great

How Granada wants to become the great battery of southern Spain

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Spain needs energy storage solutions, That is indisputable. With a good part of its electricity from renewablesthe country faces the great challenge of saving energy when the wind does not blow or the sun appears. In that context, the Villar Mir project appears in Granada: a reversible hydroelectric plant of 356 MW linked to the Rules reservoir. A key step in the procedures. The Villar Mir Energy subsidiary has just achieved the FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT DECLARATION of the Ministry for Ecological Transition. The approval is a decisive impulse after years of waiting: the granting of water of the Junta de Andalucía It was granted from 2020but this process was missing, probably the most complex of all. The resolution, Published in the Official State Gazettealso imposes a package of environmental conditions with preventive, corrective and compensatory measures. The project advances, although it must still overcome additional authorizations before putting the first stone. Thus the Guájares Central will work. The proposal will be built in the municipalities of Vélez de Benaudalla, El Pinar, Los Guájares and Padul. The system is simple on paper: Water will be pumped from the Rules reservoir to a upper raft to release it in times of greater demand, generating clean electricity. The installation will have the capacity to produce 1,022 GWh a year, sufficient to supply hundreds of thousands of homes. The works will not be minor: it is expected to dig more than 246,000 cubic meters of material, 1.5 km pipes and an execution period close to five years. More than 400 million euros at stake. According to the economistBanco Santander advises the group in the search for investor partners who co -finance the work. The movement arrives at a key moment for the holding company: the group has reduced its debt from 1,500 to 120 million since 2017, after selling participations in Ohla, Ferroglobe and Fertial, and looks for projects with which to reinforce its financial repositioning. A controversy in progress. The project is not free of criticism. Deputy Granada Alejandra Durán, deputy spokesman for Andalusia and leader of Podemos, has shown her frontal rejection. According to Europa Presswarns of erosion risks and slopes of slopes, in addition to the possible condition of protected species such as the real eagle, the lost eagle or the grown vulture. Durán also alerts the felling of “thousands of trees, shrubs and native scrublands,” recalls that part of the affected land coincides with the soil on fire of the Guájares and accuses the administrations of prevailing private interests on the general interest. He even speaks of a “water theft” that would harm the farmers in the area. Spain and the urgency of storage. The debate is not exclusive to Granada. Spain already produces near Half of its electricity with renewablesbut the intermission of wind and solar forces to look for storage solutions. Pumping plants have become authentic “Hydraulic batteries”capable of saving surpluses to release them when they do the most. In October alone, this type of facilities generated 4,747 GWh, 10% more than in 2022. Although the installed power has barely grown in the last 15 years (3,337 MW), experts agree that the reversible pumping will be decisive to stabilize the system and contain light prices. Between need and resistance. The Guájares Central clearly reflects the tension of the energy transition: the urgency of guaranteeing storage against the environmental and social risks of this type of works. With the favorable day in his hand, now he has to decide if Villar Mir assumes the investment and makes Granada epicenter of renewables in Spain. The question is whether this great “water battery” will remain as a progress engine or as an example of the excesses of the energy transition. Image | Freepik Xataka | How much electricity produces each country with renewable energy, exposed in a graphic

The place where dozens of animal cells are stored in case there is a great disaster

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In a basement from the Biomedical Research Park in Barcelona, ​​between liquid nitrogen clouds, an incalculable value treasure is saved: an ark of Noah of the 21st century. It does not contain couples of animals, but thousands of small tubes at -196 ° C that retain life. It is the Cryozooa pioneer biobanco that stores cell lines of hundreds of species, many of them to the edge of extinction. It is not an achievement, but a warning. At the head of this initiative is the renowned molecular biologist Tomàs Marquès-Bonet, one of the Greater world experts in genomics of great worlds. As the world has collected, This project is not a great achievementbut a last use resource in the event that the main species of our planet are extinguished. This is explained by the researcher himself: Recovering species with these techniques is the failure of society, but it is amazing to be able to do it. The first must be to preserve in your habitat the animals that remain alive. And when everything else has failed, it is better to have these banks than not to have them, like an ace in the manga Of a biopsy to cell immortality. The concept, inspired by the famous San Diego Frozen Zoo, is as elegant as powerful. The Cryozoo team collaborates with about twenty European zoos and aquariums to obtain small tissue samples, often during routine veterinary reviews. In this way, with a millimeter of leather you can create a stock of cell lines and keep them forever. The process is surprisingly pragmatic. Zoos send biopsies in tubes with a conservation medium. A complex cold chain is not always needed; Sometimes, as in the case of a stranded whale in Valencia, a little serum is enough to start. In the laboratory conservation is consumed. Once the fabric reaches the laboratory, Technicians cultivate cellsallowing them to divide and multiply to form a homogeneous population that is called ‘cell line’. Reprogramming to stem cells. The most revolutionary step is reprogramming. They can take a skin cell and, by laboratory techniques, return it to a pluripotent state, turning it into a stem cell of induced pluripotentiality (IPSC). “A stem cell is a pluripotent cell, which means that it can become what you want,” says Marquès-Bonet. And once this is achieved, the last step of cryopreservation of both cell lines and IPSC in liquid nitrogen is reached, where they can remain viable for decades, waiting for the science of the future to need them. A technique similar to that used for human embryo conservationfor example, in fertility processes. Currently, Cryozoo already houses more than 2,000 samples of almost 300 species, which have generated 350 high quality cell lines. Among its “treasures” are Montseny Triton cells (the most threatened amphibian in Europe), the Pyrenean frog, the ORYX DAMMAH (A species already extinct in nature) and even the rhinoceros Pedro, the longest in Europe, deceased in 2023. Quality on quantity. What distinguishes Cryozoo from other initiatives is not its size, but its obsession with quality. And it is that the bank’s goal is not to have the more cell lines the better, but to have the best and most viable. To achieve this, they have implemented a step that they consider crucial and that makes them unique: sequence the complete genome of each cell line they create. In this way, they ensure that the genome of the cultivated cell is a faithful representation to the original animal without genetic aberrations that have occurred in the laboratory. AND the fact of sequencing it It is also a great advance for science, because on many occasions it is the first time that this technique is done in a specific species. Something that will be in a repository that any researcher can consult. They want to avoid using these cells. With the ability to convert skin cells into ovules and sperm, the question is inevitable: is the ultimate goal of ‘de -sextinction’? But researchers have it clear: it is a red line that they never want to pass. Although technology has already allowed to bring functionally extinct species such as the Huron of black legs or the Przewalski horse, the Cryozoo team considers that its function is to be custodians of the genetic material, not to execute reproduction. They would only make their cells available to a project of this caliber if it had the validation of the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) and a global consensus. Cloning is not the step. Although it can be attractive to make ‘photocopies’ of animals in a laboratory, the reality is that today It is a expensive and inefficient process. The real effort of the researchers today lies in preserving ecosystems so that animals live in them and reproduce naturally. Without man having to intervene. A cell bank to save animals … and also humans. The value of Cryozoo does not only reside in that distant possibility of resuscitating species. Its applications are immediate and revolutionary for current research. And it is that diseases can be studied without damaging any living being by infecting cells with a pathogen to see how cells react. But it goes further, being able to create ‘mini organs’ to investigate the biology of some species, test drugs safely or investigate human diseases in the genetics of these animals. A hope for an uncertain future. The changes that succumb to our planet can cause in the future to be a real climatic emergency. That is why we prepare the ‘end of the end of the world‘To collect all the seeds of the world, and now we also collect all animals. A genetic library that, in the best stage, we will only consult for pure scientific curiosity and never for a planetary emergency. Images | Gary Bendig Julia Koblitz In Xataka | Apocalypse diet: science already knows what survivors will eat a nuclear war

This game has been scheduled by only one person, and there is already talk of him as one of the great shooters of the year

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The ‘Void/Breaker’ trailer caught the attention of fans in the Great Night of the GamescomOpening Night Live, when it was announced that it was already available on Steam and PC Game Pass (in the future it will also be for PS5 and Xbox). His frantic rhythm and his style and humor, which seemed to connect with classics like ‘Portal‘, liked the respectable, although his big surprise is that being a game that is already drawing the attention of the experts Shootershas been developed by a single person. Eternal return. ‘Void/Breaker’ is a Shooter with structure of Roguelitezambuyéro completely in the Fashion mechanics In the current indie panorama, and justifies it argumentatively: the protagonist is trapped in a continuous cycle of destruction designed by an AI that uses human subjects to test combat variables. That is, you will die again and again facing randomly generated enemies while another human tries to help you escape: it is a person who died before you, but whose mind has ended up trapped in the program, which allows him to give you weapons, help and clues. Forget about the argument. What matters here is the unbeatable structure of frantic and cyclical games, spurred by slight improvements and by a sense of absurd humor of a robotic voice that tries to convince you that you live the best of possible existers, which undoubtedly reminds the classic ‘portal’ and its silly jokes with a very black transfus. You will not get bored of it, nor will you get bored of the enemies: being randomly generated, each new game is that, completely new. In addition to winning skills and improvements, some permanent ones. A titan. The most striking thing about the game is that it has been developed by a single person, and despite this it has an absolutely brilliant finish, which rivals spectacularly with much more ambitious games. Of course, it is easy to see what aspects has spared Daniel Stubbingtonvisible head of Stubby Games, to carry ‘void/breaker’ to fruition. We are not facing a blockbuster in terms of visual luxury, but in terms of gameplay: The satisfactory of the most powerful weapons, the destruction of scenarios, the gravity gun, infinitely improvable as progress is made … all of the first category. The goat throws the mountain. Stubbington already had a previous game that remembered Portal, ‘The Entropy Center‘, which in many ways is an essay of findings that will then return to’ Void/Breaker ‘: also uses a first person perspective, but we are facing a puzzle that instead of using a gun of portals such as the Valve classic, uses a rifle whose shots rewind in time what they reach. Complex and Machiavellian, it is one of those ridiculously quiet and ridiculously addictive games, although the action was not entirely in the equation, anticipating the next Stubbington game. With one you fix. In times when the industry is desperate to find ways of reduce the increasingly brutal development times (that is, to reduce the budgets absolutely out of mother), it is striking as some of the great successes of recent times are developed by a single person. Indies teams minimal are common since games like ‘Braid’ emerged, but lately we are seeing successes like ‘Balatro‘ either ‘The Blue Prince‘, whose most commented characteristic is that they are developed by a single person, and it is inevitable that we think that another industry is possible. If possible. Moreover, it is due. In Xataka | The 29 best free games for PC: Shooters, MMORPGS, driving and strategy

Nano Banana is not just a great creator of images with AI. It is the greatest danger to Photoshop and company

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Google has been playing hiding place with what is a great threat to Photoshop, at least in its photo editor facet. For weeks, a mysterious tool called “Nano Banana“He has been appearing anonymously into test platforms, leaving amazed professional users. Google finally confirmed that this experimental model is yours and is integrating it into Gemini. Why is it important. We are facing the beginning of the end of the layers, masks and tools that have defined digital design for 30 years. You change the color of a shirt without distorting the face. You add elements without reinventing the background. In 2 seconds, no 15. For professional uses it is not ready. For first sketches or for domestic use, it is perfect. 10 Google applications that could have triumphed The difference is persistence. Other models generate from scratch with each Promptbut Nano Banana remembers. You can strain about the same image dozens of times. Some examples. Let’s see what can be done with Nano Banana (if you want to know how to try it, We have prepared a guide). Everything has been done are the Prompts that we attach, without more. Original photo: “Create an image with this man but in a Valencian people of the 50s, with clothes, appearance, hairstyle, environment, etc. that are credible for the time.” “Now in the 2050 futuristic Shanghai.” “Now he returns to the original photo and adds this man by his side, posing together for the photo.” “Now back them as two Roman gladiators in the amphitheater.” Let’s go with something else. This Apple announcement in Las Vegas, deployed a few years ago. “Modifies the announcement text to say ‘2×1 in all iPhone models until the end of stock’”. Another different. We give you these two images. “Put this man the red shirt that attached to you.” “Now place him in Mestalla.” “Put a black cap and remove the clock.” All at the blow of Prompt And very fast, more than chatgpt. The money trail. Nano Banana has a cost of $ 0.039 per image of 1024 x 1024 pixels. Adobe has already announced that he will integrate the model in Firefly and Express, as reported Business Insider. His argument (“we offer all the models in one place”) makes sense, although something defensive also sounds. Those who pay dozens of dollars a month for a license to make editions will begin to be renewed. Now it is possible to generate Mockups In minutes, not in days. Some Ecommerce They will stop needing so many photographic sessions. A teacher can create a better adapted diagram than that of publishers. Everything with Prompts of text. In Xataka | Browsers prepare for the most radical transformation in their history. One in which the IA will be Outstanding image | Xataka

It is the beginning of a great revolution in transplants

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Science has just taken a giant step, although with caution. For the first time in history, a team of surgeons in China has successfully transplanted the lung of a genetically modified pig to a human receiver. Something that demonstrates that this is a completely viable procedure and that opens the door to follow the clinical trial to mark in the future A before and after in transplants. A transplant that was still an experiment. The patient who received this lung was a 39 -year -old man who was in brain deathand therefore I was not going to improve or get worse because of the transplant. All this because it is not yet a technique that has been considered safe, but is in the experimentation phase. In the case of this patient, the organ could be maintained for nine days, demonstrating that the technique is viable. However, the results, published in the prestigious magazine Nature Medicine, They are full of nuances that remind us how complex this field is. A success that adds to others. This milest hearts, kidneys either Hígados of pork The ultimate goal is ambitious and necessary: ​​create an almost unlimited source of organs for thousands of people who die every year in waiting lists. The most difficult organ of all. If transplanting a kidney or pork is already a feat of medicine, doing so with a lung is to enter a new league of complexity. As explained Muhammad Mohiuddin, surgeon from the University of Maryland that led the first pork transplant to a living person, The lungs are really complex having “the largest amount of blood vessels of any transplantable organ.” The fact of being such a vascularized organ makes the receptor’s immune system expose in a very aggressive way, which increases the risk of rejection, but it is also a challenge for coagulation and tissue damage. A great exposure to any allergen. But in addition to being exposed to our adaptive and innate immune system through blood, it must also be taken into account that the lungs are in contact with the outside. This means that with each breath it is exposed to allergens, pollutants, viruses and bacteria, so its immune response is much more aggressive. To get an idea, according to Dr. Leonardo Riella of the Massachusetts General Hospital, a transplanted human kidney can last between 12 and 14 years; A lung, just 5 to 7 years. A pig with human software. To overcome these barriers, the first affiliated hospital team at the Medical University of Guangzhou used the lung of a pig that had been genetically modified. To do this, the organ had six key genetic editions. The first thing they did was eliminate three pigs to reduce the risk that the human immune system would identify it as a threat and trigger immediate rejection. But in addition to eliminating genetic information from the fence, it was also chosen to integrate three human genes into its genome to protect the organ of the immune attack and prevent the formation of clots. A living human being was not put at risk. Surgery was performed on May 15, 2024 in a receiver in brain death, which allowed to study the behavior of the organ without jeopardizing a living patient. During the first three days there were no signs of acute rejection, a first resounding success. However, the problems soon appeared. 24 hours after the intervention the lung began to swell. Damage was also observed due to the lack of oxygen during the transplant procedure, as well as Rejection signs mediated by antibody in the days three later. Interestingly, the team noticed that this damage seemed to have been reduced for the ninth day, at which time studied was arrested at the request of the receiver’s family. The great criticism: a “lost opportunity.” Despite the achievement, the scientific community has indicated an important limitation in the design of the experiment. The surgeons only transplanted the left lung of the pig, leaving the right lung of the receiver, which was human and functional, in place. This, according to some critics such as Dr. Richard N. Pierson of Harvard’s Faculty of Medicine, is a “lost opportunity.” Not insulating the pigs, it is impossible to know if it really worked enough to keep life on its own. A first step in a marathon. Despite criticism and mixed results, experts agree that it is a fundamental advance in being a first step towards clinical pulmonary xenotransplantation. Now the way to follow is to improve the organ preservation techniques to reduce the initial damage and continue to refine the genetic modifications. The next step, according to experts, is to try in the terminal pulmonary patients who have no other treatment option. This experiment is part of a global movement. In the United States, the FDA has already authorized clinical trials for kidney transplants and pigs of companies such as Engenesis and United Therapeutics. In fact, a man lives with A pork kidney since January of this yearmarking the survival record to date. Images | Christopher Carson Weermeijer Robina In Xataka | Make cardio or train strength: for science there is no debate about what is the ideal year from 50

Almería has been the great “plastic sea” of Europe for years. Now he wants to be another sea: that of solar panels

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During the First Andalusian Congress on Agriculture, Energy and Water held at the University of Almería, a path that begins to materialize today was already glimpsed. In that meeting, Professor Ángel Carreño He stressed that the use of photovoltaic plates In greenhouses, intensive agriculture could revolutionize. “With just 1% shadow with solar panels on the roof, the energy needs of a greenhouse could be covered,” he said. Seven years later, this forecast is specified in a pioneering project that aims to make a qualitative leap to the Almeria agricultural model: Dynamic Aquasave. From the plastic sea to the energy sea. The scenario of this innovation cannot be more unique. NASA confirms that the “plastic sea” Almeria is one of the few human constructions visible from space. According to the BBCunder its 32,000 hectares of white plastic, about four million tons of foods are produced every year to export them to Europe, generating about 5.1 billion dollars annually, which represents 40% of the GDP of the province. It is in this context where Dynamic Aquasave arises, with the promise that the plastic sea can be transformed into an energy sea, capable of producing not only food, but also electricity. How will it be? The University of Almería, together with Barre greenhouses, the Technalia Technology Center, the Uual-Anecoop Foundation and with CDTI financing, leads this project. The contract was signed in November 2024 and was ratified in February 2025 In the official act of the Department of Engineering of the UAL. The system consists of installing transparent or semi -transparent solar panels on the greenhouse cover, which are automatically oriented thanks to an algorithm. These panels fulfill a double function: they act as a dynamic shade to control excessive radiation and, at the same time, generate electricity. As He explained Professor Diego Luis Valera to Diario de Almería, “integrates, in the same system, photovoltaic generation and dynamic shadow governed by algorithms, something that does not exist in the market with the parameters required by a greenhouse adapted to the southeast of Spain.” The planned benefits are clear: up to 30% water savings, less needy need, a more stable microclimate, energy for self -consumption or sale and better working conditions within greenhouses. Forecasts The Dynamic Aquasave prototype will be installed at the Uual-Anecoop Foundation, where a greenhouse will also be enabled to compare yields. The experimentation phase is scheduled for the fall of 2025 and will last at least two agricultural campaigns. The project also has the collaboration of the University of Córdoba, which develops specific software and hardware for the control of the orientable panels. The combination of agricultural engineering, artificial intelligence and renewable energy makes it a unique proposal in the international scene. The digital layer. Dynamic Aquasave is not just solar energy. According to has detailed Valera to Diario de Almería, also seeks to provide the field of an artificial intelligence layer. With sensors and automatic learning algorithms, the system can predict dates and kilos of harvest before cutting, adjusting irrigation and nutrient supply in real time, and reducing the water and carbon footprint. In addition, the equipment works in passive microclimate systems: low -cost solutions that allow regulating temperature and humidity without spending energy, favoring biological pest control and reducing inputs. The project also supports international research and transfer networks, which seek that these innovations do not stay in laboratories, but arrive as soon as possible to real farms. Although the problems are not going to go. The European garden also drags criticism. Technology can relieve some challenges, but not solve them all. No algorithm can, by itself, reverse the overexploitation of aquifers or the social problems of the Almeria field. On the one hand, academic investigations cited by the British environment They remember that growth has been sustained thanks to the overexploitation of underground aquifers, some in deficit for more than two decades, and that 30,000 tons of plastic waste are generated every year. On the other hand, The newspaper El Salto The other face denounces: migrant workers living in precarious settlements, with low salaries and marathon days. Although Dynamic Aquasave represents a technological leap, but the Almeria model also needs to face its social and environmental side. A challenge beyond energy. Although We have already explained in Xataka As solar panels can be an improvement for crops, the challenge, however, goes beyond engineering. The key will be that the plastic sea not only becomes a sea of ​​solar panels, but an agricultural space that combines innovation with social justice and environmental sustainability. Only then, Almería may go from being a green miracle to become a world agriculture model of the future. Image | Kallerna and Unspash Xataka | How much electricity produces each country from the map with renewable energy, exposed in a graphic

There are turbulence in the world economy and the great Asian millionaires are clear where to put their money: in Bitcoin

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The wallets of the great Asian heritage are changing, and do so at a dizzying pace. Far from the caution of previous years, the richest families in Asia or ‘Family Office‘They are adopting cryptocurrencies Not as an eccentricity, but as a fundamental pillar of its investments. Promoted by a bull market, a generalized adoption and, above all, by New favorable regulationsAsian money flows to digital assets, marking a before and after in the perception of the sector. A moment of Bitcoin as never seen before. This renewed Asian interest coincides with a sweet moment for the market: Bitcoin has spray records this month. So much that has overcome The $ 124,000 barrier. Of ‘try’ to be ‘essential’. Until recently, the strategy of wealthy Asian investors was to allocate a small portion of their wealth to cryptocurrencies, almost like an anecdote of their balances. Today, The mentality has taken a 180 -degree turn. The Director of Investments of Digital Revo Family Office It indicates that last year these families or ‘Family Officers’ began to tote the terrain of cryptocurrencies. But it has not been until now when they wanted to have a token directly. This change translates into an unprecedented demand. Heritage managers claim to receive a growing number of consultations, cryptocurrency exchanges They see their negotiation volumes shoot and the specialized funds in cryptoactive are booming, as reported by Reuters. New funds of crypts that triumph. A clear example is that of Nextgen Digital Venture. Its founder, Jason Huang, launched A new crypto-action background In Singapore at the end of May and success was immediate. He points out that they raised “100 million dollars in just a few months.” And the result has been very good, since this first fund closed 2024 with a 375% profitability in just two years. Points to the following: Our investors – mainly family and entrepreneurs of the Internet/Fintech – recognize the growing role of digital assets in diversified portfolios. A trend that goes to the future. Precisely, the Swiss Investment Bank UBS Corroborate this trend To Reuters, pointing out that some family officers of great Chinese fortunes plan to increase their exposure to cryptocurrencies to reach about 5% of their portfolios. Regulation is the key piece that drives trust. Specifically, two recent laws have been very significant. The first one is the Hong Kong Stablecoins Lawwhich was approved in May 2025 and establishes a complete regulatory framework. It forces any stablcoins issuer referenced to the Hong Kong dollar to obtain a license from the Monetary Authority of Hong Kong and to meet strict requirements, such as a disbursed share capital of at least 3.2 million dollars. Something that has given stability and security to investors. The US law genius act Signed by Donald Trump in June also has part of responsibility. And it is that it establishes license and supervision requirements for the emitters of Stablecoins, which requires that they are 100% backed by liquid reserves such as effective or treasure bonds and reinforces consumer protection. Something that has also given a lot of confidence to the market. More sophisticated strategies and bitcoin as refuge. Investors are no longer limited to buying and waiting for results. Some managers such as Lighthouse Canton point out that the most advanced family officers They have begun to adopt neutral market strategiessuch as the ‘Basis Trade’ and arbitration. All to improve their yields. In addition, in a context of macroeconomic uncertainty, Bitcoin is consolidating as a “portfolio diversifier.” Giselle Lai, associate director of investments in digital assets at Fidelity International, explains that investors use it more and more to cover the risks, given their low correlation with traditional shares and bonds. The numbers do not lie. Hashkey Exhange, one of the license platforms in Hong Kong, has seen how their number of customers has shot 85% year -on -year. The same happens in South Korea, where the three main exchanges have registered a 17% growth in their total negotiation volumes so far from 2025 compared to the same 2024 period according to Reuters. Behind cryptocurrencies there are many stories. Apart from being a big business, over the last months we have seen failures such as Terrausd collapse or its prominence in The next East Wars. But there are also many surprises, such as The revaluation of 80,000 bitcoins at 17,000,000% or the Lord that He lost to his misfortune a hard drive With great economic value in Bitcoins. Images | Traxer Christian Joudrey In Xataka | Another cryptocurrency guru has just fallen in the US: he founded a promising platform and ended up washed 500 million

On his way to become the great resort of Europe, Spain is at the gates of a milestone: 100 million tourists

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There are figures that are more than figures. For some time, the Spanish tourism sector fantasizes with one that says a lot for example about its obsessions, objectives or drift that the industry has followed over the last years: exceed the brand of 100 million foreign visitors annually. In 2024 Spain stayed close, with almost 94 million of foreign travelers, and if things do not twist There are those who believe that this year will grow until the milestone of the three digits will crown. The big question is … What tells us about Spanish tourism? A figure: 100 million. The figures are just that. Figures Sometimes, however, they are loaded with symbolism, as the Spanish tourism sector is checking, it has long immersed in the race for exceed the barrier of the 100 million annual visitors. Last year he stayed close to that round figure, with a balance of 93.8 million of foreign tourists (10.1% more than in 2023), and since then there are many The voices that They have theorized (for and against) on whether the coveted milestone of the three digits will be reached throughout 2025. Is it possible? The million dollar question. At the beginning of summer June observatur I saw it feasible As long as they clarified, the bullish trend is maintained and the market is not shaken by unforeseen events. Others believe that Spain will keep honey on the lips and will not pass from 98 million of tourists or even They slidebased on the INE, which in 2024 was already pulverized by the 100 million mark. A percentage: 4.7%. Vaticinios and elucubrations apart, for now the most reliable track we have to know if Spain will or may not crown the 100 million summit is the statistic of border movements of the INE, which it already brings A ‘photo’ of the first semester of 2025. What does it show us? That there are reasons for optimism. And caution. Between January and June the flow of tourists that visited Spain grew 4.7% to touching 44.5 million, which approximates the country to the annual milestone. Well, right? Yes. And no. That balance hides another less flattering reading. In recent months, the flow of international tourists has clearly slowed down, which shows doubts in turn about the growth rate in the remaining of 2025. Between January and April the influx of international visitors grew between a 3.8% and 10.1%but in May marches until staying in the 1.5% And in June marked 1.9%. Taking into account that in 2024 Spain received 93.8 million tourists, to reach 100 million this year should rise together 6.6%. “The power of banality”. In A column published recently in The country Óscar Perelli of the Master, vice president of Execeltur, took importance to whether the three digits will be crowned this year, the one that comes or the next. “The possibility of reaching in 2025 the 100 million arrivals of international tourists to Spain (not tourists, some visit us several times a year) has raised an exaggerated interest,” warns. “It is the power of round figures and banality.” In his opinion there are other equal or even more relevant parameters, such as domestic demandthe duration of the average stay or the visitor spending. “The important thing is that in 2025 tourism will generate 220,000 million euros in Spain, it will exceed three million jobs, with a daily volume of tourists (Spanish and foreigners) somewhat higher than 7.4 for every hundred residents,” Point out. For now, the Ministry of Industry Calculate that during the first semester the expense of foreign tourists has exceeded 59.6 billion euros. Click on the image to go to Tweet. Beyond the figures. Although it is true that the milestone of 100 million is only that, a milestone, a symbolic brand, actually helps to understand some keys to the tourism sector. The main, saturation. As he is headed towards 100 million visitors or fools with the idea of overcome France and become the busiest destination on the planet (something feasible in 2040, According to Google and Deloitte calculations), Spain dealt with the effects of hypermasification tourist, which has already derived in protests in The streets. Throughout the last months there have been marches in Catalonia, Balearics, Canary Islands either Cantabriabetween Other parts of the countrywhich warn about the effects of massification and cry for a more sustainable economic model. Among other reasons for The impact that has had on the housing market the proliferation of tourist floors, which has even led to local, autonomic and state administrations has moved token for brake to your offer. Going down to detail. The career of the 100 million annual visitors also hides another reality that has marked the tourist drift of the country. As The flights And the accommodation was increasing until reaching record levelsSpain has become more a destination For foreigners than for premises. The reason is very simple: often the latter are already equal or even more profitable travel abroad than to the Canary Islands or Balearic Islands. Prices They have climbed so much that there are even British changing The Spanish coast for Morocco. What do the data say? The INE provides some data that help to better understand that reality. His Frontur statisticson tourist movements at the borders, it shows that in 2024 Spain received 93.8 international tourists10.1% more than the previous year. The growth was led by the British, French and Germans and the most demanded destinations were Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. If we talk about the flow of Spanish tourists the photo is quite different. The Family Statistics that measures the trips made by the population resident in the country reflects that in 2024 the Spaniards we made 184.4 million trips, 0.8% less than the previous year. This setback hides however an even more interesting reading: when we plan our vacations, the Spaniards look more at a time with more interest the destinations located outside our borders. “Internal destination (trips) decreased 2.3% while those … Read more

The great Spanish rail giant had in his hands “the contract of the century.” Until France appeared

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It has been called “the contract of the century.” And it has not been for anything. CAF, the great Spanish rail giant, should be the winner of a huge contract to nurture the Belgian SNCB of trains that circulate on the conventional roads of the country. That is, by “the Belgian Renfe.” A contract that could reach 3,400 million euros. A contract that, now, is in the air after the claims of the French Alstom. “The contract of the century”. This has been called the pre -agreement between the Belgian SNCB and the Spanish CAF, confirmed only a few weeks ago by both companies In a statement in which the following was read: The Board of Directors of NMBS (SNCB-National Society of the Belgian Railways), taking into consideration the resolution of the State Council, has confirmed in this day CAF as preferred bidder of the contract for the development, manufacture and supply of the AM30 trains. In this way, the approval is given to continue the purchase process with the selected company, with the objective of closing the final adjudication of said Framework Agreement. This is a framework agreement with a maximum scope of units for 170,000 places, with an initial base commitment of 1,695 million euros (units for 54,000 places) in case of finally closing the agreement. French resource. This pre -agreement that includes a first operation of almost 1.7 billion euros and that could be folded in the future with the delivery of more trains for renew up to 50% of the fleet From the Belgian transport company, it has been appealed by Alstom, a French company that had also appeared to the contest. Guipuzkoa news He explains that the French company has launched the appeal to try to stop the contract, with the objective that this famous “contract of the century” falls on them, understanding that its offer was better than the Spanish proposal. What do they defend? In the Basque newspaper it is pointed out that Alstom defends its best position because the offer was 107 million euros cheaper than the Spanish proposal and that, in addition, they assured that Belgian labor would be used, which should be an argument of weight when it comes to being the chosen ones. Alstom expected their witch and charlei plants that employ 1,500 people to be decisive when obtaining the contract, they explain in Expansion. The situation is not new. Last April, the Belgium Council suspended the award and forced CNCB to return to the process, noting that the contract had not been awarded with total transparency. Human Rights. After that first closed door, CNCB once again chosen CAF as an ideal company to deliver the trains with which the Belgian fleet will be renewed. In their new report they pointed out that “European regulation prevents considering local presence factors in public procurement,” they explain in Expansion. But, in addition, in the review of the process, the Belgian court asked CAF to demonstrate that its activities meet “With international law and human rights”. Because? Because CAF works on a light subway line in Jerusalem that extends to Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. Yes indeed, In the Basque newspaper They emphasize that the Belgian Mobility and Climate Minister came to remove iron from this matter, highlighting that the country itself maintains diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. A thorny matter. The participation of CAF in the Light Metro of Jerusalem has raised Polvareda and is a stone more than the company has been found when receiving the so -called “contract of the century.” Amnesty International and Other associations In defense of the Palestinian people they demand that CAF leave the Israeli project. The minister on his side. For now, what has been defended by CNCB (and even Belgian minister himself) is that Not only should you look at the initial cost of the project. According to its reports, the Spanish proposal will mean savings with the passage of time to Belgian accounts since CAF trains consume less energy than those of Alstom. Specifically, it is ensured that the Spanish rolling material improves by 4% the technical criteria of the French company, taking into account the sale price of them but also the consumption of the trains provided, the conditions of the purchase contract and the calendar of deliveries to which CAF is compromised. Photo | CAF In Xataka | “Whoever wants to come, to invest”: Ouigo wanted to enter the Madrid-Galicia bird but it already sees it impossible before 2030

Adif has in his hands the great “obrón” of Valencia. Now it also has a gas leak and desperate neighbors

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With two years behind him and others three years projected aheadValencia is living one of his great works in the surroundings of its central parc, next to the Joaquín Sorolla station to convert the most important mobility node in the city. It is, in words that They are read on the project website“The project of greatest urban impact in the city.” The reforms are large and very draft. Form summarya New high -speed rail access To connect Madrid-Valencia with the Mediterranean corridor, both north and south of the city. The conventional and high -speed rail lines are buried (up to 9 kilometers of tunnels are created) and will result in a new central station that maintains the exterior facade but that changes completely inside, becoming a large intermodal step of high -speed trains, conventional lines, subway and bus. There will also be space to reform the lines dedicated to merchandise transport. In numbers, Valencia hopes to recover with the work a total of 230,000 square meters, largely dedicated to green areas and to join the adjoining neighborhoods, now separated by the train tracks. It is estimated that only the rail transformation will cost 665 million eurosassuming Adif and Renfe more than 50% of the cost of it. The work is currently in one of its phases with more activity. The known as “Playa de Roads”, the enormous space used by trains that reach the station and that right now is the great border that separates both sides from the work, will begin to be buried from the excavation of a tunnel of 1.2 kilometers long. This new stage, however, has arrived with an unpleasant surprise. A gas leak and various problems Two years after the works began, the neighbors are beginning to suffer the consequences of them. Beyond the usual inconveniences of this type of projects, the alarm jumped when the Excavations Adif caused a gas leak located on Olta Street, perpendicular to the García Lorca boulevard. The leak has been “controlled” and has been because during the excavations a gas pipe has been damaged to the point that has been drilled. Adif sources have explained to the newspaper Levant that there has been no risk for people and that the emergency protocol has been activated, with immediate notice to firefighters, police and emergencies. During the day of the incident He has worked to restore the service and forced to confine a community of neighbors adjacent to the works for security. However, the gas leak is “the drop that has filled the glass”, in the words of the neighbors who They have offered their testimonies to the local newspaper. They ensure that in addition to the transfer of vehicles and the impossibility of opening sales because “the land house” is filled with activities, the inconvenience is being recurring. Those affected that the cuts of light and water are usual but that, in addition, some homes have crazy. The latter is a serious problem and Valencian works are not the first that cause cracking problems in homes as a result of excavations. In Madrid, for example, the residents of the A-5 They know the cuts of light and water well as a consequence of the underground of the road but in San Fernando de Henares, next to the capital, The neighbors have denounced years ago That the expansion works of the Metro line are cracking their homes. To the point that 73 homes have been demolished and another 600 have presented cracks and serious structural problems. Photo | Valencia Central Park In Xataka | Madrid faces a capital challenge with the underground of the A-5: living with a hell in the face of the promise of future success

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