Taking advantage of the fact that these are days of gastronomic indulgence, in Sunday's dossier we want to focus on our general overconsumption of ultra-processed foods, a temptation that is easy to succumb to, but which has consequences. Scientific evidence links the consumption of these products to diseases with a higher risk of premature death. And in the last year, studies have increased, as have calls from scientists to put a stop to this. We'll look at what happens to our bodies when we eat, what the experts say, what alternatives exist, and what the differences are between prepared, processed, and ultra-processed foods.

On the eve of the Extremadura elections, ARA spent three days exploring a "forgotten" region that is now in the spotlight as it kicks off the new electoral cycle. All polls predict that the PSOE, the party that has historically dominated Extremadura, will lose its top spot to the PP for the second time in 40 years, with Vox on the rise. In addition to explaining the candidates' profiles and providing the latest information, we analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of a region marked by depopulation and the export of raw materials.

Europeans are "weak" and "decadent," and the European Union is a mistake that should be dissolved, according to US President Donald Trump. Relations between the US and Europe have never been so strained, and perhaps for the first time, some voices within the EU are beginning to dare to protest, demand respect, and propose a "divorce" between the former allies. This Sunday, we dedicate this dossier to explaining this clash, its background, its consequences, and exploring what Europe can do to break out of this impasse.

Just as we have previously focused on changes within the Catholic Church or on crises of faith among young people, this Sunday we turn our attention to one of the religions with the most followers in Catalonia: Islam. It's not easy, because although there are 319 mosques in Catalonia, it's unknown how many imams there are, what countries they come from, or what their ideology is. The same is true in other European countries, but many governments have begun to take steps to better understand the situation in order to prevent radicalization and, above all, to facilitate a better understanding of the country's social and cultural reality. Journalist Mònica Bernabé has spent months investigating who the imams of Catalonia are and has spoken with countless experts. The conclusion is that Catalonia lags behind the rest of Europe in this regard.

Now that we're entering one of the peak shopping seasons of the year, it's a good time to shed light on what happens to all the clothes we don't use. This Sunday, in the special report, you'll find the results of a Europe-wide investigation, in which an ARA contributor participated, tracing the surprising and often opaque routes of the clothes we discard. Using markers sewn onto various garments, a team of journalists reconstructed the journeys to major logistics hubs in countries like the United Arab Emirates and calculated the carbon footprint generated by this global system.

One of the most significant transformations of recent years has been China's consolidation as a major global power. In this report, we examine what has changed within the country and, like many tourists who visit, we wonder what has led to such technological advancement. ARA's correspondent in Beijing, Dolors Rodríguez, explains the extent to which society, from the homeless to business leaders, is now fully digitized and how this technological progress shapes daily life.

Next week marks the 50th anniversary of the death of dictator Francisco Franco. Older generations vividly remember the atrocities of the regime and the rollback of freedoms, human rights, and social injustices caused by the coup against the Republic. However, his figure is being championed not only by nostalgics but also by far-right groups and, increasingly, by a segment of young conservatives who have made it a trending topic. This Sunday's report delves into this phenomenon and the price paid when the past is not held accountable.

There have been warning signs for some time about a potential AI bubble that could burst at any moment. For now, the stock prices of the companies involved are holding steady. The context is the race to lead in AI, which the United States fears will be won by China, a country that readily subsidizes companies and data centers that demand such vast amounts of energy and water that they are already causing environmental problems in many countries. In this report, we explain what is happening and what is real about this risk of a bubble.

Wars continue to cause destruction and death, but battlefield strategy must change because new elements are completely transforming how we attack and defend. The clearest example is drones, which have revolutionized warfare in Ukraine and other conflicts. Therefore, this weekend we're focusing on drones in the military and defense sectors, explaining what they are, how they work, and how they have changed warfare.

This week marks one year since the flood that left 229 dead in the Valencian Community. The evident mismanagement of that massive flood has not led to any political consequences. Mazón's continued leadership of the Valencian Government keeps the wound open and leaves the families of the victims unable to grieve. David Miró writes an analytical report on the political and social situation there. We also look at the people who have not had access to aid and observe the current state of reconstruction.

Ageism, the discrimination against someone simply because they are older or younger, is a real problem. That's why we're dedicating this weekend's dossier to it. We explain what it is and how it affects us, with witnesses who have experienced or continue to experience this discrimination and experts who analyze it. We also offer a glossary of terms specific to this phenomenon and testimony from a surprising case that ended up in court.

The news continues to focus on Gaza, where it's a matter of days, or even hours, before the last hostages are freed and, thus, the first stone is laid to end the genocide. In Sunday's paper, we closely follow the minute-by-minute events, but we also focus on what might happen next. What future is expected for the Strip, what are the other pending phases, what was Gaza like before and what is it like now.

Tuesday marks two years since the Hamas attack that sparked Israel's war on Gaza. The situation in the Strip has been on the brink for months. More than 60,000 people have died, many of them children, some of whom have died of starvation. While we wait to see what may happen in the coming days, should Hamas ultimately accept the controversial peace plan proposed by Trump and Netanyahu, we review the situation today.

Fear is a social product. The circulation of discourse is essential to its creation. Fear spreads through images, stories, stereotypes, and fake newsThere is no fear without stories. The cultivation of fear depends on the imagination, especially on those who create prejudices. We think of racism and the creation of images of an always dangerous "other." Let's think of misogynistic discourses and the many fears they fuel. This association of symbolism and fear is inseparable from the institutions that have the power to articulate public discourse. Religious groups have always played a special role in the manipulation of fear. The same is true of newspapers, radio, and television and their participation in the creation of moral panics and fear of crime. However, today social media has taken the generation of fear to new dimensions. Rumors and gossip have reached unprecedented levels, while fake news New fears are spread and fueled. Countering fear also depends on stories, which will break or invalidate the narratives that proliferate fear.

The philosopher Martin Heidegger produced a very fruitful distinction between fear and anxiety that is still fully relevant. Fear always has a concrete object that threatens the realization of our projects (and here "projects" can simply mean staying alive); on the other hand, anxiety has no concrete object, because it is precisely the impossibility of becoming emotionally involved in any project, the unease that manifests when we realize there is no ultimate foundation behind anything and we are alone before the precipice of free choice. What is more characteristic of the internet: fear or anxiety?

Fear is a universal, deep, and essential emotion directly linked to survival. At some point, we've all heard a pressure in our chest, a sudden muscle tension, a shiver on our skin, or a racing heartbeat that heralds imminent danger. But what exactly is fear? Why is it so necessary for us, and how do we manage it? And what does it reveal about us, as a species and as individuals?

This Sunday, you'll find an artist's diary at the newsstand, this time from Antoni Muntadas, one of Catalonia's most important artists. His work addresses political and social issues, with a particular focus on the role of the media and the way public space is being transformed. You'll also find a dossier on fear, with articles and reports on what scares us right now, and also on how fear works in the brain and on social media, among other things.

In just twenty-five years, Barcelona saw major insurrections, attempts to change the world, fierce repression, a population explosion, a true urban transformation, and an intense cultural life. There were those who wanted revolution and those who wanted to impose order. Anarchism, republicanism, anticlericalism, antimilitarism, Catalanism, colonialism, the labor movement... all converged. It's extremely complicated to summarize what happened between 1900 and 1925. Not only because of everything that happened in the city, but also because of everything that happened abroad and what ended abroad (1909-1927), the First World War (1914-1918), and the Russian Revolution (1917), among many other international conflicts.

This Sunday, coinciding with the week in which the 2025 Fiestas de la Merced are celebrated in Barcelona, ​​we explain the profound changes that have taken place in the city over the past 25 years. From changes in the productive sector, the population, and the skyline to more everyday ones, such as how many bingo cards were played in the city 25 years ago and how many are played now.

In this Sunday's dossier, we explain how a natural defense mechanism in the body can become a health problem. Our lifestyle may have a lot to do with it. We explore the causes of the problem with expert opinions and propose dietary habits that can help combat inflammation.