Mobile Tech & Gadgets

Madrid has bought so many electric cars that the DGT has ended one of its great incentives

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Electric cars and plug-in hybrids will not be able to circulate in the Bus-HOV lane unless the signs indicate so. The DGT has confirmed that it was one of the most attractive measures for the potential customer of a car with a Zero Emissions label to take the leap. Now, so many cars of this type have been sold in Madrid that they have ended up putting an end to this advantage. What has happened? The DGT has sent a statement announcing the “Resolution on special traffic regulation measures for 2026.” Nothing very juicy except for one detail: the announcement that the Zero Emission cars they have run out of taking advantage the Bus-HOV lane to avoid traffic jams. The DGT explains that from now on, drivers of a Zero Emissions car (electric or plug-in hybrid with more than 40 kilometers of autonomy) will only be able to circulate on this special lane when it is specifically signposted. By default, they will not be able to enter it. Because? According to the DGT, the decision “responds both to the demand of the citizens and to the requests of the public transport companies and the Ombudsman who have conveyed to the DGT their concern about the progressive loss of effectiveness of the HOV lanes that directly affects the regularity and punctuality of the service, discouraging its use and harming thousands of daily users who opt for public transport.” And they provide data: traffic jams on the main roads have increased by 10%, while in the Bus-HOV lanes they have increased by 22%. But the data skyrockets in Madrid. According to their accounts, traffic jams are 20% more frequent on the main road of the A-6 entering and exiting Madrid. In its Bus-HOV lane, traffic jams have increased by 90%. Madrid, absolute leader. According to ANFAC data, Madrid was the Autonomous Community where the most electrified cars (electric and plug-in hybrids because the data also discriminate by non-plug-in hybrids) were purchased. In total, at the end of 2025, 102,245 cars of this type were recorded. Across Spain, 245,629 Zero Emission cars were purchased. The next region in which the most Zero Emission cars were purchased was Catalonia but it remained at 33,309 units. Behind them, only the Valencian Community and Andalusia exceeded 20,000 units. Goodbye to one of the great incentives. Until now, switching to the Bus-HOV lane despite only having one passenger traveling in an electric or plug-in hybrid car was one of the great incentives to get a vehicle of this type. The HOV Bus on the A-6 in Madrid, the only one for which the DGT offers data, is a relief for a road that is clogged daily. Beyond the driving comfort (absence of noise or vibrations) and the savings if we recharge at home, the Zero Emissions cars had two great incentives that were considered “political”. One is the purchasing aid that until now was collected in the MOVES III Plan but that have been frozen waiting for a Auto+ Plan that has not yet materialized. The second was this use of the Bus-HOV lane, since the time saved per day was considerable. However, advantages applied by each municipality such as unlimited access to ZBEsexemptions in the payment of road taxes or free parking in regulated parking areas. These aids are of municipal application and, therefore, vary from one city to another. Goodbye, goodbye. The loss of the unlimited pass for the VAO Bus is only a reminder that Zero Emission cars continue to enjoy some aid that, it is hoped, will end up disappearing. This is what has happened, for example, in Norway, where the exemption from paying taxes has caused a hole of 1.8 billion euros. The solution that has been proposed is to tax the weight of vehicles to alleviate this problem. In other cities, like parisit is also ignored whether the car is electric or not and a similar mechanism is also used to charge in regulated parking areas. Photo | DGT In Xataka | Guide to know if your car will be able to circulate in the ZBEs of Madrid in 2026: labels, registrations and areas

Santander and BBVA co-finance Netflix’s cash offer with 3.8 billion

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Santander and BBVA have doubled their financing to Netflix to $3.8 billion to support the acquisition of Warner Bros. for $27.75 per share in cash. The Spanish bank is thus positioned as a key actor in the most significant consolidation operation for the global audiovisual sector, in the midst of a battle to reconfigure the streaming market. How it works. The financial structure rests on a trio of international banks. Wells Fargo leads the credit union with the highest documented individual commitment for an investment grade acquisition, accompanied by the French BNP Paribas and the British HSBC. Between the three of them they have extended the initial bridge loan up to 42.2 billion dollars. What do the Spanish do? In this context, Santander commits to 2,672 million dollars divided into two blocks: 1,360 million in the bridge loan and 1,312 million in the long-term financing agreed in December. BBVA, for its part, offers 1,088 million: 510 million in the transitional loan and 578 million in the permanent lines. Other entities. Along with the Spanish entities, there are the French Société Générale, the German Commerzbank, the Canadians RBC, Banco de Montreal and Scotiabank, the Japanese Mizuho and MUFG, as well as Morgan Stanley, PNC Bank and Standard Chartered. The union brings together fifteen institutions that share the risk of an operation without comparable precedents in the recent history of the audiovisual industry. The Spanish participation, although secondary compared to Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas and HSBC, consolidates the presence of both entities in the corporate financing segment in the US. Seeking internationalization. The presence of Santander and BBVA in financing Netflix illustrates the internationalization strategy of both entities in large-scale operations linked to technology and media. For example, Santander announced in December 2025 a strategic alliance with MoffettNathanson to strengthen its sector analysis in technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) in the United States. and BBVA closed 2024 with record revenue of 3,194 million euros in the first half of 2025, driven by investment banking and corporate financing operations. All in cash. On January 20, Netflix modified the initial structure of its offer for the purchase, which combined money and shares of the platform. Now, Netflix values ​​the operation at 83,000 million dollars through an all-cash offer of $27.75 per share. Paramount, meanwhile, maintains a hostile offer of 108 billion dollars at $30 per share. Netflix wants exclusively the movie studios and HBO Max, excluding the cable TV business. This division will create an independent company, Discovery Global, which will be listed on the stock exchange and whose shares will be delivered to current Warner shareholders. When will we know something? Warner’s board of directors has rejected Paramount’s proposal eight times, calling it “insufficient value”. Netflix’s offer, on the other hand, has the unanimous support of Warner management. Shareholders must vote by April 2026, according to the accelerated schedule following the conversion of Netflix’s proposal to cash. In Xataka | All the unanswered questions left by Netflix’s purchase of Warner: a huge mess

Science explains why the cure can be worse than the disease

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At the time of want to lose a few kilos The truth is that many different strategies emerge, such as eliminate sweetsstart exercising more or eat much more protein. But, on the other hand, there are strategies that are really extravagant and that are spread by influencers of our society that do not have any solid foundation. The last one arrives from actor Matt Damon who claims to have lost a few kilos thanks to leaving gluten out of his diet. A discrepancy. And the reality is that science has a lot to say about this decision. Since the ‘gluten-free’ foods that now flood supermarkets were born as a medical necessity for 1% of the population. But now it has become a holy grail of weight loss following the following logic: ‘if I cut out bread and pasta, I lose weight. Ergo, gluten makes you fat.’ There is no evidence. Nutritional science has bad news for these peopleincluding the actor, since eliminating gluten does not have a specific slimming effect. In fact, if you do not have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity diagnosed, eliminating it can even be counterproductive for cardiovascular and metabolic health. It’s a calorie deficit. The first myth to debunk is that gluten, per sebe a metabolic villain that makes us accumulate fat. According to a systematic review published in International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciencesgluten-free diets are not associated with greater weight loss compared to normal gluten-containing diets in healthy adults. So… why do some people swear they lost weight by giving up gluten? The answer lies in the changes that accompany this diet, but not in gluten. And when you give up gluten, you automatically stop eating calorie-dense ultra-processed foods such as industrial pastries, cookies, refined pasta… In this way, you eat fewer total calories and this is what causes you to lose weight and not the absence of gluten. The effect of water. In addition to this caloric deficit, a pilot study in athletes noted that the rapid weight loss after six weeks without gluten was primarily due to loss of fluid and glycogen stores, not an actual metabolic advantage. Fewer refined carbohydrates mean less water retention. But if there was any doubt, another clinical trial in patients with a metabolic problem in their history detected reductions in waist circumference and triglyceridesbut without changes in weight. In this way, the researchers suggest that this is due more to better food selection and glycemic control than to a “fat-removing effect” of gluten. A flat stomach. Another of the great thoughts that can be heard in this sense is that people who do not eat wheat feel much less bloated. And this is real, but the culprit is not gluten, but from the fructans of wheatwhich is basically a type of fermentable carbohydrate that produces a lot of gas and bloating. In this way, the abdomen looks much flatter, but not because of a loss of fat. The cardiovascular paradox. But although gluten is seen as a demon, the reality is that it has several intrinsically good things. For example, gluten is often accompanied by whole grains, and whole grains are cardioprotective. This is evidenced in a study published in the BMJ with more than 100,000 participants who were followed for 26 years. This concludes that gluten consumption does not increase the risk of coronary heart disease. What’s more, when the data was adjusted, a higher gluten intake was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease. That is why the authors warned: promoting gluten-free diets in healthy people can reduce the consumption of whole grains and, therefore, negatively affect cardiovascular health. And in diabetes. In this case they were three large studies that showed an inverse relationship: Those who ate the most gluten had a 13% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate the least. The why? Again, the fiber and micronutrients associated with the cereal that contains gluten. The problem of the accused. When we see that something is ‘gluten free’ we may think that we are looking at something much healthier. But the reality is that sometimes, to compensate for the lack of elasticity and texture that gluten provides, The food industry often reformulates products by adding more saturated fat, more sugar and reducing the protein it contains. Furthermore, gluten-free diets in non-celiac people have also been associated with a lower intake of fiber, B vitamins and a worse long-term cardiometabolic profile. Who should give up gluten? Science is quite clear in this case: who needs it, that is, the 1% of the population with celiac disease. And logically also people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity who may have major digestive problems. For the rest of the population, eliminating gluten offers no clear nutritional benefits. On the contrary: there is a risk of spending more money on products with a worse nutritional profile, reducing the consumption of cardioprotective fiber and attributing to gluten a success that, in reality, simply belongs to eating less ultra-processed foods. Images | Wesual Click Towfiqu barbhuiya In Xataka | Food has been filled with contradictory messages: a sports nutritionist helps us understand what’s behind it

Until now, Mexican children under 14 years of age did not have to pass an interview to enter the United States. That’s over

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Mexico is preparing for an image that is difficult to see in recent years. With the changes in immigration policy and of access to the United States As a backdrop, the Trump administration has decided that both Mexicans under 14 and those over 79 will no longer be exempt to pass an interview with a consular officer to obtain their “non-immigrant” visas. In practice, this will affect children and the elderly who want to travel to the neighboring country to spend their holidays, for studies, business or for medical reasons. What has happened? That the US State Department has changed slightly the guidelines that Mexicans who want to apply for a nonimmigrant visawhich is used for tourism or business trips. And it has done so in an aspect that has generated some expectation in the country. From now on (from a few months ago actually) and as a general rule, Mexicans under 14 years of age and those over 79 must undergo a consular interview in person to obtain the document, just like the rest of the population. So far both (children and elderly) They used to be exempt. What does the US say exactly? The guideline collected in the official website of the US Embassy and Consulates in Mexico is quite clear: “All applicants for non-immigrant visas to the US, including those under 14 years of age and those over 79, will generally be required to appear for an in-person interview with a consular officer.” There are some exceptions, although for specific cases and as long as those involved meet “certain requirements”, such as presenting the petition in their country and not having been rejected before. For example, applicants for diplomatic visas or those who want to renew their B-1, B-2, B1/B2 permits or Border Crossing Card or Folio are exempt from the obligation. Of course, your passes cannot be expired for more than 12 months. This is also new, as remember The Country. Before they could take advantage of Dropbox process (visa interview waiver program) for 48 months following the expiration date of the document. Screenshot of the official website of the US Embassy and Consulates in Mexico. Why is it important? For several reasons. The first, as has been responsible for highlighting part of the Mexican press, is that in practice the change will mean that children and octogenarians will have to meet in person with a consular officer if they want to obtain their visa. In the case of minors under 14 years of age, it is no longer useful for their parents to come alone with all the documentation. The second reason is that the concept of “nonimmigrant visas” is broad. The list published by the US Department of State shows that its vast range includes those people who want to cross the Mexican border for business, tourism, to receive medical treatment, as athletes, to study or work as seasonal agricultural workers, among other cases. What do you recommend doing? The range is so wide that there are those who advises plan the procedures well in advance, especially at the busiest consulates, and starting from the base that the applicant will most likely have to pass the interview. The US administration itself remember That, if necessary, the consulate can request this procedure even from those who are exempt. Is it something exceptional? No. The US has tightened the access conditions for citizens of other countries (not just Mexico) and has become stricter with the requirements required of applicants for family-based immigrant visas. At the end of 2025 even transcended a proposal from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that proposes that foreign travelers who want to cross the border in the United States must reveal up to five years of their network history. In the case of consular interviews for Mexican visa applicants, the change in criteria has come up against another handicap: a confusion in the dates. As remember The ImpartialIn July 2025, a guide was published that advanced the changes and stated that these would come into force as of September 2. According to a later update, the change was activated later: in October. Images | Global Residence Index (Unsplash) and Francesca Albert (Unsplash) In Xataka | More and more Americans want to live outside the US but they have a problem: Europe is closing its doors

All the nominees for the 2026 Oscars and where to see them

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We already know the Oscar nominations 2026among which ‘Sinners’ stands out, which has become the film with the most nominations in history. Of course, the nominations are one thing and the final awards are another, which will be awarded on Sunday, March 15. And in case you want to take the opportunity to catch up with them, we are going to tell you the list of films with nominations and where to watch themhighlighting those that are most nominated. But in addition to that, we will also tell you the complete list of all the nominations. Sinners has become the most nominated film in history of the Oscars with 16 nominations. Set in the 1930s, it is the story of two twins who return to their hometown in Mississippi fleeing from a past full of mistakes and violence, only to discover that an evil but when they return they realize that even greater evil awaits them. Nominated in: Best film, best director, best lead actor, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best photography, best makeup and hairstyling, best original song, best production design, best sound, best visual effects, best original screenplay, best soundtrack, best editing and best casting. You can see it in Movistar+ and HBO Max Frankenstein The magical adaptation of the literary classic by Guillermo del Toro It has also received no less than 9 nominations. With its fantastic and gothic horror setting, it is a story about human nature, kindness, and love. Nominated in: Best film, best supporting actor, best photography, best costume design, best makeup and hair, best production, best sound, best adapted screenplay and best soundtrack. You can see it in Netflix Hamnet No less than 8 nominations for this film about William Shakespeare. Because before writing Hamlet he had a child named Hamnet, and his death forever scarred the author, and gave rise to one of the most profound tragedies ever written. The film talks about art as a refuge from the unbearable, but also about love and loss. Nominated in: Best film, best director, best lead actress, best costume design, best production design, best adapted screenplay, best soundtrack and best casting. You can see it in theaters Marty Supreme With 9 nominations, this film follows the life of Marty Mausera young American scammer who seeks fame in the world of ping-pong, and becomes a legend of the discipline. The film does not offer us the typical motivational sports story, but rather shows us the athlete’s entire ego, his ambition, his obsession and his excesses. Nominated in: Best film, best direction, best lead actor, best photography, best costume design, best production design, best original screenplay, best editing and best casting. You can see it in theaters One Battle After Another No less than 13 nominations for this film that follows the story of a former radical activist who, years after fleeing with his daughter and leaving that life behind, lives between drugs and paranoia. But everything changes when his daughter disappears and he sets out to look for her in a film full of unexpected twists. Nominated in: Best film, best direction, best lead actor, best supporting actor (two nominations), best supporting actress, best photography, best production design, best sound, best adapted screenplay, best soundtrack, best editing and best casting. You can see it in Movistar+ and HBO Max Sentimental Value This story about family, memory and how art can rebuild ties worn by time has earned 9 nominations. Nominated in: Best film, best direction, best lead actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress (two nominations), best international film, best original screenplay and best editing. You can see it in theaters Other nominees and where to see them Now we leave you with the list of the rest of the feature films that have received some Oscar nominations. Most of them are still in theaters, but we’ll tell you which ones are available in streaming with the link to the platform and its file. There are some that are not in cinemas and are not yet streaming, something that will change when they start to arrive. Bow: In cinemas. Avatar: Fire & Ash: In cinemas. Blue Moon: In Prime Videobut only for rent. Bugonia: In cinemas. Diane Warren: Relentless: Still on no platform. Elio: In cinemas. F1: In AppleTV. KPop Demon Hunters: In Netflix. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You: In cinemas. It Was Just an Accident: Still on no platform. Jurassic World Rebirth: In Movistar+ and SkyShowtime. Kokuho: Still on no platform. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain: In cinemas. Sirāt: In Movistar+. Song Sung Blue: In cinemas. The Lost Bus: In AppleTV. The Secret Agent: In cinemas. The Ugly Stepsister: Still on no platform. The Voice of Hind Rajab: Still on no platform. Train Dreams: In Netflix. Long live Verdi!: Still on no platform. Weapons: In Movistar+ and HBO Max. Zootopia 2: In cinemas. All the nominees for the 2026 Oscars best movie Bugonia F1 Frankenstein Hamnet Marty Supreme One Battle After Another The Secret Agent Sentimental Value Sinners Train Dreams Best address Chloe Zhaoby Hamnet Josh Safdieby Marty Supreme Paul Thomas Andersonby One Battle After Another Joachim Trierby Sentimental Value Ryan Cooglerby Sinners Best Leading Actress Jessie Buckleyby Hamnet Rose Byrneby If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Kate Hudsonby Song Sung Blue Renate Reinsveby Sentimental Value Emma Stoneby Bugonia Best lead actor Timothée Chalametby Marty Supreme Leonardo DiCaprioby One Battle After Another Ethan Hawkeby Blue Moon Michael B. Jordanby Sinners Wagner Mouraby The Secret Agent Best supporting actor Benicio del Toroby One Battle After Another Jacob Elordiby Frankenstein Delroy Lindoby Sinners Sean Pennby One Battle After Another Stellan Skarsgardby Sentimental Value Best supporting actress Elle Fanning by Sentimental Value Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas by Sentimental Value Amy Madigan by Weapons Wunmi Mosaku by Sinners Teyana Taylor by One Battle After Another Best animated film Bow Elio Kpop Demon Hunters Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Zootopia 2 Best animated short film Butterfly Forevergreen The Girl Who Cried … Read more

AI saves you eight hours of work a week. As long as you’re the boss and you don’t have to use it yourself

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The AI ​​that was going to change everything and revolutionize our work He doesn’t seem to be doing any of that at the moment. What there is is a great polarization between those who believe in that promise and between those They do not see it at all clearly or they fear it. And if there is a place where this love-hate for AI is palpable, it is in companies, where CEOs see things in one way and employees in a quite different way. what has happened. The consulting company Section has conducted a survey of 5,000 workers and managers in US companies with a fundamental question: How many hours of work per week is AI saving you? Survey results, displayed in The Wall Street Journalsay a lot about the vision of CEOs and employees about the impact of AI tools. Source: WSJ. CEOs love her, employees not too much. According to data from that survey, two out of three employees indicated that AI does not save them time at work or that at most it saves them less than two hours a week. These responses contrast with those of managers and CEOs: one third affirm that it saves them between 4 and 8 hours, another third affirms that it saves them 8 or more hours, and the other third affirms that it saves them 4 hours or less. The big difference is precisely in this negative view: 40% of employees say that they do not save any time, and only 2% of CEOs agree with that opinion. AI screws up more than anything else, some say. A user interface designer named Steve McGarvey indicated in that text how managers “automatically assume that AI is going to be the savior (of the business).” His experience is different, however, and he tells how “I have lost count of the times I have looked for a solution to a problem, asked an LLM, and they gave me a solution to an accessibility problem that was completely wrong.” And it’s not that big of a deal. This professional also indicates that he uses Perplexity as an assistant to research on various projects and that it has saved him time. However, part of their job is to ensure that visually impaired users can access websites, and chatbots have not been of help in that task. The employees are somewhat afraid. There’s another important aspect to the findings: Employees were much more likely to report feeling anxious or overwhelmed by AI than excited by it. That 40% who responded that it did not save them time added that because of them they would never use AI again. Employees are the ones who are most overwhelmed by AI, managers are the ones who are most excited about it. Source: WSJ. For now AI is used like Google. But there is another problem and that is that many of these professionals are using AI as an alternative to the traditional search engine from Google. They do not use it for practical applications of their work—perhaps because they do not know how—and, for example, it was used much less for topics such as code generation or data analysis. It saves me time, but like it doesn’t. Software companies like Workday participated in the survey and pointed out an interesting fact: this technology imposes an “AI tax” in terms of productivity. Although 85% of its 1,600 employees surveyed indicated that they save between one and seven hours a week thanks to AI, that doesn’t help them much: Much of that saved time ends up being used to correct errors made by AI or modify content generated by AI. AI isn’t much use (yet). An additional and also recent survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers focused on 4,500 CEOs. The result: only 30% of them were confident that there would be an increase in revenue thanks to AI, although they admit that having a good AI foundation can help boost that return on investment. The adoption of AI, however, at the moment is not compensating them too much, and only 12% of companies claim to have obtained benefits in revenue or costs, while 56% claim to have “not obtained anything” with that investment. These data are in line with those of the MIT study of August 2025 according to which 95% of pilot projects with generative AI were not paying off to companies. But. The data is negative, but there may be factors that point to a change in trend. The surveys do not indicate how much time users are spending learning how to use AI versus the time it saves them. The benefit may be negative now, but in the long term it will be positive. Furthermore, there are sectors in which AI has clearly become a clear tool to assist workers, as in the field of programming. Although there is, of course, a necessary phase of code review that AI generates, the massive use of these tools indicates that productivity may have gained in whole. Image | Redd F In Xataka | “We will lose social permission”: the CEO of Microsoft knows that either they do something valuable with AI or it will have little progress

To no one’s surprise, the fanciful tunnel that aspires to join the Strait of Gibraltar under the sea will not be ready by 20230

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The idea of ​​connecting Europe and Africa with a direct channel that allows us to do without ships and planes is so attractive, so damn sexy, that it takes more than a century warming the imagination of engineers. The same time they have been seeing the Strait of Gibraltar as the ideal point for a Spain-Morocco tunnel. After decades of idling, in recent years the project seemed gain momentumat least as far as the political sphere and the public interest. A few months ago even transcended that one of the leading companies in tunnel boring machines sees the infrastructure as technically viable. He hype around the tunnel it grew so much (and so strong) that there were those who trusted that the 2030 Soccer World Cupcelebrated mainly in Spain, Morocco and Portugal, it would serve you of ultimate lever. They were even read headlines that suggested that it would be executed with a view to 2030. To no one’s surprise, everything indicates that it won’t be like that. Strait Slopes. About a century ago, around 1929engineer Fernando Gallego Herrera a question was asked: Why not ‘suture’ the gap between Europe and Africa with an underwater tunnel in the Strait of Gibraltar? He was not the first to consider the issue, but he did so with a seriousness, a degree of technical level and a vocation, which gave visibility to the approach. Since then the idea of ​​creating a megastructure that allows Spain and Morocco to ‘touch each other’ has continued with comings and goings on the table. And not only on a theoretical level. The idea of ​​establishing a “fixed link” between Spain and Morocco even led to the creation of two entities: SECEGSAon the Spanish side, and the Societé Nationale d’Etudes du Detroit (SNED) on the Moroccan side. In recent years, the project has also attracted headlines that echoed the degree of political commitmentthe investment in studieshis time horizon and even his technical feasibilitya key aspect considering that we are talking about a structure of several dozens of kilometers in a difficult geological area. A small (big) step. In 2024 the project gave one step forwarde that (although very initial) was revealing. At the request of SECGSA, INECO commissioned a study for the “cross-strait fixed link project”. Its objective was basically to analyze “the feasibility” of excavations in the area, especially in the most critical points, such as the Camarinal Threshold that separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic basins. The task fell to a famous company in the sector: Herrenknechta leading German firm in the world of tunnel boring machines related, among other works, to the Brenner Tunnel or that of Saint Gotthard. Viable yes, although not cheap. The conclusions of their analysis have been known in recent months. First in October Populi Voice revealed that the German firm has confirmed that, although extremely complex, the Spain-Morocco pipeline would be viable from a technical point of view. The same media reported that the purpose of Spain and Portugal would be to decide in 2027 whether or not to tender an exploratory tunnel and provided a provisional calendar: just shaping the reconnaissance gallery would require between six and nine years. Regarding the cost of infrastructure, slid that the base bidding budget of the Spanish side would exceed 8.5 billion euros, a figure that includes everything from the base gallery to the tunnels, the terminal and other facilities. The sum is considerable but there is talk of diversifying its origin, including everything from community funds to formulas (concessions, fees) inspired by other megaprojects, such as the Eurotunnel wave Figueras-Perpignan line. Has there been more progress? It seems so. Although again in an initial phase still. At the end of November Populi Voice revealed again that, after the technical endorsement of Herrenknecht, SECEGSA entrusted INECO to complete the updating of the preliminary project of the structure. A deadline was even included: summer 2026. Around the same time, the Government of Spain and Morocco held a summit in Moncloa during which a memorandum was signed to “promote scientific cooperation in the study of seismicity and geodynamics in the Strait area.” In the statement released by Transport there is no mention of the tunnel, but there were those who saw in the agreement a positive nod for infrastructure. Question of deadlines. The tunnel is not only interested in its technical details and cost. Another key aspect is your calendar. Especially since already in the autumn, when the first touches of Herrenknecht’s analysis became known, slipped that the first progress of the project could arrive by 2030, the year of the Soccer World Cup in which Spain and Morocco participate as host countries. The coincidence of dates made it create expectation about how the Cup could influence the project and even if it would act as a stimulus for the subway. It was even raised if I could arrive on time. In recent days those expectations have received a jug of cold water. One more and unsurprisingIn fact. Why’s that? Because 2030 is four years away. And that is a ridiculously short time for a work that, beyond being viable on a technical and logistical level, is more than notable in complexity. First for its ambition and dimensions (more than 40 kmbetween the underwater and terrestrial section). Second because it must be developed in an area highly conditioned by its geology. Although there may be some progress towards 2030, Populi Voice mentioned in October sources close to the project that pointed to 2035-2040 as a “more realistic horizon” to see significant milestones. The idea would be to have gallery design recognition in June to put out to tender the infrastructure starting in 2027. As a reference, the construction of the Eurotunnel (50 kilometers) required some seven years (from 1988 to 19949 and Saint Gotthard (57 km) around 17. Moderating expectation. In recent weeks (and days) media like Huffington Post The reason either ACE They have echoed, citing the technical feasibility study, that the tunnel between … Read more

They preferred to retain talent rather than hire again

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The data indicates that salaries have not stopped rising in recent years. However, inflation has caused workers have not seen that rise as an improvement in their purchasing power due to the general increase in the price of the shopping basket. A recent study carried out by Randstad ensures that Spanish companies are responding to the rise in prices with salary increases with the aim of retaining their workers and avoiding a greater evil: the talent shortage. Keep employees happy. According to the report ‘Workmonitor 2026’ prepared by the Randstad employment platform, 63% of Spanish companies have increased the salaries of their employees to counteract the increased cost of living in recent years. This figure exceeds the global average of 56% of companies. This percentage indicates a greater sensitivity of Spanish companies towards loss of purchasing power of their templates. According to the report ‘Salary evolution 2007-2025’ prepared by Eada Business School of Barcelona and the consulting firm ICSA Grupo, small companies are those that have presented the largest salary increase during 2025, with an estimated increase of 5.50% for their employees, and 1.59% for their managers. For 59% of workers in Spain, salary continues to be the main factor when choosing a company, in a context of general increase in the price of the shopping basket. The priority is talent retention. The Randstad report explains that companies prefer to raise the salaries of their current employees even above the CPI in order to retain them, instead of losing them and having to hire new staff. 69% affirm that retaining an employee is cheaper and more efficient than hiring a new one. The report highlights that this commitment to retaining internal talent helps to stabilize staff in the face of economic pressures, thus avoiding having to incur additional expenses with the selection and training of new employees in a context of shortage of trained personnel. Flexibility as the key to staying. Beyond the economic factor, flexibility and autonomy when working have a great weight in permanence of employees in a company. Randstad estimates that 42% of professionals have left a job because their schedules did not fit with their personal life, and 24% did so due to a lack of independence in making decisions about their work.​ The data indicates that 43% of workers would not accept a job that did not have flexibility in schedule or the possibility of teleworking some days. On the other hand, 74% of the companies consulted consider that giving more autonomy increases the commitment and productivity of their employees by making them responsible for the organization of their work. According to Oriol Mas, CEO of Randstad Enterprise, “the ability to decide how, when and in what way you work increasingly outweighs job stability.” More than one job to survive. Despite the salary increases indicated by the study, the data also indicates that 34% of Spanish talent has accepted or is looking for a second job to face the rising cost of living. This figure rises to 48% among young people aged 18 to 26 and is below the world average of 40%, reflecting the economic pressure they are suffering. the new generations. According to the ‘Balance of the labor market in 2025’ elaborated According to the USO union, some 886,800 people in Spain are in a situation of multiple employment, continuing with the upward trend in the need to have several jobs to survive that has been emerging since the COVID-19 pandemic. To put it in context, in 2022 there were less than 450,000 people with multiple jobs. In Xataka | Venezuela has set a new record: that of new Social Security contributions in Spain Image | Unsplash (Sigmund)

This Google Pixel has dropped (again) in price, but in a big way. New historical low in El Corte Inglés

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If there is a mobile phone that has not stopped receiving offers in recent months, that is the Google Pixel 10although his older brothers have not been spared either, especially the Google Pixel 10 Pro. Now, El Corte Inglés, during its Save the VAT, has launched what is the best offer in the store with good prices in its two configurations: The price could vary. We earn commission from these links New historical minimum price of El Corte Inglés He Google Pixel 10 It is a very complete mobile phone for those looking for a small size, a good camera system and an exquisite design. Its OLED screen is 6.3 inches and offers a refresh rate of 60 to 120 Hz and a good resolution of 2,424 x 1,080 pixels. Maybe your processor Google Tensor G5 It may not be the most powerful currently, but it offers good performance for daily use. And said processor is accompanied by 12 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal storage, depending on the configuration we take into account. The Google Pixel 10 battery supports both fast charging and wireless charging and the operating system will be updated for many years. But If there is a strong point in this mobile it is its photographic section; Beyond the camera app, it has a 48 MP main sensor, a 13 MP wide angle and a 10.8 MP 5x telephoto. You may also be interested in these accessories for the Google Pixel 10 Spigen Ultra Hybrid MagFit Case for Google Pixel 10/10 Pro Compatible with Pixelsnap and MagSafe – Clear White The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Optik Camera Protector for Google Pixel 10, 2 Units, Transparent, Crystal Clear, Full Coverage, Installation Kit, 9H Hardness, Anti-Scratch The price could vary. We earn commission from these links 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 | Pepu RiccaGoogle In Xataka | The best mobile phones, we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best quality-price mobiles. Their analyzes and videos are here

Now that we know what is going to happen in Greenland, the most surprising thing is the name of the winners: Russia and China

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If the Trump’s words in Davos are confirmed, it seems that “nothing” is going to happen in Greenland. This leaves another reading that is beginning to gain strength among analysts: that the threats from the United States to force control of Greenland they have opened a crack which, without needing to fire a single shot or lift a single finger, immediately benefits two nations. The geopolitical gift. While Washington has presented the move as a maneuver to stop your rivalsin Europe it is interpreted as a direct threat to the sovereignty of an ally and to the very credibility of NATO. Meanwhile, in Moscow and Beijing it is read as proof that the Western order no longer holds about shared rules, but about impulses, blackmail and force. In this climate, the simple debate about “who’s in charge” and “how far the American umbrella extends” erodes the cohesion that for decades had been the main strategic brake (at least on paper) for Russia in Europe and the biggest structural obstacle for China in its global struggle. Russia far ahead. It we have counted before. In the Arctic, Russia is not starting from scratch or playing for the future: it is already installed and has been operating for years with a material and geographical advantage that the United States can’t match quickly. Moscow has a consolidated military presence in the north, with bases, infrastructure, operational experience and an integrated defense logic around its sea routes, its resources and its strategic deterrence, in addition to key assets such as its Northern Fleet and the symbolic and technical weight of having used the region as a space for testing and projection since the soviet era. So when Washington turns Greenland into an open crisis, Russia watches. two things at the same time: the opportunity to weaken Western unity and the risk that the Arctic will go from being a terrain of contained competition to a zone of direct confrontation, one in which any miscalculated move accelerates militarization and possible escalation. The Russian method. The Russian reaction to the tension over Greenland has been marked by a combination of irony, enthusiasm and cold calculation, like someone who suddenly finds a perfect lever to improve your position without visible effort. The message that is repeated around the Kremlin is transparent: the best thing that can happen to Russia is for the United States and Europe to dedicate themselves to fight among themselvesbecause that, first of all, distracts from Ukraine, poisons cooperation and pushes allies to distrust American leadership. In that framework, they counted in AP that Russian propaganda allows itself the luxury of celebrating that “Atlantic unity is ending,” of joking that Europe has no real tools against Washington and to present the entire episode as a didactic scene in which Russia’s rivals tangle themselves. Greenland as a smoke screen. One of the most immediate benefits for Moscow is that focus shift political and media: when the European agenda is filled with Greenland, Ukraine loses diplomatic oxygen and negotiation space. The tension is forcing European leaders to put out internal fires rather than focus on the war, and that rreduces pressure collective action on Russia just when Moscow is seeking concessions or relief in any negotiation process. Furthermore, the simple fact that NATO is discussing whether or not to “block” American expansion introduces a disturbing idea: that the alliance is not an automatic pact of trust, but rather a kind of club where the strongest can change the rules if it suits them. Putin and Trump. Russia, furthermore, seems to be watching your tone with the White House because his priority is not to clash with Trump while he tries to obtain advantages over Ukraine and rebuild his relationship with Washington. That is why he avoids openly condemning the pressure on Greenland (a few hours ago Putin said that they care about “zero”) and, instead, wraps it in a comfortable ambiguity. It is a position that, although passive, in reality It’s strategicbecause it lets the conflict cook within the Western camp without Moscow appearing as the instigator. At the same time, introduce a dangerous idea in the debate: that international legality is secondary to the will of a great power, something that Russia knows well and cynically exploits when it suits it. China doesn’t need Greenland. From Beijing, the opportunity is not so much in “winning” Greenland, but in observing how the United States fights with its allies and devalues ​​the system that gave it a strategic advantage over China. They remembered in the Guardian that, in Chinese eyes, the ideal scenario is not to conquer Arctic territory, but see how it breaks the discipline of the Western bloc, because the great multiplier of American power has always been its network of alliances. China may have interests in polar routes, research and resources, but its biggest prize It’s political: a Europe more distrustful of Washington, open to its own balance and more tempted to take refuge in trade as a lifeline in a world of tariffs and blackmail. The Polar Silk Road. It we have counted before. China has been building an Arctic story for years that presents it as a legitimate actor, with official roles where it defines itself. as “almost arctic” and with the promise of a Polar Silk Road supported by melting ice, new sea routes and faster transport between Asia and Europe. There is concrete signs of that ambition, such as the use of Northern Maritime Route to drastically shorten travel timesalthough that route depends largely on Russia and its control over the corridor. In that sense, each crisis between the United States and Europe is not only a political problem: it is an economic window for Beijing, because it messes up rules, pushes Europe to look for alternatives and gives China room to present itself as a “stable” trading partner, although that stability may be more rhetorical than real. Davos and a resignation. He clash over Greenland It is aggravated … Read more

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