Mobile Tech & Gadgets

In 2015, a man found a rock and kept it thinking it had gold. Ten years later he discovered his true value

by

Imagine that one day, while searching for precious metals with a metal detector, you come across a strange reddish rock. You immediately think that it may be hiding gold, so you don’t hesitate to take it home. After numerous attempts to pierce it and discover what’s inside, you give up. It is a practically invulnerable rock, at least with everyday tools, such as grinders. This is what we just described This is what happened to David Hole.an Australian who used to explore Maryborough Regional Park with his detecting equipment in search of precious metals. And yes, he found the rock and tried to open it without success. In the end it turned out to be something much more valuable than any precious metal: a celestial body that had probably traveled to our planet from Mars or Jupiter, in other words, a meteorite. The Maryborough Meteorite The cosmic rock was discovered by Hole in 2015, although the man did not know what it was until 2018. Three years after its discovery he decided to take it to the Victoria Museum of his country in search of answers. Geologists Bill Birch and Dermot Henry They immediately suspected that it was a meteorite. And this was actually a surprise since most of the “meteorites” that people bring to the museum are not actually meteorites. The specialists had a peculiar piece measuring 38.5 cm x 14.5 cm x 14.5 cm. The next step was to photograph it and do a thorough analysis that consisted of making a small cut in order to analyze its composition. After analysis, it was confirmed that it was a meteorite with a high percentage of iron, that is, an ordinary H5 chondrite meteorite, which suggests that its formation could have occurred in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The origin of the Maryborough Meteorite, it should be noted, is a hypothesis, as researchers do not know exactly where it came from or when it may have impacted Earth. However, radiocarbon dating indicates that the rock has remained on Earth between 100 and 1,000 yearsalthough it is believed that it could have crossed our atmosphere in a period of time between 1889 and 1951, that is, in a recent period. If we talk about the value of the meteorite compared to gold, it is difficult to establish a comparative framework, but the museum points out that this is much more valuable. They say that finding gold on Australian soil is more common than finding a meteorite of these characteristics. “This is only the 17th meteorite found in Victoria,” they point out, adding that they are important scientific elements that “take us back in time” to study our Solar System. Certainly, meteorites contain valuable information about the formation of elements in the universe and give us a unique opportunity to study them closely to analyze their characteristics and chemical composition. A different type of research, but complementary, to the missions that are driven towards space, such as that of James Webb Space Telescope u the ambitious OSIRIS-REx. Images | Museums Victoria In Xataka | Who or what excavated the ravines on Mars? The answer is even stranger than we always thought In Xataka | There is already speculation even with Martian soil: the largest piece of Mars on Earth has just been sold for 5.3 million dollars

Revolut plans to make the generational leap in Spain: assault private banking

by

Revolut is looking for private banking professionals in Spain to build its high net worth division from scratch. The project is in the initial phase, but talks have already begun, according to Expansion. It is the first serious move by the British neobank in a segment traditionally reserved for traditional banking. Why is it important. The bank intends to compete with the leaders of this sector, Santander and CaixaBankwho control more than 35% of the large fortune market in Spain. It is not a minor battle: Santander manages 195,000 million in assets of patrimonial clients. CaixaBank exceeds 181,000 million. Revolut wants to convince these customers to abandon decades of banking relationships for a mobile app. The context. Interest rates have normalized in Europe and banks need to compensate with fees for what they lose in margins. Private banking is the perfect business: High profitability. Less price sensitive customers. Lasting relationships. That is why everyone wants to enter or grow in this segment. Revolut is late to the banquet, but if anyone can offer a different menu, it’s them. Between the lines. Until now, Revolut has been the bank of millennials and generation Z. Young people who exchange currencies to travel, invest in cryptocurrencies, value the absence of commissions and digital agility. Now he wants to manage his parents’ assets. It is a logical but complex leap: going from being the youth alternative to becoming the custodian of consolidated family fortunes. Yes, but. There is another less obvious reading. Millennials who have been with Revolut for a decade are getting older and accumulating wealth. Entrepreneurs who have sold companies. Professionals with consolidated careers. Investors who have multiplied capital. Revolut is not only looking for new customers, it also aims to retain those it already has before they leave for traditional banking when they need more sophisticated services. The strategic turn. Revolut founder Nik Storonsky He’s been anticipating this move for a year.. He presented it as a natural evolution: many bank clients already have high balances and need more than just a well-stocked checking account. But the reality is more pressing: Revolut needs to diversify revenue beyond transactional products (currency exchange, cards, accounts). Their model has worked for the average customer. Now look for the high value one because that’s where the real margin is. The threat. Revolut’s bet is not only technological, it is generational. The bank believes that new fortunes value agility and innovation more than dealing with a manager in a VIP office. It also relies on its young client base to mature with them, creating a natural transition into private banking. And now what. Dates, minimum equity requirements, a list of specific services to be offered by Revolut in private banking… Everything is yet to be defined. It also remains to be known whether the bank will replicate its model from other markets or adapt the offer to Spanish particularities. And, above all, it remains to be seen if it manages to sign top-level professionals willing to work in a technologically powerful brand, but without a history of large assets. In Xataka | Neobanks break 25% market share in Spain. Traditional banking is losing young customers Featured image | Revolut

If you bought your house before 2013 and paid off the mortgage with its sale: The Treasury owes you money

by

If you bought your house before 2013 we have good news for you: now you will be able to recover up to 1,356 euros on your tax return thanks to an important change in the way in which the Treasury recognizes mortgage deductions. If you used the money from the sale of your home to pay what you mortgage pendingthis change in Treasury doctrine can directly affect you. The new resolution of the Central Economic-Administrative Court (TEAC) opens the door for thousands of taxpayers to review their statements from recent years and request returns that they couldn’t ask for before. An opportunity to save on rent. The Central Economic-Administrative Court (TEAC) has dictated a change of doctrine in a resolution in which he has clarified that, if you use part of the money from the sale of your house to pay off the remaining mortgage, you can also deduct that amount on your income tax return. This changes the way the Treasury saw things until now and may mean recover more money on your taxes. Previously, you could only deduct mortgage payments while you lived in the house and owned it. If you sold the home, you lost the deduction from the day of the sale, even if you used part of the money to pay off the mortgage. An example to understand it easily. The TEAC resolution has been based on the binding consultation of a taxpayer from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, so his case can serve as a practical example. This taxpayer sold his home in June 2018 and used 10,202 euros of the amount obtained from the sale to pay off the mortgage. At that time, the Treasury only allowed him to deduct the installments paid until May, the month before the sale of the home, because the cancellation payment for the same, although it is part of the investment in that home, was no longer counted because it was no longer his property. With the new TEAC criteria, this cancellation with the money from the sale can also be deducted and therefore the excess withholding in personal income tax that was not previously recognized can be recovered. This represents a real change for those who have sold their house and paid off their debt with the money from the sale, since their right to the deduction does not disappear the day they sell the house, but remains in force as long as they use that money to pay the cancellation of their mortgage. Conditions to access the deduction. As and as they remember in IberleyIn order to benefit from this deduction, a series of conditions must be met. The first condition is that the home had to be your habitual residence until the moment of selling it. The second condition is to have purchased that home before 2013 and to have applied the personal income tax deduction prior to its sale. The maximum base for calculating the deduction is 9,040 euros per year, and the Treasury allows you to deduct 15% of what you pay for the loan. That leaves a maximum deduction of 1,356 euros per year which, if you had not applied it after the sale of the home, you can now claim if applicable. Review of declarations from 2021. From Idealistic stand out that, although this deduction is only for those who bought before 2013, those taxpayers who have sold their home and canceled the mortgage since 2021 can review their returns to see if the personal income tax deduction was correctly applied, including that final cancellation amount. This means that there may be pending returns for those who did not claim it at the time and meet the requirements in the years between 2021 and 2024, as long as their term has not expired. In Xataka | Just in case Madrid had few problems with housing, now it adds one more: US millionaires investing in the city Image | Wikimedia Commons (Jordiferrer, Ruth Leong)

Spain wants more pork and more safe water in its reservoirs. And he is discovering that both things at the same time are not possible.

by

Hidden in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León on Monday, there was something that they did not suspect would be controversial: the authorization to install more than 3,500 heads of pigs on the outskirts of San Cebrián de Castro, province of Zamora. Why would it be controversial? As recognized in the Diario de Zamorais the umpteenth authorization of this type in recent years and, unlike others, this macro farm is not close to any urban center. The only small problem is that, well, it is 100 meters from the Ricobayo reservoir, right where the Esla flows into the Duero. And is that a problem? The idea is to install a pig farm “with capacity for 3,100 sows with piglets until weaning (from 0 to 6 kilos in weight), with 620 replacement sows and six boars.” Just over 132,000 square meters, more than a dozen warehouses, a manure dump with a capacity for 1,215 cubic meters and two enormous slurry ponds with a capacity for 14,000 cubic meters. The project insists that “there will be no discharge into the Public Hydraulic Domain”; but, of course, the doubts are more than reasonable. In 2023, 161 Zamora municipalities They were left without drinking water due to contamination of its reservoirs. Because there is also the issue of water consumption. According to the data, an annual water consumption is estimated at 24,479 cubic meters. It’s a lot of water, but it’s not a surprise either: agriculture and livestock consume almost 90% of the Duero basin. And Ricobayo is a critical reservoir And not only for the Northern Plateau. Because what is happening in the Esla River is something much more important than it seems. Spain It is the absolute leader in European porkbut (or “because”) the legal framework is too fragmented and has huge regulatory gaps. That is to say, the basic management of intensive farms has been broken for years. The sum of an unambitious basic state standard, hydrological plans, municipal plans and environmental authorizations leaves room for dozens of towns throughout the country to spend years denouncing the enormous ecological and health consequences of this type of installations. All of this comes at a difficult time. Because the macro farm industry is about to reach its key moment: it is not only that the administration is following The closest issue is that the prosecution is taking cards in the matter. That is to say, in the near future, Spain is going to have to clarify what it wants to be at an agricultural level and at what cost. But you can’t do it with your back to the externalities it produces. The competitiveness of Spanish pork is based on vertical integration, efficiency and scale; and that pushes farms to have greater capacity and associated plants (feed, slurry treatment, biogas, etc.). That is, it puts completely new pressure on parts of the system that are not prepared to withstand it. Water is one of those problems. The Spanish water reserve is at 51.4% of its capacity and we have just emerged from one of the largest droughts in recent decades: how is it possible that a strategic resource like water enjoys these management problems (and this lack of protection)? That question is indeed more complex than it seems. Image | Bob | Raiden32 In Xataka | The Atlas of Toxic Spain: this is the geography of pollution in our country

that the DGT is going to “spy” on us with them

by

On January 1st all We must carry a V16 beacon in the car and many doubts are arising around them. Mostly what model to buy to make sure that is approvedbut privacy is also questioned. In forums like Forocoches There are drivers who wonder if the DGT will be able to know where we are at all times and even if they will be able to use them to fine us if we exceed the speed. The reason for the suspicion. The V16 beacons have a GPS system and the integration of a SIM card that offers connection for up to twelve years. Technically they are capable of transmitting our position to the DGT and in fact that is exactly what they do when we connect them. However, this does not mean that it is a surveillance device for several reasons. Timely shipping. Although they share our position, the beacons are designed to do so punctually when we have an accident, not continuously as a tracking device. The DGT says that this is its only objective and no additional functionalities can be “incorporated”. It is a requirement for the beacons to receive approval. You don’t know our data. For there to be surveillance, it is necessary for the security guard to know who we are, but the V16 beacons are not associated with us or our vehicle, so even if they broadcast our position at all times, the DGT would not know who we are. On the official website they clarify it: “The beacon only transmits the exact position of our vehicle in order to avoid road accidents, but it does not collect or emit personal information about us or our vehicle.” About the apps. There are applications like SOS Alert either MyIncidence that link with the connected V16 beacon to offer more functionality. One of them is the possibility of connecting them to our insurance so that they also receive the alert when you use the beacon in an accident. This is totally optional. If you are concerned about privacy and the beacon being associated with you and your vehicle, not registering would be enough. Fines. It is clear that the DGT cannot fine you “remotely” through the beacon, so you can receive a fine of up to 200 euros It’s because you don’t have it in the vehicle. You can also receiving a fine is for turning it on without an accident having occurred. Approved beacons offer a grace period of 100 seconds until they send the position, more than enough time to check that it works correctly without giving a false warning. You doubt yes. The V16 beacons They are not a mass surveillance devicebut they are being questioned for other reasons that are well founded, such as their visibility during the day. Experts warn that dangerous situations have already occurred For this reason, especially when the vehicle stops after a curve or in a change of gradient; With the triangles we could make ourselves seen sooner, but not with this. The problem is that triangles will be banned starting January 1st. Added to this is the question of price. Although there are cheaper modelswe are talking about a product that is usually around 40-50 euros, which is not exactly cheap. Taking into account that andThe number of passenger cars in Spain exceeds 25 millionthe business is huge, it is estimated that could reach 1.7 billion eurosand all for a device that is not clear that it is better than triangles. Image | DGT In Xataka | Yes, next year I am going to carry the V-16 beacon because they force me to. It doesn’t even occur to me to throw away the triangles

We have a stationary high-impact storm at the gates of Spain. And that will translate into 30ºC in November

by

We only have to look at a map these days to realize that we have a pretty significant storm heading our way. It will impact the entire western part of the peninsula and will leave more than 300 l/m2 on the Galician coast. However, it doesn’t seem like it. It doesn’t seem like it at all. But that’s how it is. Storm Claudia (which is the name of the third high-impact storm of the season) will bring rain and cold and wind; but just before that it will bring us a significant thermal rebound. Today, Wednesday, there are many areas of the country with 25 degrees and the nights will not be especially cold (it will not freeze anywhere). Bilbao is going to be 25 degrees and cities like Granada or San Sebastián are close to 30. How is it possible? Naturally, as explained in AEMETthe wind tends to leave the anticyclones and move towards the storms. “In this movement it suffers a deviation to the right of its trajectory so that the exit is not in a straight line but in a wide curve that rotates clockwise.” That is, storms rotate. When we talk about rivers of moisture (or connections with the Gulf of Mexico), we talk about this type of thing: air currents with a lot of humidity that are integrated into Atlantic storms thanks to this turn. The curious thing is that, in that turn, Claudia is pushing the southern air directly into Spain. AEMET What we can expect. Heat. At least, during Wednesday and throughout the country. During Thursday, the most classic effects of the storm (and that includes the cold) will begin to be seen in the west of the peninsula. We are talking about temperature drops of eight or ten degrees. For the weekend, most of Spain will have maximum temperatures below 15 degrees. And then the party begins. In a matter of hours we are going to see a lot of rain, a lot of wind and a considerable sea storm arrive in Spain. The first impact will be in the Canary Islands, but it will be the west of the peninsula the one who will bear the brunt: with winds of 110 kilometers per hour and accumulations of up to 350 liters. They are expected waves of up to four meters on the coasts of Galicia. Image | TropicalTidBits | SrGPicker In Xataka | It’s going to rain in Galicia. It seems normal but it is something more: the prelude to a total change in the weather in Spain

The world keeps asking for more F-35 fighters, but China has turned off the tap to build them

by

He F-35 Lightning IIthe fighter more expensive and complex never built, is going through a critical point in its history. In September 2025, a report of the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that all deliveries in 2024 arrived late, accumulating an average of 238 days late. Now, a leak has revealed that delays can multiply, and China plays a fundamental role. The problem of the largest military program. They remembered a few months ago on Insider that the 2024 delays had one main cause: the stagnation of the Technology Refresh 3 technology package (TR-3), an essential hardware and software update on which the block 4 modernizationalready with an extra cost of 6,000 million dollars and five years behind schedule. The paradox was that, despite maintenance failures, deficiencies in availability and costs that already exceed 2 trillion dollars Throughout its service life, the F-35 remains the cornerstone of American and allied air defense. More than 2,500 units remain in the Pentagon’s planning, while the current fleet is barely “operational” half of the time. More money. Lockheed Martin, its prime contractor, continues to receive incentives even for late deliveriesin a program that no longer only faces technical delays, but a much more structural threat: global dependence on its supply chain. A global network. The F-35 is, by definition, a multinational aircraft. Of the more than 1,200 devices manufactured to date, about 42% of its components are produced outside the United States, in an industrial network that involves more than twenty countries. The United Kingdom, the only Tier 1 partner, manufactures in Lancashire the rear fuselages of all the F-35s in the world, as well as their tails, ejection seats and part of the electronic warfare system code. Italy and the Netherlands assemble structures and optical systems, while Australia, Canada, Norway or Denmark provide fuselage sections, wings or specialized electronics. Germany, Japan and Israel also contribute critical parts: from fuel tanks to helmet-mounted visors. This ecosystem, which combines thousands of suppliers under a single oversight, has made the F-35 the largest industrial cooperation project of defense of the planet. The small print. But, despite the geographical dispersion, total control The United States preserves it: the Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin jealously guard it the source codemaintenance keys, stealth algorithms and the ALIS logistics system, without which no country can operate the aircraft independently. Each export includes clauses that maneuvers are prohibited joint with Russian or Chinese systems and allow Washington to supervise every flight, every review and every software update. You hunt like hotcakes. By 2025, Lockheed Martin has opted to reverse the narrative of delays with a figure that reflects both ambition and vulnerability: manufacturing 200 fighters in a single yearone for each working day. In its third quarter earnings call, CEO Jim Taiclet announced that 143 units had already been delivered, with an order book valued at 179 billion dollars, the largest in the company’s history. The boom responds to the global increase in defense spending, with European countries accelerating its rearmament and new buyers (such as Finland or Japan) incorporating the F-35 as the central axis of their fleets. The plane has become a tool deterrence and cohesion between allies, a symbol of interoperability under the umbrella of Washington. But industrial success hides a strategic fragility: the complex network of components of the F-35 depends, directly or indirectly, on materials that almost entirely come from Chinafrom rare earth magnets to elements for critical sensors, servomotors and actuators. Beijing’s silent weapon. Through a Wall Street Journal exclusive We have learned that, while Lockheed Martin celebrated its best year for deliveries, China moved its own parts with surgical precision. Beijing announced the creation of a system of “validated end users” (VEU) to regulate the export of magnets and rare earth metals: essential materials for both F-35 fighters and submarines, drones or electric vehicles. The plan, presented as a measure of trade opening after the tariff truce between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, in reality aims to exclude any company from the flow of exports. linked to the military complex United States. In other words, the companies that supply the F-35 (from engine manufacturers to aerospace subcontractors) will be blocked, while supplies to civilian industries are prioritized. Strategic deterrence. With this system, Beijing can formally fulfill its promise of liberalize tradewhile suffocating the critical chains of the North American defense sector. The VEU architecture, inspired by the United States’ own export control mechanisms, turns industrial policy into a deterrent instrument strategic. The bottleneck. Chinese control over rare earths (70% of the extraction and more than 90% of the world’s processing) places Washington before a structural dilemma: Your most advanced hunting depends on a monopolized resource by its main geopolitical rival. Although the White House seeks to diversify sources through agreements with countries such as Kazakhstan, Greenland or Ukraine, replacing Chinese capacity will take years. In recent months, Chinese magnet exports to the United States fell 29%which has already begun to affect engine and guidance system manufacturers. If Beijing strictly implements its new system, it would not only slow down F-35 production, but could temporarily interrupt the logistics chain for maintaining fleets already deployed. In that scenario, the program that symbolizes Western technological supremacy would be conditioned by dependence on a strategic enemy. The paradox of a fighter. The F-35 was born as an emblem of interoperability and technological masterybut its evolution shows that military superiority is no longer measured only in radars or missiles, but also in access to mineralschips and advanced materials. As the world’s most expensive plane is assembled from parts manufactured on three continents and with magnets processed in China, its story becomes a metaphor for the 21st century: a war of interdependencies where each fighter that takes off carries within it a dose of global vulnerability. Thus, while Lockheed Martin tries to maintain its record pace of production and the Pentagon reinforces its leadership narrative, the real battlefield is being fought in the mines, laboratories … Read more

The lack of generational change has opened a job opportunity for thousands of young people in Spain: bus driver

by

The driver shortage In Spain and Europe it has generated an opportunity for those looking for a stable and well-paid job. Municipal companies are fighting to hire new talents who want to train as drivers of their city buses. The lack of generational change in passenger transportation is a problem that affects many local companies, which cannot fill the vacancies left by retiring drivers. The shortage of drivers in Spain and Europe. According to published data According to the European employment body EURES, in 2023 there were 105,000 vacancies for bus and coach drivers in Europe, which represents 10% of all positions in the sector and an increase in vacancies of 54% compared to the previous year. In Spain the situation is not better. The driver shortage already an officially recognized structural problem. The deficit affects both the freight and passenger transport sectors, and contrasts with the surplus in other professions such as administrative or technical personnel. The forecasts of the transport sector is that, by 2026, 37,000 new bus drivers and about 126,000 truck drivers will be needed. Why are there drivers missing? Among the structural factors that aggravate the shortage of drivers, the absence of a generational change. According to a report According to the Spanish Bus Transport Confederation (CONFEBUS), the aging of the workforce is one of the main reasons for this shortage. Data recorded by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) included in the EURES report indicated that, in many European countries, less than 5% of drivers are under 25 years old. Furthermore, the incorporation of women to the sector is very low, since only 12% of drivers in the EU are women. He sector It estimates that it will need about 24,000 new drivers per year to compensate for the rate of retirement of current staff. CONFEBUS also recognizes that working conditions in the sector Nor have they helped to attract young people: long hours, irregular shifts, temporary contracts and poor family conciliation. Access to training and certification is another obstacle, since the obtaining the CAP or the D permit entails a high cost, especially for young people or migrants who do not have sufficient economic resources and find there a barrier to accessing these jobs. Government aid for training. Precisely to alleviate this economic obstacle when obtaining permission to transport goods and passengers, the Government has promoted a Royal Decree which gives the green light to the Reconduce Plan, which offers aid of up to 3,000 euros to cover the costs of training and obtaining a bus or truck driver’s license. This helps is directed to people who want to train in the road transport sector and is available to cover the costs of the necessary courses and exams. The conditions to access this aid include being registered in the National Youth Guarantee System and meeting the age and training requirements demanded by the Ministry of Transport. Driverless buses. Faced with a prospect of constant staff shortages due to the progressive aging of the population, more and more city councils are deciding to start pilot tests with autonomous buses on their streets, not without some reluctance among the current driver templates. For example, in August the first test of this style was launched in Barcelona, ​​allowing a driverless bus to cover a short 10-minute stretch in open traffic. Our colleague Iván Linares tried it in first person. Madrid has just started a similar test autonomous bus, although in this case its scope of circulation is limited to Mercamadrid. These projects seek to modernize urban transportation and guarantee mobility, although they are still in the experimental phase, so they do not represent a short-term solution to the problem of driver shortages. In Xataka | Barcelona has grown tired of fining 80 cars a day for invading the bus lane. So he’s going to start monitoring them with AI Image | Wikimedia Commons (KingValid04)

Iniesta promised them happy retirement. Now they are investigating him in Peru for an alleged $600,000 scam

by

Andres Iniesta it’s news. And it is for something that has little to do with football, sports or entertainment. On this occasion the headlines are monopolized in the pages of the judicial chronicle on account of a controversy that arose in Peruwhere the Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the former midfielder for his role in an alleged chain of scams against businessmen in the country for a sum of around $600,000. Iniesta’s surroundings already has denied the accusations and talks about “malicious” information to take advantage of his image. It is not the first time that the former soccer player has been in the spotlight for his role as a businessman: years ago he did it for his wineries, both for a dispute with the Treasury as for your losses. What has happened? That the Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office is investigating Iniesta for an alleged “aggravated fraud.” The news has been reported by the country’s media, such as The Republic, Trome either Libero and it has been echoed in Spain by Efe agency, The Country either The Sixthwho has even spoken with one of those affected. Basically, the Public Ministry has opened a tax file on the former soccer player following a complaint related to the company NSN Barcelona, ​​linked to Iniesta. In the Prosecutor’s document (reproduced partially by The Republic) it can be read that the complaint is filed against Iniesta and at least two other people for “the alleged commission of crimes against property in the form of aggravated fraud.” The document also details that the “prestige” of the former Barça player played a key role in raising funds and committing the alleged scam. What is investigated? The facts reported by Gucho Entertainment and other Peruvian businessmen who claim to have invested around $600,000 in a series of events (sports and artistic) that supposedly had the support of NSN Sudamérica, a subsidiary of the company linked to Iniesta. His name would have made it easier for the Peruvian businessmen who have now gone to court to hand over thousands of dollars to organize a series of shows. Specifically, four are mentioned: the Upa Upa Fest, a friendly between the club Scientist of Cusco and the National of Ecuadora K-pop festival and another legends match between Peru and Spain. Of all of them, only one was held, the Upa Upa Fest, and it did not turn out as investors expected. In fact, it left considerable losses. And what happened? The problem is that the firm that was supposed to be in charge of the executive production of the events, NSN Sudamérica, declared bankruptcy in June 2024. The subsidiary entered into the liquidation process and allegedly did not return the money invested by the Peruvian businessmen to finance the rest of the shows. “No notification. We found out that the company was in liquidation. They never took responsibility for anything, although they were supposed to do so” reported on Monday Emilio Lozano, one of the supposedly affected businessmen, in an interview with ‘And now Sonsoles’, a La Sexta program. What does that have to do with Iniesta? That NSN South America is a delegation of NSN Barcelona. The former La Roja footballer himself celebrated the launch in 2023, according to statements collected by The Country: “We are very excited to be present in a country like Peru and a continent like South America to continue growing and promoting our values ​​around the world.” The subsidiary was established at the beginning of that year by a group of Peruvian and Spanish businessmen, the starting signal for attracting investors. The Prosecutor’s Office document not only cites the former soccer player, but it does underline that his name was essential for raising funds. How key was it? The writing is very clear. “The facts that will be detailed below involve Andrés Iniesta, who is a figure of international recognition for his achievements in professional football as a former player of the Club Barcelona of Spain and having been a former world champion with the Spanish team, who using this prestige authorized and supported the foundation of NSN Sudamérica to act as a subsidiary of his company NSN Barcelona throughout South America. However, that prestige was only used to raise capital from Peruvian businessmen under the deception that they were going to be invested in large events that were approved in coordination between NSN Barcelona and NSN South America,” reads the writing of the Prosecutor’s Office cited by The Republic. At the moment the agency has initiated preliminary proceedings for an alleged crime against property, a phase that will last several weeks. What does the company say? Mark distances. Through a blunt statement Iniesta and NSN make several points clear. To begin with, they “outrightly” deny the accusations that have been published in recent days. Second, they claim that the information has been published “maliciously” with the purpose of taking advantage of the image of “a public figure” like Iniesta. “We trust that the Peruvian justice system will clarify this situation very soon and we reserve the right to file appropriate actions in defense of our work and honor, requesting maximum rigor in the information published regarding this case,” concludes the official statement. From the ex-footballer’s entourage they have something beyond and they have explained to La Sexta that the former soccer player and NSN are also affected: they created a subsidiary in Peru “led by people who were not the right ones and harmed them and third parties.” “Those in charge made a mistake when it came to putting the right people in place,” abound. Images | Wikipedia and Carlos Fernández (Unsplash) In Xataka | If the question is how to add more epic to LaLiga, in Russia it is very clear: with AI, many muscles and topics

the dramatic breakup between Andy and Lucas

by

It is completely normal for duos or groups united with creative intentions to end up coming to an end: luck or inspiration runs out, and their members decide to go their separate ways or simply start living off the income. But there are other cases that are viewed from the outside with a mixture of curiosity and morbidity, which are the groups that end up like the Rosario de la Aurora: accusations, secrets that come to light, reproaches that have been brewing for years. That’s why we are following every detail of the Van Gogh’s Ear soap opera and that’s why Andy and Lucas’ breakup is so disturbingly compelling. Anthill and demands. On November 10, Andy performed alone at ‘The Anthill’ to talk about his brand new solo career, his first song without his partner (the poisonous ‘Puppet‘) and to clarify some of the many dark points that still float about the end of the relationship between the two. Significantly, the singer was concerned about the legal repercussions of the secrets he was telling, which discussed topics such as the progressive loss of creative control, the economic control of the band by Lucas, the absence of income from streaming and a fight that almost came to blows in Mérida. Only 24 hours later, it was learned that Lucas I would be preparing a lawsuit for damages against his former partner, with a financial claim that amounts to 150,000 euros. The reason is not only, apparently, the interview in ‘El Hormiguero’, but also various statements and comments that Andy has been dropping about the band in recent months. Why we like anger. That a death metal group breaks up because one of its members ate in the backstage raw babies (made up example), as horrible as it is, is in keeping with the group’s aesthetic and message. However, that groups like La Oreja de Van Gogh or duos like Andy and Lucas descend into the mud between accusations and threats of lawsuits, when their entire career has revolved around good feelings, declarations of love and consonant rhymes, provides us with a very stimulating contradiction, because the idea that those nice guys were hiding a dark life increases. Ordinary people. For more than two decadesAndy Morales and Lucas González composed the soundtrack of the daily lives of millions of Spaniards thanks to their casual style, flamenco guitars and simple, uncomplicated lyrics. The two people from Cádiz gave the charts a few songs supported by the very friendly image of their members, who seemed like friends on and off stage. However, his apparently peaceful breakup in 2020 it hid much more serious conflicts. First successescough and first friction. 2003 is the year of the album ‘Andy and Lucas’directed by a prestigious producer like Alejo Stivel, as well as his first hit, the unbeatable ‘Son de amores’, which in times before social networks became a hit thanks to youthful word of mouth. The “flamenquito” began to climb positions and became mainstream thanks to the emotional honesty of the duo, they began to fill stadiums. From there came other albums such as ‘ Desde mi barrio ‘, which reached triple platinum and was nominated for the Latin Grammys, or ‘ Ganas de vivir ‘ in 2004 (with songs like the one that gave the album its title), also a platinum record. Already then the first frictions arose: as Andy revealed in ‘El HormigueroLucas prevented him from appearing as co-author of ‘Son de amores’ More sauce: a love triangle. During this period a personal conflict also brewed that would have devastating repercussions on the duo. According to information in which the duo has not entered To comment, the producer of Andy and Lucas would have discovered his wife having a relationship with Lucas, which caused a physical fight between the two and a subsequent professional breakup. Andy also sided with the producer, which multiplied the tensions. Subsequentlythat same producer even talked about Lucas’s violent character, an issue that further eroded the duo’s relationship. By thenthe duo already arrived in separate cars to concerts and had different dressing rooms. Economic issues. After a few more albums, in 2018 they would leave Sony to create his own music label, A&Lwhich for all practical purposes cemented Lucas’s control over the duo’s finances. In fact, Andy also revealed that when they left Sony, Lucas was in charge of billing everything from his own SL and Andy had to trust his word. Apparently, although at the beginning of the duo he actively participated in the composition, that role was diluted over time by Lucas’s express decision, who made Andy his employee. At this pointpersonal communication between the two was practically non-existent. It is not the only financial shadow that hangs over Lucas’ management. Also around this time, a possible debt with the Treasury arises, which has been reported by different media, and which would have already accumulated around 175,000 euros, with the corresponding interest. This is information that some sources have denied it. To this would be added, in any case, the demand of a producer to Lucas, who accuses him of owing him 360,000 euros. The official separation. In November 2023, Andy and Lucas went to ‘El Hormiguero’ where they announced that the group would be taking a break from their career due to Lucas’ health problems. diagnosed with heart disease. They then discussed a temporary separation until the medical issues were resolved. Which initially there were going to be four concerts for goodbye became a tour throughout Spain with stops in various European citiesextending two years. The nose job. Yes of something there has been a lot of talk regarding the duo in recent months has been the appearance of Lucas’s nose: after an operation, and always according to the artist himselfdid not follow the doctors’ advice, which ended up deforming her to extremes that made her the target of memes and rumors. According to Andy in ‘El Hormiguero’, this operation was a catalyst for tensions due to … Read more

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.