A massive blackout hit Spain on Monday, leaving large parts of the country without electricity and causing widespread disruption.
Due to the widespread power outage, numerous shops located in one of the key commercial districts of downtown Madrid have implemented temporary closure measures. Furthermore, stores that remain operational have experienced a significant decline in customer footfall.
"Some customers occasionally come into the store, but many don't come in anymore. Because of the power outage and no lights, nothing can be seen clearly," said a salesperson in a clothing store.
In Madrid, the immediate effects were visible when traffic lights across the city simultaneously stopped working, leading to chaos on the roads. Many traffic police officers have begun to manually direct the traffic of vehicles and pedestrians at major intersections.
Metro services in Madrid were also brought to a standstill, leaving thousands of passengers trapped inside tunnels.
"I usually take the subway home after work. Now the subway has stopped running. So, I have no choice but taking the bus. But I need to transfer once. The commuting time by subway to get home before is at most 40 minutes. Now, because I have to take two buses, and one of them will take half an hour. And now I still have to wait in line for the next one," said a local resident.
Following the outage, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that the cause was unclear, but over half of Spain's national electricity supply had been restored by the national grid operator.
Major power outage hits Spain, causing chaos
Major power outage hits Spain, causing chaos
A welcoming ceremony for two Chinese giant pandas was held on Wednesday at Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo, one of the world's oldest zoos, marking the official start of their decade-long stay in Austria for scientific research and as ambassadors of friendship.
The pandas, male He Feng and female Lan Yun, arrived in Austria on April 23.
Addressing the welcoming ceremony, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen highlighted that giant pandas are a symbol of the strong friendship between Austria and China.
"Cooperations like these create trust. They bring nations closer together. We shouldn't underestimate the impact of these seemingly small occasions, despite all the differences that may exist. And the giant pandas are a symbol of the Chinese-Austrian [partnership]," said the president.
Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, who led a delegation to Austria from Sunday to Wednesday, also attended the welcoming ceremony.
"Like ambassadors, they will become mascots of friendship between the two countries and their peoples. The giant panda is a national treasure of China, a jewel in the diversity of the earth's species and a precious treasure of ecological civilization," Li said.
As part of the ceremony, the Schoenbrunn Zoo staged a traditional Chinese lion dance performance to celebrate the pandas' arrival, to the cheers of visitors. Among the crowds were dozens of local school children holding signs reading "warmly welcome" to demonstrate their love for the Chinese giant panda.
"It's a very nice moment today to welcome the bears in Austria in Tiergarten Schoenbrunn," said Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in an interview with the China Global Television Network.
The panda pair's arrival marks the latest 10-year round of the scientific collaboration between China and Austria on giant panda conservation, which started in 2003.
The past years of cooperation saw the birth of five panda cubs in Austria, a record for Europe on breeding, alongside achievements made in disease control, staff training and public education.
Panda pair debuts at Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo, receiving warm welcome
