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Fashion United
05-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
South Summit 2025 Opens in Madrid: Focus on AI, sustainability and innovation
The 14th edition of South Summit, the global event on entrepreneurship and innovation organised by IE University, officially opened on Wednesday, June 4, in Madrid. The three-day gathering is being held at La Nave, the innovation hub of the Madrid City Council, and will run through June 6. This year's edition aims to surpass the success of 2024, which welcomed over 18,000 attendees from 133 countries, including 6,500 entrepreneurs and 26 unicorns. The 2025 programme features nearly 430 speakers, structured around four key thematic areas. The first, Humanity 2.0, explores how technology can address social and environmental challenges. Sustainable Action highlights innovations in energy, agritech, climate tech and resource management. The Growth axis focuses on nurturing talent and building innovation-driven organisational cultures. Finally, Tech Horizons investigates the transformative power of emerging technologies including biotechnology, quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Among the headline speakers are Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix; Marci Zaroff, CEO of Ecofashion Corp and co-founder of Textile Exchange; and Greg Hoffman, former chief marketing officer at Nike. Also joining the lineup are Mikayel Vardanyan of Picsart, Dennis Hong from UCLA, Christophe Williams of Naked Energy, and Adriana Hoppenbrouwer-Pereira from The Fabricant. As is tradition, South Summit 2025 also features its renowned Start-up Competition, a platform offering visibility and funding opportunities to early-stage ventures. Since its launch, the competition has helped over 1,000 start-ups, boasting a 90% survival rate and nearly $17 billion in total investment. Notable alumni include unicorns like Cabify, Glovo and Jobandtalent. The opening ceremony was attended by key officials, including the Mayor of Madrid and national government representatives. María Benjumea, founder of South Summit, welcomed guests, followed by a fireside chat between Marta Cruz of NXTP Ventures and Paul Murphy from Lightspeed Venture, moderated by Diego del Alcázar Benjumea, CEO of IE University. A call for ethical and purposeful AI Don Felipe during the opening ceremony of the South Summit 2025, on June 4, 2025 in Madrid (España). Credits: ©Casa de S.M. el Rey. Spains King Felipe VI also took part in the opening session, where he underscored the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence. In his keynote address, he encouraged entrepreneurs to embrace AI's potential while maintaining an ethical, human-centric approach. 'AI is no longer a promise – it is a key driver of innovation, scalability and competitive advantage,' said King Felipe. He noted that start-ups are increasingly adopting AI in sectors such as customer service, market forecasting and energy optimisation. Spain, he added, is gaining traction in fields including digital health, cybersecurity and natural language processing, while also working on the development of ethical AI algorithms. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, from data privacy to job displacement, the monarch called for shared responsibility among businesses, governments and civil society. He advocated for innovation with purpose: 'Let us build together a Spain that does not fear artificial intelligence, because it will know how to guide it with human intelligence,' he concluded. This article is a summary of the original prepared for by Jaime Martínez, adapted for international readers by Alicia Reyes Sarmiento. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Euronews
26-05-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Romania's president-elect meets Poland's Tusk and endorses Trzaskowski
The demonstration, organised under the slogan 'Let's save our public health', highlighted the growing public unease over what they see as the privatisation and dismantling of Madrid's public health system. Organised by the platform 'Vecinas y vecinos de los barrios y pueblos de la Comunidad de Madrid', the protest started simultaneously from four strategic points in the capital. This mass mobilisation reflects the widespread concern about the current state of public healthcare in the city and the policies implemented by the regional government. Demonstrators criticised the "unbearable delays in primary care" and the shortage of staff. The manifesto read during the rally denounced the existence of a million people on waiting lists and "tens of thousands of children without a paediatrician assigned to them" in what is Spain's richest region. Ricardo Chacón, representative of the organising platform, said the privatisation of health was "not working" and that it was in private economic interests rather than for the benefit of patients. Luis López, another spokesperson for the group, called for a significant increase in the regional health budget, demanding that at least 25% be earmarked for strengthening primary care. The organisers emphasised the importance of preventive healthcare as a more economical and effective strategy than focusing resources solely on curative treatments. This perspective seeks a paradigm shift in health management in Madrid, prioritising the accessibility and quality of primary health care. The demonstration had a notable representation of left-wing parties and trade unions supporting citizens' demands. Reyes Maroto, Socialist spokesperson in the Madrid City Council, urged support for the "thousands of people who are waiting for a medical appointment" and do not have private insurance as an alternative. Manuela Bergerot, from Más Madrid, offered concrete data on the regional health crisis: 139,000 children without a paediatrician assigned to them and 625,000 patients without a family doctor. The political leader directly linked this situation to privatisation policies, specifically denouncing the relationship between the Quirón Group and the personal entourage of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. MEP Irene Montero (Podemos party) added an ethical dimension to the debate, saying that without universal access to quality public healthcare "there is no democracy and no dignity of life". Montero also referred to controversy over the Quirón Group's contracts with Ayuso's partner, alleging an increase in payments and privatisations coinciding with this personal relationship. The mobilisation of citizens in defence of Madrid's public health system is evidence of a growing political polarisation around regional health management. While the demonstrators demand a reversal of privatisation policies. Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan met Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Sunday, a week before the second round of the presidential election kicks off in Poland. Two large marches in support of the two leading candidates—Rafał Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki—were set to take place in central Warsaw on Sunday. Dan, the pro-European mayor of Bucharest, took part in the so-called "Great Patriots March" in support of Civic Coalition candidate Rafal Trzaskowski. During a speech at the march, Dan stressed that he and Trzaskowski share the same values and priorities. Dan also said that countries cannot develop without a united EU and that he believes in a strong Poland in a strong EU. He added that, as president of Romania, he would work closely with Rafał Trzaskowski and Tusk. On 13 May, Romanian presidential candidate, nationalist George Simion, also came to Poland to support Law and Justice or PiS party-backed candidate Karol Nawrocki, Trzaskowski's opponent in the runoff next Sunday. On the same day, a march was held in support of Nawrocki in the Polish capital. The second round of elections in Poland will take place on 1 June. Pope Leo XIV declared himself a Roman on Sunday, completing the final ceremonial steps in his role as the bishop of Rome. Wearing his formal red papal cape and brocaded stole, Pope Leo XIV recalled the words he had uttered from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica on the night of his election. The pontiff quoted St Augustine in saying, 'With you I am Christian, and for you, bishop.' 'By special title, today I can say that for you and with you I am Roman,' Leo said. Rome's Mayor Roberto Gualtieri welcomed Pope Leo XIV first at the steps to City Hall, noting that his May 8 election fell during a Holy Jubilee year, an event occurring every 25 years to invite pilgrims to Rome. The city underwent two years of traffic-clogging public works projects to prepare and expects to welcome upward of 30 million people in 2025. Pope Leo XIV felt a 'serious but passionate responsibility' to serve all Romans during the Holy Year and beyond. The first US-born pontiff formally took possession of the St John Lateran Basilica, which is Rome's cathedral and seat of the diocese, with an evening Mass attended by Roman priests and faithful. He then took the popemobile for a visit to St Mary Major, where he prayed before Pope Francis' tomb and an icon of the Virgin Mary beloved to many Roman faithful. Last week, the pontiff visited the St Paul Outside the Walls basilica. In his homily, Pope Leo XIV said he wanted to listen to them 'in order to learn, understand and decide things together.' One of the many titles that Pope Leo XIV assumed when he was elected 8 May was bishop of Rome — an honorific derived from the pontiff's role as the apostolic successor to Saint Peter, the founder of the Church. The symbolic possession of the four papal basilicas completes his inauguration as the Church's supreme pontiff. Given his responsibilities running the 1.4 billion-strong universal Catholic Church, the pontiff will likely delegate the day-to-day governance of the diocese of Rome to a vicar. On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV asked for prayers for China's Catholics to be in communion with the Holy See, as he made his first public remarks about one of the thorniest foreign policy issues facing his new pontificate. The pope recalled that the Catholic Church marked a special feast day on Saturday to pray for the church in China. Pope Leo XIV noted that on the feast day, 'in the churches and shrines in China and throughout the world, prayers have been raised to God as a sign of the solicitude and affection for Chinese Catholics and their communion with the universal church.' Speaking from his window during his noontime blessing, Leo prayed that Catholics in China and elsewhere 'obtain the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in the midst of trials, to always promote peace and harmony.' Pope Leo XIV told the archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, that he had 'visited China several times and got to know the Chinese culture and reality,' according to the Fides missionary news agency, citing comments Chow made in his diocesan weekly newsletter after the conclave. Chow added that he expected Pope Leo XIV to follow Pope Francis' direction for the church in China. He said he had given Pope Leo XIV a small statue of Our Lady of Sheshan, a statue of the Madonna that is particularly venerated by Chinese faithful and is celebrated on the feast day, 24 May. Chow, a Jesuit, said he had implored Pope Leo XIV 'to not forget the church in China and the Chinese people,' according to the newsletter. The Vatican has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed over seven decades ago when the Communist Party came into power under Mao Zedong. Relations had long been stymied over China's insistence on its exclusive right to name bishops as a matter of national sovereignty, while the Vatican insisted on the pope's exclusive right to name them as the supreme pontiff of the Church.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Madrid on high alert: Potentially historic flash flood event unfolding
The impact of Storm Martinho has disrupted daily life in Madrid. Persistent rainfall over the past few days, combined with melting snow in the Sierra de Guadarrama, has led to an unprecedented rise in the Manzanares River, potentially resulting in a historic surge. The Madrid City Council is closely monitoring the rising flow of the Manzanares and Jarama rivers, which has been exacerbated by the release of water from the Pardo Dam. Pressure is expected to continue increasing through the day Thursday due to anticipated rainfall in the mountains and the ongoing melting of snow. In light of this situation, the City Council has urged citizens to exercise extreme caution and avoid unregulated areas of the Manzanares River, specifically from Mingorrubio to the Puente de los Franceses Bridge. ‼️Continua la AP-4 cortada a la altura de Las Cabezas de San Juan. 🔴Desvío alternativo por la N-IV. — Ministerio Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible (@transportesgob) March 18, 2025 Since Wednesday night, the Madrid Emergency Department has strengthened precautionary measures in the unregulated sections of the river, particularly between Mingorrubio and the Puente de los Franceses Bridge. The combination of persistent rainfall and the release of water from dams has caused the water level to rise to alarming heights. In response to the situation, access to pedestrian paths and areas near the riverbed has been restricted. Municipal Police drones are patrolling the area to monitor the water level in real time. Authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance at this critical juncture in the capital, where the threat of flooding is imminent. La @guardiacivil ha rescatado a una veintena de personas y sus mascotas tras el desalojo de sus viviendas por las inundaciones en Cártama (Málaga). — Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) March 18, 2025 Given the magnitude of the situation, Madrid City Council has ordered the preventive closure of the road linking the M-30 with the M-40 at kilometre 25. The restriction, which began Wednesday night and continued until early Thursday morning, aims to prevent incidents due to possible flooding of the road. El Manzanares a la altura del Puente de los Franceses. — Manolo (@Manolospowers) March 19, 2025 Additionally, the A-6 is in a critical situation, with water barely 80 centimetres from the roadway, while on the M-40 the margin has dangerously reduced to just 5 centimetres. Authorities do not rule out the possibility that, if the rainfall continues at the same intensity, more road closures could occur on other key arteries in the capital. 🚨 Atención #ColmenarViejo📢💦 Aviso de desembalses:🌊 Presa de Pedrezuela: 35 metros cúbicos por segundo🌊Manzanares el Real: 25 metros cúbicos🟡 Además, AEMET establece Aviso Amarillo por lluvias y vientos en la zona de la Sierra de Madrid para hoy jueves y mañana viernes — Ayuntamiento Colmenar Viejo (@AytoColmenar) March 20, 2025 The Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, visited the El Pardo and Manzanares dams, emphasizing the complexity of the situation. The melting of the Guadarrama mountain range, coupled with the arrival of additional rainfall, could accelerate the flow of the Manzanares River, further jeopardizing the stability of the reservoirs. Río #Guadarrama a su paso por #ColladoVillalba — manu (@manurodrifragua) March 18, 2025 To relieve the pressure, the Tagus River Basin Authority has intensified the release of water from the El Pardo reservoir. While this strategy seeks to reduce the impact upstream, it also keeps the most vulnerable areas of the capital on edge. The severity of the storm has prompted the Integrated Operational Coordination Center (Cecopi) to hold emergency meetings with the Community of Madrid's Security and Emergency Agency (ASEM 112). Authorities were working against the clock to implement strategies aimed at minimizing the potential effects of flooding. ⬆️ Aumenta el desembalse de El Pardo a 60m³/s en previsión de nuevas precipitaciones y aportes.⚠️La CH Tajo mantiene informado en todo momento al servicio de protección civil y recomienda extremar la precaución en zonas cercanas al cauce. — Confederación Hidrográfica del Tajo (@chtajo) March 19, 2025 The next few hours are expected to be crucial. Thursday night and Friday may be the most critical periods, as forecasts indicate an increase in rainfall and the possibility of snow at the highest elevations in the mountains. If this scenario continues, the risk of the reservoir network collapsing would increase significantly. In light of the potential for further road closures on the M-30, M-40, and A-6 motorways, the Regional Transport Consortium has enhanced its public transportation services to facilitate mobility within the capital. Citizens are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay informed through official channels to monitor the storm's developments in real time. Editor's note: This article was translated from Spanish to English from El Tiempo. You can read the original here.
