Islands

Mexico has decided that bullfights are without blood. Spain already tried it in the Balearic Islands and did not go well

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In 2022 there were A first conato. In Mexico, a nation whose strong tradition to bullfights is equated with Spain, “the holidays” were prohibited. However, the Supreme Court revoked the suspension and returned. Solution? In an unprecedented event in La Nación, Mexico City has decided that there will be no blood in the runs. In Spain similar initiatives have been carried out, although with discouraging results. End to deaths. As we said, in a historical decision, the Congress of Mexico City approved by an overwhelming majority of 61 votes to 1 the prohibition of traditional bullfights, eliminating the possibility of hurting or killing To bulls during these events. The legislation, promoted by legislator Xóchitl Bravo Espinosa and backed by the Head of Government Claudia Sheinbaumwill allow the realization of runs without violence or blood, in which they will only be used CAPOTES AND WITHOUT STAQUES No flags. The prohibition marks a milestone in the city with the largest bullring on the planet, The Plaza Méxicowith capacity for 42,000 spectators and epicenter of a tradition with almost 500 years of history in the country. Of course, the bullfighting sector has reacted with indignation, announcing legal challenges and protests against the measure. An intermediate measure. Unlike a total prohibition, the reform will allow a version of bullfighting in which bullfighters can only use the cape and the red crutch, with a maximum duration of 15 minutes per bull and a limit of six bulls per event. According to Bravo Espinosa, this measure seeks balance animal welfare With the economic protection of those who depend on the industry, such as sellers, bull breeders and employees of the squares. The problem? That the defenders of bullfighting consider that the new regulation completely distorts the essence of tradition. The Plaza México described the reform as “A clear threat to one of the most entrenched cultural traditions in the country”, while bullfighting groups have declared that they will legally fight to reverse the prohibition. Context of a battle. The truth is that the prohibition in Mexico City is the most recent chapter of a battle that has been gaining ground in different parts of the country. Since 2013, Five of the 31 states of Mexico They have banned bullfights, reflecting the growing rejection of bullfighting. As We explainin 2022 a federal judge He suspended the runs in the capital after a demand from a group of human rights. However, the Supreme Court He revoked the suspension and allowed him Return of events In January 2024. Now, with the new legislation, traditional runs are officially eliminated in Mexico City, although bullfighting industry continues to seek legal mechanisms to challenge the measure. A cultural shock. The debate on bullfight has transcended the legal scope and has become A symbol of tension between respect for traditions and the evolution of social values ​​around Animal rights. While the defenders argue that bullfighting generates tens of thousands of jobs and that the number of bulls sacrificed is insignificant compared to livestock in general, opponents have denounced the brutality of the show. According to data from the Congress of Mexico City, in 2019 there were 168 bulls sacrificed in Plaza México, which activists consider a sample of unnecessary suffering inflicted on animals. The group Animal heroeswhich for six years leads the Mexico campaign without bullfights, celebrated the reform, but warned that they will continue to fight for the total abolition of bullfighting in the country. For his part, Salvador Arias, a Mexican bullfighting lawyer, said that a similar model already had failed in Spain In the Balearic Islands, where the lack of interest led to its disappearance and, shortly after, to its revocation by the Spanish courts. The case of Balearic Islands. What happened in Spain dates back to 2017, when the Balearic Parliament approved a law that prohibited the death and suffering of bulls in runs, establishing what was called “Cumshots without blood”. This regulation required that the bulls were not subjected to physical damage and that the runs would be limited to 10 minutes per animal, without the possibility of using flags, estas or swords. The measure was held by the defenders of animal rights, but caused The rejection of the bullfighting sector and led to an intense debate about the viability of the show without its traditional component. The sentence. In December 2018, the Constitutional Court of Spain annulled the lawarguing that he invaded state powers on cultural heritage, since bullfighting had been declared in 2013 as part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage. With that decision, the traditional runs with death of the bull again in the Balearic Islands in 2019, although with additional restrictions imposed by the regional regulations, such as the prohibition of the entry of minors to the Celebrations. The Judgment of the Constitutional Court It was a setback for the anti -urine movement in Spain and evidenced the legal difficulties to prohibit bullfighting at the autonomous level without a major legislative reform. Extinction or transformation. Thus, the Government of Mexico City will have a period of seven months To issue the final regulation on runs without violence, including the participation of all parties involved. Mayor Clara Brugada He celebrated the decision and described it as a great advance in animal protection. Although the prohibition has already been approved, the future of bullfighting in Mexico remains in dispute. Bullfighting and fans have warned that they will continue to fight in court to reverse the measure, while activists continue to press for Total eradication of runs in the country. What seems clear is that the resolution in the Mexican capital could be the trigger for other states to follow the same path, marking an irreversible change in a tradition that has defined the cultural identity of the country for centuries. That without having the great unknown: knowing if the public will accept this new form of bullfighting without blood or if, as in Spain, the option does not work out. Image | Christian Ramiro, Jorge … Read more

Drought and mass tourism have aggravated the shortage of water in the Balearic Islands. Now it is going to entrust the desaliners

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Throughout the month of March Let’s have a storm characterized by many rains. However, when this temporary pass will come the good weather and return The drought again. Given this situation, the Balearic Islands, one of the communities most affected by water scarcityThey are looking to get ahead. The projects. The seafore and water cycle. has announced The construction of three desalination plants in Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The installation will have an initial budget of 3.5 million euros and are expected to be operational within five years, supplying more than 60,000 inhabitants. A serious problem. Currently, reservoirs on the islands are 51% of its capacity, showing the water problem despite the recent rains. For that reason, from the Ministry They have pointed out That these new desalination makers are to guarantee the medium and long term water supply, regardless of the weather conditions. However, this is not all, because there are other concerns, such as overexploitation of aquifers that It has generated problems With the introduction of salts. In addition, the archipelago receives a large amount of tourism every summer, which triggers demand and Test The supply capacity. Future desalination. The Balearic Government has planned the construction of desalists financed through the STI 24-25 call, with the aim of improving the water supply in the region. In Mallorca, the Rostent area will be prioritized, especially the strip between Ses Salines and Artà, as well as the municipalities of the PLA. In Menorca and Ibiza, areas with the highest water deficit will be served. The project will take place in several phases with the construction in 2027 and the commissioning of the facilities in 2030. But they already have others … that’s how, in the Balearic Islands There are desalination plants They help meet the growing demand for water. Currently, ABAQUA manages a supply and desalination infrastructure network that includes several plants, such as Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. To give an example, the three existing desalination plants in Ibiza operate at 75 % of their capacity throughout the year, and They reach 110 % peaks In more than five months, which shows the overload of the supply system. Inconveniences. Although desalination plants have become an alternative for water use, they have a series of problem. On the one hand, they need high energy consumption, so would imply an increase in the price of water In the long term. On the other hand, these facilities They can have brinea residue with high salt concentration that can damage marine ecosystems. So the Balearic Islands will have to continue trusting technologies such as desalination plants, which despite the aforementioned problems, offer a response to the growing demand for water. However, they can bet on the implementation of long -term measures such as Wastewater reuse or Other methods within desalination. Image | Pexels Xataka | Barcelona is about to live something unpublished for 50 months and that until recently we thought it impossible: the end of drought

There is a potentially habitable planet only 59 light years from Earth. The IAC has just discovered it from the Canary Islands

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Spain has a lot to say in the search for potentially habitable explanets. On this occasion, an international team led by researchers from the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) has discovered a planet in the habitable zone of its star, just 59 light years from Earth. The finding. The newly discovered planet is called GJ 3998 d. It is a superstierra, which means that it is significantly larger than our planet, in this case with a mass six times greater than land. The important thing about GJ 3998 d is that orbits its star Within the “habitable zone”which means that it could have liquid water on its surface, whenever it is a rocky planet like ours. The habitable area. This new exoplanet orbit the GJ 3998which is a red dwarf. This type of star is much smaller and colder than the sun, so the habitable zone is at a lesser distance. GJ 3998 D completes an orbit around its star in approximately 42 days, a sixth part of what lasts a land year. Despite the proximity to the red dwarf, it only receives 20 % more radiation than the earth, which makes it a candidate to house the necessary conditions for life. Neighbors. Another point in favor of this new extrasolar planet is that it is relatively close to us, 59 light years away, which makes it a perfect candidate for more detailed studies in the future. Scientists plan to investigate whether GJ 3998 D has atmosphere and if there are signs of oxygen, which would be a strong indicator of the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. But for this they will have to wait for the future spectrograph Andes of the Extremely large telescope (Elt) of that, who will be able to analyze the composition of his atmosphere. Or to the telescope Exo Life Finder (ELF), currently in development by the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands. A red dwarf galaxy. Red dwarfs are particularly interesting because they are very common in our galaxy. They constitute almost three quarters of all known stars. In addition, its low mass facilitates the detection of planets that orbit around it. GJ 3998 has three known planets: GJ 3998 B, GJ 3998 Cy the newly discovered GJ 3998 d. This discovery was possible thanks to the Hades project, an international initiative that uses the Nazionale Galileo telescope (TNG) at the Rocque de los Muchachos Observatory, in La Palma, to look for planets around small and near stars. Image | Gabriel Pérez Díaz (SMM, IAC) In Xataka | The Webb Telescope has observed a planet so extreme that the clouds are rock and in the cold night 600 ºC ago

In 1972 the US returned to Japan the islands that China claims since 1895. A buoy recalled that the conflict is not over

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Year 2018. A buoy appears in the exclusive economic zone of Japan in the Eastern China Sea. The Boya, strategically installed, is near the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku in Japan), and carries the Chinese “flag”. Since then, the buoys have been multiplying in a clear message to the past. The islands, according to China, They have belonged for centuries. The historical context. The tensions between China and Japan by the Diaoyu Islands (called Senkaku in the Japanese nation) They date back to the nineteenth centurywhen Japan attached them in 1895 after the First Sin-Japanese War. Later, at the end of World War II, The United States administered the islands until 1972, when it returned them to Japanwhich It generated protests from China and Taiwanthat claim them based on historical records dating from the Ming dynasty. Not just that. The dispute intensified in 2012 when Japan nationalized some of the islands, causing strong reactions in China, manifestations and deterioration in bilateral relations. Over the years, military presence and maritime patrols in the area have been increasing, with frequent incidents between Chinese and Japanese ships, which maintains the dispute as a voltage focus on East Asia. The case of the Boya (s) has raised tensions. A diplomatic gesture in a context with tensions. Last Monday, China withdrew one of the buoys that had placed in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Japan Near the disputed Senkaku Islands, a movement that seemed to be able to pave the path for the summit among the leaders of both countries this year. The Japan Coast Guard confirmed that the Boya, installed in July 2023 within the Japanese EEZ in the Eastern China Sea, It was withdrawn and is now in a new location outside the Japanese jurisdiction. As we said, The installation of buoys in waters close to the Senkaku is part of a Chinese strategy to reaffirm his territorial claim on the islands, known in the nation as Diaoyu. Tokyo has repeatedly protested against these actionsdemanding the withdrawal of the devices. What does China say. China’s Ministry of Foreign Relations assured that The buoy had “completed its task on the site”suggesting that his retirement was voluntary and for technical purposes. Beijing argues that these devices They only have hydrometeorological endsand that serve to monitor ocean currents and climate, although analysts warn that the information collected, such as water temperature, could have military applications. Impact on relationships. The withdrawal of this last buoy is produced in A context of diplomatic approach between China and Japan. In December, the visit of the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Takeshi Iwayaya, to Beijing resulted Treated waters of the Fukushima nuclear plant. In fact, these gestures are those that have promoted the possibility of a summit between Japanese prime minister, Shigeru Ihiba, and President Xi Jinping, a summit that could be done in May. One of the buoys placed by China And after the retreat of the buoy, more tension. However, the situation in the Eastern China Sea is far from finishing: in the same 2023, ships of the Chinese coast guard were sighted near the Senkaku for 353 days, a historical record. In addition, a few hours ago the Japanese coast guard reported that Four Chinese government boats briefly ventured into Japanese territorial waters. According to Chinese authorities, these operations seek to protect China’s rights and interests in the area in accordance with the law. There are more. In December 2023, Japan detected a new buoy near Yonaguni Islandin the southwest of its territory, and demanded its withdrawal. Beijing has always rejected demand, insisting that its use is strictly meteorological. The chief secretary of the Japanese Cabinet, Yoshimasa Hayashi, has avoided specular about the reasons behind the retreat of the buoy in the Senkaku, but reaffirmed that Japan will continue to demand the elimination of the one located in Yonaguni. Distance Japan from USA. Boya’s retreat could be interpreted as an effort from China to improve its ties with Tokyo and at the same time weakens the alliance between Japan and the United States. No doubt, the growing rivalry between Beijing and Washington has intensified after the victory of Donald Trump in the presidential elections, which has led China to search New diplomatic strategies in the region. Meanwhile, in Washington, Ishiba and Donald Trump held their first meeting last Fridaywhere they reaffirmed their commitment to deal with “Chinese aggression” in the southern and east seas of China. In a joint statement, both leaders They defended the stability in the Taiwan Strait and supported Taiwan’s participation In international organizations. China reacted with indignation, qualifying these statements as an open interference in their internal affairsand presented diplomatic protests against the United States and Japan. So? In this “Take and Daca” between the two nations, where there is a step forward and then retreat, the distancing seems to be maintained. Although the withdrawal of the buoy near the Senkaku could be interpreted as a gesture of approach between Beijing and Tokyo, the reality in the Eastern China Sea remains marked by the territorial dispute. The constant presence of Chinese ships in the area and The refusal to remove the buoy in Yonaguni They do not leave many doubts, and suggest that China is still committed to strengthening its control over these strategic waters. Image | Al Jazeera, GNOLIZXChinese Academy of Science In Xataka | South Korea has found a great structure in the waters that is disputed with China. It is the second time, and Beijing does not deny it In Xataka | If China is shown again in front of Taiwan in the next two years a surprise will be found: the US Army

The Japan islands closest to Taiwan have begun to evacuate the area. They have been preparing for the worst for two years

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For decades, Ishigaki It was a back of peace where the greatest concern of its inhabitants was to protect their climate crops and pests. However, for a while to this part The growing tension between China and Taiwan (and United States)has turned the small Japanese island, located only 300 km from Taiwan, into a potential conflict point. Like Ishigaki, to rest of Sakishima Islandsfrom Okinawa’s prefecture, the same thing happens to them, and they are preparing for the worst. The case of Ishigaki. A few years ago, the island has already “armed.” The installation of anti -mushroom missiles and anti -aircraft in the enclavepart of an ambitious military modernization plan in Japan, sought to strengthen the defense of the country, but it could also make Ishigaki a target in case of a confrontation in the region. Farmers like Tetsuhiro Kinjowhose greenhouse is now in the line of fire, They related to New York Times if they can continue living in peace or if the paradise that they have built will disappear under the crossfire of the powers. Of the economic opportunity to the military threat. Japan has long been to see China as an opportunity for economic growth To consider it a direct threat to your safety. For years, the relationship between the two countries It was marked by territorial disputescommercial tensions and the memory of World War II, but always with a political position that avoided confrontations. However, the hardening of Beijing’s control over Hong Kong and Xinjiang, their growing dominance in global supply chains and their aggressive movements in the Eastern China Sea They have generated a change in Japanese perception. The Taiwan inclusion in Japan’s White Bile for the first time reflected Tokyo’s growing concern on the future of the island and its impact on regional stability. The dilemma In the background, the Possibility of a conflict in Taiwan It generates a strategic dilemma for Japan. Some analysts fear that a war in the region not only will bring direct clashes, but serve as pretext for China to try to seize the disputed senkaku isletswhich manages Japan but Beijing claims as his. This concern has given a new impulse to the political sectors that seek to review the Pacifist Constitution of Japan, a historically controversial issue, although increasingly backed in the current context. Not just that. The passage of time does not seem to appease tension Between Taiwan and China, but quite the oppositeso Japan has decided to prepare its closest islands to an eventual geopolitical conflict of major words. Evacuation plans. Before the growing possibility of that crisis In Taiwan, The Japanese government has been designing evacuation plans since 2023 For approximately 120,000 residents of the Sakishima Islands chain, in Okinawa prefecture. The strategy seeks Move the population to the Kyushu region and Yamaguchi prefecturealthough it faces serious logistics challenges, from the availability of transport to the preparation of adequate infrastructure to receive the evacuees. Planning has accelerated as China shows a more aggressive position In the Eastern China Sea and the South China Sea, increasing concerns about a possible invasion of Taiwan and its repercussions in Japan. Logistic challenges No doubt, the Japanese government has identified multiple obstacles for mass evacuation in case of conflict. The plans include The authorization of airports and ports in Fukuoka and Kagoshima as a key exit pointsalthough the estimated time to complete the evacuation of the entire population would be at least six days, a figure that experts consider optimistic and difficult to meet in an emergency scenario. In addition, the lack of adequate infrastructure in local ports and airports, such as the need for clues of at least 3,000 meters and greater depth in the docks to receive large ships, has been pointed out as a critical problem. Maybe for all this, Maritime transport is contemplated as an essential alternativeespecially for those who cannot fly for medical reasons (plus: adverse weather conditions could complicate their viability). In parallel, A plan has begun to improve the capacity of shelters on the mainlandincluding the construction of underground facilities to provide temporary refuge for approximately two weeks in case of attack with ballistic missiles. Drills and tests. As we said, since 2023, the Nation has carried out simulation exercises to evaluate the viability of evacuation and improve coordination between local and national authorities. In March 2024 and This same week of 2025 exercises have been carried out of mapping under the Civil Protection Law, recreating an imminent attack scenario with part of the population participating in the drill. In addition, at the end of 2024 the authorities tested A model case in which 1,000 residents of Tarama Island were evacuated to refuge facilities in the prefecture of Kumamoto. Tests, in short, that have allowed identifying failures in coordination and the availability of resources, which has led to the review of the protocols. In this regard, one of the most urgent problems is the supply of food and supplies for a displaced population of that magnitude, a challenge that will require exceptional logistics to guarantee the efficient distribution of resources. Security evacuating. One of the biggest risks identified in these plans is The vulnerability of evacuation transport to possible attacks. In this regard, a government official has warned that The airplanes and ships that move to the civilian population could become military objectiveswhich would make an essential significant reinforcement of Japan’s air and naval defense. In addition, this has revived The debate on the strengthening of the country’s defensive capabilitiesparticularly in a context where Japan has increased its defense budget and has reinforced its military cooperation with the United States and other allies. An uncertain scenario. Thus, the growing approach to Japan in mass evacuations planning reflects a change in their security perception, going from a deterrence to deterrence to a most active preparation against possible military contingencies. While tensions in the Taiwan Strait continue to climb, the nation is in a career against time to ensure that its population is … Read more

In the Canary Islands accessing a home is an impossible mission. So an NGO is buying and renting for 300 euros per month

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In mid -October, just after thousands of people They went out to the street in Madrid to claim more affordable rentals and threatened with a ‘Tenant strike’the Housing Minister recognized that Spain is going through an “emergency situation” in residential matters. It is not easy Buy a house. Neither rent it. Especially where the markets are more tension for demand, case of Barcelona, Madrid or the Canary Islands, where The added pressure of mass tourism already forces some workers to Live in motorhomes. With that backdrop in the Canary Islands an experience has emerged that reveals to what extent the housing has become a first level challenge In Spain: an NGO has decided to provide houses for rent at affordable prices. An NGO that manages houses? Correct. The news He advanced a few days ago to be the palms. In full Rent climbing and with the house turned into one of the problems that most removes the dream of the Spaniards According to CIS pollsin the Canary Islands a non -profit organization (Provivienda) seeks to put it a little easier for families who want to rent a house. As? The SER chain Precise that through the acquisition of houses in the free market that then leases vulnerable tenants in exchange for a price much lower than the market, about 340 euros per month. The agreement has a series of conditions For example, beneficiaries commit themselves to rent seven years and contracts can extend for several decades. Click on the image to go to Tweet. “Pioneer at the state level”. Fernando Rodríguez, manager of Provivienda, He claimed that his initiative is “pioneer” at “state level” and defended his benefits. “Until now the promotion of public housing was in the hands of the administration and secondly of the promoters. Here we have opened a third way, the third sector as a provider of social public housing,” assures. In 2024 se They leased 40 houses Already ends of this year Rodríguez hopes to have a park of almost A hundred of houses to offer them in exchange for social income. This expects to alleviate one of the “structural problems” that, in its opinion, suffers from the Canarian market: the shortage of affordable rentals. Floors for 340 euros. “We have already started with the rent of the first homes and the average income is around 340 euros per month,” assures The head of Provivienda. Leased apartments are reinforced and ended up by people registered in the Registration of plaintiffs of Public Housing of the Canary Islands, which basically pay their rent and invoices. Community expenses, the Real Estate Tax (IBI), the garbage fee or insurance is assumed by the lessor. Regarding income prices and why this average of 340 euros per month has decided, Rodríguez Clarify That the rentals are limited to five euros the m2 and the houses are around 65 and 70 m2. Adding efforts (and investment). The NGO is not the only one that takes chest. In May 2023 the Canary Islands Government announced The investment of 6.2 million euros for the purchase of 76 homes that would be allocated to the “affordable rent for vulnerable families” by the hand of Provivienda. “An agreement has been signed with the Association for the Purchase of Housing in municipalities tension for the price of rents,” explained The office of Sebastián Franquis. The statement issued in 2023 by the Ministry, it helps to better understand the housing program and how the apartments that are then rented to vulnerable persons are acquired with the help of Provivienda. The 10.2 million that cost to get those 76 houses, for example, were paid to 60% with public funds and 40% with resources contributed by the organization itself. Families excluded from the market. The organization also selects the properties following several criteria. In the case of the 76 announced in 2023, for example, the houses They were distributed For Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Telde, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Arona and Los Llanos de Aridane. “Financed homes may only be leased or assigned to persons whose annual income, including those of all people who constitute the coexistence unit, do not exceed three times the IPREM (20,844 euros per year) at the time of subscription of the corresponding contract of lease or assignment “, The island government added. The objective: that can benefit from the “Vulnerable Families who cannot access a free market house” program. What is Provivienda? In 2023 the Canarian Executive I presented it As a non -governmental organization constituted as a non -profit association dedicated to “promote housing and social housing programs”, especially for those who have more problems when accessing a floor. According to regional government calculations, by Enton, more than 25,000 homes for rent only in the Canary Islands. Last year the government He announced again A collaboration agreement with the Association to “consolidate” the ‘Vacía Housing’ program. The entity too Help immigrants to seek residence and has reached agreements with Other public bodies Out of the islands, like the Xunta de Galicia. The backdrop. As a backdrop is the difficult residential panorama that is lived in much of the country, including the archipelago, where already They have registered protests for the effects of Tourist. Idealista data show that the price of M2 for rent in Santa Cruz de Tenerife has been more expensive 13.5% in a year until touching the 14 euros. In Las Palmas that figure is exceeded after A 8.4% rise. Both far exceed € 5/m2 of the social program. This housekeeping housing has made access to the archipelago, a reality already verified by different organisms. He XIV Report The state of povertypresented last autumn in the Canarian Parliament, it reflects for example the percentage decrease in people residing in houses in their property in just a few years or how housing is already in a vulnerability factor. Images | Vidar Nordlii-Mathisen (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | If you have an empty house, pay twice the … Read more

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