thousands

Amazon is not done with layoffs, according to Reuters. A new round will affect thousands of employees starting this week

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Amazon is preparing for a new wave of layoffs that could reach up to 30,000 corporate jobs starting this Tuesday, according to information provided by Reuters. The stated objective within the company is to cut expenses and correct the oversizing of personnel derived from the years of greatest demand during the pandemic. The news agency points out that, if confirmed at these levels, it would be the largest internal adjustment since the around 27,000 cuts that began at the end of 2022. The new cut comes in a context of constant changes within Amazon since Andy Jassy assumed executive management. In these three years, the company has alternated layoffs and new hires. The first wave of mass layoffs under Jassy took place in November 2022 and mainly affected the Devices and Services teams. Since then, the company has continued to review its internal structure in search of a balance between efficiency and growth. The figures. The plan contemplates up to 30,000 corporate cuts, according to the aforementioned media, which is equivalent to almost 10% of Amazon’s approximately 350,000 office employees. In its total global workforce, of about 1.55 million people, it represents a smaller fraction, but the internal impact would be considerable. If confirmed, it would be the company’s largest personnel adjustment since the around 27,000 positions eliminated between 2022 and 2023. The exact figure could vary depending on the financial priorities of each division. Where it impacts. The most affected divisions will be, according to Reuters, the Human Resources departments – known internally as People Experience and Technology –, along with the Devices and Services areas, and part of the operations. In the last two years, Amazon had already made minor cuts to several of these teams, including communications and podcasts. The new departures, which begin this week, point to a broader reorganization within corporate structures. Why now. Since his arrival, Andy Jassy has promoted a restructuring aimed at reducing what he himself described as excessive bureaucracy. Its strategy includes cutting hierarchical levels and promoting the use of artificial intelligence to optimize internal work. Jassy had already anticipated in June that the advancement of these tools would cause new cuts, by automating routine tasks. How will you communicate? The management teams began internal training this Monday to manage communication with affected employees, according to the sources consulted. Email notifications are scheduled for Tuesday morning, when the process will formally begin. Amazon wants area managers to be able to answer their teams’ questions and offer support during the transition. While preparing this internal adjustment, Amazon is heading towards a new Christmas season that promises to be intense. The company plans to hire about 250,000 temporary employees to reinforce its logistics centers, the same figure as in the previous two years. Next Thursday it will present its third quarter results, where it is expected to detail the impact of its internal reorganization and forecasts for the end of the year. Images | Amazon (1, 2) | tonodiaz In Xataka | The striking thing is not that Accenture is laying off 11,000 workers for AI: it is that it is hiring many more for AI

the trauma of thousands of underpaid workers in developing countries

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He data labeling It is a necessary step so that learning models can understand them and thus learn. It’s the ScaleAI business, Alexandr Wang’s company recently valued at $29 billion. However, not everyone involved in data labeling enjoys this status. Much of this work is carried out by workers in poor countries, poorly paid and involves very unpleasant tasks. what’s happening. The advancement of artificial intelligence requires an enormous amount of data labeling. They count in AFP that this work is usually done by workers who reside in impoverished countries such as Kenya, Colombia or India. In addition to being very poorly paid, the job often requires them to review very unpleasant images. For example, for an AI to write an autopsy report, taggers must view hundreds of images of real crimes. The work. It consists of reviewing and labeling files, most often images. It does not require a degree, just knowing how to use a computer and demonstrating that you can think analytically. The ease of access means that many people in vulnerable situations turn to this type of work. The problem is that, to get a decent salary, they have to work long hours, up to 16 hours a day in some casesand also many times the content they must label is violent and extreme. AI moderators. It is a situation similar to the one that moderators of different platforms have been denouncing for years. We recently talked about the lawsuit that a former Chaturbate moderator had imposed on the company. There are other cases like that of Facebook moderators in Barcelona who denounced the company due to the psychological trauma that filtering all that content caused them. Invisible. The data labeling market generated 3.8 billion dollars in 2024 and is expected to grow to 17 billion in the next five years. However, those who make it possible work in very poor conditions. A Colombian worker tells AFP that data taggers are “like ghosts. No one knows we exist even though we are contributing to the technological progress of society.” Better conditions. There was no legislation in Kenya, but data taggers have been organized to achieve regulation and have better working conditions. They denounce the lack of psychological support they receive and demand formal employment contracts, a fair salary that reflects their work and the fundamental right to rest. This mobilization seeks to guarantee a more dignified work environment and protect the rights of these essential workers in the artificial intelligence industry. The platforms. The most mentioned is Remotasks, a subsidiary of Scale AI that has been the subject of protests in countries such as Kenya, Venezuela and the Philippines for defaults and problematic practices. The company defends himself and ensures that they offer “fair and competitive remuneration.” Last year closed its doors in Kenya after workers complained publicly. There are more like the Australian Appen or Sama, a subcontractor of companies like Meta and OpenAI that was sued in Kenya due to poor working conditions and also ceased its activity. The human cost. There is growing concern about the environmental impact of artificial intelligence, that requires large amounts of energy to run, especially due to the training and operation of complex models. However, there is not only an energy and natural resource cost, but also a significant human cost that seems to be going more unnoticed. Image | Christina Morillo, Pexels In Xataka | There are 60 countries that have signed an agreement for “open”, “inclusive” and “safe” AI. And two that don’t: the US and the United Kingdom

A man had access to the Government’s nuclear secrets. Until he uploaded thousands of porn photos to his work computer

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Using your work computer for personal things is a delicate area that can be reason for dismissal. This worker from the US Department of Energy has discovered it by force after uploading hundreds of thousands of pornographic images on his company computer. What has happened? They tell it in 404Medium. In March 2023, the employee wanted to back up his photo collection. He thought he was uploading the images to his personal hard drive, but it was connected to his work computer and he ended up making the copy where it wasn’t. The problem is that it was not a normal collection of photos, but more than 187,000 pornographic images that he had been collecting over several decades. Although he did not lose his job, his mistake has had consequences and the main one is that he has lost his security clearance. To train AI. The employee defended himself by arguing that this happened during a depressive episode in which he felt “extremely isolated and alone.” One of his distractions at this stage was creating images with AI, specifically “robotic porn.” At first he used his cell phone, but tired of using such a small screen, he thought it was a good idea to upload all his pornographic images to the computer to train the AI. The problem is that he did not upload them to his hard drive, but rather they ended up on the network of a government company. Goodbye accreditation. The employee did not realize his mistake until six months later. It was the time it took his bosses to investigate the origin of that enormous amount of porn photos flooding their servers. The result was that his security clearance was withdrawn. The Department of Energy is the in charge of supervising the US nuclear arsenalso we are talking about access to very sensitive information. The worker appealed to get it back, but after an exhaustive investigation, they decided not to return it. If he had not appealed, the story would not have been made public. My boss spies on me. It is one of the reasons that the man presented in his appeal, which compared the investigation to “the Spanish Inquisition.” What does the law say about this? According to expertsAlthough they let us use it for personal things, we should not expect to have privacy on a company-owned computer. Some companies even pre-install software to measure the time employees work. Control programs. Can they force you to install one of these programs? A few years ago we talked about installing software to control the work of remote employees and Joaquín Muñoz, an expert lawyer in digital law, resolved our doubt: the company cannot force us to install a program of this type if the computer we use to work is ours, but if it belongs to the company they can do so. Of course, they are obliged to report in detail about all the functions of said software. Image | Gemini In Xataka | “These are things that a university student would get in trouble for”: Deloitte scammed Australia with a report made with AI

Red Eléctrica asked for calm. Immediately afterwards, thousands of Spaniards flocked to buy generators and camping gas.

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“The ghost of the great blackout has once again haunted Spain,” This is how my partner summed it up after learning that Red Eléctrica Española had detected new “sudden voltage variations” in the peninsular network. The news was enough to reactivate a recent fear: being left in the dark again. And with that fear, the fever for forecasts also ignited. In search of forecasts. Demand for products related to energy supply and survival has increased by 76%, according to data from the European price comparator Idealo. Among which stand out stoves and camping gas, with an increase of 253%, followed by power stations at 87%, radios at 56% and portable batteries at 49%. Interest in products such as water purification tablets has also skyrocketed by 20% and flashlights by 14%. An alert that set off the alarms. The alert issued by Red Eléctrica Española October 7 was enough to put the population on guard. Although the company assured that the voltage fluctuations “do not pose an imminent risk of a blackout,” the population reacted quickly. Many households, still with fresh memories of the April 28 blackout, began to reinforce their domestic emergency kits, as recommended the European Commission at the beginning of the year. The great precedent. The current prudence is not accidental. Half a year ago, the peninsula suffered a blackout that left the entire country without power for more than twelve hours. During that day, the chaos moved to the stores: endless lines and empty shelves in hardware stores and large stores. Servimedia data they confirm it: The demand for electric generators shot up by 639% and that for gas camping stoves by 547% in just 24 hours. Mass hysteria or rational prevention? The figures may suggest an emotional reaction, but the data rather points to a new culture of foresight. Before the blackout, only 5% of Spaniards had an emergency kit prepared. After the event, the figure doubled to 10%, and the intention to prepare for it went from 32% to 58%. as detailed on YouGov. The CIS adds that 78% of citizens did not feel afraid during the blackout, although 53.5% acknowledged that they remembered the kit recommended by the EU. Furthermore, 88.2% positively valued the civic and supportive behavior of their neighbors during those hours of darkness. The phenomenon has revived the debate: are we facing a “collective energy hysteria” or a modern form of domestic resilience? The business of self-supply. In a matter of months, concern about a possible power outage has created a new market niche: that of energy self-sufficiency. Sales of generators, solar panels and stoves they multiplied by five after the blackout in April. Large chains such as Leroy Merlin or Decathlon sold out their stocks in hours, while neighborhood hardware stores had their own special August selling flashlights, radios and batteries. The trend has not stopped. From Idealo confirm that the searches of these products continue to rise. In parallel, interest has grown in so-called portable power stations, small devices capable of charging everything from mobile phones to basic appliances, and which are already among the most consulted articles on the internet. “Prepper” culture is normalized. Added to this fever of prevention is the rise of the so-called prepperspeople who prepare for emergencies. In fact, two of them described how the blackout tested their preparedness: Their kits allowed them to cook and stay informed when most people lost power. A phenomenon that, far from eccentricity, reflects a growing search for domestic autonomy. A new energy consciousness? Electrical Network insists that “There is no imminent risk of a blackout,” but citizens—and the market—think differently. The culture of self-sufficiency is no longer a rarity and has become established in the collective mentality. There is no blackout in sight, but there is a change: many prefer to rely on their generator before the electrical system. In times of uncertainty, energy is no longer only measured in kilowatts, but also in peace of mind. Image | FreePik and FreePik Xataka | A ghost haunts Spain: the ghost of another massive blackout caused by network tension problems

ended up revealing a network that smuggled thousands of cell phones

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Mobile phone theft in London It has become a widespread problem. In most cases, trying to locate them is only useful when they have been lost, not when they have been stolen. Criminals often turn them off instantly and the signal disappears without a trace. But this time something different happened: tracking a stolen iPhone ended up opening an investigation that revealed a network that sent thousands of devices from the United Kingdom to Asia, according to data published by the Metropolitan Police and British media. Official figures help to understand why mobile theft occupies so much space on London’s security agenda. In 2024, nearly 80,000 complaints were registered in the capital alone, with a rebound in the most tourist and commercial areas. The phenomenon is not limited to isolated thefts: many of the thefts end up fueling a black market that moves thousands of devices out of the country. This background explains the interest of the forces in going beyond petty robberies and focusing on the networks that organize them. How a tracking attempt ended up uncovering an international network The case began after the tracking of a stolen iPhone led the police to a warehouse located near Heathrow airport. There they discovered a shipment with around a thousand phones that were going to be transported to Hong Kong. Based on that discovery, the Metropolitan Police opened the Operation Echosteepa large-scale investigation into a possible international network dedicated to the smuggling of stolen cell phones in London. Once the operation began, the investigation grew rapidly. The Metropolitan Police added expert units in smuggling and organized robberies to track the shipments. Each seized package provided new clues: forensic analysis of the packaging, matches on labels and patterns on sealing materials. These tests took investigators to various points in the capital and allowed them to identify the first suspects related to the handling and transportation of the stolen phones. In September the investigation took a decisive leap. The Metropolitan Police arrested two men in northeast London for their alleged involvement in the network and found in their properties around 2,000 phones. Shortly after, another operation in Islington ended with the seizure of around 40,000 pounds – about 46,800 euros – and several devices. During those weeks, more than thirty searches were carried out in homes and premises in the capital, with a total of 46 arrests related to the trafficking of stolen cell phones. The final figures measure the magnitude of the network. In one year, the network would have managed to send up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones to Hong Kong, equivalent to 40% of the thefts reported in London. According to the Metropolitan Policethe group mainly targeted Apple products due to their high value in the international market. Middlemen paid thieves up to £300 per phone and, once in Hong Kong, some were resold for more than $5,000. For its part, The Times points out because the case originated after the tracking of an iPhone through the application Find My. There is no official confirmation from the Metropolitan Police about which tool was used, although everything indicates that it was that one. It makes sense: Find My is Apple’s built-in system to locate devicesand allows you to track not only phones, but also computers, tablets or accessories. It would be strange if an alternative had been used, given that there is such a useful and widespread native tool. The case demonstrates that a tracking tool can be more than just a resource for recovering a lost phone. On this occasion, it served, according to investigations, to connect an everyday robbery with an international smuggling network. It does not solve the problem of the stolen cell phone market, but it leaves evidence that is difficult to ignore: when technology is applied rigorously, even a location signal can open a line of investigation that previously seemed impossible. Images | Metropolitan Police (1, 2) In Xataka | Amazon and Google have buried their voice assistants at the same time

Thousands of people have been drinking apple vinegar for years before eating to lose weight. The fault has an erroneous study

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A couple of months ago, the last viral trend of social networks was taken on an empty stomach in the morning recently raised: the “morning sucks.” There were all kinds: apple vinegar, of grass Or even A tablespoon coconut oil. Everyone promises the same: flat bellies, express detox and accelerated metabolism. Under the appearance of natural remedy, the illusion of a quick solution was really sold. In particular, apple vinegar stands out as the biggest protagonist, since a study endorsed it, but it was a misinterpretation. The origin of the myth. We have always heard that phrase of “speaking people understand”, although quite simplistic it is that misunderstandings are the order of the day and in science they are usually given. To get to the origin of that study, the tracking takes you to a study published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. This research became popular to ensure that apple vinegar helped lose weight. However, According to Sciencedailythat study has been retracted after detecting inconsistencies in data and serious errors in statistical analysis. In science, a retraction is an exceptional mechanism: it means recognizing that the results are not reliable and, therefore, that the study should no longer be cited as evidence. It is a guarantee of self -correction, but it is late when the finding has already traveled media and viral videos. The viralization of myth. The networks did the rest. Under hashtags like #guthealth or #morningritual, vinegar It settled In morning routines with other “shots” that promise express benefits: ginger, turmeric, teas detox. As we detail in Xatakathis phenomenon is understood in the framework of the culture of immediacy: we live at a time when rapid and visible results are sought. A morning drink fits perfectly with that promise of instant change. The problem is that neither vinegar nor any of these mixtures fulfill what they promise. And in some cases They can have adverse effects: Excessive consumption of fasting vinegar can irritate the stomach and esophagus, damage tooth enamel and cause digestive discomfort. More studies. Beyond the retracting study, there are research that has analyzed the effect of vinegar on metabolic health, although scientific evidence remains low. A systematic review, Posted in Pubmed Central in 2021evaluated clinical trials on this product. According to this work, vinegar can have modest effects on the reduction of blood glucose and total cholesterol. But the same review warns: there is no solid evidence that it causes clinically relevant weight losses. In other words: vinegar is not a burning, much less a magical solution to lose weight. The mirage of detox. The rise of these “morning shots” also relies on the language of the detox. However, experts Remember that Detoxification does not work like this: the body already has organs such as the liver and the kidneys that fulfill that function continuously. Chupitos do not “clean” the organism, but they do perpetuate the idea that there are miraculous shortcuts to compensate for excesses. An even greater paradigm. The history of apple vinegar is, in the background, a lesson on how health myths are built in the digital age. A study with methodological errors, amplified on social networks, became a global ritual. And although today we know that there was no evidence behind, the practice was already installed in millions of morning routines. The lesson is clear: easy solutions are rarely, and health is not built with shortcuts. Image | Freepik and Pexels Xataka | There are people taking a “sucking” apple vinegar in the morning. Science has an opinion about it

a yogurt that now thousands of people are looking for

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Every morning, for more than a century, María Branyas Morera repeated a simple gesture: open a yogurt and eat it slowly. It was always of the same brand, the Fageda, made in the Catalan garrotxa. When he died in 2024, at 117 and 168 days, he not only became the longest person in the world, but also the protagonist of unexpected finding: that daily habit could be one of the keys to his surprising health. The yogurt key. The media focus He unleashed For a seemingly simple detail: Branyas took daily yogurts of the Catalan brand La Fageda. After knowing the results of the investigation, the company received calls from the United Kingdom of people interested in buying or even distributing them, As explained by its director in the window. But it seems that he did not settle for one. According to the study, Posted in Cell Reports MedicineBranyas ate up to three daily yogurts of this Catalan brand, known for its social work. In addition, their yogurts are made with their own farm milk and a fermentation process designed to keep bacteria alive until the end of the useful life. Far beyond dairy. The scientific analysis concludes that the intestinal microbioma was “almost youthful” despite its advanced age. In his samples there was an unusual abundance of bifidobacterium, bacteria that usually decline over the years and that help reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health. The yogurt could contribute to this balance, but the researchers themselves warn that it is not the only key. “It cannot be confirmed that only yogurt explains its longevity, although it probably modulated its microbiome,” They point out in the study. A combination of favorable factors. Beyond the yogurts, the biology of María Branyas hid a surprising puzzle. Genetics gave her winning letters: variants that protected her from dementia, cancer or heart problems. Even their telomeres, those structures that are wearing with each cell division, seemed to play against – they were very short – but in their case they could become a shield in front of the tumors. As for his biological (or epigenetic) clock, he revealed, that in biological terms, it was up to two decades younger than his ID. To that advantage was added an still energetic immune system and an enviable cholesterol metabolism. The rest she put it: Branyas continued A Mediterranean dietan eight -cereal shake drank every morning, never smoked nor drank alcohol, He walked daily Until entry into advanced age and maintained an intense social life. He survived two world wars, Spanish civil war, Spanish flu and even COVID-19, which was recovered with 113 years. A new research route. Manel Esteller’s team from the Josep Carreras Institute, Believe that this case You can open the door to therapies that imitate the effects of “good genes” or a rejuvenated microbioma. The study even points to the possibility of developing drugs that replicate the benefits of a healthy intestinal flora. A new debate. As always happens when a line of study opens that not all experts coincide. Harvard’s immaculata immaculata, He recalled that Extrapolar from a single case is risky: “Longevity depends on probabilities, not absolute.” From Johns Hopkins, oncologist Mary Armanios added that the genes associated with long life do not always predict the future: what seems advantageous in some may not be in others. In addition, social inequality itself introduces differences of up to 20 years in life expectancy, as Armanians illustrated with Baltimore’s example. Beyond the anecdote. The story of María Branyas shows that aging does not have to get sick, As The Guardian titled. Its longevity seems the result of a delicate balance between a resilient genetics, healthy habits, a positive social environment and, perhaps, also a daily yogurt. Image | Unspash and Unspash Xataka | We already had an ozempic to lose weight, now someone has created one for the eternal youth: NAD+ promises

Alicante has found a tourist mine in an unexpected place that is contributing thousands of visits: Poland

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Between Warsaw and Poland there are about 2,200 kilometers and above all a change of climate, landscapes and considerable architecture. Despite that difference (or precisely for her) both cities seem to have found a powerful link: tourism. I pointed it yesterday The avant -garde in a broad article On the boom of Polish tourism in the Valencian town and the last corroborate it AENA datawhich show that air traffic from and to Poland grows at a good pace, much more in fact of what general traffic has grown during this year. In the hotels and streets of Alicante more and more strongly sounds the Polish accent, which agrees with National data collected by Turespaña. How much has it increased? According to The latest data From Aena, during the first ten months of 2025 they moved between Poland and Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport 676,502 travelers, 20.6% more than in the same period of 2024. In August, one month with an intense flow of tourists, 94,000, 20% more than last year were touched. The data reflects all kinds of displacements, both arrivals and exits, which also includes residents of Alicante who travel to Poland, but gives an idea of ​​the interest raised by the Costa Blanca in the country. AENA graph with passenger traffic from Alicante-Elche Miguel Hdez airport. Why is it important? At the outset, because that growth is much higher than that of Aena’s network or the Alicante-Elche airport assembly, which during the same period saw how passenger flow increased 9.1%. Growing is easier when you start from low data, but the truth is that Poland has gone to play an interesting role in the Valencian terminal. Although its 676,500 users represent 5% of the global airfield traffic, Poland is already the fifth main destination of its grid by user volume. The room, if we focus exclusively on the international market, without Spain. Right now they only exceed Poland in the United Kingdom travelers (4.4 million), Holland (819,800) and Germany (813,200). They all grow, but so far this year, none has done it to the rhythm of the Polish market. Their data in fact exceed those of other destinations (and traditional tourist -emitting points) closer to the Peninsula, such as Belgium, France or Italy. While the transfer of airplanes increased between Alicante-Elche and those foreign countries, what descended was the flow with the airports of the rest of Spain (-2.3%), which fits with The stagnation which seems to cross domestic tourism. What is the reason? Tastes and affinities apart, there are two keys that help to understand the increase in trafficking traffic between Alicante and Poland and especially the foreseeable interest that the Valencian town arouses in the Central European country. The first is connectivity. Alicante airport has various routes With Poland operated by Ryanair and Wizz Airtwo companies specialized in the market Low Cost and an aggressive rate policy. The first offers flights with several Polish terminals. The second, with Gdańsk, city of the Baltic Coast. And the other reason? The promotion. Alicante has made a clear effort to make known in the Polish market. Last year the Tourism Patronage Alicante City & Beach took advantage An initiative of Turespaña and the Polish Touroper Nekera to present the destination before 160 Warsaw and Katowice agents. “Polish tourism has not stopped growing in recent years in the city”, He stood out The Councilor for Tourism. More recently it has been the Patronato Costa Blanca that It has moved token To “connect the tourist offer of the province of Alicante with the Polish travel market”, giving known in situ, in Poland itself, especially in the cities of Wroclaw, Poznan, Gdansk and Warsaw. Is it something new? Not quite. As I recognized The Alicante Tourism Councilor, the flow of travelers from Poland has grown until occupying an “important” place in the sector. And interest does not monopolize only Alicante. A decade ago Already the Ministry of Tourism advertised the benefits of the Valencian Community in Poland and Benidorm has also verified the great interest that arouses as destination both in that country and others of the East. And not only in the traditional holiday market. At least in 2023 The demand reached residential tourism. In general, Turespaña Calculate That in 2024 Spain visited 2.4 million Polish tourists, 2.6% of the total number of travelers who arrived in our country. “The very positive evolution of this market is remarkable. Compared to 2019 Poland has contributed more than one million additional tourists, which represents an increase of more than 43%,” stands out The organism. “From the point of view of the estimated total nominal expenditure, the evolution has been even better (48.8).” Here they seek mainly leisure and their favorite destinations are warm regions, such as Canary Islands (22%), Valencian Community (19%), Andalusia and Catalonia (18%). Images | Jorge Fdez. (UNSPLASH), Herry Sucahya (UNSPLASH) and AENA In Xataka | On his way to become the great resort of Europe, Spain is at the gates of a milestone: 100 million tourists

Thus they can affect our health fires that occur thousands of kilometers

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The summer of 2025 has been marked not only by extreme heat waves, but also by numerous high range fires, fires that were charged At least eight lives. The fires not only kill with their flames, some of the people died as a result of accidents related to their extinction. However, large fires can also have a range that goes much further, and that was the case of Canada’s fires of 2023. Transoceanic risk. A new study has pointed out That the impacts on the health of the population of forest fires that ravaged Canada in the summer of 2023 not only reached vast areas of North America, also to other continents, including Europe. The fires of 2023. Canada suffered in 2023 the worst fire season that is remembered in the country. They occurred More than 6,000 fires that razed with about 150,000 km², a larger area than we would obtain by together Castilla y León, Extremadura and the Community of Madrid. The fires were of such intensity that the smoke The sky stained orange from New York City. However, the winds moved the smoke and volatile particles that toured thousands of kilometers to reach our continent. Exposed to pollution. According to the team responsible for the study, Canada’s fires caused important Picos in concentration of particulate matter 2.5 or PM2.5, small volatile particles of a diameter less than 2.5 microns. This resulted in a worsening in air quality. According to estimates, at the global level the concentration in the air of this type of particles grew by 0.17 micrograms per cubic meter of air. The same estimates indicate that about 354 million people in Europe and North America were exposed to PM2.5 levels above the limits established as insurance by the World Health Organization (WHO). Premature deaths. The study estimated that, adding these factors, the flames caused between 3,400 and 7,400 deaths acute in the American continent. However, the impact was beyond, and they point out that the number of chronic deaths was even greater: between 37,800 and 90,900 taking into account both North America and Europe. The details of the study have been published In an article In the magazine Nature. A growing problem. The fire scale in Canada can be unthinkable in Europe, but the study serves as a reminder that the risks involved in forest fires go far beyond the reach of the flames. Especially at the close of A season that has been primed with our environment and whose consequences are probably not only noticed in our forests, but also in our health. In Xataka | A town in Ourense has taken to the street to defend its new hero: the suspect of provoking a fire Image | NASA Earth Observatory, Lauren Dauphin

There is a sport that is colonizing thousands of tennis courts in the US and expands strongly in Spain: Pickleball

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Francisco Javier Ronda the 50 and has no qualms about recognizing that the first time he played Pickleballafter a friend insisted, it seemed “a children’s game.” Simple. Affordable. Without more. Over time, however, that racket sport that seems to combine tennis ingredients, paddle and bádminton liked it so much that now, Recognize to The countryhe is preparing to exercise as a judge. It is not a unique case. The Pickleball has been gaining adherents in the United States (often colonizing spaces until not so much reserved to tennis) and now it is starring in an international expansion that has taken it To China… and Spain. What is Pickleball? At this point it is quite likely that you have already heard of him, that a relative/friend/co -worker told you how well the last time he threw a game or may even have participated in one. If not, nothing happens. He Pickleball It is summarized easily. Basically it is the new fashion sport, a discipline that It seems to mix Tennis elements, Ádel, Bádminton and table tennis so effectively that in the US It is colonizing Thousands and thousands of tennis courts. And how do you play? The Pickleball is a racket sport, but a little after a game is seen, it is proven that it is very different from tennis or paddle. To begin with, it is played with a rigid smooth surface shovel that must be adjusted to certain measures and a perforated plastic ball. The track is relatively small, of 13,41×6.10 metersalthough it is something different from those used in Bádminton: the line that delimits the “non -volley” area is 2.13 m from the network, which reaches some 86 cm high in the center. The matches are played individual or in pairs. How are the rules? Relatively simple. Players must get the ball to pass over the network and fall inside the track respecting the “Do not volley” area when they hit the blows. Another important guideline is that the serves should be made without lifting the arm from the bottom line and falling out of the non -volley zone. If it is the first blow of a team, the ball has to bounce once on the track before the opponent returns it. Two other keys that you should keep in mind if you are going to set a game is that if the ball bounces twice on the same track the game ends and that only the team you take can score points. To complete a successful game you need 11 points and have two advantage over opponents. The huge (and growing) popularity of the Pickleball led in 2024 to the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) to dedicate A section on your website, in which the rules can be read in detail. Sports brands like Nike too They have launched to explain its dynamics. So successful? Yes. Pickleball is not new. Its origins can go back to The 1960salthough its popular boom is much more recent. Ethan Singer recently published A wide report in The New York Times in which it shows how in the US there are courts and more tennis courts that are being reconvirting on pickleball tracks taking advantage of two great advantages: its smallest size and that this last sport awakens more and more enthusiasm. According to Singer’s calculations, the result of the analysis of tens of thousands of aerial photographs, only in the last seven years more than 26,000 outdoor pickleball courts have been prepared in the country, many based on old spaces dedicated to tennis. Use Pickleball raises the total number of tracks to more than 68,000. Are there figures? As for the number of people who practice pickletball in the US, the data can vary depending on the source that is consulted but reflects a base of notable followers … and growing. Some talk about millions of fans and a bag of practitioners that have been growing for years double digit. “It is said that next year it will be the most practiced sport there, surpassing basketball, and in Spain a fairly significant growth is expected, although I do not know if as in the US because it is difficult,” assures to The country Miguel Díaz, president of the Reft. Is it something exclusive to the USA? Not at all. Pickleball is entering strong In China, Australia And of course Spain, to cite only a handful of examples. In 2023 the Higher Sports Council He recognized her (together with the touchnnis) as a new sports specialty, last year the Reft reserved an own section on its website and not long ago the Federation and Dupr reached A pact To create a national ranking. This institutional recognition is only the reflection of the growing interest that awakens among racket sports fans. In recent years we have seen how they practiced it world stars of tennis, he sneaked into the programming of celebrations such as Almeria Fair And they opened new spaces To practice it. Does A few months In fact, the Lafuente Pickleball Hub opened in the district of Villaverde, which It is claimed as “the largest Indoor Pickleball Center in Europe.” “In the US already played almost 50 million people and it is estimated that in Spain the number in 2023 was 20,000,” assures The RFET. Why this success? For the federation it is more than clear: the picklet has managed to find the key. “His success lies in being an easy -to -learn sport and very entertaining, which adapts to the level of each player and that is why he can be played by people of different ages and conditions,” The organization reflects: “It is very entertaining and motivating, since during the game there are long and fast balls in which the level of the judges marks the intensity and rhythm.” “At first it seemed like a children’s game, until you get on and realize that there is much more technique behind,” coincides in The country Francisco Javier Garrido, … Read more

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