people

The richest people in the world in 2026, grouped in a single graph

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If 2025 has left us anything, it has been a concentration of wealth in a few hands that had never been observed before. a report Oxfam Intemón estimates the growth of these great fortunes at 16% in 2025, this represents growth three times faster than the annual average of the last five years. The joint assets of the 20 largest fortunes in the world adds a total of 3.8 trillion dollarswhich represents a figure higher than GDP of most countries of the planet. That is, the fortune of the people who occupy the top 20 on the Forbes list would equal in wealth what countries like France (with a GDP of 3.36 trillion dollars and 68.6 million inhabitants), Italy (with 2.54 trillion dollars and 59 million inhabitants) produce in a year. To show the dimension of these fortunes in a more visual and easy to understand way, in Visual Capitalist have created a graph of the 20 richest people in the world of 2026 based on data extracted from the Forbes list of millionaires. The graph allows us to see a clear pattern: the AI is making gold to whoever touches it. The unbeatable Musk If there is something that stands out at first glance, it is the enormous wealth difference that separates the largest fortune in the world from the second. As of January 6, 2026, the date on which the “photo finish” was made to create this graph, Elon Musk’s estimated net worth was $714.2 billion. If we go back just five years ago, in 2020 the richest person was Jeff Bezos with a net worth of $145 billion. That is, the Musk’s current fortune is five times what it was in 2020 just five years ago the richest person in the world. That It’s not the only record that has marked Musk’s fortune in 2025. The businessman of South African origin has been the first person to have exceeded 700,000 million dollars, and is among the most likely candidates to become the first billionaire in history. Musk’s fortune in 2020 was “only” $24.6 billion, in a year in which the millionaire began to reap the benefits of the good sales results that the Tesla Model 3 were beginning to give, which had already surpassed your production problems. That represents a capital growth of 2,804% in just five years. Artificial intelligence: King Midas of the 21st century Five years ago, the “Top 10” of the largest fortunes was dominated by the founders of social networks, electronic commerce platforms and, among them, the undaunted Warren Buffett. On the other hand, today, the wealth of the world’s biggest millionaires is determined by their involvement in the development of AI. A good example is found in the leading role in that negotiation of the millionaires who occupy the first six positions. Leaving Musk aside, in second position is Larry Page, co-founder of Google and its parent company Alphabet, which thanks to the latest movements in the industry, have turned Gemini into the Apple native AI and in one of the models most influential in the industry. In 2025, Alphabet shares have appreciated by 63%which has had a favorable impact on the fortunes of the company’s founders. His partner, Sergei Brin, occupies fifth position, although in recent days he has climbed to third position. Given such a wealth boost, Jeff Bezos he had no choice He had to give up positions, leaving his 251.7 billion in third position in the ranking, although the recent boost in the fortune of Google’s founders has dragged him to fourth position, which to date was occupied by Larry Ellison, with an estimated fortune of 242.6 billion dollars. Ellison’s rise to the top of this list as one of the biggest fortunes of 2026 is another example of the level of enrichment and power that has provided AI to these millionaires. To put it in context, in just a few days, the founder of Oracle increased his fortune at 102 billion dollars. The arrival of AI caught Meta immersed in the metaverseand his latest decisions have not been the most applauded by investors. This has caused Mark Zuckerberg’s personal fortune to fall to $226.5 billion in 2026. However, if we look at it with perspective, the founder of Facebook had a net worth of $68.8 billion in 2020, so its increase has been 229% in just five years. Special mention in this section dedicated to AI goes to Jensen Huang, who occupies eighth position on the list of greatest fortunes thanks to the price of NVIDIA shares. However, Huang’s case is especially revealing of the link between AI and wealth growth of its main architects. In 2020, the CEO of NVIDIA declared $4.7 billion. In 2025, That fortune is estimated at 162.5 billion dollars. At the current value of his company, Huang stands to lose the equivalent of his fortune in 2020. in a single morning. There are millionaires beyond AI We have to reach seventh position on the list of the biggest fortunes in the world in 2026 to find the first millionaire who, at least a priori, is not involved with AI. This is Bernard Arnault, who since losing his throne as the richest person in the world in 2023 has lived a real roller coaster of rises and falls in the valuation of his fortune due to the crisis of LVMH’s luxury liquor and spirits divisions and the drop in sales in China of his Louis Vuitton flagship brand. In ninth position we find Warren Buffett, a veteran investor who has been able to read the markets to surf the wave of stock market swings to remain at the top of the list of the greatest fortunes in the world during the years. last 20 years. However, and to the envy of the S&P 500, the profitability of his fortune in the last five years has been 98.5%, going from $73.4 billion in 2020 to the $147.5 billion at which his current fortune … Read more

traffic jams, collapsed buses and 400,000 people without a planned alternative

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Closed with a message at midnight and no backup plan. This is what the 400,000 people who take one of the Rodalies trains in Catalonia every day have found. The railway system has come to a complete halt after the an accident in Gelida (Barcelona) in which a trainee driver died and a second train derailed, this one without consequences, between the stations of Blanes and Maçanet (Girona). What has happened? Last night, Rodalies Catalunya reported that a train on Rodalies line R4 in Barcelona had suffered an accident. In it, everything indicates, a retaining wall fell on the train as it passed. On impact A 28-year-old trainee train driver has died and 37 injuries have been recorded, of which five are in serious condition. Furthermore, between the stations of Blanes and Maçanet (Girona), a few hours earlier another train had derailed. This time as a result of a landslide that left some rocks on the road. In this case there have been no victims on a train in which only 10 people were traveling. Click on the image to go to the original tweet Rodalies closes. A few minutes before midnight, Adif confirmed that all Rodalies lines in Catalonia were suspended until the status of all the lines was checked, but assured that, when it was verified that there were no obstacles on the tracks, the service would be restored. This morning, the trains have not left the depots. Rodalies confirmed that the train service will remain suspended until Adif checks the status of all the tracks. Rodalies points to the damage caused by Storm Harry, which has left heavy rains in Catalonia and has even been warned of flooding. The stoppage also comes after SEMAF (Spanish Union of Railway Machinists) will release a statement announcing that they are going to call a general strike in the sector and that they would stop the service if security was guaranteed throughout the Catalan network. Click on the image to go to the original tweet 400,000 people. Every day, around 400,000 people move around Catalonia using the Rodalies service. Today, Wednesday, January 21, they learned that there are no trains to get to work or drop the children off at school. But, above all, there is no alternative plan to replace the trains, so passengers have to find their own means to get around. Rodalies has 134 stations and its 462.7 kilometers of tracks cover the most extensive Cercanías service in Spain. In total, it is made up of 13 Cercanías lines and 6 regional train lines. The Barcelona Cercanías service, with six lines and two branches (R2 Nord and R2 Sud), is the most extensive. a challenge. The suspension of the service without alternative measures anticipated a chaotic day in Catalonia and, especially, in Barcelona. And the forecasts have been fulfilled. In The Country They note that many passengers were not aware of the measure when they arrived at the stations and that they were not offered any alternative there. In The Vanguard They collect complaints from passengers who are not being told when service can return. Some of them, they point out in the newspaper, have waited for an hour at the stations for trains that have never arrived. It was not until 7:00 when the stations closed definitively. From early in the morning, bus services are saturated in Barcelona. In 20 Minutes They collect the voice of a driver from Barcelona, ​​who assures that “it is chaos. Normally we are always full, but today even more so.” Given the difficulties students face in arriving, the University of Barcelona has canceled all exams. The rest of the universities in Catalonia maintain normal activity although they have asked students who cannot travel to an exam to contact their teacher as soon as possible. For now, the only alternative proposed by the Generalitat It is the recommendation to prioritize teleworking wherever it is allowed or possible. The roads. On the roads, Trànsit has chosen to raise the toll barriers on the C-32 south in both directions of travel. To the suspension of Rodalies we must add the impact on traffic on fifteen roads (ten of them are cut off by floods or landslides) as a result of the storm that is hitting the autonomous community. In The Newspaper They report that all accesses to Barcelona are jammed or have been jammed early in the morning. In addition, various accidents have made traffic even more complicated. Photo | Transit In Xataka | The liberalization of the AVE has not gone down well with Renfe, so now it has a plan: delay the Cercanías movement as much as possible.

The “pop” Catholicism of Hakuna and Llamados is filling pavilions with thousands of young people. The problem: they seem evangelical

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Two Catholic events in Madrid in just 48 hours, making a couple of undeniable circumstances very clear. First, the Catholic faith has taken root among the youngest people speaking in their same language: with mega concerts and massive events. Second, behind this apparent en bloc following lie different trends that threaten to break up the crowded world of Spanish faith, overflowing with interests that pull in opposite directions. The events. On Monday, January 13, the Movistar Arena welcomed 6,000 people in ‘Llamados’, a prayer meeting organized by the Parish of Santo Domingo de la Calzada (Algete) and Alpha España (Spanish branch of Alpha International, a method of evangelization born in the 70s within Anglicanism and that explores faith in an informal environment). The next day, the Vistalegre Palace gathered 12,000 attendees at the Hakuna Group Music concertthe Catholic group fashionable in Spain. The debate. What has ignited the debate is the group’s presence in ‘Llamados’ hillsong as opening act This Australian evangelical group, a Protestant icon, is a clear example of some “evangelical ways” that radically depart from historical Catholic practices and discourses. Contemporary music with rock instruments, giant screens, an abundance of emotional personal testimonies, moments of worship with raised hands… and all in spaces more associated with concerts than with traditional liturgical celebrations. His actions are controversial among the most traditional sectors of Catholicismbut the discussion now reaches Spain. The context. Hakuna Group Musicthe Catholic youth movement founded in 2013 by Father José Pedro Manglano has become the emblem of this new trend of transforming faith into a mega-conceit. Their song ‘Huracán’ surpassed two million views on social networks after the September 2022 concert in Vistalegre, which brought together 8,000 people, figures within the reach of successful traditional pop groups. The precedent. This Spanish phenomenon has its clearest precedent in the United States. In July 2024, more than 50,000 Catholics gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congressan event that marked a turning point and where catholic bishops sang ‘How Great Is Our God’, the characteristic hymn of Elevation Churchone of the most influential evangelical megachurches in the world. For many faithful, this phenomenon represents “a new ecumenical liturgical movement“which is not based on the harsher and more inaccessible Catholic tradition, but on shared music and common experience. And the truth is that this drift towards pop is normal: after all, traditional sacred music is not designed for crowds of tens of thousands of people. In other words, it does not have choruses or lololós. The CWM. The music that plays in ‘Llamados’ and in Hakuna’s concerts falls within a specific genre: Contemporary Worship Music (CWM), born in American Pentecostal and charismatic churches since the 1960s. It is now a global industry that moves millions of dollars. Among its characteristics are lyrics focused on direct praise to God and written in the first person, simple and repetitive melodic structures designed to be chanted, and instrumentation typical of pop-rock bands. The goal: an immediate emotional experience. The criticisms. Some critics draw parallels of this movement with the prosperity gospel or prosperity theology, an evangelical current that teaches that God rewards faith with material success and health. Magazines like the Jesuit La Civiltà Cattolicaapproved by the Vatican, warned in 2022 that elements of this theology had penetrated Catholic communities, especially through the charismatic movement, transforming the traditional understanding of redemptive suffering. That is to say, the loss of the traditional penitential component of Catholicism, to which the Latin faction is so closely related, is perceived. In Spain, the Church has welcomed with open arms the avalanche of young faithful brought by these concerts and events. But there are dissident voices: the Catholic School of Apologetics speaks of ‘12 Reasons why it is not good to listen to Protestant music‘, and warns about the “tyranny of feeling” that prioritizes “feeling” over “believing”, as these songs often enunciate. At Catholic.net they talk that this type of music can inject Protestant beliefs into the Catholic faith, and there are numerous isolated voices that warn of the danger of these mass events. All with Calls. However, the advancement of phenomena like Llamados is important. Organizers have explicitly positioned it as a model of mass evangelization ahead of the Jubilee of Redemption in 2033, which will commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Christ. With the religious practice in free fallevents like these are one of the few phenomena capable of massively mobilizing young people towards explicitly Christian experiences. But is it a renewal or just a youth fever, in line with the cycles of action and reaction (now that more conservative winds are blowing) that we have always experienced? In Xataka | A blessing that drives likes and sales: “x-ray of chic Catholicism”

We have been obsessed with Japan for decades to understand people who live over 100 years. The key was in Brazil

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For decades, when science was searching for secrets of aginghe always looked in the same places: Japan’s “Blue Zones”Sardinia or the icy and homogeneous populations of northern Europe. However, researchers have pointed out that all this time we have been ignoring a biological gold mine: Brazil. The study. Understanding why there are people who live to be over one hundred years of age is undoubtedly an objective of science to to be able to unlock possible therapies in the future that will extend our lives much longer. Since it is curious that in specific areas such as Japan the population ages far beyond the normal average, being a mystery to science (although the reasons are already gone). The latest research on the matterpublished on January 6 in Genomic Psychiatry, has identified a genetic mix in the South American country that could contain protective variants invisible in more uniform populations. The Brazilian superhumans. The study, led by geneticists Mayana Zats and Mateus Vidigal de Castro, is based on the analysis of a group of more than 160 centenarians and at least 20 supercentenarians, who They are those people who are over 110 years old. Among these people, some quite relevant figures stand out, such as Sister Inah, who reached the age of 116, and several of the oldest men in the world, according to the LongeviQuest Atlas. But what really makes this group of people who have been analyzed by researchers special is not their age, but their biological resilience. Its biological resistance. The researchers’ main thesis is that the intense Brazilian miscegenation, fruit of centuries of interaction between indigenous populationsPortuguese colonizers, enslaved people of African origin and European and Japanese immigrants, has created a unique genomic diversity. By analyzing this genetic “breeding ground”, scientists have identified millions of variants that do not appear in large international biobanks. The hypothesis suggests that this mixture allows protective variants to emerge that are practically invisible in homogeneous populations. It is, in essence, a search for the genes of resilience in an environment of maximum diversity. COVID resistance. Without a doubt, it is one of the most fascinating examples of this history, since before the arrival of vaccines, three supercentenarians of the study they managed to survive the disease. By analyzing their immune response, the researchers found a concentration of cells related to innate defense that was very efficient. In this way, it was seen that individuals not only live longer, but also have a defense system capable of neutralizing threats that are lethal to people decades younger. Something that seems to be related to an increase in biological processes related to autophagy, that is, the ability of some cells to literally clean the body of harmful components. What was already known. This paradigm shift connects with previous works such as those done by researcher Manel Esteller on the epigenetic profile of the Spanish María Branyasthe oldest Spanish person of all time. In this case, what was done was to understand the “biological clock” of longevity in Europe. Now, the Brazilian project expands the map into the unknown. By sequencing entire genomes in this mixed-race population, scientists have discovered some eight billion undescribed variants, many of which could have a functional impact on how we age and how our cells withstand the test of time. Towards the future. The study of Brazilian supercentenarians is not only a matter of biographical curiosity about who holds the age record, but a critical step towards genomic medicine of the future. By understanding how the mixture of ancestors can concentrate protective factors against degenerative or infectious diseases, science is getting closer to discovering whether there is a biological “formula” for longevity that can be translated into therapies for the rest of the population. Brazil, with its genetic mosaic, is demonstrating that the most complex answers to our survival could be written in the genes of those who, against all odds, have seen more than a century of history pass by. Images | Unsplash In Xataka | The change of year has a weapon to slow down your aging: a list of New Year’s resolutions

There are people obsessed with doing a post-Christmas “detox” based on juices. Your body has something to say about it

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In the era of scroll infinite, the TikTok algorithm seems to have found the potion of eternal youth in 250 milliliter format. One day is the water with lemonother apple cider vinegar and, more recently, the beet shots either beet shots. Under labels like #detox or #guthealth, influencers with millions of followers promise to “cleanse” the body, flatten belly and speed up metabolism with a simple morning gesture. However, behind the careful aesthetics and pseudoscientific jargon, the medicine is forceful: your body is not a room that needs a three-day “cleaning spree”, but a complex system that already knows how to take care of itself if we do not hinder it. The viralization of deception. Behind the fascination with miracle cures operates a multi-billion dollar industry that capitalizes on consumer vulnerability. after the excesses, according to a report in The Washington Post. However, the phenomenon transcends conventional marketing to establish itself on social networks with alarming data: an analysis of Eating Behaviors Magazine on content on TikTok revealed that 97% of videos promoting supplements and dietary products lack any scientific basis. “Microbiota“. This gap between digital popularity and medical evidence evidences a public health problem where misinformation is monetized on a large scale. According to this same study93.6% of content creators do not mention their credentials, and the vast majority of promotions (95.7%) do not even clarify whether they are sponsored by brands. We are literally entrusting our metabolic health to strangers who they use terms as “microbiota” or “low-grade inflammation” to construct an illusion of rigor that sells much more than the boring reality of eating whole vegetables. The “detox” myth. Why do we feel “better” after a juice program? According to expertsit is not because of the mystical properties of celery or cayenne, but because we have stopped consuming ultra-processed foods, added sugars and alcohol for a few days. However, the concept of “detoxifying” the body with fluids is, biologically, nonsense. Dr. Tinsay Woreta maintains that the human body It operates with a highly efficient natural filtration system, where lungs, intestines and kidneys constantly eliminate toxins and pathogens. In tune, Mayo Clinic highlights the lack of scientific evidence on the alleged accumulation of waste requiring external “washing”; On the contrary, the institution warns that extreme cleansing, such as colon cleansing, poses an unnecessary danger that can lead to dehydration, infections or even rectal perforations. What science says (and TikTok remains silent). Far from being harmless, these diets can be counterproductive. According to a study from Northwestern Universityeliminating fiber to consume only juices—even for just three days—drastically alters the oral and fecal microbiome, increasing bacteria linked to inflammation and cognitive decline. Fiber is food for “good” bacteria that produce anti-inflammatory compounds; Without it, sugar-loving bacteria multiply. Even the “king” of home remedies, apple cider vinegar, has fallen from its pedestal. The famous study that supported its benefits for losing weight was retracted due to inconsistencies in the data and statistical errors. The reality is that taking it on an empty stomach can irritate the esophagus and permanently damage the enamel of your teeth. What is the real alternative? If the goal is longevity and liver health, science proposes replacing the “shot” with sustainable habits: Fruit is eaten, not drunk: Longevity expert Peter Diamandis a vital advice: If you like oranges, eat them whole. By juicing, you destroy fiber, which worsens satiety and triggers sugar absorption. Look North: As we obsess over supplements, the “new Nordic diet” is winning the battle to the Mediterranean in some studies. This pattern (based on canola oil, whole grains like rye, and berries) reduces the risk of fatty liver by a staggering 58%. Strength versus fragility: Walking is great for the heart, but to age with autonomythe body needs weights or elastic bands. Strength exercise is the only way to stop sarcopenia (muscle loss) and release myokines, proteins that protect the brain against Alzheimer’s. Be careful with him Protein Chic: The trend of adding protein to everything (coffees, yogurts, bars) is often an unnecessary expense. Dr. Stuart Phillips points out that excess protein It doesn’t build muscle on its own—training does that—and can unnecessarily strain the kidneys and liver. Health has no shortcuts. In short, science suggests that the best “cleanse” is one that is not done intermittently. As the experts consulted by The Washington Post concludea week-long juicing regimen cannot undo the damage of a sedentary lifestyle or a regular poor diet. The next time you watch a video with a magenta liquid promising miracles, remember: your liver is already working at full capacity while you sleep. What he really needs is not a trendy juice, but rather that you give him three days of weekly alcohol rest, a diet rich in fiber and, perhaps, that you stop searching on your cell phone for what can only be found in the market and in the gym. Image | freepik Xataka | We have been obsessed with the Mediterranean diet for decades. Turns out the Nordics had a much better solution

The DGT does not have an “ITV for V-16 beacons”, but the fact that many people believe that it does reveals how confusing everything is being.

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You will have read that the DGT has launched an MOT for the V-16 beacons. Well, there is no MOT for V-16 beacons. The DGT has not launched a new procedure. There are also no V-16 beacons that were approved and are no longer so. And although it is very likely that you have read the opposite, you can rest assured if you have purchased one of the beacons that the DGT has now supposedly suspended. Having said all this, it is normal that you are confused and that is why we are going to explain what happened. There is no MOT for beacons and you don’t have to do anything If you have read that the DGT has launched an ITV for beacons, we confirm that you have fallen into a clickbait. And to explain certain terms it is common to use a concept well known to everyone (in this case the ITV) to point out that the V-16 beacons will pass a exam every two years (as happens with cars). It is the same that occurs with the calls “continuous line radars”. They simply do not exist, it is a system that uses other technology but to popularize them among readers they talk about “radars” when in reality they work in another way. In this case something similar happens, with the aggravating factor that it is not entirely true that the V-16 beacons are passing an exam every two years. The latter is nothing more than the renewal of a license to be able to put approved V-16 beacons on the market. My partner Yúbal Fernández gives the answers to all the questions that may arise in this article. To understand the origin of the mess you have to go to the DGT website. There, where all the approved models are listed, another list appeared a few days ago called Brands and models with certificates with expired validity. It includes four models of beacons (three of them from the company Ledel Solutions and the other from the company Ditraimon). They are, in the literal words of the DGT, “brands and models with certificates of completed validity that covered their manufacture, being valid for use by drivers who have acquired them until the end of their useful life.” To clarify all doubts we have contacted the DGT who has explained to us that this is an administrative procedure and not a purely technical one. They have clarified to us that when you receive a certificate to put a V-16 beacon on the market, it is valid for a period of two years. When this ends, there are three possibilities: The manufacturer resubmits the same beacon to the corresponding laboratory. In that case, it is verified that all requirements are still met and the manufacturer can continue selling said beacon. The manufacturer presents the beacon but with a cut in its characteristics. In that case, if it does not meet the minimum requirements, the beacon cannot be sold and the manufacturer loses the certificate. At that moment he enters the new DGT list. The manufacturer has no intention of continuing to sell the beacon and does not appear for the certificate renewal. In that case, you lose the certificate immediately and cannot continue selling that same beacon. Therefore, the so-called “ITV for beacons” is nothing more than an administrative renewal in which it is confirmed that the manufacturer continues to comply with the requirements required to put the beacon on the market. But it only applies if he takes the said exam. That is to say, in that case it does work like the MOT of a car, which only receives approval if we take the “exam” and pass it. Or the renewal of the driving license, which we will lose after its validity if we do not undergo the relevant tests. What can lead a manufacturer to not renew its certificate? Simply put, a company can forget this procedure if it does not want to continue producing this beacon because it is not achieving the expected profitability or has a product that works better in the market. A good example is the company Ledel Solutions, which has not received the renewal of the certificate for three products. However, it has up to 32 different beacons with the approval of the laboratories. Some of these certifications were issued last November or December 2025. AND if you have bought any of these beacons, there is no problem either. The DGT has insisted that if the beacon is in the commercial area we go to, we can rest assured because it will have met the technical requirements if it has been approved by the DGT. That is why it is important to check before paying if the model in question is on the list of Certified brands and models. In any case, remember: we are talking about a purely bureaucratic process in which the driver is not affected in any way. If you bought a V-16 beacon that is part of the new DGT list, you have nothing to worry about and no need to buy a new one. Your connectivity is guaranteed for at least 12 years and no one is going to fine you for carrying a V-16 beacon if the product has the DGT certificate. Photo | Aeca-ITV and Geobeacon In Xataka | Fines for improper use of the V-16 beacon: when you can be fined for using it off the road and when you can’t

It has become a bottomless pit of people stripping women with AI

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Since AI Grok has conquered what was once Twitter, the social network has become an infinite well of content generated by artificial intelligence. The problem is when that content is used to misinform or ends up harming other people. And today, Grok has become one of the main sources of sexualized images created without consent. Just like they count According to Bloomberg, the chatbot generated approximately 6,700 such images per hour during a 24-hour period in early January. The magnitude of the problem. On X there are many users who spend their time using Grok to modify photos that other people publish on the social network, generating versions in which they appear scantily clad or in sexualized situations. The middle appointment the findings of independent researcher Genevieve Oh, who identified that during the analysis carried out between January 5 and 6, Grok produced these images at a rate 84 times higher than the other five websites most active in this type of content. Oh estimated that 85% of the total images produced by Grok have been generated to sexualize. What’s special about Grok. Unlike other chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude either GeminiGrok doesn’t impose many limits on generating sexualized content from real people. Users can tag Grok’s account in replies to other people’s posts and request that he modify the original images. The most common requests include phrases such as “put her in a bikini,” “take off her clothes,” or “change her clothes to a see-through bikini.” The chatbot generates these images in a matter of seconds and publishes them automatically, linking them to the victim’s original publication. Victims without response. Maddie, a 23-year-old medical student cited per Bloomberg, woke up on New Year’s Day to discover that several strangers had altered a photo of her and her boyfriend using Grok. First they removed their partner from the image and put her in a bikini, then another user asked Grok to replace the bikini with dental floss. “My heart sank. I felt hopeless, helpless and just disgusted,” she said. When she and her friends reported the images through X’s moderation systems, they never received a response. In a different case, X determined that there were no “rule violations” in the reported content. According to the mediumthe images were still on the social network at the time of the publication of the report. Cases media. The problem has even reached public figures. And as they say from Guardianmultiple users asked Grok to alter an image of Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister, Ebba Busch, to show her in a bikini. In addition to this, two British government ministers have also been victims of these manipulations. Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, a group specialized in investigative journalism, counted to the outlet how Grok responded to instructions such as “bikini now” or “put a bikini with the Confederate flag on her” over the photo of Busch in Parliament. Musk and X’s response. In the face of recent criticism, Elon Musk claimed in X that “anyone who uses Grok to create illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they uploaded illegal content.” However, this strategy of punishing users instead of preventing the chatbot from generating the content appears to have proven ineffective. Just like they count From Bloomberg, when someone requests to remove those images in the comments, Grok often apologizes and says he will take them down, but in many cases the images remain and the system continues to generate new ones. Legality. Carrie Goldberg, attorney specializing in online sexual crimes, explained to the outlet that the scale of deepfakes on X is “unprecedented” and noted that the platform “is not acting as a passive editor. It is actually generating and creating the image.” In this sense, the Law Take It Downapproved in the United States in 2025, holds platforms responsible for the production and distribution of this type of content. Brandie Nonnecke, of Americans for Responsible Innovation, counted Bloomberg that platforms have until May 2026 to establish the required removal process. Increasingly widespread use. Although the technology to create sexual deepfakes is not new, as there are dozens of websites and Telegram bots dedicated to undressing people, the fact that this capacity is hosted by a social network as well-known as X marks a turning point. And unlike specific image manipulation services, Grok is free, produces results in seconds and is available to millions of users on X. Sloan Thompson, of the EndTAB organization, pointed out Wired said that “when a company offers generative AI tools on their platform, it is their responsibility to minimize the risk of image-based abuse. The alarming thing here is that X has done the opposite. They have integrated AI-enabled image abuse directly into a mainstream platform, making sexual violence easier and scalable.” Cover image | Tamara Bellis and Antonio Vallejo In Xataka | We are entering a new era of robotics driven by AI and Disney is its perfect showcase

There are people stealing spoons, napkins or glasses in restaurants. And for many it has become an economic drain

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Those of us who have lived in student flats know that there are objects that appear without anyone remembering very well how they got there. A jug of 100 Montaditos, for example. Be careful, I’m not accusing anyone, I found her in the kitchen when I lived sharing a flat in Barcelona. The fact is that stealing—not stealing—utensils from bars, restaurants or hotels is not something new. What is new is the standardization with which it is done and the real cost it is beginning to have for the sector. Because taking a “cute” spoon, a nice glass or a towel with a logo is not an isolated anecdote or a cute prank. It is a widespread, systematic phenomenon and, according to national media and internationalincreasingly expensive. When it affects the budget. The problem is no longer anecdotal. According to data provided to The Spanish by the gastronomic agency Foodie Love, the constant disappearance of objects forces many bars and restaurants to reserve a specific replacement item. In the province of Alicante, one of them – distinguished with a Michelin star – allocates around 2,000 euros annually solely to replacing what customers take away. The phenomenon has been described in this environment as “posh thefts”: thefts committed not out of necessity, but for fun, collecting or simple impulse. However, the label is as striking as it is questionable. Because, more than sophisticated, these thefts are repetitive, predictable and, in many cases, quite shabby. There is no epic or transgression: there is economic wear and tear and a progressive loss of quality in the premises. The impulse to take something “just because.” The objects that disappear are repeated with an almost industrial regularity: tableware, consumer products and bathroom items. On tables, what flies the most are coffee spoons, especially if they have a special design, color or texture. While a basic one can cost one euro, a designer one costs four. Saucers, cups, oil bowls, sugar bowls or sweetener jars they follow the same path. Some restaurants they recognize having to buy dozens every month. The bathroom is another key focus. As waiters report in testimonies collected by Diario Vasco Following a query launched by the profile @soycamarero, soap dishes, toilet paper, air fresheners, plugs, toilet seats, push buttons or even tiles disappear. Irony abounds among workers, but the problem is serious. Furthermore, as detailed in the specialized media Food & Wineit is not necessity, it is sentimentalization of the object, attractive design, alcohol, disinhibition and, above all, a feeling of impunity. The client does not perceive himself as a thief; He tells himself that it is a souvenir. The theft assumed in hotels. If the phenomenon is worrying in bars and restaurants, in hotels it is directly massive. According to a Hosteltur survey87% of guests admit to having taken something from a room at least once in their lives. Towels, soap dishes, mini pillows and tissue boxes top the ranking. The president of AC Hoteles, Antonio Catalán, acknowledged on the Nude Project podcast that his chain loses more than 80,000 towels a year, both in Spain and Italy. All with a logo, which do not go unnoticed at all. Some establishments have chosen to take it on as part of the business: tolerating certain losses such as involuntary advertising, selling the objects or charging them directly on the invoice. Others have explored more creative avenues. This is the case of the Swedish chain BWH Hotels, which launched the campaign The Hotel Theft Rewardinviting people to return stolen objects—from lamps to mannequins—in exchange for hotel nights or breakfasts. What if they catch me? The legal reminder. It is important not to lose sight of the fact that, no matter how normalized it may be, taking an object without permission is theft. As criminal law experts explain cited by RRYP Globalthe Spanish Penal Code clearly distinguishes between theft and robbery, but both are crimes. If the value of what was stolen does not exceed 400 euros, it is considered a minor crime, punishable by a fine. If it exceeds that amount, it can lead to prison sentences. And not only the isolated object is valued, but the total amount and the circumstances. “I accidentally took it” doesn’t always work as an excuse. The souvenir that we all pay for. Maybe that jug of 100 Montaditos is still on that floor, turned into a recurring joke. But multiplied by thousands, that same logic empties bars, restaurants and hotels of personality and quality. And it has a direct consequence: more expensive menus or cheaper products, as hoteliers recognize. cited in El Español. It is not an elegant or rebellious robbery. It is a small, repeated and assumed gesture that ends up having a big effect. And in the end, as almost always, we all end up paying for the souvenir. Image | freepik Xataka | The hoteliers promised them happy times in a summer of record tourism. Until the ghost reserves arrived

There are more and more people convinced that we are wrong about Pompeii. And they have more and more compelling arguments

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“It was daytime anywhere in the world, but there the darkness was darker and thicker than any other night.” Those words of Pliny the Youngerremain almost 2,000 years later the best description of the hell on Earth that was, according to traditional historiography, the days of August 24 and 25 on the slopes of Vesuvius. Preserved under thick layers of volcanic ash and pumice, Pompeii has given us many surprises since 1748 when Charles III ordered the systematic exporation of the city. But what no one could have expected is that on August 24, 79, the Pompeians would dress in wool. With wool? These are the conclusions of the latest work by the tropos group of the University of Valencia: after analyzing 14 tracings of different victims of Pompeii, the researchers they came to the conclusion that the majority of the victims were wearing two layers (tunic and cape) and that both were made of wool. Furthermore, it was a very heavy wool. That is, with a very dense plot. The cold of Pompeii… in August? As I’m sure you have noticed, at the beginning of the article, just when I was about to say the date of the eruption, I added “according to traditional historiography.” And it is not a rhetorical device. Traditionally, following the letters that Pliny the Younger sent to Tacitus explaining the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, it has been assumed that the eruption took place on August 24. However, in recent years evidence of a possible autumn eruption has been accumulating. The last one was a charcoal inscription with the date October 17. In that sense, the discovery that the Pompeians were dressed in wool could be understood as an argument in favor of the autumn eruption. Although it doesn’t have to. And yes, it is true that it sounds strange to be dressed in two layers of wool in a normal August in the Gulf of Naples. However, the authors do not agree. In Live Science, without going any further, several experts explained that “they wore wool because it was what was worn.” It is a common, resistant and, above all, fashionable textile. In fact, the same UV hastened to add that it is well possible that wool was used as “protection” against a “harmful environment” (ash, gas, heat) and not only against the cold. So we don’t know when Vesuvius erupted, right? The truth is that no and that, if you allow me, is very interesting. Pompeii is, without a doubt, the most studied Roman site in the world and, despite everything, there are many things that escape us. That fascinating combination between knowing or not knowing is exactly what attracts us most to the tragic city that in two nights in the year 79 ceased to be so. Image | University of Valencia In Xataka | 2,000 years later, Pompeii continues to reveal fascinating things: the latest is a blue room for unknown uses

Migingo is a tin rock where 500 people live. It is also the center of the world’s smallest war

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Curious islands in the world there are several. Like Migingo… not so many, because we are talking about a geographical anomaly. It is a tiny rock formation that emerges in the lake victoria and in which it is difficult to find a millimeter that is not covered by a uralite shanty. There are about 500 people living in this space smaller than a football field, but apart from this situation, Migingo It is something much more. It is the scene of Africa’s smallest war. Kowloon 2. Okay, that’s an exaggeration because In Kowloon there were 1.9 million inhabitants per square kilometerbut in Migingo there is not much privacy either. The island is rocky and has an area of ​​about 2,000 m². It is estimated that the population density is about 65,000 people per km², but it is really difficult to make calculations because it depends a lot on the sources. In 2009 it was said that the island had a population of 131 people, but it has also been lying at 500 people (creating a much higher density of 250,000 per km²), and up to more than 1,000 people. There are no basic services, but there is a casino, four bars, several brothels and a pharmacy. Something is something and the question is… how did it get to this situation. two fishermen. It all started in 1991, when two Kenyan fishermen landed on the island. It is very close to a larger island, called Usingo, and at that time everything was covered by weeds. The receding of the lake’s waters left more of the land visible, and fishermen began to arrive and settle. The reason is that it was easier to operate directly from the island than to go to its vicinity every day in search of prey. In the 1950s, the Nile Perch was introduced to the lake. It is an invasive and predatory species that destroyed the local fauna, but transformed the region’s economy. An estimated one million metric tons were exported annually in 2006 and, by then, the industry had a commercial value of $250 million to Uganda. That is to say: this fish was the second economic engine of the country, only behind coffee. And Migingo is located in a strategic point as it is very close to some of the most important deep water points of the lake, and where there are the most fish. Pirates. Something I haven’t said is that Migingo belongs to Kenya. It is located within what the country considers its territory according to the colonial boundaries of 1926. But there is a problem: those banks rich in Nile perch are in Ugandan territory. The fishermen of Migingo go a few meters into the fishing territory of the neighboring country every morning, and we already know what happens when one country steps on another’s resources. There is reports which indicate that the boats unloaded more than 100 kilos of fish a day, generating profits in one day between three or four times more than what a Kenyan or Ugandan generates in a good month. Word spread and attracted the most undesirable: pirates who landed with assault rifles, threatening the few who lived on the island, stealing the fish, the gear or the menhaden motors. The locals called for help, and Uganda was the first to respond. Uganda comes into play. The logical thing would have been for Kenya to respond, since the island is theirs, but in 2004, those who arrived were Ugandan authorities and police. They saw that money was moving there and the maritime police planted two flags: theirs and that of Uganda. The reports of 2009 indicate that the authorities were not much better than the pirates. Fees for Kenyan fishermen to get to the island, taxes, fines, kidnappings, torture and claims of people disappearing and never returning. The island’s population (mostly Kenyans, but also Ugandans) asked Kenya for help. And, now, Kenya responded. The smallest war in the world. Following popular pressure, politicians were forced to act. In April 2009, a Kenyan official arrived, accompanied by a dozen police officers, and declared that the land belonged to his country. He brought down the Ugandan flag and raised the Kenyan flag. One day later, Uganda shipment 60 marines and the region was on the brink of armed conflict. Since then, the situation has eased somewhat, but the flags continue to fly in a disputed territory that has nothing to do with land, but with fish. There is nothing around Migingo, while in nearby Ugandan waters the production is extraordinary. Complicated. This conflict has been studied as if it were an example, or a test, of the resolution of postcolonial conflicts, when Europe divided up Africa with square and bevel. The problem is that it’s not getting anywhere. Kenya and Uganda formed a committee to sort things out, but it was abruptly dissolved after failing to reach an agreement on the mound. And most recently, in November 2025, the residents of Minigno they asked both governments to give some response. Meanwhile, human rights associations continue alerting regarding acts of slavery to which Kenyan citizens are supposedly subjected by the Ugandan authorities, the island still lacks basic services such as a sewage treatment plant or proper waste management and everything is dumped directly into the lake. And, although it has suggested a form of government based on a condominium scheme in which both exercise joint sovereignty, nothing has been achieved. Images | Google Earth In Xataka | This is life on the most remote inhabited island on Earth: the improbable story of Tristan da Cunha

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