Kypros Nicolaides (1953, Cyprus) is a doctor and professor at King's College London, from where he has led important advances in prenatal diagnosis and the prevention and treatment of complications during pregnancy. Considered a leading figure in fetal medicine, among his achievements is the creation of combined screening to detect chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, which has become the international standard for pregnancy monitoring. L'ARA interviews Nicolaides in Barcelona, where he received the XX Dexeus Dona Foundation International Award, a recognition of his career.

Just past the 40th minute of the league match between Barça and Celta this Wednesday, and almost simultaneously with the moment Lamine Yamal fell to the ground injured after scoring the only goal of the match, a Barça fan suffered cardiac arrest that chilled the atmosphere at the Camp Nou. A 56-year-old supporter collapsed in the stadium's side area. The match was interrupted to attend to the affected person, as per protocol in such cases.

The harsh images of a Catalonia dry for three and a half years due to lack of rainfall and high temperatures have been replaced by those of full reservoirs, which currently exceed 92% of their reserves. But the water crisis was a wake-up call: it is no longer possible to live solely dependent on whether it rains or not, but rather it is necessary to transform the facilities that manage and produce water, whether they already exist or still need to be built or launched.

When the new Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) Ciutadella opens its doors, presumably in 2028, nearly a thousand researchers from five major Catalan research centers will move there. But this ambitious project aims to become something more: its promoters claim it will be "the great hub in southern Europe". An aspiration shared by the President of the Generalitat himself, Salvador Illa, who this Thursday visited the works of the future building, underway a decade after its conception and after years of being stalled due to disagreements over funding and space allocation. "It symbolizes a determined commitment and an explicit demand for science to move the country forward and to place us in the [international] talent circuit from Catalonia," he argued from the grounds of the Old Fish Market of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), where the new space will be located.In this facility dedicated to precision medicine, five major research centers will be located – all part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).

The day after the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission have made history by becoming the humans who have traveled farthest into space —406,771 kilometers from Earth—, ARA interviews Josep Maria Trigo, principal investigator of the Asteroids, Comets, Meteorites and Planetary Sciences group at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) and the Institute of Catalan Studies for Space (IEEC).

For every four boys diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is one girl with the recognized condition. For many years, the scientific community has argued that the difference lies mainly in underdetection. On the one hand, because there is a gender bias in standard assessment instruments – the tools used or the symptoms described as typical are based on a masculinized perspective and are less sensitive to female particularities –, and on the other hand, because they tend to mask more subtle symptoms, causing their case to go unnoticed or to be detected late or incorrectly. But is it possible that there are specific biological mechanisms that have gone unnoticed until now?

José Manuel Fernández de Labastida directs the State Research Agency (AEI), a key institution for planning the resources allocated to scientific and technical research in Spain. In addition to having directed departments in high-level advisory bodies such as the European Research Council (ERC), he has also been Secretary General for Scientific and Technological Policy of the Spanish government and Vice President for Scientific and Technical Research at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

Taking a trip to a paradise island. Buying a house. Curing an illness. Having time for family and friends. Winning the lottery. Getting promoted at work. Playing a football match on Sundays. Having children. Sitting on a terrace in the sun. These are all real answers to a question as intimate as it is complex, which thinkers and philosophers, political and religious leaders, sociologists and psychologists –and perhaps those reading these lines– have tried to address throughout their lives: What makes us happy?

This week, the Catalan government (Generalitat) requested increased funding from the European Commission (EC) – through the Next Generation EU and ERDF funds – to boost the construction of three new desalination plants in Catalonia. The government conveyed its request to Claudia Olazábal, head of the EC's Sustainable Water Resources Management Unit, during a visit to Barcelona. The government justified the request by citing the need to bolster water availability and reduce dependence on rainfall after a historic drought. While this drought currently seems distant given the levels of water reserves in reservoirs and internal basins (92%), it led Catalonia to a critical situation in 2023. The Commission issued a warning to the Generalitat: more desalination plants are welcome, but only if they are part of a broader and more comprehensive plan for managing water supply and demand. And only if all other necessary steps are taken.

Most Catalans overestimate the presence of immigrants in the region, according to the latest survey by the Center for Opinion Studies (CEO). In fact, the assessment, published this Thursday, confirms that the idea is spreading that the percentage of the population born abroad is practically equal to that of the native population. In response to the question, "Out of every 100 residents, how many would you say were born outside of Spain?", 40% of Catalans believe that half or more of their neighbors are foreign-born, and 14% believe that between 30% and 40% are. However, the average perception of those surveyed—that 36% of the population is immigrant—falls far short of the actual figure: those born outside of Spain make up 25% of the total population, according to data from Idescat published on January 1, 2025.

A Mayo Clinic study has found that women experience brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease up to 20 times faster than men, attributing this to an imbalanced presence of alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein), a protein also linked to Parkinson's disease. In an article published in JAMA, researchers did not observe this pattern in men when the same factors were considered. According to the study, this interaction could help explain why women account for the majority of Alzheimer's cases—between 60% and 70%—in countries like the United States, a trend also observed in Spain and South Korea, among others, and influenced by variables such as life expectancy, hormonal factors, and social influences.

Finding therapies to control the progression of cancer is a race against time. Stimulating the immune system to distinguish tumor cells from healthy cells and selectively attack them has been a game-changer. In leukemias, the disease disappears and there are no signs of recurrence after a few years. This revolution would not be understood without the CAR-T (from the English Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells), a type of personalized drug. However, in 85% of diseases, cell therapy is not adept at recognizing and attacking tumor cells. So, is it possible to design a similar, but more sensitive, treatment that targets less visible cancers?

The Catalan Health Department confirmed a human case of swine flu A (H1N1) in Lleida, which was identified on February 11. The patient, an elderly man with chronic illnesses, had gone to the hospital on January 30 for a routine check-up. Although he did not present with flu-like respiratory symptoms, a nasal swab was taken as part of epidemiological surveillance testing for influenza viruses, and the positive result was identified accidentally. The patient is doing well and has already recovered, according to the Health Department, and no further cases have been detected so far, not even among close contacts, who were tested. Currently, the situation is considered under control, but the source of the infection will remain under investigation. Swine flu viruses circulate widely among livestock, but transmission to humans occurs sporadically. In fact, this is the first case of swine flu detected outside of a farm in Catalonia in the last seventeen years. In 2023, a in a worker in the sector. The regional health department points out that this is not the case: neither the affected individual nor their immediate circle has any contact with pigs or farms, so health authorities are investigating the source of the infection.

The Pope will visit Barcelona and celebrate Mass to inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Familia. As confirmed by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), Leo XIV will arrive in Spain between June 6 and 12, "accepting the invitation of King Felipe VI and the Church to Spain." Fifteen years after the last papal visit to the country—Benedict XVI visited in 2011, but Francis died last April without having done so—Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni has confirmed that Leo XIV will visit Barcelona, ​​Madrid, and the Canary Islands (specifically, Tenerife and Gran Canaria). Although the dates and schedule for each trip have not yet been finalized, both the CEE and the Catalan government (Generalitat) assume that the Pope will arrive first in Madrid and then visit the Catalan capital on June 9 and 10. The reason for the Pope's visit to Barcelona will be the inauguration of "the new and tallest tower of the Sagrada Familia," on the centenary of the death of "the brilliant architect who dreamed of the basilica and began its construction, Antoni Gaudí," who passed away on June 10, 192. In statements to Ràdio Estel, the Archbishop of Barcelona, ​​Cardinal Juan José Omella, expressed his satisfaction with Pope Leo XIV's visit to Barcelona: "It is a joy, and we thank the Pope for inaugurating the tower of Jesus Christ, which is the tallest of all the churches in the world." The President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, also described the Pope's visit this June as "great news" for the Christian community and Catalan society as a whole, and thanked Leo XIV for his "gesture" in wanting to participate in the events planned for the centenary of Gaudí's death. "We will receive him with open arms," ​​he asserted, adding that the new pontiff represents "universal human values" such as solidarity. In this regard, Isla referred to a visit on June 9th, confirming that the religious authority (CEE) and the Balearic Government are aware that the trip to Barcelona will take place on June 9th and 10th.

Alba Cuberas, a family doctor at the Manresa-4 Primary Care Center (CAP), sees a patient with intense back pain. She gives him a short sick leave and anti-inflammatory medication, but there is no improvement. With an X-ray, the rheumatologist recommends rehabilitation. "But nobody calls him. I see him once a month, and he's told me two months ago that he hasn't started the sessions," she says. In Sant Pol de Mar, Martín Cebollada suspects a patient may have a herniated disc and, to be sure, orders a CT scan. The wait is six months. "But he has debilitating pain, and I can't know for sure how serious it is; he can't go to work," he states. At the Manso Primary Care Center (CAP) in Barcelona, ​​Eva Segura is monitoring a patient on sick leave for severe depression, with a history of suicide attempts. In the fourth month, she receives the first discharge proposal from the insurance company, but she has just started psychiatric treatment, and the doctor rejects it. In the fifth month, the same request arrives, and she rejects it again. This happens four times. But against her advice (and that of the psychiatrist), the Catalan Institute of Medical Assessments (ICAM) sends the patient back to work, and the company, shortly afterward, declares her unfit. "She loses her job, and her health deteriorates significantly," she explains.

The strong winds will continue unabated this Saturday, coinciding with the Carnival celebrations. Although no life-threatening situations comparable to those of Thursday are expected, there is a possibility that some street celebrations may have to be postponed or that some routes may need to be revised. This Saturday, and until the early hours of Sunday, the weather forecast warns of strong gusts of mistral and tramontana winds, which could exceed 80 km/h. The wind will also blow intensely in Ponent, southern Central Catalonia, and part of the Barcelona area. And hurricane-force gusts are expected in the Valencian Community, specifically throughout the province of Castellón.

Red and orange hues painted the map across much of Catalonia on Thursday due to a powerful storm, prompting the Catalan government to implement a nationwide lockdown. Images of uprooted trees and fallen infrastructure in the streets, collapsed roofs, power outages, and disruptions to roads, trains, and flights have been circulating since the early hours, particularly in the Barcelona area. From a strictly technical standpoint, the maximum alert was justified, according to experts. This is an exceptional event affecting densely populated areas with high traffic and are not accustomed to such strong winds. But not all areas have been affected equally, and this apparent divergence between the forecast and reality has sparked complaints from local communities in the far reaches of the country, who have lamented that the storm's activation was not localized, as was the case with the recent storms that affected the Girona region and the Ebro River basin. The Catalan Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, expressed her conviction that the closure of schools, universities, and non-urgent medical care, as well as the recommendations to limit travel during the windstorm, were effective in reducing accidents, although there were approximately eighty injuries. The fact that winds exceeded 100 km/h in densely populated urban areas along the Barcelona coast and pre-coastal region, as happened today, is unusual. It had been years since such a strong windstorm had been recorded in that area. In contrast, in much of the Terres de l'Ebre, the Camp de Tarragona, and the Costa Brava, areas more accustomed to the force of the mistral and tramontana winds, the gusts were ultimately not as intense. The forecasts predicted a widespread gale, exceptional in its extent and intensity, but with irregular impacts. Therefore, given this variability, a dilemma arose: should the entire country be shut down?

The strong westerly winds forecast for the coming hours will bring Catalonia to a standstill this Thursday. The Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, has announced the suspension of all educational and university activities tomorrow, as well as non-urgent healthcare and all sporting activities—both individual and team—in open spaces, natural parks, and urban gardens. The resolution, which will be signed by the Catalan Government, will be in effect from midnight tonight until 8:00 PM on Thursday.

The sandwich theory – the possibility that the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) originated from contaminated food – is gaining traction again. This Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture released the initial report from the scientific committee commissioned by the Spanish government to analyze the origin of the ASF outbreak in Bellaterra. Despite being a preliminary document, the experts rule out sabotage, natural transmission, or an accidental laboratory leak as the cause of the crisis. Instead, they consider the sandwich theory to be "coherent" and "compatible" with explaining the origin of the ASF outbreak.

Catalan train drivers are a minority in the commuter rail network. Year after year, the rail network is staffed by drivers from other autonomous communities. Most are young—between 20 and 30 years old—and choose Catalonia to settle temporarily and train. Industry sources say that the Catalan rail service provides a pool of train drivers for Renfe, but they also admit that few decide to stay indefinitely: some change destinations after two or three years, either to return home or to find a less problematic train service. Sources within the sector confirm to ARA that this trend has existed for years, despite efforts to retain train drivers and, above all, to encourage interest from potential applicants residing in Catalonia. For example, with courses subsidized by the Generalitat (Catalan government), which can cover up to half of the €20,000 cost of training. However, unions and workers point to two reasons behind the exodus to Cercanías (commuter rail): Catalonia has a higher cost of living and the most complex railway infrastructure in Spain. Regarding the high cost of living, it's worth noting that a train driver's salary ranges from €22,000 at the start of their career to €45,000 in higher categories (including bonuses), but this salary doesn't provide the same economic stability in Barcelona as it does in Mà. On the other hand, there are the track layouts, which are the most intricate or oldest in the country—there are many tunnels, numerous junctions and crossings, and daily overlap of different services (Cercanías, Regional, Medium Distance) on the same rails—and the numerous incidents that occur, including fatal accidents and collisions.