China is living a fever for cherries and Spain wants to become its great garden. It will not be easy

He was waiting, but the Spanish cherry has just received news that had been waiting for a while: China has opened the doors of Its gigantic market. After years of negotiation between Beijing and Madrid, the Asian giant has given green light to the export of fruits cultivated in Spain, an agreement that had already been profiled In spring but that has not resolved its last fringes so far. Now there are two other goods expecting: The pistachio and the dry fig. What happened? That one of the main markets of the world, the Chinese, has just opened to the Spanish cherry. And that is an important news for several reasons. First because that vast market is made up of more than 1.4 billion of potential consumers. Second because the Asian giant seems especially interested In this fruit, valued both for its taste and its cultural impact (it is considered a symbol of fortune, especially during the New Year), a demand that has been benefited until now especially Chile. But what has changed? Basically, that the General Administration of Customs of China (AGA) has given its definitive approval to exports of Spanish cherry. The news has been advanced by the department led by Luis Planas in A statement confirming that the Asian Administration has already published the registration of authorized establishments for the sending of fruit. “It puts an end to a complex negotiation process of several years”, stands out. The sector Trust in which the new protocol “expedite” its ability to export. Is it a novelty? Yes. And no. Beijing has just opened its doors, but the news will catch few by surprise. It was expected Since AprilWhen Planas and Chinese Customs Minister Sun Meijun signed several protocols for the export of pigs and cherries, agreements that add to the dozen of pacts signed since 2018 on sanitary requirements oriented to food export. To move from political theory to commercial practice there were nevertheless several pending procedures. In June, AGA technicians conducted an audit of plots and stores related to the export of cherries to confirm that they fulfill the sanitary protocol. Before, in 2024, a delegation sent by Beijing had already been in charge of visiting some producing areas of the country. Are the details known? Yes. The Government He has revealed Some details of the agreement signed with China. The closed protocol with Beijing, for example, that the phases of processing, packaging, storage and transport of the fruit that is exported to China is carried out “under the supervision” of the ministry. “This will also be responsible for ensuring that only the cherries of the registered orchards can enter the clothing warehouse for their selection and processed.” The agreement will be valid for three years and adds to the bilateral export pacts between Spain and China of those who already enjoy other crops, such as citrus, peach, plum, table grape, chaqui or almond. Among other merchandise, Chinese authorities also allow the sale of fodder oatmeal, olive paste and dehydrate alfalfa destined for animal feed. Soon the list could be extended even more. The Planas department acknowledges that, after closing the agreement for cherries, the files of two other products with roots in Spain continue to negotiate: The pistachio and dry figs. Why is it important? For several reasons. The cherry cultivation is not equally extended throughout Spain, but there are provinces in which it is relevant, such as Cáceres or Zaragoza. According to The latest statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2022 the production of cherry and icing of the country as a whole touched the 114,000 t, with a fundamental weight of Aragon (48,600) and Estremadura (40,000), followed quite distance in Catalonia (6,800), Andalusia (5,300) and Murcia (3,500). The sector expects the agreement with Beijing to expand its horizon. “It will open new possibilities for export to this fruit, whose culture has had an important development,” celebrated Already in April Pemex, the Federation of Producers of fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants. “The export of cherry from Spain in 2024 stood at 39,968 tons, the European Union being the first destination, with 33,440 T”. Among the extra -community markets stands out above all the United Kingdom, which received more than 5,700 tons, and South Africa and Hong Kong, with around one hundred tons each. Fruit shipments reached a value of 139 million euros. Will it have it easy? No. Although the agreement is good news for the Asian aspirations of the Spanish cherry, the truth is that it must compete in a complex market. According to the last forecasts collected by Produces reportit is expected that in the 2025/2026 season, which will last until March, the production of China cherries will grow 6% to 900,000 T, which demonstrates the bet within the country itself. One of the keys to that rebound is the increase in cultivated area, which during last season was around 199,000 ha. His high demand has led Beijing to use Chilean productionincreasingly focused on China. If in 2016 the South American country exported about 40,000 t of fruit to the Asian giant, in 2023 that figure had already fired until exceeding 370,000 t. At the beginning of the year the Xinhua agency He pointed out That during the last season Chile expert to the world more than 625,000 tons of fresh cherry, of which 568,000 left for China’s markets. Images | US Department of Agriculture (Flickr), Dominic Kurniawan Suryaputra (Unspash) and Ok Apartment (Flickr) In Xataka | Extremadura promised them very happy with its powerful Spanish tomato industry. Until China arrived

The food industry is living its highest price drop since 2014. There is a clear suspect: white brands

Manufacturers in the food sector are living an interesting phenomenon. They go up Industry prices in general, Upload the CPIgo up What they pay consumers in stores when they buy food and yet The rates That applies the food industry have been in free fall for almost a year. Moreover, the sector is facing its highest price decrease since early 2014. Behind that apparent nonsense there is a clear suspect: the effect of white brands and The fight that is getting rid of supermarkets. We explain ourselves. A percentage: 3.3%. Among the many indicators that periodically publishes the INE there is one that helps us better understand a key link of trade, which connects industry with the chain of distributors that take their merchandise to stores. The so -called Industrial Price Index (IPRI) records the oscillations in the right prices in That “first stage” of “internal market”, when the articles leave the factories and do not yet incorporate other added expenses, such as transport, marketing or VAT. Your approach is different from that of IPCwhich takes into account the prices paid by consumers. The INE calculates the IPRI for large sectors every month and sometimes the indicator leaves us some surprise, as happened in June, when it showed an annual fall of the 3.3% In the food industry. What does that mean? That month food manufacturers decided to reduce their rates. Why is it important? For what that percentage means. What reveals to us is a Price drop In the food industry, an adjustment of the rates with which the products leave the factory. The most curious thing is that this fall is not the dominant tonic in the industrial sector. On the contrary. Even beverage manufacturers saw in June how their industrial prices experienced A 2.7% rise. He IPRI General registered one 0.8% rise and if We go down to detail We observed that the indicator rose in most industrial branches. It only retreated in oil refinement, the chemical, metallurgical sector … and food. The annual IPC rate, which reflects the prices paid by consumers, also It was positive: In June it rose 2.2%. If we talk about the specific IPC of non -alcoholic foods and beverages of the purchase basket, it also grew 2.8%. It matters what … And imports when. If we look back, to the context, we observe two interesting data. The first is that the price index of the food industry has already a few months adjusting down. In June he scored a variation of -3.3%, but in May he had already done -2.7%and in April 2.2%. Actually the indicator has been going back. The second fact that we must take into account is that the food industry I had a decade without registering such a pronounced price drop. To find a major year -on -year drop, you have to go back to February 2014. What is the reason? The million dollar question. In a context of industrial inflationwith energy, a 3.5% And the increasing industrial prices, why do those in the food sector descend? In An article in which he delves into that phenomenon, Javier Romera, from The economisthe remembered yesterday that the reduction of the industry arrives in a context marked by a crucial factor: the rise of white brands and their growing competition In supermarkets. THE GREAT PULSE OF THE SECTOR. The industry price adjustment therefore coincides with a key moment for manufacturers, marked by the pulse with supermarket chains and The growing weight that white marks have (those of the distributor itself, such as Auchan, Hacondado or Seleqtia). All this also after years marked by a deep inflationary crisis that has made the big chains that manage supermarkets try to contain prices. The phenomenon is not new and Manuel Morales, manager of the IFA group, in An interview with The economist: “If they don’t react, brands are dead.” His notice, he remembered, comes in a context in which white brands have a greater weight in the linear of supermarkets. “Already almost 50% add up and will continue to grow because they have increased quality and differentiating prices is increasing,” Morales foreshadowed. With that backdrop, the food industry has begun to Cut your profitability. In the first quarter it stood at 6.81% after falling for the first time since 2022. Does the white mark grow so much? Yeah. Last year Promarca presented A report which shows that in just a five years, between 2018 and 2023, the presence of white -branded goods in supermarkets increased by 13%. The opposite path followed the articles sold with the brand of its manufacturer, which during that same period they retreated 23%. Promarca represents manufacturers and is therefore interested in, but their report provides a valuable track. Promarca estimates that in a five years they have disappeared from the super more than 3,600 Products marketed by manufacturers outside the distribution chains while theirs, those of the white brand, added 1,800 only in the feeding and hygiene sections. The calculation was made after analyzing six large chains. The Statista platform estimates that the market share of the white brands grew between 2005 and 2015, fell for a few years and would rebound again in 2019 until they were in 2024 in about 46%. Other studies consider that their mark on the linear of supermarkets is greater and already exceeds 50%. Images | Arno Senoner (UNSPLASH) and Alcampo In Xataka | The favorite ice cream in Spain are from Mercadona and have no “brand”. And there is a Valencian company making gold with them

Living near a mountain in Spain is already a risk

Summer is rest time, beach, ice cream, hopefully some trip to a friendlier place of climate and dirt days with friends. If we talk about populations near forests or tree masses, it is also synonymous with something else: anguish. Galicia lived in a hot October 2017when the flames arrived in inhabited areas and forced the neighbors to leave home with Water cubesand three songs have just remembered, in Madrid. Although there the landscape is different, the fire has originated in a Low mountain area Without urbanizing. Actually it is something that has penetrated throughout Spain: in summer, living near the mountain or hills with vegetation has become a risk factor. Earrings of three songs. Three songs, a city of 53,000 neighbors From the Community of Madrid, he lives moments of anguish. And rightly. Yesterday, minutes before eight in the afternoon, a fire was declared that with the passing of the hours it has gone Calcinating hectaresforced to evacuate to the neighbors of several urbanizations and even left a deceasedan employee of the equestrian Soto de Viñuelas to which the flames supposedly surrounded them while trying to save the horses. The emergency services were able to rescue him and transfer him by helicopter to La Paz hospital, but there they could not do anything to save his life. Died a few hours. It was 50 years old and had burns in 98% of the body. Do we know anything else? Yes. Carlos Novillo, Minister of Environment, He explained that the fire has had “an explosive characteristic” that relates to “a storm that dries” accompanied by strong wind gusts. In fact, he assures that bursts have overcome 70 kilometers per hour. The origin of the flames would be in the known as Third phase of three songs, a low mountain area. The flames have forced evacuating several urbanizationsincluding that of Soto de Viñuelas, and host more than a hundred people in sports center. In its updated information service the Community of Madrid states that the flames have affected around 1,000 hectaresespecially pastures, thickets and trees, in addition to four homes of the Soto de Viñuelas urbanization. The fire too He has reached The King´s College campus, one of the most recognized British schools in Spain and that houses internal students. Beyond Madrid. Although the virulence of the three songs has focused the attention of much of the country and its smoke It has been visible From several points of the capital, the truth is that it is not the only asset in Spain. Throughout the last days the flames have hit with greater or lesser force Galicia, Castilla y León, Andalusia either Cataloniaforcing to confine or evacuate thousands of people and razing thousands of hectares. The fire even It has affected to the natural place of the medulla, in the region of El Bierzo, ruining centenary chestnuts. Summer comes … And the fire. The fires of recent days remember a sad reality to Spain: summer, especially the driest months and with higher temperatures, usually bring more than vacation. With them also the fires. Only between January and September of last year were registered near 4,900 fires forestry. And while the vast majority (approximately 71%) were small -range conatos, in total they razed 43,600 hectares. 64 fires also had consequences for the population and 39 were accompanied by evacuations that affected 4,300 people. There were also five deaths. They may seem high figures, but the forest surface razed by the flames represented only 50% of the average of the last decade. This year at the beginning of August the affected surface exceeded 39,100 hamore than in 2024, although below the average of the decade. The hectares consumed these days in several regions of the country must now be added to that figure. Live around the field. Not all regions of Spain suffer the scourge of fires with equal intensity. Civio has elaborated A map distributing the more than 6200.00 forest fires registered between 1968 and 2017 and burned at least one hectares and it can be seen how the problem is especially serious in Galicia, the Cantabrian arch and certain areas of Extremadura. The plane reflects a reality that usually hit the most affected points in summer: living in certain pointsnext to wooded areas, it has become a source of anguish. The case of Galicia. Galicia left a good example in October 2017when the fires ravaged important population nuclei and even charged Several victims. One of the iconic images left by that episode was that of neighbors leaving home with Water buckets or forming Human chains To suffocate the flames. What happened then was especially tragic, but not an isolated case. In Chandrexa de Queixa, Ourense, A fire Declared last Friday, he has approached the homes so much that he has forced to evict neighbors. Something similar has happened in The Bierzoin Cádiz due to A fire originated in the Sierra de la Plata or at points of Tarragona and Lleida In Julywhen local authorities decided to order confinements to protect people from the flames. Proximity and something else. The problem is not just living near the mountains. Fire risk depends on more than factors such as high temperatures, low levels of humidity or wind. The pressure on ecosystems, insufficient forest management, the abandonment of traditional uses of the mountain, depopulation or accumulation of vegetation in forests also influence. “The increase in forest surface does not translate into the increase in healthy, stable and diverse forests. The cultivated and grazing areas in the past are today covered by thickets, young pioneer or monoespecific rods that, without adequate management, are condemned to burn ” warns Miguel Castillo, of the Forest Fire Laboratory of the University of Chile. Images | Elentir (Flickr), 112 Community of Madrid (X) and José Manuel Gacía (Flickr) In Xataka | In the middle of the fire, there is something that Spanish firefighters are very aware: the 30-30 rule

We knew that living near the sea made us “win” years of life. What we did not know is that it was literally

We have known for a long time to approach nature has benefits on our health. Beyond avoiding the contamination of our cities, approaching the natural environments around us can improve our psychological well -being, perhaps even inciting a more active life. Little by little, we are also observing that something similar happens if we change the mountain for the sea. More sea, more life. A study has observed a correlation between residing in coastal areas and greater longevity. The analysis It provides new tests of the link between the bodies of water and the health and well -being of the people. Of course, the relationship between “blue spaces” and health is a bit more complex than it might seem. 50 kilometers. The study observed that the benefits of living near the ocean improved the quality of life of the people who lived in a strip of about 50 kilometers of the coast. Inside, however, they observed a very different trend: the people who resided in the vicinity of water bodies of a certain size (about 10 km² on surface) tended to hope for short life. “Globally, residents of the coast are expected to live one year or more above the average of 79 years, and those who lived in more urban areas near rivers and interior lakes were more likely to die around 78 approximately. The residents of the coast probably lived longer due to a variety of interconnected factors,” stood out in a press release Jianyong “Jamie” Wu, member of the study responsible for the study. 66,000 census areas. The study was conducted in the United States, where the team analyzed 66,263 census areas, studying life expectancy and its relationship not only with the proximity of water bodies, also with socio -economic and demographic factors to control the results. The details of the study can be consulted In an article Posted in the magazine Environmental Research. Looking for the cause. The team indicates different factors that could mediate this relationship, such as softer temperatures, better air quality, greater number of opportunities for recreational activities, better transport, less vulnerability to droughts, or rent. These factors could explain why residing near the coast is associated with greater life expectancy, in contrast to people who live near interiors. “Contamination, poverty, lack of opportunities to be physically active and a greater risk of flooding are the main triggers of these differences,” Yanni Cao indicatedCo -author of the study. Correlation or cause? It fits remember that the existence of a correlation does not always imply the existence of a direct (not even indirect) relationship of causality. For example, if income is the determining factor, this causal relationship could have different forms. A possible way would start from the fact that coastal areas They would be more expensiveso they would attract people with more rent, being income, a factor we know affects our life expectancy. Another possible way would be in the fact that the coastal areas generate greater income by offering more job opportunities, and these income again would be the determining factor in longevity. In both cases the mediating factor is the same, but the causal relationship does not. In Xataka | Why is it more hot in cities than in the field: the urban heat island effect Image | Emiliano Arano

There are more and more studies that link coffee with living more. And it is very easy to put the leg when preparing that ‘philosopher’ coffee

Numerous myths have accompanied coffee during the last decades, Many related to caffeine. However, in recent years more and more studies are investigating the beneficial properties of coffee in our body. Is being related to a Less probability of dying by cardiovascular diseases or with Benefits for our kidneys. There are still unknowns, such as His influence on the brainbut lately the trend is to study the relationship between coffee and live more. And they are finding green sprouts. Lengthening life expectancy. The idea that coffee reduces the possibilities of premature death is something that has been circulating for a while, but this year has monopolized holders because several are published studies In this regard. Tufts University researchers, in Massachusetts, have published a study in which they have related the consumption of one or two cups a day with a lower risk of death due to any cause and for cardiovascular diseases. Fang Zhang is the main author of the study and considers that it is important that the relationship between coffee and longevity be studied, taking into account that “almost half of American adults drink at least one cup per day.” This data can be extrapolated, since coffee is, behind the water, the most consumed drink in the world. The study. To prove that relationship, the researchers studied data from more than 46,000 American adults over 20 years of age who have been collected in health surveys during the last two decades. From that sample, 7,074 people died, and those deaths crossed with coffee consumption. What did they find? That adults who drank coffee showed a remarkably lower risk of mortality due to any cause. A cup of coffee a day has been associated with a 16% reduction in the risk of mortality. With two to three cups dailythe percentage increased to 17%, and with more cups a day no additional reductions were observed. Along the way, they failed to relate the mortality results due to cancer with coffee consumption -another of the Myths They have circulated. The additives. Now, it is not worth having coffee anyway. Bingjie Zhou is an epidemiologist of Tufts that has participated in the study and comments that “few have analyzed how additives could affect that relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of dying.” What additives do you refer to? To the sugar and the saturated fat that can be in the milk, yes, but also in oil and other additions that some chains implement their drinks. When a small amount of sugar or saturated fat is added (present in the aforementioned whole milk, but also in the cream), that beneficial relationship disappears. Therefore, it would be necessary to have coffee only to give the results that the researchers managed to segment. Caffeine. Zhang states that “the benefits of coffee for health could be due to its bioactive compounds,” but also comments that the key does not seem so much in coffee … as in caffeine. And, if the positive effects of coffee disappear by adding saturated fat or sugar, they are also diluted when coffee is decaffeinated. Decaffeinated coffee drinkers have not shown those differences in mortality rates, a conclusion similar to the one they have arrived Other studies that go further to point that the beneficial is the combination of coffee and caffeine, not only coffee or Only caffeine. A monster or a Red Bull would not be worthultimately. It is on the way to the front. Now, both studies are observational, which means that they are limited when examining the cause and direct effect of coffee. In fact, not being a controlled environment, but a simple survey, admit that the lack of a significant association between decaffeinated coffee and mortality could be due to the fact that the consumption of this type of coffee is much lower. As we say, for now those studies that are connecting coffee consumption with mortality are limited, but that several on the same during the last months indicate an interest in knowing that link. In addition, they are the basis for subsequent investigations that analyze how the multiple components of coffee or the time of the day we take it –that is also being studied– It affects that relationship. Image | Nathan Dumlao In Xataka | In our obsession with having a more “nutritious” coffee, we are throwing an ingredient that knows Charco: Spirulina

If the question is how long will the teles of our living room grow, the market speaks very clearly: until we have

The size of televisions carries decades growing at great pace. And how It has happened with smartphones From the first Samsung Galaxy Note, on the sector always plans the question of until when. As in mobiles there are comfort limits in handling and portability, the teles face space limitations in the salons. The market speaks clearly. Based on GFK data, TCL shared a reality from the television market last year: The size of the teles grows 1.2 “a year in Europe. With an average that has gone from 32 “from 2010 to approximately 50” in 2024 (Samsung told us in 2023 that the average size was already in 55 “and that in 2025 the standard could already be 65”). Thus samsung money earns: the secret is on the iPhone The consultant Counterpoint Research He has shared data from the first quarter of 2025 compared to previous years, and the growth has shot: the distribution of televisions of 75 “or more has grown 79 % over the same period of 2024, and the income 59 %. The trend is clear for 15 years. The teles grow 1.2 “a year. Source: GFK The latter indicates a drop in the average price in the giant inches: income does not grow to the rhythm of sales. Also, according to DSCC dataconsultant that now belongs to Counterpoint, in the second quarter of 2024, the televisions of more than 80 “grew 29% compared to the previous year. Samsung saw it clear. In 2018, the company commissioned An Ipsos study where they got interesting conclusions. According to the company, the space of the Spanish halls is not the big problem to which it had signed up before: “87 % of households could have an 82 television”, since that is the percentage of households that are more than 1.6 meters away to the TV, a minimum viewing distance recommended for this size of televisions, according to the ITU-R “. The responses of the population surveyed also left many doubts: 70% of those who had bought televisions contemplated the possibility of buying a larger one, in a context in which 70% of households did not exceed 50 “. The biggest obstacles to buying large -inch televisions were space (50 %of users), the price (39 %) and the viewing distance (16 %). The most interesting is in the first two points. Space is the great impediment, but according to the company there was ignorance about what size is adequate. And the price issue: 39 % did not buy larger sizes due to the pocket cost. Something that we will see that the market is solving. The teles go down, and go down. In this sense, if something teaches us recent technological history, is that Almost everything is more expensive, but the smart TV are given: And much of the fault is the “mother crystal”. Another great responsible is the current strategy of manufacturers and developers of operating systems for televisions, which They have turned the teles into television. The extreme case of this is Tellya free television that the user pays with advertising present on a second screen. In 2017, Juergen Boyny, Global Director of GFK consumption electronics, He told us They calculated that “there will be a screen size limit for most consumers between 75 and 77 inches, and even so, that size will remain as a very specific niche.” Today we know that at least the second is not so. And according to Counterpoint, in the European Union we spend average 536 euros on a TV. Faced with the 20,000 euros of a 77 “TV of less than a decade ago, which we mentioned in Boyny’s article, today there are models for about 500 euros. And the United States indicates where the road is going: Walmart already has 85 “televisions for less than $ 600. The size of the stay has always conditioned what we thought was the optimal size of the TV. But analysts came to say that televisions of 75 “would be niche, and reality has shown not China smiles. TCL and Hisense are the main Chinese brands of televisions. According to 2024 last quarter quarterthe first surpassed LG in the distribution of premium televisions, and Hins is already very close. In the general market, Samsung has already exceeded him, being 16 % quota, TCL with 14 %, Hisense with 12 % and LG with 10 %. Xiaomi follows a certain distance with 5 %. In the context of the annual growth of size and explosion of the giant inches, China also wins the bet of its brands itself. As you remember HDTVTEST: “TCL is one of the most aggressive brands when betting on large screens, having launched in recent years several MINI-LED and LCD TV models of 98 inches.” And we already talk about numerous 110 “models and 115 “. The strategy to crush competition. Both brands do not stop presenting giant and innovative televisionsand above all, to reduce them and democratize them. They have already had the 98 “TCL C805, Minilad, less than 1,700 euros. A model that launched a couple of years ago at 5,000 euros. The growing domain of TCL and Hisense of the Premium market responds to the growing domain of the Minned Tves (those that market) in front of the OLED, which dominate from Korea LG and Samsung. In 2024 there was sorpasso of technology: MINILED surpassed Oled In sales. And it was so after years of dominance and the entrance of Samsung in Oleds with the Samsung S95B In 2022. Server has been enjoying an OLED TV from 2020 by having prioritized image quality. The following will be Minnedfor the balance between size and quality. The perfect cocktail, with a brake. We have a panel size that has not stopped growing for decade and a half, sales fired in giant inches and prices that break up at the rhythms of vertigo, Even in toe technology. To this is added, as Samsung pointed out, users who want larger sizes … Read more

After the cruise ship, now traveling by train has become the real luxury. And he is living his golden moment

Summer is just around the corner and, in all likelihood, you already have your vacation organized. According to datafrom Hosteltur, about 37.7 million people worldwide will have chosen a cruise in 2025 for pass your vacation. That figure demonstrates the boom that has suffered The cruise sectorand also explains the change in trend in their preferences for the holidays of 1% richer on the planet: train trips. But not in Any train. They are trains with a centenary history that little have to envy to the best five -star hotels. The luxury trips over rail They are experiencing an unprecedented boom, driven by a new generation of travelers looking for unique, slow and highly personalized experiences. The train is no longer just a means of transport: it is the destination in itself. Luxury train rebirth. The luxury train trip, which was previously seen as A nostalgic rarityis experiencing an unprecedented boom promoted by High purchasing power travelers that seek unique and exclusive experiences. Frank Marini, CEO of Railbookrs, He counted to Fortune That the demand for luxury train trips has shot in recent years, with all exhausted offers and with waiting lists of thousands of people. This trend reflects a change in the high -standing travel market and that luxury trains experiences are living their golden age. Growth is evident in the figures: in 2024, Tara Minson, president of Inteletravel, assured that her company had registered an increase of 65% in luxury trains reserves in the last year. What distinguishes the luxury train against cruises or private jets is its exclusivity. “People wanted the opportunity to relax. There are probably better way to do it than sitting in a cabin of a luxury train, looking out the window, reading books, talking and with excellent service on board,” he said Fortune Gary Franklin, Senior Vice President of Belmond. Changes in traveler’s profile and new routes. The profile of the luxury train traveler has changed significantly. Minson stressed that “the train, especially the luxury train, used to be for a larger audience, but now we are seeing many millennials and members of the Z generation who want to live a luxury train vacation.” The attractiveness of this type of travel lies both in the desire for exclusivity and in the Sustainability componenthighly valued by the youngest, and in the new “Slow Luxury” concept that invites you to reconnect more with experiences. “Traditionally, the main demographic group of luxury train trips have been high purchasing power couples and friends between fifty and seventy years. But the new Belmond or Accor Group offers has attracted millennials and the most wealthy Z generation,” assured to Fortune Anna Tretter, Travel Advisor of the Agency Fora X. The offer has also diversified. Belmond, one of the most recognized brands in the sector and owned by the luxury giant Bernard Arnault LVMHIt has a portfolio of seven luxury trains worldwide. In its catalog, the famous one is included Venice Simplon-Orient-Express covered the route between Paris and Istanbul from 1883 and was considered the most luxurious train in the world, serving as a stage for Police novels and 007 films. But not the whole market points to the ultra rich elite. There is also space for what Minson calls “small luxuries”: short escapes in trains such as Rocky Mountaineer In Canada, which can cost about $ 1,600. “It is its anniversary, its desire list, its way of celebrating,” says the manager. Exclusive experiences and prices at height. The experience aboard a luxury train is designed to match the standards of a five -star hotel, so it is not surprising that the price per night in experiences such as the L’Observatoire car exceed $ 100,000 per night. Comforts include private bathrooms with heated floors and personalized butler service on board. In addition, you can find menus with Michelin stars, first level entertainment and private suites that offer maximum privacy and comfort. The most exclusive trip of Railbookers for 2026, Around the World by Luxury Trainhas an approximate price of $ 124,000 per person and consists of a 59 -day tour that crosses more than 20 cities in 12 countries and uses seven different high -end trains. According to Marini, “the train offers views that you cannot see by car or by boat. In many cases, it is also your gastronomic experience, your hotel and even your social experience during the trip.” Luxury also suffers delays. However, like the rest of rail traffic, luxury train trips also suffer delays. Belmond already finalized the details to carry out the first trip of his Britannic Explorerhas been forced to postpone its premiere until July 21. According to He declared a spokesman Belmond to the British The Independent“To ensure that we comply with our high operational standards, we have made the decision to adjust the initial schedule.” Although many have decided to postpone their travel plans, the company has had to reimburse the between $ 12,000 and $ 75,000 that some passengers had paid for three days of crossing through the English countryside. “We are sure that this adjustment will allow us to offer extraordinary experience to our guests.” In Xataka | This is the Dolce Vita Orient Express, the Italian train of up to 21,400 euros the room for two nights Image | Bermond

In India there are cities that have 40ºC on the street at 10 in the morning. So they have started living at night

Spain is currently the best example of A problem much deeper that arrives with infernal heat in much of the planet: How to fight the fire with the working day (and life in general). Five workers died during the first heat wave, and that is why it is prioritized Adapt the day (or suspend it) when those hours arrive in which Sol does not let us move forward. And, meanwhile, in India it is 10 in the morning and they already have 40 degrees. How the hell do they do? Heat as law. He counted The New York Times In a report how fire is fought in the city More suffocating. In Sri ganganagara semi -desert region of the Indian State of Rajastáneveryday life has adapted to temperatures that, in the middle of June, reach 49 ° C. There, where dawn already begins at 30 ° C and by 10 in the morning the thermometer exceeds 40 ° C, heat is not a seasonal phenomenon: it is a structural condition that conditions work, health, rest and human relationships. The population, mostly agricultural and without access to comforts such as air conditioning, has developed A daily choreography that folds to the abrasing rhythms of the weather and the sun. Follow the sun. The key? The working days begin Before dawn: peasants and workers take advantage of the few fresh hours to work in the fields and constructions, before taking refuge where they can when the sun is It returns unbearable. The houses are emptied at noon, the markets close, and the few active services, such as street food carts, work under temperatures that melt the asphalt. The scene is repeated every summer with an increasing intensity, aggravated by a rising humidity that multiplies physical suffering. Sunset in Sri Ganganagar The thermal abyss. We go from Sri ganganagar to another “extreme” region. They explained In Bloomberg that in the western city From Ahmedabadwhere the thermometers They usually exceed The 45 ° C at the beginning of May, the fight against heat has also ceased to be a seasonal issue to become a structural need. In this environment, exposure to the sun is no longer just a job risk: it is a threat direct to healthfood security and economic stability of millions of people. For women Like Kunwar Ben Chauhanthat sells meat in the street and has suffered fainting, dehydration and economic losses due to the deterioration of its products, the extreme heat imposes impossible dilemmas: going to work and risk life, or stay at home and lose daily sustenance. Faced with this reality, groups such as Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Pioneer solutions like The parametric insurancewhich grants automatic economic compensation when the temperature exceeds certain critical thresholds. The measure, although modest, represents a vital lifeguard in an informal economy where many workers earn just three dollars daily. Ahmedabad Adaptation from below. In Ahmedabad, a more metropolis of 8.5 million Of inhabitants, resilience is built from the community fabric. In addition to climate insurance, initiatives such as ceilings coating With reflective paint and the installation of early alert systems are transforming the way heat is perceived and managed. The city, a pioneer in Asia del Sur, launched in 2013 Your own plan of action against heat after the devastating wave of 2010, in which they died More than 1,300 people and even 400 bats They fell dead by the burning air. Since then, the actions They have multiplied: Hospitals now have special rooms to treat heat stroke, dehydration and burns, community centers, temples and shopping centers become climatic shelters during the most extreme days, and awareness campaigns have been implemented through radio, neighborhood leaders and educators. The plan includes a alert system colored by colors that informs the population, and whose effectiveness has contributed to reduce mortality. Heat and health. Back to Ganganagar, He underlined the Times Other strategies. In the Chak Maharaj Ka clinic, patient flow increases as heat becomes unbearable. Those who suffer from previous diseases such as asthma or gastrointestinal conditions see how their ailments intensify, forcing medical staff to resort to rapid and palliative treatments. Most of the inhabitants have internalized basic strategies Survival: avoid going out in critical hours, hydrating with homemade solutions, or resting under trees when there is no other option. It happens that these methods only partially relieve a problem that threatens every aspect of life. In the epicenter of heat, in the city itself, the activity never stops at all. As In Ahmedabadworkers cannot afford to rest: if they don’t work, they don’t eat. Solidarity under the sun. Despite the relentless environment, gestures of daily humanity arise that become pillars of a shared ethic. At 3 in the afternoon, when the temperature reaches its maximum point in ganganagar, whole families go to the road with water cubes to offer relief to motorcyclists, truckers and travelers stunned by heat. The act, although simple, embodies a deep sense of charity in a society where doing good is seen as the way to Spiritual salvation. For many, giving water to a stranger is the only lasting legacy that can be offered in a world where everything else is Evapora Under the sun. Climate Innovation Laboratory. Behind the plan of action pioneer of the city of Ahmedabad there is a growing understanding that heat is not an anecdotal phenomenon, but a dangerous multiplier of vulnerabilities in a country where cities They grow disorderlycement replaces vegetation and global emissions have raised the average temperature of the planet in 1.2 ° C. From the pre -industrial era. Recent studies They warn that if global warming exceeds 2 ° C (one possibility every time closer) India will experience an increase Six older in the frequency of heat waves. Already today, More than 600 million Indians live under an unprecedented thermal threat. In that scenario, the city has become a Adaptation Laboratory urban, whose innovations (such as Insurance algorithm which contemplates variables such as night temperature, cloudiness and pollution) are being … Read more

If we want to know what the end of cash will be like, we just have to look at a country that is living it: China

If you go to China and enter a trade, the most normal thing is that you cannot pay with cash. The blue and green logos of Alipay (Ant Group) and Wechat Pay (Tencent) dominate everything, and have been relegating to traditional coins and bills to an absolute background. While in the West we discuss what to do With cash And Europe considers What will happen to the digital euroIn China they are clear. Cash, nothing. Supermarkets, coffees, taxis, or public transport are some of the many types of scenarios in which The Chinese already pay with Alipay or Wechat Pay. At any point where it is necessary to pay the blue and green logos of these applications, everything dominate, and in fact many businesses do not even have a cash register. According to Le Mondemany taxis and local businesses refuse to accept cash payments, and if they accept them, they do not even have change for buyers. Source: Wikimedia Only the elderly pay with tickets. Ma Dian, a Hubei fruits and vegetable seller, commented in this newspaper how the disappearance of cash payments has lived. “I only accept effective to help the elderly. Below the 80s, practically everyone has made the change. Above, it is much more difficult to adapt.” The elderly are here the greats harmed, and they must ask their relatives for help from the difficulty that they propose to make mobile payments with Alipay or Wechat Pay. QR codes everywhere. The QR codes that we usually see in restaurants in Spain to consult the letter dominate everything in China. There the shops have static or dynamic codes (on screens such as TPV) that customers scan. If we are facing a static code, the client usually has to introduce the amount to be paid. In dynamic codes, the amount is automatically shown. The last step is to authenticate with a password, facial recognition or a fingerprint. Although initially Alipay and Wechat Pay used different codes, in some cases unified QR codes are already used for both apps and it is the client who chooses with which app works on his mobile. Banks lose relevance. The absolute presence of these two digital payment systems have caused Chinese banks – government supplies – also have a secondary role for many clients. It is necessary to have a bank account to have it linked to these applications, but its mobile applications and services are totally overshadowed by Alipay and Wechat Pay, with which users do it practically everything in the field of payments and economic transactions. As John Engen said In American Bankerbanks are often reduced to “passive actors.” Powerful, but at bay. Although both Alibaba and Tencent have managed to monopolize these transactions, the Chinese government It has already demonstrated that remain entities that can be punished in a wrecking way. It happened in 2020 when Ant Group He was about From going to heel. Jack Ma criticized his government at that time, which caused The cancellation of that IPO and An exile of years for one of the great figures of entrepreneurship in China. China wants its digital renminbi. The Chinese Central Bank has been looking for a digital currency for years. Your digital renminbi or Yuan Digital You are also getting more than being an alternative to the dollar: is creating a parallel system. The objective is to have an alternative to the popularity of cryptocurrencies, but a controlled by the Chinese authorities. Although the deployment of this digital currency has been in progress for years, its prominence is very limited, and Momne both Alipay and Wechat Pay continue to dominate everything. And tourists, what. Both platforms, which before They made it difficult To tourists, they have progressively adapted to their needs. For approximately two years both Alipay and Wechat Pay allow foreign visitors to create an account in these applications and associate it with a credit card. Last year too They increased The transaction limits, which in Alipay went from $ 1,000 to 5,000, for example. Better with Chinese mobile number. In Wechat Pay it is even possible to access a kind of purse that they can fill in so as not to associate your Credit card to the app, and thus make small payments. It is necessary to have Internet access for these payments, and hire a SIM or a local ESIM to get a Chinese number – for example, for Validations with SMS – is especially recommended to facilitate this type of transactions. Image | Sergio Kian In Xataka | China has made a drastic decision and unpredictable consequences: prioritizing “its” technology, even worse

The house is getting so expensive that in the United Kingdom there are already people opting for a plan B: living in ships

In the United Kingdom there are hundreds of people who do not live in houses, buildings or urbanizations. Nor do they have neighbors. Not at least in the conventional sense. In a country that has seen how housing It was more expensive until it turns Privatethere are those who choose to reside in river channels and rivers. They do it aboard barges of several meters that, although they are not cheap and carry their own costs, remain much more affordable than The apartments Of the big cities. And there are reasons to think that over the years your number It has been increasing. Living between ducks and fish. Sounds romantic, but that is the lifestyle for which thousands of British who reside aboard barges have opted. And there are some data that suggest that their number has increased over the last years. A few months ago The Economist public An article in which he remembers that the last census of Canals and Rivers Trust (CRT) shows that at least 2022 there were 35,000 vessels With a license to operate in 3,200 km of river routes distributed by England and Wales, a third more than in the last two decades. The case of London. Moreover, in London, where the “navigators” stand out between 25 and 34 years, their number has almost doubled in a matter of a decade. In Your report The Economist It does not specify how many of these barges are used as the main residence, but slides that it is probably a good part. In 2021 The Guardian I was A little further And he pointed out that Canals and Rivers Trust surveys show that, at least at that time, the proportion of people who lived aboard their vessels was 25% at the national level (in 2011 they were somewhat less, 15%), although the percentage would be higher in London. Is there more data? Yes. And although the figures vary depending on the source that is always consulting in the same direction. Although the British who have decided to change conventional apartments and houses for barges continue to represent a minority, in February Sky News placed their number in about 15,000. And growing. According to Boats.com the number would be even superior. Your data They estimate the census of permanent residents in barges docked in the rivers, channels and coasts of the United Kingdom in around 30,000 people. Price issue. The big question is … why? Why change the comforts of an apartment in the center of Bristol, Manchester or London for a boat moored to a channel? Analysts answer those questions with Several keysbut there is one that is usually repeated: the price. A narrow barcaza and in good condition with which to move along the country’s river paths can cost near 50,000 pounds. It is a considerable figure (of course there are much cheaper), but that is far from what an apartment costs on the United Kingdom metropolis. Reviewing figures. According to official data, in January the average price of a home in the country was 268,500 pounds. If we talk about London, that reference is triggered until the 600,000 tires are touched through a house in a room, which makes the British capital one of the most expensive cities on the planet to become a owner, based on The data of Global Property Guide. In 2023 the London mayor spoke directly about “housing crisis” and crossed out “scandal” that there were dozens of houses and unused floors. Is it cheap to live on a ship? Depends. Yes, if you compare the cost of buying a barge with that of acquiring an apartment in London. But that does not mean that changing the streets, urbanizations and blocks through the channels is available to all pockets. First because their owners pay navigation licenses. Second, because a boat has certain expenses rigged. Recently the tenant of a United Kingdom barge confessed To the Sky News chain that spends around 4,500 pounds annually in invoices, including insurance, hubs, coal, fuel and navigation permits. If you want to keep your home in good condition every three or four years you must also get it out of the water and paint the helmet, which costs you approximately 1,200 pounds. Money … And something else. Although money is a key factor, it is not the only one that explains that in the United Kingdom there are thousands of people passing (at least) most of the year aboard boats. At stake they enter otherssuch as the influence of pandemic, the rise of teleworking, the interest in traveling along the British coasts or a simple issue of taste, either as a permanent or temporal vital option. After all, in life aboard a barge, not all are idyllic moments. “I wanted so much a ship that I didn’t care to live without shower, wearing a cube as toilet the first months or running cold,” Elizabeth Earle recallsfreelance writer and illustrator who chose to leave the comforts of an apartment to live in a barge. Now reside in a centenary floating house of about 20 meters. “I have no one to bother me and if I want to leave this place I can do it tomorrow. You are always covered with bruises and soot, and there is a lot of mud, but you also think ‘go, I can make fire’ and load 25 kg of coal.” An option with challenges. Navigation, maintenance or supply are not the only challenges facing the tenants of the barges. Elizabeth does not pay mooring as such, but that has its ‘face B’: when opting for the “Continuous Cruiser” Your floating house must change location from time to time. In a similar situation you can see the rest of British navigators who have no right (or paid) permanent moorings and are forced to move between squares along the same river, or beyond, every 14 days. “We pay a license that does not equals a rent, but rather to the municipal … Read more

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