There is an underlying reason that explains it, according to Bloomberg

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The agreement between OpenAI and Apple, announced at WWDC24brought together all the ingredients to become one of the most refined movements in the sector. The artificial intelligence company of the moment landed with its star product in the ecosystem of the technological giant where practically everyone wants to be. ChatGPT began to occupy a privileged position within the devices compatible with Apple Intelligence– The user could take advantage of its capabilities from Siri and Writing Tools, and even link their account to access a more complete experience. And yes, unlike other Apple Intelligence features, like the new Siri, that ended up being delayedthe integration with ChatGPT did end up being deployed on the apple company’s different platforms. What did not materialize, according to Mark Gurmanwere the results that OpenAI expected. The startup led by Sam Altmanexplains the Bloomberg analyst, was confident in an avalanche of new paying subscribers that would translate into billions of dollars in annual revenue, at a time when every dollar counted. Two years after that agreement, even the possibility of legal action begins to appear on the horizon. The agreement, furthermore, was not exactly frozen in that first photo from WWDC24. Bloomberg points out that the integration ended up expanding with new entry doors: users could subscribe to ChatGPT directly from the iOS settings, Apple incorporated it as an option to create images in Image Playground and also used it to analyze on-screen content. On paper, it was no small feat. The problem, always according to the sources consulted by Gurman, is that these expansions were simply not enough. An alliance without money involved, but with many expectations The economic key to the agreement helps to understand why the disenchantment weighs so much. The American media already explained in June 2024 that Apple was not paying OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its systems. Nor was it considered, at least at that time, as an operation in which OpenAI would buy its place within the iPhone. The payoff lay elsewhere: Apple offered distribution, visibility, and potential access to a gigantic user base. For a company that needed to turn popularity into recurring revenue, that promise was apparently worth as much as a check. Now, the reality was much less brilliant. Bloomberg says user studies conducted by OpenA suggest that Apple customers turned much more frequently to the standalone ChatGPT application than to the integration within Siri and other system services. That information changes the reading of the agreement. If the user already has the habit of opening the app, the presence in Apple Intelligence stops working as an entrance door and it becomes something more secondary: it is there, but it does not necessarily drive the business. The shape chosen by Apple would not have helped much either. The use of ChatGPT within their systems remained limited. The reproach attributed to OpenAI has a quite concrete logic. Bloomberg notes that the company hoped Apple would put ChatGPT in a more prominent place, not just as an option available if the user knew where to look for it. It also relied on broader integration with in-house apps and more intense promotion within its platforms. But the matter goes further. Gurman assures that OpenAI lawyers are working with an external firm on different legal options that could be executed soon. One of them would be to send Apple a notification by alleged breach of contractwithout this necessarily implying filing a lawsuit from the first moment because it aims to resolve the conflict outside of court. It should be noted that there is no official information, and that Apple and OpenAI did not comment following the request of the American economic media. Apple, for its part, doesn’t seem very comfortable either. The company reportedly maintained reservations about OpenAI, including whether the startup did enough to protect user privacy. Added to this is a more recent tension: OpenAI no longer wants to limit itself to software and works on devices with several former Apple peopleincluding Jony Ive. For Cupertino, according to Bloomberg, the signing of engineers from its hardware teams would also have been especially annoying. That scenario is going to change even more. Already at WWDC24 Apple announced that it would open the door to integrate other AI systems in its ecosystem. So everything seems to indicate that it is a matter of time until OpenAI rivals such as Google with Gemini either Anthropic with Claude land within the apple company’s ecosystem. It would not be an expulsion from ChatGPT, but it would be an obvious loss of prominence. We have to wait to see how this agreement and the relationship between both companies will evolve. Images | Xataka with Nano Banana In Xataka | The ‘Chinese Netflix’ has designed a plan for AI to generate the majority of its content within five years. It sounds risky

NASA prepares chips 100 times more powerful

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Human beings explore because they need to understand what lies beyond. We have done it by crossing oceans, climbing mountains and, for decades, sending machines to places where we cannot yet be. But a space mission has more to do than get there. For example, collecting data, interpreting it and sending it to Earth to do science. This is where the great challenge appears, because space requires computers capable of functioning for years in an environment that punishes electronics like few others. High Performance Spaceflight Computing. This is the name of the response that NASA is preparing. According to the agencythe project seeks to develop together with Microchip Technology a new space processor capable of offering up to 100 times more computing capacity than current space computers. We are not talking about a chip designed for a laptop or a mobile phone, but rather a system on a chip, or SoC, called to be integrated, once certified for space flight, in future ships, orbiters, rovers, manned habitats and deep space missions. SoC, a familiar term. This is the type of architecture that is common in our smartphones and tablets: small devices that concentrate essential elements of a computer in a single piece. The difference compared to an isolated processor is precisely there. An SoC is not limited to executing instructions, but can integrate CPUs, computing support units, advanced networks, memory, and input and output interfaces. On Earth we use it to gain efficiency and reduce size. In space, moreover, it has to survive. The challenge. As we say, space punishes electronics in a way that we rarely see down here. According to NASA, a processor intended for real missions must withstand electromagnetic radiation, extreme temperature fluctuations and high-energy particles capable of altering the operation of the systems. We are not just talking about losing performance, but about errors that can force a ship to enter “safe mode”, with non-essential operations turned off until mission teams resolve the incident. A key phase. Now comes the time to check if everything that is promised on paper holds up when taken to the physical field. JPL began testing in February and will maintain the campaign for several months, with radiation tests, thermal cycles, shocks and functional evaluations. The agency ensures that the processor is working as designed and adds a striking fact, although still within the framework of the tests: the first indications show that it operates with a performance 500 times higher than the radiation-hardened chips currently in use. More autonomy away from home. Space exploration has a limit that is not resolved with a larger antenna: distance. Between Earth and Mars, ua signal may take a while between 3 and 22 minutes to travel in one direction, depending on the position of both planets in their orbits. That means we can’t drive a rover like someone drives a remote-controlled car. We have seen it in the Martian landings, the famous “seven minutes of terror”, when a ship enters, descends and lands, executing a choreography by itself that from Earth we can only know when it has already happened. On-board computing. NASA proposes that this type of processor will allow future ships to use artificial intelligence to respond in real time to complex situations, analyze large volumes of data, store it and transmit it more quickly. Let’s remember the case of Perseverance which already combined orbital data of Mars, its panoramic camera and a Snapdragon 801 to compare what he saw with information obtained from space and refine his position on the Martian surface. If we want to continue exploring Mars and look further, we will need more and more systems capable of making decisions without always waiting for an order from Earth. Technology that returns. The history of space exploration is also the history of ideas that are born to solve very specific problems and then find a place on Earth. In this case, NASA points to possible adaptations for sectors such as aviation and automotive, in potential uses such as drones, electrical networks, medical equipment, communication services, artificial intelligence and data transmission. It does not mean that we will see this processor in a consumer product tomorrow, but it does mean that the effort to make it more powerful, efficient, scalable and resistant can go beyond a ship on its way to deep space. Images | POT In Xataka | The biggest problem with living on the Moon is its nights. NASA believes it has found the solution to avoid running out of electricity

space as a new factory

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Two pharmaceutical companies have teamed up to launch an ambitious plan to synthesize drugs in space. It’s not an expensive hobby. It is more than proven that some medications They have added advantages if they crystallize under microgravity conditions. Until now, the few companies that had done so had worked alone or with the sole support of agencies such as NASA, but the fact that two of them are associated without the need for the space agency to intervene marks what could be the beginning of an era. Better to join forces. The two companies in question are Varda Space Industries and United Therapeutics Corporation. The first, founded by former SpaceX employees, has been synthesizing medicines in space since 2023. The second has never traveled beyond Earth, but it is a biotechnology company with enough potential for the union to be much stronger. The initial objective will be the crystallization in microgravity of drugs for rare lung diseases. However, in the future drugs could be produced for many other pathologies. It all started in 2019. In 2019, the companies Merck Sharp & Dome Corp. (MSD), in collaboration with the National Laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS), carried out experiments crystallization with the drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda). It is an anti-cancer drug that, as is common in chemotherapy, is administered by intravenous infusion, in a process that can last hours. By crystallizing it in space, a more stable form was obtained that allowed its administration in a single injection, making the treatment much more comfortable for patients. a matter of time. It has been seen that, when crystallized under microgravity conditions, many molecules assemble more slowly and constantly. The results are much more stable molecules that, once used as a drug, have a wide variety of advantages. For example, they dissolve better, do not require as much cold for storage, cause fewer side effects, and have a longer shelf life. Varda’s experience. The Varda company began its space pharmacology project in 2023. That year it launched the first of a series of unmanned capsules with chemical reactors into space. In these reactors, molecules crystallize and, after a few weeks or months of work, are returned to Earth. That first capsule was the W-1. W-6 is currently carrying out its mission and is expected to launch at least three more this year. Furthermore, after the merger with another pharmaceutical company, Varda is confident of being able to scale to 7 launches in 2027. Also for research. Molecules that crystallize in space give rise to larger crystals. This also makes your research easier. Therefore, with this type of project the aim is not only to obtain drugs. It is also expected to obtain candidate molecules to become medicines, to be analyzed more thoroughly by scientists on Earth. This is just the beginning. In the future, space travel will be much more widespread. The reuse of rockets will allow many more launches in less time, space tourism will become increasingly common and many public and private investigations can be carried out in orbit. If sufficient investment is achieved, the infrastructure to obtain drugs in space will become increasingly simpler. And, of course, the benefits for patients will also increase. Image | Varda/Magnific In Xataka | We knew that Mars has gravity. Now we have just discovered the unexpected effect it has on the Earth’s climate

Today on Prime Video, the conclusion of the best series from the creator of ‘The Sandman’ comes with a radical surprise in its duration

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For three years millions of fans of ‘Good Omens‘ trapped in one of the cruelest cliffhangers on recent television, which concluded the second season. Now the conclusion of this story of friendship between heaven and hell comes back to Prime Video turned into a very different series… and for reasons that go far beyond creative decisions. And the third season has been reduced to a single 97-minute episode. In December 2023, when Prime Video confirmed the renewal of the series, Neil Gaiman, creator of the adaptation and co-author with the late Terry Pratchett of the original 1990 novel, Gaiman had not yet been canceled by the industry after several accusations of sexual assault. In October 2024, Amazon confirmed that Gaiman was no longer part of the production team, and disappeared from the credits. The season originally intended to be six episodes was reduced to just one hour and a half. The third installment picks up the narrative arc where season 2 left off: Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) is the Supreme Archangel and is entrusted with the supervision of the Second Cominga responsibility that surpasses him when Jesus disappears from the divine plan and begins to wander the streets of London. Crowley (David Tennant), for his part, has been wandering around Soho for months, sunken. Old acquaintances return, such as Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel, Derek Jacobi as Metatron and Doon Mackichan as Archangel Michael. As always, critics have praised the extraordinary chemistry established between the two protagonists of the series, although many point out that the drastic reduction in footage is noticeable in a certain narrative haste. ‘Good Omens’, of course, is not the only series affected by the change in public perception of its creator: Netflix’s ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ was canceled in 2024 after a single season; ‘The Sandman’ on Netflix concluded in 2025 with its second season; Disney halted the adaptation of ‘The Graveyard Book’ in September 2024; and ‘Anansi Boys’, the Prime Video series with Delroy Lindo that had already finished filming, remains without a release date, and we may never see it. In Xataka | One of the most brilliant films and also the most ignored by the last Oscars arrives today on Prime Video

This is the FAFO parenting that divides the experts

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The Internet and social networks have become fertile ground for debate about how to raise childrensomething that is used especially by first-time parents who want to know what is the best method to have a ‘model’ son or daughter for society. And while a few days ago we were talking about helicopter parentsnow we have to focus on FAFO parenting, which is at the opposite end and is gaining strength on the networks. FAFO parenting. These acronyms they come from the English ‘Fuck Around and Find Out’ which could be translated as ‘do something stupid and find out what happens’. This is a term that, although it lacks a formal academic basis, under that specific name has become popular to describe a parenting style based on natural consequences. The premise here is quite simple: if a child refuses to put on his coat in winter, the parent does not insist; allows the child to go out, feel cold, and “discover” why the coat was necessary. However, experts point out that the FAFO label is being often used as a “license for parental indifference. A tougher model. Right now FAFO is a trend, but if we look back, we come from a time where social control and extreme protection were on the order of the day with what was known as ‘helicopter parents’. And to understand it, you have to know that right now we have three main axes for raising the little ones: Desirable authoritarian: with clear limits combined with high emotional support, who uses the consequences of actions as a learning tool, but with parental supervision. ‘Just plain’ authoritarian: There is little affection towards minors, causing “I told you so” to prevail over understanding and empathy. Permissive: Here there is an absence of limits and total freedom for minors, meaning that there is no clear structure. The FAFO problem radical is that it slides dangerously towards the authoritarian style or detachment. Here the studies indicate that children raised under purely punitive or indifferent discipline have higher levels of stress, which can lead to anxiety and long-term behavioral problems. Its risks. The controversy arises especially when the strategy lacks emotional support for the child, since allowing a child to “find” the consequence of their actions is only educational if the child’s brain is capable of processing that cause-effect relationship. And it is not something that everyone can, because a 3-year-old child does not have the prefrontal cortex developed enough to understand that his tantrum caused the loss of a toy as a logical lesson, but only perceives the pain of the loss and the coldness of his father who left him crying. How it should be done. And what has to be prioritized in parenting is learning so that it continues to evolve, but logically everything must be adapted to the maturity of the child, there must be supervision to guarantee safety and subsequent emotional support is essential. The big problem with the FAFO approach, as promoted on the networks, is that it often eliminates that last point and makes it necessary to show indifference, inattention or public humiliation. Something that only increases stress. Against overprotection. FAFO triumphs because we come from a time where ‘helicopter’ parenting and ‘snowplow’ parents have dominated in many families. Now we have a reactive effect on overprotection on the table. Although, as positive parenting guides point out, teaching a child that his actions have consequences does not require coldness. Letting the child “crash” can be a very valuable lesson, as long as his parents are there immediately afterwards to help him manage the frustration, without humiliation or the phrase ‘I told you so’. Images | freepik In Xataka | In 2007, Spain forced men to take longer sick leave to care for their children. Fertility then fell.

VAT on electricity returns to 21%

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VAT on electricity and gas returns to 21% as of June 1. That’s the news of the day, and before you put your hands on your head thinking about your next bill, breathe, because there is a lot of fabric to cut here. You’re probably wondering: why is this happening? If we have been hearing for months that we have a “renewable shield” that protects us from the global energy crisis, what the hell has happened to give us back the fiscal axe? The short answer is that the system has worked so well that, paradoxically, it has taken away our aid. Spain is facing a strange energy and economic paradox: the good health of our generation system and the moderation of inflation have caused the defense mechanism designed by the Government to blow up. The result is bittersweet and frustrating for the average consumer: we generate the cheapest energy in Europe, but the tax burden on your next bill will return to pre-crisis normality. The CPI trap. The Government has not removed the aid because of a last-minute whim, but because the law itself required it to be done. The anti-crisis decree had a catch or “kill clause”: stated that, if energy prices stopped skyrocketing and did not rise more than 15% compared to April of the previous year, the tax reductions would be automatically canceled in June. And that is exactly what has happened. Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) show that the shield has worked. General inflation has slowed to 3.2%. The person largely responsible for this relief? The cheaper energy in our homes: electricity has fallen by 4.3% and gas by 9.6% compared to last year. As prices have shown these negative rates, far from exceeding that legal limit of 15%, the rule has fulfilled its threat. The system has made our energy so cheap that, by law, we lose the exceptional 0.5% bonus on the special tax on electricity and we have to pay VAT on electricity and gas again at 21%. But will the “renewable shield” be of any use? The Ministry of Economy sticks out its chest and celebrates that the moderation of prices demonstrates the capacity of the “renewable shield” and confirms that the Spanish system can absorb external shocks such as the war in Iran. In fact, Spain is resisting much better than its neighbors because the share of clean energy in our generation mix already exceeds 60%. Unlike countries like Italy or Germany, which depend heavily on the gray fringe of fossil generation, Spain’s massive wind and solar deployment sinks wholesale prices during the day. We have even seen historical milestones where the wholesale market has set negative prices of up to -10 euros per megawatt hour (MWh). However, why don’t we notice this renewable miracle on the bill? The wholesale cost of energy represents only 41% of an average household bill. The rest of the amount they swallow it network tolls (23%), VAT (17%), system charges (10%) and commercial margins. Cheap wholesale electricity is necessary, but insufficient if tolls and taxes continue to suffocate the final bill. Be careful when you go to get gas. The INE details that “fuels and lubricants for personal vehicles” They experienced a year-on-year increase in prices of more than 15% (15.5%), dragged down by a huge inflation of 28.2% in diesel. By exceeding the legal threshold of 15%, gasoline will maintain its 10% VAT reduction and aid for professional diesel, at least until June 30. The danger of summer. The withdrawal of part of the light tax shield will be immediately noticeable. According to the calculations of Francisco Valverde, expert analyst in the electricity market in statements for The Newspaperthe return to normal taxes will mean a bill increase of around 15% for all consumers in June. For an average customer, this will imply an additional payment of between 8 and 9 euros, while for gas the upward impact will be between 9% and 10%. But the horizon hides a greater challenge: summer. The analyst Antonio Aceituno warns that our current “hydraulic shield” will begin to give way. With heat waves, solar panels lose efficiency, the use of air conditioning increases demand and expensive gas combined cycles will have to be turned on to avoid blackouts. If the conflict in the Middle East persists, forecasts suggest that the wholesale bill could jump above 100 euros per MWh in June, reaching around 120 euros in the middle of summer. The cracks that no one wants to see. To understand why the renewable miracle does not end up sticking in your pocket, you have to look at the structural flaws that experts denounce: An inelastic and “passive” demand: Joaquín Coronado highlights a huge dysfunction in our market. When electricity reaches ridiculous prices of €0.51/MWh, Spanish consumers do not react by consuming more to take advantage of the bargain. By not using that cheap energy, it ends up being exported by French and Portuguese agents, which paradoxically drags our prices up through European coupling. “All against all” in the sector: According to Coronadothe actors in the Spanish electricity sector are immersed in an internal war, blaming each other and resenting cooperation. The expert suggests that Spain should rethink its institutional architecture, looking to the United Kingdom, where a system operator has been created (National Energy System Operator) with operational independence to separate network planning from asset ownership. The “night fissure”: The transition is incomplete. As evening falls, solar energy disappears and we depend on gas again. Without investments in mass storage systems and batteries to store the day’s excess megawatts, we will continue to be hostage to volatility every time the sun sets. The hidden price of the miracle. The Government’s response plan fulfilled its main objective: to cushion the war and save household purchasing power. We have managed to decouple our system from the worst international gas whims and avoided fuel inflation that would be close to 28.9% without aid. But June … Read more

The ‘Chinese Netflix’ has designed a plan for AI to generate the majority of its content within five years. It sounds risky

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iQiyi, China’s largest video streaming service with more than 400 million monthly active users, announced in its annual content presentation in Beijing which expects AI to generate most of its movies and series within five years. Its founder and CEO, Gong Yu, summed it up before a room of producers and directors with a succinct phrase: “It’s a once-in-a-decade opportunity. We have to go with the tide.” Why is it important. iQiyi is not a minor platform betting on a trend. It is the subsidiary of streaming of Baidu, shares with Alibaba and Tencent the online video oligopoly in China, and operates in the streaming largest in the world by number of users. Whether it decides to pivot towards content generated entirely by AI affects how the rest of the platforms that tend to follow in its footsteps will produce, distribute and monetize audiovisual entertainment. The context. iQiyi has been losing audience for years to Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok owned by ByteDance. Short video has cut into the time that Chinese users spend on long video platforms. The result is that its revenue has fallen by 13% in the first quarter of 2026. The company, listed on Nasdaq, has also applied for a second listing in Hong Kong seeking closer capital. The announcement of the pivot towards AI comes from a certain pressure. In detail. The center of the plan is Nadou Proa suite of AI tools that the company presented on April 20 and that, it says, can manage practically the entire film production process: script, storyboardvideo generation and final assembly. The software does not work with its own models, but rather integrates those of several direct competitors: Alibaba, ByteDance and Kuaishou for the domestic market; Seedance 2.0 and Google I Spy 3.1 for the international version. iQiyi has also launched a library of virtual assets and “signed” talent for third-party creators to generate new content using the platform’s characters and universes. The incentive strategy to attract these external creators involves… An extra 20% on advertising and subscription revenue for those who produce content with Nadou Pro. An inaugural catalog of 16 AI-generated films, in science fiction and anime. A public goal: release a commercially successful AI-generated film before the end of summer 2026. Yes, but. The question that remains to be seen is whether anyone will want to pay to see that. Recent history does not invite optimism. AI-generated video has shown some traction on TikTok and Instagram, where the cost of user attention is practically zero and the scroll Erase any disappointment in a tenth of a second. That this tolerance is transferred to a two-hour feature film for which someone pays a monthly subscription is another story. Between the lines. Gong Yu has said that iQiyi will continue investing in professional production, but in the same sentence he has clarified that this type of content will reduce its relative weight on the platform. The direction is quite clear. The risk is that viewers of C-dramas and the anime Koreans who have made iQiyi great are exactly the type of audience that has the least tolerance for ‘AI slop‘. Main loser? The producers and directors who filled that room in Beijing when Gong Yu announced the pivot. iQiyi has designed a system where independent creators can use Nadou Pro to generate content and earn a percentage of the advertising revenue. It’s the same model that YouTube has applied for years with human content, now transferred to AI. In this scheme, professionals in the sector go from being the protagonists of the production chain to being, in the best case, supervisors of a process that they no longer control. In Xataka | In China, 470 series made with AI are produced per day. 99.9% of them do not reach anyone Featured image | iQiyi, Xataka with Mockuuups Studio

His best gift has been having turned 5.5 billion euros into bricks

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Amancio Ortega has just turned 90, but the tireless businessman he hasn’t slowed down. While the world speculated about whether the founder of Inditex would reduce his investment activity at that age, his team in Pontegadea closed one operation after another at breakneck speed. In the last year, Pontegadea completed 17 real estate purchases with a total investment that exceeds 5.5 billion euros. As and as detailed The Worldthe figure of rental income that Ortega receives through his real estate giant exceeded 977 million euros in 2024, and in 2025 they reached 1,089 million euros. The landlord of big companies. Although 2025 has been characterized by the diversification of investments, the brick remains the star product of Ortega’s investments. The most striking bet of 2025 was the purchase of eight office buildings in six cities spread across five countries, with a joint investment of 1.5 billion euros. Pontegadea’s investment recipe is simple in theory, but somewhat more complex to put into practice: always choose buildings of high strategic value located in the most important urban centers…and, if possible, that already have solvent tenants. The logic is undeniable, a “high-end” building is a highly valued value by hotel chainslarge companies that use them as headquarters or brands that use them for set up their flagships in the center of large cities around the world. In this way, they ensure receiving income from day one. The largest operation of 2025 in this sense was the acquisition of “The Post”, a historic Vancouver office building with Amazon as a tenant. The millionaire closed the purchase of that former Canadian post office for 1.1 billion Canadian dollars, which is equivalent to about 680 million euros. The rest of the office purchases were distributed throughout Europe, the US and other regions, consolidating a portfolio of buildings spread throughout the world. The great logistics bet. If Inditex has become the textile giant that it is today, it is not because of its contribution to fashion designbut for the development of its logistics network that allowed it to take any clothing line to any corner of the world in record time. This obsession with logistics comes from its founder, and in 2025 we have also seen it in Pontegadea. Ortega’s investment in the field of logistics it’s not new. It has been investing in logistics centers in Europe and the US for years, but in 2025 it has opted for another approach: ports. At the end of October 2025, the millionaire’s participation was announced with 49% of PD Ports sharesone of the most important port operators in the United Kingdom, in an operation valued at more than 500 million euros. At the beginning of 2026, it was confirmed that Pontegadea was continuing along this investment path with participation in a joint offer valued at 11.7 billion Australian dollars (approximately 6.9 billion euros) to take over 100% of the Australian manufacturing giant. Qube logistics., although the exact percentage corresponding to the Spanish millionaire has not been made public. Control of energy. Using the same philosophy that Pontegadea applies to real estate investments, Ortega consolidated his position in the companies that control the power distribution networks in Spain and Portugal. It increased its stake in REN, the Portuguese electricity and gas network operator, from 12% to 13.7%, which places it as the second largest shareholder behind the Chinese electricity company State Grid Corporation, which controls 25% of the group. He occupies a similar position in Redeia, the electricity grid operator in Spain, of which he controls 5% of its capital, being also the second largest shareholder only behind the 20% held by SEPI. The engine that moves everything: Inditex. Behind all this investment movement there is a constant generator of liquidity: Inditex. In the last five years, Zara has increased its value by 98% and has increased its dividend by 88%, which has meant an income of 14.6 billion euros for Ortega. only in dividends. That constant cash flow It has been what has allowed us to finance the most active year in decades for Pontegadea. The result of this financial activity has been reflected in the form of an increase of 4.9% in the fortune of Amancio Ortega during 2025. Although it is a notable increase, the fortune of the founder of Inditex grew less than that of other large Spanish assets such as Rafael del Pino (34%) or Juan Roig (13%). In Xataka | Amancio Ortega: the billionaire who lives like another neighbor. Except for private jets and superyachts Image | GTRES, Unsplash (Sergio Kian)

with a bridge built in record time

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Satellite images reviewed by the BBC confirm that the first direct connecting highway between Moscow and Pyongyang will be operational in the coming weeks. That is to say, there will soon be a bridge that connects Russia and North Korea by road, materializing an alliance that is reconfiguring the conflict in Ukraine. What is happening. The Khasan-Tumangang Bridge, which crosses the Tumen River on the border between Russia and North Korea, is nearing completion. The satellite images that share The middle shows the structure already united in its central section, along with new access roads, a border control post, support infrastructure and parking areas. The Russian embassy in Pyongyang confirms that the planned opening date is June 19. First time in history. Until now, the only physical link between both countries was the so-called Friendship Bridge, a Soviet-era railway crossing inaugurated in 1959, and whose use for road vehicles was limited. The new bridge is, therefore, the first road link in history between Russia and North Korea. It measures approximately one kilometer in length, has two lanes and is built on concrete pillars with metal openings. It also runs parallel to the old railway bridge. Numbers. According to share In the middle, the crossing has been designed to support up to 300 vehicles and nearly 3,000 people a day. Its total cost exceeds 9 billion rubles, according to Russian state media, which is equivalent to about $120 million. Construction has been rapid, taking about a year, a pace that analysts consider strikingly fast. “The speed of construction reflects the volume of commercial activity between both parties,” said Victor Cha, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Where does this project come from? The agreement to build the bridge was reached during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, when the Russian president met with Kim Jong Un. At that same meeting, both countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that includes a mutual defense clause: if one of the two is attacked, the other is obliged to respond. The bridge, therefore, was born under the protection of that pact and has been built in record time. More than concrete. It is inevitably necessary to analyze its geopolitical context. According to data from South Korea, Pyongyang has sent around 15,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, in addition to long-range missiles and weapons. Seoul also estimates that some 2,000 North Korean soldiers have died in that conflict, although neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed these figures. In return, North Korea is believed to have received food, fuel and military technology from Russia. “This is an alliance largely driven by North Korean supply of troops, weapons, ammunition and manpower for Putin’s war in Ukraine,” explained Cha about it. What exactly will it be used for? Once open, the bridge will connect the Russian settlement of Khasan with the North Korean town of Tumangang and link directly to the Russian road network, reducing the distance between Vladivostok and the border town of Rason to 320 kilometers. Of course, Russian and North Korean drivers will be prohibited from driving their vehicles into the territory of the other country. In this way, the exchange of goods would take place at the border post itself, transferring the load from one truck to another. “This bridge will offer a very useful route to transfer military material and ammunition, both to North Korea and Russia,” counted Dr. Edward Howell, an expert on Korea at the University of Oxford, spoke to the media. The other side of the coin. Russian Foreign Ministry has described the opening of the bridge as “a truly historic stage in Russian-Korean relations” whose “significance goes far beyond a purely engineering task.” Moscow presents it as a symbol of cooperation in trade, economy and humanitarian relations. But for Western analysts, the reading is very different: a logistical artery designed to sustain a military alliance that transcends the war in Ukraine. “The construction of the bridge exemplifies how North Korea’s ties with Russia aim to continue beyond any end to the conflict in Ukraine,” pointed out Howell. China. It is not just Russia that is seeking to strengthen its physical connection with North Korea. China resumed last month the first passenger train service with Pyongyang after six years of interruption. North Korea, which for decades has been one of the most isolated corners of the planet, is being progressively integrated into the infrastructure networks of its two great allies. “It is fair to say that this connection, before the war in Ukraine, was one of the most dormant links between North Korea and its two neighbors,” Cha acknowledged. It seems that that lethargy has been left behind. In Xataka | While we were looking at gasoline, the Iran crisis has skyrocketed the price of asphalt. And the roads of half the world are already suffering from it

The biggest problem with living on the Moon is its nights. NASA believes it has found the solution to avoid running out of electricity

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If we want to build bases on the Moon or on Mars, we must work on the development of technologies that make the lives of lunar colonists easier. For example, it is important to think about ways to obtain energy. In the case of Mars, there are already scientists working on methods to obtain electricity using carbon dioxide from your atmosphere. But the ideal would be to be able to use batteries. They would have to be rechargeable batteries, since there are no containers for batteries on the Moon (on Earth there are, throw them away where they belong). The problem is that lunar nights are very long, so solar energy cannot be used to obtain electricity to recharge them. Therefore, NASA scientists they are already working in rechargeable batteries that generate and store energy in a very original way. Only two ingredients. The battery in question, called a regenerative fuel cell, contains hydrogen and oxygen gases, which combine to give rise to water. In this reaction, heat and electricity are generated, which can be used to supply the devices necessary for astronauts’ daily lives. Once no more energy is needed, the water molecules break down, giving rise to hydrogen and oxygen, which are saved for when it is necessary to start again. Thus, the fuel is not wasted. It regenerates. Big as a human being. Let’s not think about small batteries like the ones we use at home. Not even in batteries like those in a car. This regenerative fuel cell is much larger. It is practically the height of a human being and the length of a sedan car. First tests. In 2025, the basic components were tested to verify that the previous design technology was viable. Right now NASA scientists are doing more advanced tests, with the aim of analyzing whether the fuel regenerates properly. In a test cell, the system can be operated remotely. Furthermore, once the test has started, it can continue autonomously, without intervention from the researchers. Learnings. Everything is expected to go well in the tests. But, in any case, there will be learnings that serve to perfect the device. After five years of development, the prototype has advanced a lot, but these types of experiments are what really help to perfect a technology of this caliber. Heading to the Moon. Once the tests are completed, the goal is to repeat them in an environment that simulates lunar conditions. Theoretically, the battery is designed to withstand the extreme temperatures of the Moon, even on its cold two-week Earth nights. If all goes well, the technology would be ready to be used. in the Artemis program. This is the objective with which this battery of 270 sensors and 1,000 components was designed. There will be time to think about Mars. At the moment, the closest target on the horizon is our satellite. We need energy to stay on its surface. Image | NASA/Magnific In Xataka | We have not yet colonized the Moon and we have already filled it with garbage: there are even abandoned golf balls

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