Month: April 2026

that talent has to pay to work

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Japan needs foreign workers. The really need and urgently. But its hiring system for foreigners experiences a curious paradox: the country needs these foreigners, but charges them a fortune and places innumerable obstacles for them to go to work. Well, to be exact, it’s not actually the government that charges them to work, but a network of intermediary agencies in recruitment who take a good commission before the worker even sets foot on Japanese soil. According to the second edition of the survey on foreign workers in Japan85% of foreign workers who arrive in Japan do so through some type of intermediary. The majority pays a bill for this service that can exceed 6,000 euros. Import workers due to low birth rate. According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfarethe number of foreign workers in the country reached 2.57 million at the end of 2025, 11.7% more than the previous year, and the thirteenth all-time record consecutive. That is, in 2025, that figure was almost three times higher than that recorded a decade earlier. The manufacturing industry accounts for 24.7% of the total foreign employees, followed by the services sector with 15.2% and wholesale and retail trade with 13.3%. By city, Tokyo, Aichi and Osaka host more than 43% of all these workers. These data show that there are entire sectors that cannot fill the majority of their vacancies with local workers and need this foreign workforce to fill them. They pay to go to work in Japan. According to the data collected According to the Japanese Ministry of Labor, the vast majority of these workers arrive through a recruitment agency at origin that charges them a fee of between 200,000 and 400,000 yen (the equivalent of between 1,200 and 2,400 euros), while 13.2% of foreigners paid up to 6,000 euros just to have the opportunity to go to work in Japan. Of the 10.9% of workers who reported having had labor disputes in Japan, 18.6% indicated that the cost of agencies was excessive, and 14.9% admitted not having known who to turn to when difficulties arose. Meanwhile, 69% of companies cited labor shortages as the main reason for hiring foreign staff, up from 64.8% a year earlier. The end of the system that allowed it. Much of this friction has its origin in how the Japanese immigration system itself was designed. For more than thirty years, the Technical Internship Program (TITP), launched in 1993 with the stated objective of training workers from developing countries. In practicethis program functioned as a way to obtain cheap labor that, once in the country, had very little capacity for maneuver, denouncing marathon days, salary failures and the impossibility of freely changing sectors or jobs. In June 2024, the Japanese Parliament approved its replacement by the system Ikusei Shuro Seidowith entry into force scheduled for June 2027. For the first time, the Japanese government officially recognizes that the goal of the new program It is to train and retain foreign labor to cover the talent shortage, something that the previous regulations did not allow. Unlike the TITP, the new model does allow changing companies within the same sector under certain conditions, and sets a limit on commissions from recruitment agencies equivalent to two months of the worker’s salary. More visas, more sectors, more talent. The Japanese government has opened new entry ways to foreign labor. In March 2024, the Specific Skilled Worker (SSW) visa program incorporated new sectors in which foreigners can work, raising to 17 the total number of sectors covered. Those who arrive with a university degree can benefit from the J-Find visaaimed at graduates from the top 100 universities in the world. This visa allows you to reside up to two years in Japan to look for work or prepare a business project without having to have an employer to guarantee your arrival. Unlike the SSW or the TITP, the J-Find is a commitment that goes beyond filling vacant positions, and what it seeks is to compete for highly qualified talent at a global level and encourage the creation of startups and innovation projects in Japan. Companies also have their share of the problem. In addition to demographic pressurethe companies themselves have spent years unable to fill vacancies with local workers. According to the MHLW survey30% of the establishments declared having difficulties and “linguistic and cultural barriers” with their employees, and “complexity of the procedures to manage their residency status.” That is to say, not only is it a complex bureaucracy for workers, but Japanese companies are also having problems with this hiring system. The reforms underway aim to correct the most problematic points of the system, from agency abuses to the rigidity that tied workers to a single employer. The reforms will not be completed until 2027, so until that time comes, the paradox that Japan is experiencing still the same: a country that urgently needs foreign workers, in which those same workers have to pay a high sum to be able to work. In Xataka | Japan is being the canary in the mine of the labor market in Spain: reversible retirement is the proof Image | Unsplash (Il Vagabiondo)

In which communities it can be done and how to do it in the 2026 declaration

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We are going to explain how and where you can deduct your gym fee in your 2025 Income, which is what we do in 2026 to account for the last fiscal year. You can now request and submit your draft online and from the mobilebut before doing so pay attention to this. We have already explained to you the most important boxes to which you have to pay attention in your declaration, but there are also others that should be looked at in case you can scratch any deductions. And the deductions for what you pay when you go to the gym are an example. Being able to deduct your gym fee in your income tax return It depends on the autonomous community in which you live.. But before we start listing them all, we are going to tell you other general requirements that you need to know. Requirements in addition to the community where you live In order to correctly deduct your gym fee without you ending up receiving a request from the Treasury for having done wrong, you must meet the following requirements: Invoices with complete data: A ticket from the gym reception is not enough, to be able to deduct the gym you need a complete invoice with all your information, such as your ID, full name, and the tax information of the sports center. The quotas must also appear correctly. Traceable payments: It is not advisable to make installment payments in cash. In fact, in some communities they are left out of the deduction. It is best to make payments traceable by the Treasury, using methods such as debit or credit cards, bank transfers, Bizum or direct debit receipts. Purpose of the expense: The deductions usually cover gym fees, but sometimes also directed activities and classes that you can teach within a gym, although this depends on each community. What is not included is the purchase of sports equipment. Deductions for each autonomous community Community Deduction Annual limit Key requirements Valencian Community 30% (up to 100% depending on age/disability) €150 Income less than €32,000 (individual) or €48,000 (joint). Up to 100% deduction for people over 75 years of age. Rioja 30% (up to 100% depending on age/disability) €300 The expense must be made in entities registered in the La Rioja Sports Registry. Andalusia 15% €100 No income limit. Includes gym, club and federation fees. Murcia Region 30% (100% over 65) €150 Income less than €31,000 (individual) or €43,000 (joint). We start with this table where we summarize the autonomous communities where you will be able to deduct gym fees, as well as the deduction and the annual limit that you can deduct. This way, you will have everything clear at a glance. Gym deduction in the Valencian Community In the Valencian Community it is established a deduction of 30% of your fees related to expenses associated with practicing sports and healthy activities. The gym fee comes into this term. This deduction has a maximum limit of 150 euros per year in all cases. The deduction can be 50% if you are over 65 years old or have a disability greater than 33%, or 100% if you are over 75 years old or have a disability greater than 65%. It is also necessary that the sum of boxes 0500 and 0510 does not exceed 32,000 euros in individual taxation, or 48,000 euros in joint taxation. For the deduction, you must write the amount in box 1960 of your income tax return. You will have to indicate the gym’s NIF, a piece of information that will appear on the invoice, and the total amount you have paid throughout 2025. Gym deduction in La Rioja In La Rioja it is established a deduction of 30% of your fees related to the heading “to promote physical exercise and sports practice.” The gym fee comes into this term. The deduction can be 100% of the contribution if you are over 65 years old or have a disability greater than 33%. This deduction has a maximum limit of 300 euros per year In all cases, double that in the Valencia Community. Nor are economic requirements establishedso the deduction is for everyone. Gym deduction in Andalusia In Andalusia it is established a deduction of 15% of your fees membership or membership in gyms, sports centers, clubs and federations. It is the lowest percentage of the four communities, it allows you Also include the expenses of your spouse or common-law partner and those of your children or ascendants that give the right to the family minimum, as long as you have been the one who has paid those fees. This deduction has a maximum limit of 100 euros per year per taxpayer and does not require any minimum or maximum income requirement, so it is available to all tax residents in Andalusia regardless of their income. As in the rest of the communities, it is essential keep invoices of payments to the gym. Gym deduction in Murcia In the Region of Murcia it is established a deduction of 30% of your fees in expenses related to physical exercise and sports practice. In addition to the gym fee, it covers qualified personal trainers, yoga or Pilates classes, and sports federation fees. The deduction increases to 100% if you are over 65 years old. This deduction has a maximum limit of 150 euros per year. It has an income limit, since the sum of your general tax base and savings cannot exceed the 25,000 euros in individual taxation or the 40,000 euros in joint taxation. It is also essential to keep invoices for payments to the gym. In Xataka Basics | Income Guide 2025: calendar, previous steps and how to prepare for the 2026 declaration

New round of April savings at MediaMarkt with offers on the Google Pixel 10, the Nintendo Switch 2 and much more

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As it usually does on certain occasions, MediaMarkt has once again renewed one of its campaigns to change the offers and to extend the date on which they will be available. April and save has arrived again with a new round of discounts that will end on April 23 at 9:00 a.m. Do you want to know which are the best deals? In this article we are going to review the five best deals on technology. Google Pixel 10 by 599 eurosan ideal mobile if you are looking for a good balance between price, quality and compact design. nintendo switch 2 by 479 eurosthe store’s new promotion that includes a video game and a keychain. LG OLED C5 by 999 eurosthe television that we currently recommend for its quality-price ratio. Samsung HW-Q990F/ZF by 749 eurosa fairly complete sound bar that includes wireless subwoofer and rear speakers. TP-Link Tapo P110 Mini by 10.99 eurosa practical smart plug that is ideal for turning devices on and off whether we are at home or not. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World (physical format) + keychain The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Google Pixel 10 He Google Pixel 10 It has dropped in price through countless offers and can now be purchased for much more affordable prices. MediaMarkt, for example, has it right now for 599 euros, almost its historical minimum price (594.21 euros). Without a doubt, it is a very interesting mobile phone both for its size and performance, but also for its construction and its photographic section. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links nintendo switch 2 MediaMarkt is one of the stores that has launched the most offers and promotions in the nintendo switch 2and now it has arrived with a very interesting new one: it costs 469 euros (recommended price), but if you go down a little in the store you can buy a pack for 479 euros which includes the ‘Mario Kart World’ in physical format along with a keychain. This pack is especially interesting because it is very similar to the one officially launched by Nintendo, except that The video game in this case is in physical format, includes a keychain and is much cheaper. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World (physical format) + keychain The price could vary. We earn commission from these links LG OLED C5 What is the television with the best quality-price ratio? We are quite clear: right now it is the LG OLED C5. Its price on MediaMarkt is 999 eurosalthough you can find it cheaper on Amazon (959 euros). It is a television 55 inch OLED which supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also comes with several HDMI 2.1 ports, its refresh rate reaches 144 Hz and includes some technologies gaming like G-Sync or FreeSync. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung HW-Q990F/ZF On the other hand, if you already have a good television and are looking for a very good audio experience, MediaMarkt has the Samsung HW-Q990F/ZF by 749 euros (previously 1,399 euros), a sound bar that includes wireless subwoofer and two rear speakers. Offers a 756W power at 11.1.4 channelsis compatible with Dolby Atmos and works with both Alexa and Google Assistant. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links TP-Link Tapo P110 Mini He TP-Link Tapo P110 Mini It is a very practical smart plug, especially because of the 10.90 euros What does it cost at MediaMarkt. It allows you to turn lamps or devices on and off and even create routines to turn them on. Personally, I use several every day to power power strips with many outlets (to turn them off at night via voice commands) and turn lamps on or off when it’s getting dark. In addition, the app allows us to use the plugs even if we are not at home, something quite useful in case we have left it on. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Laura LopezCompradicción and MediaMarkt (header), Google, Nintendo, LG, Samsung, TP-Link In Xataka | The best mobile phones, we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | Best televisions in quality price. Which one to buy and seven recommended 4K smart TVs

There are drone factories in Europe, and Spain is on the list

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Possibly, the case of the oil tankers is one of the clearest examples of how wars work. In 2019, several were attacked in the Gulf of Oman hundreds of kilometers from any declared front, in an area where, on paper, there was no open war. That episode made it clear that modern conflicts no visible lines needed To expand: simply point to a point on the map to make it part of the board. A war that changes the map. Russia ends to take a step more in the Ukrainian war by moving the conflict from the front to a much broader map that includes directly European territory. It has done so through the Ministry of Defense, publishing detailed lists with names and addresses of companies linked to the production of drones for kyiv. Where? Cities appear on that map like London, Munich or Madridwhich transforms industrial infrastructures into possible military objectives in official Russian discourse. This movement is not only symbolic, but redefines the space of the war: it is no longer limited to Ukraine, but draws a network of nodes in Europe that Moscow presents as an active part of the conflict. Europe enters the military equation. Moscow’s message is clear: increase production and supply of drones to Ukraine is equivalent to getting directly involved in the war. From that perspective, countries like Germany, Belgium or Spain appear in this industrial ecosystem that combines local companies with Ukrainian technology, which reinforces the idea of ​​increasingly closer cooperation. This industrial network not only seeks to sustain the Ukrainian war effort, but also shows how Europe is going from being logistical support to becoming in structural piece of the conflict, something that Russia appears to be using as an argument to justify its rhetorical escalation. First six factories on Russia’s threat list From factories to potential objects. Plus: publishing specific brand addresses a turning point in the war conflict, because it turns civil spaces in the heart of Europe into potential targets within the Russian narrative. In fact, figures like Dmitry Medvedev have reinforced this idea by openly qualifying these lists as possible targets for the Russian armed forces, although without announcing imminent actions. If you like, this type of message, halfway between a warning and a threat, seems to point to generate pressure both on European governments and on their own societies, introducing the idea of ​​direct vulnerability within their borders. Spain inside the board. As we said, among the locations indicated by Moscow Madrid appearswhich places Spain within that expanded map of the conflict that Russia has decided to make public. This is not necessarily an immediate target, of course, but a significant inclusion in a list that redefines who is part of the war effort from the Russian perspective. This also reflects the extent to which war has evolved into a industrial and technological dimension in which the countries that participate in the supply chain, even indirectly, become considered relevant actors. More rhetorical than operational (for now). Be that as it may, and despite the threatening tonethese types of movements fit into a strategy that Russia has used on a recurring basis: public warnings or threats designed to deter without yet crossing the threshold of a direct attack against NATO territory. However, the context has changed, and the combination of greater European involvement, multi-billion dollar defense agreements and technological cooperation means that these warnings have a different weight. The key is that the conflict is no longer only fought with missiles and troops, but also with maps, lists and narratives that expand its borders without having to fire a single shot. Image | Sasha Maksymenko In Xataka | Russia is no longer surrendering to Ukrainian soldiers, but to machines: the rules of war are being redefined In Xataka | Europe has its particular “strait of Hormuz” and the war in Ukraine has put it at the center: the Gulf of Finland

features, price and technical sheet

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Realme has just announced the launch of its new mid-range, the Realme 16 5G. It is a device that seeks to gain a foothold in the most popular (and competitive) segment of telephony with two great weapons: design and battery. And it doesn’t seem to be any secret: Realme has been inspired quite clearly by the Apple iPhone Air and in the Google Pixel most recent. The company has opted for a higher plateau where it has housed the cameras and, curiously, a small mirror so that our subject can “look”, in quotes, and position himself better. A terminal that will not go unnoticed and that we will get to know better right away. Realme 16 5G technical sheet realme 16 5g dimensions and weight 158.3 x 75.1 x 8.1mm 183 grams screen 6.57 inch FOLED FullHD+ resolution (2,372 x 1,080 pixels) 397 dpi Refresh rate: 120 Hz PWM: 2,160Hz Normal brightness: 1,000 nits Maximum brightness: 1,400 nits Peak brightness: 4,200 nits 100% DCI-P3 processor MediaTek Dimensity 6400 Turbo Mali-G57 MC2 ram memory 8GB LPDDR4x internal storage 256GB UFS 2.2 rear camera Wide angle: 50 MP f/1.8, FOV 75º Monochrome: 2 MP, f/2.4, FOV 88º FHD Video@30 FPS front camera 50 MP, f/2.4, FOV 86º FHD Video@60 FPS battery 6,500 mAh 45W fast charging operating system Android 16 with Realme UI 7.0 connectivity Wi-Fi 5 Bluetooth 5.3 Dual nanoSIM NFC USB type C GPS others IP69 resistance On-screen fingerprint reader Vapor chamber cooling Stereo speaker rear mirror price From 369 euros (introductory offer) That design sounds familiar to me Realme 16 5G | Image: Realme That the Realme 16 5G draws on the iPhone Air and the Google Pixel is evident. The company has opted for a simple design, with a smooth back and an upper horizontal camera module where there are two cameras (not three as it might seem). Realme has named this finish Air Design and the upper module, Camera Bar. The firm assures that it is “a design inspired by flagship smartphones.” The terminal has a thickness of 8.1 millimeters and weighs only 181 grams. These are figures that are not bad at all and even less so if we take into account that, inside, there is a 6,500 mAh battery. Then we’ll talk about her. It also highlights the IP69 resistance and that, in such a thin body, we find a 6,050 mm² vapor chamber that, on paper, should keep the temperature at bay. Realme 16 5G | Image: Realme Regarding the exterior, the absolute protagonist is a 6.57-inch AMOLED screen, FullHD+ resolution, up to 120 Hz refresh rate and a maximum brightness of 1,400 nits. Realme has highlighted the “ultra-thin edges” and rounded corners, again, resembling it to a high-end terminal. Engine signed by MediaTek We take out the scalpel to see inside. Under the hood we find a processor MediaTek Dimensity 6400 Turbo eight-core 2.5 GHz configuration, as well as a unique eight-core configuration gigabytes of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage. The RAM is LPDDR4x and the storage is UFS 2.2, so not only are they relatively modest amounts, but they are not the fastest versions either. Realme 16 5G | Image: Realme The operating system is Android 16 with Realme UI 7.0, which implements an interface with transparency and a new engine, Flux Engine, to improve animations and system response. What the company has not mentioned in the information shared with the media is the number of years it will keep the software updated. Finally, and regarding the battery, the terminal has a capacity of 6,500 mAh courtesy of the silicon-carbon technology. It is worth mentioning that this is the version that arrives in Spain, but the version from other markets, such as Vietnam, has even more capacity and reaches 7,000 mAh. In any case, autonomy should not be a problem. The fast side, for its part, stays at 45W. Is that a mirror? Realme 16 5G | Image: Realme We ended up talking about the camera. Although the rear appears to have three cameras, the reality is that it only has two: a wide angle and a monochrome which, historically, has been used to improve portrait taking. The protagonist is the angle, since it mounts a sensor Sony IMX852 50 megapixel. That, combined with the LumaColor engine, promises better results, always on paper. The most striking thing is, without a doubt, the rear mirror. Next to the lenses there is a small mirror designed to take selfies with the rear camera (something that, it must be said, would make more sense if it had a wide angle). The idea is not bad, but we will have to see if, in practice and in movement situations, that little mirror makes a difference or not. Realme 16 5G | Image: Realme And speaking of selfies, the Realme 16 5G is one of the few, if not the only mid-range terminal that incorporates a 50-megapixel front camera. That is, without a doubt, very good news in terms of sharpness, although we already know that processing plays an important role in taking photographs. We will clear up doubts when we put the glove on for the analysis. Versions and price of the Realme 16 5G Realme 16 5G | Image: Realme He Realme 16 5G It can be purchased from today both on its website and at the usual retailers. It will be available in black and white (with glowing effects depending on the light) and in a single 8/256 GB version. During the launch and until April 30, its price will be 349 euros. Images | realme In Xataka | Realme 16 Pro+, analysis: it doesn’t risk a bit, but it’s not necessary to be a candidate for best mid-range of 2026

The list of space launches is collapsed. Meanwhile, SpaceX has done two in a single day

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More and more public and private space companies are launching into space. Most are commercial, often satellite-related. There are so many events of this type that launch platforms are beginning to become saturated and many companies are beginning to look for alternatives, such as launches from the sea. Despite this situation, SpaceX has just launched two Starlink satellites on the same day. 19 hours difference. Last Tuesday, April 14, Elon Musk’s space company carried out two launches of rockets loaded with Starlink satellites: one at 5:23 am EDT and another at 00:29 EDT. With the first launch, 29 Starlink satellites were put into orbit and with the second 25. Favor treatment? In 2025, the Donald Trump Government announced its intention to relax space regulationsthus streamlining licenses for releases. A year earlier, when Elon Musk showed himself as one of the main supporters of the now president during his electoral campaign, this topic was already mentioned on several occasions. The CEO of SpaceX had expressed interest in which the Federal Aviation Administration accelerated the processing of licenses for its launches. Therefore, despite the fact that Musk and Trump’s relations are not the best currently, it could be thought that he has had this possibility due to favored treatment. Although it doesn’t seem like the case. The strategy. In reality, the easing of space regulations does not fall solely on SpaceX. Many licenses can be obtained more quickly. But this requires a good strategy. To begin with, when a launch is made it is necessary to stop maritime and air traffic for a time to avoid accidents. This should be done for an optimal amount of time.without putting anyone in danger, but in a way that does not slow down transport too much. Therefore, it is not viable to make two launches in a row in the same place, even if they are licensed. To avoid this problem, Elon Musk made his two launches on Tuesday from two different points: Florida and California. Thus, problems are avoided. The more the better (at least for Musk). Repeat, repeat and repeat. That is Elon Musk’s maxim. With Starshipfor example, has carried out many test launches until its operation is optimized. There have been explosions, but also achievements. The key is to rehearse over and over again. With Starlink, SpaceX aims to send tens of thousands of satellites into space. Therefore, launches cannot be spaced out over time, especially now that they have other companies on their heels. Elon Musk needs these strategies, which for him are plausible, but which give a lot to think about about the possible lack of ethics and the inequality that exists between some space companies and others. Image | US Space Force photo, Gwendolyn Kurze In Xataka | Ukraine’s military has a problem almost as important as Russia: Starlink belongs to Elon Musk

Not only has the US just lost the “eye” that Hormuz watched, its nuclear aircraft carrier is in Africa for fear of being shot down

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Year 2019, an American surveillance drone more than 200 million of dollars disappears from the radar over the Gulf of Oman and, a few hours later, Iran shows its remains to the world on television. It was not the first time something like this had happened, but it was one of the most uncomfortable: a machine designed to see everything had been seen before it could react. Since then, in that part of the map, each silence in the systems begins to weigh more than it seems. Losing the “eye” that watched Hormuz. Confirmation of the fall of MQ-4C Triton a few hours ago is not a simple technical incident, but the loss of one of the most advanced pieces of the US surveillance system in the Persian Gulf. This drone, capable of operating at high altitude for hours and equipped with cutting-edge sensors, was key to monitor naval movementsdetect threats and maintain situational control around the strait. His disappearance, under circumstances still unclearleaves a most uncomfortable void at a time when every piece of information matters, especially in an environment where mines, drones and speedboats turn any mistake into a real threat. The “scared” aircraft carrier. Plus: the diversion of USS George H.W. Bush Going around Africa instead of crossing the Suez Canal is not just any logistical decision, but a symptom of that operational vulnerability What Washington is suffering from. The reason? Avoid passing through Bab el-Mandeb It means recognizing that even a nuclear aircraft carrier battle group, one of the most powerful assets in the world, cannot guarantee their security in a strait where actors such as the Houthis have demonstrated the ability to attack ships with drones and missiles. This detour not only lengthens times and complicates deployments, but also shows that military superiority does not always translate into freedom of movement. The uncomfortable precedent. Not only that. They counted the Forbes analysts that the decision of avoid Bab el-Mandeb It raises a disturbing question for the immediate future, because if this step is already considered too dangerous, what happens to Hormuz, much narrower, guarded and saturated with Iranian defensive systems? The logic is a huge question. Iran not only has more advanced technology than its regional allies, but also decades of specific preparation for that scenario. That makes any attempt to operate there a very high risk betand where even a single relevant impact could completely alter the strategic balance of the area. The strategic paradox. If you also want, what emerges from these movements is not that image of overflowing force that is presupposed, but rather of calculation and extreme fear. While American political discourse speaks of pressure, blockade and control, tactical decisions are revealing prudence, we would even say caution. The simple fact that the route of a nuclear aircraft carrier is redesigned to avoid a hot spot shows that the margin of error it’s tiny. And in an environment where a successful attack on a high-value ship could trigger disproportionate military and political consequences, the priority is no longer projecting strength and power, but avoiding losses at all costs. When losing a little is too much. In summary, the combination of drone crash Triton and the rnuclear aircraft carrier odeo paints a crystal clear picture: right now, the United States is not operating from a position of comfort, but rather in an extremely delicate balance. In that scenario, it doesn’t take a devastating blow to change the rules of the game, just with a symbolic one. Because a lost surveillance drone may be acceptable, even if it has the characteristics of the MQ-4C, but a damaged warship or a compromised nuclear aircraft carrier would be a very different story. Image | USN In Xataka | The US already has the first response to its blockade of Hormuz: a boomerang of unpredictable consequences called China In Xataka | The US has closed all exits from the Strait of Hormuz. And now Iran can put into practice what it has been preparing for 25 years

The US has appointed executives of Meta, Palantir and OpenAI as lieutenant colonels. We have many questions

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On June 13, 2025, four executives from some of the world’s largest technology companies donned the uniform of the United States Army at Myer-Henderson Barracks, a ten-minute drive from the Pentagon. After taking the oath, They were appointed lieutenant colonels of the Reserve. The appointment was controversial, but it was made on the occasion of the launch of Detachment 201, a very special army body dedicated exclusively to military innovation. Technological military with a wink. The four new reserve lieutenant colonels are Shyam Sankar, CTO of Palantir, Andrew Bosworth, CTO of Meta, Kevin Weil, CPO of OpenAI and Bob McGrew, advisor to Thinking Machines Labs (Mira Murati’s startup) and former head of research at OpenAI. The name of Detachment 201 is a wink to Silicon Valley, because an HTTP 201 status code on the web means that a resource was successfully created. All four will continue in their current positions while serving as reservists. Sankar’s thesis. Palantir’s CTO has already become a reference in the discourse on how to apply technology to military institutions after publishing on its website 18theses.com the document “Defense reform”. In it he talked about how “warriors fight with weapons and with git.” He criticized the Department of Defense (DoD) for treating technology as “expensive and unaffordable,” and proposed using AI to make military assets work more efficiently and quickly. The germ. The project was conceived by Brynt Oameter, who was responsible for talent management at the Pentagon. His idea was to attract technology experts so that they could take up positions in the Army when necessary. He met Sankar at a conference in early 2024 and began discussing the idea, which ended up crystallizing into a project that Donald Trump promoted. Finger designations. A curiosity: among that group of chosen ones there were no Anthropic executives even though the company was the one that ended up being the chosen one in July 2025 to integrate its AI model, Claude, into Pentagon systems. Then, how do we know, things changed. On Wired they explain how Sankar was the one who volunteered to be part of the project, but also recommended the three people who would end up forming that group with him. What will these four managers do in the Army?. The official mission of these experts is to integrate specialized knowledge in AI, software and data analysis into the Pentagon’s strategy. parameter gave an example: The commander of the Indo-Pacific region is evaluating threats in the Far East for the next ten years and has asked Detachment 201 to explain how AI can affect security in that context. These new lieutenant colonels can also operate more tactically, advising on how soldiers can use the new tools at their disposal. Or what is the same: they will act as consultants to the US Army, but in uniform and having taken the oath, something important because the relationship with the soldiers changes. The inevitable conflict of interest. The Army affirms that there is no conflict of interest because the members of Detachment 201 will not have a vote in the contracts signed with the private sector. The chronology of events tells us otherwise, however: A month before Bosworth took office, Meta announced an agreement with Anduril to develop military augmented reality products. A few months before OpenAI announced an alliance with Anduril in air defense systems. Palantir, Sankar’s company, signed a contract with the Army worth 480 million dollars in December 2024. That doesn’t prove anything, but suspicions are inevitable, because even if they don’t have a vote, they will be able to obtain internal knowledge and data that inevitably benefits their employer companies. But weren’t there going to be limits on AI in the army? Another of the thorny questions that arise from this Detachment 201 is how the recommendations of these experts will be applied on the battlefield. OpenAI theoretically has policies prohibiting its AI models from causing harm or developing military weaponry. However, the explicit mission of this body is to make the US Army be “more lethal”. That contradicts OpenAI statementswhich after allying itself with the Pentagon recently stressed again and again that its models would be used within limits… which is exactly why the Pentagon ended up wanting to turn Anthropic into a pariah company. Two weeks to get the rank. A conventional lieutenant colonel reaches that rank after between fifteen and twenty years of active military career. The members of Detachment 201 received that same rank after two weeks of partially online training that included physical conditioning, shooting as a diagnosis and basic notions of military protocol such as the rank structure and the use of the uniform. They did not complete basic training and have the flexibility to fulfill part of their 120 annual hours of service from home, something not offered to other reservists. All of this has generated reviews within the Army and also comments of all kinds on social networks. Image | DVIDS In Xataka | Anthropic and OpenAI have developed AI. The US Pentagon is showing you who really owns it

Boeing has surpassed Airbus after years behind. That doesn’t mean I’ve regained control.

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The rivalry between Boeing and Airbus has been marking the pulse of commercial aviation for decades, but it cannot always be summarized in a simple classification. Sometimes, a piece of information seems to announce a change of era and, when we look closer, what appears is something much less resounding. That’s just what happens with the first quarter of 2026: Boeing has managed to overcome to Airbus in deliveries, yes, but it is worth looking at what is behind that advantage before reading it as proof that the American manufacturer has left its problems behind. The photography. The start of 2026 is based on a clear difference in deliveries: Boeing placed 143 commercial aircraft in the hands of its customers between January and March, compared to 114 for Airbus. The data has weight in itself because it puts an end to a long period in which Airbus had remained ahead of Boeing in deliveries. In practice, the American giant supported this result especially in the 737, with 114 units delivered, while Airbus once again concentrated the bulk of its activity in the A320 family, with 81 aircraft. The Airbus bottleneck. If we want to understand why Airbus has been left behind at the start of 2026, the focus is not so much on a drop in demand as on a supply problem. According to Reutersthe European manufacturer has a traffic jam linked to Pratt & Whitney, one of its engine suppliers, immersed in the correction of around 1,200 units affected by a manufacturing defect. While that process is still underway, the production of new engines slows down and Airbus can advance the manufacturing of those planes, but not always complete delivery at the expected pace until those systems arrive. Reality, in context.. That Boeing has closed this quarter ahead, in any case, does not mean that it has resolved the core of its problems. Let us remember that the manufacturer comes from years marked by the 737 MAX crisis, triggered by the accidents of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302in which 346 people died, and for the subsequent stoppage of that program. Added to this are more recent difficulties: Boeing already warned last month that 737 production will slow while it addresses certain wiring issues. Before this long cycle change, Boeing’s position on deliveries was very different. In January 2018, Boeing reported that it had closed 2017 with 763 commercial aircraft delivered, a record for the industry at the time and its sixth consecutive year leading this field. That year also left 912 net orders valued at $134.8 billion at list prices and a portfolio of 5,864 aircraft. Seen from today, that starting point helps to better measure to what extent the balance between both manufacturers changed in very few years. The context is not so far away: It is worth remembering that this rivalry left another very significant milestone in October 2025, when the Airbus A320 became the most delivered aircraft in history by surpassing the Boeing 737. That was not just a symbolic matter: it reflected the extent to which the problems of the 737 MAX had altered Boeing’s trajectory and the extent to which Airbus had managed to keep up with the A320neo family. The next industrial duel: If we project our gaze a little, the board also begins to move at another very specific point: the future entry on the scene of the 777X. Boeing plans to deliver it in 2027 as a late competitor to the A350, after accumulating delays that are already part of the program’s recent history. For Boeing, this arrival could be important because it would open a new opportunity to rebalance forces in the long haul. But Airbus also continues to move forward. Images | Tienko Dima | Jan Rosolino In Xataka | Commercial aviation is based on very old aircraft. The Iran war is going to make it even worse

The Earth was going to force us to “erase” a second from our clocks in 2026. Climate change has changed everything

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For decades, the world’s metrologists have had to occasionally add a “leap second” to our clocks on Earth, since traditionally the tendency was for our planet to begin to slow down due to tidal friction caused by the Moon, making our days last a breath longer than the theoretical 86,400 seconds that science has always told us. but this trend has changedand now the Earth has started spinning faster. The consequence. Yes, when our planet was starting to slow down, I had to add one more second to our daily lives; When the opposite effect occurs, what should be done is to delete a second so that Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) does not become desynchronized from astronomical time. Something that will not be noticed, logically, but that has great importance in the causes that have led to this situation. Because? The answer to this temporal enigma was published in Nature where science calculated that the massive melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica has postponed the need for a second negative from 2026 to 2029, due to what is known as the ‘skater effect’ since an ice skater who turns on himself and wants to brake, extends his arms; If you want to speed up, you shrink them against your body. Now, if we take this concept to our own planet, we can see that when the ice at the poles melts, the entire mass of water flows and is redistributed around the equator as if it were ‘opening its arms’, moving mass away from its central axis of rotation. In this way, the law of conservation of angular momentum tells us that this phenomenon causes a slowdown in movement. Then we can affirm that the thaw has counteracted and surpassed the acceleration of the Earth’s core that we had previously detected. Your confirmation. What in 2024 was protection, today is backed by real-time mediations, and this means that if we go to the official data From the IERS, its most recent bulletins show us that the length of the day shows new positive values, so the acceleration has stopped and the Earth slows down slightly again. If we look at the literature, this fits perfectly with research published in recent years, where it is seen that between 2000 and 2020 the days have lengthened at a rate of 1.33 milliseconds per century due to melting ice. And among the reasons they give, the authors are categorical in stating that the redistribution of masses due to climate change currently dominates the Earth’s rotation, even surpassing the historical effect of lunar friction. It’s a race. Adding or subtracting seconds from our watches is not forever, since the International Bureau of Weights and Measures has already made the decision to definitively eliminate this practice starting in 2025. The reason? Current digital infrastructure, such as telecommunications networks, is at risk of collapsing every time time is manipulated. Images | POT In Xataka | A third of Spain will be completely dark for a minute or two: the astronomical event of the century is approaching

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