truce

a 15-minute “truce”

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Whether 2026 is going to be a good or bad year is something that nobody knows, what is clear is how it will start: at the rhythm of twelve bells, with grapespending (more or less) the ‘La Pedroche’ dress and among fireworks, the peculiar “pack” with which Spain has celebrated every New Year’s Eve for years. Of those ingredients, there is one, however, that takes time. on the tightrope: pyrotechnics. Maybe we like to welcome the new year with fireworks and firecrackers, but… Does that justify the risk they pose or the inconvenience they cause to people who are sensitive to noise and pets? In Vitoria-Gasteiz they have chosen a Solomonic solution. New Year’s Eve between fireworks. Christmas has certain traditions that are inherent to the holidays. Here and in most of the West. There are the trees, the LED lights in the streets, the tinsel, the nougats, the gifts, Santa Claus, the after-dinner debates…and the firecrackers and fireworks with which every New Year’s Eve the cities say goodbye to the outgoing year and welcome the incoming one. The problem is that pyrotechnics are not seen with the same eyes now as they were a few decades ago. As the world has become aware of the impact it has on noise-sensitive people and pets, a series of questions have arisen: Is it worth it? Is the use of an article that is ultimately purely recreational justified if it causes discomfort to part of the population? There are those who believe not. And he is so convinced of this that he has even launched campaigns to ban or restrict fireworks during certain celebrations, something we have seen in Swiss, Chili or (also) Spain. The debate of debates. It is not a simple topic. In general the use of firecrackers is regulated by regulations that establish limits, but the law also leaves some room for maneuver to city councils. And that, at times like Christmas, when pyrotechnics are so ingrained, is a problem. A quick Google search shows that there are cities who bet on great showspromoted by the city councils, while others have chosen to emphasize in recent days the prohibition of its neighbors from using fireworks, firecrackers, rockets and other pyrotechnics in the streets without permission. One of the most notable cases is that of Vigo, which two weeks ago launched a side in which it emphasizes that it will not allow “the use of pyrotechnic devices on roads and public spaces, unless express municipal authorization is available.” The measure angered the sectoralthough in reality Vigo It is not the only location that a bill has been published to regulate the use of firecrackers on the 31st. The Solomonic solution of Vitoria. With that background it is interesting the solution which Vitoria-Gasteiz has opted for. There the authorities will allow the launching of firecrackers to welcome the new year, although with an important “but.” Whoever wants to say goodbye to 2025 in style should do so by looking at the clock, between the exact moment when 12 bells ring and a quarter past twelve in the morning. If you get carried away with your enthusiasm and continue setting off firecrackers after those 15 minutes, you will risk a fine. Why’s that? Because the Consistory has published a side in which a 15-minute window opens (the first in 2026) to celebrate the change of year with pyrotechnics. Once this brief ‘truce’ is over, people will no longer be able to go out into the streets and squares to set off firecrackers. What’s more, the City Council warns that starting at 12:15 a.m. on January 1, police officers can apply article 30 of the municipal ordinance against Noise and Vibrations, which contemplates the possibility of filing complaints and opening disciplinary proceedings. The side in question, published on Friday the 26thclarifies that its objective is to “combine” two apparently opposite realities: the “legitimate celebration of the New Year” and the prohibition of causing excessive noise in the streets. For this reason, the City Council warns that it will “tolerate” the use of firecrackers, fireworks, rockets and flares on public roads “coinciding with the beginning of the New Year.” And in case there are any doubts, clarify that this margin will be limited between 00:00 and 00:15 h. A rule, a request. The City Council does not stop there. Although it gives carte blanche to use fireworks in public spaces for a quarter of an hour, the side asks also to neighbors to act responsibly and try to take their celebrations away from hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, centers where there are animals and of course gas stations, gas and fuel depots or certain public facilities, such as police stations. Another thing is that the measure works. Gasteiz Today remember that the truce of the first 15 minutes of the year is not exactly new. It has been in use for some time now, which has not prevented noises from being heard all night. Images | Alberto Cabello (Flickr), AFA Hirigintza / DFA Urbanismo (Flickr) and Shaury Nash (Flickr) In Xataka | Faced with the debate about fireworks yes or no, more and more towns are choosing no. Galicia has begun to cancel them

The allergic of Spain have been enjoying a truce for two months thanks to the rains. Now curves come

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We are in full spring and approaching the month of May. Or what is the same: the pollen season is thrown on us. Pollen is one of the main allergens and, in case this was not enough, The trend is growingthat is, more and more people suffer allergy to some type of pollen. An intense season. The experts They foresee an intense pollen season This spring. Although the weeks with the highest incidence of allergens are usually in the months of May and June, the meteorology can cause the first sneeze to catch more than one by surprise. Meteorology, an important factor. The rain is one of the most important factors When it comes to knowing whether or not they wait for us for days of sneezing. Primaveral rains can prevent the concentration of allergens in the environment, at least for a few days. And if there has been something in recent days (and the last months) is rain. Although in recent weeks we have not seen episodes of torrential rains, the possibility of an important increase in the concentration of pollen in the environment has been limited by rainfall. Looking back. However the relationship between moisture and pollen It is more complex that the simple “sweep” effect. The persistent rains of recent weeks may have protected us from early pollinators, but have also contributed to the accumulation of soil moisture and in the pollinating plants themselves. As Physicist José Miguel Viñas explains in Meteoredspring rains, situations like this, in which a rebound of temperatures follows a pause in the rains, pollen levels tend to shoot. The temperature another factor to take into account. And it is that the temperature is the other great determinant when providing the levels of allergens that will stalk us in the next few days and weeks. Many plants begin to wake up from their winter lethargy in the mid -winter and begin to accumulate energy. After a certain accumulation threshold, these plants can start the pollinating phase of their reproductive cycle. First notices. Thus, this week you can mark the beginning of the season for many allergic. According to The data of the monitoring of the atmosphere of Copernicus, this week some allergens will already emerge in some areas of Spain, especially In the south and in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. In the Peninsular South it will highlight the Olive Pollen. On Thursday and Friday in some areas of Andalusia we could see concentrations of more than 5,000 grains per m³ of this allergen. Throughout the week, concentrations of more than 100 grains/m³ will be common in the southern quadrant of the peninsula. The grass will be another allergen to take into account in the central and south, although with less important concentrations, below the 100 grains/m³. During the week an increase in birch pollen concentrations is also expected in the center and north of the Iberian Peninsula. The presence of this pollen will be especially noticeable in the northwest, in Galicia and west of Asturias, with concentrations that would exceed 100 grains/m³. The incidence would be moderate in the north third and in areas of Castilla y León. In Xataka | The time of the year in Japan has arrived where everyone has a mask. The fault is World War II Image | Copernicus

The good news is that the storms will finally give us truce this week. The bad is that time will remain unstable

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The last weeks have been marked by instability: rains (we have seen One of the most wet that remember the records), cold and storms several have been protagonists in this spring. Now, after the holiday period, experts foresee a change in the atmospheric trend. Changes, in theory. This week will be A week of changes at the atmospheric level with respect to the dominant trend during Holy Week. Of course, at ground level these changes will be noticed rather: instability and rains will continue to accompany the day -to -day life of many Spaniards, although in some areas the increase in temperatures can take the thermometers towards the 30º towards the end of the week. No storms in sight. Meteorological forecasts for the next few days foresee a change in the atmospheric pattern: the storms disappear for the peninsular geography, opening the way to the major influence of anticyclones such as the Azores. According to the forecast of the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet), this will be reflected in an increase in maximum temperatures in the southeast peninsular interior, as well as in mountainous areas of the north. However, this is only part of the story. A tape tall It will become the protagonist In these first days of the week, accompanied by a front that will bring new rains to a good part of the Peninsula. In practice. The Aemet forecastwhich throughout the day will extend to much of the northwest peninsular half, being able to reach areas of the southeast. The forecast also speaks of possible snowfall in mountains of the north end. On Tuesday, instability will increase, with “showers and storms that can be locally strong in areas of the northeast peninsular near the Mediterranean.” If Monday temperatures are experiencing a slight rise, the situation will be reversed tomorrow in some areas, with a notable decrease in the maxims in the Ebro, the east of the Northern Plateau and the Eastern Cantabrian, according to the agency’s forecasts. A more palpable change. As of Wednesday, the change in the atmospheric state could materialize in a change over time. The models foresee that this day the influence of the Azores anticyclone will stabilize the meteorology of the peninsula. The heavens, yes, will remain overcast in the north, with rainfall “weak although persistent”In the area. The showers are not ruled out in the rest of the peninsular territory either. Round of the rains? The situation is expected on Thursday but Friday could see the arrival of A new trough and, with it, the return of rainfall of greater consideration. If the forecasts are fulfilled, this phenomenon will move west throughout Friday and Saturday, leaving rains and even storms. In Xataka | While Spain was pending the rains, something strange was happening with the polar vortex Image | ECMWF

Their figures do not give the slightest truce to the competition

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China is world leader in The production of lithium batteries. If we stick to electric cars the country led by Xi Jinping Fabrica 57% of batteries that these vehicles use. Catl and Byd They are the largest manufacturers of energy accumulators on the planet with A market share in 2023 34% and 16% respectively. And if we look at electronic devices equipped with batteries, your domain is equally forceful. Only in this way are the figures in which we are about to investigate. China has reached this leadership position due to several factors. On the one hand it is The largest producer in the world of lithium and rare earths, which are the main raw materials used in the manufacture of batteries. In addition, it controls the processing of these materials and is capable of producing large -scale batteries and with a very competitive price. There is currently no indicator that invites us to anticipate that your mastery of lithium batteries will be threatened in the medium term. In just a Chinese decade of 50% market share at 80% The evolution that the lithium batteries industry has experienced in this Asian country is the result of a very ambitious strategy pergenerated by the Government a decade ago. In 2015 President Xi Jinping announced the plan “Made in China 2025”an initiative that pursued to take the country to a world leadership position in thirteen strategic technologies. In some of them, such as the production of medicines, large tractors, the manufacture of industrial machinery, the artificial intelligence (AI) or the robots does not lead, but has established itself in a competitive position. If we stick to the production of lithium batteries your market domain a decade after the implementation of the “Made in China 2025” plan is overwhelming However, in five of these Chinese technologies he is already a global leader. In the industries of unmanned aerial vehicles, solar panels, graphene, high -speed trains, and, finally, of the electric cars/lithium batteries binomial, Chinese companies are the most competitive. If we stick to the production of lithium batteries your market domain a decade after the implementation of the “Made in China 2025” plan is overwhelming, as we can see in the following graph prepared by the consultant Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence And this country has gone from having a 50% global market share in 2015 to no less than 80% today. A decade ago his position was already good, but In 2025 your domain is absolute. Another fact that we are not overlooking is that the global production of lithium batteries in 2015 amounted to 42 GWh, while in 2024 this figure increased to 1,400 GWh. This growth is mainly explained thanks to China’s intervention. The graph also reflects the participation of Europe, North America and APAC, which is the region that includes Asia and the island areas of the Pacific excluding China on this occasion. Its market share is similar (around 6 or 7% for each of these competitive regions), so it is evident that in the medium term China’s leadership will not be threatened. However, it is curious to verify that not even South Korea, a country that officially considers its battery industry A strategic resourceyou can currently make China the slightest shadow in this area. Image | Tennen-Gas More information | Benchmark Mineral Intelligence In Xataka | Historic record for China: its chips industry has produced in 2024 more than ever despite the sanctions

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