huge

Carrefour has this huge 98-inch Samsung TV at an outlet price with which you won’t miss going to the movies

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Nowadays, large TVs have prevailed. It is now rare to see living rooms with 32 or 43-inch televisions (which have been relegated to the bedroom or kitchen). If you have plenty of space in the living room and have thought about buying a large TV, now in Carrefour They have a very interesting offer. You can buy this Samsung TU98DU9005KXXC by 1,699 euros. In addition, you have the possibility of getting 200 euros refund with your purchase. And, if this were not enough, you get a coupon of 254.85 euros for future purchases at the supermarket. If you want, you can finance it in 10 installments of 169.90 euros. LED TV 98″ (248.92 cm) Samsung TU98DU9005K The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A gigantic TV with good features As we have already indicated, the most striking thing about this TV from the Korean firm is its huge 98 inch screen. This is LED type and offers 4K Ultra HD resolution and has a refresh rate of 100 Hz. In the image section it is compatible with HDR10+ and when it comes to audio, its speakers offer a 20W RMS power. Although it is true that for this large TV, this power may be insufficient, it is always something that you can improve by connecting a sound bar. The operating system under which it works is tizen (Samsung’s own) and has the mode Multi Viewwhich is very useful if you are watching a show and want to zap while there are ads. Finally, we can also highlight its connectivity section, since it has a port ethernettwo USB 3.2, optical digital audio output, three HDMI 1.4, Bluetooth and WiFi. Some accessories that may interest you for this TV Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (Latest generation) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Sound Bar HW-Q600F/ZF 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 | Webedia and Samsung In Xataka | Best home theater projectors. Which one to buy and five recommended models from 299 to 18,000 euros In Xataka | Mega-guide to set up a home theater: projector, screen, sound system and more

North Korea believed the threat was miles from its border. A video has revealed that it is a few meters away with a huge warhead

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For years, North Korea has built your security on the idea that the most dangerous thing came from afar and could be seen coming in time. But on the peninsula, threats do not always come from the other side of the world: sometimes they develop much closer than anyone imagined. A “monster” missile. a video has revealed that South Korea has begun to operationally deploy the Hyunmoo-5its largest ballistic missile to date and one of the most peculiar in the world due to the combination of size and mission. Although it remains shrouded in secrecy and there are no publicly confirmed test launches, its input in units indicates that Seoul already considers it a real instrument of deterrence. A weapon designed for an extreme scenario on the peninsula, where the problem is not just attacking, but hitting what is buried, protected and designed to survive. The key: the head. What it places to Hyunmoo-5 In a category of its own is its warhead gigantic penetrationmuch heavier than that of usual conventional missiles. Where it is normal to carry loads of less than a ton, here we are talking about a block that can be around several tons, with an important part dedicated to dense metal and structure to pierce before detonating. The logic is simple and we have seen it before in the United States MOP: enter the ground at enormous speed, break through like a kinetic hammer and then explode once inside, attacking bunkers, command centers, warehouses and shelters designed to withstand traditional attacks. Ballistic bunker-buster. In terms of effect, it is reminiscent of bunker buster bombs launched from a planebut with a decisive difference: here it is not falling from a bomber at subsonic speed, but rather hits like a ballistic projectile at speeds close to hypersonic or directly hypersonic. This multiplies the penetration capacity by pure impact energyeven before counting the explosion. It does not make the weapon “nuclear,” because the type of destruction is different, but it does create a conventional tool with the power of entry and demolition that seeks to get closer to what a regime fears most: losing its underground shelters. Ceremony celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea The mystery of scope. The huge warhead penalizes the range, and that is why many estimates They place their radius of action around about 600 kilometersmore typical of a short-range missile despite the size of the set. For South Korea that is not a problem, because the priority objective is close and it’s concrete: Hardened facilities in North Korea. Still, if the load were lightened, it could reach much greater distances, even entering intermediate-range missile parameters, opening the door to broader regional readouts. Total design freedom. For decades, Seoul developed missiles under agreed limits with Washington, first very strict and then increasingly relaxeduntil those guidelines disappeared completely in 2021. That change was not symbolic: it came at the pace of North Korea’s advance in missiles and nuclear weapons, and left South Korea with room to create heavier, more capable systems with greater range options. Hyunmoo-4 had already raised the bar with a powerful charge, but Hyunmoo-5 represents the definitive jump to the idea of ​​“demolition power” as a main feature. The three-way strategy. Plus: the Hyunmoo-5 is integrated into the South Korean scheme designed to avoid or respond to a North Korean nuclear attack, with three pillars that complement each other: a preemptive strike plan on nuclear and missile capabilities if deemed inevitable, an air and missile defense to intercept launches, and massive conventional retaliation against leadership and strategic infrastructure if the North strikes first. On that board, the missile serves both to punish and to decapitate capabilities, because its specialty is attacking what the adversary hides underground to guarantee its continuity. Deterrence and escalation. They counted the TWZ analysts that the South Korean bet aims to maintain a “balance of terror” with increasingly forceful conventional means, but it also fuels an uncomfortable debate about the future. If Seoul one day decided to pursue a nuclear arsenal of its own, a missile from this family would be a natural candidateand a nuclear charge would also be much lighter than the current conventional one, which would expand range and flexibility. Meanwhile, the mere existence of Hyunmoo-5 already serves as an unmistakable message: even without crossing the nuclear threshold, South Korea wants the ability to open any relevant bunker and force Pyongyang to assume that his depth no longer guarantees security. Beyond Pyongyang. In public, South Korea frames these weapons as an answer to North Korea, but the regional background weighs more and more. Have a missile potentially adaptable in range and with a devastating payload add margin facing scenarios where the threat is not only from North Korea, but also from nearby powers such as China or Russia. The idea of ​​​​increasing their survival and employment options with future naval platforms is even contemplated, following the trend global from “arsenal ships”because in deterrence it is not enough to have the weapon: we must also guarantee that it will remain alive when the time comes to use it. Image | Lightrocket, 촬영 – 이헌구 기자 In Xataka | “It’s a level 10 Godzilla, but they only see a tiger”: South Korea’s surprising response to North Korea’s rearmament In Xataka | If the question is what has North Korea achieved in the last four years, the answer is simple: an unimaginable arsenal

The Vitruvian Basilica is the “holy grail” of Roman architecture. Also a huge enigma that we have finally solved

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If there is one thing that abounds in the presentations of archaeological finds (no matter where, when or who makes them) they are superlatives. Each discovery is the most important, the definitive one, the last missing piece to complete the puzzle. Another thing is that it really is like that. In the province of Pesaro and Urbino (Italy) the authorities they just announced a finding in which the opposite occurs: yes, there are superlatives, but they fall short. In the end, what they have unearthed there is neither more nor less than the “holy grail” of Roman architecture. In a stroke of luck, archaeologists have found the basilica erected 2,000 years ago by Marcus Vitruvius, which concludes a search for more than five centuries. What has happened? That Italy has put an end to a 500 year adventurethe time that archaeologists, architects and historians have been searching for perhaps the “holy grail” of Roman architecture: the legendary Vitruvian Basilica. Scholars placed it in Fanum Fortunae (current city of Fano) and for decades they probed its soil in search of vestiges or at least some indication. In vain. things changed about three years agowhen during the renovation works of the market square they found themselves (shortly half a meter deep) some remains that, we now know, belong to the basilica. “Millimeter correspondence”. What we have found under the cobblestones of Fano are Roman columns. So far nothing exceptional considering that we are talking about an ancient coastal city in the Marche region of Italy. The curious thing is that these vestiges fit closely with the description that Marcus Vitruvius left us of the basilica in his famous treatise. ‘Of Architecture’. The columns, their arrangement, the shape and layout of the nave coincide. The “definitive confirmation”, clarify from the Italian Ministry of Culture, arrived after the discovery of a fifth pillar that confirms both the position and orientation of the property. A planimetric reconstruction based on the description left by Vitruvius finally provided the guide. The coincidence is so precise that the authorities speak of a “millimeter correspondence”. “Imposing structures”. “The columns, around five Roman feet in diameter (147-150 cm) and about 15 meters high, rest on pillars and pilasters that supported an upper floor,” points out the Italian Government, which recalls that in 2022 experts were on the trail after discovering some “imposing masonry structures and marble floors” on Via Vitruvio. The confirmation that the remains belong to the old basilica does not complete the work. In fact, Cultura is already advancing that it will continue researching with the support of community funds. “Everything necessary will be done to recover and promote this exceptional find,” guarantees the regional president, Francesco Acquaroli. “Like Tutankhamun’s tomb”. During the presentation neither Francesco Acquaroli, nor the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, nor certainly the mayor of the town, Luca Serfilippi, spared praise (and superlatives). “The column behind us changes the history of the region. It is a discovery comparable to that of Tutankhamun’s tomb,” celebrated the regional leader. Giuli has used similar effusiveness, for whom the location of the mythical Roman basilica, erected ago two millenniabrand “a before and after” in archaeological history. “History books and not just journalistic chronicles will document this day and everything that will be studied about this exceptional discovery in the coming years. The scientific value is of absolute caliber,” he emphasized the Minister of Culture. “The vestiges discovered clearly demonstrate that Fano was and is the heart of the oldest architectural wisdom of Western civilization.” Is it so relevant? Whether the discovery of the Vitruvian basilica is comparable to that of Tutankhamun’s tomb may perhaps be discussed, of course what is undeniable is that it is one of the great archaeological news of the year (and that at the very least). The reason is not only the value of the building but that of its creator, Marcus Vitruvius (1st century BC), architect, engineer, treatise writer and author of ‘Of Architecture’a fundamental manual to understand Renaissance architecture. In his treatise Vitruvius addresses the three axes that would mark architecture for centuries: firmitas (firmness), utilities (functionality) and venustas (beauty). His work influenced, among others, León Battista Alberti, Andrea Palladio and Leonardo Da Vinci, who was inspired by its proportions to create one of the most iconic (and recognizable) drawings of all time: the ‘Vitruvian Man’. In ‘De Architectura’ the Roman architect does something else: he describes in detail the basilica that has now been found (finally) in Fano, a project in which was directly involved. In fact, the Ministry of Culture remember that it is the “only building attributable with certainty” to the Roman writer. Now we no longer need to imagine it. Images | Office Stampa e Comunicazione MiC In Xataka | We have discovered (again) the secret of Roman concrete. It’s less impressive than it seems

Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, is building a huge space telescope. The question is not how, but why

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If someone today wanted to build something like a new Hubble, it would make sense to think of years of reports, reviews and committees before the first piece of hardware is even manufactured. However, that logic has just been broken with an unexpected announcement: Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, and his wife Wendy have put on the table his own money to power not one, but four telescopes, including a large-scale space observatory. The move not only challenges the sector’s inertia, but raises a question deeper than budget or technology: what exactly is a former Silicon Valley executive pursuing by wading into the heart of modern astronomy. This is a project promoted by the Schmidt Observatory System, it seeks to cover everything from the deep sky to the detailed study of transient phenomena. A change of model. Currently, telescopes are generally in the hands of public agencies and academic consortia. Building ever-larger mirrors and then putting instruments into orbit turned astronomy into a matter of national budgets. The Schmidts’ entry into this arena suggests that, with new technologies and another way to finance risk, that historic balance could be starting to shift again. Risk, speed and open science. The approach behind the observatory system is not to compete with space agencies, but to cover the space left by their own processes, which are long, conservative and highly conditioned by public budgets. The Schmidts seek to finance concepts that have already been imagined by the scientific community, but that rarely overcome the barrier of official financing due to their level of risk or the deadlines they require. The piece that gives meaning to the whole and that really makes the difference is Lazulithe only one of the four projects that will leave Earth. It aims to cover a wide range of science, from transient events lasting minutes or hours to the detailed study of exoplanets, with a level of flexibility that large public observatories cannot always offer. Further, more agile. One of the clearest breaks between Lazuli and Hubble is where it will operate and how. While NASA’s telescope orbits about 500 kilometers from Earth, Lazuli will be placed much further away, in an elliptical orbit that should give it a clearer view and allow for fast and continuous data linking. Lazuli Space Observatory In the official description, Schmidt Sciences frames this operation in a “lunar-resonant” orbit. Added to this is a larger mirror, 3.1 meters compared to Hubble’s 2.4 meters, and an observation philosophy designed to react quickly to unexpected phenomena. One platform, several instruments. Lazuli is designed as a unique platform that integrates three instruments designed to cover everything from wide-field observations to the detailed study of exoplanets and transient phenomena. Wide-field optical imager with high cadence for photometric time series, 30′×15′ field of view and filters between 300 and 1000 nm Integral field spectrograph continuously covering 400–1700 nm, optimized for stable spectrophotometry and rapid sorting High contrast coronagraph to directly observe exoplanets and circumstellar environments, with contrasts of 10⁻⁸ and up to 10⁻⁹ after processing The era of array telescopes. Argus, DSA and LFAST They are not traditional telescopes, but rather distributed systems that take advantage of recent advances in computing, storage, and automated analysis. Instead of concentrating everything in a single structure, they distribute the collection of light or radio signals among tens or thousands of modules that are then digitally synchronized. This modularity aims to accelerate deployments and opens the door to observing the sky almost in real time, something fundamental for the astronomy of fleeting events. Render of the Argus Array (left), Deep Synoptic Array (right) Argus Array will bring together 1,200 optical telescopes in Texas to observe the northern sky almost continuously, with the idea of ​​being able to “rewind” what happened minutes or hours before an event such as a supernova. DSA, in Nevada and under the direction of Caltech, will deploy 1,600 radio antennas to map more than a billion sources and update its view of the sky every fifteen minutes. LFAST, for its part, will be installed in Arizona as a system of 20 80-centimeter mirrors aimed at large-aperture spectroscopy and the search for biosignatures, with a prototype planned for mid-2026. What the Schmidts have launched is, at its core, an experiment on the scientific system itself. Lazuli and his three colleagues on land aim to show that it is possible to build large-scale observatories more quickly and with an openness of data that does not always fit into traditional models. Whether that vision materializes will depend on factors yet to be determined, such as the final contractors, real costs or the feasibility of the schedules, but if it goes well, the impact will not only be measured in new discoveries, but in a new way of deciding what science is done. Images | Village Global | Schmidt Observatory System In Xataka | China has just resolved one of the biggest doubts about going to Mars with the birth of six space mice

There is a huge gap between what we think medical marijuana does and what it actually does.

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Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, relaxing, sleep inducer, anti-tumor, anticonvulsant… It is not the definitive medication leaflet, these are just some examples of what I have found when searching for “medical marijuana benefits.” According to a survey in the United States and Canada, 27% of citizens have consumed it to treat anxiety, relieve pain and sleep better. What if it is not as effective as we thought? This is what UCLA has just concluded after an extensive study in which they have analyzed fifteen years of data. The study. We have known him through New York Times. This is a very extensive review in which a group of psychiatrists from the University of California has analyzed more than 2,500 articles published from January 2010 to September of this year. They have included clinical trials, meta-analyses and clinical guidelines and have prioritized those that are based on larger and more relevant samples. The beliefs. In recent years, cannabis has become popular after its legalization in the United States, where It already collects more taxes than alcohol. According to the survey we mentioned above, people who used for medicinal purposes did so mainly to relieve pain (53%), sleep better (46%), treat anxiety (52%) and depression (40%). The conclusions. The study is conclusive: there is a huge difference between what we believe and scientific evidence. The evidence is strong in very specific cases, such as loss of appetite associated with HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy symptoms (specifically nausea and vomiting), and some severe pediatric disorders that cause seizures. However, for other conditions, the studies analyzed did not provide conclusive evidence of its effectiveness. For example, in the case of pain, one of the most common uses, clinical guideline from the American Association of Clinical Oncology does not recommend it as a first-line treatment due to lack of evidence. For anxiety there is also no solid evidence on the effectiveness of THC, but CBD consumed orally did obtain more notable results in reducing anxiety. Risks. While the evidence on its effectiveness is doubtful in many cases, the evidence on the risks is more extensive. Marijuana is associated with the appearance of psychotic symptoms and anxiety, especially that which has a high THC content, increasing the risk of anxiety disorder by 19.1%. Smoking marijuana daily increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 2%, the risk of heart attack by 1.7% and stroke by 2.6%. Addiction. On the other hand, there is the issue of addiction. The study estimates that 29% of people who use medical marijuana have a substance abuse problem, especially those who smoke it. Speaking to the New York Times, the professor and expert Ryan Vandreystates that this explains the improvements in insomnia that many consumers advocate; It is not that marijuana makes them sleep better, it is that they sleep worse if they do not consume it due to their dependence on the substance. “If they stopped using cannabis for a month, they might notice an improvement in their sleep. But most never make it to that month because, after a day or two without sleep, they convince themselves that ‘this is the only thing that helps me sleep, so I have to keep using it,’” he says. The excuse. It so happens that many medical marijuana users do not have any medical prescription. According to one survey published this year77% of consumers declared using cannabis for medical purposes, but only 28% consumed on medical advice. According to Kevin Hill, one of the authors of the UCLA review, there are justified and effective uses of cannabis, but there is a huge group of users for whom medicinal use is the excuse to “rationalize their recreational use.” Image | RDNE Stock project, Pexels In Xataka | The positive (and quite predictable) effect of legalizing the sale and consumption of marijuana

The creative death of Marvel’s MCU left a huge hole. One that in my case is filling WWE on Netflix

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Twice a week I like to live a cathartic experience, and it is something that I strictly adhere to since the beginning of 2025. WWE and Netflix they started a million-dollar collaboration (a decade at a rate of 500 million dollars a year) so that their star shows could be seen around the world. Gone are those weekend mornings in Four with La Bomba Batista, Rey Mysterio or Randy Orton who starred in the childhood of an entire generation, but thanks to the platform of streaming, nostalgia hits harder than ever by allowing us to experience nothing less than the farewell tour of the greatest of all time: John Cena. But beyond the trip to childhood, my religious weekly ‘Raw’ and ‘Smackdown’ have helped me realize that with a ring and a handful of wrestlers they are scratching the same part of the brain as I expected the MCU to activate during these last years. The interrelation of the character arcsinvincible enemies, unexpected turns of a hero and alliances on the horn is something that Marvel has lost since ‘Avengers Endgame’ and that I find almost every week in wrestling. All that is needed is a suspension of credulity that is generated by the cathartic nature of the slaps (choreographed, not fake) and by how dedicated the public is to an event that also has the added bonus of being held live. Perhaps it sounds ridiculous for those who have not known about this world for 20 years, or for those who have barely entered it, but once you are part of the wheel, it is difficult not to get hooked by multiple aspects: combats measured to the millimeter with a physical preparation from another planet, soap opera stories between the stars where the distance between reality and fiction is separated by a bad fall or a word out of the script, or demonstrations of aura with entrances like those of Penta either Roman Reigns. But everything has its dark side and, as often happens, being a woman places me (even more frequently) in a dilemma. 7 TRICKS to get the MOST out of NETFLIX Triple H is not spared either The eternal “separating work and author” that does not prevent the bitter taste in the mouth produced by wanting to see the new Woody Allen or Roman Polanski movie or refusing to continue reading to JK Rowling. And the WWE is an almost inexhaustible source of controversies that makes it very difficult to draw the line and be able to simply enjoy a high-quality show and wrestlers who give their all in vibrant fights. The WWE has suffered under the previous management of Vince McMahon and their continuous scandalsbut with the arrival in 2022 of Paul Levesque (known as Triple H for wrestling lovers, and also McMahon’s son-in-law) as the new content director, they wanted to sell a new post-Vince era, establishing a gender equality policy on the roster and moving away from wrestlers with whom racial stereotypes were promoted. Since the replacement took place, there is no doubt that the female presence has increased in WWE, and continues to do so year after year; In its annual report we can see that of its superstars a 40% are womenin front of the 35% from previous year. And not only does it increase in number, but in quality; offering us stories and combats that are often infinitely superior to those perpetrated by male stars on the roster. Names like Rhea Ripley either Becky Lynch They are the female reference and those who lead the way for new recruits. The combination of global streaming thanks to Netflix and the growing number of female talentshas been the key factor that has managed to boost the increase of this audience. And, already in the documentary ‘WWE: Unreal’, the creative director that high percentage stood out: “WWE women have become an integral part of what we do. 40% of our audience is female. So, when you start down the road to ‘WrestleMania,’ you try to approach it with them the same way you do with the guys, you approach the narrative in the same way. “However, at the same time, this reality is continually clouded by putting its stars against the ropes beyond the ring itself. And the figure of Triple H is not exempt from controversy either. It is not only that he has visited the oval office alongside Trump this summer to join the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, reminding us once again of the US president’s relationship with the world of WWE and, inevitably, being a reminder of what political side the company joins. Not in vain, when the worst of the pandemic forced bodies to pile up in refrigerated trucks, even in New York, the WWE was one of the first sports practices to resume thanks to an exemption from Republican Florida. But the bulk of the excesses during his mandate are directed at the female public. Wrestlers and female audience against the ropes The WWE, through a agreement with Saudi Arabia which began in 2018 with the celebration of one of its events in the Middle Eastern country, was added to the list of sports that participate in the sportswashing strategic to whiten the image of the regime. This agreement, reprehensible for all that it implies on a political and social level, becomes even more flagrant and uncomfortable if we highlight what it means directly for the women of the company. In those first three events since 2018, the participation of the women’s section was totally prohibitedneither could they compete nor, of course, were female audiences allowed. It seems that, therefore, with that agreement of 100 million dollars annually Triple H easily forgets about that high percentage of female spectators that he brags about. It was not until 2019 when the Saudi authorities, in a display of modernity, allowed female wrestlers to compete, as long as they wore wrestling clothing that completely covered their bodies. … Read more

All the unanswered questions left by Netflix’s purchase of Warner: a huge mess

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After a few weeks of three-way negotiations, it is finally Netflix that has won, with $82.7 billion ahead, take over Warner Bros.. Which includes, of course, HBO Max, but also the entire production arm of the veteran company, one of the few majors classics that remain in Hollywood. However, the purchase is of such importance that a multitude of questions arise, many of them still unanswered. This is everything we know (and don’t know) about this absolute revolution in the world of streaming. What we do know. Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced an agreement that radically transforms the entertainment industry. The operation, which is expected to close between the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027, unites the streaming giant and its more than 300 million subscribers with one of Hollywood’s most legendary film studios, founded more than a century ago. For now, Netflix must wait for CNN and Discovery to finish separating from what was their parent company. And now, the doubts. What will happen to Warner’s classic IPs and franchises? Netflix takes over a trove of intellectual property that includes the DC universe‘harry potter‘, ‘game of thrones‘, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo and the distribution rights to franchises such as ‘Dune‘ or the Monsterverse. It also acquires film classics such as ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Citizen Kane’, as well as emblematic HBO series such as ‘The Sopranos’, ‘The Wire’ and others close to the platform such as ‘Friends’. Netflix will most likely keep these franchises active and continue them. The company has stated in its statement that these IPs will allow “creating greater value for talent, offering more opportunities to work with successful intellectual property.” The big advantage for consumers is certainty: One of the fiercest criticisms of Warner Bros. Discovery under David Zaslav was the removal of content from HBO Max for tax reasons. Netflix has opposite incentives. Who knows…and if we get to see ‘Batgirl’? What has Netflix not bought and what Warner divisions and businesses are not included in the purchase? The deal completely excludes Warner Bros. Discovery’s global networks division, which will be spun off into a new company called Discovery Global. This spin-off has been planned since June 2025 and will be completed in the third quarter of 2026, before Netflix can close the acquisition, and includes assets such as CNN, TNT Sports in the United States, all Discovery channels (Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TBS, TruTV), the main free-to-air television channels in Europe, the Discovery+ streaming platform and Bleacher Report. This split makes strategic sense: Netflix has never shown interest in the traditional linear channel business, which is in structural decline. In fact, revenue from Warner Bros.’ cable television division. fell 23% in the last reported quarter. Netflix stays with what really interests it: production studios, content libraries and HBO Max. Are HBO Max prices going to rise? The most immediate answer is that most likely yes, although not immediately. Netflix has a documented history of regular increases: Since 2017, the platform has raised its rates by approx. every 18 months. The most recent one occurred in January 2025. However, the arrival of HBO Max changes the equation. When Disney acquired Fox in 2019 for 71 billion, Disney+ increased its price by 129% between 2019 and 2025. We must not be naive: with 302 million global subscribers after acquiring the 128 million of HBO Max, Netflix would exceed 420 million, a huge base where small increases will generate billions of dollars in additional income. Our bet: a single premium price between 20 and 25 dollars/euros per month by 2027, when the deal is underway. What does Netflix get apart from the catalog? Beyond content libraries, Netflix acquires monumental physical and operational infrastructure. You get the historic Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, a production facility that has been operational since the 1920s and includes multiple sets and top-of-the-line technical equipment. The company has emphasized that this will allow them to “significantly expand American production capacity.” Perhaps most transformative is the global theatrical distribution apparatus. Warner Bros. has deals with networks around the world, a network that Netflix has never fully developed. Netflix will inherit “a global distribution apparatus” which includes contracts, commercial relationships and an army of professionals: human teams made up of executives and creatives with decades of experience. Will you take advantage of it? Netflix has promised maintain “Warner Bros.’ current operations, including theatrical releases for films,” but frankly, and seeing Netflix’s relationship with theaters in recent years, there is reasonable room for skepticism. How is Netflix’s presence on HBO going to be creatively noticed? Speculative territory, but we can reason from the corporate cultures of each platform. HBO built its reputation through a creative process where pre-production is vital, with constant rewrites and only the best series receiving the green light. A meticulousness that has historically paid off, for example, at the Emmys. Netflix is ​​just the opposite: it renews and cancels without stopping, trying many things and sticking with what works. Possibly we will see a hybridization where HBO maintains its distinctive seal of quality, less fast food than Netflix, but accelerating production rates. As a curious note, in the presentation in London to which We attended just a couple of days ago The current CEO of HBO, Casey Bloys, highlighted the differences in creative approaches with Netflix as one of its strengths. Maybe everything will change from now on. What legal problems may arise for the purchase? The regulatory hurdles are substantial. The combined entity would exceed 420 million global subscribers, giving it more than 30% of the streaming market, a threshold traditionally considered problematic in US antitrust law. Republican Representative Darrell Issa warned this month that Netflix already possesses “unmatched market power” and that adding HBO Max “could result in harm to consumers.” Senator Mike Lee was more forceful, declaring in X that this transaction “raises serious competition issues, perhaps more so than any transaction I have seen in a decade.” Netflix … Read more

Europe had been asking for a big hit on the table for some time. Revolut just gave it a huge valuation

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Revolut was born in London as a fintech focused on digital payments and today it has become one of the most watched companies on the European financial landscape. It has already exceeded 65 million customers worldwide and its ambition is to reach 100 million, with its sights set on becoming the first global bank born from technology. Not only does it add users, it also builds physical structures: Spain was the country chosen to install its first ATMs with own brand. Now, he has added one more element to his story: a valuation of $75 billion. The operation validated by some of the largest funds in the world. The sale of Revolut shares was not carried out by traditional banks, but by some of the most influential investment funds in the technology sector, such as Coatue, Greenoaks, Dragoneer and Fidelity Management & Research Company. They were joined by names linked to large companies such as NVentures, NVIDIA’s investment fund, as well as Andreessen Horowitz, Franklin Templeton and T. Rowe Price. According to Bloombergthis operation has placed Revolut as the most valuable startup in Europe. It also allowed employees to sell shares, something Revolut has already offered on five occasions. A valuation that does not leave the stock market. Revolut remains a private company, so its shares are not available on public markets and its valuation is not set on the stock market. It is estimated from the price that investors accept when they buy a package of shares in operations like this: that price is taken as a reference to calculate how much 100% of the company would be worth. On this occasion, Revolut has made it easier for employees and existing shareholders to sell part of their stakes, while incorporating new investors into the capital. The result is a valuation that, as we say, sets the bar at 75 billion dollars. Revolut remains a private company, so its shares are not available on public markets and its valuation is not set on the stock market. Although it is still private, Revolut does publish figures that explain part of the investment enthusiasm. In 2024 it recorded $4 billion in revenue, with a growth of 72%, and $1.4 billion in profit before taxes, an increase of 149%. In 2025, the pace continues thanks to the performance of its business division, which already moves 1 billion annually. In addition, the company has made relevant regulatory progress: it has the final banking authorization for its next launch in Mexico, it has a banking incorporation license in Colombia and is preparing its arrival in India. Spain as a pilot bank. The Spanish market has become one of Revolut’s strategic laboratories. Here it inaugurated its first ATM network in Europe, with 50 machines installed and plans to expand to 200 next year. At the same time, it is exploring its entry into private banking by hiring specialized profiles. According to Expansionthe project is in the initial phase, but marks a symbolic step: it no longer competes only in mobile, but also in segments reserved for traditional banking. Europe gains visibility, but the United States sets the pace. That Revolut is the most valuable startup in Europe, as Bloomberg points out, demonstrates the moment that the technology sector is experiencing on the continent. Even so, the comparison with the United States remains significant: Reuters puts OpenAI at $500 billionabout 6.67 times above Revolut. There, the most notable startups come not only from fintech, but also from aerospace, autonomous vehicles, blockchain, design or productivity. Europe, on the other hand, has concentrated its progress mainly on fintech, quantum computing and corporate software. The $75 billion valuation does not automatically make Revolut a global bank, but it does send a clear message: large international funds are willing to back a model that mixes technology, financial services and international ambition. The next step will be to sustain that growth while obtaining key licenses, such as the one it is seeking in the United Kingdom. What is happening with Revolut shows that Europe can generate relevant players, although it remains to be seen how far they can go in a field historically dominated by American banking and technology. Images | Revolut In Xataka | A few weeks ago Amancio Ortega collected 1,552 million from Inditex: he just invested them in the second largest purchase in its history

It was a huge failure that now has another chance

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At the end of August, ‘Gran Turismo 7‘ received a update. The video game of PlayStation 5 He received five sports cars with the peculiarity that one of them was a minivan and, in addition, it was a huge commercial failure 20 years ago. It is about the Renault Avantimea very beloved model in some circles that took over a French company that manufactured sports cars and of which some 8,500 units were manufactured. Curiously, it is an ideal car for the United States, and now that it turns 25, it will finally reach that market due to a controversial import rule that was born due to… Mercedes. Minivan coupe. Let’s go with a little story about the Avantime which, as its name suggests, was a car that was born before its time. Presented as the CoupéSpace In 1999, Renault’s idea was to combine the spaciousness of a minivan with the sportiness of a three-door coupe. Manufactured by Matra (a company that was born in the 1940s as a sports car manufacturer), the Avantime began to be sold in 2001 with a single engine: a three-liter V6 with 207 HP. Then other engines came out, such as the 2.0 with 163 HP with turbo and the 2.2-liter, 150 HP diesel. The door The car was a boat: 4.64 meters long (a lot for its time, currently compact), 1.63 meters high and a great aerodynamic coefficient if we take into account its size. It weighed a lot, and much of the blame was on the two huge doors, 1.40 meters long and 50 kilos each. To open them without looking like the wings of an airplane, Renault and Matra engineered a double hinge that “folded” the door at another point. Your market? Europe, although it had all the earmarks of being an ideal car for the United States. Mercedes and the gray market. Renault never officially launched it in the North American country, but you might think that if someone liked it, they just had to buy it, homologate it and that’s it, right? That is, like this It has been made in Europe with some units of another recent commercial fiasco, the Cybertruck. Well no, and it all comes from Mercedes that began to be sold uncontrollably in the 70s. During that time, the United States experienced a boom in vehicle imports in the gray market. Americans discovered that they could buy European cars directly in Europe at prices significantly lower than those the Europeans themselves officially sold in the country. It is estimated that, in 1985 alone, 60,000 European gray market vehicles entered the US, and a fifth of registered Mercedes they were importing of Europe. The roof had to weigh a quintal The 25 year rule. The Germans, with an official presence in the country, were not amused because, furthermore, the cars being sold did not come directly from a European dealership. Mercedes herself did the test buying a model on the gray market, the 500SEL from 1985. It was a model with airbagsbut what they received was the ’84 model without airbags and with parts added later in a non-approved manner. Citing security reasons, and because the practice was harming the market, the company spent millions trying to push through Congress a law that would stop the private importation of vehicles that were not officially destined for the US market. They won: in 1988 approved the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act that prohibited these imports. There was one exception: vehicles over 25 years old would be considered classics and would therefore be exempt from the restrictions. Come on, it was not so much an issue of road safety as of preventing gray market sales from taking away part of the pie. Logical reason, on the other hand. Ahead of its time. That those stipulated 25 years will be fulfilled in 2026 means that Americans, those who like wide carsyou will be able to enjoy some of the most unique European creations of recent years. And seeing how the market is, in which it seems that if you are not an SUV you are nothing, surely one of the most unique of the times to come. Furthermore, that original version with the V6 gasoline is the most interesting version for that market. We will have to keep an eye on whether they begin to import some units that, why not say it, are not too expensive considering how scarce the model is due to the morrocotudo failure it was for the French. Specifically8,557 units were produced (taking into account the three engines) of the 80,000 they wanted to manufacture because they had difficulties with the doors and the heavy roof (a lot of glass and no pillar), but it would not have mattered: they sold very little because, in addition, it was an expensive car. In the United Kingdom it cost 24,000 pounds in 2022 and only 450 units were sold in the three years that it was available. This slap impacted Renault, but it took out a Matra Automotive that depended directly on the production of this car. I have to admit that I never liked it, but my partner Alberto does have his eye on a model that, beyond taste, is unique. So much so that even Renault itself has put him in his place. Images | Renault, Zvonimir Jurcic, Patrick Charpiat In Xataka | Is the myth that “older” cars were safer true?

Spain no longer knows what to do with its surplus of renewables. So he is going to build a huge electric bridge with Ireland

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Spain shines with sun and wind, but is drowning in its own green electricity. Solar and wind farms break generation recordsbut a good part of that energy is wasted due to lack of network, storage and connections with Europe. While the country operates in “reinforced mode”has found a possible solution to dispose of its renewable surplus. An electric bridge. On this path of releasing its excess energy, Spain has found in Ireland the best matches to connect. Irish Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, Darragh O’Brien, advertisement After a meeting with the Spanish Secretary of State Joan Groizard, both countries are working on the construction of an underwater electrical interconnector between Ireland and Spain. Speaking to RTÉ NewsIrish Minister Darragh O’Brien announced that the project will seek to be co-financed with European funds and be completed in the mid-2030s. It will not be a minor project: the cable, he explained, will allow the buying and selling of electricity between both countries, balancing generation peaks. O’Brien acknowledged that, for now, “Spain is more likely to export energy to Ireland,” because the country usually has a surplus of renewable power that it cannot always take advantage of. We’re going to a wedding. The idea of ​​joining Spain and Ireland with an electric cable may sound eccentric, but it responds to continental logic: countries that produce green energy need to sell it, and those that are isolated need to receive it. In this context, our country is a clear example of the first group. The country has one of the largest renewable capacities in Europe —more than 40GW new since 2019—, but its level of international interconnection it barely reaches 2.8%well below the European target of 15% set for 2030. On the other hand, Ireland belongs to the second group. Its system depends almost entirely on the United Kingdom and France, and the country is, along with Spain and Finland, among the most exposed to blackouts due to lack of interconnections. according to a study by the consulting firm Ember. The analysis warns that 55% of the European electricity system has limits on importing electricity, which increases the risk of supply failures. How will the new cable work? It will be a high-voltage underwater interconnector (HVDC), the same system already used to move clean electricity over long distances between countries. The project is inspired by the Celtic Interconnectorthe Ireland-France link that will open in 2027, and will allow gigawatts of renewable energy to be transported under the Atlantic. There is still no closed route, but the Bay of Biscay appears as the most likely option: there it is already another cable advances between Spain and France, co-financed by the European Investment Bank. The political objective is clear: integrate the networks of the European periphery into an interconnected continental system, less vulnerable to blackouts and more efficient in the use of green energy. Furthermore, both countries recently led a meeting in Luxembourg of the “Friends of Renewables” group, together with 15 Member States and the European Commission. At that meeting, the new European Electricity Grids Package was presented, considered “one of the key pillars to facilitate affordable, safe and clean renewable energy.” Everything starts from the cables. The challenge is not only in producing more, but in transporting and storing energy. Spain invest only 30 cents in the network For every euro allocated to renewables, half of the European average. In this way, the cable with Ireland would fit into a map of projects that aims to break the energy isolation of the Iberian Peninsula. In addition to the Bay of Biscay link, are underway the Navarra–Landes and Aragón–Marsillón connections with France, a third interconnection with Morocco and new links between islands and the continent. If all these cables materialize, Spain will go from being “an energy island” to becoming an energy node between Europe and Africa, capable of exporting its renewable surpluses at competitive prices. The next great leap in European energy could start here: an electrical wire under the sea that connects the Spanish sun with Irish houses. Image | Jules Verne Times Two Xataka | When an undersea cable breaks in Africa, there is only one solution: call the only ship that has been repairing them for more than a decade

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