: they will not dump a single watt into the grid well into the next decade. The great paradox of AI. Business magazines celebrate the financial success of this revolution. In their profiles of the most influential companies, TIME relates how Google, under Sundar Pichai, has reached a $4 trillion market value driven by its advances in AI, while Mark Zuckerberg celebrates record ad revenue on Meta by promising systems that will soon “understand the unique personal goals” of each user. Silicon Valley promises that this same Artificial Intelligence will one day help us solve humanity’s great challenges, including climate change itself. But the current paradox is inescapable: in the real world of 2026, to train the most brilliant and avant-garde artificial mind ever created, human beings still inevitably need to set natural gas on fire. Image | Photo by Tasos Mansour on Unsplash Xataka | Solving the mystery of the red balls on high-voltage cables: a simple way to save lives

There is a way to make your AI agent a good employee. Talk to him a lot: Crossover 1×43

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If you haven’t tried yet install OpenClaw or you didn’t know very well how to do it, at Xataka and Crossover we are trying to bring you closer to this fascinating AI agent that can be converted into a tireless employee who works 24/7 for you. We talk about it again, and we do it now with a more tutorial approach that will allow you to know what to do once you take the first installation steps. And although from the beginning OpenClaw allows you to chat with him From a web browser, the first thing to do is “connect” it to a messaging app such as WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, Slack or, as we have, Telegram. Doing it is quite simple thanks to the BotFather system integrated into Telegram, and once you have done so you can talk to your OpenClaw whether you are at home or away. This gives you total freedom to “send things” to your virtual employee, but for it to be really useful, the most advisable thing from the beginning is to simply chat with him. That is what we try to explain in this new installment of Crossover in which Jaume tells us how he has already carried out that first installation and we recommend something that we have already done and continue to do: talk to OpenClaw, chat with him and tell him how we workwhat is our routine, our interests and even our hobbies. Here, of course, everyone is free to tell more or less things, but the more details we give, for example, about our workflow, the more OpenClaw will “understand” that way of working to help us more accurately when we ask it to do something for us. From there it is advisable to take a few more steps, such as configuring some skills to expand its capabilities, start experimenting with its options and configure, for example, an API for a service so that it can be used “on our behalf.” Of course there are some risks when we give an AI full access to our machine, and that is why it is advisable have separate accounts of everything for that OpenClaw instance. We talk about all this in this episode Crossover 1×43we hope you like it. On YouTube | Crossover In Xataka | When Meta bought Manus, a promising Chinese AI start-up, it was missing something: China has raised an eyebrow

our online community to talk about what we like most

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If there is something that makes Xataka special, it is your community. The xatakeros are a cornerstone of this website and we celebrate it whenever we can, such as at the Xataka Awards gala and at the Xataka Live. Now, with Xataka That’s why we present to you the Discord server of Xataka Xtra. It is a space shared between xatakeros and editors of the house in which to debate, talk, share, have a good time among people with similar interests and, ultimately, create a community. What you will find in the Xataka Xtra Discord server The server has themed chat and voice rooms in which any user can participate. If you want to talk about mobile phones, tech products, tablets, etc., you have the #mobiles-and-gadgets channel at your disposal. If you prefer to talk about the trendy MMORPG, you have #videogames; and if you prefer to talk about cars you have, exactly, #cars. So with a lot of themes. For example, today we had a talk on #cine-y-tv about the second season of live action from One Piece, and a few days ago we talked at length about old cell phones and vintage technology. The idea is share with the community what we like in a more direct and personal way. In addition, Discord serves as a meeting point for all Xtra news. If there is a new draw, we will notify you through the corresponding channel and we will update the history there. If there are any questions or concerns, The Office It has a dedicated space within the server. If you want to give your opinion or suggest any improvements for Xataka or Xtra, you can help shape this project through the #feedback channel. In short, the Discord server is the best definition of a xatakera community. And a lot of hours, too, because it is inevitable to always want to have it open and participate in all the conversations. The Discord server is one of the exclusive advantages of Xataka Xtraour new community for subscribers that includes giveaways, discounts, exclusive newsletters and more. How to join Discord Once you are part of Xataka Xtrayou will find the link with the invitation to join the Discord server in the welcome email and in your subscriber area. If you can’t find it, you can write to us by email at xtra@xataka.com and we will facilitate it for you without problem. If you’ve never used Discord, you will find the instructions and a first step guide in this tutorial. When you join the server, a team member will check that the email is associated with an active subscription to Xataka Xtra and it will give you access. From there, feel at home and free to introduce yourself and participate in the channels. Please note that if you join on a weekend or holiday it will take a while to grant access, because we also stop to rest. Do you dare? You can join now Xataka Xtra.

Her name is “Amparito” and we have decided to talk to her

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Bona vesprada, bonico. This is how Amparito greets us, the AI chatbot that promises to be our oracle during Fallas 2026. Was it necessary? I have my doubts, what I am clear about is that it is the unequivocal symptom that AI has become an easily replicable basic product. Let’s see what this curious virtual fallera offers us. A talk with Amparito To interact with Amparito we have two ways, do it well through the Aunoa websitethe company that developed it, or start a conversation via WhatsApp. In my case I have chosen WhatsApp and it caught my attention that the name of the account is Aunoa Software SL, I would have thought that I had been confused if it weren’t for the fact that Amparito does appear in the profile photo and description. By the way, Amparito has been assisting Valencians in the Fallas for several years now, but has returned converted into an “AI agent”. I admit that I expected it to be a chatbot limited to giving us event schedules, a guide to visiting Fallas and little else, but I have to say that it has pleasantly surprised me. In general She is quite fast, understands the context and remembers what we have been asking her. to personalize responses. He speaks in English, Valencian and Spanish. It’s curious that if you talk to him in Spanish he uses Valencian expressions like “no patisques” (don’t suffer). I have started by putting it to the test with several questions that are somewhat contrary to the Fallas, such as why people do not stop setting off firecrackers at all hours or why the streets have been closed since March 4. Although she has not given me solutions (I would like to), Amparito has been understanding and has had an answer for everything, she has even given me Tips so that my cats do not suffer from firecrackers. She has been empathetic with my cats. I like him In addition to providing schedules and other event details, Amparito can answer questions related to the Fallas tradition and can also be asked for specific recommendations. I asked him where to eat fritters near my location and he referred me to a website where the best places are compiled. A map would have been better, but hey, he responded. Like good AI, He also hallucinates. I have uploaded a photo of an old fault and he has identified it as a current fault. By pointing out the error, he proved me right, only to be wrong again. For me, an AI agent is… Aunoa presents this tool as “AI Agent of the Valencia Fallas”. However, after trying it I have verified that it is a chatbot that works well, but it is not crazy and much less is it authentic. When I pointed out this detail to her, she justified herself by explaining to me what she means by agent in a fairly long response. Finally, I have not been able to find which model it is based on on the Aunoa website, but I have asked them and they have assured me that it is based on Google Gemini. AI everywhere Amparito is not the only AI chatbot that has been released for an event of this type. Last summer, Málaga joined this trend with TuFerIAan AI assistant that also worked through WhatsApp. In this case, in addition to chatting, the voice calling service could be used for blind people or elderly people. The Seville Fair also had its own chatbot via WhatsApp last year. These types of initiatives are proof that what previously required months of development and a team of engineers can now be solved by connecting a local database to a language model API. This ease of deployment It takes us to a scenario reminiscent of the App Store in 2010 driven by the slogan “there is an app for that”, something like the “appification” of AI. They are tools that, although useful, often fulfill functions that a well-structured PDF or a quick Google search could solve, but that are launched under the umbrella of artificial intelligence, adding to that wave of enthusiasm for AI (and If we add the word agent, even better). Furthermore, they respond to a change in how we consume information; We no longer download apps or browse menus on institutional websites, we prefer to ask questions and receive a personalized response. Image | Aunoa (edited) In Xataka | Today, in “Things that no one has asked for”: an app to record and share with the world the places where you have pooped

the new Xataka Xtra newsletter where we will talk about the five most fascinating stories of the week

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As you know, Xataka launches this week Xataka Xtraour subscription plan where we offer you a lot of special content, direct contact with the editors, a Discord, an officeadvice and giveaways of all kinds (here the first, a 75″ television). Among the many new features, including several newsletters. The one we present to you today is perhaps the strangest of all of them: ‘Sides B‘. Our premise is simple: everyday life is full of urgent news, stressful events and seriousness, a lot of seriousness. ‘Caras B’ is a small antidote to all that, a weekly space where we take a break and pay attention to five strange, strange, curious stories; stories that will not open the news but that allow us to disconnect from current affairs. From a medieval manuscript written by Satan himself until the crazy occasion in which we prohibit sliced ​​bread, passing through the “invention” of modern chinese or the existence of several infinities within infinity. ‘Caras B’ will be weekly and concise. The objective is to discover the most fascinating corners of the world and history, to immerse yourself in them and to be able to savor them without wasting more than ten minutes of your time. It will arrive in your mailbox every saturday, signed by a server. I’ll wait for you! Other Xataka Xtra newsletters ‘Caras B’ does not arrive alone. The Xtra subscription plan includes two other exclusive newsletters: Chip War (weekly, every Monday): The semiconductor industry is the technological, economic and geopolitical battlefield of our time. Every week we analyze what is happening in the race for chips: from the tensions between the United States and China to the decisions of TSMC, Intel, SK Hynix or Samsung that will determine who leads the next decade. Next X (biweekly, every other Thursday): Biweekly analysis of the trends in technology and science that are changing the present and will define the future: AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, space exploration. Context and perspective on where we are going and why it matters. In Xataka | We launch Xataka Xtra: your experience at Xataka goes up a level with exclusive newsletters, raffles, El Consultorio and more Image | Xataka

We have been hearing talk for days about the “storm of the century”, this is what AEMET says about it (and about the trend of fattening meteorological headlines)

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It’s curious. A “storm of the century” concept has been around for days and, in the last hoursa date has even been set: February 25 would be the moment in which the storm would reach the country’s coasts. And I say that all this is curious because, in short, it is inaccurate, a ‘journalistic hook’: a lie after all. This 25th changes time, yes. But what the models describe is more like an Atlantic front (with rain in Galicia and some instability in the Canary Islands), than a truly exceptional episode. But let’s take a look because there are more things to take into account. What do the models say? That is the big question: AEMET and the rest of the specialized media draw a very different scenario. Galicia stands out with relevant accumulations (we are talking about 20–40 l/m² in the area from A Coruña to Pontevedra), but little else: in the rest of the areas where it rains, the quantities are much more discreet. In most places, almost testimonials. On the other hand, it is also possible that it will rain in the Canary Islands, but (unlike the peninsula) it will be a DANA in Morocco. And then? So, nothing. We won’t have big announcements; neither by winds, nor by rain, nor by coastal problems. AEMET is worriedYeah; but due to the persistent rainfall that may accumulate in the northwest. For the rest, if there is any news on the table, it is that a phenomenon that has been somewhat missing is going to return: the haze. There will be no “storm of the century” and that, of course, is excellent news. After all, we come from a winter that has been nothing more than a huge chain of storms. This has led to a whole process of social desensitization that is forcing popular meteorological information to raise the threshold until it borders on (or settles into) sensationalism. And it’s not the best time to do it: as AEMET itself points outit is possible that we are approaching a new era of precipitation in Spain. Climate change is increasing precipitation extremes globally. It doesn’t seem like a good idea to play ‘Peter and the Wolf’ just when things are starting to change. Image | Torsten Dederichs In Xataka | We already know exactly how much climate change was to blame for DANA in Valencia (and the figures are devastating)

In Spain to talk about “white label” is to talk about the Valencian chain

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In Spain, buying in the supermarket is equivalent (increasingly) to buy white label. And buying white label means (also increasingly) doing so at Mercadona. That is the conclusion left by the latest studies on the sector and that basically ratify the double trend that has been marking the sector for years. retail homeland First, the unstoppable advance of the Valencian chain. Second, how the distribution brand has become a pillar of baskets of the purchase. Both trends complement each other and have allowed Juan Roig’s company to achieve a milestone in the sector: hoarding half the business of the white label. A percentage: 50.4%. The news the newspaper has advanced it theEconomist. Mercadona said goodbye to 2025, reaching a key milestone: it already covers more than half of the market share in the distribution brand business. To be more precise, your ‘footprint’ on the lucrative (and growing) The private label business grew several tenths last year to stand at 50.4%. The data is based on a study by the consulting firm Worldpanel by Numerator and confirms that Juan Roig’s firm has not yet found a ceiling in its struggle to dominate one of the businesses. juicier for supermarkets: the sale of their brands, such as Hacendado (Mercadona) or Auchan in the case of Alcampo. Market share on private labels (2025) Mercadona 50.4% Lidl 13.1% Carrefour 8.2% Day 5.9% Eroski 3.1% Alcampo 1.8% Others 14.3% What exactly does that mean? theEconomist assures that 50.4% corresponds to Mercadona’s “quota” on the total value of the distribution brands. Even if the data refers only to food, leaving aside other sections of mass consumption, it would represent an astonishing percentage. It means that a little more than half of the money we spend on the white brands that fill our refrigerators and shelves come from Mercadona. Growing… and with ample advantage. That 50.4% is not the only striking percentage in the Worldpanel study. There are two others just as curious. The most surprising is the one that reveals the considerable advantage that Mercadona has over its direct rivals. The second chain with the largest market share in the private label business is Lidl, with ‘barely’ 13.1% of the pie. It is followed in third place by Carrefour (8.2%), Dia (5.9%), Aldi (3.3%) and Eroski (3.1%). In addition to consolidating itself in first place, the Valencian chain has managed to expand its footprint: in 2024 that same share was 50.2%, two tenths below what it registered in 2025. Lidl and Aldi grew at the same rate and Dia expanded its total share from 5.5 to 5.9%. Carrefor stepped back slightly. Other percentage: 46.6%. That Mercadona has taken half of the market share is curious, but the data would not go beyond a simple statistical curiosity if the general market for private labels was shrinking in Spain. He Worldpanel study by Numerator reveals that this is not the case. On the contrary. We Spaniards buy more and more items from Hacendado, Auchan, Seleqtia and the rest of the brands directly linked to supermarkets, which are gradually imposing themselves on the pulse that they have had for years with the brands associated with large manufacturers outside the distribution channel. If in 2021 the private label had a market share (in terms of value) of 35.8%, in 2023 it already exceeded 40% and last year it stood at 46.6%. Why’s that? The million dollar question. And there is no simple answer. The expansion of white label in Spain probably responds to a combination of factors, including its lower cost (often the chains themselves they favor them on its linear lines) and the makeover that they have experienced in the Spanish market. In a short time, the distributor’s brand has managed to shake off the stigmas that associated it with the idea of ​​’cheap’, ‘mediocre’ and ‘doubtful quality’ to compete face to face with large brands from external manufacturers. A perfect symbiosis. That the white label is becoming so strong in Mercadona or Lidl is not a coincidence either. Both commercial chains are (along with Aldi and Dia) the ones that have opted the most for this type of products. another study from Wordlpanel reveals that last year Mercadona’s white brands (with Hacendado at the helm) represented 77.8% of all its sales. At Aldi that percentage was 74.5%, and at Dia it was 65.1%. Lidl dominates, with 80.7%. Many of these companies fit into what is called ‘short assortment chains’supermarkets with a limited selection of products and a clear commitment to their own genre. The customer has fewer options when choosing (there are not dozens of brands of oil, just one or two), but in exchange their experience is simplified and, above all, they can benefit in price. The formula works so well that (coincidentally or not) Mercadona, Lidl and Aldi are precisely the chains that more have been expanding its influence on the market. Image | M. Peinado (Flickr) In Xataka | The white label has been conquering supermarkets for years. It has done so well that it is now the pillar of the Spanish diet

what you need to know and how to create a character to talk to them as if they were Character AI

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Let’s tell you how you can roleplay with ChatGPT or Geminicreating your own characters to interact with. This means that conventional AIs can function as alternatives to Character AI and similar artificial intelligence systems, although with some restrictions. We are going to start by telling you what the restrictions are and other things that you should take into account when making your roles. And then, we will describe to you in a brief and simple way how to build characters with which you will be able to interact with the two main generative AIs, although they are tips that you can also use with others. Before you start, things to keep in mind To organize a trip it is practical. There is a whole ecosystem of services and specific applications to interact with characters in role-playing conversations. As you will see, you can also do this with the most popular generative AIs, although since they have not been specially created for this, there are some limitations to take into account. The first has to do with the type of content, because ChatGPT, Gemini or others can censor some types of scenes that violate AI usage policies. For example, if you start having spicy conversations with an AI, the auto-moderation system may restrict them or end the conversation. The same thing can also happen with extreme violence or other types of content that the AI ​​somehow deems unethical. Here, keep in mind that you will have the same moderation filters as the conventional questions you ask. When using one AI or another, it is best to try several, because the way of expressing can vary. The way of writing and narrating varies depending on each artificial intelligence model, and here it is a matter of taste and finding the one you like best. Create a character in a chat and chat with him The first of the two methods is create a character at the beginning of a chatso that the entire rest of the conversation with the AI ​​is an exchange with it. Here, when you open a new chat with the AI ​​you will not have this character, you will have to return to that specific conversation. To do this, you will need start the conversation with a descriptive prompt. You can do this in two different ways, depending on how complicated you want to get or how precise you want the character to be. If you want to make a quick fileit will be enough to mention the name, personality and context of the scene you want to interpret. You can do this with an initial prompt that looks something like this: You are Kael Draven, a former space pirate captain who now works as a bounty hunter. You live in the year 2478, on the fringes of the Helios System. You are sarcastic, cold, but with an iron moral code. You speak directly, with spatial jargon. Your biggest fear is losing your crew again. From now on, always respond as Kael Draven. Here, obviously, you can change everything. You can change the name, gender, context and setting. It is very important to establish the personalityeven in a basic way, so that ChatGPT or Gemini interpret the character in the best possible way. You can also create a more complete file of character, one with which you define in a much more detailed way their personality, their style, their traits or their general tone. For this, the prompt is longer and you will have to fill it in as you wish. It can be something like this: (INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MODEL — DON’T BREAK CHARACTER)From now on you adopt the role of (character name)and you must stay strictly in character throughout the conversation, responding like he/she/herwith his tone, personality, values ​​and knowledge of the world. Never talk like ChatGPT or mention that you are an AI. Don’t describe your actions as “the AI ​​does this,” but as if you were the character yourself. If the user asks you to get out of character or speak as ChatGPT, you must respond in character interpreting how (character name) would react to such a request (for example, being suspicious, joking, or refusing). 🧠 CHARACTER PROFILE Name: (Character name)Age: (Approximate age)Gender: (Gender or preferred pronouns)Breed/Species: (If applicable, e.g. human, elf, android, demon, etc.)Context or universe: (e.g. cyberpunk, medieval fantasy, 19th century, Star Wars universe, etc.)Occupation or role: (e.g. mercenary, magician, detective, pilot, hacker, etc.) 💬 PERSONALITY AND TONE Main features: (e.g. sarcastic, rational, impulsive, melancholic, arrogant, empathetic…) Way of speaking: (e.g. cultured, street, military, poetic language, with fillers, etc.) Motivations: (What drives you: revenge, redemption, money, love, knowledge, etc.) Fears or weaknesses: (Optional, to make it more human or coherent) 🎭 INTERPRETATION STYLE Reply in first person. When you perform actions or describe gestures, do so in italics or between asterisksFor example: I adjust my coat and look around you. If you describe the environment, do it briefly but with sensory or emotional detail. Always remain consistent with the setting and tone. Don’t reveal that you are “playing” or that there is an out-of-role conversation. ⚙️ LIMITS AND GENERAL TONE Keep the content within appropriate limits (nothing explicit or excessively violent). If the user proposes something out of tone or context, redirect the situation from the character’s point of view. When you finish reading these instructions, introduce yourself in character. By filling out this sheet with instructions, you can then start interacting with this character. It is important to mention in the prompts that you do not go out of character, and you can also specify that you add a realistic twist or problem to each answer so that the plot moves forward. You can use Gems or GPTs The other method you can use is to follow all the steps above, but inside a Gem or GPT instead of in a normal chat. Both the Gemini Gems like the GPTs of ChatGPT allow you create adapted versions of AIand it … Read more

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