happy

Apple promised they would be happy by sweeping the iPhone in China. Until Huawei made things clear

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For years, the iPhone was the best-selling mobile phone in China despite the efforts of Asian manufacturers. Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO and Vivo were fighting to create a product at their level (or even superior in some key aspects, such as the camera), achieving privileged positions in a ranking in which Apple used to dominate. It’s not like that anymore. Again, king. Huawei has been in first place in shipments within its country for more than two years. This past 2025, despite having lost 1.9% in annual growth, it is still slightly above the iPhone company. Specifically, 16.4% market share compared to Apple’s 16.2%. Apple grows 4% year-on-year, an increase motivated by the great commercial reception of the new family iPhone 17. In fact, Apple has already surpassed Samsung and has become the first manufacturer worldwide, despite being the second in China. Yes, but. Although Huawei is reigning with an iron fistthe data is not enough to assert that this will continue to be the case next 2026. There has never been such a fierce fight between the main Chinese manufacturers. Huawei: 16.4% market share. Apple: 16.2% market share. Vivo: 16.2% market share. Xiaomi: 15.4% market share. OPPO: 15.2% market share. Minimal differences in quota that will translate into a constant dance of positions during 2026. There is a clear message here: Huawei has not been able to be stopped in its native country. The Huawei case. Vivo, Xiaomi and OPPO maintain a close relationship with Qualcomm, the giant in charge of providing the best high-end Android devices with the most powerful chips on the market. Meanwhile, Huawei has had to adapt to playing with more restrictions than the rest: has had to develop together with SMIC their own processors He had to create a software ecosystem completely independent of Android Almost completely redesign your supply chain Make an even more ambitious bet on your domestic market, where life without Google is the norm The surprise. For years, we have seen Chinese mobile phones as great high-end proposals, but with some important disadvantages compared to Western rivals (fewer years of support, mediocre video recording, “crazy” specs without any sense of assembly…). This has been changing for a while now.. Today (saving the subjectivity of which software we like more or less), Chinese mobile phones are the most ambitious hardware proposal overall. They have the best batteries on the market, by far. On a photographic level, they are beginning to move dangerously far from Apple, Google and Samsung. The hardware set usually far exceeds what we see in the rest of its rivals. Chinese brands are very focused on their expansion throughout Europe, and it shows. not so fast. The Asian market is a great mirror in which to see how the fight between large technology companies progresses, but its particularities are still there. On a global level, at least currently, Apple and Samsung seem practically unreachable. Only Xiaomi, with a 13% share worldwide (compared to Apple’s 20% and Samsung’s 19%), plays in the double-digit league. Vivo and OPPO, with a share of 8%, have not moved their position since 2023. By 2026, consultancies like Counterpoint expect a year of moderation and a poor growth forecast. The global price crisis in DRAM/NAND memories will force an imminent price increase. Whoever manages to contain the dam will win this year. Image | Xataka In Xataka | Chinese mobile phones conquered the market by dividing into a thousand different brands. Now they are doing just the opposite.

McDonald’s Happy Meals

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At the end of the eighties, batman It was not that perfectly oiled machine of franchises, shared universes and meticulous marketing, but rather a risky bet. Warner Bros decided to blow up the image camp inherited by Adam West and entrust the character to a guy like Tim Burtona director with a dark, gothic and deeply authorial imagery. The result was a success almost as famous as his fall into hell. When Batman stopped being sellable. As we said, the result of Burton’s hiring It was Batman (1989), a huge success that not only devastated the box office, but also legitimized superhero movies as more than just children’s entertainment. Burton not only redefined the character, he also laid the aesthetic and emotional foundations for everything. what would come next. Gotham became an architectural nightmare, Bruce Wayne a lonely and disturbed millionaire, and the genre took an irreversible leap toward maturity. Creative freedom and unbridled sequel. That success placed Burton in a unique position: almost total creative control for Batman Returns (1992). The director took advantage of the margin to go even further, delivering a film less interested in the hero than in his villains, more sexual if you will, but also more grotesque and uncomfortable. Danny DeVito’s Penguin was not a stylish eccentric, but an abandoned monster at birth, violent, repulsive and tragic. Catwoman, a broken and vengeful figure, and Gotham City a warped reflection of corruption, power and alienation. Batman Returns it wasn’t a children’s movie, and possibly I didn’t mean to be. Burton never conceived it as such, and in fact fought with censors and studios to avoid an even more restrictive rating. The clash with merchandising. The problem was not the movie itself, but everything that was built around. Warner Bros. activated a massive marketing campaign, supported by sponsors who had not seen either the script or the final cut. McDonald’s was the star partner. Gotham-themed restaurants, collectible glasses, toys and, above all, Happy Meals aimed at children between five and ten years old. The contradiction was total: a dark, disturbing film not recommended for children under 13 years of age sold as a familiar, colorful and sweetened product. The Penguin case was the breaking point. While Burton showed a villain on screen who bit noses and spit black bile, McDonald’s distributed a watered down version and almost endearing character in their children’s menus. The perfect storm: parents. The reaction it didn’t take long to arrive. Outraged parents, letters to newspapers like Los Angeles Timesreligious organizations and civic groups accusing McDonald’s and Warner of irresponsibility and deception. The question was always the same: how on earth was it possible for a movie full of nightmares to be actively marketed to young children? McDonald’s tried to defend himself claiming that the toys did not promote movie attendance, and Warner claimed that it had avoided using real elements from the film, something that was not entirely true. The damage, after all, had already been done. Batman Returns became a public relations problemnot because it failed at the box office, but because it didn’t fit the mold that marketing needed. Find a culprit. Fearing that the franchise would burn out in the long term, Warner Bros. opted to a radical turn. The solution was not to change the relationship between cinema and merchandising, but to change the tone and sacrifice the director. Tim Burton was removed from the saga on the grounds that his vision was “too strange” and unfamiliar. Michael Keaton, who did not want to continue without Burton, he also left. The message was clear: Batman had to be bright, accessible and, above all, sellable again. Joel Schumacher took over and the result was Batman Forevera film designed for please sponsors and fast food chains (and that today would embrace the algorithm), with bright colors, exaggerated humor and a tone that made any trace of Burton’s introspective and gothic Batman impossible. The Happy Meal as a symptom. Years later, Burton I would sum it up with irony and bitterness: he had upset McDonald’s. The famous phrase about “that black thing that comes out of the Penguin’s mouth” condensed the real problem. It was not just a fast food chain behind it, but the definitive clash between an artistic vision and an industry that was beginning to understand franchising. as merchandising platforms rather than as cinematographic works. In that sense, Batman Returns didn’t fail creatively, it failed as a children’s product, and that was inexcusable. The legacy. Burton’s departure marked a before and after. The saga entered into a drift that would culminate with the infamous Batman & Robin and their outfits with nipplesa cartoon that buried the character for years. Paradoxically, time has been generous with Batman Returns, today considered one of the films more personal and brave of the genre, and possibly one of Burton’s best works. Its “failure” was, in reality, the early demonstration of a conflict that would define Hollywood for decades: when superhero cinema stopped belonging to directors and began to respond, above all, to toys that had to fit in a Happy Meal box. Image | Warner In Xataka | In 1975 a party ended on the beach. What happened next was so chilling that people were afraid to swim in the sea In Xataka | The best advertisement within a movie is this science fiction classic: it was so good that it made us doubt the Nazis

Europe was happy with the changes in the App Store, but not with those in Google Play. There is a historic fine at stake

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Google is in the crosshairs of the European Commission. A few days ago they announced a new investigation into monopolistic practices with AI summaries, but it is not the only front they have open. The company has already paid historical fines and you face a new one if you don’t make changes to Google Play, your app store. what has happened. They tell it in Reuters. The European Commission is not satisfied with the changes that Google has made to its app store to comply with the Digital Markets Act or DMA. Regulators consider that there are two points that do not comply with the standards: There are technical restrictions that make it difficult for developers to direct users to external channels with better prices. Google continues to charge a commission to the developer even if the user buys the app from its website, with the excuse that they have “facilitated” the purchase. Why is it important. If Google does not make the necessary changes to comply with the DMA, it faces a fine that could amount to 10% of its total revenue. In 2024 they will invoice 350,000 million dollarsso the maximum fine would amount to 35,000 million, the highest to date. Google can still offer to apply changes to avoid paying the fine. The Apple case. The one the Commission is satisfied with is Apple. In fact, they are using your case as an example of what needs to be done. It was not a bed of roses and Apple was fined 500 million euros for not complying with the DMA. Apple had to remove restrictions that prevented redirection to alternative offers. The Epic trial. The European Commission is not the only one that has Google Play in its sights. In the United States, the judge of the Epic vs Google case made a historic decision: Google would have to allow rival stores within the Play Store. Recently Google and Epic reached an agreement through which Google undertakes not to charge commissions of more than 20% on purchases’in-game’ and 9% for the rest. In addition, developers will be able to showcase other payment systems through Play Billing. The agreement must still be approved by the judge, but it seems that Google will have no options but to comply with what both the judge and the EU ask of it. What Google says. The company announced changes in Google Play last August to avoid the fine, is what the Commission now considers insufficient. Google competition lawyer Clare Kelly said the company was “concerned that these could expose Android users to harmful content.” This is the usual position of American companies that are under the scrutiny of the European Commission. Mark Zuckerberg called the DMA “censorship” and there has also been harsh criticism and tariff threats since the Trump administration. Recently, a national security strategy document He claimed that European laws could mean an “erasure of American civilization.” The fruits of the DMA. He overregulation of the European Union is subject to criticism, but It also has a good side. Thanks to the DMA has made USB-C mandatory for all manufacturers, forcing Apple to abandon its proprietary connector. It has also brought us the Universal AirDrop and the changes in the app stores so that we have more freedom when it comes to where to download our apps. Image | Xataka, Pexels In Xataka | Europe wants to protect itself against Huawei, but the energy sector knows something uncomfortable: it cannot move forward without it

A beach bar in Malaga had the happy idea of ​​taking its ‘Sardinator’ robot for a walk. Until the police found out

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An establishment in La Malagueta decided to innovate when it came to attracting new customers with an advertising robot that wandered along the seafront, advertising mojitos, caipirinhas and espetos for four euros. Although the idea was striking and made heads turn among the local residents, the Malaga City Council has stopped the initiative. ‘Sardinator’ does not comply with municipal regulations and the Local Police have already reported the beach bar. The beach bar play. The robot, named Sardinator, walked along the La Malagueta promenade inviting people around to follow its voice to the beach bar. It wasn’t a waiter robot of those that serve inside the premises, but an autonomous device designed to advertise in the middle of a public street. It advertised drinks and food as it moved, although according to MálagaHoyhis ability to avoid obstacles left a lot to be desired: “he avoids trash cans, but he is not so skilled with people”, even tripping over a pedestrian. Why did the police intervene? Just like has shared The medium, Elisa Pérez de Siles, Councilor for Public Roads of the Malaga City Council, assured that this type of robots “are not authorizable” in the city. The use of the device on the promenade violates the municipal ordinance, which is why the Local Police were ordered to draw up a report and report the establishment. Although in other cities they are quite popular devices, in Malaga “there is an ordinance that must be complied with,” said the councilor. The political reaction. The municipal group Con Málaga has also focused on the issue. Its councilor, Toni Morillas, submitted a letter to the mayor asking about the robot after receiving complaints from neighbors who observed the advertising device “with astonishment.” Morillas even described the situation as “Málaga, the lawless city” on his social networks, according to inform MálagaHoy, highlighting the concern over the lack of control over this type of initiatives on public roads. The legal loophole of advertising robots. The case of Sardinator is something very specific and Spanish legislation does not yet specifically contemplate autonomous advertising robots on a public road. Municipal ordinances regulate outdoor advertising through urban planning licenses, but these regulations are designed for static elements such as fences, signs or posters. Many ordinances expressly prohibit the distribution or delivery of brochures and advertising on public roads, and even advertising in circulating or parked vehicles except for very specific exceptions. The boom of robots in hospitality. Sardinator does not seem to have had the same luck as other robots that have had growing popularity, such as those who work inside serving at the tables. In Spain, waiter robots are being introduced mainly in fast food restaurants, chains and some fine dining restaurants. Cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia or Seville have already seen the introduction of these robots in several establishments. The fundamental difference here is that these robots move in controlled private spaces, not on public roads, which avoids conflicts of this type. Without going any further, in Malaga, there are several establishments that have incorporated this type of robots, although never outside the premises, as is the case of Sardinator. How they work. Waiter robots are designed to take orders from the kitchen to the customer’s table, following already marked routes and avoiding obstacles. The manufacturers are mostly of Chinese origin, including PUDU Robotics with its Bellabot and Kettybot models, Orion Star with Lucky, and Keenon, although there are also Spanish companies such as DAX Robotics with its Delibot and Slimbot model. The prices of waiter robots range between 6,000 and 15,000 euros, and they can support up to 60 kilos of load. They are equipped with LIDAR laser sensors and 3D cameras to move autonomously and safely. Robots as an alternative to labor shortages. The labor shortage in the Spanish hospitality industry, which affects more than 60% of businessesaccording to the Bank of Spain, means that this type of device could end up being an effective alternative. This is not about replacing staff, but about easing the burden due to the difficulty in finding waiters and qualified staff, which is why many establishments are turning to service robots as support. Although they are not yet a complete substitute for human interaction nor are they profitable for all establishments, these robots may end up representing a pragmatic response to a structural problem. And now what. The La Malagueta beach bar will have to return to traditional advertising methods or look for alternatives that respect the regulations. Meanwhile, ‘Sardinator’ has stopped touring the promenade and his catchy “mojito, caipirinha, daikiri” promotion is no longer heard in the area. Let’s give a minute of silence for our friendly friend. Cover image | Javier Albiñana In Xataka | The crazy story of the Galician woman who registered El Sol before a notary, sold plots online and then took eBay to court

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

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

AI companies promised to be happy with their autonomous agents, until they came across Amazon

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AI agents promise us to perform complex tasks autonomously, such as book trips either make the purchase. Although is improvingagentic AI still it’s quite greenbut it has just come across an obstacle that we had not counted on and that could change everything: that there are companies that do not want AI agents roaming their stores. This is what just happened between Amazon and Perplexity. What has happened? They tell it in Bloomberg. Amazon is suing Perplexity to stop the agent built into its Comet browser from purchasing items from Amazon. According to Amazon, Perplexity has committed computer fraud by allowing its agent to browse and make purchases as if they were a real person, which violates its terms of service on transparency. They also claim that the use of automated agents can negatively affect the shopping experience on their platform. Why is it important. The case could set limits for autonomous AI agents in real-world tasks that require using third-party services, such as in this case Amazon. If stores or travel platforms close the door to AI agents, the promise of autonomy is compromised. On the other hand, leaving all doors open could influence e-commerce. It is something that has already happened before, such as cases of bots buying tickets to shows. Bullies. Perplexity has responded with a post on your blog in which they describe the move as “corporate bullying” and affirm that it is “a threat to all Internet users.” They also highlight that Comet users love the agentic AI features and that Amazon should too because it translates into more purchases and happy customers. For the company, an AI agent should have the same rights and responsibilities as a real human user since the agent is acting on behalf of the user. “It’s not Amazon’s job to oversee that,” Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, said in an interview. Agents on Amazon. Amazon already has its own assistant Rufus and is developing its own agents, so there are more reasons behind this movement against Perplexity. It is not about protecting the experience, or at least not only about that, but that Perplexity is a direct competitor. Perplexity champions choice. “I don’t think it’s customer-centric to force people to only use their assistant, who may not even be the best shopping assistant,” Srinivas said. AI Ecosystems. The dispute between Amazon and Perplexity is the first example that the AI ​​war is also about ecosystems. It presents a scenario in which service providers decide whether an AI agent can enter their stores or travel platforms, or if they prefer to develop their own and force users to use that. The truth is that Amazon had already blocked the Perplexity agent a few months ago, but the company released an update that circumvented the blocking. We’ll see how everything turns out. Image | Pxhere In Xataka | CAPTCHAs had become an excellent tool to fight bots. Until ChatGPT Agent arrived

Spanish wine promised them very happy after the end of drought. The price of grapes is changing everything

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The wine industry is facing a complicated year. In the eye of the hurricane, the price of grapes, such a low price that is leading farmers to stand up war. A problem that It has been hanging on the sector From before even the beginning of the harvest. The food chain law. The Unió Llauradora, Agrarian Organization of Valencian, has been the last sector group in denounce the situation of the grape market. The organization has claimed to claim Ministry of Agriculture Valenciana A study on the production costs for the grapes used for wine production, a study they consider could “endorse possible complaints for breach of the food chain law.” This legislation is responsible for regulating “the operation and vertebration of the food chain.” A law that seeks, According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foodimprove the efficacy and competitiveness of the sector while reducing the imbalance in commercial relations. According to explained in a statement The Llauradora Unió, this legislation “the only instrument that producers possess to defend their interests (…) in the face of commercial distribution abuses.” 20% less. Farmers do not consider that the price at which wine producers buy the grape is fair. According to the forecasts of the Valencian Sector Association, the price of grapes could fall by more than 20% this year. Expectations v. reality. The Valencian field is the last to join the complaints of other vinification grape -producing regions. The harvest seemed to be abundant, with some areas relying on a recovery in production also 20%. This increase in supply would be the great engine of the price drop, a decrease such that for some wine producing regions they have indicated in recent months that they would not allow them to cover production costs. To this problem, the Unió Llauradora adds another in the fact that its harvest is not even reaching the expected volume at first. Despite this, prices, based on more optimistic expectations, They continue to be low. “The rains recorded at certain times of the campaign were a relief and contributed to the recovery of the vine The association stands out. One crisis after another. The current one is just one of the crises that the sector has had to face in recent years. The increase that some wine regions have seen in production responds rather to a recovery compared to recent years, marked by the drought that put a good part of the agricultural sector against the strings (even the farmer). In Xataka | During centuries Galicia was a thriving land of olive groves with unique varieties in the world. What changed it is still a mystery Image | Dailos Medina / Pixabay

McDonald’s has a problem in Japan with the dolls of ‘One Piece’ and ‘Pokémon’ of the Happy Meal: they sell too much

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McDonald’s is running in Japan with a reception of such caliber for his Happy Meals that he is being forced to cancel promotions early. First with letters from ‘Pokémon‘And then with dolls from ‘One Piece’the traditional gifts of their children’s menus are being grass of collectors that are generating A crisis not only foodbut also of image. What happened. This last August McDonald’s He has been forced to cancel a promotion: They gave cards Pokémon with his Happy Meal, but franchise collectors were presented at restaurants to buy large amounts of menus, interested in the cards and with the intention of reselling them, as collected a company statement. Then they got rid of food, which led to a “massive food waste”, only three days after the start of the campaign, on August 11. Some solutions. To solve the problem, before the definitive cancellation of the promotion, McDonald’s established a maximum of purchases per person, but the collectors raffled the ban on tail several times. The hamburger chain also asked the country’s online sale platforms that they did not accept, or at least they will limit the Pokémon cards to carry the McDonald’s seal. None of that was enough and forced the chain to suspend the promotion in record time. One Piece, again. The phenomenon It was repeatedin a very short time, with ‘One Piece’. The popular anime series was going to be subject to the next promotion of Happy Meal, but seeing what happened with Pokémon, the chain has momentarily canceled the campaign, which would have started on August 29. McDonald’s is facing a dilemma: to make toys attractive enough to sell hamburgers, but not so much to generate problems. It is not the first time. Pokémon may seem almost isolated (after all, according to experts, We talk about the object collectable more expensive in the world. But it is not the first time that this happens to McDonalds, which has already been seen in similar situations on other occasions: the K-Pop group BTSFor example, launched a menu in 2021 in 50 different countries. In some as Indonesia there were problems of minor stocks and disturbances. In 2015, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Singapore, McDonald’s launched some hello kitty dolls in limited edition, dressed in typical costumes of the country, which caused very long queues and existent problems. Finally, and leaving Asia, in the United States in 2022 McDonald’s announced a menu In collaboration with the urban clothing brand Cactus Plant Flea Marketwith four characters dressed in firm’s clothes. On the same day of the launch the menu was already exhausted. China is guilty (says Japan). There is another example of frustrated promotions that has a lot to do with it: in May of this year, McDonald’s canceled a Happy Meal promotion where they included dolls from the ‘Chikawa’ manga series. They disappeared in hours And the chain detected that it could be due to the posterior resale among collectors, in fact also observed that it was organized purchase networks. According to Some clients came to comment on social networksthey were Chinese resellers who used the orders via mobile to exceed the maximum of four orders per person that allowed McDonald’s. Many of the Happy Meals items later appeared, in effect, on China’s sale and collecting websites. Header | McDonald’s In Xataka | ‘Pokémon TGC Pocket’ is breaking it and rightly: Pokémon’s card game is thought to the millimeter

The hoteliers promised them happy with the huge business of the terraces. Until the new antitabaco law arrived

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Spain is a country of Terraceum. It was before and it is much more (if possible) now, with the memory of the COVID-19 still present and while the country gradually becomes a huge tourist power that is on its way to the 100 million visitors foreigners The hoteliers have not been oblivious to that pull and have turned the terraces into a fundamental part of their turnover, especially in summer. Now they fear that THE NEW ANTITABACE LAW put it in danger. Goodbye, terraces (with smoke). The government wants the roads of the tobacco industry and the hospitality industry to pass separately. Completely. In 2006 there was a first step in that direction with the Law 28/200515 years ago progress was made with a Legislative reform And now the Executive wants to make another movement that would completely banish the smoke from the bars terraces. This is expected by the legislative draft that He has just received the approval of the Council of Ministers, a document that still has a parliamentary route ahead (in fact it does not even guarantee its approval in the lower house), but that has already done Jump alarms Among the hoteliers of the country. Of bars, cigarettes and vapers. Although it does not collect All changes to those who aspired by the Ministry of Health, The new regulations It is clear in two key aspects. First, in equating electronic cigarettes to conventional tobacco. Second, at the time of veto That people smoke (or vapee) on the terraces. Moreover, the department of Mónica García has not stayed there and advocates a sharp prohibition of tobacco in “closed public spaces and an expanded list of exterior environments”, among which includes all those enclosures in which shows, sports facilities, parks, transport stations, educational centers and (of course) are the tables that the bars take out abroad. Pending jobenes. It is not the only thing that the government has in mind, which aspires that adolescents find it even more difficult to hook themselves. The new standard not only restricts the sale of tobacco (and the rest of the products that the law quotes, such as electronic cigarettes) to minors, but directly forbids smoking. It also veto any advertising and demands a more precise labeling, although it leaves out the generic packaging that doctors ask. “A severe threat”. The proposal has not liked the hoteliers, who have not taken long to warn of the coup that will be advised by the ban. The collective He raised his voice Already on the same Monday (after the Council of Ministers gave its placet to the draft law) to question the effectiveness of the norm and remember that today smokers and non -smokers live in the terraces without problem. “It goes against the hoteliers, not against tobacco. On our terraces there has always been a peaceful coexistence and with respect to people who do not want to smoke,” claims José Luis Álvarez, president of the hospitality of Spain, on the bill. It is not the only voice in the sector that points in that direction. The employer Otea, hospitality and tourism in Asturias, insists In his “resounding rejection” to the veto and warns that the new restriction represents “a severe threat” for business. What do they argue? The hoteliers wield several arguments. The main one is that they believe that the law will condemn smokers to closed private spaces, such as houses, and stir a problem (in their opinion) non -existent. “There is currently a good coexistence between smokers and non -smokers on the terraces,” claims The employer, who claims to have a 40DB study that shows that 56% of Spaniards do not believe urgent to prohibit tobacco on the terraces. Moreover, a large majority (82.5%) He is convinced that customers will continue to smoke in the immediate vicinity, “hindering the work” of those who work in the bars. Camareros … and police. Another of their fears is how tourists will fit the veto, customers who may not know the ban when they feel on a terrace and take a cigarette. “It will generate special confusion among the millions of tourists visiting Spain every year, a country where the tourism sector represents one of the main economic motors,” They censor. The president of the hospitality of Spain, José Luis Álvarez, is even more graphic and warns that the waiters will have to “make police”, warning the clients of the ban. Looking at Europe.. “There is only one country throughout Europe where smoking is not allowed, Sweden. And we are going to be Spain, that we have more tables and more chairs than all Europe, which prohibit smoking from tourists on our terraces,” regretted Yesterday the sector leader in an interview with four. The association recalls that when France decided Give yourself with standards To restrict tobacco he opted for “Exclude expressly“The terraces not to damage their economy. The norm French aspires to get “the first generation without tobacco”, so the smoke will veto in outdoor spaces, such as beaches, gardens, marques and playgrounds, but leaves out the electronic cigarettes and does not play the chairs and tables that their hoteliers place outside their establishments. The value of a terrace. The speed and forcefulness with which the hoteliers have come out to show their discomfort is not surprising. On the contrary, it confirms a reality: the enormous weight that the terraces have been acquired in the accounts of the bars and restaurants. There are several factors that explain it. One, key, is the antitabaco standard that has been applied so far and its interior restrictions, but others are added, such as the effect of the pandemic or the policies adopted by Some municipalities What have reduced tax burden of the terraces. The result is that the terraces have been expanding through the squares, streets and sidewalks of the cities, a growth that has sometimes generated friction with the neighbors. In Sevillewhere at least in 2023 there were around 1,300 businesses With evenings, the … Read more

In 2023 New York closed the tap to Airbnb to protect his home. Two years later, only hotels are happy

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To desperate problems, imaginative solutions. A few years ago New York decided to stop the housing crisis which has long dragged with a measure that put the focus directly on Airbnb. The baptized as Local Law 18 made renting floors to tourists, for short stays, of less than 30 days, results Much more complicated and thus achieve a double objective: enforce the sector regulations and protect the low housing offer in the city. The norm premiered just two years ago. And the balance is far from being the ideal. A name: Local Law 18. New York is not the only city that has proposed to limit the supply of holiday rental. Something have done in Florence, London, Barcelona either Madridto name just a handful of examples. The attempt of the Big Apple resulted in particularly media, both because of the repercussion that the city has and its content. The known as Local Law 18approved in September 2023, imposed limitations to those who were dedicated to lease their houses for periods of less than 30 days. From entry NY demanded that the Caseros register and prohibited AirbnB (and similar platforms) to manage reservations if the accommodations did not meet that requirement, a measure similar to that incorporated with Spain with their “Single record“Not only that. In addition to registering, the law established that the landlords must comply with certain guidelines That in practice it limits who (and especially how) can be put in the market: nothing to rent whole houses, only rooms, the hosts must be present and the number of guests is also very restricted. A double objective. With the new standard the New York authorities pursued two goals. The first, to facilitate the coexistence in the apartments blocks in which residential and holiday floors lived. The second (and most important) Palliar The housing crisis that dragged the city. Two years later the communities of neighbors of the Big Apple may have fewer problems with groups of noisy tourists, but there are serious doubts that the second purpose, the really ambitious, has been achieved. The best test was left a few days ago by the newspaper The Wall Street Journal in A broad analysis With a title that is at the same time a sentence and demonstrates that (at least) the debate remains open: “The campaign against Airbnb in New York has not improved the housing offer.” Although since September 2023 New Yorkers have more complicated to offer their floors in Airbnb or Booking does not seem that this has translated into a distension of the residential market. On the contrary, The newspaper affirms Conservative: “It is more difficult than ever finding an apartment to rent in the city.” And that is something that can be checked by consulting both prices and housing stock available in NY. What do the data say? That New York floors have not stopped becoming more expensive in the last two years. Zillow shows for example that the average long -stay rental price is now in $ 3,750150 more than a year ago. “The law does not seem to have a significant impact on getting leases more affordable,” confirms a TWSJ Jonathan Miller, manager of a real estate appraisal company. According to its calculations, the market has even reached a historical maximum of $ 4,700 per month in Manhattan, although it acknowledges that factors such as lack of new work influence that figure. Airbnb also handles data that show that NY tenants do not have it easier today than before the local law 18. The platform is an interested party and that must be taken into account when driving Your figuresbut they are eloquent: the New York City rental index rose 8.1%, that of Manhattan 8.6%, Brooklyn 7.7%and Queens 6.5%. The portal also warns of the “load” involved in rental for the pockets of the periphery families. “Almost three million New Yorkers pay more than 30% of their income for rent,” prevents. A percentage: 2.45%. It is not just about the cost of rent. The housing stock available in NY still is not what is said Boyante, which a priori would facilitate prices to soften. Miller assures That last July the vacancies for residential rental in Manhattan marked a meager 2.45%, near the historical minimum. In that same idea affects Airbnb, which a few days ago launched A statement regretting that, despite the fact that short -term rentals in New York have fallen more than 90%, “rental vacancies have dropped 0.5%” with respect to 2023. And everything, insists the platform“without signs of a significant improvement in housing availability.” But … how is it possible? The million dollar question. And it has no easy answer. To start there is something obvious and that is that the NY market It takes time facing challenges such as the rise of rentals or the shortage of the stock, which do not respond to a single factor. In addition the Big Apple is not the only US region that has dealt with The increase of housing, aggravated by the lack of new work. In your analysis TWSJ It provides data Interesting that helps to understand why local law 18 has failed to reverse the trend and its effect has barely appreciated: although two years ago there were thousands of floors available to tourists on Airbnb, they actually suppose only a small part of NY’s huge real estate cake. In early 2023 in the city there were around 38,500 Airbnb units, As needed The economic newspaper, a very low fact if one takes into account that in the free market there were more than one million residential units. Right now the special compliance office has registered only 3,000 rentals in the short term that the strict requirements of the law meet and can be announced legally. That does not mean that the remaining thousands of floors are leased by New York families that use them as stable and permanent homes. Another fact: 35,000 homes. There are owners who, not being … Read more

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