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hundreds of tons of rare earths

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During World War II, Nazi Germany built hundreds of bomb shelters as defensive frameworks of the Third Reich to protect the civilian population and critical infrastructure from Allied bombing. After the war, most were abandoned and passed for marginal uses until, decades later, one of them was converted into a high security warehouse. From war to the strategic reserve. At some undisclosed point in Frankfurt, a World War II anti-aircraft bunker, one of those concrete colossi that for decades were urban ruins or spaces converted to leisurehas acquired a new silent feature and deeply political: hosting one of the largest European warehouses of rare earths and critical metals. In the midst of a deterioration in global trade and with Europe facing a strategic dependence that I had been ignoring for years, this underground refuge has been transformed into an extreme security deposit for materials without which modern industry simply does not function. The Chinese shock and the race. The rbunker activation It is not coincidental. Since China tightened in Aprilus restrictions to the export of rare earths and strategic metals (in response to US tariffs), European inventories have remained below minimum. Tradium, one of the two large German importers of these materials, began to buy back stock to private investors and redistribute them directly to European companies in key sectors such as automotive, electronics, energy or defense. The move is reminiscent of a war economy in slow motion: it is not about speculation, but about surviving a prolonged supply disruption. An armored warehouse. The old bunker, renovated since 2011 after the first major warning from Beijing with the embargo on Japan over the Senkaku Islands, offers more than 2,400 square meters storage with different levels of security, protected by solid walls, cameras, opaque blinds and a four-ton armored door that gives access to a windowless chamber. Nikkei counted Inside, hundreds of blue and green drums loaded with neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium or terbium (all of Chinese origin) are lined up along with specialized metals such as gallium, germanium, indium, antimony, rhenium or hafnium. In total, some 300 tons that Tradium It is considered the largest known stock in Europe, although it admits that even larger and more discrete reserves may exist outside its knowledge. Skyrocketing prices. The impact of the chinese lock It is starkly reflected in the prices. Dysprosium has exceeded 900 dollars per kilomore than triple that before the restrictions, while terbium is around the 3,700 dollarsabout four times its previous value. Both are essential for improving the thermal resistance of electric motor magnets, making them critical parts for the electric vehicle industry. However, for European companies, price has taken a backseat: the real problem is the availability. After eight months of non-existent or minimal deliveries, even a half-year strategic stock begins to seem insufficient. Extreme security. The level of protection in the warehouse is such that even in the event of theft, the materials they could not be reintegrated in the industrial chain without certification, which reduces its value outside the legal circuit. In return, customers pay up to 2% annually of the stored value for logistics, which includes insurance. Meanwhile, European diplomacy is trying to buy time: the German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, has traveled to Beijing to negotiate some type of relief, although he himself has acknowledged that there are no clear signs that China will grant general export licenses in the short term. Buried geopolitics. If you also want, the Frankfurt bunker is much more than a warehouse: it is a physical symbol of the extent to which geopolitics has penetrated the bowels of the European economy. Where civilians were once protected from bombings, today they protects the industry of strategic asphyxiation. Thus, the question that floats between drums and concrete walls is not how much rare earths will cost tomorrow, but when will they circulate again normally and whether Europe will arrive in time to build real autonomy before the next supply cut leaves it exposed again. Image | Berlin Wanderlust In Xataka | Germany didn’t know what to do with a dangerous Nazi bunker in the middle of Hamburg. The solution has radically changed the city In Xataka | Germany needs China’s rare earths at any price. And that price is giving you the future of your economy

a mother drone with 16 tons of surprises

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If drones are the weapons of present and futureChina is several galaxies ahead of the rest of the planet with a single architecture. HE called Jiu Tianand it is the evolution of old war aircraft carriers adapted to new times: a huge mother plane that has just successfully completed its first overhaul. The rise of the aerial mother. China has given a decisive step in the global race for dominance of unmanned airspace with the inaugural flight of the Jiutian, a 16-ton colossus that not only symbolizes the maturity of its aeronautical industry, but also marks a turning point in the very conception of air power in the 21st century. Although officially presented as a civil platform Versatile for heavy transportation, emergency communications or advanced mapping, the Jiutian (next to the Jetankits version more openly oriented towards dual missions) represents the culmination of a strategy in which drones cease to be simple support vectors and become motherships capable of releasing swarmstransport loitering munitions, and completely alter the way the military views saturation operations, electronic warfare, and spectrum control. And much more. The official media they have insisted after its first test in modularity and the diversity of civilian roles, but the combination of load capacity, range, autonomy and mission architecture has aroused interest that goes far beyond the commercial: it is the birth of the “aircraft carriers of the sky” (or rather drone carriers), platforms that are inserted in the global strategic competition. The metamorphosis of the drone. The first characteristic that distinguishes the Jiutian (and the Jetank) is its size. At 16.35 meters in length and 25 meters in wingspan, it is placed in an unprecedented category: large tonnage drones with the capacity to transport 6,000 kilos of payload. Added to this is an autonomy of 12 hours and a range of 7,000 kilometers, figures that were previously only associated with manned transport or ISR aircraft. This structural base allows mounting mission modules completely interchangeable: from high-precision logistics containers to communications capsules to restore networks in disaster situations. However, beneath that multifunction façade hides the real qualitative leap: an internal compartment “hive” type capable of hosting dozens to more than a hundred smaller drones or loitering munitions, along with eight external points from which guided weapons, air-to-air missiles, glider bombs or electronic warfare charges can be launched. Two versions of the same revolution. The figures presented by the Chinese developers show that the two models share dimensions, maximum takeoff weight, payload and autonomy, which indicates that Jiutian and Jetank are part of the same family of megadrones aimed at covering everything from logistical needs to complex military missions. One where the Jetank stands out is in the more explicit emphasis on its ability to launch swarms in mid-flight and change roles in a few hours thanks to mission modules that are quickly assembled. Chinese analysts describe it as a “world-class” platformcapable of acting as a multipurpose transporter, swarm nurse, electronic warfare vector and even light bomber with precision munitions. Its open architecture system allows you to process, integrate and update sensors and software in an agile way, which transforms the drone on a flexible node within a broader network of manned and unmanned systems. In essence, both models are not simple UAVs: they are aerial ecosystems capable of adapting their function to any tactical or strategic scenario. A doctrine of formation. The real value of these drone carriers lies not only in their size or the weapons they can carry, but in the ability to release swarms of small drones (including kamikaze UAVs) that introduces a dynamic that surpasses the traditional logic of combat aviation. For example, a single Jiutian could deploy a swarm sufficient to overwhelm anti-aircraft systemscollapse sensors, overwhelm radars and allow other platforms to penetrate previously insurmountable defenses. In parallel, its autonomy allows, a priori, that the combination of reconnaissance, attack, electronic warfare and saturation be integrated into a single extended missionsomething that has rarely existed in unmanned platforms of this size. In recent conflicts like the one in Ukrainedrones have proven to be low-cost weapons with a disproportionate impact: their ability to destroy much more expensive equipment has rewritten the relationship between investment and military effect. China, with these developments, appears to have internalized that lesson and taken it a step further: from individual drones to turning one larger drone into the matrix from which hundreds are deployed. The future and 2049. He Jiutian development It is part of Xi Jinping’s goal of turning the Chinese Armed Forces into a “world-class army” by 2049. The exhibition in Zhuhai the previous year had already shown prototypes of combat drones equipped with AI capable of operating in tandem with manned fighters, and the flight of Jiutian confirms that the country is accelerating the technological pillars necessary to sustain a network combat model: megadrones, distributed artificial intelligence, swarms, modular sensors and platforms capable of exerting pressure on any regional theater. From that perspective, Jiutian and Jetank become in fundamental pieces for surveillance, reconnaissance, electromagnetic interference, saturation attacks and power projection missions in remote scenarios. Its design does not respond to an isolated program, but to a broader strategic architecture that China is perfecting to sustain its military rise. Image | CCTV, EPL In Xataka | One of China’s most disturbing weapons already has a flight date: a huge mother drone with 100 kamikaze drones on board In Xataka | China is sending drones to an island 100 km from Taiwan. The problem is that Japan and the US are filling it with missiles

45,000 tons of green hydrogen per year

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For decades, the North Sea was synonymous with oil and gas, holding a good part of the European economy and energy supply. Today, in full transition to renewables, that same sea is emerging as the scenario of a change of era: there has not been discovered a hidden reservoir, but the production of 45,000 tons per year of green hydrogen. Is this possible? Some media They have replicated The same narrative of finding a natural hydrogen site in the North Sea, but the reality is very different. An official statement from Totalenergies and Air Liquide They announced two projects of electrolysis in the Netherlands and Belgium that, added, could produce that amount of green hydrogen every year from renewable electricity generated in the Oranjewind marine wind park. In short, there is no hydrogen deposit “under the sea”. What there is is production potential thanks to offshore wind turbines that provide energy to electrolyte capable of dividing water into oxygen and hydrogen. Electrolysis It consists of applying electricity (If it comes from renewable sources, such as wind, we talk about “green” hydrogen) to previously treated water to separate its oxygen and hydrogen molecules. Subsequently, hydrogen is compressed or transported by pipes towards its industrial or energy use. There are many plans in sight. The project mentioned above contemplates an electrolyzer of 250 MW in Zeeland with the capacity to produce up to 30,000 tons per year, it is scheduled for 2029. Also, there is one of “Tolling” with the Elygator electrolyzer in Maasvlakte, with 15,000 tons per year for the Refinery of Antwerp, operational within two years. This scheme means that Totalenergies does not build or opera directly that electrolyzer: yields its renewable electricity to air liquid, which transforms it into hydrogen, and totalenergies pay for that production capacity In addition, others develop in Europe projects like Hope (Hydrogen offshore production for Europe), coordinated by French Lhyfe. This will install a 10 MW electrolyzer off the coast of Belgium and hopes to produce its first four tons per day in 2026, demonstrating the viability of generating hydrogen directly on the high seas. But is there anything in motion? Pilots have been tested for three years Sealhyfea small offshore plant also from Lhyfe. However, making the leap to large -scale production faces several obstacles: High costs: a single electrolyzer such as Zeeland is about 600 million euros of investment. Technical challenges: corrosion, storms and maintenance in marine conditions. Environmental Impact: Offshore wind farms They can affect to marine biodiversity, fishing or provoking bird collisions with turbines. Fragmented regulation: Each northern sea country applies different norms, which delays common projects. A strategic sea. The European Union has marked as a goal to boost renewable hydrogen to decarbonize sectors that are difficult to electrify – such as steel, cement or heavy transport – and reduce dependence on fossil gas. By 2030 wants to have dozens of electrolyte gigawatts installed. In parallel, its offshore renewable energy strategy plans to reach up to 300 GW of marine wind capacity in 2050, Much in the North Sea. Now, the North Sea does not belong to the EU as a whole: it is distributed in exclusive economic zones (ZEE) from different countries, including Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom and Norway. That means that each project must first adjust to the country’s regulations in whose Zee is. To overcome this fragmentation and scale the energy transition, Brussels promotes cross -border cooperation initiatives such as the North Seas Energy Cooperationwhich seeks to harmonize rules and interconnect projects between neighboring countries. Goodbye gas and oil. The North Sea was for decades symbol of the European Black Gold and gas dependence. Today it could become a laboratory of the energy transition. The “Treasury” is not hidden in chests under the sea: it is a challenge that requires investment, political cooperation and technological advances. Only if these barriers are exceeded, the figures will cease to be striking holders to become a true energy revolution. Image | Freepik Xataka | How much electricity produces each country with renewable energy, exposed in a graphic

In Madrid there are 24 tons of Canarian volcanic sand giving tumbos. So they will become a “dry garden”

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Every summer has its informative soap opera. That is no novelty. What is less common is that, As is happening In La Palma, a few sacks of sand star. It sounds strange, but after all it is the history of the 24 tons of volcanic sand that in May 1,800 kilometers traveled to value the Canarian culture and then ended up abandoned. From the case we already talk to you A few weeks ago. Now we finally know its conclusion, which is no less surprising. Volcanic sand … and traveling. A few months ago, in May, the Canary Authorities had a peculiar idea: they collected more than 20 tons of sand from Tajogaite volcano (La Palma), prepared it and put it in large bags and then uploaded it aboard a ship that transferred it to Cádiz, from where she traveled again on board trucks to Madrid. It took several days to cover the entire journey. Once in the capital they opened the sacks and scattered those blackish grains in the middle of Callao, drawing a huge, dark and bright circle. And all that, for what? To value the Canarian struggle, a popular sport on the islands, but that many do not know in the Peninsula. Coinciding with the Month of the Canary Islands, on May 17 the outdoor playing field was prepared in the Plaza de Callao and everything arranged so that two of the teams with the most footprint in the islands, the Saladar of Jandía and the Candelaria de Mirca, dispute in Madrid one of the most emblematic days of the DISA Government of the Canary Islands. As was in charge of emphasizing The regional government was the first time in the very extensive history of the island sport in which an official fighting day was held in the center of Madrid. But even so, to give it more epic, they decided that the fighters were measured on authentic volcanic land of La Palma. Hence the whole logistics deployment of sacks, permits, ship, trucks and crane. First stop: Callao Square. The experience was a success. In addition to the Arena, in Callao, stands were installed and the appointment attracted a nourished audience that included some authorities, such as the island president, Fernando Clavijo. “Fighting about the sand with which so many palm trees continue to fight to get ahead was a spectacular moment. We were recorded in memory,” Recognize in The Spanish newspaper (EPE) Lorena Hernández, general director of native sports of the regional government. At first, the sand, he remembers, sounded like “crazy”, but the idea went ahead for his “romanticism.” And what do I do with all this sand? That was the next question. Once the competition is over and the experience is over the next question was what to do with those 24 tons (some versions speak of 20) expelled in their day by the Tajogaipe volcano. They could take the way back to the palm. Or they could stay in Madrid as a gift, which was the idea that ended up. There were those who thought that the grains would be divinely in the Madrid volleyball pigs and for that purpose they reserved, but there was a problem: the sand was heated too much, so it was not a good idea to dedicate it to that end. Second stop: Torrelodones. The history of those volcanic sands ended A report With a suggestive headline: “Without a trace of the 24 tons of sand from the palm volcano that Canary Islands gave to Madrid for beach volleyball fields.” The newspaper said that the Consistory had no evidence that they went to dedicate volleyball sand to its volleyball fields. Apparently the material was lost track. The mystery did not last little. A day later the same medium revealed That the sand of discord was actually in a Torrelodones warehouse, where they accumulated dust waiting for the City Council to ultimately accept the sacks formally and look for a new use. Discarded the Volleyball fields and without short -term plans that the Canarian struggle was to take root in Madrid, then it was pointed out to be given a third use: environmental. Third stop: “Dry Garden”. The story seemed to conclude there, but EPE He has just contributed A new fact that (at least apparently) puts the end to the soap opera of volcanic sand, at least for the moment: instead of allocating sports clues, the sand will be dedicated to gardens. And not any kind. There is talk of “dry gardens.” One of the ideas on the table is to create a garden with low water consumption species and a typology similar to those that exist in the Canary Islands. Another option is to use it in other green spaces to take advantage of the properties of the material, of porous structure, good for drainage and that prevents the land from flooding. “It is a high material in minerals, in the Canary Islands it has worked wonderfully. If the sand can have a second use and create a green space with the sand of the palm, it will be wonderful,” Recognize Hernández. Why does it take so long? Simple: bureaucracy. The Cabildo had already prepared a document with the details of the donation, but now it is time to modify it: instead of allocating the sand to sports uses, it will be dedicated to the parks and gardens of Madrid. “Being a donation between public institutions, it requires a lot of paperwork. With this, we believe that we can put an end to management in one or two weeks,” they explain to EPE after specifying that a few days ago new documentation was requested. While the procedures advance in the offices, in the Torrelodones ship follows the one that is probably the most traveling sand in the history of the palm. Images | The Government of the Canary Islands (X) In Xataka | The Canary Islands have seven islands, but only one has escaped from the … Read more

Airplanes are releasing tons of food on a familic gaza. There are those who believe it is a bad idea

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In full controversy for the famine that shakes the population of the Gaza Strip, Israel has decided Open your hand and guarantee “humanitarian pauses” and safe routes to facilitate food distribution in the area. The first thing we have seen however is something different: airplanes throwing food From the air, a measure that revives A controversy that already sounded strongly Just a year ago: Does the air cast really work? Is it real aid or is counterproductive? Something is clear: Mathematics They indicate that it is not the most effective way. What happened? That after days of controversy, marked by the publication of photographs in which they see familic Palestinian children and the hardening of the position of Germany, the United Kingdom and France, which They claim The end of the war (and the humanitarian crisis) in Gaza, Israel has decided to move card. On Sunday his army advertisement A series of “humanitarian pauses” in several points of the strip for ten hours a day to “increase the help” in the region. “Safe” breaks and routes. On paper, the objective is to facilitate the arrival of resources to help the population of the Strip, which faces a serious malnutrition crisis denounced among other organizations by the UN. The Israel Defense Forces (FDI) argue that “humanitarian pauses”, added to the creation of “safe routes”, will allow “Improve the humanitarian response”. The decision comes, however, in a very specific context: in the midst of an intense inertnational controversy due to the famine suffering from thousands of families from Gaza and the voices that accuse the Israel of being responsible for the crisis. The Netanyahu executive denies it and holds that humanitarian corridors “refute the false statement” of an “intentional famine”. In the opposite pole, Hamas alleges that Israel does not seek to stop the crisis in the strip, but “bleach her image”. A fact: 470,000 people. The UN World Food Program (WFP) Calculate that 100% of the population of Gaza faces “acute levels of food insecurity” and specifies that there are 470,000 people to the “catastrophic hunger”. “71,000 children and more than 17,000 mothers will require urgent treatment due to acute malnutrition,” prevent From the organism. The WPF is not the only one who has warned of the very serious crisis that crosses the strip. The Ministry of Health of Gaza, under Hamas control, Calculate That since the beginning of the Israeli offensive, in 2023, 133 people have died for malnutrition. Only so far in July the deceased They exceed 60. Click on the image to go to Tweet. What is the situation? The WFP warns That hunger in the strip “has increased dramatically” since in March the entry of aid in the region was prevented, “reversing the progress” achieved during the brief high the fire of the beginning of the year. In May, he remembers, the “limited” cast resumed, but has not served to stop the crisis. The UN says that since then it has only been able to deliver “small quantities” even though it has 116,000 t of food “lists”. Does Just two months The food distribution was activated by the Humanitarian Foundation of Gaza (GHF), an organization backed by Israel and the US that was launched between the suspicion of other international institutions. The person in charge of the United Nations Help Coordination, Tom Fletcher, He came to cross out of “cynical parody”, “a cover -up for greater violence and displacement” of the Palestinians within the territory. Looking at heaven. In the midst of the growing international controversy for the famine of Gaza, Israel has not only announced “tactical pauses” and “humanitarian runners” to facilitate the distribution of help in Gaza. He has also announced that he will connect a desalination plant to his electricity grid and has resumed the help of help from the air, a scene that already We saw in 2024. On Sunday at dawn Israel carried out an operation wishes, with the help of airplanes. Jordan and United Arab Emirates They were added throughout the following hours. According to Reutersin total they dropped 25 tons of help. A controversial decision. However, the use of aircraft and aerial launches will hardly help placate the controversy. Rather on the contrary. In 2024 about twenty humanitarian organizations They criticized That kind of deliveries in Gaza (both the aerial and maritime) by considering that “they are not an” real alternative to the most effective way and that, in their opinion, it should be a priority: the land. “Governments cannot hide behind aerial releases and efforts to open a maritime corridor in order to create the illusion that they are doing enough to support Gaza’s needs,” they warned in A statement NGOs, including Amnesty International or Oxfam. Click on the image to go to Tweet. Why do they reject them? The problem is not only of image or that air distributs are used as a way of avoiding the real focus of the problem. NGOs question their real utility warn that the capacity of airplanes is very limited. “Air releases cannot provide assistance volumes that can be transported by land,” They influenced last year. “While a five truck convoy has the capacity to transport about one hundred tons of vital assistance, recent air releases only deliver a few tons of help each,” They argue. The BBC He has made accounts And it has come to the conclusion that, given the situation in Gaza, 160 aircraft would be needed to supply a volume of food that guarantees that the gazaties will have a meal a day. The US Central Command estimates that in 2024 its C-130 load aircraft delivered 12,650 meals by plane and trip. “Extremely dangerous”. There is another reason why NGOs mislead air deliveries: safety. “The releases can be extremely dangerous for the lives of civilians who come in search of help. They have been reported dead by the free fall of help packages in gaza,” They warn The NGOs. The BBC He has interviewed To experts who … Read more

The Canary Islands gave 24 tons of sand from La Palma volcano to Madrid. Now Madrid doesn’t know what to do with them

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Madrid has 24 tons of volcanic sand of the palm with which he does not know very well what to do. It sounds strange, but that is the peculiar outcome with which the consular and capital governments have been found after an initiative designed to value the Canarian cultural heritage in the Peninsula. The idea worked, but has ended up leaving that peculiar inheritance: bags and more bags of dark ash that accumulate dust (and controversy) without a clear destination. We explain ourselves. Presuming culture. May 17 was a day to frame in the history of Canarian culture. Or at least in one of its most popular disciplines: The Canarian fighta sport that hurts its roots in the first settlers of the islands. His practice is very popular in the archipelago, but not so much out. Hence, on May 17, as part of the Month of the Canary Islandsthe Government promoted A milestone In the discipline: the first day of official Canarian struggle in Madrid. FIGHTERS AND MUCH (MUCH) ARENA. For the appointment, fighters of the Saladar de Jandía and the Candelaria de Mircatwo key teams of the discipline that were measured in the twentieth day of the DISA Tournament of the Canary Islands. And something else: tons of volcanic sand transported from the palm to cover the pitch. The idea was to give even more epic to the appointment carrying a piece of the Canary Islands (literally) to Madrid and deploying it in the middle of Callao, where the Canarian fighters were measured. A 24 tons “ring”. The idea worked. The photos Shared by the Canarian government (with volcanic sand covering callus) they are fascinating and also show that the appointment attracted a good handful of curious. To host them, even a portable stand with capacity for 200 spectators. The event was also attended by President Fernando Clavijo along with regional positions and representatives of the institutional, sports and social life of the archipelago. In case that was not enough, the Executive took care of the last detail. Any type of volcanic sand was not transported to Madrid. No. The authorities chose ashes from the island of La Palma that were generated during the Tajogaite eruption In 2021. “The youngest of the islands, chosen as a symbol of identity, roots and renewal,” the Canarian government insisted in its community. In total some mobilized some 24 tonsaccording to the institution itself. And what happened to that sand? The fight was held on May 17, Jandía’s Salader won the Candelaria de Mirca in a fierce encounter (12-10), but … and then? What happened to tons of volcanic sand? That is the question that was asked recently eldiario.es, which after consulting with the Madrid City Council reached an amazing conclusion: the bags seemed to have vanished. “Without a trace of the 24 tons”, He titled The newspaper. The news was even more striking because, as confirmed by the regional government, the agreement contemplated that, after the May fight, the 24,000 kilos of ash were ceded to the Madrid City Council so that it could cover with it the fields of beach volleyball. From the Consistory they assured however not to have proof of that initiative. I wasn’t dead … It was not the last chapter of the curious soap opera of the traveling volcanic sand. On Saturday Eldiario.es published again Another revelation About the 24 tons of Tajogaite: the material was not lost by Madrid, but stored in work bags in a Torrelodones industrial ship. The reason? Although the initial idea was to allocate the sand to Madrid Volleyball courts, the authorities of the capital came to the conclusion that it was not a good idea to give it that use. His grains may serve for a Canarian fighting fight, but in the opinion of Madrid technicians they tend to heat up easily, which led the authorities to rule it out for the courts. And what will it be used for? It doesn’t seem to be very clear. At least according to the information handled by eldiario.es, which ensures that the Department of the Environment is looking for an adequate destination for the Canarian gift. The bags are also waiting for the Consistory Ultime for a collaboration agreement to accept the material, which, a priori, will have environmental use. In the authorization of the Cabildo it is noted that the material “lacks commercial value”, although as He put value The Canarian government does have a symbolic value. Images | The Government of the Canary Islands (X) and Canary Islands In Xataka | The Canary Islands have seven islands, but only one has escaped from the hordes of tourists: its secret is literally on earth

A tower of 2,000 tons of sand

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In a town in southern Finland, a gigantic silo stuffed with powdered rock keeps an unexpected promise: clean, cheap and stored heat for months. The world’s largest sand battery has been put into operation, which began as an idea of ​​two friends in 2018 today It has become In a pioneer installation that seeks to solve one of the greatest challenges of renewable energies: its large -scale storage. A sand battery. In a place where the sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow, the storage for renewable energies becomes prevailing. The thermal battery of Polar Night Energy, built next to the Urban Heating Plant of Pornainen and managed by Loviisan Lämpö, ​​officially launched on June 11, According to Euronews. This battery has a thermal storage capacity of 100 MWh, with an efficiency that is around 85 and 90%. Ten times bigger. The new cylindrical structure has a height of 13 meters high and 15 wide, filled with about 2000 metric tons of crushed steatite – a byproduct of the manufacture of Finnish chimneys. That powdered rock, stored in an isolated silo, becomes a gigantic thermal energy accumulator, capable of supplying the demand for heating of one week in winter or a month in summer, According to TechCrunch. How can it be of sand? Although it may seem sophisticated, the principle is relatively simple. Electricity is used – preferably of solar or wind origin – to resistively heat the air, which in turn transfers heat to the sand into the silo. The sand, due to its high density and heat capacity, retains that heat for days or even months at temperatures up to 500 ° C. So, when needed, the system releases hot air, which heats water for the urban heating network. In the case of Pornainen, he supplies thermal energy to public buildings, homes and even the municipal pool, such as has pointed out Euronews. All control and prediction of energy performance is managed by an advanced heat transfer model, which calculates optimal load and discharge in real time. To reduce the use of splinters. With this new structure we want to reduce the use of splinters in urban heating by 60% and eliminate up to 160 tons of CO2 per year. In addition, it could be added that construction sand is not being used, but a stoatita recycled a local by -product. Polar Night Energy co -founder Markku Ylönen, has explained in Euronews that the material used must fulfill certain thermodynamic criteria, but it is not necessary to be sand as such. Any high density granular substance can work. This opens the door to circular economy models and avoids pressure on river ecosystems. Connected to the electricity market. The battery is within the energy reserve service, and from the company they continue working on a pilot to convert the heat stored in electricity, which could further transform the energy flexibility of the system. In addition, he counts with an estimated storage cost much lower than that of lithium batteries, According to TechCrunch. A new paradigm change. In times of climate crisis, perhaps the future of energy does not depend only on lithium, hydrogen or large solar parks, but also for forgotten materials such as sand. From the heart of Finland, a silent battery already heats houses, libraries and schools. Image | Taro Kam and Pxhere Xataka | While Europe desperately seeks alternative to Russian gas, a Spanish province has already found it: Burgos

Japan has discovered rare earth tons on its most remote island. Casually, a Chinese aircraft carrier has just approached

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Year 2022. Japan Make a decision That he was going to be fruit months later. The Japanese nation did not want to depend so much on China in a matter of rare earths, so decides to start a series of projects to search for them even at the bottom of the ocean. In the summer of 2024 they give a treasure in that seabed: a site of 230 million tons Of those “precious” lands, a swag that are under the easternmost island of the nation. Chance or not, something unprecedented has just happened in front of the enclave: a Chinese fleet With an aircraft carrier. An unpublished maneuver. For the first timea combat group headed by the Chinese liaoning carriers He has entered the exclusive economic zone (ZEE) of Japan, marking a new phase in Beijing’s naval projection and awakening immediate concern In Tokyo and Washington. The group, composed of the aircraft carriers, two destroyers with guided missiles and a supply ship, penetrated waters to about 300 kilometers to the southwest of the Japanese Minamitori Islandthe easternmost point of the archipelago, before leaving the area to perform aircraft takeoff and landing exercises. Although Japan He avoided confirming If he presented a formal protest, he said he had transmitted an “appropriate” message to the Chinese authorities: he displayed the Haguro destroyer To follow the activity of the Naval Group. Minamitori and his treasures. As We explained at the beginningthe incident is not just symbolic: Minamitori It is not inhabited by civilians, but houses facilities of the Japanese weather agency, self -defense forces and coastguards. Beyond its isolation (about 1,900 km from Tokyo), this remote island has become a point of Geoeconomic interest Due to the vast submarine deposits of rare metals, especially manganese nodules. In fact, recent studies estimate that nearby seabed contain More than 200 million of tons of these resources, fundamental to Strategic technologies and high capacity batteries. The passage of Liaoning so close to the enclave adds a warning dimension on Chinese interest not only territorial, but also economic in areas where Japanese sovereignty is not in dispute. Minamitori Island Leave Vú. Although this has been the first documented incursion of a Chinese aircraft carrier in this part of the Japanese ZEE, the truth is that it is not An isolated fact. Liaoning himself had already sailed Last month Between two Japanese southern islands, also within another region of the Japanese ZEE. In September 2024, he crossed between Yonaguni and Iriomote, two islands near Taiwan, even entering into adjacent watersthat extend to 24 nautical miles from their coast. In each of these movements, Beijing has rehearsed navigation patterns that expand the operational scope of its navy, reinforcing its ability to operate far from its coastline and projecting power in sensitive areas. Tactical climbing. We have gone counting. These incursions occur in a context of Regional tensions persistent. Japan and China keep years ago A dispute over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese), uninhabited, but strategically located in the Eastern China Sea. Beijing has not stopped pressing its claim with regular naval patrols (even with buoys), while strengthening its presence in the Western Pacific through demonstrations of force such as Liaoning. The repetition of these maneuvers suggests A deliberate campaign to expand the regional tolerance threshold in the Chinese presence in areas traditionally dominated by the United States and its allies. Contained response. The spokesman for the Japanese Ministry of Defense has been clear when interpreting the maneuver as An effort from China For “improving its operational capacity in distant areas”, a reading that coincides with the recent evolution of Chinese military doctrine, more ambitious and less disguised. Although Tokyo has opted for a rather mesurated response, focused on intensive surveillance instead of direct confrontation, the underlying message It seems unequivocal: Japan is not willing to normalize Chinese military traffic in its maritime influence areas, especially in areas close to resources strategic However, the lack of a formal diplomatic protest could be interpreted as an attempt to avoid an immediate escalation while alliances are consolidated and countermeasures are evaluated. A red line. What just a few years ago would have been unthinkable, that a Chinese combat fleet with an aircraft carrier would navigate so close to the Japanese eastern end, today is an operational reality with lasting implications. As China strengthens its fleet and displays your assets With greater confidence, the Pacific maritime border becomes a board increasingly unstablewhere the strategy of the consummate threatens with redefining the rules of the game. If you want also, the Liaoning transit Together with the Japanese island, not only defies the regional balance, but also rehearses the normalization of a Chinese military presence in key areas for the energy, territorial and technological security of Japan. A Key Chess Chart Oceanicone where each movement is a reaction test. Image | BaycrestUS Air Force In Xataka | China has been claiming as its islands from Japan 130 years. So he has made a decision: surround them with buoys In Xataka | Yonaguni’s Japanese island was known for its beauty and Bad Bunny. Now it is a military strength because of Taiwan

China had been buying tons and tons of soy to the US for years. A country has won in place: Brazil

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China likes American soybeans. A lot. Every year matters from the fields of Illinois, Minnesota or Iowa Millions of tons From a crop that is consumed directly in pod, it is processed or is intended to feed cattle. The problem is that in full Commercial Warand with him Tariff crossing Of more than 100% applied by Washington and Beijing to their respective exports, that American grain will probably stop being attractive in Chinese factories. It has already happened years ago, during the commercial war of the first mandate of Donald Trump. And then, as now, China began to look with increasing interest other sources of soybeans. Which is it? Argentina and especially Brazil. A figure: 27 million. He Tariff pulse Between the US and China, which has resulted in a rise in encumbrances of more than 100% to the commercial flow in both directions, threatens to hit a key merchandise: soybeans. The reason is very simple. American farmers sell a lot, a lot of soy to the Asian giant. In 2024 that flow exceeded 27 million tons metrics, with a value of 12.8 billion dollars. Moreover, oleaginous seeds (group that includes soy) were one of the main US exports to China in terms of value. Two years ago, the US-China Business Council calculated that, together, oleaginous seeds and cereals represent the largest export of the US to China, with a value that was then ascended to 25.4 billion. To have a clearer image of what soybeans supposes in those accounts, The New York Times Precise that last year mobilized nine cents of each dollar of goods that the US sold in China. USDA data shows that the Asian country monopolizes Something more than 40% of the Total US Soy Sales. A percentage: 135%. That is the rise of tariffs that will have to deal with that huge flow of American grain to China from now on. The percentage is the sum of two increases: the 10% imposed by Beijing in March to the importation of certain agricultural products and The extra 125% With which, already in recent weeks, he responded to the escalation of the commercial war with the US. The question they leave by driving those rise in levies is obvious: how will it affect the flow of American soybeans? Will it remain attractive to the Chinese market with that 135% rates? The issue has generated expectation between The analysts And of course Farmers worry From the US, a good part of them installed in states that, such as Iowa, Indiana or Ohio, are important soy producers and last November they voted for Donald Trump. “We deal with bad weather, pests, tractor breakdowns,” he lamented recently Heather Feuerstein, owner of a Tnyt Michigan farm. To all these challenges are now added tariffs, which in their opinion suppose “a threat” for their way of life. One date: 2017. While the tariff pulse with which he has started 2025 is being particularly intense, it is not the first time that Feuerstein and the rest of his colleagues are seen in a similar situation. Years ago, during his first presidential mandate, Trump has already started a commercial war with China that fully affected soy exports. As? Leading Beijing to bet on other suppliers and reducing the flow of grain ‘made in USA’. Nikkei precise which in 2017 was behind almost 40% of Chinese imports. Although the commercial flow remains high, in 2024 that figure was already 20%. Recently the CNN elaborated A detailed graph in which it shows that between 2017 and 2018 the US soybeans exports to China foster from 31.7 million metric tons to 8.24. Since then the flow has been recovered until it is located at 27.2 last year, although the data remains below the one registered before Trump’s first mandate. In general, from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) esteem that the commercial war caused direct losses to the US agricultural exports that exceeded the 27,000 million of dollars between 2018 and 2019. A country: Brazil. Every war has its winners. And the commercial open years between the US and China has a very clear one if we talk about soybean trade: Brazil. He same graph The CNN shows that as US exports lost bellows those of Brazilian grain shot. From 2016 to 2018 the flow destined for China rose to 68.6 million metric tons and in 2024 the 72.5 million tons were exceeded, well above the US export levels. In general, it is estimated that in recent years China increased 35% Its annual imports of Brazilian soybeans while they reduced the Americans by 14%. If the growth is ever seen the growth was Very superior. What does that mean? That in 2017, Brazilian soybeans supposed about 50% of its imports for China, now Round and 70%. A reflection “will have to acquire more”: “If you can’t get it from the United States, you will have to acquire more than Brazil. And they will have to pay more,” Comment to Tnyt Neusa Lopes, agricultural tour directive, an outstanding soy producer of the state of Mato Grosso, in Brazil. The truth is that the commercial war comes after, at the end of 2024, XI made a state visit to Brazil to strengthen ties between the two countries and the Brazilian Association of Soy Producers I confirmed recently that at the beginning of the month the Asian giant signed contracts for millions of tons of grain. Beyond Brazil, There are analysts They point out that Beijing could rely on Argentina, Another great producer. Between what happened eight years ago and the current scenario there is however An important difference. After years of commercial flow between China and Brazil, today the first one has much easier to stock up on the crops of the South American country. The Asian giant has invested in warehouses, railways, ports and other infrastructure that facilitates the transfer of Brazilian soybeans in Chinese ships. The clearest example is the great open terminal this year in the … Read more

chartar 600 tons of iphone from India, according to Reuters

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Two days ago The Times of India indicated that Apple had chartered iPhone full flights from India Towards the US. The goal was none other than mitigating the impact of the tariffs announced by Donald Trump, which were activated days later. Now It is Reuters who affirms the same And it gives some more data. For example, there were not five flights, but six. 600 tons of iPhone by plane. According to Reuters, Apple sources hired several Charter flights to send 600 tons of iPhone from India to the United States. Before doing so, it also increased the production of these smartphones to be able to send them urgently and thus be able to mitigate the tariffs of President Donald Trump. 1.5 million more phones in its inventory. Those 600 tons are equivalent according to Reuters to 1.5 million iPhone, an especially striking figure. According to Reuters “about six cargo planes with a capacity of 100 tons each have flown since March, and one of them did this week just when the tariffs were activated.” Manufacturing even Sundays. In Reuters they also indicate that Apple accelerated the iPhone production in India in 20%. To do this, he added workers and also extended the most important Foxconn factory operation in India so that there was no rest any day: the workers also worked on Sunday. Two “direct sources” confirmed that the Foxconn factory in Chennai is working on Sunday, which is normally a party. They are not so many. According to estimates Business of AppsApple sold 100.4 million iPhone in 2024 in the American continent. Our estimates according to Apple’s fiscal results place quarterly sales in the US in 2024 between 18 and 28 million. Although the iPhone is a product whose sales vary significantly according to the time, we can ignore that data and establish that every month average more than 8 million mobiles. Those 1.5 million are an undoubtedly striking figure, but they do not suppose so much for total Apple sales. Even so, they would have helped mitigate the impact of tariffs, which in the case of India is 26% although now They have been temporarily deactivated By the truce announced surprise by Trump a few hours ago. You can see the touch of cook. Yeah Tim cook is distinguished for something It is for its domain of the supply chain and its search for optimization (economic also) and efficiency in these processes. If what they indicate in Reuters is true, he was probably the one who made the decision to accelerate the production of iPhones in India and then send them in a hurry by plane to the US to get ahead of the tariffs. The strategy had been in preparation for months. A source from the government of India indicated how Apple really had been preparing the land for eight months so that its orders quickly passed through customs in Chennai. Even the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked those responsible for this area to support Apple with those shipments, they indicate in Reuters. Cook met with Modi in April 2023 with the aim of promoting the manufacture of its iPhone in this country. Image | Logistics+ In Xataka | The European car industry has a problem with US tariffs. Your solution is surprising: India

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