Month: February 2026

Renfe has not yet found a company for its maintenance

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The high-speed trains with which Spain debuted the AVE in 1992 They have been left without a maintenance contract. So it affirms the ABC, ensuring that Renfe put out to tender the service for more than 164 million euros and the tender has been void, so the operator has not yet found any company to take charge of it. The problem. As the media reports, Renfe called a public tender in June 2025 to award a private company the maintenance and repair of its oldest AVE trains, those of the 100 and 100F series, the same ones with which the first high-speed commercial line in Spain, the Madrid-Seville, was inaugurated in April 1992. The tender budget amounted to almost 165 million euros, according to inform the ABC, through the documentation published on the State Contracting Platform. The middle point that Renfe only received one offer and discarded it as it was considered invalid. What trains are and why they matter. The 100 series was born from an order that Renfe placed in 1988 to the French manufacturer Alstom: 24 high-speed trains based on the Atlantique TGV, adapted to the Spanish market. They were, at the time, a milestone: the first railway system in the world to commit to refunding the ticket if the train arrived more than five minutes late (has aged quite a bit this commitment today). After more than 30 years behind them, these vehicles continue to circulate on some lines of the network. How maintenance worked until now. The previous contract was in the hands of Irvia Mantenimiento Ferroviario SA, a company established in January 2008 by Renfe Operadora itself and Alstom Transporte. As detailed by the company on its website, for five years it has been in charge of the maintenance of 14 series 100 trains and 10 of the 100F series at the bases of Cerro Negro (Madrid), La Sagra (Toledo) and Can Tunis (Barcelona). Just like share In the middle, its tasks covered both preventive and corrective maintenance as well as online technical assistance and repairs resulting from accidents or vandalism. That contract expired on November 30, 2025, according to ABC. Why doesn’t anyone show up? It is clear that maintaining a fleet of trains of this age is not attractive for the sector. The 100 series models have more than 30 years of service, which implies difficulties in finding spare parts, specific engineering and technical personnel specialized in already obsolete systems. Furthermore, according to account ABC, to this is added that Renfe did not publish the specifications openly, so any interested company had to physically travel to the Renfe Viajeros headquarters in Madrid to collect the documentation. According to share In the media, the operator justified this by the volume of the file. What happens now? Renfe has no current contract for the maintenance of its oldest AVE and no company willing to take on the task. The operator has not publicly explained how it will cover this service or if it plans to relaunch the contest with new conditions, so we will have to see what the future holds for these trains. What we do know is that the 100 and 100F series are still in circulation, which makes this even more of a situation of some urgency if the safety of travelers is to be maintained. We’ll see how everything turns out. Cover image | Wikipedia In Xataka | Renfe has launched a real-time map to know where your surroundings are in 2025. And it works quite well

Anthropic corners Gemini 3 Pro and GPT-5.2 more than ever

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Think for a moment about the artificial intelligence models you have used in recent days. It may have been through ChatGPT, Gemini either Claudeor perhaps through tools like Codex, Claude Code or AI Cursor. In practice, the choice is usually simple: we end up using what best fits what we need at any given moment, almost without stopping to think about the technology behind it. However, that balance changes frequently. Each new model that appears promises improvements, new capabilities or different ways of working, and with it a fairly direct question returns: if it is worth trying, if it can really offer us something better or if what we already use is still enough. Claude Sonnet 4.6 just came to the foreand this is how it is positioned against the competition. Claude Sonnet’s starting point 4.6. Here we find what Anthropic describes as a transversal improvement in capabilities, which includes advances in coding, computer use, long-context reasoning, agent planning, and tasks typical of intellectual and creative work. Added to this set is a context window of up to one million tokens in beta, designed to process entire code bases, extensive contracts or large collections of information without fragmentation. Three levels, the same map. To understand where Sonnet 4.6 fits in, it’s worth looking at how Anthropic tends to organize its family of models into different levels with different objectives. Haiku prioritizes speed and efficiency, Opus is reserved for tasks that require the deepest reasoning, and Sonnet occupies the middle ground, designed as a balance between capacity and operating cost. Within this framework, the company maintains that the new Sonnet comes close in some real jobs to the performance previously associated with the Opus, an ambitious claim. When AI starts using the computer. One of the improvements that Anthropic highlights most strongly in Sonnet 4.6 is its progress in what it calls computer usethat is, the ability of the model to interact with software in a way similar to a person, without depending on APIs designed specifically for automation. This progress is supported by references such as OSWorld-Verified, a testing environment with real applications where the Sonnet family has been improving steadily over several months. The company also recognizes limits and risks that we have talked about before, such as attempts at manipulation through prompt injection. Searching for the ‘best’ model. At this point, the relevant question stops being how much Sonnet 4.6 has improved in absolute terms and begins to focus on how it is compared to the other large models that today compete for the same space of use. The comparison is not simple nor does it allow for a single winner, because each system excels in different areas and responds to different technical priorities. That is why it is advisable to read the benchmarks with a practical perspective, identifying in which specific tasks the real differences appear. Where each model stands out. The direct comparison with GPT-5.2 draws a distribution of strengths rather than a clear victory. According to the table published by Anthropic, Sonnet 4.6 stands out especially widely in the autonomous use of the computer measured in OSWorld-Verified, in addition to showing an advantage in office tasks (GDPval-AA Elo) and in some analysis or problem solving scenarios (Finance Agent v1.1, ARC-AGI-2). GPT-5.2, for its part, maintains better results in graduate-level reasoning (GPQA Diamond), visual comprehension (MMMU-Pro) and terminal programming (Terminal-Bench 2.0), with nuances such as results marked as Pro in some tests (BrowseComp, HLE) or self-reported grades in Terminal-Bench 2.0. The comparison with Gemini 3 Pro introduces a different nuance, because here the advantages are concentrated above all in the field of reasoning and general knowledge. The Google model obtains better results in graduate-level reasoning tests (GPQA Diamond) and in wide-ranging multilingual questionnaires (MMMLU), in addition to being ahead in visual reasoning without tools (MMMU-Pro). Sonnet 4.6, on the other hand, retains a certain advantage when external tools or scenarios closer to the applied work come into play. The absence of some comparable data in the table itself forces, in any case, to interpret this duel with caution. Where Sonnet 4.6 can be used. The new model is available in all Claude plans, including the free level, where it also becomes the default option within claude.ai and Claude Cowork. It can also be used through Claude Code, the API and the main cloud platforms, maintaining the same price as the Sonnet 4.5 version. After going through capabilities, limits and comparisons, the real decision returns to the user’s daily life. Sonnet 4.6 aims to be especially useful in productive tasks, direct interaction with software and long workflows, while GPT-5.2 and Gemini 3 Pro maintain advantages in academic reasoning, visual comprehension or general knowledge depending on the test considered. No one dominates all fronts, and that fragmentation defines the current moment of artificial intelligence. Images | Anthropic In Xataka | In 2025, AI seemed to have hit a wall of progress. A volatilized wall in February 2026 In Xataka | The great revolution of GPT-5.3 Codex and Claude Opus 4.6 is not that they are smarter. It’s that they can improve themselves

Japan has been wanting fewer tourists for years. Now he fears China is making his wishes come true

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Japan has been choked by foreign tourism. And it is understandable. The weakness of the yen, the reactivation of demand after the pandemic stop and the enormous popularity that the country has achieved on networks has triggered its flow of visitors to record levelsstirring up the debate on he oversight and generating discomfort in some particularly congested destinations, such as Kyoto, nara or Osaka. To stop it, there is already talk of a tax increase. There are even cities looking for ways to reduce the flow of international tourists. Now, for reasons that have little or nothing to do with the tourism market, Japan is encountering the collapse of demand in its big market: China. The question is whether that is a blessing or a threat to your economy. Pack of tourists. The data is incontestable. Japan has become one of the most popular destinations among those planning their vacations. Last year the country received 42.7 million of foreign visitors, an absolute record that shatters the data from 2024, when it fell just short of 37 million. Beyond the year-on-year comparison, the data is interesting for two reasons. First, because never before had the Japan Tourism Organization (ONTJ) counted more than 40 million visitors annual. Second, because the data leaves the 31.9 million of 2019, the last year before the pandemic, far behind. If nothing changes, the Government plans to reach the 60 million this decade, which will translate into a powerful injection of resources into the Japanese economy. In 2025 alone, foreign travelers spent more than $60 billion. More than money. The problem is that this flow of tourists not only translates into full planes, hotels with the sign ‘no places left’ and hoteliers and merchants satisfied with their sales. The international tourism boom has generated tensions in some destinations especially congested, leaving almost almost surreal episodes, such as the one lived in Kyoto. There the authorities have had to prohibit “paparazzi tourists” from accessing one of the most emblematic points of the city. The reason: so that they do not harass the geishas. It is not the only proof of the tensions that are emerging due to tourist saturation. In Fujikawaguchiko the authorities, unable to contain the hordes of travelers eager to “hunt” the best selfiethey chose to install a fence that blocks the views of Fuji. In Fujiyoshida they just canceled your festival Sakura because it saturates the city with visitors who clog traffic, sneak into homes and leave trash in parks. And in Yamanashi they decided years ago start charging to ascend Fuji to preserve the mythical mountain. And the Taiwan crisis arrived. Whims of geopolitics and international diplomacy, Japan has just found that this record flow of visitors could receive a severe setback. And all on account of something that has little or nothing to do with the tourist market: Taiwan. To understand it, we have to go back to November 7, when the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, warned during a parliamentary debate that Japan would not hesitate to mobilize its self-defense forces in case China entered Taiwan by force. Although the Japanese Government assures that its position remains the same as always, the truth is that Takaichi’s words broke the “strategic ambiguity” that Japan has maintained for decades. And that was not liked one bit in China. The relationship between Beijing and Tokyo became strained to such an extent that the Asian giant responded with more than complaints diplomatic: canceled concerts by Japanese artists, postponed the premiere of movies, he claimed the pandas on loan to Japanese zoos and restricted its valuable rare earth exports. What does it have to do with tourism? That in its response to Japan, Beijing also played one of its great economic assets: tourism. The Chinese authorities they advised its citizens to avoid Japan and even canceled dozens of routes airlines with the country. In November the BBC reported that some Chinese airlines were offering their customers refunds for their flights to Japan. Such a movement would not have much importance if it were not for the fact that China is one of the main sources of the Japanese tourism sector. The Asian giant is one of its big markets issuers, along with Korea. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, in 2024 China was the second largest source of tourists visiting Japan. concentrated about 19% of all demand, only behind Korea (24%). The data is also completed with the 7.3% of Hong Kong and the high weight that Taiwan also has in Japanese tourism. The flow from the Asian giant is key, however, for another reason: as remember The New York TimesChina not only moves many tourists but its tourists spend a lot in Japan. Goodbye Chinese tourists. Although the open conflict between China and Japan is recent, its effects have not taken long to be noticed in the tourism industry. TNYT assures that in December the flow of Chinese travelers already plummeted by 45% compared to the same month in 2024. And the situation does not seem to be improving in the coming months: Japan has fallen on the list of the most coveted destinations for the Chinese to enjoy their Lunar New Year holidays. There are those who already warn that Japanese hotels will welcome 60% less of Chinese. Why is it important? Beyond the percentages, this ‘puncture’ in the Chinese market represents a setback for a sector (Japanese tourism) that until recently seemed unbeatable. Despite how popular Japan continues to be in the rest of the world and the record data it is collecting, its balance of incoming tourist spending registered a drop of 2.8% during the last three months of 2025. It is not a high percentage, but it represents the first decline in more than four years. In November, Bloomberg already warned that the diplomatic row with China threatened to cost Japan’s tourism sector 1.2 billion in income. If the data were not conclusive in itself, it comes at a … Read more

Pablo Isla has become the “fix-it-all” of European multinationals

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Pablo Isla has become one of the most coveted names in the European business world. His career at the head of giants such as Inditex, Nestlé and L’Oréal has given him a profile that the main companies in the market dream of: understanding global logistics, the importance of digital transformation and crisis management capacity. All in one person. The Spanish executive is one of the few in the world who has led giants such as Inditex in full international expansion, articulate your digital transformation and, in addition, manage important crises in companies in sectors as different as food or cosmetics. The architect of the expansion and transformation of Inditex Isla was CEO of Inditex between 2005 and 2011 and executive president until 2022, a period in which the company founded by Amancio Ortega It went from being an important group in Europe to making the leap as one of the largest fashion groups in the world. That growth It was based on three pillars: expansion of the physical store, adoption of e-commerce and modernization of the supply chain. Under his leadership, Inditex multiplied its presence at street level with a network of 7,000 stores located in the best locations from all over the world, in addition to consolidating the international position of the group developing logistics which has served as a role model for other brands. At the same time, the textile empire It was also expanding into digital with a strategy that optimized both the operation of the stores and online sales. Innovations like incorporation of RFID tags It allowed us to increase stock visibility and accelerate logistical replenishment, while merging the online and physical sales experience without friction. Tea you try it in the store and you buy it online. Nestlé and the challenge of taking the helm in times of crisis After his time at Inditex, Isla joined the board of Nestlé as an independent director. In 2024 it was appointed vice president and chaired key committees on corporate governance and company appointments. In October 2025, with a Nestlé in crisis, the advice advanced his arrival to the presidency, initially scheduled for 2026, with the aim of provide stability and reinforce strategic management. According to published Reutersone of Isla’s missions upon taking the helm of Nestlé was to contribute the “magic” of Zara to the financial recovery of Nestlé. That is, leading the company towards the recovery and digital transformation that it had achieved at Inditex years ago. In reality, Nestlé, with thousands of brands distributed in more than 180 countries, was looking that someone would bring the brand into the 21st century articulating the e-commerce business, logistics and digital technologies to help accelerate the company’s response. Your immediate objective: update your online sales and optimize your supply chain through artificial intelligence. L’Oréal: another sector, same problems Recently, L’Oréal announced the proposal to appoint Isla as vice president of the board of directors, which must be voted on at its shareholders meeting in April 2026. The proposal comes from the hand of Nestléwhich has about 20% of the capital of the French cosmetics company. Once again, L’Oréal relies on Isla’s talent and experience in digitalization, understanding of regulatory aspects and crisis management as reasons for its selection. The pattern is confirmed. This signing is not only a corporate move. He points out that companies in very different sectors (retail, food and cosmetics) They are not looking for a specialized profile in their sectorbut they want someone who understands how to operate in global networks, integrate technology into processes to achieve more productivity and have resilience in uncertain times. That L’Oréal trusts Isla to strengthen its board indicates that its profile cuts across industries. He is a captain capable of bringing the ship to a safe port. It doesn’t matter if it’s an ocean liner or a pedal boat. In Xataka | Amancio Ortega has collected dividends at Inditex: he has bought Amazon’s headquarters in Canada and has money left over Image | Chairmentors

The European Commission has just opened an investigation into several worrying risks

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For years, in Europe, when opening Shein We have found an almost infinite showcase of products at very low prices, constant discounts and points systems that turn the purchase into an experience that invites repetition. This model, based on the continuous rotation of the catalog and incentives that invite people to return to the application, explains a good part of its popularity. But it also helps to understand why European authorities have begun to look at it more closely. What seemed like a simple way to buy cheap has ended up entering the European regulatory radar. Formal investigation. The European Commission opened today February 17, 2026 formal proceedings against Shein under the Digital Services Lawwhich establishes the obligations of digital platforms that operate in the community bloc. From this moment on, the investigation enters a more structured phase, with the capacity to demand additional information and evaluate possible non-compliance. Brussels emphasizes, however, that this decision does not prejudge the outcome of the case, so we will have to wait to draw conclusions. What is under examination. The investigation focuses on three specific fronts related to the operation of the platform. On the one hand, it analyzes the systems that Shein has in place to limit the sale of illegal products, including content that could constitute child sexual abuse material, and expressly mentions examples such as child-like sex dolls. It also studies the risks associated with a possible addictive design of the service, such as rewards for interaction that could affect the well-being of users. And, in addition, it reviews the transparency of the recommendation systems that determine what products and content we see, an obligation that in the EU includes explaining the main parameters of these recommenders and offering at least one accessible option that is not based on profiles. behind the scenes. For nearly two years, Brussels repeatedly requested data from Shein to evaluate its compliance with European rules on product safety, user protection and transparency, with requirements dated June 28, 2024, February 6, 2025 and November 26, 2025. Added to that supervision the impact of the known case in France. Let us remember that last November the marketing of child-like dolls was detected through external sellers on the platform, which caused protests and measures by the Government. This chain of events helps to understand why the matter has escalated to a formal procedure. The next steps. With the procedure already underway, the Commission enters a phase of collecting evidence aimed at contrasting the real functioning of the service. This may require additional information, carry out specific controls or maintain direct contact with the company and other actors involved. The legal framework also opens the door to imposing temporary measures, declaring a possible non-compliance or accepting solutions proposed by the company itself to correct the issues that are the subject of the file. What changes for users. For now, the opening of the procedure does not immediately change how we use the platform. The outcome will depend on what the investigation reveals and the response that the company offers to the Commission’s demands. It should be noted that all this occurs without a fixed calendar: European regulations do not establish a time limit to conclude this type of investigation, which can be prolonged depending on its complexity and development. From Xataka we have written to Shein to find out their position and we will update this information when we receive a response. Images | appshunter.io In Xataka | LaLiga’s massive IP blocks are going to go further: they will now require VPN providers to also block IPs

The Government of Mexico says that the measles crisis is a “global problem.” The data says it is a self-inflicted crisis

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Mexico is going through a very critical moment as far as measles is concerned, since infections they don’t stop increasing in different parts of the country and even with several dozen dead for the infection. And here the question we can ask ourselves is quite obvious: How is it possible that this has happened with a disease that was practically under control? The statements. In the offices of the Ministry of Health of Mexico they have found a rhetorical umbrella for the storm that is falling on them, pointing to the “global context”. According to the official narrative, the rebound in measles that the country is experiencing is simply the local echo of a trend that also you are living in other countriesso it may serve as political consolation not to be the only country to go through this crisis. The problem with this defense is that, when one stops looking at the world map and zooms in on the national data for each country, the excuse falls apart. All this because Mexico is not suffering from measles “like everyone else” but is suffering it with an intensity and lethality that shows structural cracks in its own public health system. Measles is here. To understand the defense of the Mexican Government, we must first grant them the part they are right. Measles, a disease from which many they had forgotten due to their high controlhas had a revival unpleasant in recent years. To give us an idea, the WHO itself registered more than 552,000 cases suspected in 179 countries during 2025, which was accompanied by vaccination coverage that was declining globally while the world looked almost exclusively at COVID-19. In this way, it is a fact that the virus is circulating and, in American countries, the Pan American Health Organization has already warned of a large increase in measles cases between 2024 and 2025 in different regions. The Mexican exception. However, hiding behind the global trend to explain what is happening on Mexican soil is cheating the solitary. The key in this case is in the figures for the month of February, which paint a quite disproportionate scenario compared to its neighbors. To give us an idea, Mexico accumulates more than 9,400 cases confirmed from the end of 2025 to mid-2026. And to put it in context, in all of 2025 America added 14,891 cases, so Mexico is not just another statistic, but is the epicenter of the problem in the hemisphere, concentrating a large part of the infections in North America. His mortality. While in other countries the different outbreaks are being contained, in Mexico the number of deaths is counted in the dozens. Right now in Mexico there are 29 deaths in seven states, and the most worrying data comes from Chihuahua, which accumulates 21 of these deaths, followed by a worrying situation in Mexico City with two deaths and Jalisco, which accounts for 60% of the cases in 2026. The extra problem is that they are not isolated outbreaks, but rather there is active transmission in 32 states and 335 municipalities, so the virus moves with a freedom that suggests that the epidemiological firewalls have failed. The reasons. If the virus is the same for everyone, why does Mexico take the brunt of it? The answer is not abroad, but in the internal management of recent years. The local press here points to a dismantling of the surveillance systems and also to a collapse in the routine vaccination system that has affected children from 1 to 4 years old. Right now the health authorities boast of having administered millions of doses of vaccine against measles, rubella or mumps, but the reality on the street is different. In this case, coverage in rural areas has fallen well below the 95% necessary for herd immunity and high population mobility, anti-vaccine misinformation and a late response that prioritized the political narrative over health containment also play a role. Images | Jezael Melgoza In Xataka | The myth of 37º: it is increasingly clear to us that there is no “normal” body temperature

9.5 billion trips in 40 days

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China is preparing for the largest migration of people in the world. And behind it there is no famine, war or racial persecution. In fact, there is not even a crossing of borders. China, the world’s second most populous country with more than 1.4 billion people, faces a new test. And today, February 17, the Lunar New Year. This time we are facing the Year of the Fire Horse, a good year for those who embrace this element because they are cold (born in autumn/winter) and for the industries that depend on it. On the contrary, complications are expected for relations that are already tense and with prospects of greater probability of suffering natural disasters related to heat and fire, points out Thierry Chow, Feng Shui consultant to cnn. Those first tense relationships have already been seen in the movements of these days, says Lucas de la Cal in an interesting chronicle in The World. He explains that the most coveted thing these days are train tickets that are packed. No wonder, there are those who have trips of more than 30 hours ahead of them, with the aim of covering the more than 2,000 kilometers that separate them from their hometown. And the Lunar New Year is a celebration in which there is a massive migration from the city to the countryside, to the origins. Traditionally, the Chinese employee has returned home for this Spring Festival, a period that lasts for 15 days. However, the massive movement of people means that trips accumulate in a total of 40 days in which, this year, around 9.5 billion trips are expected to occur. A tradition that, explained in CNAis undergoing some changes since, although anecdotal at the moment, it is beginning to be common to see parents traveling to the city where their child works. The train as the axis on which everything rotates They point out the Cal in The Worldthat your trip starts from Shanghai and is destined for Longkou. Normally, he says, they would have taken a plane but this means of transportation has tripled in price. The solution, like that of millions of Chinese travelers, is on the train tracks. Shanghai represents well the investment effort what the State has done in this means of transportation. The city’s southern station It is the first in the world with an entirely circular design and 15 million people are expected to pass through it every year. Nothing compared to the city’s main station, where it is estimated that 60 million people pass through each year, with access to the busiest metro service in the world. Nor to Guangzhou South Station. This space was, until 2024, the busiest in the country. By the station, Chinese media reports170 million people passed through it every year and an average of 600 trains passed through it every day. On average, it is estimated that almost half a million people pass through the station. It was until this year, the most renowned station in China. However, a few months ago it opened in Chongqing the largest train station in the world. Is five times larger than Grand Central Station from New York and has been moving 16,000 passengers an hour. Its potential is yet to be discovered because, as happens with metro stops in the countrywas born in an open field where buildings have begun to grow around it. These are just some data that speak of the consolidation of the train as the means of transportation capable of transporting the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time in a gigantic country. In the early 2000s, high-speed rail was completely unknown in China. Today they have, by far, the most extensive network in the world. And not only that. On their trains Robots travel that act as hostessesthe wagons have become space preferred over the plane because in them you can work with an enviable data connection and they have, in length, the fastest trains in the world while They keep breaking speed records in new tests to continue putting bites on the stopwatch. The country is experiencing an effervescence in the sector that has turned it into the true reference. Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport in Spain, I used Chinese trains as an example. as the technological vanguard and the key to being able to operate a Madrid-Barcelona at 350 km/h. For now, they have reached a position unattainable by any other country in the world. Not even Japanwho was the absolute king of the bullet train, can now at least come close. Photo | Kuruman and Tim Wu In Xataka | China urgently needed a train station, so it was built in nine hours with 1,500 workers and 23 excavators.

Mexico has made an extremely ambitious bet on the Mayan Train. And now a judge has suspended her

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“It is a magnum opus, we are not exaggerating if we say that there is no one like it in the world today.” The phrase It was pronounced at the end of 2023 by former Mexican president Manuel López Obrador, and although in politics (no matter the nation) the use of superlatives is common, the truth is that it was not misguided. What López Obrador was referring to was the Mayan Trainan ambitious railway circuit of more than 1,500 kilometers that started more than two years ago between Campeche and Cancun and continues to take shape become a priority of the Government. Mexico needs it to be a success, but not at any price. What has happened? That the Mexican justice system has just reminded the country’s administration that, no matter how important and strategic it may be, the Mayan Train cannot advance with its back to the regulations. That is why it has issued a suspension order that will mark the works of one of its most controversial sections. For the project to continue advancing, from now on the authorities will have to put more effort into protecting natural resources in one of the most sensitive areas through which the railway must circulate: the region located between Cancún and Tulum, right where it passes. Section 5 of the Mayan Train. What has justice done? Dictate a final suspension order focused on that specific section. That does not mean that it has condemned the project or that the Mayan Train should give up its Cancún-Tulum stretch, although it does represent a wake-up call for those responsible for the project and a reminder that the work must advance while respecting its environment. Basically what the magistrate has done is demand that the environmental authorities of Mexico confirm that the project complies with the regulations and are responsible for monitoring it. The court order obliges the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa) to carry out direct and permanent inspections in the Cancún-Tulum section. No revisions on paper or reports signed from the offices in Mexico City, miles from where the works are being carried out. The ruling was issued thanks to the mediation of the organization ‘Save me’ and is addressed to Profepa and the General Directorate of Crimes, Commutations, Complaints and Complaints. Is it so important? Yes. According to precise The Chroniclerthe order places several duties on the competent agencies that, in practice, will force them to reinforce their surveillance. To begin with, they will have to carry out direct, field supervision of the project. They must also verify the effects on protected species, the protection of cenotes and control underground rivers. Finally, the ruling points out the need to prepare detailed reports. If these demands are not met, those responsible could face sanctions. What do environmentalists say? Sélvame has valued the judge’s decision as “a significant achievement” in the defense of the media. “It is an important step towards the protection of natural resources and guarantees that verification, inspection, conservation and protection actions will be carried out in the event of pertinent public complaints,” celebrate. The groups that have been warning for some time about alleged irregularities, such as tree felling or unsupervised work that affects wetlands, they advance that they will be attentive so that the order is carried out. What area does it affect? That is one of the keys. The Mayan Train is a wide railway circuit, more than 1,500 kmbut the focus has been placed on a very specific point: Section 5, which is in turn divided into various segments (north and south) between Tulum and Cancun. In total, according to the Mayan Train Guidemeasures just over 100 km. Beyond its length, shorter than other sections, the local press stands out which is one of the most sensitive. The reason: the presence of vulnerable ecosystems, caves and underground rivers and the threat to their biodiversity. In August 2024 the Verified platform assured that the construction of the Mayan Train had affected approximately 7.3 million trees, a good part (3.5 million) in Section 5. In 2024 A court has already ordered work to stop until geological, geophysical and hydrological studies are delivered. Why is it important? To begin with and as López Obrador himself recognized in December 2023, when he presided over the inaugural tour of the Mayan Train, because the railway circuit is not just any project. And not only because of its impact on the environment, its dimensions, its costs or enormous ambition. With it, the Mexican authorities aspire to promote the development of the southeastern region, articulating a new communications backbone that favors tourism. The problem is that its implementation is not being easy. Its premiere has not had the expected success (at least in passenger traffic) and its management has just change handsmoving to the Secretary of Defense. Images | Mayan Train In Xataka | In case Machu Picchu had not already become a tourist theme park, Peru has had an idea: add an airport

They are already trying to drive up to 150 km/h

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Many of the road regulations in the countries that make up the European Union are very similar, although each country also has room for maneuver to stipulate its own laws. An example is the case of poster colors on highways and highways, there being an interesting division between countries that use green or blue for the background of these signs. In this article the protagonist is the Czech Republic, which launched a pilot project last autumn on one of its highways, the D3, allowing circulation on it up to 150 km/h under strict conditions. This makes the country the first in the European Union to take this step, not without doubts and criticism from legislators and citizens. A movement against the current. The Czech Republic seems to be going against the grain, especially considering that much of Europe is racking its brains to debate how to reduce emissions. Just like they count From Hybrids and Electrics, the Czech Government launched a pilot that allows drivers to reach 150 km/h on certain highway sections. The decision is supported by a legislative change approved in 2023 that enabled this possibility, although its implementation did not arrive until the end of September of last year. Where and how it works. According to account According to the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, the section chosen for the test is a 47-kilometer section of the D3 highway, between the towns of Planá nad Lužnicí and Úsilný, near České Budějovice. Along this route, 42 variable speed signs were installed, with a total cost of around 2.2 million euros, which can show three different limits: 150 km/h when everything is in order. 130 km/h in general mode. 100 km/h when conditions get complicated. The issue is that the maximum speed does not depend on the driver, but on a centralized system managed by the National Traffic Information Center, which crosses data from weather stations, cameras and sensors in real time. According to the spokesperson of the Directorate of Roads and Highways, Jan Rýdl, for the 150 km/h limit to be enabled “it cannot rain, the road has to be dry, in winter it is not activated in any case, traffic must flow normally and there can be no accidents, works or broken down vehicles.” What makes it unique in Europe. With this measure, the Czech Republic becomes the country with the highest speed limit in the European Union, above Poland and Bulgaria, which currently top the list with 140 km/h. The only case that escapes this comparison is Germany, where some sections of the autobahn They lack a fixed limit, although this model has its origins in a very different historical tradition. Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka pointed out in an interview with the news channel ČT24 that the pilot’s goal is to evaluate “how the increase in the limit is received among drivers and whether it causes an increase in the number of accidents.” The test has a minimum duration of six months, and the results will determine whether the model is extended to other sections. Not everyone sees it well. The decision has not been without criticism. Raising the maximum speed implies greater fuel consumption per kilometer traveled and, therefore, more emissions, something that clashes head-on with the environmental guidelines promoted by Brussels. Austria tried something similar between 2018 and 2020, when it raised the limit on the motorway between Vienna and Salzburg to 140 km/h, but backed down due to political pressure and concerns about emissions. The Netherlands, in the opposite direction, even reduced its limit during the day from 130 to 100 km/h for similar reasons. Furthermore, beyond the environmental issue, it is always worth remembering that the higher the speed, the shorter the reaction time in any circumstance and, therefore, the greater the consequences in the event of a collision. Czech authorities defend that the dynamic control of the system mitigates these risks, but not everyone shares that confidence. Cover image | Wikipedia and Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic In Xataka | Spain has been dragging on for years of downward investment in its roads. So much so that it is 13.5 billion euros away from solving it

with Plenitude it’s the same all day and, by the way, it gives you a Netflix gift card

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The electricity bill arrives and you start to tremble. Have you tried using the washing machine or the heating during the times of day where it is cheaper, something that is not always possible. All without forgetting that, for this, you have had to control the clock a lot (something exhausting). If this sounds like you, then maybe it’s a better fit for you. a rate where electricity costs the same 24 hours a day. That’s fair Plenitude’s Easy Rate. A rate to avoid scares on your electricity bill There are many electricity rates that depend on time slots. This means that, depending on the time we use an appliance, we are going to pay for one thing or another. The difference It is much bigger than one can imagine.but you can’t always stick to the cheapest hours. Plenitude’s Easy Rate takes that problem out of the equation. The idea is very simple: the price we will pay for electricity will be the same all daywhatever time it is. This will remove a worry from our daily routine and we will have a much easier time organizing ourselves to cook, put on washing machines or, in short, use any appliance. Once we contract this rate, we will have this price per kWh stable for 12 months guaranteed. The best thing is that No has any type of permanencesomething that not all market rates offer. Furthermore, although you can use other methods, you have the option of contracting the Easy Rate online: it is a 100% digital process through their website, fast and hassle-free. It will take you just over five minutes on its own. This rate that we indicate is for electricity, but Plenitude also offers an Easy Rate for gas and for both supplies together. And if we hire from February 17 to March 2, we will take a gift card for Netflix so we can enjoy our movies and series. For the Easy Rate for each energy or for the Easy Dual Rate (electricity+gas), we will take 50 euros in a gift card for Netflix: we will receive it after the first month of contracting. You can use it to create a new account or the one you already have, but in both cases this balance will go to your Netflix Wallet. From there, the subscription price will be automatically discounted. All you have to do is choose the Easy Rate that best suits you and take advantage of this great gift to save you Netflix for a few months. Of course: only if you hurry and take advantage of these two weeks that the promo lasts. Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Plenitude In Xataka | What do you need (according to the EU) for your survival kit and how much will it cost you? In Xataka | Best power banks to charge your mobile phone. Which one to buy and recommended external batteries

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