Spain

In Spain, Christian baptisms are in free fall. There are those who have found a substitute: civil baptisms

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There was a time when children arrived with something more than a bread under their arm. They did it with an invitation (almost mandatory) to the baptism. They were their parents more or less believers, more or less practitioners, most babies passed through the baptismal pia. Not today. Just like Not all The couples who marry do so before a Catholic priest. As society It is secularized New rituals gain strength, such as civil weddings or “Baptisms Lacios”, which two decades after their premiere in Spain They continue to expand. They may not be a majority option or have reached the level of popularity of civil links (which do have a legal character), but lay and symbolic baptisms have gone making his way Little by little in the Spanish geography. Civil baptisms? The concept may be shocking, but It has been a few years old extending through Spain and there are still municipalities that incorporate it into its service portfolio In full 2025. A civil christening It is neither more nor less than the secular alternative to Christian baptisms, a secular ceremony, usually free of religious connotations, during which a child’s entry into society is represented. Nothing else. Nothing less. And although it lacks legal value, in some cases it is accompanied by A symbolic title. The former mayor of Valencia, Joan Ribó, in May 2023, during the first “welcome ceremony to the citizenship” of the City Council. Is it something new? No. at all. There are those who go back their origins to the “civil sponsorship” that were held in France from the late eighteenth century. In Spain they are not a novelty either. Its history can go at least to Autumn of 2004when the first “foster care” was held at the City Council of Igualada. Since then the formula has been extended to other municipalities in the country. In 2007 Rivas Vaciamadrid began to celebrate them, Madrid and The Borge They joined in 2009Albacete In 2011Moaña In 2013 and Vigo In 2018… and thus a long (and growing) list of municipalities distributed throughout the country. How many? Difficult to specify it, although the number of municipalities that celebrate them exceed the hundred. In 2018 only in Catalonia they were offered in 71 municipalities. In 2022 Cullera Laya had accounts and calculated that in the whole of Spain at least 150 municipalities willing to organize ceremonies of “civil foster care”. The same figure shared it in 2023 Religion in freedom. The truth is that the list has followed (and continues) growing over time. In May 2023 The first civil christening was organized in Valencia and shortly the payroll of municipalities that deliver citizenship letters to babies will increase with a new incorporation: Lovesa Galician people of 32,800 inhabitants that It has just approved The ordinance that regulates them. “Although they may seem simple symbolic ceremonies and without legal validity, their existence represents a step towards a model of coexistence in which all families can participate,” defend A councilor. Year Catholic baptisms Number of births 2008 335,484 519,779 2012 268.810 454,648 2017 214,271 393,181 2022 159,129 329,251 2023 152,426 320,656 Are many celebrated? Another difficult question to answer. There are no global or official balances, but the data that has been shared in account in the press suggest two trends: the first, that the “civil christening” has been gaining weight in the Spanish geography, expanding to dozens of locations; second, which is far from reaching the reception level of Catholic ceremonies. In 2017 Albacete digital He revealed that since 2011 they had been held in the town about twenty of civil receptions. That same year, at the time the service premiered, Vigo added Several tens of applications. His success has also been marked by political fluctuations. In Valencia, for example, only For a few months. After the change of government, the new team decided to do without them without apparently having great impact. As it transpired then, seven requests had been registered. Civil ceremony held in 2023 in Valencia. Are there more clues? Yeah. The confidential published on Tuesday A report in which he spoke with professionals in the sector that confirm an increase of interest in the format. “I have been in the business business for new years and lately demand for civil baptisms, a strong fashion also in the United States,” An organizer recounts of events. A quick search for #Bautizosimbolico, #Ceremoniadebienvenida or #bautizocivil on Instagram or Tiktok It shows that lay acts continue to be held, both in Spain and in other countries. What is your goal? Celebrate. Introduce. Welcome. During civil baptisms the arrival of newborns, their “entry” in society is celebrated. Sometimes it is done in the municipalities, with the participation of mayors. Others not. The normal thing is that during the ceremony Articles are read Related to the protection of childhood, such as the Spanish Constitution, the United Nations Constitution Rights Convention of 1990 or the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959). “It’s not that people don’t have faith, they want to make baptism something more intimate and emotional,” Share The same professional. “Everything I do depends on what parents choose, although the ritual usually develops around a table. Usually, the godparents sign an act with their commitment, a document that is not registered anywhere or has legal weight, but rather symbolic.” Is it an isolated phenomenon? No. The civil christening is not understood without the context and more specifically the secularization of society. After all, baptism (or foster care) is not the only sacrament that has been stripped of religious value. The clearest case is that of marriage. In 2009 the number of civil links exceeded for the first time to the Catholic weddings, with 94,993 ‘yes I want’ pronounced before civil authorities and 80,104 before priests. The situation has changed. In 2022 79.9% of links held in Spain they were civilians and only 20.1% religious. And that that last was the highest percentage recorded since 2019. The number of … Read more

Between 2026 and 2028 Spain will become a paradise of eclipses. And we have new maps to know where they will look better

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The 2026 and 2027 will stand out in the astronomical: Two total eclipses in two consecutive years that can be seen from different areas of Spain. And if someone had been wanting more, 2028 keeps us a new eclipse, this annular, which can also be seen from the Iberian Peninsula. Many are already expectant, including experts from the National Geographic Institute (IGN). New maps. We refer in particular to those in charge of preparing the new maps, a new official guide to not lose detail of the three eclipses that await us in the coming years. The maps can be consulted on the IGN himself, In a special section Dedicated to this tool. 2026, 2027 and 2028. Between 2026 and 2028 we will have the opportunity to see three eclipses. The first of them will produce the August 12, 2026 And it will be visible as a total eclipse around a diagonal strip that will cross the peninsula between the western zone of Asturias and northern Castellón, and which will also cover part of the Balearic archipelago. The second eclipse will also be in summer, the August 2, 2027 And it will also be total. This time the Total Dark Strip will touch the Peninsula in the south, between Cádiz and Almería, including the coast of the province of Malaga. The third eclipse will arrive January 26, 2028will be annulled and its epicenter will move from the southern half of the coast of Huelva to the border between the provinces of Castellón and Valencia. A complete guide. IGN’s work offers us more than a visualizer, it constitutes a small guide to not miss key details when enjoying these eclipses. In addition to the maps, these guides include animations that explain, for example, how the shadow of our moon moves on the surface of the globe. Eclipse visualizer of August 2026. IGN/CNIG. Visualizer The visualizer The eclipse is probably the most interesting part of the new tool. It is a dynamic map in which we can see the evolution of the “stain” that leaves the umbra (the part of the shadow where it is complete and therefore the eclipse is total) over Spain and surroundings. We can also select a location and look for details such as the starting time eclipse, the total start, the maximum eclipse, and the end of the total eclipse; Elevation and Azimuth of the Sun, and the visibility profile depending on the elevation of the terrain around us. Planning issue. There are just over 13 months left for the first of These three eclipses But good planning can help us a lot not to lose detail of the eclipse. The last total eclipse, seen from the United States just over a year ago reminded us of these events. This It can be seen in the amount of displacements and in high hotel occupancy seen in the total concealment areas. To this it should be added that the two total eclipses of the coming years will occur in the middle of August, so an even greater number of displacements can be expected if possible. Nor does it appear to remember security measures, especially because of the fact that the stocks of specialized glasses For eclipses in the weeks prior to the event and those we use in previous events do not have to be used for the next. In Xataka | The solar eclipse of March 29 is the starting gun for something historical: Spain will see four eclipses in four years Image | IGN/CNIG

Aemet at last at the end of the extreme heat tunnel in Spain. The only problem is what comes in place

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During the last weeks, the successive hot episodes (including the heat wave at the end of June and early July) have alternated with the arrival of vaguades that offered a certain thermal relief. A relief loaded with storms and hail, but relief after all. However, the dynamics of recent weeks seem to have broken. Postbile Dana. Meteorological models foresee the possible formation of a DANA, an isolated depression at high levels. This phenomenon, Experts of Meteoredthis phenomenon would bring more hailstorms in addition to winds of consideration. Two masses of air. The arrival of the Dana would also occur in a context also different from what we had seen in a June where the heat was extended by almost the entire peninsula. The first days of this are mana are characterized however by A two -speed Spain: With a mass of cold air installed in the peninsular north and a warm air dominating the center and the south. The long -awaited thermal relief is therefore produced at two veliocities, more quickly in the north (where temperatures have already moderated) and more slowly in the south, where the thermometers will move away from the 40º mark but with a slower stabilization. Uncertain weekend. That would be the context in which Dana could make an appearance. There is still uncertainty about how the “Descolgue” of this area of ​​low pressures will be and its entry into the Peninsula, but the simulations indicate that the arrival of this phenomenon will occur between Friday 11 and Sunday 13. More storms, more hail. This leaves us a panorama of uncertainty for the end of this week: if this arrival of the DANA occurs the instability could be high and that means that we could see a new rough storms with rainfall and strong winds. According to the modelsSaturday will be the day when it is noticed in our environment. According to these same models, the most affected areas will be the north third, the northeast peninsular and part of the Mediterranean coast. A summer of uncertainties. The question now is to know what will happen after this week of relief. While the warm episodes of the last month and a half had been interspersed for days of storms and temperature reduction, these stops in the thermal escalation had been rather brief. This week however the arrival of several troughs, including an associated with the possible Dana could involve a somewhat more marked reduction in temperatures. For now it is soon to know what will happen. The Monthly prediction From the State Meteorology Agency (AEMET) points out that we still have hotter weeks than usual for these dates, between 3rd and 5th warmer than the average. The quarterly forecasts Aemet also indicates that we have several warm months ahead: 70% probability that it is. In Xataka | “Clouds of fire”, the phenomenon that makes escape from sixth generation fires can make it impossible Image | ECMWF

Spain promised them very happy as the power of the data centers. Did not have the heat waves

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On July 19, 2002, at 06:33 PST, Google and Oracle Data Centers in London They stopped working. The reason was not a human or electrical failure. The only thing that happened is that 40 ° C were exceeded in the British capital, and the cooling systems of that data center could not support those temperatures. The result: falls of multiple services for hours. It was a dangerous advance (and we are talking about London, which is not especially hot) for data centers, especially considering what comes to us. Climate change also threatens data centers. The only good news of this summer’s extreme heat is that It will be carried compared to the one in the coming years. The theme, which is worrisome to humans, has a surprise derivative: these extreme temperatures are going to be a colossal challenge for data centers. We do not stop seeing record temperatures one summer after another, and that will test the cooling systems of those centers. Hello, cooling. There are no definitive data on the temperature at which data centers must work, and while certain experts They recommend that work in a range of 18 to 27 ºC, others They hold that the range must be even cooler, between 17 and 21 ºC. And of course, that is only achieved with powerful air and liquid cooling systems. Heat comes out. If it is more hot, it is necessary to refrigerate more, and that imposes greater electrical consumption and therefore, a greater electricity bill. Of not controlling those temperatures the efficiency of the components is decreasing. As in mobile. It is exactly the same thing that happens in our mobiles and computers when they overheat: if the cooling systems fail to bother those temperatures, The ‘throttling’ is normally produced: The components “go round” to consume less and dissipate less heat. And the water, too. In many data centers liquid cooling also plays a fundamental role, and in the face of heat waves, water consumption also rises. That is especially worrying now that Big Tech have announced that they will invest tens of billions of dollars in new data centers for AI. Liquid cooling to power. In those facilities dedicated to AI a huge amount of chips accumulates in small spaces, which makes liquid cooling solutions much more appropriate. And the same thing happens again: before extreme temperatures, it is up to “climb the cooling systems to deal with possible overheating. Evaporative cooling. Of course, engineers who develop these types of projects go to solutions to try to avoid problems, especially when data centers are in areas where summers are especially extreme. There come techniques coom the Direct evaporative coolingin which the refrigerated and humidified air is directly entered the data center. There are other techniques such as water cooling towers and of course an intelligent management of air flow management is optimal. Be careful where you look up your data center. That makes it more and more important to choose the ideal location for new data centers. In Spain Aragon is becoming In an absolutely protagonist region. There are several projects in which Big Tech will put (theoretically) in progress data centers in this autonomous community, although the risk of extreme temperatures there is not so high as would be further south of the peninsula. But with increasingly high temperatures in summer, what can be done? Ice cream clusters. The option in some cases is simply to choose locations in which the weather is much cooler … or even icy. Facebook has already built several Data centers in Lulea (Sweden) In 2013, but in Spain we have an even more striking case: the Social Security CPD He moved from Madrid to Soria for the simple reason that it is colder there. That, among other things, allowed to save The 150,000 euros that would have cost the cooling of these systems in Madrid during the summer. Image | Goal In Xataka | We have calculated how much money the Big Tech are being spent on data centers. The numbers are dizzy

The strokes have become a huge silent health problem in Spain. And there are ways to limit risks

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Every year 90,000 cases of strokes are produced in Spain that leave 23,000 deaths on average, According to the data of the Spanish Society of Neurology. This number could be significantly reduced, after all, many of the Risk factors which are associated with this type of event correspond to behaviors and habits that we can modify. Before reviewing what the risk factors are controllable or not, associated with the stroke, maybe it is appropriate to consider us What exactly is an stroke. The stroke or stroke (stroke) occurs when the blood flow that reaches a part of the brain is interrupted or drastically reduced. There are two types of accidents: ischemic and hemorrhagic. The former are the most common, are produced by the blockade of one of some circulatory route, for example by a clot or its narrowing as a result of fatty deposits. Hemorrhagic strokes for their part are produced by the breakage of a blood vessel. There is no exact list of risk factors that are related to these episodes since there are numerous overwhelms and interconnections Among these factors. Nor can we make an accurate distinction between the factors that we can control and those that do not. A clear example is that of diabetes. This disease is a risk factor in the appearance of ICUTS. Suffering or not this disease is not under our control, but we can avoid factors that in turn are linked to it. Despite the difficulties when delimiting these concepts, experts estimate that controllable risk factors are associated with 60% and 90% of the risk of suffering a stroke. That is, avoiding these factors we can reduce very significantly the risk that this type of event will be triggered in our brain. And what are the risk factors on which we have the greatest control? According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute From the United States, controllable risk factors include blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet and tobacco. According to the American medical institution Johns Hopkins Medicinea blood pressure of 140/90 or higher is a factor that can condition our probability of suffering such an accident. Obesity, food and physical inactivity They are clearly interconnected risk factors. Smoking is one of the Risk factors More widely mentioned, but alcohol and some recreational drugs such as intravenous or cocaine are also related to an increase in the risk of suffering from an stroke. Some legal substances such as the contraceptive pill have also been related to an increased risk of stroke. With anxiety, depression and stress, something similar occurs than with other diseases: we have a certain degree of control, but this can be very limited depending on the circumstances of each person. Something similar happens with the environment in which we live: although residing or working in contaminated areas can aggravate our risk of suffering from an stroke, changing work or residence is often not in our hand. What we cannot change Some of the risk factors that we associate with the stroke totally escape from our control. Maybe age is the most important: Age. As we become greater the possibilities of suffering a stroke are increasing. Sex is another factor linked to the appearance of this disease and in a unique way: it is fine at an early age men suffer from these accidents more frequently, the greatest life expectancy of women means that throughout life these suffer more such problems. Different ethnic backgrounds can lead to different levels of risk: in the United States African -American, native and Hispanic people have a higher risk of suffering a stroke. Finally, Genetics And family history can also be considered risk factors, especially in cases where a family member has experienced one of these events at earlier ages. In addition to the risk factors, it is worth remembering what are the main symptoms that accompany these events in order to better identify an stroke and improve the chances that whoever suffers it receives medical assistance on time. There are a few key factors that can help us Identify an stroke quicklybut there is also a challenge of symptoms that can also be associated with strokes. Among the Key symptoms There are the loss of strength or sensitivity in the face, arm or leg, which usually swams to a single side of the body; Confusion in speech, for example in the use of unconnected words; sudden loss of vision; dizziness, loss of balance or the appearance of a severe headache without a clear origin. In Xataka | We have a new and promising treatment against the consequences of stroke (and has been created in Spain) Image | Anna Shvets

While France and Switzerland turn off reactors by heat, Spain continues to generate electricity. The difference is in the forecast

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Europe is living Your worst heat wave with temperatures that have exceeded 40 ° C in several countries. The most unheard of, if one can see the situation, is that some European plants have had to close temporarily. An unusual fact. The heat not only feels in the streets: it is also affecting the heart of the European energy system. According to Euronews, This week three nuclear reactors have been disconnected in France and Switzerland for the temperature rise in the rivers they use to cool. In Girfch, to the south of France, one of the reactors stopped as the Garona River approached at 28 ° C. In Switzerland, the Beznau Central did the same: one of the reactors was out of service and the second was operating in half capacity by heat in the Aare River. Preventive measures. The reason behind this temporal closures responds to an environmental regulation that forces to reduce production when river water is excessively heated, since it could affect the ecosystem by being returned even longer, such as have detailed in Euronews. In addition, restrictions or power reductions have been applied in French centrals such as Buity, Blayais and Cruas. The origin of the problem. Water is key in any nuclear power plant. Without it, there is no way to keep the reactor temperature under control. But with increasingly hot rivers, especially during heat wavesthat function begins to fail. The worst thing is that many of these plants were built between 60 and 80, when climate change was not a factor to take into account. Now the consequences are clear: According to The New York TimesFrance could end up losing up to four times more electricity in summer if this type of closures becomes usual. A problem that aggravates. During the heat waves, more electricity is needed to light the air conditioners or fans, so the demand increases at the same time as the generation capacity falls. This has generated a domino effect on the European electricity market. According to the economistthe megavatio hour has come to double in a matter of days in France, affecting countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium that depend on gala electricity. And in Spain? Despite registering equal or even higher temperatures, Spain has not had to close any heat power plant. As He explained The economist, the key is in infrastructure and design. Unlike France, where many plants depend directly on rivers such as Garona or Rhone, in Spain solutions such as cooling towers have been adopted, which cool the water before returning it to the natural environment. A paradigmatic example is the Trillo plant, whose ability to operate during heat waves is due to this type of system. Also, like We have detailed in this mediumSpanish nuclear power plants are designed with a triple cooling system: a closed primary circuit that contains the fuel bars, a secondary circuit that generates the steam to move the turbines, and a third external circuit that introduces cold water – teacher of rivers, reservoirs or towers – to condense the steam. In addition, after Fukushima, all centrals incorporated portable and self -employment systems, capable of maintaining cooling functions even to climatic emergencies or electrical cuts. More interconnection? The situation that France and Switzerland are going through is not an isolated event, but a symptom of an still fragmented energy Europe. While in southern France reactors by heat go out, Spain keeps its centrals operational and could even contribute more electricity to the continent if there are better interconnections. These situations show the bottleneck that limits the electrical export capacity of the Iberian Peninsula. Spain has a nuclear park adapted to heat and a growing renewable base – specially solar and wind – that could serve as an energy lung for a Europe increasingly affected by extreme events. The energy future of the continent not only goes to adapt to heat, but also by connecting better. Image | Pixabay Xataka | Israel has been bombing the nuclear facilities that build other countries around its surroundings. This is the real risk of collapse

Xiaomi has a plan to conquer all the homes of Spain. And his first step begins today with the air conditioning

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When Xiaomi He celebrated its fiftyth anniversary two months ago, Lei Jun, CEO of the Company, presented to the world the products with which the company I would conquer the future of consumer technology. During that event there was talk of refrigerators, washing machines, of chipsof electric cars and even smart taps. However, the most striking was what No There was talk: mobile phones. In his fifteen years of history, Xiaomi has been inserted in the popular imaginary as a company of functional mobile phones and good price. The figures are witness: Xiaomi It has grown year after year in Spain until it becomes the indisputable leader in sales, and the perspective in the medium term It remains of growth. It was the company that broke the taboo over Chinese technology and the one that opened the door so that others, later access the western market. That is the past. Xiaomi’s future does not only go through mobile phones. May events and Junewhere they also presented The glasses and The Yu7they symbolize a change that the company has been undertaking for years. The future of consumer technology no longer resides on phones (although they are still very important, such as THE MIX FLIP 2 reveals) but in everything that We can connectwhat today translates into all applications of our daily life: from The appliances even watches, through voice attendees, televisions and, of course, The electric car. Xiaomi aspires to unify all the technologies of a life and shelter them under their brand. And that aspiration is ambitious: FEVER FOR SU7 In China, it shows that there is an appetite of “Xiaomi products” beyond mobile phones even in the most unsuspected places. The one that arrives in Spain today is a wide tour in our country, every year more if we think In the demanding heat waves that all summers attain us: the air-conditioning. The model that Xiaomi launches in Spain (the MIJIA AIR CONDITIONER PRO ECO In two powers, 2.6 kW and 3.5 kW) It is the spearhead of a much more ambitious expansion. In China, Xiaomi has been selling all kinds of household appliances and domestic technologies for years. Spain is its gateway to the western market. And to understand its strategy, to decipher what is the future path of Xiaomi globally and in our country, we have sat down to talk to Borja Gómez CarrilloCountry Manager of Xiaomi Iberia. This is how Xiaomi money earns – they attract you and catch you The air conditioning and Xiaomi plans In your last events you have accent on appliances: washing machine, fridge and even an intelligent tap. What is Xiaomi’s strategy at home? We are a company that is known by smartphones. It is very recognized in that area, our flagship, but more and more the part of the ecosystem has more relevance. We call “ecosystem” to products that are neither tablets or smartphones: the scooter, the security camera, the televisions and, of course, the appliances. Now we bring the air conditioning already the end of the year the refrigerators and washing machines. Why do we do this? Because we want to offer the consumer more and more products. We know that the smartphones market is very saturated, in penetration rates of more than 110%. Competing there is complicated. And that we are growing and we will continue to do so. But we want to expand the range of options for the consumer to have more capacity to buy our products. Who can do this right now? I think we are the only manufacturer that can offer that variety. How do we want to do it? Through “Human Car Home”. That the connectivity between devices is easy, that you can leave the office, with the smartphone, reach the car and you can connect; that you can see the security cameras of your home; that you may have left something prepared in the kitchen and program. Borja Gómez, Country Manager of Xiaomi Iberia, during the interview at the Xiaomi offices in Spain. It is striking that in that proposal the first thing you bring is an air conditioning because, as a consumer, I would not associate it so intuitively to the connected home. Why have you decided to start in Spain around? We can decide because, as you know, there are a lot of products in China, more than 2,500, and depending on the needs of the final consumer and the possibilities of selling it in the market we are bringing it. With the air conditioning we had to take advantage of: if we did not sell it in summer, later we were not going to be able to sell it. So the moment was now. We also believe it is a device that can be connected very easily. And in Spain, for the temperatures and for the market we have studied, we believe that it can give us good penetration. Is the decision to bring it to Spain very specific? Yes because not all Europe will have the air conditioning, and it is not going to be sold in all areas. In northern Spain the market is smaller than in the south. In Spain and Portugal, in the Peninsula in general, it can be brought by its climatic characteristics. You have mentioned the times and the decision to bring it right now, on July 4. Are you afraid of something late to the air conditioning campaign? We arrive something fair, but we have preferred to launch it now so that consumers can see the entire ecosystem we offer them. The truth is that it is at the limit. Generally the campaigns close in advance, but we do not bring a complicated units of selling. We have the right thing to have coverage throughout this year. I said it also thinking about everything that entails an air conditioning. Maintenance, post-sale service, installation. How are you going to land all this process in Spain for the client? We bring two references … Read more

Spain wanted to turn the train into the great alternative to travel in summer. Renfe never had so many dissatisfied customers

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13 hours stopped in the middle of the field. That has been the last great controversy in the Spanish railway sector where, among accusations crosses, hundreds of passengers saw how high speed was paralyzed in southern Spain. High speed that should be the great alternative to the car. But there is a fact: there were never so many unsatisfied customers. The last. On June 30, late in the afternoon, High speed collapsed In southern Spain. Just when summer displacements begin, The tension drop in a catenary He left hundreds of travelers thrown along the way. In the worst case, the trip became a nightmare that lasted 13 hours and ended with a hospitalized old woman. Of course, it seems complicated that users of that same train do not climb to the car of the dissatisfied with the delays that, every time, They are more common in Renfe trains. Folding the data. Practically, one in 10 Renfe high speed travelers are dissatisfied with the punctuality of the service. Specifically, 8.5%, according to the study of Household Panel that CNMC performs and in which satisfaction is collected with the services provided in Spain. The data does not take into account the latest incidents of A very moved 2025 since they are the first semester of 2024. The CNMC only collects satisfaction with the railway services the first semesters of each year but the data are very worrying. In 2020, only 4.8% of customers were dissatisfied with punctuality. Neither bird nor avlo. There are more reasons to worry. In 2020, only 0.6% of customers were “nothing satisfied” with the punctuality of the service. Today that data is 4.2%. And of 11.8% who were not “satisfied or dissatisfied” has passed to 19.1%. That is, the balance has leaned towards discontent. Especially if we take into account that 36% of AVE customers in 2020 were “very satisfied” with punctuality. Today that data is 22.5%. But, in addition, discontent is triggered among Avlo customers. In that case (there are only data from 2024) dissatisfaction is 13.1% although 23% of train users consider that they are “very satisfied” with the arrival in trains. That is, the bird data is very slightly improved. And the new operators? It is what should worry the most. The CNMC encompasses Ouigo and Iryo in the same table but points out that dissatisfaction with these companies is 8%. A very similar fact if it were not because the “very dissatisfied” client is found in 2.2%, almost half than the bird. In addition, 13.2% of customers say they are dissatisfied with the prices of Ouigo and Iroy but the figure is triggered at 23.3% in the case of avlo and up to 31.3% in the case of AVE. Only one section. There is only one section where the AVE expires new competitors and is in the state of trains. The dissatisfaction in this case is 8.3%, for 9.8% of Ouigo and Iroy trains. Of course, Avlo shoots up to 12.2% of dissatisfied customers. In the rest of the questions, which refer to the overall state of the stations, the price, the frequency, the time of path and the punctuality, ouigo and Iryo they always exceed what is offered by Renfe, both by AVE and by Avlo, which records but is general results. Alternative? Perhaps the biggest problem for the government is that it wanted to make the train a real alternative to vehicles by road. In 2021 The possibility of prohibiting domestic flights between cities that had a high speed alternative that had less than two and a half hours of journey was already touched. The last offensive To stop domestic flights is trying to prohibit their advertising. But in the practical field, in Spain free train fertilizers have been subsidized (including high speed partially) Since 2022. Following him German example that filled the trains As a measure to alleviate the effects of the Ukraine War, the Spanish Executive has maintained public transport aid that have sustained until this year. Can work … If you meet what is expected. In fact, high speed between Galicia and Madrid has shown that the train can be a Very interesting alternative to domestic flights But it is essential that it works quickly, punctuality and security. However, in ABC They point out that the continuous problems in trains have returned to some passengers to airplanes in Sevilla-Madrid. An example of what the continuous delays in rail services that, on average, In 2023 they almost reached 30 minutes. Photo | OUIGO AND NELSO SILVA In Xataka | The bird to Galicia has achieved what seemed impossible in a Santiago-Madrid: airlines that throw the towel

After Puretech, Stellantis calls thousands of cars with 1.5 BlueHdi engine in Spain. In France there are 600,000 affected

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Thousands of Citroën, Opel, Peugeot, DS and Fiat. Specifically, those of diesel that mount the 1.5 BlueHDI engine and that were manufactured before February 2023. Stellantis has called for revision to more than 600,000 units of these cars in France, as confirmed by our partners from L’Automobileand is already beginning to do the same in Spain, as the company has confirmed to our colleagues from Motorpasion. In Spain, for the moment, the scope of the Call for review In figures but it has been confirmed that a review campaign begins in which the status of the chain will be verified since it can be broken prematurely. A breakage of the chain, Most likely, it ends the life of the engine since the repair is so large that the arrangement is not worth it. Those affected will be called to revision by waves with a communication by the brand but also with A letter from the DGT that will ask the owners of these vehicles to go through the workshop. Puretch ghosts come back Although Stellantis has not given the exact figure of those affected in Spain, the list of vehicles is long since it is an engine that has been used in much of the models of the companies specified above. Specifically, the following models will have to go through the workshop as long as they will be manufactured between October 2017 and February 2023: Citroën: C3 and C3 Aircross (2018-2023), C4 and C4 Cactus (2020-2023) as well as the C4 Picasso and C4 SpaceTourer (2018-2023), C5 Aircross (2018-2023). Peugeot: 208 and 2008 (2018-2023), 308 and 3008 (2017-2023), 508 and 5008 (2017-2023) Opel: Corsa (2019-2023), Crossland X and Crossland (2018-2023), Mokka (2021-2023), Astra (2022-2023), Grandland X and Grandland (2018-2023). DS: DS 3 and DS3 Crossback (2019-2023), DS 4 II (2021-2023), DS 7 Crossback (2017-2023). In the same way the following commercial models are affected: Citroën Berlingo (2018-2023) and the SpaceTourer and Jumpy (2018-2023), the Opel Zafira Life and Vivaro (2018-2023), the Peugeot Traveler and Expert (2018-2023), as well as the Fiat Double and SCUDO (2022-2023) or the Toyota Proace and Proace City (2018-2023) that continued to assemble this engine after the agreement with the old PSA. In the affected models, after the checks, Stellantis will decide whether to make a chain change or a reprogramming of the software. The problem is that the chain has a width of 7 millimeters in diameter that since February 2023 has been replaced by a 8 millimeters. The diagnosis will be made Analyzing the noise of the vehicle that, according to the company, will be decisive when replacing or not the piece. If they consider that it should not be changed, it will be when the reprogramming is performed. While this campaign is launched, Stellantis has announced that Special coverage will be applied. Vehicles equipped with this 1.5 BlueHDI engine, manufactured between October 2017 and January 2023 will have 100% of the cost of the parts or the replacement of them up to 240,000 kilometers or 10 years, which before happens. If the car is affected, the client has the right to be reimburse On this website But it is necessary to have fulfilled the manufacturer’s maintenance obligations. This way of acting is very similar to the one that has been applied with the Defective PureTech engines of the company. In that case, the blocks of gasoline They had the same problem, with a degradation of the distribution strap that could end with a complete breakage of the same and the engine. Stellantis has had to face the call to review thousands of vehicles but, above all, a Image loss in terms of quality who has tried to alleviate with The extension of the guarantee to the affected engines. However, he is facing a Collective demand in our country. Photo | Citroën In Xataka | The ghost of the Puretech engines chases Stellantis: it will pay repairs from 2022 to 2024 if these conditions are met

There is only one group that is escaping the mortal trap of the house in Spain: the heirs

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Spain is (increasingly) more A country of heirs. And so It is felt In its real estate market. If in 2007 11% of the homes that changed hands did it through inheritances, in 2024 that data already exceeded 19%. In Fotocasa Research they have dropped even more retail And they have found that 16% of the entire Spanish real estate offer feeds on homes that have gone from family members to others, an even greater percentage if we stick only to the sale market. After that figure there are opportunities … and challenges. The percentage: 16%. A few months ago Fotocasa Research technicians asked a question: what weight do inheritances in the Spanish real estate market? To get out of doubt in February they conducted a survey that yields some interesting results. First, because they help us understand the current ‘photo’ of the market, very conditioned by a lack of housing that does not cover the new work. Second, because they are completed with others similar studies of the last five years. Of all its conclusions the most revealing is that, in a market very marked by the mismatch between supply and demand, the inherited homes are almost fifth (16%) of all available properties. It is also not a timely situation. The data coincides more or less with that of the last year (15%), although it is below the 18% peak registered in full pandemic. More sales than rentals. 16% is the ‘general photo’, but hides some nuances that can only be seen when lowering in detail. The main one is that this percentage varies considerably depending on the segment we are talking about, if we refer to houses available to rent or the sale market. In the second case, that of the houses looking for a buyer, the impact is greater. “By segments, the weight of the heirs in the sale market historically doubles that they have in the rent. People who have received an inheritance home represent 23% of the offer in the purchase market, while that percentage is reduced to 11% in the rental segment,” María Matos commentsDirector of Studies and spokesman for Fotocasa. Both indicators are located a percentage point above those noted last year. A full exchange market. Matos remembers that the weight of inherited housing has been increasing year after year due to the country’s demographic drift, marked by the aging of Baby Boomers and the progressive fall of birth rate, and warns of the effects of ‘Great wealth transfer’. “We estimate that in the next decade there will be the greatest transfer of intergenerational heritage in history, which will have a structural impact on the market,” Reflect The Fotocasa spokeswoman, and adds: “However, for each inherited house that is destined for rent, the double is sold.” Why this difference? In addition to collecting data, Fotocasa He has asked Also to some heirs who leads them to sell or rent their homes. The first conclusion, at least among the former, those who choose to get rid of their legacy, is that they weigh above all “personal motifs”, the reason that alleges 34% of respondents. Another key argument is that they are not attracted to the perspective of becoming homemade. And he does not basically do it for fear of defaults. “The heirs who prefer to sell also do so to avoid problems with the payment of rent (32%), an option that has significantly increased their support in recent years, since it was 23% in 2024”, Remember the expert. When preparing its study, the platform has also met with heirs reluctant to lease their homes for fear that tenants cause damage (21%) or the “absence of tax benefits that compensate for the risks” (21%). “A natural way”. Matos remembers that during the last year these misgivings have increased their impact on the market, And warn: “In the lease is where more housing is needed, so, if an environment of greater security and trust, many of these inherited homes could be generated, could become a natural way to increase the offer in rent.” Those who do choose to lease their houses in search of a source of income and profitability. And who inherit? That is another of the questions that answer The report. According to the data collected by Fotocasa, the profile of the heir who chooses to take out his home to the real estate market (either in lease or the sale) is very defined: they are above all men (they represent 60% of the cases) of around 54 years, upper or medium-high class and that usually reside with their partner and children. By communities, Madrid stands out, the region in which the heirs reach greater weight. Second is Andalusia and in the fourth Catalonia. Is there more data? Yes. Fotocasa gives a track, but it is not the only one that shows the impact of inheritance on the Spanish real estate market. Another is contributed by the INE, which has been elaborating for years A historical record of housing transmissions that close throughout the country looking at how they are carried out; That is, if it is donations, sale, swaps, inheritances or some other formula. Your conclusion? In 2007 they changed hands in Spain around 1.2 million homes. The vast majority (775,300) did so in sale operations and 131,200 through inheritances, so that last option had an impact of 11.1% on the market. Last year the photo was already something different. Of the million transmissions noted by the INE, 642,000 corresponded to sale and 201,000 with inheritances, which raises its footprint to 19.3%. Inheritances also gain weight in a delicate moment for the real estate market, very conditioned by the great demand and the shortage of supply. The Housing and Land Observatory shows that in 2024 they were completed almost 101,000 Housing to cover that imbalance, 13% more than in 2023, but the data remains well below the house creation rhythm noted by the INE. Images | Andrés García (UNSPLASH) and Joseph Bouvier … Read more

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