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The competition in the AVE has killed its bus line

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Something is moving on the Spanish bus map. That something is the government’s intentions to reform the concessions that make up current photography. On the way there has been talk of reforming the entire system but also how many concessions already where they should be delivered. And that directly attacks very specific lines. In coma. Among all the concessions that Spain has awarded for bus service, The Madrid-Valencia line is one of those that agonizes. In fact, nobody wants to get that concession because with the high -speed line next to him does not come out profitable. After the concession, Alsa (the company that was exploiting this line) resigned to continue with it given its null profitability. Then a contest was convened to exploit a line that crosses all the Spanish width, from Badajoz to Valencia, passing through Madrid. That contest was completely deserted. Concessions? Yes, concessions. Bus lines In Spain they compete for concessions that are then exploited exclusively. These concessions last for years and, obviously, the company has to face the possible changes in the flows of movements that can occur between its passengers. In the system, therefore, it is competed before putting the buses on the road. A line is taken to competition and awarded the best bidder. In high railway speed, companies that demonstrate that they can technically operate on the road come to compete directly. On buses, that does not happen because the chosen company has exclusivity for a certain time. A deep change. What the government raises is that Spain needs a deep change in the concession system. In recent years, the market has been completely opened and that it is the companies that rival on the road at a price. However, the final intention is to take out a great contest maintaining the current concession system. Of course, given the large number of lines whose competitions are empty or companies that do not want to maintain their concessions, from the government advocate drastically reducing the number of runners. The intention is to pass Of the current 77 concessions to a total of 22. From the government they point out that this decision goes through the difficulty of placing these concessions but also because the way of moving of the Spaniards has changed in recent years. The cities have atomized (even more) the exits and arrivals but, in addition, the high -speed train and the competition have completely transformed the panorama. It is not competitive. What happens? When high speed has affordable prices, the bus is not competitive. In the Galician corridor The train has managed to eliminate travelerseven to the plane that is faster. In the case of the bus, the situation is even more complicated because, in addition, it is slower and uncomfortable. That leaves lines like that Badajoz-Madrid-Valencia without interested companies. With such a low volume of customers and a faster and more cheap alternative, prices have to be much more expensive to compensate. It is obviously the worst option. Whenever you travel to Badajoz, Madrid, Valencia or any of the stops where the train stops. What about us? All this directly impacts the paths of those who do not live in those cities or larger populations where there is a high -speed rail stop. The bus is in charge of generating a capillary network of paths among small populations where the only alternative is private transport. This is what they defend from Travel more by busan association that defends a competitive alternative so that this means of transport can survive. They bet on a complete liberalization in these lines that have to fight with high -speed lines. They point out that with the rates raised, The bus trip between Madrid and Valencia would entail an expense of between 40 and 50 euros for the client and a duration of more than four hours. With Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo fighting on the train, it is possible to make that same trip in the middle of time in half of the money. According to the CNMCthe average price of traveling with these companies in a Madrid-Valencia is 27.46 euros. What solution is there? According to this platform in defense of these less profitable bus lines, open them to direct competition. They point out that with the current layout, it is contemplated that the rates for operating will be recalculated with inflation and that, therefore, in 2035 the average price of the ticket will return to around 50 euros despite the fact that at the time of the new award a price of about 40 euros is established. In the other side of the currency we find associations like Confebus They point out that these concessions allow companies to better study the market and their profitability but, they defend, the traveler is protected because once the service has been awarded, the company has not to leave the line overnight. Photo | Artem Makarov and Xataka In Xataka | This Barcelona bus has been working with a fuel that we all produce: our excrements

How 19 Russian drones returned Europe to a red line that has not crossed since 1945: activate article 5

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In one unprecedented nightbetween 11 and 19 Russian drones they violated the Polish airspace, many from Belarus, between 23:30 and 6:30, coinciding with new offensives against Ukraine. Several devices were shot down by fighters F-16 Poles and Dutch F-35while others fell into a Polish territory, one came to hit a home. What happened next is an escalation of tensions in the old very dangerous continent. Against Poland and the rest of Europe. Shortly after It was known that remains of at least seven drones and a projectile still without identifying were recovered. The authorities revealed many of them as gerbera drones, a simplified Russian variant The Shahed-136 Iranian, whose 600 km range Leave doubts about your launch point. The remains They appeared in areas near the eastern border and also in regions to the north and west, which forced the Temporary closure of four airports, including Warsaw. The military response. Poland activated its defenses Aeros and deployed airplanes, helicopters and an early alert system SAAB 340 Erieye To follow the drones. Together with Dutch participation, an Italian early alert plane joined, A MRTT cistern of NATO and Patriot batteries German on alert, although without shooting. It was primera time in history that alliance airplanes opened fire in their own airspace against a hostile target. Remains of a Amraam missile They suggest that modern air-air-air weapons were used, although it is not clear whether by F-16 or F-35. Warsaw and the alliance. Prime Minister Donald Tusk described violations as an act of aggression that increases the risk of a great war in Europe “at the highest level since 1945”. The Polish government summoned the Russian Business Manager, although Moscow He denied responsibilities and said he did not intend to attack Poland. Warsaw invoked article 4 of the Atlantic Treaty, which opens consultations among the 32 allies when the integrity or security of a member is threatened. It was the eighth time which has been activated since 1949. NATO, however, confirmed that there will be no immediate changes in its military position. International reactions. The episode caused immediate condemnations In Europe and the United States. Democratic and Republican legislators spoke of a “fire test” of Putin, with some qualifying the attack of “act of war” and claiming hard sanctions. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the drones were clearly directed to Poland and did not deviate by error. Many analysts consider that the action could be A Moscow essay to study the NATO reaction and reinforce its hybrid war strategy in Europe. Meanwhile, Tusk revealed which has received concrete support proposals to reinforce the Polish air defense, which already has an ambitious modernization and alert systems such as low -level surveillance hot spurs. The scope of article 4. He Article 4 establishes that allies must meet for consultations whenever one of them perceives that their territorial integrity, political independence or security They are threatened. This It does not imply An automatic defense commitment, but opens the door to deliberations in the North Atlantic Council that can lead to joint decisions, preventive measures or support deployments. Since 1949 it has been invoked On seven occasionsthe most recent in 2022, when several countries in Eastern Europe asked for consultations after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Even without formal invocation, already in November 2022 NATO celebrated an emergency meeting after a missile fell in Poland causing two deadgenerating fear of a contagion of the conflict. Article 5: The cornerstone. Beyond the consultations, the core of the treaty is the Article 5that consecrates collective defense: An armed attack against one or several members in Europe or North America is considered an attack against all. The answer is not automatic or uniform, but each State agrees in consultation what measures to adopt “including the use of the armed force” to restore the security of the Atlantic area. The text relies on the right of self -defense Recognized by the UN letter and leave each ally the decision of how far you get. That we know, in the whole history of NATO only has invoked once: After the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, which led to allied participation in the Afghanistan war. The risks in Ukraine. This is probably the key until now, since since Ukraine is not part of the alliance, the Russian invasion did not activate article 5although numerous members have contributed weapons, training and intelligence to kyiv. The danger arises that deliberate attacks or calculation errors (such as aerial incursions, accidental bombings or lost missiles) impact the territory of border countries such as Poland, Romania or the Baltic. In that case, NATO would have to decide if you consider the Cas an armed attack and respond accordingly, with the risk of extending war throughout Europe. Flexibility and dilemma. Article 5 It does not force to an immediate or uniform response. In fact, its flexible writing allows consultations without a defined term and gives each member margin to calibrate their level of involvement. That elasticity gives it political strength as deterrence, but also generates uncertainty: Its effectiveness depends on the unity and will of the allies. In the current context, with Russia intensifying hybrid operations and provocations on the eastern border, the border between “accidental” incidents and deliberate aggressions are It becomes more diffuseincreasing the probability that NATO must face the difficult decision to activate or not its collective defense clause. A risk scenario. In summary, although no victims have registered, aerial violation was described by Polish command as “an unprecedented aggression that put the life of citizens at real risk.” For NATO, the incident opens A new stage In the confrontation: for the first time the alliance demolishes Russian drones within its own space, which brings the risk of climbing. With the Memory of 2022when activated Article 4 after the invasion of Ukraine, and the Shadow of article 5the crisis leaves the unknown of whether these violations will be repeated and how NATO will react in an increasingly volatile European … Read more

The Maginot line defended Europe from the Nazi invasion. History is being repeated by Russia, but now it is not just concrete

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The Maginot line It was a monumental but rigid wall initiated by France, so much, which was dodged in 1940 by the Wehrmacht through the Ardenas. Perhaps for this reason, today’s Europe assumes that no defense line can totally shield its borders, but it can channel and delay an invasion, while determining Moscow to undertake it. The crucial difference is that this time it is not just concrete. The return of an iron curtain. Eighty years after Churchill will proclaim That a “steel curtain” had fallen over Europe, the metaphor It is reversed: Now it is the western countries that raise walls, ditches and defense systems on their eastern borders. The erosion of the Security Framework after the Cold War, the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the perception that Moscow could redirect strength towards the Baltic or Finland countries They have triggered a vast fortification program reminiscent of the great defensive projects of the twentieth century, although with XXI technologies. The beginning. We have coming counting. From the Finnish Lapia to the Polish province of Lublin, Europe prepares to build a new “iron curtain”, but this time not ideology, but of steel and explosives. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, guardians of more than 3,400 kilometers of border with Russia and Belarus, have decided abandon The Ottawa Convention of 1997, which will allow them since the late 2025 to manufacture, store and deploy millions of antipersone and anti -tank mines. The measure, considered unthinkable just two decades ago, responds to the conviction that only one lethal and deterrence obstacle It can stop an eventual Russian offensive in a moment of maximum tension in the NATO eastern flank. Remains of the Maginot Line The end of a consensus. The decision is a drastic turn against international efforts that, from the 1990s, with figures ranging from Princess Diana to Tony Blair as driversThey sought to eradicate land mines due to their indiscriminate character and their devastating effect on civilians long after conflicts. That humanitarian ideal, translated into a treaty signed by 164 countries, now fades before the Russian threat, which never joined the agreement and today accumulates More than 26 million minesmassively used in Ukraine. The perception in Eastern Europe is clear: prohibiting them was a luxury of safe times; Today, national survival It demands to recover them. The epicenter: Lithuania. The most dramatic case is that of Lithuania, which must Defend 720 kilometers of border with Belarus and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, including the strategic Suwalki runneronly land step for NATO reinforcements towards Baltic countries. There, in villages as Šadžiūnaibarely inhabited by the elderly who remember the devastation of World War II, the inhabitants fear that their pine and birch forests, already surrounded by fences and border stalls, soon become mined fields. The contrast between rural life and imminence of a war scenario summarizes the Decision rawness. Europe divided by the original “curtain” of Churchill. NATO countries in Azul, the members of the Warsaw Pact in red, those not aligned in green and neutral gray countries (1988) Total defense and strategic urgency. Vilna plans to spend the 5.5% of your GDP In defense (more than double the United Kingdom) and has already reserved 800 million euros to produce hundreds of thousands of mines of all kinds. These will be integrated into a “counter -river” strategy that also includes dragon teeth, ditches, armed drones and long -range artillery. Lithuanian leaders, such as Defense Minister Dovile Šakalienė and her predecessor Laurynas Kasčiūnas, They argue That history shows that Russia only respects strength, and that the experience of Ukraine, which destroyed its arsenals by the treaty and today suffers millions of Russian mines in its territory, is an impossible warning to ignore. The closure of the most extensive border. With 1,340 kilometers of shared border, Finland approved the construction in 2023 of a fence that will cover 15% of its border territory, with a cost of more than 400 million dollars and completed completion for 2026. There is a nuance here: not only seeks to stop hypothetical Russian incursions, but also control the flow of citizens fleeing the conscription. The new walls and positions, even in Remote Arctic AreasThey replace the old wooden fences that only served to contain cattle, and mark a symbolic turn on a relatively permeable border. The Balkan effort. Already We tell it. Estonia was a pioneer In 2015 After the Russian annexation of Crimea, and since 2024, the three Baltic states with Poland advance in a joint fortification plan of 700 kilometers, budgeted in more than 2,000 million pounds. The measures include Anti -tanks, concrete dragon teeth, pyramids and blocks of several tons, blocked roads, mines, bridges prepared to fly and trees destined to collapse in case of invasion. In addition, more than 1,000 bunkers and deposits for ammunition and supplies are built, small but capable of resisting artillery fire and hosting squads of up to ten soldiers. In parallel, Poland builds a permanent fence Against Belarusconsidered the main ally of Moscow. Human impact and contradictions. The paradox is evident: it seeks to protect populations from a Russian aggression at the price of introduce weapons They have historically caused most of their victims among civilians, including children. In 2023, more than 2,000 people died in the world due to explosives of this type, often in countries where wars ended decades ago. Baltic governments promise that the mines will remain in deposits and will be activated only in case of emergency, with modern systems that allow to assemble them and disassemble them at a distance. However, families such as Jurate Penkovskiene, who already cava bunkers in his garden while listening to the rumble of NATO exercises, fear for security of their children if their forests become prohibited areas. The new European border. Thus, what is at stake is not only a military change, but a landscape transformation and collective psychology in Eastern Europe. Forests, lakes and border villages aim to be part of a defensive system … Read more

Remove the talgo from the discord from the Madrid-Barcelona line

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In theory they were going to be one of Renfe’s great tricks to compete in the market newly liberalized of high Spanish speed, but the Avril de Talgo trains They have been choked to the railway operator. First by The delay In your delivery. Then for the punctuality problems or the “Effect 2000” who suffered trains at the beginning of 2025. and now for a technical incident that has led Renfe to make a radical decision, according to advances The world: to do without the Avril in one of its most important corridors, Madrid-Barcelona. And all this in the middle of summer. What happened? That Renfe has decided to do without the Talgo-Avril trains (106 series) in one of its most important corridors: the Madrid-Barcelona line. The news He has confirmed it The worldwhich points out that the operator has decided to make a particular ‘Sudoku’ to separate the S106 of the Avlo service that links the city and the capital of the country. The decision comes after a technical problem was detected (cracks in a Bogie) that forced the change of pieces. According to Precise The worldthe rail operator has chosen to remove the Avril from the Madrid-Barcelona line and change them for other trains of the 103 (Siemens) series assigned so far to another of Renfe’s most important corridors, which links Madrid and Seville. The ‘files’ movement has forced S100 to be used between Valencia and Madrid and assign the Avril to Levante. Is it a surprise? Not quite. Last week The economist had echoed already An internal message of Renfe in which he warned his employees that, “due to lack of Bogies of replacement “it was” foreseeable “that the S106 trains of Barcelona was temporarily out of service. Now The world It goes further And he clarifies that Renfe has an Avril section due to lack of spare parts and has chosen to withdraw the rest of the Madrid-Barcelona corridor. And all that, why? By an incident that dates back a few weeks ago, when during a routine review fissures were found in a Bogie of one of the S106 trains (Avril) that provide the service Low Cost Avlo on the Madrid-Barcelona line. He Bogie Integrates suspension systems, wheels, axes and brakes of the cars and the revision of the fleet found that it was not a timely failure. The same problem was detected in the rest of the units (there are five Avril trains assigned to the Madrid-Barcelona corridor), so the affected pieces had to be changed. During that process, Precise The economistRenfe came to suspend the sale of Avlo service tickets between Madrid and Barcelona for the month of August (something that the operator denies) and it was agreed to reduce the maximum speed at which the S106 circulates in a section of 190 km in the Madrid-Barcelona line. What does Renfe say? The operator launched An official statement At the end of July, before the circular that sent its employees was filtered, confirming that during a routine review it was identified “A technical anomaly” In one of the five trains of the 106 series that circulate in the high speed Madrid-Barcelona, which led him to “carry out an exhaustive review” in the rest of trains. “The necessary measures to guarantee the operation of the service were adopted, proceeding to replace the affected systems and reinforce the technical reviews, so that the trains are operating without any anomaly,” Clarifies the operatorwhich ensures that he has carried out inspections in other S106 fleet trains without detecting “any abnormality.” However, in the same statement the company advances its decision to “reorganize” the Avlo services of the 106 series that circulate in the high speed Madrid-Barcelona. Is there more? Yes. After the information of recent days and that Populi voice Publish images of the Bogies spoiled, some unions They have asked to Renfe to withdraw all the units of the model from the circulation. The five Talgo Avril S106 that cover the Avlo service in the Madrid-Barcelona corridor are not the only ones the rail operator has. The fleet exceeds twenty units. The economist Precise In any case that not all units are the same. There would be a subsorie of 15 units endowed with Bogies Iberian wide including the five affected trains. And another 15 of movable rolling with other components that allow the train to combine different types of network. The same newspaper He slippedH oce a few days that the fissures detected in several Bogies He has opened a new front between the trains manufacturer, Talgo, and Renfe: who must assume the cost of repair. The units would still be in the guarantee period, since the Avril were delivered 15 months ago, in May 2024. Why is it important? Because beyond its effects on the Madrid-Barcelona line in the middle of summer, the relationship between Renfe and Talgo on account of the S106 trains, the great commitment of the rail operator to fight in a newly liberalized market. First the trains were delivered with a remarkable delay, which resulted in a fine of 116 million euros that catches the firm In full sale. That bad start was followed punctuality problems and a computer failure at the beginning of this year that was known as “Effect 2000”. In the specific case of the Madrid-Barcelona line, Talgo alleges that the problem is that part of the journey is not in conditions for their trains to reach 300 km/h, according to Precise The world. For Adif, things are very different and remember that other models or operators such as Ouigo or Iro have not detected problems. Images | Nelso Silva (Flickr) and Renfe In Xataka | Portugal has taken a decisive step for its high -speed trains network. One that brings him closer to Galicia, not Madrid

The Line goes regular, so Saudi Arabia has asked some consultants to solve the obvious: if it makes sense

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When years ago The heir prince Mohammed Bin Salman presented the plans of The Linethe gigantic Pharaonic glazed city that Saudi Arabia wants to build in full desert, the idea sounded for science fiction. And it’s normal. Not every day a megalopolis of 170 km long, 200 m wide and huge skyscraper, all thought to welcome millions of people without roads or cars. Over time His works started And the project advanced slowly, between huge exiles and foundations concrete. Now its promoters have done Something peculiar: Ask several consultants for help to confirm whether the initial plans are viable or should adjust them. What happened? That Saudi Arabia wants to review its most pharaonic, surreal and delicate project: The Linethe gigantic “corridor city” of 170 kilometers and 500 meters high and 200 m wide that the country wants to lift in the desert. Although every so often its promoters They presume the advance of the works, Bloomberg He has just revealed that the Saudi authorities have commissioned several consulting companies to carry out a strategic review of the project. What have you asked? That value if the current plans are feasible and suggest possible changes. This is at least supported by Bloomberg, which quotes anonymous sources close to the project. They have not transcended more details or the consultants to which the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has been directed (PIF), But the decision is interesting both for its background and for the context. Once you have the data, those responsible for the project must assess the information and choose: Do you need to apply changes? Can you follow the work without adjustments? Bloomberg clarifies that the plan could be kept as it is and that, if remembering, any change would demand the OK of the PIF and the Saudi executive himself. And what do promoters say? The Line is part of an even greater project, Neomwhich seeks to diversify the economy of the nation and includes other initiatives, such as Magna, Oxagon, Sindalah and Trojenaalthough The Line It is the most ambitious of all. Those responsible have removed iron on the fact that the PIF has taken advantage of external consultants and ensure that it is a normal procedure. “As usual in large plurianual projects, strategic reviews are a common practice and are carried out several times during a large development project or infrastructure program,” claims Neom. “The Line remains a strategic priority and Neom focuses on maintaining operational continuity, improving efficiency and accelerating progress to meet the vision and general objectives of the project.” Why does the context import? Because, like Remember the agencythe country dealt with the price drop of oil, a minor foreign investment than the foresee and budgetary deficits. Bloomberg Precise That to balance its budget Saudi Arabia needs Brent barrel to be 96 dollars, a figure that rises to 113 if the internal expense of the FIP is included in the projects of the heir prince. Both values are above around $ 71 current. Are you lowering your expectations? The news of the project review comes only a few months after the Saudi authorities Sale your expectations On the development of The Line. At least as regards the calendar. The initial objective was that in 2030 the Megaciudad welcomed 1.5 million residents, but now the promoters estimate that there will be only 300,000, according to Another filtration Published in April by Bloomberg. The size of the city in 2030 will also be far from the target of 170 kilometers. The finished surface would be just 2.4 km. Some sources They point out that the total cost of Neom, including The Line and other initiatives, would amount to about 1.5 billion dollars. Is it standing? Although their promoters have had to reduce initial optimism and want to escape other voices about planning, something seems clear: The Line will not stay in an ambitious model and a handful of colorful infographics. Although there is still work ahead, the works They have been advancing On the ground, something that Saudi Arabia has been responsible for making it clear Sharing From time to time images of excavators, operators and land movements. Three months ago Giles Pendleton, operations director, public On LinkedIn a series of Aerial photos in which the progress of what several Neom projects seems, including infrastructure of the future corridor city of 170 km. “Neom is real,” defends the manager. On the same dates the embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Spain also disclosed images Of the works in one of the tunnels that will circulate trains and load between The Line and Oxagon. Images | Neom In Xataka | Saudi Arabia has insisted that The Line possesses all the absurd records of the world. The last: the longest pool

Wimbledon has replaced all his line judges with a success. The only problem is that tennis players do not believe it

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Wimbledon has replaced This year for the first time in its history to its line judges for a technology that is an evolution of the traditional eye of the hawk. Despite the accuracy it brings, several tennis players They have expressed their discontentespecially following the controversy with the party of Kartal and Pavlyuchenkova. What’s happening. Several tennis players have publicly expressed their doubts about the electronic system. Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu, the British numbers, have questioned the accuracy of decisions, while the Switzerland Belinda Bencic It was more direct: “I do not trust the system. Nor is it that I want to speak it too much, but it is really stressful.” The reluctance about this new system are increasingly common in tennis. Although the hawk’s eye has accompanied the games for many years already, The replacement of the judges It marks a general discontent in several professionals of this sport and fans. AND The case of Pavlyuchenkova He has put the situation more inri. Failure in three key situations. The incident that has been playing the most in networks was during the match between the British Sonay Kartal and the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on the central track. With the marker matched 4-4, a Kartal ball clearly came out, but the Hawk-Eye system remained silent. Without the usual sound signal of “out”, the referee ordered to repeat the point, causing The frustration of Pavlyuchenkova: “You have stolen the game.” The ruling lasted 6 minutes and 49 seconds, during which the system lost three decisions. The AI ​​is working. The organization has revealed that the problem of Pavlyuchenkova was actually a human error: an operator accidentally deactivated part of the cameras with a click on their computer. Sally Bolton, executive director of All England Club, He has defended that “the ball monitoring system has worked optimally and effectively” throughout the tournament. After the incident, they have modified the software so that the cameras cannot be deactivated manually when there is an ongoing game. How the system works. The Live Electronic Line Calling (Live Elc) that Wimbledon uses is An evolution of the traditional hawk eye that we have been seeing since 2007. The key difference is that it now works in real time: use a network of cameras with artificial vision that tracks the ball and automatically emits an “out” when it goes out. Before, the hawk’s eye was only used to review decisions when players requested it; Now he is the main referee of all lines. It has been working for years. Studies show that electronic systems in sport are significantly more precise than human judges. An investigation He revealed that line referees make mistakes in 27% of cases where the check -up review is required, which is equivalent to an error every 17.4 games. The system has demonstrated its reliability in multiple sports for more than a decade, and both the Australian Open and the US Open have integrated it in its entirety in recent years. AI and arbitration, whenever complaints. Resistance to technology in arbitration is not exclusive to tennis. THE VAR IN FOOTBALL It generates constant controversies. In addition, Hawk-Eye is also implemented in volleyball, Cricket, and even in football for ghost goals, situations in which there has also been controversy with technology. And it is that sport is usually very reticating to technological changes. We don’t trust technology. Machines fail less than humans, but Perception is usually different. And it is that many problems attributed to AI are actually errors in the implementation or in human decisions that accompany the system, as has happened this time in Wimbledon. Technology is not infallible, but it is statistically more reliable than any available human alternative. And why don’t we trust? According to Gina Neff, a teacher in Cambridge, “right now, in many areas in which AI affects our lives, we believe that humans understand the context much better than machines,” he says. “The machine makes decisions based on the set of rules for which it has been programmed. But people are really good when it comes to multiple external values ​​and considerations as well – what is the right decision may not seem like the fair decision,” he continues. “It is the intersection between people and systems that we have to do well.” “We have to use the best of both to make the best decisions.” Cover image | Shep Mcallister In Xataka | 150 years ago the English played the first football matches in Spain. Now there is a fierce fight for finding out where

The best messaging applications if you want to change the finish line for another

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We bring you a list with The main alternatives to WhatsApp In the event that you want to change your messaging application. Either by privacy or not dealing with the arrival of the WhatsApp adsif you are thinking of looking for another app to communicate with your contacts, we will tell you the most important. In fact, you should know that we are going to focus on the best known, and not simply tell you a ristra of random applications. Of course, there will also be a place for some less known, such as a decentralized or some of the European alternatives. But if you consider that we have left any app that should be mentioned or taken into account, we invite you to tell us in the comments section. Thus, all readers of the article can also benefit from the knowledge of our xatakers. RCS The best alternative to WhatsApp is that You no longer need alternative apps Thanks to the protocol RCSavailable on Android and iOS in the same application where you look at the SMS on your mobile. It is a protocol that has arrived to replace the SMS, and that allows interactive messages, such as photos and much more. Best of all is that The RCS is totally freeyou don’t need to pay as in SMS. If we look at a comparison of RCS vs WhatsAppwe see that everything you have it, such as extreme encryption, sending photos, voice or videos and more, you can even create groups. The negative part is that you do not have all functions as video notes, or that in some countries it is not yet implemented. To know if you can write by RCS to a contact, open your native messages of messages and enter the chat you want. If RCS appears in the writing bar instead of SMS, it is because you will send a free message with this protocol. Telegram Telegram has been the great alternative to WhatsApp for years, so much that most of the new functions that take the copy of the finish line years later. It is more innovative, although It has less privacysince only private messages that deliberately abort with this mode have end -to -end encryption, and normal messages and groups only have it between user and server. Therefore, your chats can be exposed on Telegram servers, and there have already been cases in which It gives the users of its users to governments Let them ask for it. However, it is still a solid alternative, and Your integration with Grok Nor does it help in terms of privacy. However, in terms of options and number of users it is the great alternative. Signal If what you are looking for is privacySignal is a messaging app that has made a name for that. It has end -to -end encryption, and user metadata is practically not saved. Therefore, it is even more private than WhatsApp, since the company that manages it knows less about you. You do not have many content denunciation options, you can simply report advertising. Therefore, you can find all kinds of messages in it, and have total freedom to talk about any subject, with the good and the bad that this freedom implies. In addition, it has a user name system so as not to have to give your number. Google Chat If you have a Google account, you have the possibility of chatting with other users with Google accounts. All through Google Chat, Google’s internal messaging system. She is currently a little abandoned, but you can write to someone just having her Google account, her Gmail, so you don’t need to have her phone number. Facebook Messenger He Facebook messenger It is the messaging application with which Meta intends to compete with WhatsApp and Telegram. With it you can write to any user of the social network, although Meta wants that in the future it is also used on Instagram. In any case, Messenger is independent and has its own application, although it also works in the chat of the Facebook website. It is a powerful alternative, Private with end -to -end encryptionand the one that does not lack options. The bad part of based on Facebook is that you need to know another person’s user account to write or have friendship with her, and the good is that you do not need to ask for phone numbers. Instagram Instagram is one of the most important social networks in the world, and has its own messaging system. It is not as comfortable as a dedicated app, but the messages are encrypted, you can send photos, voice notes, gifs and whatever you want. A good alternative. Besides, You don’t need to give your phone numbersimply give your address to Instagram to share. Session Session is the application of a non -profit foundation, and an alternative Decentralized and open sourcewithout trackers and with a robust encryption from end to end. Only you and the person with whom you speak can see the messages, which on the other hand also end up disappearing. It is more complex to use and you have control, being able to choose a topic for its aesthetics or manage your encryption keys. You don’t need phone numberThere are no data leaks, and seeks a different way to approach instant messaging, although being somewhat more complex to use. Imessage Within the iPhone and Mac messages app you can send and receive SMS, but you can also send Imessages, an interactive messages protocol just like WhatsApp. The problem is that You can only send them to other Apple usersalthough now that messages integrates the RCS it is no longer such a large limitation. Three other European alternatives Finally, if you are looking for more privacy and not depending on US companies, you can also change whatsapp for European alternativesas Forget, Threema either Skred. They are private applications with end -to -end encryption, you can share everything, even without … Read more

This is the tunnelador who aims to transform line 11 of Madrid

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The expansion of line 11 of the Madrid Metro aspires to much more than adding stations: It wants to become a great diagonal axis that see the city transversely. It is an ambitious, complex work that demands machinery at the height of the challenge. In the center of that machinery is Mayritthe tunnelador that will be in charge of opening a passage underground. It is not a generic machine, but a model expressly designed To adapt to the geological and geotechnical conditions of the Madrid land, and that in the coming months will become the main protagonist of one of the most important developments of public transport in the capital. A tunnelador designed for the Madrid subsoil The tunnelador is already finished. Its manufacture has been in charge of Herrenknecht Agone of the most recognized firms in this type of machinery, and It has developed in its Schwanau factoryGermany, during a 20 -month process. Mayrit is not any tunnelador. It is an EPB model (Earth Pressure Balance)adapted to dig in cohesive land, such as those in Madrid. Measures 98 meters long, It weighs 1,500 tons and is able to advance up to 15 meters per day. On average, you can complete about 500 meters a month with teams of twelve people per shift. To this technical level is added logistics complexity. His transfer to Madrid will not be fast or simple. The machine must be completely dismantledpiece by piece, for the next three months. Then, one will begin trip more than 2,000 kilometers which will combine road journeys to Antwerp, maritime transport to the port of Santander and, from there, its truck transfer to the future Comillas station, in Carabanchel. There will begin the reverse process: a new assembly that will last until March 2026, when it is planned to start operating. Its function will be to drill the section of the section between Elliptical Plaza and Count de Casal, one of the most complex phases of the expansion. The works in this section are already at 18.4% execution, and the regional government has announced an investment of 518 million euros only at this stage. In parallel, manual excavation works have already begun in a 700 -meter stretch between quotes and elliptical square, with a rhythm of progress of about 50 meters per month. The goal: to leave the ground prepared for when Mayrit enters action. And the truth is that, beyond rhetoric, the technology that moves Mayrit is far from being trivial. Inside, A TRANSPORTED SCREW the material excavated to a tape, while pressure sensors allow Real time control the balance of forces in the excavation chamber. This allows to maintain the stability of the front and avoid sinking, even in heterogeneous terrain with the presence of gravel, water or sand. In addition, the system can be adapted on the march to different geological scenarios. Herrenknecht has developed several solutions that convert the end of the endless into a wash circuit to also work with sludge when the land demands. Other modules allow to modify the consistency of the soil by injections of bentonite, water or foam. At the moment, the arrival of Mayrit to Madrid is scheduled for December. Images | Madrid Metro | Herrenknecht In Xataka | The largest concrete wall in Spain is in Salamanca and generates electricity: this is the almond dam

The war in Ukraine had a red line of 70 kilometers. West has just eliminated it after Russia’s last attack

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The last 48 hours in Ukraine have been plagued by actions and decisions that can change the course of the conflict. Russia has carried out The biggest attack to date on Ukraine with a swarm of drones and a number of missiles released as not remembered. kyiv, meanwhile, needs the help that does not arrive (Patriots) from the United States to deal with Moscow’s disposses, and in the meantime, the West has taken A decision that could change everything. The resurgence of TU-95. In the early hours of March 26, Russia executed the Most significant aerial offensive of the last months, by deploying ten strategic bombers TU-95msm To launch a wave of KH-101 cruise missiles About Ukraine. Six of these aircraft took off from the Olenya Air Base, to the north of the country next to the border with Finland, and the remaining four from Engels, east of Sarátov, in the heart of the European Russia. The trajectories of the missile substantial increase of Russian troops in the northeast of the front. The operation underlines the renewed Centrality of TU-95 In the Kremlin air strategy, despite being a design that sinks its roots in the Soviet era. We talk about a bomber that He was born In 1950. Intercontinental scope. But as important as this vestige of the past are the weapons it carries. Each Tu-95msm can load up to eight KH-101 missilesmounted externally and capable of traveling more than 5,000 kilometers, which allows them to attack objectives throughout the Ukrainian territory without abandoning Russian airspace. Empharged with pools, electronic countermeasures and 400 kilos, these missiles have become one of the pillars of the Russian offensive since the beginning of the war. Although its high cost and the existence of cheaper and smaller alternatives have generated debates about its efficiency, Russia plans to increase its production 600 units per year In 2025, a sign of its commitment to maintain strategic pressure through high precision attacks from long distances. Tu-95 Acorralado Ukraine. On the other sidewalk, Ukraine faces a new and alarming phase in its aerial defense in the face of the increase in Russian attacks With ballistic missilesthe most feared for their speed, destructive power and difficulty of interception. These projectiles, responsible for having destroyed almost half of the country’s energy capacity, have evidenced again the Patriot systems shortageunique capable of dealing effectively. Ukraine failed to intercept any of the nine Russian ballistic missiles launched, including two directed against kyiv, despite having deployed there Patriot units. Although the rest of the more than 900 drones and 65 cruise missiles were mostly neutralized, ballistic missiles represent an uncontrollable threat that has caused dozens of dead only so far from 2025, including lethal attacks against Sumy and Kryvyi Rih. Washington: Yes but no. The change of administration in the United States has meant a drastic turn in military assistance policy. While Trump has verbally condemned the last Russian attacks (he reached Call Putin “Crazy”), he did not offer new aid commitments, and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, was sharp by stating that “we don’t have” more patriots to send. Instead of direct donations, Washington is pressing its European allies To give Part of its own arsenals, something that does not progress, because no country wants to weaken its internal defense. Raytheon, American manufacturer of the Patriots, has not yet achieved increase your production to meet the post-2022 demand. Under this new paradigm, kyiv believes that the White House would be arranged to sell systemsbut not give them awaywhich forces Ukraine to adapt its strategy to a more transactional relationship: the defense is now negotiated, it is not granted. West breaks its limits. A few hours ago, and in a significant turn in Western military policy towards war in Ukraine, Germany, together with the United Kingdom, France and the United States, has first eliminated the first time the scope restrictions in the weapons that supplies Kyiv, allowing him to directly attack military objectives within the Russian territory (beyond the 70 km). The announcement was made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after The biggest attack With Russian drones that we commented, an offensive that stressed the need to allow Kyiv to respond forcefully. The news marks a Posture change Regarding previous fear To provoke an escalation with a nuclear power such as Russia, and according to Merz, it establishes an essential difference between the legitimate military purposes of Ukraine and the deliberate attacks against civilians by the Kremlin. With this, they open new strategic possibilities For Ukraine, which until now had acted with containment regarding the use of western armament beyond its borders. The open doors. Although Merz He did not confirm If Germany will send Taurus missiles long range, that during your political campaign He openly supportedavoided detailing any concrete step so as not to offer informative advantage to the Kremlin. Since his arrival to power just a few weeks ago, the new chancellor has adopted an approach more discreet and pragmaticstating that total transparency can play against national security. Despite this public reserve, in Berlin the expectation that Merz could soon announce the Armament delivery For greater scope, especially in the context of the imminent visit of the Ukrainian President Zelenski to the German capital. The moment suggests that Germany is preparing the land to take that step, but wants to coordinate it carefully with its allies. The red line evolves. No doubt, the elimination of scope restrictions represents a rupture with narrative maintained by Western leaders since the beginning of the conflict, when they warned that allowing Ukraine to attack within Russia could be interpreted by Moscow as a direct involvement of NATO In war. However, the wear and tear of the diplomatic front, the repeated negative of Kremlin to participate in significant conversations and the growing brutality of Russian attacks have weakened those old red lines. For Merz and his allies, deterrence is no longer to limit the Ukrainian response, but to give Kyiv the ability to dissuade … Read more

Barcelona erased a Google bus line so that tourists do not satura. Tourists have told him “good attempt”

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Barcelona’s metropolitan transport service has discovered something that The real estate market of the city knows from A long time ago: Tourist pressure is not always easy to combine with residents day to day. In a desperate attempt to end the saturation of bus 116, a route used by neighbors, but also by thousands of tourists who used it to visit Park Güell, a year ago the City Council got that the line disappeared from the recommended itineraries of Google Maps. And it worked. Without visibility in networks, demand seemed to relax. The problem is that at least part of the tourists who previously crowded bus 116 It seems to have an impact on other routes with which they can also reach Park Güell. Neighbors who use them to go to work or school are already warning that saturation affects their day to day. Delete a map bus. Sounds drastic, but that’s what he did last year The Barcelona City Council: it made bus 116 disappear from the map for the millions of tourists that visit the city every year. Or what is the same, that it ceases to appear in the recommended itineraries of Google Maps. The reason: although 116 is a small neighborhood bus, with capacity for about 20 people, its route passes very close to Park Güellan icon from Barcelona that receives per year More than four million of visitors. The combination of scarce capacity and high demand caused 116 to be often saturated to the astonishment of tourists and anger of residents, who need the bus to go to work, university or make the purchase. The City Council proved to increase the frequencies and reinforce the number of buses that covered the route, but it served. In the end he opted for another trick: “Invisible it” in Google Maps. And did it serve? More or less. The influx of tourists fell clearly. So much, that I recognized it The bus driver itself: “It has been to disappear from Google and change radically.” Even the neighbors, skeptics at the beginning with that strategy, verified the change. The problem is that the tourist pressure on the urban transport service does not seem to have been solved. Rather, it has been redistributed towards other alternative lines. Or that is at least what is pretending The data who has just published eldiario.es. Pending of 24 and V19. His information, based on the passenger balances of Transports Metropolitans of Barcelona (TMB), shows that while the influx of travelers fell on bus 116 was increased on other routes that can also be used to reach Park Güell, as 24 and V19. The percentages are of course eloquent. While between 2023 and 2024 the title “Hello Barcelona” (the payment for visitors) scored A 86% drop In bus 116, on line 24 the validations of that ticket increased by 32%. With regard to V19, in 2024 it transported more than six million people, 10% more than in 2023, with more than 19,000 validations on working days. Precisely to avoid saturation and improve the TMB service reinforced several sections on weekends. Has the problem moved? TMB Discard That there has been a passenger transfer, although there are neighbors who complain about that: that the pressure that was previously suffocated by bus 116 has moved to lines like 24. “Many times I have not been able to climb because when there are so many tourists they don’t even open the doors,” he acknowledged A few days ago To Eldiario.es a Barcelona student who takes the bus daily to go to college. “In the morning it is already full. Sometimes I arrive late because, with so many people, I can not get on the bus,” says another neighbor of La Salut on the itinerary 24. There are those who clarify that the problem actually comes from behind. A complex equation. Beyond the possible transfer of tourists who until last year resorted to 116 to visit Park Güell, at play other factors enter, such as the increase in the general demand for urban transport or tourism. Atm data show that in 2024 the use of public transport in the Metropolitan Area of ​​Barcelona grew by 7%. The year was also good for tourism, with 15.5 million of visitors. The data is practically identical to that of 2023 (he scored a very slight fall of 0.7%), but came accompanied by a remarkable rebound of 8.7% in spending per person. The great threat. The saturation on his day of bus 116 and the pressure in other lines used by tourists to visit Park Güell, such as 24 or V19, is a double departure. First for the impact on the service and for the residents of the city. Second, because that pressure has an impact on the attractiveness of Barcelona as a destination. Eldiario.es spoke A few days ago With a family of Bulgarian travelers who recognized their surprise after getting on 24 in Plaza de Catalunya: “It is very filled, what a burden.” If in spite they resorted to the service, they explained, it was for their “comfort” to get to Park Güell. The massification of points such as Mallorca, the Canary Islands or Barcelona itself has led to the popular Fodor´s travel guide To quote them In its “no list 2025”, a kind of OLD in which his experts cite destinations that risk dying of success. Images | Stay Grouted (Flickr) and M.peinado (Flickr) In Xataka | If the question is whether tourist floors take the price of rentals, we already have the answer: more than 30%

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