wondering

We have been wondering for decades if being vegetarian prevents cancer. We already have a very clear answer

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There is a endless diets in different parts of the world, conditioned largely by local society and culture, such as in Spain, where the Mediterranean dietwhich is varied. But the focus of the debate is on what is the best diet to maintain good health in the long term. And here the vegetarian diet has a lot to say. Giving answers. For years, we have known that reducing our consumption of processed meat is beneficial for our health, but a new macro study led by the University of Oxford has put compelling data on the table about how dietary choice directly impacts the risk of developing different types of cancer. The work published in the magazine British Journal of Cancer is consolidated as the further analysis performed to date on this topic. And it is no wonder, since researchers have been able to analyze the histories of 1.8 million women and men who participated in nine prospective studies across three continents. A shield. Until now, previous studies they were already pointing that vegetarians had a lower oncological risk, but there was not the necessary statistical power to refine the data and make this categorical statement. But this study has come to change this, since researchers reveal that vegetarians have a significantly lower risk of suffering from five types of cancer compared to people who eat meat regularly. Results. Obviously, there are many other factors that influence this matter such as weight or lifestyle, but even adjusting the data, a clear result has been seen, which is summarized in the following risk reductions: 31% lower risk of suffering from multiple myeloma. 28% lower risk of kidney cancer. 21% lower risk of pancreatic cancer. 12% lower risk of pancreatic cancer. 9% lower risk of breast cancer. But the curious thing about these data is that for ten other types of cancer studied, such as lung cancer in non-smokers, science has not found a significant difference. And this opens the door to seeing why this diet is so specific for specific cancers. The small print. Not everything is so positive with this diet, since the study has shown that vegetarians have almost double the risk of developing esophageal cancer compared to people who eat meat in their diet. Because? According to researchers, the benefits of a vegetarian diet in cancer are explained by the greater intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber and the absence of processed meats. But the fact that they have a higher risk of having esophageal cancer is related to the nutritional deficiencies that vegetarians may have. And the lack of certain exclusive or more present nutrients in foods of animal origin could be weakening the natural defenses of this tissue. The rest of the diets. In addition to the war that may exist between meat and vegetables, researchers wanted to go further to look at the rest of the diet. In this case, the pescetarianswho do not consume meat, but do consume fish and seafood, had a lower risk of developing breast, kidney and colon cancer. But when we talk about vegansis where there are certain important nuances, since it has been seen that they have a higher risk of suffering from colorectal cancer. However, the researchers themselves point out that there are still not enough statistical cases to accurately evaluate the impact of veganism on rarer cancers. The recommendations. Given this study, everything that had been done in oncology is maintained, since the norm is to prioritize whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables in the diet, limiting the consumption of red and processed meats. Although logically always ensuring that all nutritional needs are met and following medical advice. Images | amin ramezani In Xataka | Having a beer or a wine at 65 seems like a harmless indulgence. We have more and more evidence to the contrary.

Spain has been wondering for years what the hell to do with the “castle of the tricorns.” Tourism has come to their aid

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More than a decade and a few auctions Then, a long (and fruitless) succession of bids during which its sale price fell little by little, the Maqueda castle It finally has a new owner. The Canarian firm Amcotur (América de Construcciones y Turismo SL) has decided to buy this old Toledo fortress from the State for 3.25 million of euros to convert it into a hotel. Its sale is important for several reasons. The bastion sees its future clear after a long (very long) administrative soap opera. The people trust in winning a stimulus that will boost their economy. And the Ministry of the Interior is getting rid of a property in which it invested millions of euros and which it has been trying to get rid of for a decade. In a place in Castilla-La Mancha… Although the last years of the Maqueda castle (known as “the castle of the tricorns”) have been moved at an institutional level, in reality they are only a chapter in the vast history of this fortress, located 75 km from the center of Madrid, in a town of just 500 neighbors. Its origins can be traced back at least 981when Almanzor decided to reinforce a fortress that already existed. Since then its history has been full of twists, turns and big names (it is said that Isabel la Católica stayed in one of its towers): in 1157 the bastion came under the control of the Order of Calatrava, in the 15th century it was almost completely rebuilt and over the centuries it ended up in interior handswhich was initially assigned to the Civil Guard units. What do we do with it? In your file of the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha explains that until “recently” the fortress basically acted as a Civil Guard barracks, but the truth is that its recent history is somewhat more complex. Between the 90s and early 2000 An ambitious remodeling was carried out to convert the bastion into the headquarters of the Armed Institute’s historical archive. The idea was left half-finished. As relates The Countrychanges in the Government and economic ups and downs marked the project. First it expanded, adding a museum to the archive functions; But the 2008 crisis caused the plan to go into a tailspin. During the time of Mariano Rajoy at the head of Moncloa, it was decided to put the property up for sale (along with many other assets) to inject funds into the public coffers. Although the dream of converting the fortress into a museum-archive did not materialize, it did have consequences: a new block was built between the castle walls, in the parade ground, a modern concrete building with three floors and a basement. In total, the remodeling cost the State 7.4 million of euros. Until recently the property was still listed in the catalog of the GIESE (State Security Infrastructure and Equipment Management), where it was specified that it has a constructed area of ​​3,060 square meters. The plot adds 2,861 m2. Dropping in price. The castle is impressive, it has new construction and the plot is classified also as urban land suitable for residential, public or hotel uses (among others), which opens the range of possible uses. None of this prevented Interior from struggling and wanting to free itself from the fortress. In 2014 he asked 9.58 million. In vain. Nobody bid. The following year it adjusted the starting price, leaving it at 7.47 million. Another failure. The figure continued to decline (first to 5.9 million, then to 2.76) without whetting investors’ appetite. In 2023 its value was established at 3.25 million, the price for which the Canarian company has now decided to buy it, owned by Yusef Nasser and with experience both in the hotel sector and in the management of historic buildings. Among the accommodations in its catalogue, the company includes a four-star hotel located in a Burgos castle from the 15th century. Although the figure for which the bastion of Maqueda has been acquired directly is much lower than what was requested in 2014 or 2017the hotel group assures to Canarias7 that the operation has been closed at the “official appraisal” price. You will probably have to add the cost of the works to the purchase amount. Next stop: a small rural hotel. In mind, the company plans to set up a rural hotel, a four-star accommodation, with a spa, swimming pool, restaurants and conference room, according to precise laser. The station clarifies that the establishment will allow you to visit the surroundings of the walls and their archaeological challenges. For that we will have to wait. From the company recognize that to release the accommodation it will be necessary to invest in the reform and rehabilitate the old wall that surrounds the castle, declared in 1931 artistic historical monument. The idea is that the bastion, popularly known as “Castle of the Tricorns” will open its doors to guests in about a year and a half, around mid 2027. “It will give life to the town”. The mayor of Maqueda, Andrés Congosto (PSOE), admitted these days to SER that in the town they are “very happy” about the news about the reactivation of the property after “more than 10 years” of projects and ideas that had not quite come to fruition. At the time, it was even proposed to convert the bastion into a museum dedicated to democratic memory, an approach presented by the City Council and the Manuel Azaña Association to the Government years ago. The councilor has recognized elDiario.es now feels a certain “frustration”, but he then clarifies: “At least a private owner has not bought it and it will be a rural hotel. That will give life to the town, promote tourism and employment.” Images | Giborn_134 (Flickr) and Junta of Castilla-La Mancha In Xataka | Toledo has had enough of the mass tourism that saturates the city center. His plan to change it: China

The world has been wondering for years whether The Line is viable or a megalomaniac fantasy. The answer is becoming clearer

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You will like it more or less, but something cannot be denied to The Linethe ambitious ‘corridor city’ that Saudi Arabia wants to build in the middle of the desert: it does not leave anyone indifferent. After all, it is not every day that a 170 km long, 500 m high and 200 m wide metropolis made up of skyscrapers is built from scratch. Since the country’s crown prince presented the project, back in 2021the world has wondered if it is feasible or an extravagance doomed to failure. The question has continued to rage ever since, despite the start of works. Now it’s starting to become clear. What has happened? That The Line goes through turbulence. Although Saudi Arabia’s flagship megaproject has advanced on the ground, something that its promoters have made clear by sharing aerial imagesin recent days they have jumped several news that suggest that dark clouds appear on the horizon. Recently the Reuters agency informed that the priority now is to complete a first section of 2.4 kilometers, far from the 170 km that the project aspires to (its idea is to accommodate nine million people) or the structure that they wanted to have ready. looking forward to 2030. Meanwhile, other media talk about challenges or change of course. What exactly do we know? This is not the first news that suggest that Saudi Arabia was optimistic when considering the magnitude and schedule of The Line, but now they seem to confirm something important: the project (actually NEOM or the entire Vision 30 plan) is not immune to economic ups and downs and challenges in financing the works. This is how he revealed it a few days ago Reuters, which assures that Saudi Arabia plans to reorient its sovereign fund (PIF) of 925,000 million, a strategic financing lever, away from real estate megaprojects. While NEOM advocates large constructions, such as The Line, a futuristic ‘corridor city’ 170 km long, 500 m high and 200 m wide with the capacity to house nine million people, the new strategy would focus the PIF on investments with more sustainable returns in the short term. This involves logistics, tourism, AI or data centers. As remember The Timesthe Vision 2030 plan was based on a scenario in which a barrel of oil was trading at $100. Now it is around 60 and has not reached triple digits since 2022. What does that mean? “We spent too much. We acted at full speed. Now we have a deficit. We need to redefine our priorities,” he acknowledged. a few days ago a Saudi official at an investment forum held in Riyadh: Other sources speak directly of “course correction” and a scenario that requires being “more conservative” in investments. Even the country’s Minister of Economy, Faisal Alibrahim, has explained that they are “reorienting priorities towards the sectors that need it most.” “And today that sector is technology, AI.” Does that mean that mega structures are shelved? Jerry Inzerillo, an American executive who advises the crown prince, warns that he can’t go that far: “Don’t forget that nothing has been cancelled. It may just take a little longer. The ambition is still intact.” For now, at the end of 2024 the sovereign fund placed its investments in Saudi megaprojects in 56 billiona notable sum, but 12.4% below the previous year. Does it only affect The Line? No. The Line is not the only one that has seen its original plans complicated. The Times keep it up that the Trojena tourist hub may not be in time for the 2029 Asian Winter Games, as expected. The project would not actually be completed until 2032, which would have led South Korea to prepare to serve as headquarters in four years. There are other large developments in the country, such as the island of Sindalah or the district New Murabba of Riyadh, whose completion is expected in 2040, although without ruling out delays. Do you know anything else? Yes. Perhaps the most detailed ‘photo’ of where and what challenges the NEOM megacity faces I gave it on Thursday Financial Timeswhich published an extensive analysis with an illuminating headline: “The end of The Line: how the Saudi dream of NEOM fell apart.” The newspaper points out that, although the promoters insist that the city remains “a strategic priority” and it is possible to see the result of the works in the desert, the authorities have chosen to drastically reduce the first phase. Furthermore, among those who participate or have directly participated in the project there would be misgivings about its viability, as specified by FT. All this between calculations that place the final budget well above what was planned and figures that (at the very least) invite you to raise your eyebrow. For example, the staff interviewed by FT speaks of an enormous need for concrete (just the first 20 modules would need more cement than France produces in a year) and millions of tons of steel. This is without taking into account the logistical, transportation and time challenges or the services that The Line would require to provide for such basic issues as water, mail delivery or waste collection. Is it a surprise? Since the Saudi prince presented the project, years agoThe Line has aroused above all two emotions. Astonishment. And skepticism. The works have started and its promoters have shown that the project will not remain on paper, but another thing is its tempo and if it will reach the ambitious scale that was initially proposed. There are experts who have already warned that, if fulfilled, the vertical megacity will be a kind of hell for its residents. a few months ago transcended In fact, the authorities commissioned several consulting firms to carry out a strategic review of the project to confirm its viability or propose possible changes, a decision that the promoters rejected. Images | NEOM In Xataka | Years ago Alicante opted for an artificial island with a luxurious restaurant and taxi boat. It hasn’t … Read more

We have been wondering for years if we can put an end to tobacco once and for all. Maldives is convinced that yes

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We live in 2025 and, as you have surely noticed, there are people who smoke. Many people, in fact: according to estimates that we handle, more than a billion people will smoke in the near future. And it is a bit infuriating because it not only shows the inability of our societies to put a stop to a habit that kills seven million people every year. But it shows that we don’t want to solve the problem either. The best example is what is happening in the Maldives. What is happening? Well, as just approvedfrom November 1, 2025, no one born on or after January 1, 2007 will be able to buy or consume tobacco in the Maldives. It’s something about what is being talked about for a long time: given the difficulties in prohibiting tobacco (due to the large mass of smokers there are), a large generational ban is proposed. Obviously, it is not an isolated event. In recent years, Maldives has hardened (and a lot) its tobacco policy. It has banned all electronic cigarettes, raised tariffs and increased fines for everything related to this product. It’s not a new idea. On the contrary, there was a plan like this in New Zealand (which ended up repealed) and in the UK They have been discussing it for years. However, the Maldives has become the first country to implement a nationwide generational ban. It is, therefore, the end of the road of a long social controversy about how to put an end to the tobacco industry once and for all: an imperative measure (on a health level), questionable (on an ethical level) and, until now, unviable (on a political level). That is why the Maldivian experiment is so interesting: because it is a gamble with a health, legal and tourism impact that we are only now going to begin to understand. Although that doesn’t mean we go blind. There are incontestable realities: when we talk about tobacco we are not only talking about the economic burden derived from health (cardiovascular diseases, COPD, cancer…) but also the social burden derived from the dependence of consumers and its negative effects on their quality of life (sleep disturbance, anxiety and other psychological problems). We must not lose sight of the fact that in the Maldives, for example, around half of men smoke. A radical measure that has been highly disputed for years. During the processing of the idea in UK the controversy was enormous. And it is logical: a priori, it is a measure that attacks one of the basic foundations of any rule of law, equality before the law. In this case, a social model is created with “differentiated rights” depending on the year of birth. Nobody doubts the savings and improvement in public health that it would cause; but many people believe that the proportionality of the measure, the loss of tax revenue and the difficulty of execution They turn it into a toast to the sun. Europe is not talking about any of this for now, but everyone is looking at the Malvinas… if it works, it will be a conversation we will have to have. Image | Ishan @seefromthesky | Mohd Jon Ramlan In Xataka | The two faces of the tobacco industry: This is how tobacco companies rely on technology to survive

We have been wondering for centuries how the statues on Easter Island moved. The answer was very simple: walking

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Can you walk a block of stone the size of a school bus? Can a rock that weighs tons and measures several meters long be walked? The most logical answer is (obviously) no, but things change if what we are talking about is the moai of Easter Island, the unmistakable carvings sculpted and distributed throughout the Polynesian island several centuries ago through the old town of Rapa Nui. Beyond your meaningcharacteristics or design archaeologists have always wondered how the hell the natives managed to move those multi-ton masses from the quarries to the ahuthe ceremonial platforms on which they stood. The answer was just that: no more and no less than ‘walking’. An ancient mystery. There are few sculptures in the world as iconic, unmistakable and fascinating as the moai of Easter Island, the enormous rock heads that seem to emerge from the earth on the distant oceanic island. Since Jacob Roggeveen and its people arrived there in 1722, the world wonders what they were for, what they represent and of course how their creators, the people of Rapa Nui, managed to move them from the quarries to their destinations. Why is it so surprising? Because the statues, carved especially in volcanic tuff of the Rano RarakuThey measure several meters long and weigh tons. In fact, it is said that on average they are around 4.5 meters and 10 talthough there are older specimens. Taking that into account and that they had to move from the places where they were made to their platforms, how did the islanders move them? It is not a minor question if we remember that on the island there are hundreds and hundreds of statues, some have the buried torso and were manufactured mainly among 13th and 16th centuries. Their displacement has aroused so much curiosity that over the last decades it has inspired various theories, such as the one that maintains that the figures they lay down on a kind of wooden sled with ropes. Now a group of researchers he thinks he has settled the debate once and for all. And your answer has little to do with trailers, horizontal loads and logs. ‘Walking’ sculptures. The ancient legends of Rapa Nui they assured that the moai arrived “walking” to their ceremonial platforms, the ahu. And although that possibility has always sounded like a pure fable, it seems that it was not so far off the mark. Thanks to a study that combines physics, 3D modeling and field experiments, a team led by experts from Binghamton and Arizona universities has confirmed that “the statues really walked”. And the most interesting thing is that this process had very little mysterious about it. It was simple physics and engineering. All that was needed was ropes, people, paths and a special design. “After studying nearly a thousand moai, Professor Carl Lipo and Terry Hunt discovered that the inhabitants of Rapa Nui probably used ropes and ‘walked’ the gigantic statues in a zigzag pattern along carefully designed paths,” he explains. a statement launched by Binghamton University. Is it something new? More or less. The theory itself is not new. In the 80s a Czech engineer (Pavel Pavel) already raised that the moai moved upright thanks to a system that propelled them from two points. Carl Lipo himself and his colleagues they argued does years that the statues “walked” with vertical and oscillating movements, contravening the hypothesis that the people of Rapa Nui transported them upside down with the help of logs. To prove it they even did a practical demonstration that attracted interest of National Geographic. Despite these efforts, there were still critical voices that questioned the theory. And that is what Lipo and Hunt have now wanted to settle by deploying their entire arsenal. From the theory… To the facts, which is what the investigators have done. For prove the validity of his theory and better understand the movement of the carvings, Lipo and his colleagues turned to high-resolution 3D models and thoroughly studied the shape of the moais, both those that remain upright and the dozens that fell by the wayside when their creators tried to remove them from the quarry. Not only that. The team also incorporated practical tests into its argument. Practical tests? Yes. The researchers built a moai of 4.35 tons and they dedicated themselves to moving it with the help of ropes. The result is fascinating and Binghamton University itself has taken care of divulge it on YouTube. The team needed just 18 people to move the moai 100 meters in 40 minutes. “Once it gets moving it’s not difficult. People pull with just one arm. It saves energy and it moves very fast,” comment Professor Carl Lipo. “The tricky part is getting it to swing in the first place.” That experience, added to the 3D models and the rest of the analysis, demonstrates, in the opinion of the archaeologists, that their theories “really work.” And to silence voices they have captured it in a paper published in Journal of Archaeological Science with a headline as revealing as it is provocative: “The hypothesis of the walking moai.” Have they discovered anything else? Yes. The researchers identified certain “distinctive characteristics” in the design of the moai that, a priori, made it more feasible for them to advance with an oscillating and zigzag movement with the help of the ropes. What features? The archaeologists quote two specifically: “wide ‘D’ shaped bases and certain inclination forward” (between 5 and 15º). To be more precise, the experts appreciated bases wide and roundedespecially in the moai that were left halfway, which suggests that the islanders used them to move them (the design served to lower the center of gravity). Then, once the figures reached their destination, they carved them to settle them. Another of the clues they have found is in the paths used by the islanders of Rapa Nui. Its width (4.5 meters) and concave cross section invites experts to think that roads were “ideal” … Read more

Archaeologists have been wondering how the drought affected the Mayan collapse. The answer was in a remote cave

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The sayinger says that the devil is hidden in the details. Often, when we talk about archeology, key clues too. Archaeologists who investigate the collapse of The Mayan civilization. For years experts wonder if that decline was motivated by changes in commercial routes, wars or climatic factors, such as droughts, a theory that has gained weight over the last years. What historians did not know is to what extent the Maya endured the shortage of rain between the ninth and 10th centuries. Now we finally know. And all thanks to A stalagmit Lost in a remote cave of Yucatan. What happened? That archaeologists have just achieved a valuable clue to better know the history of Mayan civilization. And not any period. What they have discovered is a fact that sheds light on one of their most fascinating chapters, The collapse of the classical period, a phase that extended Between the IX and X Centuries From our era and that he saw how the flourishing Mayan civilization fell into decline and the twilight of large cities arrived. During that stage the southern limestone settlements were abandoned and civilization moved northlosing part of its influence at a political and economic level. What have you found out? That this stage was marked by droughts. To be more precise, archaeologists have found out that between 871 and 1021 of our era they happened Eight long droughts In the Yucatan Peninsula, periods of water shortage that with all probability influenced the population. Not all of them lasted the same, but experts estimate that each of those episodes of agostation lasted at least three years, although there was one in particular that extended 13. Let us talk about extreme droughts It does not mean that it did not rain. With that term archaeologists refer to periods of at least three consecutive years during which the dry station lasted more months than usual or even in which one cannot talk about wet season as such. The experts They recognize That 13 years under these conditions, even with the water management techniques developed by the Maya, leads to “a great impact for society.” Why is it important? Because as the authors of the investigation recognize in An article Posted a few days ago in the magazine Science Advancesthat prolonged drought chain could play a key role in the history of the Maya, “contributing to the collapse of classical civilization.” “This period of Mayan history has fascinated us for centuries”, Recognize Dr. Daniel H. James, author of the study. “Multiple theories have emerged about the cause of collapse, such as changes in commercial routes, wars or severe droughts, based on the archaeological evidence left by the Maya. But in recent decades we have begun to learn a lot about what happened to the Maya and why, mixing archaeological data with quantifiable climate evidence.” Is it something new? Yes. And no. It is not the first time that archaeologists explore the impact that droughts had on the decline of classical Mayan civilization. Over the last years they have already reached more or less similar conclusions thanks to sediment study collected at the bottom of the Chichankanab lagoon or of Stalactite samples Obtained in a cave in southern Belize, clues that pointed to the role played by climate oscillations in The Mayan collapse. The new data obtained by James and their colleagues also fit other signals, as with the dates left by the Maya themselves in their monuments or records in the popular Chinchén Itzá. There, in one of the great settlement of the Yucatan, the inscriptions of dates are mysteriously faded just during the periods in which we now know that there were severe droughts. “It does not mean that the Maya left Chichen Itzá these periods, but it is likely that they had more urgent things than to worry about building monuments, as if the crops on which they depended would be successful or not.” So … why is it important? Although It is not the first time that archaeologists point to the effect of droughts in the Mayan collapse the new study published in Science It is important for several reasons. First, for your approach. Second, for its precision. In this case, researchers have departed from an especially valuable track: the stalagmites located in a Yucatan cave. Thanks to the dating and analysis of the oxygen isotope layers that contain these calcareous rocks, formed on the ground with the water that drips in the cave, experts have been able to obtain “very detailed information” on the climate of the terminal classic period. “Previous studies have measured the isotopes contained in lake sediments to determine the severity of drought, but do not contain enough detail to accurately find out the climatic conditions in a specific year and location,” They clarify From Cambridge. Unlike what happens with the sediments collected from the bottom of the lakes, “excellent to obtain a global vision,” says James, the stalagmites offer a variety of concise data. “They allow us to access more precise details that we were missing,” Write down the expertwho now acts as a researcher at the University College in London. According to the team, this has been the first time that archaeologists have been able to isolate information about the rains of humid and dry stations individually, obtaining the details of each one. How precise are they? Its authors say so. So far the stalagmites had provided data on rainfall annual measures during the classical terminal periodbut that information did not allow scholars to go down to detail. How much did it rain exactly in humid stations and dry? Thanks to the Yucatan stalagmite analyzed by the experts, which contains relatively thick annual layers, of about a millimeter, the experts have been able to analyze oxygen isotopes of each stage, an indicator of the drought. “Knowing the average annual rainfall does not reveal as much as knowing how every rainy season was”, Dr. James points out. “Isolate the rainy season … Read more

China has been wondering what to do with its 300 million pensioners. It has a “voluntary” solution

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It We count last year. In Europe we don’t stop Find a formula that Relieve the situation of retirement and pension of people. But nothing that happens in the continent resembles what happens in China and its 300 million pensioners (and other hundreds that are projected in ten years). The country has made a decision to stop the problem: gradually upload the retirement age. Gradual increase. China thinks Gradually increase your legal retirement age in the next five years to try to deal with the aging of its population and the increasingly suffocated pension system. An action that is part of a series of resolutions adopted at a high -level five -year meeting of the Communist Party, known as the third plenary. An enlightening fact before giving context to the serious crisis of the Asian country: life expectancy has now increased above the United Statesuntil 78 years, and was only 36 years at the time of the communist revolution in 1949. A crisis of several fronts. The country has a problem: Society ages. With an economy In decelerationa long time since demographic crisis symptoms were felt. Last year, China lost for the second year consecutive population. Meanwhile, on the sidewalk in front, the figures indicated the lowest birth rates since there are records. All this assumes that the population of age to retire, One of the casualties in the world (60 years for men, 55 for women in administrative work and 50 for working class women), it only grows. In 2022 it was 280 million, last year of 297 million (21% of the total census). Worse. There are forecasts that speak of other 300 million projected In the next decade, and for the middle of the century there is talk of a population of 60 years or more than, at least, will exceed 500 million (almost 40% of the total register). In fact, forecasts talk about four workers for each retiree in 2030and in 2050, only two. Gradual retirement by phases. The entire scenario described above leads us to the news that has been confirmed and that has been brewing months ago. “According to the principles of voluntariness and flexibility, we will move constantly and orderly in the reform to progressively delay the legal retirement age,” The Communist Party of China explained last Sunday. The plan, together with some other key reforms, was published in a resolution three days after the country’s leaders concluded the third Plenary of China, an important political meeting in Beijing that takes place every five years. What we know. The truth is that it has not been specified how much retirement age or when, but A report on pension development From China published in late 2023, he explained that “65 years may be the final result after adjustment.” The plan has been at stake for some years, as China’s pension budget decreases. If it serves as a track, in 2019 (and before the pandemic) the cabinet had predicted that the Chinese Pension Fund It would run out in 2035 due to the decrease in its workforce. Years of strong restrictions related to pandemic have further reduced the coffers of local governments and, as they explained, “they could further aggravate the pension deficit.” At the same time and as we said, the huge population of the country has decreased for the second consecutive year in 2023 as the birth rate falls. Doubts. As for those somewhat “diffuse” terms, especially in the case of a capital issue such as pensions, the Global Times state newspaper cited demographs of the country saying that in the plan to increase retirement age, it stands out “voluntariness” and “flexibility”. It is impossible to predict how far that apparent decision of the Chinese citizen would achieve, but what seems clear is that the authorities recognize that there is no unique policy for everyone when it comes to retirement. Skepticism. That is the word that now defines the plan between Many Chinese usury on the Internet. Of all the doubts expressed, one that is repeated. “Those who want to retire in advance are exhausted by their laborious works, but those who perform comfortable and lucrative functions will not choose to retire. What kind of work will end with the youngest generation?” A user comments on the Weibo Networksurely exposing one of the key issues that nobody has yet explained. Image | Soctech, Clay Banks (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | The ghost of the demographic crisis had been threatening China for years. Well, it has started *An earlier version of this article was published in July 2024

We have been wondering for two months when the heat arrives in Spain. Aemet finally has an answer: already

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2025 has been a year anomally wetat least for the Iberian Peninsula. The month of April the rainfall was 11% higher To the usual in peninsular Spain, and in recent weeks we have also seen many days marked by rainfall. But perhaps what will mark the end of spring are temperatures. Summer arrives. Meteorologists glimpse on the horizon an increase in temperatures from next week. A change of trend that, according to Trend predictions In the medium term of the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet) could leave us an end of May and a first half of June and warm than usual. The 36º appear. Meteorologists expect that atmospheric stability will be taken over the skies throughout the weekend. This will be translated, they explain from Eltiempo.esin an increase in temperatures. According to these forecasts, temperatures are expected above the 27th Celsius in capitals such as Valladolid or Zaragoza, while cities such as Madrid and Badajoz would exceed 30º. However, maximum temperatures will be seen in the southwest, where the thermometers could be between 35º and 36º. Three warm and dry weeks ahead. If we add to this the Aemet predictionswe can intuit that we are in the advanced transition between spring and summer. The agency hopes that the remaining week of May will be marked by higher temperatures and lower rainfall than these dates would be expected. The thermal anomaly is expected to be between the degree and the three degrees above the average in much of the country, with the interior of the southern half reaching an anomaly between three and five degrees. The situation will be similar during the first half of the month of June, with almost all of the Peninsula watching thermal anomalies above the three degrees on average. Regarding rainfall, Aemet predictions for next week draw a scenario where dry anomaly is the standard, with up to 10 mm less than usual in practically the entire Iberian Peninsula and with dry anomalies of up to 30 mm in localized areas of the northern half. The first half of June will be similar, although uncertainty gains ground. What is happening? The main culprit of this is a phenomenon closely associated with summer: the Azores anticyclone. According to Explain the meteorologist Mario Picazothe trough of cold air that during this Week will continue to lead An unstable time and storms, especially on the Mediterranean coast, will be retiring at the same time that the anticyclone appears in the west. In Xataka | Japanese scientists have taken the lightning rod to the next level: with a drone that hunting lightning Image | ECMWF

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