Spain

While Europe panics about the price of electricity, in Spain the opposite is happening

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The ghosts of the energy crisis have once again haunted Europe. As energy expert Alejandro Diego Rosell warnsin just a month of tensions the price of gas (TTF) has skyrocketed more than 90% in March. In most of the continent, this shock translates into an almost automatic increase in the cost of electricity, recalling the “shock” caused by the Ukrainian War four years ago. However, in Spain the unthinkable has happened: the bill has gone down. In short. The electricity bill for customers with the regulated rate (PVPC) has fallen by around 4.8% this month of March compared to the same period last year. The difference with our neighbors is abysmal. While in Italy wholesale electricity is paid at €143/MWh and in Germany it is close to €100/MWh, the Spanish market (pool) closed March with a contained average of €41.5/MWh. How has this been possible? This energy firewall against the geopolitical crisis is not the result of chance, but rather the combination of three fundamental factors: The Government’s fiscal shield: In response to the escalation in the Middle East, the Executive has activated a shock plan. The Official State Gazette (BOE) published Royal Decree-Law 7/2026which recovers the tax cuts from the previous crisis. The VAT on electricity drops to 10%, the electricity tax plummets to 0.5% and the generation tax (IVPEE) is suspended. The muscle of renewables: This is the great structural difference compared to 2022. Alejandro Diego Rosell emphasizes thatSince the start of the Ukrainian war, Spain has added 30 GW of solar energy and more than 3 GW of wind energy to its network. The result is that 65.1% of the electricity consumed this March has come from clean and cheap sources, pushing up electricity prices. pool down. The climatic factor: Nature has also done its part. this winter has been characterized because it was very rainy and windy. This abundance of water and wind has allowed so much energy to be generated that last Sunday the market reached the cheapest hourly price in history: -10 euros per MWh at three in the afternoon. How does it affect the pocket? The combination of low taxes and high renewable generation has meant direct relief for both families and the productive fabric. On the one hand, for an average consumer with a regulated rate, the March bill has stood at 68.10 euroswhich represents a saving of 3.42 euros compared to a year ago, according to comparative data from the CNMC. collected by The Voice of Galicia. For its part, eldiario.es collects estimates from electricity companies which estimate the savings derived solely from tax reductions between 7 euros for small households and up to 20 euros for large families or commercial premises. On the other hand, the most surprising data comes from the large factories. According to the latest Barometer of the AEGE associationthe Spanish electro-intensive industry today pays for electricity at €66.50/MWh, managing to be below the €67.73/MWh paid by the all-powerful German industry for the first time. In sectors where energy accounts for up to 50% of production costs, this surprise represents a vital injection of foreign competitiveness. The small print. To understand the full picture, it is necessary to look beyond the optimistic headlines. The experts consulted by the different media warn of several critical nuances: The hidden cost of “blackout insurance”: Such dependence on renewables has a price, since to guarantee the supply when there is a lack of sun or wind (or when there is excess and the grid cannot support it), Red Eléctrica must turn on gas plants to balance the system. These “technical restrictions” are very expensive and increase the final bill outside the wholesale market. France continues playing in another league: Despite winning the short-term battle against Germany, The Economist remember that we are very far from France. Thanks to its nuclear park, the French industry pays electricity at €32.05/MWh, less than half that of the Spanish industry. Furthermore, Germany compensates for its high market prices by injecting its factories with €38.78/MWh in CO2 aid, compared to the scarce €17.76/MWh allowed by the Spanish budget. The electrical mirage and the threat of summer: Electricity barely represents 20% of the country’s energy consumption. The other 80% (oil and gas for transport and industry) is 100% imported, so Spain remains very exposed to the ups and downs of the Middle East. In addition, Natalia Fabra, professor of Economics, warns that the electrical bargain It has an expiration date: starting at the end of June, the heat will reduce the efficiency of the solar panels, the use of air conditioning will trigger demand and gas prices will once again rise. Resilience facing the crisis. The Third Gulf War has tested Europe’s energy foundations. Spain, unlike what was experienced four years ago, has managed to avoid the first big blow thanks to a cocktail of fiscal intervention and green deployment. As Alejandro Diego Rosell concludesit is true that renewable energies do not magically isolate us from the complex international context, but the data from this month of March leave an undeniable lesson: without them, we would be much worse off. Spain has acquired valuable resilience, but the road to true energy independence is still long. Image | freepik 1 and 2 Xataka | The paradox of the Canary Islands: it is the only autonomous community where the VAT reduction on fuel will not be noticed

Spain awarded 20 million euros to Stellantis to create jobs in Galicia. Europe has prevented the money from being delivered

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20,660,434 euros. That was the aid that the Government of Spain granted in 2017 to PSA (now Stellantis after its merger with FCA) as “regional incentives for the correction of territorial economic imbalances.” Just two years later, the European Commission already doubted the appropriateness of this aid. Almost a decade after its delivery, Stellantis will have to return the money. 20.7 million euros. It was the money given by Mariano Rajoy’s Government in 2017 to the automobile conglomerate PSA. The company, then directed by Carlos Tavares, had been looking for money framed within the “Industrial Plan 2014-2020” in which funds from the European Union were available. The Spanish subsidiary of PSA, known as PCAE, requested aid of 392 million euros in 2014 to carry out the necessary actions to modernize the plant and launch a new model. The aid program was expanded, with another 100 million in subsequent years because PSA was going to produce a new vehicle platform and a new SUV car in Vigo. In 2017, shortly before Mariano Rajoy left Moncloa, the Government of Spain provided the aforementioned aid of 20.7 million euros since it corresponded to the maximum percentage allowed with respect to the investment that was planned to be used. many doubts. In 2019the European Commission was already beginning to doubt the legality or compatibility of this aid. In a document submitted thenquestioned whether the subsidies provided were meeting the criteria to create employment in the area. In said letter, PSA was already invited and the Government of Spain has explained the reason for this aid. In that document, the European Commission questioned whether the positive effects of the aid outweighed the negative ones and, therefore, that the decision to financially support the company with those more than 20 million euros was not economically doping its commitment to our country instead of taking production to the Trnava plant (Slovakia) with which Vigo competed. According to the European Commission, it believed that both plants were competing on equal terms and that the socioeconomic context of the Slovaks was no worse than that of Vigo. Furthermore, they pointed out that the defense that this aid helped preserve employment in Galicia in the face of a possible relocation to Morocco (a position defended by Spain) was not sufficient because PSA had already previously relocated other vehicles that were previously manufactured in Spain. Seven years of research. Already in 2020, Europe continued to defend that the Commission had its doubts “regarding the contribution of investment projects to the development of the region in question”, as they stated in elDiario.es. Then it was thought that the company’s true intention was to improve the factory facilities with the sole objective of improving the company’s competitiveness but that it had nothing to do with an improvement in innovation and local investments. There were even doubts about the compatibility of being able to deliver these aid to a company like PCAE (the Spanish subsidiary of PSA). One of the most compelling reasons presented by the European Commission is, as they point out in The Worldthe choice of the Vigo company to the detriment of the Slovaks. And it is considered that opting for a more economically developed region to receive aid contravenes the principles of cohesion of the European Union, which prevents the delivery of this type of subsidies. Case closed. Now, the Government of Spain has notified the European Commission that it is withdrawing the subsidy of 20.7 million euros. He has done it because he cannot prove its legality. As the money has not yet been delivered, the European Commission has closed the investigation, they explain in the Galician media. praza.gal. At this time, Spain has not been able to demonstrate that the number of jobs increased after the aid was granted nor that it represented an economic boost in the region. In fact, it was possible that the number of jobs could even be reduced, as they point out in Motorpassion. During this time, the money has not been delivered because it remained frozen with the European investigation. Now we know that Stellantis will not charge it. Photo | Stellantis In Xataka | The Stellantis factory in Figueruelas has been looking for a reconversion plan for years. You already have it: make Chinese electric cars

150 years ago, Spain made a unique decision in the world. Ouigo and Iryo believe that Renfe uses it to get them out of the market

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They have no rolling stock. And the worst of all (for them) is that they are not going to have it. Ouigo, Iryo and a third rolling stock company have raised their voices before the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) to make it clear that the current system with two gauges of track reduces their competitiveness in our country compared to Renfe. And it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change in the short term. What has happened? The CNMC has published a document with the name “Report on technical barriers to the provision of railway services”. It sets out the challenges and interventions that Spain should carry out in the coming years. It specifies that the Spanish railway system has the obligation to improve interoperability with its neighboring countries, both to facilitate the flow of passengers and goods. But there is a drawback: the track widths. And this inconvenience has a very relevant economic impact. They complain. In the document the different postures are collected of those involved. And it states that “Ouigo, Iryo and a rolling stock manufacturer (which is not specified) warn that the uncertainty regarding the schedule and details of the Gauge Migration Plan, as well as the unification of the electrification system and the implementation of the ERTMS signaling system, makes decision-making on strategic investments difficult, and they ask that the Gauge Migration Plan be prepared and published as soon as possible.” In short: the two operators and the rolling stock manufacturer complain that Adif does not have a clear plan as to whether the Iberian high-speed track gauges are going to adapt to European standards, which move in standard gauge. The same happens with the unification of the electrification system and the definitive implementation of the ERTMS system. And they defend themselves. The position of Adif and Renfe is set out in the same document. Both companies “point out that incorporating gauge change technology in the rolling stock and infrastructure is less expensive and entails fewer interruptions in traffic than the migration of the infrastructure. On the other hand, both the AESF and the DG of the Railway Sector indicate that, in addition to Talgo, there is a second manufacturer of variable gauge rolling stock for high speed, CAF, although they admit that it is currently only approved to operate at 250 km/h.” In short: neither Renfe nor Adif They believe that adapting to the standard width is economically profitable given the high economic impact. The bottleneck. What Ouigo and Iryo defend is that the current situation and the commitment to trains with wide gauge technology leaves them behind. They have two reasons to maintain this. CAF can supply trains with this technology but they are only approved to travel at a maximum of 250 km/h. Talgo is the only company with this technology with approval to circulate up to 350 km/h. They are known as Talgo AVRIL but their production is committed to Renfe. And the results are not satisfactory either.. Beyond these two manufacturers, no one seems to want to get involved in the production of trains capable of changing tracks between standard and Iberian gauge. And the fact is that their production means meeting a demand that is still a niche or a rarity in the world railway system. Very juicy. The reluctance of Adif and Renfe is not strange either. For Adif it would mean a huge investment that has to be able to make profitable with the rest of the operators when the vast majority of current corridors in Spain already operate with standard gauge. For its part, Renfe does not want to let go of this trick either. Right now, the high speed to Galicia needs trains that are capable of moving between the Iberian gauge and the standard gauge if you do not want to transfer and the Spanish company is the only one that has the trains for this. The Galician corridor has also emerged as one of the most profitable. Travel has grown so much that it has made airlines retreat and now that they have to liberalize the line, maintaining the current situation guarantees that they will continue to be the only ones that will be able to offer this trip without transfers, which is a clear competitive advantage. Photo | Falk2 In Xataka | “Whoever wants to come, should invest”: Ouigo wanted to enter the Madrid-Galicia AVE but now sees it as impossible before 2030

Spain has been looking for a way to make mass tourism more digestible for years. The US threatens to do the job for her

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In 2025, Spain was left with the desire to reach the 100 million tourists foreigners. Now a cloud on the other side of the Atlantic threatens to move that milestone further away also in 2026. In a turbulent scenario, conditioned by the warthe brent barrel climbing and domestic politics, more and more Americans are rethinking their trips abroad. This is suggested by at least one report from the consulting firm Cirium, which has detected a “puncture” both in flight reservations between Europe and the US and (and here is the key) from the US to Europe. The data is relevant because the flow of Americans connects with other fronts that affect Spain, such as the demand of the tourism sector or the housing. A percentage: 11.2%. The data has advanced it USA Today. In a chronicle on tourism and international travel patterns, the newspaper slips a couple of data from the consulting firm Cirium that leave a clear reading: the demand for transatlantic flights is suffering. And quite obviously. According to their analysis, reservations from Europe to the United States have experienced a year-on-year decrease (July 2025-July 2026) of 15.34%. In the opposite direction, from the United States to Europe, a drop of 11.19% has also been recorded. Country of origin Tourists (2025) AVERAGE expenditure per tourist € (2025) United Kingdom 19,084,423 1,240 France 12,767,491 908 Germany 12,050,833 1,317 Italy 5,704,989 956 Netherlands 5,007,641 1,423 USA 4,456,665 2,297 Portugal 3,383,482 602 The alarms go off. The falls are striking, but they are even more shocking when compared to measurements that the consultancy managed at the beginning of the year. The outlook they drew at that time was also negative and predicted falls, but not so abrupt. Europe-US reserves pointed to a decline of 14.22% and US-Europe reserves of 7.27%. The reading is clear: travel forecasts have worsened, especially those of Americans. Why is it important? That the US has lost appeal among foreign tourists is no surprise. In 2025, after the return of Donald Trump to the White House and the trade and immigration war with which his mandate began, there began to be talk of a tourist boycott to the country of the stars and stripes. In 2026 the outlook is not simple either. The US has the powerful claim of the World Cup (it is the host along with Mexico and Canada), but the year has still started losing travelers and Oxford Economics estimates that, despite the ‘FIFA effect’, 2026 will close with a discreet growth tourism of 3.9%. What is striking about Cirium’s analysis is that the flow of tourists does not seem to be suffering only in the ‘USA direction’. Demand also pushes in the opposite direction, from Americans themselves, who are less interested in crossing the pond to visit Europe. USA Today cites two cases: reservations to Frankfurt have been reduced by 26.8% and those to London by 11.31%. Half surprise. The truth is that Cirium’s data only confirms the forecasts released several months ago by YouGov, which in December published a study in which he already warned that Americans would face their international vacations with some “caution” in 2026. The report left out some percentages for reflection. For example, 60% of those surveyed admitted that they never traveled abroad for pleasure, something that is largely explained by the cost of flying. Another interesting fact is that 43% admit to having traveled less abroad during the last year. But… And why is that? There is no single answer. When talking about the decline in demand in December, YouGov slid two factors why Americans pack less now. First, due to “economic uncertainty”, a reason cited by almost a third (28%) of those surveyed. Second, due to the increased cost of travel, something that 18% complained about. Since then the picture has become more complex. Added to the uncertainty are geopolitical tensions and the conflict in the Middle East, which, remember USA Todaybeyond the rise in oil prices, has “revived fears of terrorism.” The newspaper recalls that messages like the one left not long ago by Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security, about the security risks derived from the war in Iran weigh on US travelers. There would be another factor influencing Americans’ flight plans. The prolonged government shutdown from the end of 2025 has increased the burden on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which partly translates into long lines at the country’s airports. Now we add the changes to the airport map caused by the war in Iran, the foreseeable increase in the cost of transportation and flight cancellation due to increased costs. Does Spain care? Yes. The US is not only a world power. It also represents an important fishing ground for tourists and expats interested in spending time in our country. According to data from the INE, last year Spain received 96.8 million of foreign visitors. Of them some 4.4 million (almost 5%) came from the US, making it one of the main foreign markets. Its average expenditure per person is also high: 2,297 euros in 2025, above the average (1,392) and nations like Germany. Its weight is relevant if Spain wants to reach the goal of 100 million visitors. It is also felt in another market closely connected to tourism: housing. Both through vacation rentals and the expatswhich in recent years have set their sights on the European market due to their attractiveness. In fact there are experts who they already warn that there are areas like Mallorca that are arousing more and more appetite among Americans looking for luxury homes. Image | Martijn Vonk (Unsplash) In Xataka | China stripped Japan of its tourists in hopes of causing an economic hole. Nothing could be further from reality

We know its price and even its name from the most expensive mansion in Spain. The only thing we don’t know is who sells it.

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In Sierra Blanca, the urbanization most exclusive in Marbellawalls do not only delimit properties. They are also silent. It is the unwritten rule of Spanish luxury. The most expensive mansion of the country has just gone on sale with 5,600 square meters of luxuries and opulencewhich does not lack a fountain inspired by the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. His sale price It is 70 million euros and has absolutely everything, except the answer to the most obvious question: who is selling it? ELON MUSK VS JEFF BEZOS: STAR WARS An oasis of luxury overlooking the Mediterranean As and as highlighted ForbesSierra Blanca is one of the most exclusive urbanizations in Spain and a natural fortress for privacy. Nestled on the slope of the mountain range that gives it its name is Villa Bellagio. The impressive mansion sits on a plot of 14,000 m2 300 meters above sea level. Its gardens mix palm trees, cypresses and native species in a setting designed both for beauty and to keep its tenants out of reach. of curious looks. The 22-meter infinity pool seems to extend to the horizon, with spectacular views over the Mediterranean. A fountain, a replica of the one at the Bellagio hotel-casino in Las Vegas, greets visitors before they even cross the door. The façade, designed by the Spanish architect Jesús del Valle, is impressive with a double staircase flanked by 20 columns up to eight meters high. Engel & Völkers In fact, the house is so ostentatious that it even caught the attention of YouTuber Ibai Llanos, who dedicated it to one of his videos in which he went through it it already showed its details. The mansion was built by Joe Ricotta, founder of a logistics company in the United Kingdom and a luxury real estate developer in Spain. According to the local pressRicotta sold the property (at that time called Villa Ricotta) in 2021. for 40 million euros. However, no one knows the identity of the current owner, faithful to the tradition of discretion that prevails among the residents of the most exclusive urbanization in Spain. Thirteen suites and no random details The interior of the mansion does not disappoint those who arrive expecting opulence and luxury in abundance. The 5,600 m2 built of the mansion are distributed in thirteen suites between its two floors: four of 40 m2 each on the ground floor and eight of up to 50 m2 each on the upper floor. Engel & Völkers Each of the suites has large windows with direct views of the Mediterranean and its own marble-clad bathroom. In total, no less than 24 bathrooms spread throughout the house. The main living room exceeds 200 m2 and connects with a dining room for 14 people and an impressive 60 m2 kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. Engel & Völkers During his visit to the spectacular mansion, Ibai discovered that the entire house had a centralized home automation system from which the lighting, climate, blinds and sound are controlled in every corner of the house. An in-house electricity generator and several independent water tanks ensure that nothing ever fails, turning the lavish mansion into a self-sustaining bunker. The lower floor is the best example that Villa Bellagio is not a conventional luxury mansion and falls into another category. The spa area includes a heated indoor pool, haman, Finnish sauna, massage room and full gym. Engel & Völkers The leisure offer of the mansion includes a private cinema with capacity for 22 spectators, a double bowling alley of professional sizes, a billiard room with its own bar and a hairdressing and manicure salon for exclusive use. For motor lovers, the mansion reserves its most extravagant chapter: an air-conditioned gallery where to exhibit a collection of up to 12 vehicles as if they were museum pieces, with lighting designed to highlight every detail of their bodies. Underground, a second garage accommodates 40 more cars. In total, 52 places of parking for a collection which, in this context, no one would consider excessive. Engel & Völkers Concierge, cleaning and maintenance services with five-star hotel standards complete the proposal that, more than a home, functions as a private resort. All this behind walls that, as tradition dictates in Sierra Blanca, they reveal nothing about who lives (or has lived) on the other side of the luxurious entrance gate. In Xataka | The most expensive mansion in the world costs 1 billion dollars: the CEO of Citadel is building it in Florida Image | Engel & Völkers

the intrahistory of the pact that isolates Spain from the global energy panic

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The world holds its breath in the face of what many already consider the Third Gulf War. According to ReutersEuropean gas prices have skyrocketed by more than 70%, dragged down by the Iranian attacks that 17% have been rendered useless of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity, and by the almost total closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is so critical that the European Commission has urgently urged member countries to replenish their reserves – currently at a meager 28% – for next winter. However, in the midst of this geopolitical chaos, Spain breathes with unusual tranquility. A resounding calm. During the recent shareholders meeting of Naturgy, its executive president, Francisco Reynés, sent the following message: “Our customers are assured of supply.” Reynés guaranteed that the company feels “more protected” by not depending “absolutely anything on any Middle Eastern country.” Also backed by a strong historical commitment for renewable energiesSpain seems to have its homework done. But, just in case, the Government of Spain has decided to activate a “Plan B” to shield the country and keep energy prices at bay. This plan has a geographical name and surname: Algeria. A lifesaver that not only ensures volume, but also guarantees an energy bill with a strategic ‘discount’ compared to the exorbitant prices of the rest of Europe. A strategic partner. To consolidate this energy shield, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has met on his first official trip to Algiers not only with his counterpart, Ahmed Attaf, and the Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mohamed Arkab, but with the Algerian president himself, Abdelmayid Tebune. The primary objective of the meeting has been to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership in energy matters in the face of fears of global shortages. but this trip certifies the definitive end of the deep diplomatic crisis unleashed in 2022, when Spain aligned itself with Morocco’s theses on Western Sahara. Despite that historic setback, Albares wanted to emphasize that “Algeria is a reliable, constant supplier, under any circumstances”, recalling that the flow of Algerian gas was never interrupted during the months of tension. How is this cheap shielding going to materialize? The negotiations are in an advanced phase to squeeze the most out of the Medgaz underwater gas pipeline. The intention is to increase the volume of supply up to 10%which would mean injecting around 1,000 million additional cubic meters per year. At the moment, according to data from Bloombergthe pipeline was operating at about 28 million cubic meters per day at the beginning of the year, compared to its nominal capacity of 32 million. This government movement walks hand in hand with corporate strategy. Naturgy seeks to give even greater stability to its historical relationship with Sonatrach, the Algerian state company, with which it maintains supply contracts for around 5,000 million cubic meters annually until 2030. The alliance is so close that Sonatrach owns 51% of Medgaz and 4.1% of Naturgy’s capital. It is precisely these long-term contracts that act as an “anti-inflation shield”, protecting Spanish consumers from the violent increases of the free market. Beyond gas. The recovered attunement is not limited to ensuring the most immediate fossil supply. According to Europa PressAlbares and his counterparts have agreed to explore greater cooperation at the infrastructure level, opening the door to “possible analyzes and joint work” between Spanish and Algerian companies throughout the hydrocarbon sector. Furthermore, the will of both governments is to go one step ahead and analyze another type of supply where there is “a shared interest and commitment”, putting on the table the development of solar energy and the promising green hydrogen. The Italy factor: copy or desperate competition? Spain’s movement is not an isolated event in the Mediterranean. Just one day before Albares’ arrival, the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, also landed in Algiers looking for exactly the same thing: gas. According to Financial TimesItaly is one of the European economies most exposed to this crisis, since 44% of its electricity is generated in gas plants. Its big problem is that Qatar, which supplied 33% of Italian LNG, has declared force majeure after the Iranian attacks on its Ras Laffan facilities. To patch this huge hole, Meloni has appealed to historical diplomacy recalling the “Mattei Plan”, the legendary founder of the Italian energy company ENI, which financed and supported Algerian independence in the 50s and 60s. Accompanied by the current CEO of ENI, Meloni has signed agreements with Sonatrach for the extraction of shale gas and offshore exploration, with the dream of turning Italy into the gas distribution “hub” for northern Europe, as pointed out Euronews. Does this pose a threat to Spanish supply? In the short term, it seems difficult. As detailed by the British media, the TransMed gas pipeline that connects Algeria with Italy is already operating at maximum capacity. Furthermore, Algerian domestic consumption has grown by 7% in the last year, limiting its physical margin to export additional gas. And there is another difference, while Spain has done its homework, Italy has stagnated. The installation of new renewable capacity in Italy fell 8.2% last year, leaving it at the mercy of the whims of a hydrocarbon market with skyrocketing prices. The Mediterranean as a refuge. Ultimately, the Third Gulf War has forced Spain to relocate its energy compass, moving it away from the turbulent waters of the Strait of Hormuz to dock in the safety of the Mediterranean. By strengthening its ties with Algeria and supported by the strength of key companies such as Naturgy, the country has managed to isolate itself from the panic that is currently devouring its European partners. Leaving complex geopolitical tensions aside, the triumph of this shielding is above all economic. While Europe looks in panic at next winter’s energy bill after suffering increases of 70%, Spain has managed to secure a stable supply, direct by tube and at protected prices. An Algerian “discount” that, today, is worth its weight in gold. Image | Photo by Helio Dilolwa on … Read more

NASA chose 34 points around the world to track its lunar mission and only one in Spain. It is in Seville, on a rooftop

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If the weather behaves well and no problemsnext April 1 (early morning on April 2 in Spain) NASA will launch Artemis II. It will be the first manned mission of the Artemis programand in it four astronauts will travel aboard the Orion capsule to orbit around the Moon. during the mission 34 locations spread around the world will track the spacecraft’s radio signals and send their data to NASA. One of these headquarters will be in a special location: the roof of the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Seville. A NASA antenna in Seville. In August 2025, NASA published an open call for third-party organizations to demonstrate their tracking capabilities during an actual manned mission. All types of organizations, agencies and institutions showed up, and even private radio amateurs also did so. Of the 34 selected around the world, the ETSi is the only Spanish center that will participate in this monitoring. The Orbisat system in operation. Source: Integrasys. space roof. It will do so in collaboration with Integrasys, a Spanish company specialized in this field and which has installed its platform on the roof of the ETSi building. Orbisat. This 2.5 meter high system has been developed at its Luxembourg subsidiary and is designed to track space vehicles both during launch and during subsequent operations. Plan B. The ETSi and the Orbisat system will receive the radio signals that the Orion spacecraft emits during its trip, process them and send them in real time to NASA for analysis. The key data they will measure is the Doppler effect of the signal: the variation in frequency of the waves depending on the relative speed between the ship and the antenna. It is a key parameter to determine both the position of the ship and to calculate its trajectory. It should be noted here that this system will not be responsible for the main monitoring, which will be done from the network Deep Space Network from NASA. This monitoring will be complementary and will help the agency evaluate what monitoring capabilities it can use outside of its own infrastructure. It’s a plan B. Why 34 antennas?. This support program responds to a very clear strategy of the space agency: build a public-private space tracking ecosystem that does not depend on its own network. Kevin Coggins, deputy director of the NASA SCaN programhe explained in the official announcement that “it is not about tracking a mission, but rather about building a resilient ecosystem that supports future exploration.” The initiative is an evolution of what was already done in 2022 with Artemis I, when ten volunteers tracked the unmanned mission. On that occasion, data format and quality problems were detected, and for Artemis II, participants have been forced to meet certain standards. An opportunity for Seville and for Integrasys. The Orbisat platform will be installed in Seville permanently, which turns the ETSi into a real monitoring infrastructure and not a one-off collaboration. For the company Integrasys, based in Las Rozas (Madrid), this first direct collaboration with NASA adds to those it already had with the Space Force and the US Space Command. Now it remains to be seen if this serves as a gateway to its participation also in future space missions such as Artemis III, which will land on the lunar surface. The Aerospace Technology Group of the University of Vigo will also participate in monitoring the mission. The students are in luck. The Master in Space Systems Operation at the University of Seville is taught for the first time in this 2025-26 academic year. Students will have direct access to the data generated by Orbisat during the Artemis II missionand with them they will be able to apply orbital determination and trajectory analysis techniques in that real scenario. For them this occasion is special, since they will be able to go beyond the books and have access to the telemetry of a manned spacecraft orbiting the Moon. A much more powerful way to learn, without a doubt. Spain on space map. The network of the 34 selected includes organizations such as the Canadian Space Agency, the German DLR, companies such as Telespazio and universities from Switzerland, Japan and the United States. Seville is on that list along with individual radio amateurs from California or South Dakota, amateur radio organizations such as AMSAT in Argentina or Germany, research centers in Cameroon or New Zealand and professional stations in Norway and the United Kingdom. The conclusion is clear: NASA has here the beginning of what can be a heterogeneous and decentralized network with monitoring capabilities. The Spanish participation on the Artemis II mission, by the way, goes a little furtherbut could go much further even. Image | NASA | ETSi In Xataka | In 2018, Elon Musk put his own car into orbit. Eight years later it is still circling the Earth

Iran has turned Hormuz into the entrance to a VIP nightclub. And Spain enters the guest list and the US stays at the door

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Spain has never been a great military power, but it has been a key player in energy routes. In fact, more than 60% of the gas Its consumption arrives by ship and its refineries are among the most important in southern Europe. Furthermore, its geographical position makes it a natural bridge between Africa, America and the Mediterranean, which means that any change in global energy flows ends up impacting, directly or indirectly, its economy. Iran as oil watchdog. what is happening in Hormuz At this moment it breaks one of the great premises of the global order of recent decades. The naval superiority of the United States was assumed to be overwhelming, backed by a navy that far surpasses the rest of the world in capacity and deployment, and which guaranteed the security of the great sea routes. However, Iran has shown that it is not necessary to dominate the oceans to control a key point. It is enough to have the ability to deny access in a small space, combine asymmetric military pressure and assume the cost of the conflict. The result is that Washington, despite its power, is tied hand and foot and cannot reopen the strait without escalating the war to levels much more dangerous. This turns Iran into a kind of “watchdog” for world oil, capable of deciding who passes and who doesn’tand marks a paradigm shift where the control of strategic bottlenecks outweighs global military supremacy. A tight as a VIP nightclub. Yes, because Iran has transformed the Strait of Hormuz into something more than an energetic chokepoint: has converted it in a business which works in the same way as the door of an exclusive nightclub, that is, a space where not just anyone enters, but only those who are on the list. And there Spain appears among the guests (what have confirmed explicitly) and, of course, the “hostile ships” of the United States and Israel are clearly banned. In other words, they have established a system selective access that redefines control of one of the most critical routes on the planet and turns geopolitics into a direct filter on who can trade and who cannot. Spain and its no to war. Impossible to ignore the government statement Spanish with Iran’s latest move. Pedro Sánchez’s refusal to align with Donald Trump’s strategy broke the dynamic common in Europe. Spain blocked the use from its bases, refused to actively participate in the operation, and turned “no to war” into foreign policy. That movement, which seemed isolated, began to influence other countries. Germany and Italy, for their part, they took distance. And Europe stopped moving as a bloc, showing that there is room to challenge Washington without completely breaking the alliance. The “prize”. It remains to be seen if in the end it will be “poisoned”, but the truth is that this Spanish positioning has had immediate consequences. Iran has shown a special disposition towards Spain, facilitating ship transit linked to their country in a context in which the passage is practically closed for many others. This preferential treatment turns neutrality into an operational advantage tangible, but also introduces a delicate dimension. Spain gains room for maneuver in the short term, but at the cost of exposing itself to criticism and pressure from its allies, critics who may interpret such access as a dangerous concession in a highly polarized environment. The Iranian model that no one saw coming. I was counting this morning the financial times that Tehran is designing a maritime traffic control system much more structured than it might seem. Transit no longer depends solely on navigation, but of a process which combines diplomacy, supervision and, in some cases, high payments to guarantee passage. As? Apparently, the ships must coordinate with the Iranian authorities, undergo verifications and follow specific routes under surveillance. This “handmade” model that few saw coming in the middle of the war introduces a de facto “toll” that transforms the strait into an economic and political tool at the same time, reinforcing Iran’s ability to influence global trade. A global bottleneck. The impact of this change is enormous if we take into account the importance of the Strait of Hormuz. How have we been countingit passes approximately one fifth of world oil, as well as gas and essential raw materials for the global economy. The war has reduced traffic drastically, has increased attacks on ships and has generated a situation of great uncertainty for thousands of sailors. What was once a predictable route has become a high risk spacewith immediate consequences on energy prices and market stability. From highway to guarded corridor. They explained in The Guardian through a visual analysis that the functioning of the strait has also changed in operational terms. The usual routes have been replaced by controlled runners closer to the Iranian coast, where authorities can directly supervise transiting ships. This system allows almost individualized traffic management, reducing the volume of passage and increasing control on each vessel. The result is that Hormuz has stopped behaving as an international maritime highway and begins to function as a regulated access, where each movement depends on prior authorization. Consequences. In the long term, this model opens the door for Iran to obtain important income and consolidate a tool for strategic pressure on world trade. However, also raises legal issues and diplomatic tensions significant, since it questions basic principles of international maritime law. Given this scenario, other countries could accelerate the search for alternatives, such as new energy infrastructure or different trade routes (China and Russia they are already doing it). If this process is consolidated, the result could be a system fragmentation global, where access to key resources depends increasingly on political decisions and less on norms shared for years. Image | eutrophication&hypoxiaNARA, US Navy, اری In Xataka | Israel has found the secret route of the war in Ukraine: it has just bombed the “Uber of shahed drones” between Russia and Iran In Xataka | Iran is … Read more

Europe is within your reach, including Spain

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A ballistic missile can reach speeds greater than Mach 10 and travel thousands of kilometers in less than half an hour, even leaving the atmosphere before falling back towards its target. That combination of speed and height is what has made this type of weapon one of the pillars of military strategy since the mid-20th century. Europe enters the map. A few days ago, Iran crossed a line that had been theoretical for years. The launch of missiles towards Diego Garcíaabout 4,000 kilometers away, was not only a military movement, it was a full-fledged strategic message. This distance is approximately equivalent to that between Iran from many European capitals. For the first time, range has ceased to be a hypothesis and has become something demonstrated in combat. Because although the missiles failed, the gesture changes the board, and Europe is no longer out of reach conflict potential. What really happened. Iran fired two long range missiles towards a joint base of the United States and the United Kingdom in the Indian Ocean. One failed during flight and the other was intercepted by American defenses. The attack did not achieve the desired impact, but it did demonstrate a capacity that until now had not been shown clearly. It is not so much the result that matters in this case, but the fact that Iran decided to use that type of weapons. In other words, the step indicates a change in your strategy and your willingness to escalate the conflict. The jump to 4,000 km. Until now, Iran had defended that it limited the range of its missiles to about 2,000 kilometers, a range that covered the Middle East but left out Western Europe. However, the attempted attack suggests it can operate at much greater distances, close to 4,000 kilometers. That figure places cities within its potential radius, for example, like London or Paris. Also to a large extent from southern Europeincluding Spain in certain scenarios. The key is not whether you can do it accurately. The thing is that distance is no longer a clear limit. Diego Garcia How these missiles work. Ballistic missiles continue an arc path after being launched by a rocket. The larger the scope, the larger it should be rocket size and the technical problems are more complex. The reason: increased vibrations, heat on re-entry and navigation errors. There are “tricks”, for example, to gain distance weight can be reduced of the explosive charge, but that limits its destructive capacity. Additionally, accuracy worsens the longer the flight. Therefore, reaching a distant objective is not the same as doing so with real military effectiveness. More psychological than operational. The results of the attack itself they point to their limits. Only two missiles were launched, and one missed and the other was intercepted. This suggests, a priori, that Iran does not have of large quantities of this type of weaponry nor high reliability at these distances. Furthermore, Western defense systems are designed precisely to intercept this type of threats. In a real scenario, the missiles would be few, inaccurate and faced with advanced defenses. The military impact would be limited, while the political impact, on the other hand, would be much greater. Europe, with Spain, within the calculation. If you also want, the important change is not technical, but rather strategic. Until now, Europe viewed the conflict as something very distant. With this movement, enter of range calculationalthough the immediate risk is low, because being within the potential radius changes perception security. In that sense, Spain, due to its geographical position, is at the extreme of that theoretical scope. It is not an immediate objective, much less probable. But stop being off the map. And so, in strategic termsit is already a relevant change. The message in the middle of war. In short, everything indicates that the main objective of the launch It was not so much destroying the base, but send a signal. Demonstrate capacity, surprise your adversaries and increase international pressure. At a time when Iran is under severe military and economic pressure, showing that it can expand the conflict is a form of brutal deterrence. Also a message to the United States, to its allies and to all of Europe. And as in many phases of war, the psychological effect it may be even more important than the material result. Image | Ballistic Missile, Google Earth In Xataka | If the question is whether the US is going to invade Iran, the answer right now is 3,000 paratroopers on their way to the Gulf In Xataka | Iran has drones and ballistic missiles: Iran’s enemies apparently have the ability to steal its rains

Mercadona wanted to find out in Portugal if its business formula works outside of Spain. You already have the answer

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Your bet on the white labelthe short assortment, ready-to-eat foods and territorial expansion has allowed Mercadona to gain almost 30% of the Spanish market, far surpassing its competitors in the retail. That’s nothing new. What is curious is that this same bet seems to be giving good results also in Portugal, a country in which the chain premiered in 2019 with a first store in Vila Nova de Gaia. Since then the Valencian company not only he got sixth in your expansion lusa, has also expanded its business quota. And it doesn’t seem to be going bad at all. Beyond Spain. The percentage may vary depending on the period or region being analyzed, but for some time now studies on retail show that Mercadona is (by far) the chain that takes the largest part of the distribution business in Spain. In January, the consulting firm Nielsen presented a report on “mass consumption” that it assigns to Juan Roig’s chain 29.5% of the marketwell above direct competitors such as Carrefour, Lidl or DIA. This footprint is explained by a strategy that dates back (at least) to the end of the 80s, when the Valencian company made the leap to Madrid. On the other side of ‘la Raya’, however, its history is much more recent. Mercadona did not put its head into the Portuguese market until 2016when it decided to bet on its internationalization, and its first store in the neighboring country is even more recent: a 18,000 m2 supermarket in Vila Nova de Gaia opened in 2019. Chain Distribution share in Portugal (2024) Distribution share in Portugal (2025) Continent 26.6% 27.5% Pingo Doce 21.7% 21.7% Lidl 13% 12.9% Mercadona 7.0% 7.2% Intermarché 6.6% 6.4% Auchan 4.4% 5.3% aldi 2.7% 2.9% Miniprice 23% 0.8% Leclerc 0.8% 0.8% And how is it going there? We knew that the company was expanding for Portugal, which in 2024 achieved a positive net result and that in 2025 its profit in the neighboring country amounted to 26 million of euros; What we have just discovered is that this data is largely explained by its share of business. The Economist just published a report from Worldpanel by Numerator (formerly Kantar) that shows that the Valencian chain has established itself in the ‘TOP 5’ of the most important firms in the Portuguese distribution sector. A percentage: 7.2%. To be more precise, in 2025 its quota rose to 7.2%two percentage points more than in 2024. It is a much lower percentage than in Spain, but it draws attention when analyzed in its context. First, because Mercadona has gained that 7.2% gap in just five years, a time in which it has overtaken firms such as Intermarché, Auchan or Aldi. Second, because it is already the fourth distribution chain in terms of business footprint. It is only surpassed by Lidl (12.9%) and above all Pingo Doce (21.7%) and Continente (27.5%), the undisputed leaders of the retail in the neighboring country. Gaining weight. Mercadona has not only increased its share of the pie in the Portuguese business. It has also expanded its territorial footprint. And clearly. When it opened its first store, in the summer of 2019, the firm has already advanced that its landing did not only include the supermarket in the Porto area, it also contemplated a logistics block, offices and plans to open nine other stores that year. In his last annual reportpresented just a few weeks ago, Mercadona specifies that it closed 2025 with 69 stores, 7,500 employees and a turnover of 2,092 million euros in Portugal, which contributed to closing the year in green. If nothing goes wrong, the company plans launch another five super soon. “Since 2019, the company has invested a cumulative total of 1,230 million euros and, in this second year in which it registered a positive result in the country, it achieved a net profit of 26 million,” explains. According to his calculations, he already monopolizes 3.5% share in total sales area in Portugal. Are they all advantages? Not at all. If Mercadona has managed to establish its business share in Portugal, it has been largely thanks to its investment, the opening of new stores and the creation of a ambitious logistics block in Santarém. However, the Worldpanel by Numerator data that confirms its growth also reflects that it will not be easy if it wants to continue growing. The Valencian firm has Lidl ahead of it, but above all Pingo Doce and Continenttwo chains with decades of history and a very wide presence in Portugal. Between them they add up hundreds and hundreds of points of sale spread across the country and a market share that the old Kantar figure at 49.2%. Images | Continent and Mercadona Via | elEconomista.es In Xataka | Mercadona and the rest of the supermarkets have realized something worrying: they spend a million dollars on printing paper

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