worse

Five months later we continue to discover things about the blackout in Spain. And every time they are worse news for Europe

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Five months later of the great blackout of April 28a preliminary report from the Technological Research Institute (IIT) of the Pontifical University Comillas has put the focus in an insufficient synchronous generation program in the peninsular south as a “fundamental cause” of the electric zero. The document, commissioned by Endesa and Iberdrola and sent to Entso-E, also questions operational maneuvers of Electrica de España (REE). A “collapse due to overtension.” The report introduces this unpublished concept in Europe. A phenomenon in which the tension rises uncontrollably by disconnecting renewable generation that operates with constant power factor. According to IIT calculationsthe safety margin available on the 220 kV network was 1,019 MW, but the disconnections exceeded 1,600 MW. Take into practice it would be when a renewable plant is disconnected, the tension rises. That increase causes new disconnections, which makes the tension rise more, in a vicious circle that ends in the collapse.As details the quotation note of Comillasthat cascade reaction is not precedents in the continent and shows that the simple verification that the tension is within the “is not enough” range to guarantee stability. A fragile and little inertia network. The debate is not “renewable yes or no”, but how to adapt the network and how it operates in high renewable penetration scenarios. The Iit Identify four critical points: Little programmed synchronous generation: in Andalusia there was alone A combined cycle group On the way, when the usual were several. Weak Network: At 9:00 in the morning, 35% of the 400 kV network was disconnected in the central and south areas. Dopsy inertia: In Andalusia it fell to 1.3 seconds, 35% less than the 2 seconds recommended by Entso-e. Risky maneuvers: between 12:00 and 12:30, Ree He connected eleven lines additional to try to cushion the oscillations, but those operations further reduced the safety margin. The chronology of a collapse announced. The government report had already described one morning with “Atypical volatility”. At 12:03 there was a first 0.6 Hz oscillation; At 12:19, another of 0.2 Hz but with a three -time amplitude. To stabilize, Ree reduced exports and connected lines that were disconnected. Far from improving the situation, the system tension increased. At 12:26, ​​the operator reached order the start From a combined cycle center in Andalusia, but the coupling time was more than an hour and a half: there was no room. From 12:32 The chain reaction began. At 12:33:19, the Peninsula It was completely dark. Shock of stories. Here it opens The crack between reports. The Government pointed to Ree in June for poor programming and a “insufficiency of dynamic tensions control capabilities.” Ree, in his own document, replied that there were several power plants that did not fulfill their obligation to absorb reactive energy, which aggravated the crisis. The electrical companies, meanwhile, denied any ruling and accused the government and ree of “opacity.” The new IIT report adds to debate Reinforcing the thesis that a scheduled synchronous generation was missing and questioning the operational maneuvers of the system operator, although it emphasizes that the analysis has the endorsement of international experts such as Goran Anderson and Pier Luigi Mancarella. And now what? The IIT recommends reviewing synchronous generation programming, strengthening tension control, using more predictive metrics and better coordinating all agents. The Government tried in July to approve A decree “antiapages” with sanctions, greater public control and more prominence for self -consumption, but the text shipwrecked in Congress. In addition, the Iberian Peninsula remains an “energy island”, with only 3% interconnection with France, which amplifies any operational error. Therefore, Spain and Portugal They have pressured To Paris to accelerate interconnection runners, “fed up with promises without calendar.” Closer and closer. Next Thursday, the European Network of Transmission Systems Operators (ENTSO-E) will publish your factual report with detailed chronology and the final technical data of the 28th. That document will be the basis on which Brussels and Member States discuss responsibilities and measures. The story of the 28th is not yet closed. And the Comillas report has just reopened it with a clear message: the energy transition does not fail to be fast, but for do not reinforce the network and the rules at the same pace. Image | Freepik Xataka | Selling smoke is now a business in Soria: it purifies it and sells it as CO2 to make soft drinks

The “best mechanic in Spain” says that Low Cost gasoline is of worse quality than the premium. Reality is much more complex

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In the long term, fuel Low Cost “It can cause breakdowns.” We do not say it, says Carlos Pérez, recognized as “best mechanic in Spain” in an interview with Canal Moveo de The avant -garde. And we don’t give it because, simply, there is no reasons to say it. In fact, Carlos Pérez himself emphasizes that “all gasoline ultimately come from the same wholesale suppliers.” So what happens? Who. As we say, one of the spaces that The avant -garde He dedicates to the mobility sector has interviewed Carlos Pérez, known on the Internet as “the best mechanic in Spain.” The title is no invention, among the different awards he has obtained we find the one delivered by The workshop community who are focused on communication within the post -sales market. Since then, Pérez has granted various interviews to different media in which he has been explained about What are the most reliable brandswhat are they the car models that recommend Or, simply, which is the best gasoline to use. Yes, but. And here comes the controversy. In his statements about gasoline to use, Carlos Pérez assured the following to The avant -garde: “Although all gasoline ultimately come from the same wholesale suppliers, the differences are in the additives that each company incorporates. These additives are those that help to keep the feeding system clean and prevent the accumulation of waste in the engine, which can affect the performance and durability of the vehicle. The price can be tempting, but in the long term, the use of fuel That supposes in repairs “ That is, a Yes, but in full rule. According to Pérez, there should be no reason to distrust the cheapest fuels but in the long run “it can cause breakdowns and greater engine wear.” Obviously, the price would not compensate for the expense and headaches of the breakdowns. Same origin. The truth is that in Spain there should be no differences between refuel Low Cost or supposed fuel Premium. Because deep down, the fuel is exactly the same. And this is not much less. In Xataka We already played this topic in 2015. Then we explained that the origin of both fuels is the same: CLH or hydrocarbon logistics company that In 2021 he changed his name to exolum. This receives the fuel from the refineries that are distributed by Spain in the hands of BP, Cepsa Moeve or repsol. This fuel already arrives with quality standards that guarantee a good product. This fuel is maintained in the exolum facilities until it is distributed by the service stations. It is here where the difference between products occurs: additives yes or additives no. The additives. To begin with, the exolum itself already has His own additives (HQ300) For part of the fuel it stores. It is the responsibility of the Marketing in charge of fuel with additives or without them. Obviously, this second is cheaper. What is an additive thinking? In theoryto improve long -term engine and vehicle care. Companies Premium Do you sell that their formulas manage to leave less remains in the engines or allow more kilometers with the same amount of fuel. And is there scientific evidence? Really, none. At least that is what Carles Fité, Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Rodrigo Soto, chemical engineering reader, who asked about this same matter, pointed out that “all are equal. I see no difference at this level of analysis.” According to their samples, “they basically contain the same compounds and in the same proportions. Everything comes out very very the same”, in words collected by The confidential. Nor have they found substantial differences in the OCU. In fact, they point out that we are talking more about blind confidence in the effects of additives than on realistic checks: “The effects of additives on engines and gasoline consumption do not seem very verifiable. (…) Prove that an additive lengthens engine life is very difficult, because there is no way to determine how much that same engine would have lasted if that gasoline had not used.” And the secret? The secret is called the economy of scale. Simply, there are two types of business when we talk about service stations. The gas stations Low Cost They can save the customer money because they themselves They already save money on operational costs Of their businesses: they do not usually have employees, they do not invest in R&D to improve those fuels and do not invest in advertising, trusting in the mouth-oreja. On the contrary, gasoline stations Premium They base their business on those additives that generate confidence in the client. But also In formulas to catch you in the following purchase such as loyalty cards or stores that orbit around the suppliers. Also in their Agreements with other companies as insurance companies or large supermarkets. Scams and maintenance. In summary, the quality of the repossed product has much more to do with the maintenance of the service station (which is renewed regularly and does not spend too much time in deposits, for example) and, above all, with complying with the minimum quality standards. The latter should be an endorsement when we repost in Spanish gas stations, however, in recent months the SERVICE STATION SHOWS They have used worse quality fuel and took advantage of great sales at very low prices to subsequently scam the State in the presentation of the VAT tax. This has generated a worse image to the product Low Cost. Photo | BALLENOIL AND BP In Xataka | Diesel or gasoline: what are the differences and which one is better to buy according to your use

more repentance, more erased clinics and professionals who live worse than before

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The tattoo has gone from be a symbol of rebellion to A fashion accessory. Soccer players, Influencers And even your fifth neighbor look like skin designs. This massive acceptance caused an unprecedented boomFilling Spain with studies and artists. But the party is over. The bubble seems to have exploded and has left behind a precariousness and also repentance panorama among the different clients who decide to remove their tattoos. Regretting what they tattoo. A phenomenon that we are seeing right now is that of Delete what one day was permanent in their skins. This was demonstrated by a study Made by Lutronic PBSwhich pointed out that 60% of the people who tattoo in our country end up regretting. The problem that arises is that eliminating a tattoo is not easy to do. The ink that is injected directly into the skin dermis, which is the second layer of the skin. This causes an aggressive treatment to be able to eliminate it completely. The number of professionals who remove them increase. The demand for withdrawing tattoos makes new treatments and clinics appear. In 2023 it was recorded A 30% increase in the number of demands regarding eliminating tattoos through laser technique. And is that choosing a good professional It is fundamental so that later it is marked on the skin. And such is the ‘fashion’ of eliminating tattoos, which even in social networks can already see how trends and up as #Tattoremoval where The before and after this treatment is shown. And sometimes people make these tattoos impulsively Without having anything clear. And then the repentance is there. The tattoo sector has a ‘dark side’. In addition to the change of opinion of many consumers of this art, The avant -garde has collected in a report As the market has changed radically. Raúl, a professional tattoo artist since 2001, reports that when he started in this world, the coil machine was an almost artisanal artifact of more than 300 euros. Now this same machine It can be found on Amazon for fifty euros With an initiation kit that includes needles and inks of doubtful quality. This technological democratization has had an immediate effect: a marketing of the market. The National Union of Professional Tattooators and Anillers (UNTAP) esteem That in Spain there are about 10,000 “legal” tattoors, but they estimate that the double works irregularly from their homes. These “home tattoors” They are announced on Instagram and Facebookcompeting directly with studies paid for rent, taxes and health licenses. And this is something that results in a fall in demand to professionals. The ‘Glovo’ model has reached the tattoo. If unfair competition is a battle front, labor conditions are the other. The sector operates in a legal limbo where the ‘false autonomous’ has gained prominence, as they relate to the avant -garde. In this way, they point out that the studies have autonomous tattoors, who carry a percentage of the final price of each tattoo, and the material costs are shared. The point is that some studies would demand to meet fixed schedules of up to 60 hours per week and with imposed vacations. Emilio San Miguel, labor lawyer, is clear about it: as soon as an autonomous depends economically on a single payer and has time and tax holidays, it can be considered a false autonomous. “Almost all the tattooists who work in studies,” he says. ‘Chiquitatus’ and businessmen: the devaluation of art. This panorama has been the breeding ground for a new business model. According to Fidel Prieto, secretary of UNTAP, many of the new studies are not led by artists, but by investors who see tattoo as a simple business opportunity. In this way, they take care of a place with a central location and hire young tattooists, with little experience and more likely to accept abusive conditions. And to be a large production chain, they specialize in ‘Chiquitatu’, that is, a butterfly, an infinity or a small symbol that has a cost of 50 euros. Something that denounces devalues ​​the price of this work, and makes people have to work from their home and in black so that it deserves the penalty economically. Because becoming autonomous is something that many people cannot afford. What you earn in the trade is not very attractive. As they point out in the report, a tattoo artist can have a good month and invoice about 3,000 euros gross. But It is not a stable tradeand depends on the number of customers you have. In this way, in a bad month those income can collapse up to 700 euros easily. A tattoo artist, Virordia, points to that I would prefer to have a decent salary, a normal schedule and decent conditions. The situation is as unsustainable that figures such as the “false hired” have emerged: a 10 -hour weekly contract for someone who works more than 45. The objective is to reduce the social security quota, a desperate patch in a broken system. Tattoos have a future beyond the aesthetic. Although many people are tattooed for pleasure, science explores other options. For example, it is already explored to use them as a system to control blood glucose or go much further to Be authentic biosensors to analyze other biochemical parameters of our organisms in a little invasive way. Images | Benjamin Lehman In Xataka | “We are not giving the card”: the regulations to validate the truck driver with Morocco are 20 years old

The government emptied a reservoir in Cáceres to eradicate an invading fish. The remedy was worse than the disease

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Just eight months ago, Alcollarín dressed in gala. This small town of Cáceres, with just over 300 neighbors, was presented at the International Tourism Fair of Madrid as a privileged corner to observe birds, throw the cane or walk next to its reservoir, blue mirror in the middle of the pasture. Today, the postcard has completely changed. Where the water was shone before, now a lodazal splashed from dead fish is extended. The air, loaded with a sour smell, reaches the streets of the town. The neighbors speak of “ecological disaster” and look unbelieved towards the dam, while from the Guadiana Hydrographic Confederation defend that the operation was “of vital importance” to protect the future of the basin. The operation that changed everything. The Ministry for Ecological Transition, through the CHG, He started a plan To eradicate the invasive species Pseudorasbora Parva —An known as Chinese fish or Gobio de Boca Túpe -, present at the reservoir and in the Alcollarín River since 2010. Included in the Spanish catalog of invading exotic species and in the European regulation of worrying species for the EU, its control is a legal obligation to prevent its propagation. The plan included months of bearsques with specialized ships and, as a final phase, a “controlled” emptying of the dam to facilitate the capture of specimens. As reported by the CHGthe reservoir was 100 % of its capacity – 50 cubic hectometers, equivalent to 50,000 million liters – before starting the operation. The problem, like They have denounced neighbors and associations to the newspaper Extremadurais that the emptying caused the downstream release of thousands of copies, expanding the species towards the Ruecas and Guadiana rivers. The enemy in the waters of Alcollarín. The Pseudorasbora Parva He arrived in Europe around 1960 and has expanded to more than 30 countries, mainly by introductions linked to aquaculture. In Spain, it was first detected in the Ebro basin in 2002 and, since then, it has colonized sections of Catalonia, Andalusia, Madrid and Extremadura. In the case of Alcollarín, the species was detected in 2010 and, According to the mitecoits density in the reservoir had reached levels that made its complete eradication technically. Even so, the CHG He defended that it was urgent Reduce its population to avoid dispersion towards new channels, especially before the connection planned with the Orellana Canal, and ensure that the reservoir could be used for irrigation and recreational activities “in accordance with current legislation.” Of the catastrophe control. The contract, awarded in June 2024 to the engineering company and technical designs SAU for 787,861.99 euros (without taxes), included several phases of analysis of the pisco fauna, installation of metal containment barriers to avoid leaks, extraction of native species and elimination of invasors, and the controlled emptying of the reservoir. However, According to neighbors and groups such as the Fund for the Defense of Natural and Cultural Heritage of Extremadura (Fondenex)the procedure did not come out as planned. The Captured downstreams overflowed in the critical and “hundreds of thousands” phases of invading specimens escaped towards the wheel and the Guadiana. The drastic drop of the water level, added to the high temperatures, also caused the death of numerous native species, including the barbo, cataloged as vulnerable. The shores were filled with decomposition fish, aquatic birds abandoned the area and the local economy lost, suddenly, a key resource for nature tourism. Crossing accusations. The CHG argues that the operation was planned and executed under the supervision of a “multidisciplinary team of biologists, ambientologists and highly qualified engineers”, As the newspaper has detailedand recognize only a “punctual mortality of Barbos.” He affirms that most native specimens were rescued during previous beings. On the other hand, Fondenex has described in the same medium the action of “ecological nonsense” and accuses the CHG of “manifest negligence” for emptying the reservoir in the middle of summer, without providing urgent uses of water, such as fire extinguishing, and without assessing the impact on protected birds in the Zepa Llanos de Zorita. The group has requested environmental reports and does not rule out file a complaint with the courts. In addition, the neighbors have denounced that “the only positive aspects that a reservoir” have been charged and question the use of “massive and non -selective” methods prohibited by the Nature Conservation Law. Forecasts Once the presence of Pseudorasbora Parvathe CHG plans to reintroduce native species with the collaboration of the Board of Extremadura and maintain barriers and controls in future unwins. However, environmental groups warn that the ecological and tourist recovery of the reservoir will take years, and that the invading fish is already present in sections of the wheels and the Guadiana where it had not arrived before. An open question. In Alcollarín, official versions and citizen perceptions diverge radically: for administration, it is a necessary technical operation; For many neighbors, of an “environmental catastrophe” that has multiplied the problem. Beyond the specific case, the episode raises a dilemma that transcends Extremadura: what environmental and social cost are we willing to assume to stop a biological invasion when total eradication is practically impossible? Image | Chgguadiana and B. Schoenmakers Xataka | Water restrictions return in the northwest. It is the logical conclusion of a trend that comes from afar

When the US began to investigate a nuclear waste tank he found an even worse nightmare: radioactive wasps

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If you are even the noses of the velutinasthe Backpacks and the Tigres mosquitoes and Japanesethink about this: there are people in South Carolina (USA) that what fears right now is the stalking of radioactive wasps. It sounds crazy, but it makes all the meaning of the world if one takes into account that there, near a plant in which in its day pieces for nuclear bombs were manufactured, They just found A loop with a radiation level ten times above what is allowed. The big question is … how is it possible? What happened? That a few days ago the US Department of Energy published A report which has generated Polvareda in the country’s media. And rightly. The document does not go demand and supply, renewable or prices, but of something much more picturesque: earlier than the month, on Thursday 3 to be precise, some operators located near Aikenin South Carolina, a wasps nest with a radiation level ten times higher to what federal regulations allow. The authorities insist In any case where there is no risk. Where did they find it? Near a radioactive waste tank Savannah River Sitea nuclear material processing center located in South Carolina, next to the Savannah River, and that rose to mid -last century to refine useful materials for weapons creation. The NBC chain states that in its day, at the beginning of the cold war, it was used to manufacture the plutonium nuclei necessary to mount nuclear pumps. Now the installation is dedicated to other works, such as fuel production for nuclear centrals and cleaning tasks, but some sources They point that has generated More than 625 million Of liters of nuclear waste, an amount more than considerable that, once processed, it stayed at around 129 million. 43 underground tanks remain in use. OTHER EIGHT ARE CLOSED. What did they do with the nest? They sprayed him with insecticide, they removed him and discarded him as a radioactive residue. Finally the team prepared A reporta document that took more than expected because its authors dedicated themselves to review Previous cases of fauna pollution to be sure of your criteria. The document concludes that “more actions on the land” are necessary. Is anything else known? Yes. To begin with that they only found the loop, No wasps. Aiken Standard Clarify In any case that if insects had been located, they would probably present quite lower pollution levels. The same newspaper indicates that, after detecting the nest, the radiological control operating staff (RCO) inspected the surroundings without identifying more pollution or threats to the workers. The area in which the nest appeared is inside the plant, where underground steel tanks and several meters deep are preserved. The CNN chain collect Savannah River Mission Completion statements that rule out that there is a risk that the wasps created by the loop can fly outside their facilities. The reason: the normal thing is that they do not move too far from their nests. How is it possible? That is the million dollar question. The report speaks of “inherited radioactive pollution” and “not related to a loss of control”. The event would therefore be explained by the residual radioactivity That remained when the center was fully operational, not for possible leaks. The text in any case does not seem to have satisfied the Savannah River Site Watch surveillance team, which considers that it is incomplete because it does not detail where pollution came from or how exactly came to insects. “I am furious because SRS did not explain where radioactive waste comes from or if there is any type of escape in the tanks that the public must know,” Recognize Tom Clementsgroup manager. One of the keys would be the type of nest, since not all wasps use the same materials to create their homes. Images | ILJA NEDILKO (UNSPLASH), Flo (Unspash) and Duncan Sánchez (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | Madrid suffered a rocambolesco nuclear accident in 1970. So the authorities began to collect vegetables

After the earthquake of Russia, evacuations and alerts extend through the Pacific for fear of something much worse: waves

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With the still recent memory of what happened in March 2011, when a Powerful earthquake Registered in front of the Japanese coasts, it generated a tsunami and sowed the destruction, with thousands of victims and missing, in Japan and Russia they look at the ocean with tension. And they are not the only ones. The reason: Another powerful earthquakeof magnitude 8.8, has shaken the ground of the Kamchatka Kraiat the east end of Russia, and unleashed the fear for the waves it can generate in the Pacific. In just a few hours that has resulted in alert messages, evacuations and authorities asking the population to stay away from the coasts. What happened? That the ground has trembled in Russia. And with violence. In the last hours the US Geological Service registered an earthquake from Magnitude 8.8 at the east end of Russia. More specifically the tremor broke out At 23.25 h GMT (two more in peninsular Spain), with epicenter 126 kilometers southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskyin the Kamchatka Krai, in the north of the Pacific, and a depth of around 19.3 km. In some areas of the region they soon registered waves between three and four meters high. Has it been serious? Sergei Lebedev, the head of the emergency department in the region, He explained That the earthquake has left some injured, although for now, as confirmed to the Russian agency Tass, there seems to be none of gravity. It is not bad balance if the power of the earthquake is taken into account, of magnitude 8.8. The governor of Kamchatka has recognized that the earthquake was “serious” and “the strongest in decades”, which explains that the tremor causes the collapse of part of the facade of a nursery. “Before July 31, a list of buildings will be developed that will undergo instrumental inspection. The general evaluation of material damage will be ready in a week,” Point out The governor of the region, Vladimir Solodov. In its telegram channel, the Unified Geophysical Service of Russia has confirmed that it is the greatest earthquake since 1952 in Kamchatka (in November of that year there was another tremor of Magnitude 9 which generated important material damage and caused waves of several meters in Hawaii) and the sixth most intense globally since 1900. What reactions has generated? Fear. And caution. Since the earthquake was produced by authorities from different countries and regions bathed by the Pacific, from Russia to Chile or the United States, passing through Japan or the Philippines, have reacted with different degrees of alert, depending on the type of waves they expect. One of the most forceful responses has probably given Japan, where alert sirens have already been heard and seen to the Hokkaido coast residents Uploaded to roofs When the initial waves of the Tsunami, 30 centimeters arrived. The authorities have ordered the evacuation of the east coast of the country, punished in 2011, and required more than 900,000 people of 133 municipalities of the Pacific coast that leave their homes. Some sources They raise the population that has received evacuation orders or alerts to about two million. Have you done anything else? Yes. On the island of Hokkaido, an evacuation order of 5 out of 5the highest level, which affects about 10,500 citizens of the town of Urakawa, and the alert has spread to prefectures such as Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Mie or Miyagi, among others. In some regions waves of up to three meters are expected. With that backdrop, public transport has been altered at some points and the authorities They have evacuated to the workers of the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was already affected by the tsamot of 2011. And beyond Japan? Russia and Japan are not the only ones who have activated emergency measure. The United States Tsunamis Alert Center has warned of the risk of waves of more than three meters in the Hawaii archipelago and between one and three on the island of Guam. Before Panorama the governor of Hawaii, Josh Green, has declared The state of emergency and ordered evacuations in areas of the coast, which has even derived in traffic jams. In the islands they have also enabled shelters in schools, hotels or community centers. It is not the only American territory that looks at the Pacific. The National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has also transferred the alert to some parts of Alaska and follows the situation on the east coast of the country, such as California. “Keep strong already except!” I exhort Donald Trump. Are there more countries on alert? Yes. In Chile President Gabriel Boric He has recognized That, “for now, we have Tsunami alert for the entire coast” on Wednesday. “The protocol is to evacuate three hours before the estimation of arrival of the wave,” he said. In China the tsunamis alert center He has warned also of the possibility of receiving waves of between 30 and 40 cm in Zhejiang and Shanghai and Peru has activated Also alert in his coast. Ecuador has even gone further to order the eviction of the Galapagos Islands, “which implies the suspension of maritime activities and eviction of beaches, docks and low areas.” The list adds and continues with organisms from different nations that ask for caution in different points of the Pacific. In Mexico the Semar has issued an alert For the country’s coast bathed by that ocean after the Kamchatka earthquake and has asked its population to remain away from the beaches and warn of strong currents. Images | USGS, NOAA and X In Xataka | Tsunami’s alert is leading people to get on the roofs of Japan. It is a good idea, but only at the beginning

Airbus is about to close a new massive order in China, according to SCMP. The moment cannot be worse for Boeing

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Airbus prepares to reinforce its presence in one of the most strategic markets on the planet: China. South China Morning Post says that the European manufacturer is at the gates of signing a new agreement with the Chinese authorities that would include Between 100 and 200 new airplanes. The firm could arrive this month, but what really attracts attention is not the magnitude of the order, but the moment in which it occurs. The operation would coincide with the summit between the European and China Union on July 24 and 25, As Politico has advanced. A high -level diplomatic encounter that seeks to reduce commercial tensions, redefine relationships between Brussels and Beijing, and manage an increasingly tense climate in their links with Washington. That Airbus manages to close a contract of this size just in that context is something that does not go unnoticed. A new order in Chinese heavens? China has not closed great agreements with Boeing for years. The last relevant request dates back to 2017and since then the American manufacturer has been losing ground in one of the most dynamic markets in commercial aviation. The reason is not only commercial: the cooling of relations between Washington and Beijing, The tariff war And regulatory doubts seem to be tilting the balance to the European side. As the Hongkonese medium points out, Airbus has gained weight as the main supplier. Time also plays in favor of Airbus. Many Chinese airlines are dealing with aged fleets, mostly composed of Boeing aircraft acquired more than a decade ago. In cases such as Shandong Airlines or China United Airlines, the bulk of the devices exceeds ten years of service. As the airplanes accumulate flight hours, in general, their maintenance becomes more expensive, their operational efficiency decreases and increases inactivity periods. At first glance, it may seem that an airline can compensate for the situation by combining manufacturers. However, operate A mixed fleet It implies logistics complexity and high costs. An Airinsight analysis concluded that the expenses derived from managing two types of fleet – parties, training, documentation, crew ratio – are amortized in just 12–15 months and then favor significant savings in the useful life of the fleet. Operating a mixed fleet implies logistics complexity and high costs The standardization – arrest by a single supplier such as Airbus or Boeing – reduces operational costs, simplifies the training of personnel and speeds up the management of spare parts. In contrast, changing manufacturer forces to reorganize supply chains, train pilots and technicians in new models and adapt maintenance infrastructure. The latter implies from updating the hangars and workshops to the physical requirements of the new plane, to acquire specific tools. For many airlines, that entrance barrier seems to explain why they continue to depend on boeing fleets even when Airbus gains ground. China is also betting on developing its own alternative. The three large state airlines – Air China, China Eastern and China Southern – have already committed the purchase of more than 100 units of the Comac C919the passenger plane developed by the Chinese aeronautical industry. Political support is evident, but so are its limits: Production is still reducedinternational certifications are in the initial phase and the technical support network does not have maturity or the Airbus or Boeing scale. For now, C919 is a medium -term promise, but not an immediate solution to meet the enormous demand of the domestic market. Nevertheless, Boeing is not totally out of the game. In April 2025, several 737 Max prepared for Chinese airlines They returned to the United States After Beijing ordered to suspend deliveries, as part of their response to new tariffs against US products. Although this measure points to a protective impulse of the national industry and the geopolitical strategy, Boeing could still regain land if commercial tension is reduced and access to the Chinese market is resumed. But, for now, Airbus is emerging as a favorite. Airbus knows well the potential of the Chinese market. According to their own forecaststhe country will need more than 9,500 new commercial airplanes in the next 20 years. Boeing handles a similar figure: Around 8,830 to 9,740 units, depending on the economic and regulatory scenario. In any case, we are talking about a gigantic demand. And at this time, with the orders to Boeing frozen and Comac still consolidating, Airbus has a clear advantage. If the new contract is confirmed, it will not be an isolated case: it will be the reflection of a trend that can mark the distribution of power in commercial aviation during the next decades. Images | FASYAH HALIM | Takashi Miyazaki In Xataka | The C919 Comac In Xataka | The United Kingdom was waiting for an invincible hunt. Today, the F-35 flies little and cannot shoot its own weapons

The scam of the son in trouble brings the police and the AI is getting worse

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“Hello, mom. My phone has broken” like this or with some similar message begins the known as Son scam in trouble. This scam modality has been circulating for a long time and brought to the head authorities for its High effectiveness. The National Police has dismantled an organization that was dedicated to this scam and that it cheated large amounts of money. It has not been (nor will it) the only one. 32 detainees. The investigation began nine months ago and has resulted in 32 arrests in the province of Valencia, of which four acted as “mule” captors. Were . Thanks to these arrests, 63 complaints filed throughout the country have been resolved, whose total amount amounts to no less than 320,000 euros. In addition, the police have managed to block several fraudulent transfers and return to the victims more than 10,000 euros. A recurring scam. Although it is a large operation, it is not the first organization that is disjointed that used this modality of fraud. A little over a year ago The Civil Guard arrested a hundred people that came to cheat 850,000 euros. In July of last year an operation was also carried out with 65 detainees who had scammed 410,000 euros. And there has been more. Just a few days ago A neighbor from A Coruña who cheated 5,000 euroshe denounced and thanks to this, those responsible were arrested. Too effective. Scams that come by WhatsApp There are many, but few who get so many victims and figures so high. This modality of fraud is very effective, which makes it the most dangerous. According to the Civil Guardscammers study the victims, who have a child emancipated by studies or travel. The scammers create “an instant emotional connection after which they move the urgency with messages of despair, causing the parental protection reaction.” We normally distrust when they write to us from unknown numbers, but in this case the pretext of having lost the main mobile is used, so the main doubt is resolved. If the scammers have chosen their victim well, it is very easy to create the story and end up sending a bizum to their supposed son or daughter. The next level: AI. Although they are not the most common, there are cases in which Voices generated by AI have been used to cheat To the victims. It was the case of an American citizen who received a call in which he listened to his daughter to shout that they were going to harm him if he did not pay. The National Police He has warned about what they call ‘Voice Hacking’ and gave a trick to protect us: Use a family password. And how do they clon the voice? With tools like Vall-e only Three seconds are necessarysomething very easy to get social networks. Protect yourself. Although the authorities are making efforts such as the operation that has taken place in Valencia, eradicating it completely seems quite complicated so the best is prevention. The first thing if you receive a message of this type is to try to write or call the original number to see if the person answers. You can also ask you to send you an audio, although it is much better to make a video call since you avoid a possible ‘voice hacking’. In short, if someone asks for money and also has a hurry, always distrust. In Xataka | After the Sonny Angel, the madness of Labubu arrives in Spain. They are exhausted everywhere and there are already scams and falsifications

The figures suggest that the domain of blockbusters in Hollywood is not over. In fact, it will go worse

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In the post-pandemic Hollywood that we live, of completely consolidated cycles and trends, commercial cinema reigns at its expression: sequelae, remakes, reboots and blockbusters that do not leave space to medium and small movies. And although one might think that it is a passing situation with a visos to change, the truth is that such a panorama (at first glance, a transition state) does not stop consolidating. The figures. Let’s look at a few figures, which Pau Brunet gives in Your Newsletter Box Office Alchemy: During the first semester of 2025, the five highest grossing films in the United States have concentrated 82% of income. It is a rise in that domain if we compare it, for example, with 2019, when those five films generated 75%. At first glance the figures do not seem to indicate excessive growth, but let’s look at the rest of the movies. Top 6-10 represents 11.7% of the box office, a 35% drop compared to 2019. And beyond Top 10, the figures are abysmal: they represent 6.3% of the income, a 53% drop. That without counting the general fall of income (which shows that this domination of a few films is not the panacea): in these first six months, those first five films have generated 22% less income than in 2019. And what does it mean. That as much as we rabiem and kick because last year The ten most viewed films were all sequelsremakes, reboots and several fritas (not even ‘WICKED‘He escaped, being how is the adaptation of a musical inspired by a book that, in turn, is based on’ The Wizard of Oz ‘), is what works and is what the public demands. A few months ago We contemplated stunned How Disney Barría at the box office with ‘Lilo & Stitch’, and this week we have The premiere of ‘Superman’to which the first box office figures (at the time of writing these lines, the presale of Thursday) predict a great result. We can celebrate the success of unusual bets as ‘sinners’ (which Apparently it will not become franchise), But it is still a drop in the ocean, an absolute rarity in the current context. Problems for indies. Of course, this points to severe problems for the indie sector of cinematographic production, and that is increasingly cornering in the billboards. Brunet himself spoke In a previous newsletter of the aid that in Hollywood are taking place, by producers’ coalitions, to the cinema that does not have the support of the great studies. And this is going to be the only way for independent cinema, authentic basic oxygen for industry, continues to exist, because the dynamics of distribution have it marginalized. The rooms: horror, horror … The figures are clear, but you just have to go to any room to check the absolute domination of the cinema mainstreamto which the brutal is added Shortage of exhibition windowsin search of rapid benefits: after a few weeks in rooms the films go to PPV, and from there to streaming. And start again in a dynamic that not only burns products at infernal speeds, but also admits anything that is not blockbusters. The Terabusters. Brunet puts a name to this phenomenon: Terabusters. A step beyond the blockbusters, like Kaijus of cinema, the movies already They are not blockbusters, but events that bring together all the efforts of a producer for months … and hopefully return that effort in the form of dividends that allow them to finance the following monster. But you have to take care of the cinema base fabric, or the industry is in danger of devouring itself, or working only based on movies that we saw ten years ago (or less). Header | Warner In Xataka | There are many people who hate Santiago Segura movies. The problem is that they “save” Spanish cinema every year

prioritize “your” technology, even worse

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Nvidia It is not another supplier of the Chinese market. He developed a special chip for him. He spent a lot of money on adapting his Blackwell technology to overcome US government restrictions. Prepared A cheaper GPU than H20specifically designed To meet the demands of Washington without losing the 17,000 million dollars that China represents in its annual turnover. And it sold very well. The last strategic movement of Xi Jinping transmits a clear message: China no longer wants to depend on US chips. Not even those adapted. It is a practically unprecedented decision because it leaves China choosing a lower (but temporary) technological position with its own semiconductors. The alternative was to access world leadership. But depending on American chips. Xi Jinping is a deeply Chinese movement: to support present humiliation to load with a greater responsibility. “忍辱负重” (Ren Ru Fu Zhong) In technological version. Who controls the technological basis controls the future. Although the base is initially lower. The strategy is not new: China has been applying this logic for twenty years. When Google dominated searches, he opted for Baidu. When Facebook conquered the world, they developed Wechat. When the planet hooked on Instagram, Tiktok proposed. The same pattern: initially worse proposals, but Chinese. The result is that of a completely independent digital ecosystem that serves a market four times greater than the American without depending on Silicon Valley. The semiconductors are the level rise in this bet. Unlike software, chips require decades of investment, very complex supply chains and tremendously specialized knowledge. But China has already shown that it is willing to pay that price building A parallel technological ecosystem with Huawei in semiconductors and consumer electronics, Metax or Biren for GpusMoore Threads in Gaming and many other companies backed by the State. The goal: completely replace Nvidia in a decade. This transformation sublimates post-pandemic China. For decades, the country was the world workshop: it manufactured Western designs with labor as large as cheap. That ended. The new China is a technological creator, does not mere efficient manufacturing. The pandemic and scars of the commercial war that almost takes Huawei accelerated that transition: China understood that it depended too much on foreign technology And he drew a plan. The China strategy It reflects this evolution: not only that Baidu, Alibaba or Tencent have models that compete with those of OpenAi; It is that each layer is China. Servers, chips, data with which they train. Everything is sovereign and AI is really China. The results, despite how it is, are more than promising: Alipay and Wechat Pay have displaced both cash and Visa and Master Card. Alibaba and JD cancel Amazon. They built from scratch before depending on foreign technology. And in some cases they have surpassed the originals. Even in its own market. This rupture marks the moment when technological globalization died definitely. Two Silicon Valley emerge: one that designed for the West and a Chinese ecosystem that designed for the rest. Digital bifurcation crystallizes. China has decided to build its own technological world, accepting the initial inferiority to avoid eternal subordination. A civilization with ancient vision sacrifices the present for the future. Xi’s decision redefines the meaning of “winning” in technology. For decades, winning meant having the best products, the most advanced, which the market preferred. China proposes a different metric: winning is controlling your technological destination, even if you temporarily have lower products. It is prefer to imperfect sovereignty to excellence borrowed. Nvidia, Intel or Qualcomm can try to convince XI that they are better with them. They can sign with their own blood and others the concessions that are needed to continue doing business there (as Apple did). They can promise unbeatable conditions and unprecedented technological transfers. But The president has already chosen: China will be independent or will not be power. And that decision has just changed the world order for the next fifty years. In Xataka | Chine Outstanding image | Xataka

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