Spain

Spain has been a world reference in high speed. And the doubt is whether we are dying of success

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Saturation. That is, according to the Government, the reason why Spanish high speed does not stop accumulating delays and breakdowns. At least, that’s what is suggested. The increase in frequencies, new competitors and the same ways. Those are, for the government, the reason why Spanish trains have been forgetting a year. 289 trains. In the 90s, “6 trains a day, by direction, today through the Torrejón de Velasco point of the Madrid-Sevilla high speed, 289 trains circulated.” With these words Óscar Puente, Minister of Transportationof those who point out that in the 90s there were no problems of delays that today exist in the high railway speed of our country. “If there was an incidence in the infrastructure or the train, the impact was minimal. The time it took another to pass allowed to solve the problem. Today when there is an incidence you have 25 trains in both ways in a radius of one hour. Therefore the effects are greater. The controversy. The bridge response tweet comes to an interpellation in which a user indicated that In the 90s you could take a train without fear of delays. The answer also coincides with a new fault in the high -speed line of the Andalusian corridor where 261 passengers had to be evicted from a train because a car caught fire Last Saturday, August 30. This caused delays throughout the afternoon. However, the fire was not the only cause of delays. That same morninga breakdown in the infrastructure was also causing delays in the trains because it was showing a false obstacle sign on the road. Although before restoring the service it was already known that this obstacle did not exist, the machinists had to stop to comply with the protocol. A summer to forget in Andalusia. The events of September 30 have been the last of this summer but, much less, the only ones. In early July, A train was stopped 13 hours On the roads and their passengers they did not receive assistance from emergency services throughout the night. Days later, another problem with A catenary in Toledo It caused significant delays in the same high -speed line. He even had to stop passing through one of the tunnels of the Malaga line by leaks in one of the facilitieswhat had caused detachments. And Adif? The first of those incidents It seemed to come from an ouigo train which was disconnected from some security systems. This caused the chain stop of four other trains that circulated in the same area. One of those operated by Renfe, overloaded by the stop, ended up suffering a small fire of his systems, being completely arrested. The problem affected More than 16,000 passengers and From Adif they pointed to the French company as the cause of the problem. Ouigo, meanwhile, returned the accusation saying that Adif did not maintain the facilities correctly. A few days later (and after the adif notice that the critical points of the infrastructure was going to review) that Second problem in La Sagra (Toledo) who stopped the trains again. More traffic volume … The truth is that the volume of traffic in the high Spanish speed has shot in recent years. To give only one example, the day of the fault that left a train for 13 hours 30 trains between Madrid and Andalusia had to circulate. Yes it is true that 30 years ago, that volume of traffic was unthinkable. To the traffic of Renfe we ​​must add the entrance of Ouigo and Iryo into the Spanish railways which, without a doubt, has stressed the tracks. If there are more trains, there are more possibilities of suffering a delay but there are also more possibilities that such delay affects a greater number of trains. To get an idea, in 1992 (with the inauguration of the first high -speed line) 1.3 million passengers traveled between Madrid and Seville. In 2024, that figure was 5 million passengers. Another 5 million passengers were recorded in the corridor to Malaga. And throughout Spain almost 40 million passengers moved in this type of trains, According to CNMC data. … but an insufficient investment. In ELECONOMIST They point out that Adif’s investment in infrastructure is greater than ever. In 2025 just over 681 million euros will be allocated while in 2015 it was 465.5 million euros. However, they point out that taking into account their heritage, Adifs spends 16% less than a decade ago. Keep in mind that in that decade, in addition, the Spanish railways have gone from some 31 million passengers To touch the 40 million and the number of trains has multiplied with the entrance of Ouigo and Iroyo. Everything indicates that the investment in the facilities is insufficient and, above all, it is late if we take into account the increase in the number of travelers. In 2021 investments were guaranteed until 2025 worth 21,000 million euros in Adif But this game It is not dedicated entirely to maintenance of the tracks. That is, it seems that “emergency” maintenance is being carried out in too stressed lines for the expense that had been made in them. Photo | Tim Adams In Xataka | He vibrated so much that “the Water of the Váter came out.” Renfe has a problem in Catalonia and the AVE of Lleida is only the last example

Renfe trusted Talgo and his Avril trains to benefit from the particularities of Spain. Already look for solutions in Germany

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Spain is a particular country regarding the railway field. That is why the pair formed by Talgo and Renfe sounded especially good to compete with the new trains operators. Both companies could benefit and get a strategic advantage in the Galician corridor, while allowing him to fight in the rest of our country. The reality is that nothing has gone as expected. And now Spain looks for trains in Germany. “They have not given the best possible result”. This is how Óscar Puente, Minister of Transportation, has described the performance of the Talgo S-106 series that Renfe has had in operation. Words pick them up eldiario.eswho point out that Puente will go to a Siemens factory in Germany in search of solutions. The intention, everything indicates, is to reverse the bad results of the Spanish trains with an acquisition of Germans that allow Renfe to compete again on equal terms with Ouigo and Iroyo, who have found the open doors of high speed Low Cost In Madrid-Barcelona. “Corporate”. The bridge trip comes after Renfe will withdraw his Avlo trains from the Madrid-Barcelona corridor. The company’s official response is that AVE trains adapt better to a line in which a “corporate” client profile is better exploited. It is true that Half of the trips That Renfe was carrying out in this corridor made them with the AVE and that the Avlo market share was significantly lower than that of Ouigo and, above all, that of Iroyo. However, the real motive of its abandonment is that some Talgo trains of the S-106 series were being used. A crack. Metaphorical, if we talk about Renfe’s strategy. Material, if we talk about avlo trains. Those known as Avril, projected to compete with these two foreign companies in business volume, presented serious structural problems a few weeks ago. The company He took them out of circulation although at first He denied the problems. Finally, has taken out of circulation The Avlo service but there is no record of a trains relocation. That is, now ouigo and Iro will compete among them two for high speed at low price in that corridor. An oxygen ball for ouigo, which had retired some trains To show more battle in the Andalusian corridor. Recurring problems. As we pointed out, the bridge itself has already suggested that the operation of the aforementioned S-106 of Talgo has not been expected. The first ones that were launched in the Galician corridor and in the line with Asturias. In both cases they accumulated delays and breakdowns. Besides, Nor did they receive the best criticisms for its performance on the roads. Months later, the change of the year also affected the new cars of Talgo. A computer problem left them unused in the early hours of 2025causing important delays the first days. A few weeks ago the most serious fault occurred. Trains cracked (literally). The first solution was circular at a lower speed. The second, probably the most sensible, remove them from the line. Disappointing. The problem with Talgo’s S-106 series is even more disappointing if we take into account that it is a type of train that allows Renfe to Competitive advantage over Ouigo and Iro In the Galician corridor. Talgo is The only company that had built trains that could adapt to the different widths of our country. With compromised production, no one can buy more trains and, therefore, Renfe is in a monopolistic position in the short term. Therefore, perhaps, the disappointment is greater. Finally, trains that had to demonstrate the good Spanish doing in the railway sector have been working for Spanish roads and delays. But, above all, he has closed Renfe the doors of his great tool to compete against his rivals in a corridor where he dominates. Now, Spain will seek solutions in Germany. Photo | Nelso Silva and Siemens In Xataka | Cabinas instead of traveling as sardines: Nox’s key to convert the night train into the alternative to the plane

How Granada wants to become the great battery of southern Spain

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

The future of the European cloud is being written in Aragon. AWS has made him his most ambitious bastion in Spain

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What until now was an ambitious announcement has just become a reality. The Aragon government has published in its official bulletin the approval of the General Plan of Interest of Aragon (Piga) that will allow Amazon Web Services (AWS) expand your infrastructure in the region. This is a project presented in May last year that contemplates an investment of 15.7 billion euros and that comes with the promise of promoting thousands of jobs, both direct and indirect. The process has been resolved in just 15 months, an unusually brief period for these types of procedures, and that places the American multinational in a position to immediately start the works in the municipalities where it already has a presence and in others in which it will be installed for the first time. We do not talk about a starting point, but of an extension: Amazon already operates three centers in Aragon And now he plans to lift five more. The Aragonese bet to become a strategic cloud enclave The key that this advance has promoted is in the Pigawhich acts as a fast route for large -draft initiatives. The regional government declared AWS’s expansion in 2024 INVESTMENT OF AUTONOMIC AND GENERAL INTERESTwhich opened the door to a preferential process. In the social network XThe Executive highlighted the publication in the BOA and the words of the counselor Octavio López, who valued the fifteen months that the entire process lasted. Click on the image to see the original publication in x As we indicated above, the planned investment amounts to 15.7 billion euros. It is the greatest technological operation approved in Aragon and one of the most ambitious in Spain. The regional government emphasizes that this figure reflects not only the size of the works, but also Amazon’s commitment to consolidate its presence in the region. The execution, of course, will be progressive, with an estimated temporary horizon of ten years. The plan contemplates a remarkable scale jump: of the three existing campuses It will be passed to a total of eight locations in Aragon. These will be located in Villanueva de Gállego, Huesca, Ebro Burgo, Zaragoza-La Cartuja and Sotonera. Each campus will integrate not only data centers, but also auxiliary facilities necessary for its operation. The plan foresees new access roads, fiber optic and High voltage lines for campus. In water matters, specific conduits for process water and evacuation networks will be enabled. Data centers are the machinery that supports digital life. There photos, videos and documents are stored, processes that work the social networks are executed and transactions that move the economy are managed. Every time you see a series in streaming, you participate in a video call or make an online payment, there are servers by processing the information in the background. Companies such as Google, Microsoft or Amazon operate this type of infrastructure. In Aragon, the extension corresponds to AWS. All the site planned in Aragon will be interconnected by fiber optics and managed as a single unit. In the company’s jargon it is called the AWS region, in this case identified as AWS Europe (Spain). The model is based on dividing the region into several areas of availability, so if one suffers an incidence, the others maintain the service. The extension ensures more capacity, lower latency and greater resilience for customers who use services in the Peninsula. Official documents stand out that campus will be equipped with redundant energy, cooling and communications systems. This means that, although a component fails, the service remains active. Fire detection measures, water leak control and operational continuity protocols are also included. In parallel, the plan incorporates energy efficiency and water management commitments, with infrastructure designed to optimize consumption. The goal is to sustain growth that combines technological capacity and environmental sustainability. Not everything is lights along the way. As the country collectedAt the end of 2024 Amazon requested to expand in a 48% water availability for its three complexes already active in Aragon. The petition ignited the alarms of groups as environmental environment and your platform your cloud dry my river, which question the water impact of this type of facilities. In their allegations they recalled that climate change should already have been considered and that, in full structural drought, what corresponds is to limit consumption. The Aragon government presents this extension as part of its strategy to attract technological investment and reinforce the role of the community on the European digital map. In the official communication it is noted that projects of this scale allow diversifying the economy and modernizing key infrastructure. Beyond the numbers, the institutional message aims to consolidate Aragon as a cloud reference enclave. Images | Xataka with Gemini 2.5 | İsmail Enes Ayhan In Xataka | Spain is becoming an authentic mecca of data centers. Uruguay has some lessons about it

August has been an extremely warm month in Spain. That has had a side effect: make us older

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This summer has left repeated scenes: empty squares at the time of the nap, nights in the heat and a Mediterranean turned into a pressure pot. Spain has suffered suffocating days They will go to statistics, but the most serious is not measured in degrees. According to a recent study, heat waves do not leave when the temperature drops. They leave a silent trail in the body: they accelerate biological aging. A disturbing finding. A recent study Posted in Nature Climate Change It has shown that repeated exposure to heat waves accelerates biological aging. The work, led by the University of Hong Kong, followed 25,000 people for 15 years in Taiwan. The results speak for themselves: four extra days of heat wave in a period of two years were translated in nine days added to the biological age of the participants. In manual workers, more exposed to the sun and heat, that effect shot up to 33 days. “The impact of heat on our body is comparable to tobacco, alcohol, poor diet or lack of exercise,” The research team has summarized to The Guardian. The biological clock under pressure. How did they get to that conclusion? The scientists calculated the biological age from different markers: blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol and the functioning of lungs, liver and kidneys. When comparing them with the real age of each person, the conclusion was clear: who had spent more time under heat waves showed accelerated aging. The exact reason is still unknown. The main hypothesis is that high temperatures damage DNA and submit the body to constant stress. “If the exhibition accumulates for decades, the impact on health will be much greater than we have now measured,” has pointed to The Guardian Dr. Cui Guo, main author of the study. More evidence: heat at all ages. This finding does not come alone. In 2024, another job Posted in Nature He revealed that early exposure to cold and heat interferes with the development of the white matter of the brain in children. The consequences, the authors warned, could extend throughout life. The conclusion is clear: heat does not understand ages. Inference affects developing brains; In adulthood, it accelerates the organism’s wear. Can the damage be stopped? The same study offers an interesting nuance: the harmful effect seemed to be reduced over time, probably because people learn to protect themselves better. Searching for shadow, hydrating or using air conditioning made a certain difference. Even so, the biological footprint never disappeared completely. The problem is that not everyone has the same possibilities to adapt. Older people, outdoor workers or those who live in neighborhoods with less resources suffer a much greater impact, As the study collects. Prevention, experts coincide, goes through reinforcing Urban design: More trees, more shadow, better isolated homes and just access to cooling. Individually, recommendations remain simple but effective: hydrate, avoid hours of heat and seek refuge in fresh places. The invisible heat scar. Until now we thought about heat as something passenger: annoying, exhausting and dangerous in extreme days. But scientific evidence points to something more disturbing. The heat, the experts say, does not leave at all when the thermometer goes down: it stays inside, accelerating the wear of the organism and leaving an invisible scar. For researchers, this finding is a turn in the way of understanding health. And the warning is clear: if the planet continues to heat up, we will not only have longer summers, also bodies that age faster. Image | Unspash Xataka | The sea is 30 degrees in the Balearic Islands and that worries meteorologists: the Mediterranean is a pressure cooker

Toyota is clear what Spain is still hybrid country

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Sell ​​what touches where it touches. Toyota has a maximum and it is clear that they want to make clear their potential clients who are not willing to make the jump to the electric car without guarantees. While other brands begin to back down, Toyota doesn’t have to do it. The question is whether it will be late when you want to go ahead. At the moment, this is your way. “We will not drive”. “I hope we can establish Toyota’s electricity in the markets where they achieve strong sales. But we will not boost them in those markets where there is no demand.” These have been the words of Andrea Carlucci, Chief of Toyota in Europe, Automobilwoche. In the German medium, Carlucci wanted to make it clear that they hope to sell in each market what the client claims them although he recognizes that he is not being easy with all the possibilities above the table. “Toyota has always prioritized the client. Determine what technology to offer and adjust it to customer demand It is being particularly difficult. “ Toyota’s strategy. Until now, Toyota has made it clear that he will only sell in each market what the market asks. “Even taking into account the regulations, I think Our growth with hybrids has been organic. We are responding to the strong demand for hybrids in Europe, “says Carlucci. His words are a clear reflection of what the company has been warning. Yes, you will sell electric cars, and Your last ads They are a good example of this, but They do not renounce hydrogen For those who expect keep enjoying sound and the sensations of a combustion engine. Of course, in the United States your strategy with this product is not going too well. And in Spain? Spain has been one of those indicated. “The demand for electric is low in countries such as Italy and Spain. It is difficult to predict what the future quota will be like. As mass manufacturers, it is our duty to serve the demand of customers in each individual market in which we are active.” And the data stress that the company’s strategy is being correct in our country. In the accumulated of the yearToyota does not have a single car among the 10 best selling in our country. And yet, it is the brand that sells the most cars by adding 58,734 registration until July. Far from the 50,972 Renault units and much more than 46,550 Volkswagen units. At this time, 41.51% of Spanish registrations are hybrid cars, for 7.76% electric. He Toyota Corolla He leads sales as the best -selling hybrid and three of the four best -selling cars with this technology are from Toyota. Among the plug -in hybrids, only the Toyota C-HR manages to face Byd Seal U.. And the BZ4X He is tracing among the electric (best -selling sixth) after a recent campaign to lower his price. Backing down. While others have made promises to jump into the electric car in pure brand image, Toyota does not have to face the need to back down. In recent months, Mercedes He has had to confirm that he will continue to investigate with combustion engines. Also Audi. AND Opel, the first generalist In saying that all their releases would be electric from 2025 (and completely electric in 2028) has also done the same. Although Toyota has been indicated for not launching more electric cars to the market and it has been ensured that it was “La Nokia del Autos”the truth is that the hug to the electric car in Europe is not being expected and that is why the brands have begun to brake. But you have to comply. Taking into account the mismatch that seems to exist between European regulators and customer demands, it remains to be seen how toyota faces possible fines to which it risks from 2027. It seems clear that in regions such as regions such as regions such as Germany either Belgium They will have a good opportunity to sell their electric ones but we will have to see if it is enough. The European demand is to force the brands to be below 93.6 gr/km of CO2 contemplating the Average emissions from 2025 to 2027. For each gram exceeded, fines of 95 euros per car sold are contemplated. Here, countries like Spain can be a slab too big. The Toyota Corolla with the least powerful engine Approval 100 gr/km of CO2 and a C-HR rises to 105 gr/km of CO2. It must also be taken into account that plug -in hybrids no longer subtract as before In the average emissions because the way to calculate its emissions has been changed. Therefore, Toyota seems to be clear that he will have to scratch his pocket and enter an agreement with other companies to appear before the European Union with an average emissions below the maximum allowed. Tesla looks like one of the great candidates. Photo | Toyota In Xataka | Toyota boast “Kaizen” philosophy and a sickly perfectionism. Tesla and Byd have serious doubts that it is really useful

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

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

Takata mounted millions of potentially mortal airbag. And the family of the first deceased in Spain will go to court

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Juanjo was a neighbor of Benazacón (Seville). He was 44 years old when on August 5, 2023 he suffered an accident on the A-4 road at the height of Dos Hermanas (Seville). The driver died after hitting his Mercedes Vito with a Peugeot 308 who was stopped by a breakdown. But what should be an accident without mortal consequences thanks to the airbag became the opposite. In fact, it was precisely The airbag that ended his lifesince its explosion was uncontrolled, causing “a penetrating wound in the right hemithorax with internal hemorrhage” caused by the expulsion of metal parts that acted as shrapnel when the airbag inflated. That is the conclusion reached by the Forensic Report. Juanjo’s name is fictional but the rest of the story is completely true, as reflected ABC. The newspaper explains that this Sevillian driver circulated exceeding the maximum permitted blood alcohol limits when the clash occurred but that it was a Takata airbag that really ended his life. This person was, in fact, the first deadly victim registered in our country as a direct consequence of these airbags. The airbags of this company should serve to protect the lives of drivers but for years it is known that they are, in fact, a weapon against the passenger itself in case of accident. Now, the driver’s family ensures that a complaint Against Mercedes-Benz, who claims economic compensation for death, after keeping a negotiation route that has not fruitful. Although after this fact Another deceased has also been counted In our country with these Takata airbags involved, that of this Sevillian driver was the first case and the future of the possible complaint can be the case of a new fatal accident. The Takata case In Xataka We have contacted Mercedes to learn about the company’s position before this case but, when writing these lines, we have not obtained an answer. What we do know is that in 2020 The world He collected a review call of up to nine models of Mercedes (each of them with different generations). In the list detailed by the company was not the Mercedes Vito But in the newspaper it was detailed that the company had called for review to the predecessors of class V and this van. The company also has a Web page in which the VIN number can be introduced to check if a concrete unit is affected by a revision call by the defective Airbags of Takata. And it is that the damage that the company did is difficult to calculate. In Spain, tens of thousands of affected cars have been called to review but it is believed that there are more than 12,000 of them who have ignored the passage through the workshop. In France it is estimated that there are 1.7 million cars affected and In the United States It was said that since 2008 almost 30 million of these airbags have been withdrawn in constant call calls. The big problem is that the Takata scandal inluó a good part of the automotive industry. Mercedes is not the only one affected, to mention some there are Japanese companies (Honda, Mazda or Toyota), American (Fod, Chrysler or General Motors) and European (Audi, BMW, Citroën or Volkswagen). To give an example, In 2023 Seat called 300,000 cars to review on the occasion of these defective airbags. These security systems had the problem that, with the passage of time, the gases inside were degraded causing violent explosions that generate shrapnel when exploiting and can seriously damage the driver to the point that he can cause death as in the Sevillian case. This ruling is present in millions of cars that mounted the airbags of this company Between 2008 and 2019 Therefore, it is still common for manufacturers to make review calls with airbag substitutions if necessary. The company, in fact, ended up hosting bankruptcy in the United States in 2017 as a result of the fines and compensation imposed. Photo | Rahul Pugazhendi and Mercedes In Xataka | The DGT wants to generalize the airbag on motorcycles. Your shortcut: make it mandatory to get the card to

Asturias prepares the greatest experiment in Spain to reduce the day

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When the national debate seemed focused on (still stagnant) Reduction of the working day At 37.5 hours a week, Asturias has decided to step on the accelerator. The Principality government has launched the machinery to launch an experiment on the four -day work week in the region, a movement that resurrects one of the Conversations about the future of work in our country. The first step have already taken it. From the regional government They have already tendered The study that will serve as a road map in this ‘experiment’. The objective they have is clear: analyze the viability and The economic impact to implement a 32 week weekly day in the business fabric of the region. A necessary study to be a success. This study, which will have a value of 16,862 eurosan external consultant will be held. In its content, what is going to be collected will be the similar projects that have been made in other regions, with their failures and their mistakes. In this way, we will not try not to fall into the same stone again as other autonomous communities or other regions of the European Union. In addition, it will also identify the key sectors of the Asturian economy where it would be more feasible to apply this reduction in working hours, and especially where there will really be a benefit of having a four -day day. From there, the assessment of unions, employer and company will be collected to have a complete vision of the consequences that this measure can have. When it will be launched. Once the report has been launched in tender, the manager who manages to get him will have a period of three months to be able to collect all this information, so we can easily leave the next year. When you have all this information, it will be when the Government will propose to companies the possibility of joining this initiative. The main focus will be in the private company. Sources from the Ministry of Science, Industry and Employment They have detailed To El País that the objective will be the private company in this experiment. Although they will also analyze the viability in the public company. But what is clear is that participation will be voluntary, as detailed in the agreement signed between the regional government with the employer and the unions. In these same statementsthe Ministry suggests that this model make Asturias one of the first communities to apply this labor model, aspiring to be one of the greatest experiments in Spain in this area. All this because so far the projects that have come forward have focused on very specific areas of a province or have been a failure, as in the case of the Plan of the Ministry of Industry. The great debate: how will affect salary. Logic can mark that a reduction in the number of hours worked It also carries a reduction in monthly salary. But this is something that at the moment is not clarified in the position by the Principality. As they point out, there is a “varied casuistry” and that, in the absence of a national regulation, it is an “issue to negotiate in each labor relationship.” Precisely, the study that has been in charge will be focused on shedding light on how this problem with companies should be solved. There are a history in Spain. To see similar projects we can go to Valencia in the spring of 2023, where the City Council of the capital tested the four -day week turning on Mondays. The results In this case they were very positive, since an improvement in the well -being of employees was evidenced. Although he also had a negative impact on some businesses by losing this habitual clientele of Mondays. Nationally, the Ministry of Industry launched in 2022 With a budget of 10 million euros in grants A plan to reduce working hours. But it was a disaster, since Only 41 industrial SMEs requested participatingand finally, almost two years later, only five companies were approved, reducing the investment to 500,000 euros. In Spain the regulation will still take to arrive. Although the Council of Ministers I already gave green light To the legislative text that would come true to have a 37.5 hours day in Spain, you still have to wait. His passage through Congress is being torpedored, since for the moment does not have enough support To be published in the BOE. Although the reality is that although it seems A substantial changethere are many companies that collect it in their collective agreements and Other EU countries They have a day below what is raised. Images | Annie Spratt Miguel Ángel Sanz In Xataka | Face B of the four -day week: the problems that British essay companies found

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

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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

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