law

The new alcohol law limits bars from placing beer chairs or umbrellas. And now millionaires fear losses

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We’ve been seeing it all our lives. Bars that fill their terraces with umbrellas, napkin rings, tables, chairs, sideboards and other furniture that promotes beer brands. For decades this advertising support was a boon for business. Now the hospitality industry fears that it will become a poisoned gift. The reason: the new law on alcohol and minors promoted by the Government and which already has the endorsement of the Council of Ministers wants to snip that kind of promotion. The locals calculate that the loss of that advertising support it will cost them millions. Blow to the hospitality industry? That’s what seems to fear the sector as a result of the law promoted by the Government to prevent alcohol consumption among young people. Although the regulation has not yet been finalized, the group is already managing a study which warns that it will seriously affect the finances of bars, restaurants, cafes, pubs and other hospitality establishments in Spain. The reason: the bill of Health seriously restricts any advertising sponsorship related to alcohol. And that is a problem for businesses that have been filling for years with awnings, tables, chairs, ashtrays, umbrellas, napkin holders, refrigerators and furniture in general on which beer brands are advertised. What exactly does the standard say? He billwhich can be consulted in the official Congress bulletin and received in march The Government’s endorsement sets some limits on advertising in the sector. Its article 26 is clear about this: “Any direct, indirect or covert form of commercial communication of alcoholic beverages is prohibited, or of products that imitate or simulate being one, or of non-alcoholic beverages that share their brand and differential features with those of alcoholic beverages, including the commercial name, corporate name, symbols or brands of the people or companies that produce said beverages, as well as their distributors when they are exclusively associated with alcoholic beverages on public roads, or places visible from them.” Does it clarify anything else? Yes. The law differentiates between two types of spaces: the ‘most sensitive’ and the rest, where the advertising restriction will be somewhat more flexible. “However, advertising limited to the trade name, corporate name and identifying brands or symbols of the producing companies may be permitted in a perimeter that is more than 150 linear meters from the access to educational centers that teach early childhood education, basic education, post-compulsory secondary education and elementary artistic education, health centers, social and socio-health services, parks and places for children’s leisure.” How will it be applied? In the statement March in which it reports the approval of the Council of Ministers to the Bill, the Ministry of Health clarifies, however, that it will allow the advertising of fermented drinks with less than 0.5% alcohol. Mónica García’s team also points out that the veto will not be immediate: it will come into force twelve months after the publication of the law in the BOE and will not affect “those situations that already existed before that moment”, which suggests that it will not affect the furniture that already exists. A different thing is when it comes time to renew it. Will it affect the sector that much? It seems so. At least that is what a Comprehensive Economic Analysis (AEI) report indicates. advance by The Economist. The analysis, prepared for the Spanish Hospitality and Brewery associations and which is having a notable impact, ensures that the loss of sponsorships from alcohol brands will be quite expensive for bars and restaurants. To be more precise, AEI estimates that it will cost the sector up to 1.7 billion euros. The estimate is based on two figures: a direct cost of around 600 million euros and a drop in sales of between 1,080 and 1,680 million. He AEI report It doesn’t stay there. It also warns that the measure will affect between 8,000 and 10,200 jobs and will be felt beyond bars and cafes, with a reduction in the contribution to the national GDP that it estimates between 900 and 1,176 million euros. The study also suggests that the money that alcohol manufacturers will stop investing in advertising furniture will probably be directed towards other channels, away from small hoteliers and their businesses. Why this suspicion? Although Health has clarified that the measure would still take time to come into effect and will not affect “existing” facilities, the AEI report points out that its wording leaves little room for doubt: “In practice it implies the removal of logos, signs, chairs, tables, umbrellas or napkin rings with beer brands from thousands of bars and restaurants in the country.” His estimate is completed with another from Hospitality of Spain that gives an idea of ​​the scope of the measure. According to their data, of a total of 130,000 bars and cafes in the country, between 70 and 80% incorporate elements sponsored by breweries. Will it affect everyone equally? “If approved, the new law will practically eliminate all this support, forcing the brand’s advertising to be withdrawn, which will have an estimated cost of 12,000 euros per store,” remark the study. The penalty that could be felt especially strongly in areas of Spain where hoteliers work in smaller markets and with less room for maneuver. The Economist slide that about 20% of the municipalities that now have only one bar (235) could see their doors close. Images | Guillaume Flament (Flickr) and Ccalm Film Festival-María del Mar López Morales (Flickr) In Xataka | From prohibiting purchases to prohibiting consumption: the changes in the recently approved draft reform of the anti-smoking law

The first law that regulates ‘AI friends’ is here

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The debate about the effects of AI on mental health is beginning to transform into tangible measures. OpenAI announced on ChatGPT parental controls after the lawsuit for the suicide of a teenager and now we have the first law that regulates the so-called friends or AI companions popularized by apps like Replika either Character.AI. What has happened? California Governor Gavin Newsom has just signed the first law to control AI companions, as reported in TechCrunch. “We can continue to lead the field of artificial intelligence and technology, but we must do so responsibly, protecting our children every step of the way. The safety of our children is not for sale,” the governor said in a statement. Why is it important. There is other proposals on the table in the United States, but California is the first state to make the issue of AI companions a law. The risks of using these types of chatbots, especially among teenagers, are no longer expert warningsnow there will be legal consequences. Companies that do not comply with the rules could face fines of up to $250,000. What is an AI companion. They are chatbots that seek to replicate a human connection and can offer everything from emotional support to intimate relationships. By design, they are the most sensitive form of AI in terms of potential mental health effects. The most popular apps are Replika and Character.AI, but also There are those who establish these types of connections with “normal” AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude. There are even companies that They “resurrect” a loved one with the use of AI to help cope with grief (although experts believe it is achieve just the opposite). What the law says. It will come into force on January 1, 2026 and is designed especially to protect younger users. Between the measures included There is an obligation for companies to integrate age verification systems. In addition, they must display warnings that make it clear to users that the interactions are generated by AI, as well as integrate suicide or self-harm detection protocols. Other measures. As we said at the beginning, the lawsuit from the parents of the teenager who discussed his suicide plans with ChatGPT sparked a crisis at OpenAI, which soon announced new safeguards for ChatGPT such as parental controls. AI companion apps are also bringing this topic into their discourse. Character AI already has parenting tools and Replika assured TechCrunch that they dedicate a lot of resources to filtering content and directing users in complicated situations to help lines. In Xataka | Humans are falling in love with AIs and they are not isolated cases: they already number in the thousands

Libya has decided that the full weight of Islamic law must fall on one thing in particular: crows

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At 900 meters above sea level, the Green Mountain is actually a fertile plateau of lush forests in northern Libya. It is by far the wettest place in the country: one of the jewels of North Africa’s biodiversity. one that a religious ‘fatwa’ is about to load. A ‘fatwa’? Not only that: a ‘fatwa’ (that is, an Islamic legal opinion issued by a qualified jurist) whose content is almost entirely dedicated to crows. They told it in El PaísAhmad al Dalansi, of the Investment Authority of the National Salvation Government, made it clear “there is no religious objection to killing them.” In his view, “the prophetic tradition that classifies them as harmful (fawasiq) and dictates that they can therefore be eliminated “just like rats and snakes.” But why would anyone want to kill crows? That is to say, it is one thing that it is not prohibited to kill them and quite another that people are willing to do so. However, the matter is more complicated than it seems: because the truth is that crows are becoming a real problem. What is a crow like you doing in a place like this? Let’s start at the beginning: the crows (Corvus ruficollis) are not new to the Green Mountain area. However, in recent years the corvid population has not stopped growing and this seems to be causing problems in other animal populations. Especially in land turtles and a native type of short-toed eagle. This, although it may not seem like it, is part of the problem. Because, unlike other animals, crows do not attack crops. However, they are “very intelligent creatures, who do not fear humans and are capable of adapting to various environments.” The growth of its population, like a chess game, is what is pushing an ecological imbalance that triggers (in turn) rodents and snakes. Hence the consultation and the fatwa. It makes sense, right? If crows are a problem, the most direct question is whether they can be eliminated. AND the Al Dalansi edict maintains that culling them is not only Islamically acceptable, but that “preventing harm is a more important priority” than maintaining current populations. The problem is that, upon seeing it, the Libyan Heritage and Wildlife Authority came out to report that such an eradication would be disastrous. Not only because crows also have a very important role in regulating the ecosystem; but, above all, because the problem is not the crows. What is the problem? The problem is the garbage. In recent years, as explained by journalist AMR Fathallah“the crow population (…) has multiplied spectacularly in Shahat, (due to) poor waste management.” Shahat is in the heart of the mountain. The lack of urban planning has caused housing to get out of control and that has caused “secondary landfills to proliferate in the forests, valleys and even roads of Shahat.” And there the crows feel at home. And, of course, killing the crows won’t end the problem. Fathallah himself explains that the last time an attempt was made to eliminate the crow population, it was followed by a history-making infestation of ticks. It is reminiscent of the mass killing of Chinese sparrows that caused a famine that killed millions of people. Ecology is too complex to be solved with fatwas (or pseudoscientific theories). The central issue in all of this is that these are not isolated cases. As climate change accelerates, “magic” responses are becoming increasingly popular. The problem, as we see, is that this has consequences. Image | Sasha Matic | Aldin Nasrun On Magnet | 400 years ago, Chinese women invented a language to speak only among themselves. Today it is resurfacing

The “Rider Law” aspired to improve the delivery of Spain. In the sector there are those who believe it has served the opposite

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Bit (Or very little) today has to do with today’s delivery sector, before the government approved the Legislative change that forced that Thousands of dealers stop being autonomous to swell the template of the platforms with which they operate. The known as ‘Rider Law’ He has marked the last years of the sector and has left a deep mark on both the service and in the hospitality. So deep, in fact, that in the middle of 2025 there are still voices that They question their effectiveness And they warn that it is harming Riders, websites, restaurants and customers. A “lose-lose ‘by quadruple”, They regret. What happened? That despite the over four years that have elapsed since its approval in Spain, The impact that he has had the measure at the community level and that his guidelines have been pending little by little Among companies, the ‘Rider Law’ still does not get rid of the controversy. A quick search arrives on Google to find news more or less recent than They question their effectsbut perhaps who has summarized its impact on the sector is Alejandro Hermo, CEO of the Hamburgueserías chain Goiko. Recently the manager, a voice with A certain weight In the guild, He exhibited on LinkedIn The blow that (in his opinion) is advising him the legislative change: “Delivery has been very complicated for a few months, impacting customers and restaurants.” What exactly has he said? More or less, that any past time was better. “We have gone from having a delivery system that worked as a clock, giving good service to customers and restaurants, to have a rigid, expensive and inefficient system that makes it almost impossible to cover with enough riders the peak hours, causing the restaurants to appear without service available or/and that the orders are late (if they arrive),” he laments in Your post The Goiko CEO. Is there more? Yes. Hermo assume that adapting to “such a drastic model” will require a certain “time”, but is also convinced that the service will never recover its “previous level.” “What is happening after the forced change of a model of autonomous Riders to 100% hired Riders is a ‘Lose-Lose’ by quadruple,” insists the manager before exposing why, in his opinion, the law harms both the distributors and the platforms, the restaurants and the clients themselves. Hermo warns that, when reconverting in wage earners, the first (the Riders) have seen how they diminished their income and the freedom to self -manage. Moreover, the manager is convinced that the change has “hindered” that they can access the most occasional the most occasional riders, those who only accepted orders to complete their economy, such as students. As for platforms such as Glovo or Justeat, Hermo warns that the increase in operational costs has subtracted flexibility to cover the ‘peak hours’. How does restaurants affect? In 2023, during An interview With the EFE agency, the businessman already warned that although the ‘Rider Law’ focuses mainly on platforms and hoteliers are only “a secondary actor”, in the long run they would end up being affected. Now confirm it. “Restaurants lose business and profitability,” summarizes its publication of LinkedIn, in which it slides that the legislative change has resulted for them in a less flexible and more expensive delivery service. “Thinking about our sector, we cannot afford at this time another torpedo in the flotation line of the restoration,” he remarks. The consequences for customers are from their obvious point of view: a less efficient delivery. “The service worsens because there are fewer restaurants available, it takes longer and reaches a worse condition. And it will eventually be more expensive per order to pay the model change party.” What does it propose? That platforms, distributors and administration “feel and be heard” to find a consensual exit. “The solution is not white or black, there must be intermediate points that approach the demands of both parties and serve as inspiration for other countries.” For Hermo the Delivery is only One more example of the new business model that do not have to be guided by the inherited guidelines of the twentieth century. “With their pros and cons, but they are less flexible than today is demanded.” Is it the only one to complain? No. And that’s why his reflection is even more interesting. Beyond the debate that accompanied the approval and entry into force of the ‘Rider Law’, in 2021, the discussion around the pros and cons of the measure have been maintained over the last four years. In August The newspaper asked To the spokeswoman for the RidersxDerechos Trade Union Platform, Núria Soto, if the collective is better today at work level than a five years. His answer was clear: “Yes, although it depends on who you ask.” “Riders have more rights, but also less income. And those without work permission who distributed renting accounts have been excluded from regularizations and have lost their source of income,” Soto warned. There are deeders that are even more blunt And they regret that the ‘Rider Law’ has sunk them even more in the “precariousness” that promised to free them. They have even been published academic studies that confirm how legislative change has had some unwanted effects, such as worsening of salaries or destruction of employment. Why that complaint now? The law is 2021, but it makes sense that the sector continues to pronounce today. After all, a good part of the Riders They were still not hired until not so long. This year however Glovo gave A key step by deciding that all their distributors become salaried. The decision was made after a few complex years, marked by large fines and The scrutiny of the authorities, and not without suspicion. “We will hire 20,000 workers, but they will gain less than as self -employed,” He warned in February Your CEO. According to The newspaperin August almost 70% of the packages that were distributed in Spain they did it through a delivery man with … Read more

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

The Government has approved its draft reform of the tobacco law

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Anti -tabaco legislation in Spain has been pending review years. Almost 15 years have passed since the last major reform and the government carries At least 2023 working in a parked measure “In a drawer“Until the end of that year. Now, the draft reform of the tobacco law has gone through the Council of Ministers. What can we expect. The future norm, which You will still have to go through the legislative filterwould include the prohibition of smoking on terraces, as well as new measures to Regular vapers and electronic cigarettesand more restrictions to avoid the consumption of tobacco among minors. The project modifies the 2005 Anti -Tabaco Law, a standard that has already suffered an important reform 15 years ago but that has not been adapted to the new trends and forms of consumption. The new standard is part of the Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention and Control of Smoking 2024-2027. Tobacco in terraces. Throughout these last months, one of the aspects of the bill that more attention has generated It has been the prohibition of smoking on the terraces of the hospitality premises. If the last great reform of the Anti -Tabaco Law prohibited tobacco in almost all of the closed public spaces, the new standard will go one step further by restricting consumption in open and semi -raised spaces such as bars and restaurant terraces. This not only affects bars and restaurants terraces, but also including exteriors of health, educational, university and social centers, and children’s or cultural or sports areas. Vapeo, electronic cigarettes, and more. One of the most anticipated aspects is the incorporation to the law of new ways of smoking and consuming tobacco that have rooted in society. According to the Ministry of Health In a press releasethe new regulation defines and regulates more specifically the so -called “tobacco -related products.” The list of these products includes electronic cigarettes, with or without nicotine; Nicotine sachets for oral use; And devices for Consumption of heated products. They also include “herbal products, used to smoking, vaporizing or inhaling”, which includes for example Shishas and also the plantless plant mixtures. In the press release, the Ministry Point out That these products “although they do not always contain tobacco or nicotine, are linked to the act of smoking or inhaling, in addition to increasing the risk of smoking conventional tobacco.” If the rule thrives, these products will be applied to the same “same legal restrictions as (al) conventional tobacco”. Sale prohibited, prohibited consumption. Another important change is in the consumption of tobacco by minors. Until now the restrictions focused on avoiding the sale of tobacco. The new standard becomes consumption to minors, analogous to how it was proposed to do With alcohol. Observatory for smoking prevention. The reform includes other relevant points, such as the creation of the Observatory for Smoking Prevention. The new standard also changes regulation around the or advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products (and related products), incorporating new restrictions. In Xataka | In full global tobacco crisis, the industry has found an ally that drives sales: China Image | Irina Iriser

The US government prepares a law that threatens death its business abroad

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The strip and loosen of Nvidia and the US government has no end. The soap opera starring the GPU for artificial intelligence (AI) H20 It has finished, but another one is already taking shape. In the middle of last April the US Department of Commerce imposed new restrictions to The export to China of this chipwhat in practice caused that it stop arriving at the Chinese clients of this company. Three months later and after arduous negotiations Nvidia got the license again I needed to sell the H20 GPU in China. Currently Chinese clients from Nvidia They are not buying this chip Because the administration of the cyberspace of China (CAC), which is the main Internet regulatory body in this country, This GPU is thoroughly investigating Because he suspects that he could incorporate a rear door of difficult location by Chinese experts. Nvidia has denied it, but it seems that this GPU is sentenced in China. Be as currently the company led by Jensen Huang has a major problem. And he doesn’t have it in China. He has it in the US. Last Tuesday, American legislators presented a bill in which they propose to demand chips designers for the US to prioritize the national orders of these GPU before giving them to foreign buyers. However, this is not all. In addition, this bill explicitly proposes that exports of the highest range IA GPUs are denied. If this initiative thrives the business of Nvidia, AMD and other US companies abroad will suffer a lot. The Trump administration has changed strategy about China and Nvidia As expected, Nvidia has not stayed with crossed hands. A spokesman for this company has made the following statement to Tom’s hardware: “Our sales to customers around the world do not deprive the US customers. The Chinese chips industry has advanced a lot during the last five years, and will surely continue to do so From one thing we can be sure: everything that is happening in the US has China as a backdrop. The Chinese industry of integrated circuits has advanced a lot during the last five years, and certainly will continue to do so. It is very likely that in 2026 Chinese manufacturers have their own extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment (UVE). And currently Huawei, Moore Threads, Cambricon Technologies and other Chinese companies have GPU for some scenarios They compete with the Nvidia and AMD chips. The independence of the Chinese semiconductor industry is underway. The best output given this juncture for the US is none other than to deliver to China in a controlled way advanced chips for AI, but less powerful than the most capable that design Nvidia, AMD or brains. In this way this Asian country may relax a bit its ambition for development and independence. This is exactly what the Trump administration is doing by allowing Nvidia to give your GPU your H20 again, as Chris Miller holdsthe author of ‘The chips war’in his Newsletter. The Chinese government He is urging Chinese companies that are dedicated to the development of large models of AI to use in their servers integrated circuits of Chinese origin, so it is reasonable to anticipate that Nvidia will gradually lose presence in China. Even so, this company will continue with good health because His robustness in the global market It is undeniable. What is not clear is what will happen if the bill we have spoken a few lines outstands. The US is interested in continuing to sell its chips abroad, but this initiative defends that the best exclusively should be left. China already knows what this measure implies, but now it is possible that other countries also try it. Even if they are US allies. Image | Gage Skidmore | Nvidia More information | Tom’s hardware In Xataka | Ten Chinese companies in Chips and IA have allied with a common goal: to put an end to the domain of Nvidia

The US is dismantling the chips law. His blow will fit the semiconductor industry throughout the planet

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Donald Trump is fulfilling what he anticipated both during the electoral campaign and after returning to the White House. The Chips Law Approved in July 2022 By the government of Joe Biden He has never liked him. Has made it very clear in statements such as this last January: “In the very close future we will impose tariffs on foreign production of computer chips, semiconductors and pharmaceutical products to return the manufacture of these essential goods to the US (…) went to Taiwan; now we want them to return. We do not want to give them billions of dollars in the ridiculous driver program. They already have billions of dollars.” Three months before, in October 2024, I had already charged ferocity against this program of the previous administration In Joe Rogan’s podcast: “We put millions of dollars on the table so that rich companies came, they borrow the money and build chip companies here. And they will not give us the best companies.” The Department of Commerce has seized 7,400 million destined for chips During the electoral campaign the possibility that Donald Trump dismantled the Chips program if he arrived at the government was on the table. A priori the money that has already been delivered will not be returned to the administration, but a part of the funds remains in the hands of the Department of Commerce, which is currently led by Howard Lutnick. And the dismantling has already begun. As we explained last Friday, the US government plans Reassign at least 2,000 million dollars coming from the heading for research and manufacturing integrated circuits within the Chips Law. If this measure thrives these funds will be used to finance projects dedicated to obtaining and the processing of critical minerals. At the moment China controls extractionthe processing and distribution chain of a good part of this crucial strategic resource for many industries, such as integrated circuits, telecommunications, batteries or electric car, among others. The government plans to reallow at least 2,000 million from the game for the investigation and manufacture of chips However, this is not all. And it is that the US Department of Commerce has seized a fund of 7.4 billion dollars that was managed by the National Center for the advance of semiconductor technology (Natcast), which is a private non -profit organization. This money comes from the Chips program and was intended for the research and development of new technologies for semiconductors. The Department of Commerce has justified this seizure arguing that the creation of Natcast by the Biden Administration was an attempt to “avoid clear legal restrictions that They prohibit government agencies to create corporations“In addition, Secretary Lutnick has declared that this organization was “a bribe fund that did nothing but fill the pockets of loyal to Biden with dollars from US taxpayers.” A priori we might think that this measure only affects the US, but nothing is further from reality. Its impact will be received by the global semiconductor industry. American research has made fundamental contributions to the global integrated circuit industry, so the cut of funds for this item in the Chips Law will be a perceptible effect in this sector. As a button shows: the extreme ultraviolet radiation source (UVE) that they use ASML photolithography equipment It was developed by Cymer in the US. If we stick to Natcast’s role in the current semiconductor research, it is important that we do not overlook that this organization is involved in the construction of the extreme ultraviolet light accelerator (UVE) of Albany (New York). And also in the tuning of an Chips Research and Development Center in Tempe (Arizona). The Commerce Department has not yet confirmed What will you do with the 7.4 billion dollars That he has seized, so the future of New York and Arizona research facilities is uncertain. More information | Reuters | Tom’s hardware In Xataka | The US will not be able to contain the technological development of China. Experts from the chips industry forecast it

There are gentlemen getting up at 5:36 in the morning to plant its umbrella on the beach of Torrevieja. The law has things to say

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Saturday, 05.36 am Cura BeachTorrevieja. There is still a good time for dawn and groups of young people who take advantage of the last hours of a Farra night, but the cameras of Mastral projectan weather information platform, capture a curious phenomenon in this corner of the Alicante coast: a white t -shirt man advances through the sand loaded with his pertrechos beach, mounts a couple of sun loans and nailed an umbrella in the first line of beach, almost almost where the waves die. The recording shows nothing more, but since at that time there is not a miserable sun ray is not unreasonable to think that man returns home to continue sleeping until, tomorrow, he can claim his beach plot. Yes, 5.36 in the morning. The video Extended by mastral project has not taken long to go viral, with thousands of reproductions, for a very simple reason: although already We are accustomed To the bathers who go to the beaches at the top hour to reserve a hole and then leave, it is still surprising that there are people willing to do so at dawn. In the specific case of Torrevieja, the recording shows that the first ‘colone’ arrives at 05.36 and its umbrella is planted at 05.41, when it only served (at most) to protect itself from the moonlight. Click on the image to go to Tweet. The ‘War of the umbrellas’. The video reflects the escalation of the ‘War of the umbrellas’a phenomenon that has been cooking in the middle country, especially in the busiest years. Its logic is quite simple: the struggle to get the best holes in the sand, in the front line, leads some bathers to get up early to nail their umbrellas and other belongings. They often keep their place and then leave. The summer version of the Pica in Flanders. The practice is usual especially in Levante and has even encouraged his particular submerged economy. Just a year ago Malaga’s opinion He informed That, for the street sale of soft drinks, towels, glasses and massages, a new business on the beaches of the region had joined: the rental of umbrellas to tourists for 10 euros. In fact in just a week the Local Police came to withdraw about 30. Playeros landowners. Although tails/struggles/discussions to plant ultimate upset or scenes such as the one captured by mastral is curious, in the background there is a major problem: the use of public spaces as if it were farms. And that is not something exclusive to Levante. Nor is it done alone with umbrellas. In 2024 Vigo lived His particular controversy After several photos of bathers that bounded plots (in some cases of several meters) with rows of window. The objective: entrenched inside with towels, portable refrigerators, umbrellas, chairs and tables, as in a bungaló. Of beaches … and swimming pools. The phenomenon is not exclusive to the beaches. Community pools They have their own. In 2022 it circulated A video which showed the fierce competition of the guests of a hotel for giving the best sun loungers in the pool as the doors of the installation opened, at 7.59 h. Some even ran and threw their towels to occupy the free squares. A quick search arrives on Tiktok to find similar recordings. Or even stamps still more surreallike a towel tail in a hotel in Mallorca, a particular system for saving tail at the entrance of the pool. A problem: the law. The problem is that in his zeal for enjoying the sun, the swimmer Hypermadugador of Torrevieja or the landowners of Vigo They forget something: the law. The beaches are regulated by the Coast Law 2/1988that progresses that the sand “will not be of private use”, but some municipalities have gone further specifying that spaces cannot be reserved. It is in those cases in which vacationers must be more careful when planting their towels. In September 2015 without going any further, the Torrevieja Local Police put a 150 euros fine to a swimmer for installing his umbrella early in the day in a privileged place of the beach of the priest to reserve room. It was useless to resort to him and claim that he was taking a dip, the penalty It was ratified in 2016. “Dangerous practice”. “Those of us who live in Torrevieja know that there are people who at 5.30 places their umbrella on the beach and leaves,” explained to the newspaper The provinces Javier Manzanares, councilor, before pointing out that practices thus complicate the work of the operators that clean the sand. “It is a dangerous practice. It hinders a job that they carry out until six in the morning.” What does the law say? The most convenient thing is to consult the ordinances of each municipality. In the case of Torrevieja Your regulations It is very clear: the authorities will consider a mild infraction “to leave parasols installed (…), umbrellas, chairs, tables or any other complement, provided that its owners are not present, for the mere fact of having reserved a place on the beach.” It is not a unique case. In 2022 Cullera published A side in which he underlined the prohibition of installing “particular elements” before eight in the morning and warned that the City Council itself would be in charge of withdrawing them. The document includes Other indications On the use of sand and ends by warning that skipping their indications entails sanctions that can go from 750 to 3,000 euros. Are there more examples? Yes. A few. Leaving umbrellas and chairs to reserve a hole on the beaches is prohibited in Torrox, Vélez-Málaga, Gandía, Carob tree either Nerjawhich was responsible for warning of the veto at the beginning of the pandemic. And that to quote only a handful of examples. Those who skip the law risk more than a reprimand, as happened to the torrevieja’s swimmer of 2015. Of course, the sanctions They can range From one case to another. Algarrobo or … Read more

If the question is how much money you can donate to a child without declaring it to the Treasury, the law makes it clear: none

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An increasingly widespread trend among millionaires is the Do not leave inheritance To your children. Bill Gates either Warren Buffett There are good examples of this new trend that seeks to convey the heritage of parents to children in alternative ways. However, it is not necessary to go to fortunes so bulky to meet cases of parents who want to convey part of their heritage to their children when they are still young. Patrimonial donations and movable property. According to him Article 618 of the Civil Code“Donation is an act of liberality by which a person has one thing for free in favor of another, that accepts it.” Thus, as defined by the regulations on the Inheritance and Donations Tax, Donating money, goods or any other form of patrimony to children will be considered as a donation by the Tax Agency. That implies that the donation must meet a series of characteristics and pay similar taxes to those that would be paid in case of inheritance without any limit value. Namely: Plusvalía tax, IRPF and Inheritance Tax and Donations. When donating money seems simpler, but Hacienda Vigila. If, as in most cases, the donation consists of an amount of money not very high, temptation is simply giving it to it. But how much money can you give a child without declaring it as a donation? The law does not establish any type of limit that forces donations to declare, so, technically, it would be donation to even give it a euro. However, such and as indicated From lawyers and inheritances, it is not common for the Treasury to pursue the small deliveries of money or gifts of little value. Nevertheless… Finance can request bank information by detecting certain movements due to the regulations of Prevention of capital laundering and terrorism financingso keep it in mind: Income of more than 3,000 euros in cash to review that its origin is justified profits. Income in 500 euros tickets. They are the most monitored tickets by the Treasury because they are used for criminal activities. Entering a large amount of cash in these tickets will sow many suspicions. Recurring income. The entry of a fixed, periodic amount and from the same origin, indicate some type of commercial transaction and the Treasury will show interest in their nature. The small amounts sent to the same account in a short period of time have the same effect Transfers Entities notify the credits of more than 6,000 euros, and transactions of 10,000 euros or more. Whether they are bank transfers and cash movements. How do they pay children’s money to children? Donations, like inheritances, are taxed by the Donation and Succession Tax. Each autonomous community manages this tax under its criteria, so taxation will depend on the Autonomous Community in which the donor has resided in the last five years. Madrid, Basque Country, Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Galicia, Extremadura, La Rioja and Navarra are exempt from this tax or bonus it to 99.9% for spouses, parents and children. Andalusia bonuses 99% and other communities apply exemptions of up to 400,000 euros. If the donation exceeds that limit, it must be taxed by it. It is not a donation, but I “preside”. If what is intended with donation is to help financially in a complicated stage, there is an alternative to donation: formalize a loan without interest. This assumption is not subject to taxes or expenses and it is only necessary to formalize a private loan contract and the donor will have to submit the settlement of the property transmissions tax at zero cost. However, in that document the deadlines and the way in which the money will be returned, which can be extended both in time as desired, will be specified, which makes it especially interesting for the donation of large sums of money. What if the donation is not declared? If you choose not to declare the donation and hacienda, it detects that money has been received without justifying its origin, it will be interpreted as an unjustified assets. In that case, such and as indicated the OCU, a Taxation of the IRPF to the marginal type that can reach up to 56% of the donated amount, plus the corresponding sanction. In Xataka | Why Millionaires like Zuckerberg and Gates decide not to leave their children with their children? Image | Unspash (Alexander Gray) *An earlier version of this article was published in July 2024

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