Mobile Tech & Gadgets

the town’s latest big event has crossed borders

by

The Vigo City Council has been fighting a battle against Uber for months that is not going exactly well. Of course, the response of the council in recent days has been to complicate things at the service of VTC. The Conxemar fair, one of the most important business events in Galicia, has been the chosen scenario to prove it. Conflict. Since Uber landed in Vigo in Junetaxi drivers have denounced that VTCs operate illegally on urban routes. Galician regulations stipulate that these vehicles can make intercity trips, but not those of an urban nature, such as going from the center to the Ifevi fairgrounds. However, the application continued to offer services in the city with hardly any consequences. At the end of August, the City Council reported that 60% of Uber vehicles in Vigo had been proposed for sanction. The data has its merits, since all these vehicles belong to companies based in Madrid that domiciled their cars in Galicia this same year. The complaints ended up recurring all the time while the activity continued. The pressure of taxi drivers. Conxemar was the first big event in the city since the arrival of Uber, and taxi drivers feared that the VTCs would keep part of the business generated by the fair. Faced with the situation, nearly 300 professionals created a pressure group outside the taxi employers’ associations. “If the local Police or the Civil Guard do not act on the first day of Conxemar, we may collapse the fair,” said Ángel, one of the group’s taxi drivers, to the media. The Voice of Galicia. The pressure took effect. The Local Police deployed controls at the accesses to the Ifevi with an application from the Ministry of Transport that allows knowing in real time the origin and destination of each trip, in addition to the complete history of VTC movements. Sanctions and controversy. During the first day of Conxemar, the Local Police reported four vehicles and immobilized two others with a tow truck included on Airport Avenue. Daniel Matías, president of the Elite Taxi Vigo association, acknowledged with satisfaction that the authorities “have done their job today,” just as shared the middle. The taxi drivers, who deployed some 400 vehicles in large shifts, celebrated the performance. However, Uber continued to offer trips in the morning with prices higher than 25 euros due to “high demand”, and some drivers They managed to jump the police fence to access Ifevi and the airport during the afternoon. A legal loophole. The Unauto employers’ association already has announced that he will appeal all sanctions. José Manuel Gallo, its director of legal services, commented to the media Faro de Vigo that “Let us not forget that VTC vehicles are covered by a totally legal transport authorization.” The employers’ association regrets that they are being “turned away” when “it is a reality that the VTC wants to make its way in Vigo”, after having unsuccessfully requested meetings with the Council and the Xunta. Uber takes advantage of the gaps in the system, since some vehicles come in the morning from Pontevedra and perform services on the limits of Vigo, a gray area that makes police action difficult. An open pulse. Penalties can reach up to 6,000 euros per vehicle, but all those imposed so far have been appealed in court. Meanwhile, in Vigo up to 40 VTCs operate without a municipal license, protected by what the employers consider a “legal loophole” and which the taxi sector directly classifies as illegal activity. Matias explains to the media that they now hope that “the situation remains the same”, aware that the complicated thing is “being behind” these vehicles when there are no events that facilitate the controls. Cover image | Paula Pereira and Tingey Injury Law Firm In Xataka | In case the electric car was not enough, Europe is missing another train: that of autonomous cars

is teaching you how to use it in a very specific way

by

In July the Russian formula to multiply its drones was known: it was called “refrigeration units” and it came straight from Beijing. The surprise was not capital considering that Ukraine had already opened drones from Moscow and had confirmed the chinese contribution to the contest. It was sensed that the rapprochement between both nations was extensive. Now, a handful of leaked documents have shown that Russia not only sells weapons to China, it also teaches it how to use them. A new axis. The publication of hundreds of documents leaked by the hacktivist group Black Moon has clearly revealed a scenario that was intuited until recently, but for which there was no such concrete evidence: Russia and China have woven a much deeper military cooperation than their joint maneuvers or their public speeches show. The files, analyzed by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London and also reviewed by media as Associated Press and Washington Postshow signed agreements, material lists, delivery schedules and training programs that point to a central objective: preparing the Chinese airborne forces for an eventual invasion of Taiwan. Sale of Russian systems. According to the documentsMoscow promised to sell Beijing a complete batch of equipment for an airborne battalion: 37 amphibious assault vehicles BMD-4M11 self-propelled anti-tank guns Sprut-SDM111 armored personnel carriers BTR-MDM and several command and observation vehicles. The contract, valued at more than 500 million of dollars, also includes special parachute systems capable of launching loads of up to 190 kilos from altitudes of 8,000 meters, with a glide radius of up to 80 kilometers. This material, adapted to integrate Chinese software and communication systems, would allow special forces to penetrate enemy territory without having to directly enter their airspace. Chinese technological leap. Beyond hardware, the agreements contemplate trainings given by Russian specialists both in Russia and China, in which tactics, procedures and command and control systems tested in real war scenarios are transferred. For Beijing, this component is even more valuable than the armored vehicles themselves: Russia has decades of experience in airborne operations that China has not yet been able to accumulate. While the People’s Liberation Army modernize in a hurry its arsenal with the goal of equaling or surpassing the United States before 2050, turns to Moscow to fill a critical gap in doctrine and experience. An island on the horizon. The analysts match in which the reinforcement of Chinese airborne capacity point directly to Taiwan. The island invasion plans require not only an amphibious landing massive in its few beaches suitable for this, but also the rapid seizure of strategic infrastructure in the interior: airports, ports and logistics centers that allow sustaining the initial effort in the face of a possible US intervention. To achieve this, Chinese military planners consider it essential to small unit deployment elite, well equipped and capable of infiltration by air. The russian experience In operations of this type it is especially valuable. Although Moscow failed in February 2022 while attempting to seize Hostomel Airport and open an airlift to kyiv, their tactics, even failed, offer concrete lessons on what should be avoided and what could be improved. China, which has never used its airborne forces in actual combat, may incorporate that learning without paying the cost in lives that it meant for Russia. Taiwan Marine Corps Battalion Exchange of interests. The alliance is not explained only by Chinese will. Russia also gets crucial benefits. Burdened by sanctions and with a military-industrial complex stretched to the limit by the war in Ukraine, Moscow desperately needs financing and markets. Becoming a supplier of equipment and know-how to Beijing ensures income while drawing China into a conflict that, if it broke out, would force the United States to divide its attention between Europe and the Indo-Pacific. For the Kremlin, distract Washington It is as valuable as selling an armored vehicle. The “enemy” friend. If you like, the agreement also illustrates the asymmetry of the relationship: while China receives technology, doctrine and practical experience that it can absorb and replicate quickly (as it has already done with transport planes Il-76transformed into their own Y-20), Russia obtain liquidity and geopolitical relevance. The risk for Moscow is that, in a few years, its partner will also surpass it in this area and it will be left without a card to play. Impact on the region. There is no doubt, for Taiwan, the news it’s alarming. The transfer of airborne capabilities reinforces fears that a Chinese attack will combine precision bombing raids against air defenses with paratroop operations and rapid landings by armored vehicles at key points in the interior. The own military exercises this year’s taiwanese included drills to repel an air attack against the Taoyuan international airport, aware that Beijing could try to replicate a “D-Day” there with Asian characteristics. And for Washington. The dimension of cooperation also worries the United States. The Pentagon’s efforts to redirect resources towards the Indo-Pacificwithout abandoning the European front, become more complicated given the evidence that Russia and China already act as an almost indivisible bloc. Jack Watling of RUSI sums it up: “The Russians have become enablers for the Chinese, and that makes their security challenges almost impossible to separate.” A puzzle. If you like, what emerges from these leaks It is not a simple arms contract, but the skeleton of an interoperability that can alter the military balance in Asia-Pacific. China gets a crash course in airborne warfare from a Russian manual, and Russia earn financing and the hope of forcing the United States to fight on two fronts. In that equation, Taiwan appears increasingly vulnerableand the horizon of 2027 As the date set for its possible invasion, it stops seeming like a hypothetical scenario and becomes an accelerating calendar. Image | Eric Kanalstein / Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), Picryl, 總統府 In Xataka | Ukraine’s largest attack on Russian soil revealed a new drone threat. China has just accidentally multiplied it In Xataka | Ukraine has opened Russia’s last drone and … Read more

insurers have started to turn their backs on them

by

Since the end of 2022 we have witnessed, live, the artificial intelligence revolution. The launch of ChatGPT opened a stage of investment and expectations that has elevated actors like NVIDIA and has placed OpenAI among the most influential startups. But every revolution has a reverse. As AI advances, so does the list of demands and the question that no one can avoid: who bears the risk when something goes wrong. In the United States, every technological advance comes accompanied by an avalanche of lawsuits. It’s not just a habit: it’s part of the system. If a company does something that generates profits but can also cause harm, sooner or later someone will take it to court. And that’s why insurance exists, to convert a future risk into a present cost. The model has worked for decades, but artificial intelligence is starting to test it like no other sector before. Cases that are pressing now. OpenAI and Anthropic have been the first to see how far the risk bill can go. The first faces lawsuits for the use of protected works to train models and for a civil liability case after the suicide of a teenager. In both cases, the costs are not only in the millions: they set the tone for a litigation that threatens to spread throughout the sector. What policies cover today. For now, the AI ​​majors are operating with conventional policies, similar to those of any technology company. According to the Financial TimesOpenAI has hired Aon to design coverage that would be around $300 million, although not everyone involved confirms that figure. It is a significant amount, but insignificant compared to possible claims of billions. In practice, insurers recognize that the sector does not yet have “sufficient capacity” to protect providers of large-scale models. Why do they back down? The aforementioned newspaper points out that Aon did not want to comment on specific companies, although its head of cybersecurity, Kevin Kalinich, admitted that they do not have sufficient capacity to cover model providers. He further explained that what insurers fear is that a failure by an AI company will become a “systemic, correlated and aggregate risk.” Plan B: Self-insure. With insurers folding, AI companies are seeking refuge in themselves. OpenAI is apparently considering setting aside funds from investors or even creating a captive —a kind of own insurer that serves to cover internal risks when the market does not want to do so. Anthropic has already done it: it allocated part of its capital to a $1.5 billion deal with writers. They are solutions that buy time, but do not guarantee stability if the next court ruling triggers compensation. What changes for the rest of the sector. The impact goes beyond OpenAI or Anthropic. Startups and smaller providers are already noticing how premiums are rising, coverage is reduced, and launch times are lengthening due to legal requirements. Legal uncertainty has become another fixed cost. In the absence of a clear formula to measure AI risks, insurers treat them as potentially catastrophic. And that makes each experiment, each new model and each line of code more expensive. What to watch from now on. The coming months will be decisive to see if the insurance sector manages to adapt. Financial Times points to new formulas that cover chatbot errors and AI-generated content, although for now they are limited trials. Companies, meanwhile, are preparing their next defense: diversifying funds and protecting internal structures. The artificial intelligence industry has not stopped nor does it seem like it will. But its expansion is beginning to touch the limits of a system that does not yet know how to measure these risks. Insurers tread carefully, regulators watch from the sidelines, and companies are forced to improvise in certain cases. Images | vecstock (Freepik) | Xataka with Gemini 2.5 In Xataka | “These are things that a university student would get in trouble for”: Deloitte delivered a report made with AI to Australia

ended up revealing a network that smuggled thousands of cell phones

by

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

Millions in advertising convinced us that bottled water was healthier. Until microplastics arrived

by

On many occasions we can associate bottled water as a higher quality option to hydrate ourselves above tap water. But the reality is that the latest scientific analyzes indicate that bottled water is a direct source of exposure to nano and microplastics (NMPs). This means that regular bottled water consumers may be ingesting up to 90,000 additional plastic particles per year compared to those who drink tap water. Something that breaks with the idea that we can reach everyone that bottled water is much healthier as they have always tried to sell us. The invisible enemy. The studypublished in the magazine Journal of Hazardous Materials defines microplastics as particles between 1 micrometer and 5 mm and nanoplastics as those smaller than 1 micrometer. Ultimately, very small particles that are released from plastic bottles throughout their life cycle. How they are released. According to the study, the particles are released not only by the natural degradation of plastic, but also by everyday physical and environmental stressors. For example, the simple act of opening and closing the cap or squeezing the bottle to drink generates friction that ends with the release of particles into the water. Another very common case is leaving the water bottle in the sun for a certain time. Many plastic particles are being released here because the degradation of the packaging is increasing. But in the opposite case, in freezing, we also have this same problem because it has also been shown that it is a factor that increases contamination by microplastics. Size matters. Once these particles are ingested, Its effect will depend on the size it has.. In general, the smaller it is, the more worrying it is for our body, since the more easily it will be able to cross biological barriers. If we talk about particles larger than 150 micrometers, the truth is that we can rest assured because they will directly pass through the digestive tract to the feces. But if they are smaller than 150 micrometers, they will be able to cross the intestinal cavity and enter the lymphatic and circulatory system, being able to reach the organs with particles smaller than 20 micrometers. But the real danger is in particles smaller than 100 nanometers that are considered nanoplastics. In this case, the particles are small enough to reach all organs, including the ability to cross such critical barriers as the blood-brain barrier and the placenta. The dangers. Continued exposure to nano- and microplastics is linked to a number of chronic health problems. This is not acute toxicity, but long-term cumulative damage. Among the main risks that have been identified are respiratory diseases, reproductive products, disruption of the immune system or increased oxidative stress. The challenge. One of the great challenges for researchers is the lack of standardized methods to analyze these plastics. Right now different tests can be found, but they vary in sensitivity and precision, which makes it difficult to reach a common criterion between the different studies in order to have a general image of the big problem before us. Right now, some techniques can detect very small particles, but not their composition, while others do the opposite, which is a very important limitation. But despite these, some studies already point to significant differences between the water brands we find on the market. For example, research cited in the report found that Nestle Pure Life and Bisleri had some of the highest average concentrations of microplastic particles. Regulation. This lack of standardization in studies has contributed to a large “legislative vacuum” in our society. And while there has been legislation on plastic bags, straws or single-use cutlery, water bottles have largely been left out of the regulatory focus. In this way, the author of the study points out that the consumption of water in plastic bottles should be done in emergency situations, but not as a daily practice due to the high consumption of microplastics that we are going to end up ingesting and that would generate a long-term problem. And we have already witnessed precisely how they have appeared microplastics in human testiclesthe breast milkthe blood, archaeological remains or also in the foods we eatlike the vegetables we consume. That is why in the long run we will have to specifically see the impact that prolonged consumption will have through different means, and not just bottled water. Images | Jonathan Cooper In Xataka | From causing diarrhea to making biodegradable plastics: the E. coli bacteria has a new job in Japan

Deloitte delivered a report made with AI to Australia

by

Generative AI has come a long way, but hallucinations are still the order of the day. And the AI ​​prefers to invent an answer rather than say it doesn’t know something. Those of us who use it often know that we cannot trust it 100% and we always have to do checks. At Deloitte they didn’t think checking was important and now they have to return almost $300,000 to the Australian government. What has happened? The Australian government’s employment department commissioned a report from consulting firm Deloitte. It was published last July and everything was going well until, as they say in APa University of Sydney researcher alerted the media that the report was riddled with erroneous references, including a fabricated quote from a court ruling and references to studies that did not exist. The company withdrew it and a revised version was released. Why is it important. The consulting industry is a multi-billion dollar business (it is estimated that by 2024 it will generate a whopping 354 billion dollars) and, due to its very essence and way of operating, it is one of the sectors vulnerable to “replacement by AI”. AI is already a technology widely used in the sector for tasks like big data analysis, report generation o presentations and other administrative tasks. The Deloitte case is a good example of this, but it shows that human supervision is necessary. We will probably encounter more such cases in the future. Consequences. The government paid almost $300,000 to Deloitte for preparing the report, so the firm must partially return the amount. However, Barbara Pocock, Senator of the Green Partybelieves they should return the full amount: “Deloitte misused AI: they misquoted a judge and used non-existent references (…) These are the kind of things a first-year college student would get into a lot of trouble for.” Dissimulate, it has not been noticed. Chris Rudge, the researcher who discovered the cake, says the document contained at least 20 errors, including a reference to a book written by someone he knew that did not exist. Perhaps the most serious of all is that he quotes a completely invented phrase from a judge. Despite this being such an obvious case, Deloitte has not admitted that the errors are generated by the use of AI and has limited itself to commenting that “the matter has been resolved directly with the client.” Image | Wikipedia In Xataka | Klarna is very clear that AI is the best possible ally. So he used her to replace his CEO

Five years ago he worked from his bathroom on the brink of ruin. Today he runs a company valued at 8 billion

by

The story of Shayne Coplan and Polymarket is one of those striking cases that you like to see in the past. And the founder of this company practically started from bankruptcy in a makeshift bathroom as an office to close a $2 billion investment on the New York Stock Exchange. Now, the prediction markets platform that he founded in 2020 has just reached a valuation of $8 billion after the agreement with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), owner of the NYSE. The takeoff. Coplan’s situation in 2020 was not exactly an example of the American dream. Just like shared a while ago In a publication in X, he was seen working from a bathroom converted into an office, with hardly any money and alone in charge of the project. Five years later, its platform has become the largest prediction market in the world, where users bet on the results of real events, from elections to sports or culture. Wall Street’s bet. ICE has announced an investment of up to $2 billion in cash in Polymarket, valuing the company at approximately $8 billion before the capital injection. The agreement turns ICE into a global distributor from Polymarket data, which will provide sentiment indicators on topics relevant to financial markets. Additionally, both companies will collaborate on tokenization initiatives that combine traditional financial markets with blockchain technology. How the model works. Polymarket allows users to express their opinions by buying and selling shares on possible event outcomes. Each operation is executed peer-to-peer using smart contracts. Markets grow with the number of participants, and prices reflect the perceived probability of each outcome occurring. The platform gained notoriety for the accuracy of their predictions during the 2024 US presidential electionwhere he managed billions in bets. roller coaster. Polymarket’s trajectory has not been linear. In 2022, federal regulators forced the platform to block US users after an agreement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The company operated from abroad for three years. This year, Polymarket bought QCEXa CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange, to return to the US market. The operation came weeks after prosecutors closed an investigation into whether the company had allowed access to American users despite the ban. Return at the perfect time. The changing regulatory climate under the Trump administration has favored emerging sectors such as event contracts and cryptocurrencies. Polymarket received an undisclosed investment in August from 1789 Capital, a firm endorsed by Donald Trump Jr., who later joined the company’s advisory board. What’s coming now. Jeffrey Sprecher, CEO of ICE, admits proudly that the investment combines an institution founded in 1792 (the NYSE), with a company that “is revolutionizing decentralized finance.” For Coplan, the agreement marks the entry of prediction markets into the traditional financial system. It remains to be seen whether these markets can maintain their growth and become truly useful tools for institutional investors. For now, ICE has bet heavily on the response being positive. Cover image | Shayne Coplan and Matthew Reeves (BFA) In Xataka | There is a worrying symptom in the technological economy: Silicon Valley prefers to buy itself rather than invest in the future

there were no reasons to eliminate teleworking

by

Holaluz, the energy marketer based in Barcelona, ​​has been condemned by the Social Court No. 21 after its decision to eliminate teleworking for its entire workforce. This measure, communicated at the end of 2024 and effective from January 2025, which put on the warpath to his staff leading to the resignation of more than 30% of employees. The company justified the measure by organizational and economic causesalleging a bad financial situation. Justice has ruled in favor of its employees. It was a unilateral decision. According to a statement published by the CGT union, the court ruling comes after months of internal tension and after the lawsuit filed jointly by the union and the Holaluz works council. The court has concluded that Holaluz did not provide objective and measurable evidence to support the complete elimination of remote workand that the decision violated the acquired rights of the staff, who had been enjoying five years of a flexible model and three with frozen salaries. Reversible, but negotiated, teleworking. The Social court recognizes that teleworking was part of the contracts of Holaluz employees. That is, this modality was not given as a temporary or exceptional measure. in the wake of the pandemic. In these contracts there was a reversibility clause that reserves the right to review and evaluate the teleworking model under objective circumstances linked to the suitability of the position in each individual case. However, the company applied the elimination of remote work across the board. alleging economic causes and the need to reorganize the way you work. Furthermore, the ruling states that the company acted with little good faith in the negotiation, maintaining a rigid position and without accepting alternatives such as a consensual hybrid model. This lack of openness was reflected in the fact that Holaluz communicated the decision to the staff before closing the dialogue process, thus consolidating the unilateral imposition of the change. It wasn’t just teleworking. In December 2024, Holaluz management informed its staff that it would completely reverse teleworking as of January 2025. This decision did not come alone as it was accompanied by the elimination of benefits for staff such as language courses and health insurance. The set of changes produced in the working conditions of employees was presented as a Substantial Modification of Working Conditions (MSCT) for your entire workforce. The negotiations lasted two weeks and ended without an agreement, which led to the first strike in Spain called for the elimination of teleworking. Forced to go to a distant office. The measure especially affected those employees who had either been hired under the premise of teleworking or who had moved away from the office. The obligation to return to in-person attendance meant new transportation costs and long trips for many. Workers publicly denounced that the change sought to pressure employees to leave the company as a “covert ERE.” Resignation with compensation. The judicial resolution not only declares the elimination of teleworking inadmissible, but also declares as justified the terminations of the contracts of those workers who resigned due to substantial changes in working conditions. In accordance with article 41 of the Workers Statuteany employee who terminates his contract for this reason has the right to compensation of 20 days of salary for each year worked, with a maximum of nine monthly payments. This implies that dozens of former Holaluz employees who resigned after the elimination of teleworking will be able to claim this payment In its statement, the CGT union describes it as “an important victory” for the recognition of labor rights, and assures that this case can set a precedent for unilateralism in eliminate teleworking options in Spain. In Xataka | “It is not a hidden layoff”: Amazon’s CEO has denied that returning to the office is an excuse to reduce his workforce Image | Hellolight, Unsplash (myHQ Workspaces)

build as many houses as demanded

by

Located near the ski resort of Cerler and the park POSETS-MALADETAin the heart of the Pyrenees, Benasque is a postal landscapes. Much less idyllic is its real estate market, marked by Turned rentals and a overwhelming weight Of the second residence, which greatly complicates the things to workers looking for accommodation there. With that backdrop, your City Council has just given a green light to a plan that provides 2,200 homes. A curious fact in a town of 2,300 neighbors. What happened? That Benasquea town in the region of Ribagorza (Huesca) famous, has just made a decision that will mark its urbanism in the coming years. A few days ago his town hall gave the green light to the Partial Plan of Cerlerwhich includes several infrastructure such as a new deposit, improvements in the purification system, the treatment of water and some accesses and (the really important) the creation of just over 2,000 homes. The news matters beyond Ribagorza is for four reasons. First, due to the scope of the project, which already It is presented as The greatest operation Real Estate of the Aragonese Pyrenees. Second, for its location, near the ski resort Aramón Cerler. Third because the approval of the plan concludes an convoluted process that dates back (with comings and turns) to at least A decade. And fourth, because Benasque is not just any town: it has been supporting a time serious housing crisis aggravated by him Huge weight that have the second residences there. What do you want to do? The most important thing about the plan is housing injection. In total, it provides 2,198 free homes that will be developed in several phases: 856 to begin, 504 in a second phase and 838 in the third. The project also provides for the transfer of more than 3,000 square meters (M2) to the Aragon government to raise 29 official protection homes with an investment of about 4.4 million euros. In May the Regional Executive I already advanced that will be dedicated to the affordable rent for tourist workers as part of a major initiative with which it wants to create almost 490 homes in 43 tourist locations. Is there anything else? Yes. In addition to the new homes, the plan foresees improvements in supplies, sidewalks and lighting networks. In fact in the same municipal plenary He unlocked the construction of a new water tank in the town, which will require works that the mayor He already warns which will be “complex.” The plan will also allow improving access to the clues and systems that will be in charge of purification, treatment, capture and water supply. “The partial plan reorder everything”, summarizes the councilorManuel Mora, in statements collected by Diario del Alto Aragón. There is talk of a global investment of almost 20 million of euros and a period of execution of 10 yearsin addition to greater development Urban of the Aragonese Pyrenees. Not everyone considers it good news. Tuesday The country It echoed of the suspicion of environmental and neighborhood associations that more than development speak of pure speculation. Is it something new? Yes. And no. The approval of the plans an important novelty, but this actually comes from behind, far behind. So much, that There are those who go back Its origins in the mid -60s, to the construction of the Cerler station and the commitments of urban use of the land. Since then changes, crisis and legal swings have occurred. In 2005 it was signed A first agreement Between the City of Benasque and Aramon, the Society of the Government of Aragon and Ibercaja that is responsible for managing the Cerler ski resort (among others) and over the years the project has continued writing New chapters. “This full approval involves speeding up a project since 2015 signed and in which in the last ten years nothing had been done,” I celebrated a few days ago Mora. In fact, the urban plan will not only serve to lift new houses. Some of the projected homes have already been builtbut they do not have basic services. The promoter of the plan is Bensque Valley Promotion and Developmentthe society that is responsible for the exploitation of station. What effect will it have? The big question. Benasque’s plan has caught attention for other reasons. To start because its 2,200 homes almost equal to the population of the municipality, where, according to The latest INE dataThere are 2,362 people registered. The country Clarify That its current real estate park does not reach 3,400 homes, a good part of them second residences. In fact it is The second town of all Spain in which this type of property has more weight. Just a year ago several hundred people They went out to protest how difficult it is to lease an apartment in the small Pyrenean town, a complaint that made clear with a large banner in which “the Virgen del Pilar could be read, she cannot rent”. Despite its size, the Aragonese Statistics Institute (IAE) reflects that in 2024 in Benasque there were 2.613 “Places in housing for tourist use“, a fact that only Zaragoza exceeds in Aragon, with 4,246 squares. What supposes that? That renting a house in Benasque does not leave cheap. Just a year ago The country He pointed out It was difficult to find a home for less than 1,000 euros. Today the most adjusted found in idealist are floors by 750 or 850 euros a month. Of course, the ads clarify that it is “seasonal rental.” Among other things that complicates things to workers who are forced to stay in the region, which has even led the entrepreneurs themselves claim that a “affordable” house for operators is guaranteed. “Before it was difficult to find something, but now it is almost a miracle,” Recognize to The avant -garde Jorge Castellano, a worker of the ski resort who comments that he has some colleagues who have no choice but to stay in motorhomes despite the low … Read more

95% of his fortune was not going to be for his children

by

Bill Gates, has been removed from the first line of Microsoft commanddedicating all his time to distribute his fortune in the form of donations to health projectseducation and fight against climate change. From his current job, the Microsoft founder is doing everything possible to make his main objective a reality: donate 95% of his fortune and that his children only inherit A small percentage her. OBJECTIVE: Give your fortune. Long before becoming a father and when his heritage was already beginning to grow at a dizzying pace, Gates made it clear that his wealth was not going to go to his children. In An interview granted to Playboy magazine in 1994, Gates explained that in his plans there was already a long -term philanthropic goal, and was aware that donating a good part of his fortune It was not going to be a simple task. When asked about the amount of his fortune, Gates replied: “It is a ridiculous figure. But remember, 95% will give it to it. Don’t tell people to write to me. Gates’s conviction surprised from the beginning for the firmness with which he resigned to build a multimillionaire dynasty. He considered that money was not the key to a happy life or the ultimate goal of his career. Therefore, he decided early that His heirsalthough they would have a well -off life, they would not inherit virtually anything of their fortune. Money confuses you. Gates has repeated the same mantra on donar Most of his fortune in many other interviews and media over the years. For the founder of Microsoft, leave a millionaire sum to the children, instead of helping them, could “not do any favor” and “confuse them”, causing them to lose the perspective of what it implies working and striving to carve their own fortune. According to Gates in that interview, having an estimated fortune of 106,100 million “takes you from normal experiences in a way that probably weakens you. So I control that kind of things intentionally. It is one of those things of discipline. If my discipline failed, I would also confuse me. So I try to avoid it.” A well -off position. Although the first gastago of the Gates would still take a couple of years of years to be born when his father granted that interview, the millionaire was already clear that none of his children was going to lack anything. “I don’t believe in loading my children with that. They will have enough. They will be comfortable,” said the millionaire, stressing that even 1% of his fortune is already a notable amount of money. On the other hand, as part of their legacy, the children of Gates have studied in the best schools and universities in the country and have built their own professional careers under the watchful eye of their father, although without intervening significantly with their fortune. An example is found in his youngest daughter Phoebe, which recently PHIA launcheda purchasing platform with a colleague from the university. In her first foray into the business world, the youngest of the Gates had the Business Councils of his fatherbut as his mother confirmed to Fortunedid not have the financial support of the family. A difficult fortune to spend. According The published by ForbesMark Suzman, general director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said in 2022 that the foundation he directs had a fiduciary capital of more than 68,000 million dollars. However, all that money does not come only from Bill Gates’ funds. Your friend Warren Buffett has been contributing to thousands of millions every year. According to published data by the BBCsince its creation, the Foundation has already donated more than $ 100,000 million in programs to fight tuberculosis, malaria or diarrheal fevers, as well as in educational programs or in research and development projects of New technologies and energies To fight against climate change. Despite the enormous amount of money donated, Bill Gates still treasures 106.1 billion dollars, so he will have to step on the accelerator of donations much more if he wants to comply with one of the statements that he collected the BBC: “They will say many things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘Rico died’ is not one of them.” In Xataka | “They don’t need 500 million dollars to live”: Mick Jagger refuses to leave a millionaire heritage to her eight children Image | Wikimedia Commons (Jennifer Jacquemart)

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.