toll

OpenClaw led the way for AI agents. Gemini Spark is Google putting a toll on it

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In January of this year the technological world was amazed by OpenClaw (at that time Clawdbot), the most powerful AI agent that we had seen to date, capable of taking total control of the computer and everything open source. Technology companies took good note of this and some like Pereplexity or NVIDIA They have set out to copy it. Google just joined the party. Gemini Spark. This is how they have named this personal agent based on Gemini Flash 3.5 that, in the words of Google itself, “helps you manage your digital life.” With Gemini Spark you can assign it a task and it will start working on it autonomously, even with your phone and computer turned off. Google emphasizes the issue of security, which was a major concern with OpenClaw, and says that Spark is designed to “consult you before taking important actions.” What Spark can do. Because it’s integrated with all Google Workspace tools, Spark can perform complex tasks like making a document with a party’s attendee list from the information you receive in email. You can also schedule recurring tasks, like reviewing your bank statement at the end of the month for strange charges, organizing your drive files, or creating workflows from meeting notes. Who can use it. Here comes the main difference with OpenClaw and that is that Gemini Spark is obviously not free. Google has confirmed that its new agent will be part of the Google AI Ultra subscription. In Spain that means paying a minimum of 100 euros per month (there is a 220 euro plan with more features and storage), but even if you want, you won’t be able to try it because at the moment it will be launched in beta version only for US users. At the moment there is no confirmation of when it will reach other languages ​​and countries. When available, Gemini Spark can be used on Android, iOS and in the web app, but they have also talked about integrating it directly into Chrome. Why is it important. The viral success of OpenClaw earlier this year showed us how far a single person can go with a good AI idea, and how short-lived that sweet moment was. Not even three months had passed when OpenAI signed its creator and shortly after we began to see large companies copying the idea. Perplexity with Personal ComputerNVIDIA with NemoClaw and now Google with Gemini Spark. A single open-source project has set the agenda of an industry that has swallowed it in the blink of an eye and returned it to us in the form of a monthly subscription. Image | Google In Xataka | An AI set up a cafeteria from scratch: obtained permits, hired staff and negotiated with suppliers. Then he ordered 3,000 rubber gloves

one where Google, Amazon and Microsoft pay a toll so that we all have internet

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In March 2024, several countries in East Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia began experiencing strange internet outages and massive slowdowns in digital services. The origin was not in a cyber attack or an electrical blackout, it was on a ship reached during an attack in the Red Sea that had accidentally dragged its anchor onto the seabed and damaged several undersea cables essential for global communications. Iran’s plan B. For decades, the Strait of Hormuz was seen as the great bottleneck energy of the planet, the route through which much of the world’s oil circulates. It happens that the war with the United States and Israel has made Iran discover something much more important: the Internet also circulates under those waters. As? Apparently, CNN told that Tehran has understood that the submarine cables that connect Europe, Asia and the Gulf are an infrastructure as strategic as oil tankers, and it wants to convert that geographical position into a new source of power. The idea that begins to emerge in Iranian discourse is very clear: if the world needs to pass data under Hormuz, large technology companies such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft or Meta should accept some kind of tolllicense or submission to Iranian rules. In other words, Hormuz would no longer be just a lever about global energybut also about the digital economy. The invisible cables. The great Iranian strategic discovery is born from an inconspicuous reality: almost all global traffic data depends on physical cables laid on the seabed. Banking payments, cloud services, military communications, streaming platforms, stock market operations and much of the artificial intelligence infrastructure pass through them. Some of these cables cross areas near Iranian waters, especially in the Persian Gulf. Although many of the international routes were designed to directly avoid Iranian territory, Tehran understands that proximity is enough to put pressure. The regime has understood that interrupting or threatening these corridors could generate enormous economic and psychological damage, even without firing a missile. The threat of submarine warfare. At this point it should be noted that Iran has not promised to sabotage cables directly, but it has launched deliberately ambiguous messages about possible interruptions or damages. Precisely this ambiguity is part of the strategy. The country has underwater drones, mini-submarines and capable naval forces to operate in the Gulfwhile its regional allies have already accidentally demonstrated in the Red Sea the enormous impact that a simple underwater incident. The real Western fear is not, therefore, a total internet blackout, but rather a chain of disruptions: financial delays, problems in data centers, degradation of business networks or difficulties in repairing critical infrastructure in the middle of a military crisis. In a world completely dependent on data, touching these cables means little less than touching the global economy. The inspiration of the Suez Canal. Tehran clearly looks to the Suez Canal as a model. Egypt has been monetizing for decades its strategic position by charging tolls and taking advantage of the passage of submarine cables between Europe and Asia. Iran wants to partially replicate that logic, although applied to a much more hostile and militarized environment. In fact, the media linked to the Revolutionary Guard they already talk about compulsory licenses, passage fees and exclusive rights for Iranian companies in charge of maintenance. Legally the scenario is complex and many operators will probably ignore the threats while US sanctions are in place, but the simple fact that Iran is openly raising this idea demonstrates how it has changed his strategic vision on Hormuz. The new discovered power. In short, and as we have already seen with crude oil, what is truly important is not whether Iran will one day manage to collect money from the big Western technology companies, but rather that it has discovered a new form of pressure global. For years, Tehran believed that its greatest weapon it was oil. Now you have understood that the world depends even more on invisible data flows that happen under the sea. That is possibly the great geopolitical transformation that Hormuz is currently revealing: a classic maritime strait is also becoming a critical point for the global digital economy. And that means that future international tensions will no longer revolve solely around the control of energy, that too, but also the control of the infrastructure that supports nothing more and nothing less than the internet. Image | Nara, Wikimedia, Collinpetty In Xataka | The war in Iran is doing something that not even Ryanair imagined: making 20 euro flights a relic of the past In Xataka | Dubai has come to the same conclusion as Russia. To protect your oil from drones there is something better than missiles: giant cages

Murcia has been paying the first “shadow toll” in Spain for 27 years. This year will end it

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It was 1997 when Murcia approved the Law 4/1997, of July 24, on Construction and Operation of Infrastructures of the Region of Murcia. It might seem like a regulation more related to the infrastructures of the autonomous community, but far from it. Two years later, taking advantage of this text, the Murcia Government gave approval to the construction of the Aunor Highway (the RM-15 highway), granting the concession to a company owned by Sacyr and OHL. In October 2001, the toll road was already in operation. But on this toll highway there are no barriers or personnel to collect the corresponding amount. But yes, the people of Murcia pay for it. It is what is known as a “shadow toll” road. And in 2026 it will end. Goodbye to the first “shadow toll” in Spain Just like explains Sacyr on its websitethis Murcian highway is considered the first shadow toll highway in Spain. A formula unprecedented until then in our country. Operation is simple. The concessionaire company builds and maintains the road for the stipulated period of time. During the years that it is active, the control means certify the number of vehicles that pass on the road but the driver does not stop to pay at any time. At the end of the period stipulated in the contract (in this case, each year), the Government to which the highway belongs pay a variable amountdepending on the number of cars that have circulated through it. That is to say, the cost of traveling on the road does not only affect the driver’s pocket, it is all citizens with their taxes who pay the concessionaire company the amount corresponding to the number of vehicles that circulate on it. In this case, the concession for the RM-15 was 25 years. Therefore, next September the concession period will end and the Government of Murcia will have the opportunity to extend or terminate it and, in that case, take charge of the maintenance and operation of the road itself or contracting the services to a third party. This last option will be the one that comes out ahead, they explain in the local media as The truth. The Government of the Region of Murcia has put out to tender a contract for the maintenance of this road, along with other conservation actions and operations on other roads in the Mula Sector. The amount is 20 million euros and 20 companies have participated in the competition. With the end of this shadow toll, an annual payment of between 10 and 13 million euros per year ends, according to the media. In total, it is estimated that once the contract is finalized, between 305 and 312 million euros will have been paid to the concessionaire company. In its day, the highway was seen as a relief for the residents of the Northwest and Río Mula regions. He explained The truth that the road allowed greater access to the towns in these areas but, above all, it was a much safer alternative than the previous national highway, which crossed municipalities and made it “the most dangerous road in the Region of Murcia.” Photo | Google Maps In Xataka | If the question is how to get rid of tolls, the European Union has a clear answer: being an electric truck

an unusual toll to revolutionize global maritime trade

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In the 16th century, several sultans of the Ottoman Empire came to seriously study the possibility of open an artificial road next to the Bosphorus to better control maritime traffic between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean… the project was canceled again and again for centuries due to wars, lack of money and strategic doubts, but the idea never completely disappeared from Türkiye. The old Turkish obsession. While the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the largest sources of tension of the planet due to the war between Iran, the United States and Israel, an idea that has been around Turkey’s politics and strategy for years has once again gained prominence: building a gigantic artificial canal parallel to the Bosphorus to create a new sea route under Ankara’s direct control. It is not just about decongesting Istanbul’s naval traffic. Behind the project appears a much greater ambition: converting a free natural passage into an alternative corridor capable of generating incomegeopolitical influence and pressure capacity on part of international trade. Precisely now, when Hormuz demonstrates the extent to which a maritime bottleneck can disrupt the world economythat old Turkish idea it rings again with more strength. The Bosphorus and its importance. He Bosphorus It is much more than a strait that divides Istanbul between Europe and Asia. In reality it is the only sea exit towards the Mediterranean for countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, Bulgaria or part of southern Russia, and one of the busiest corridors in the world. Every year, thousands of oil tankers and freighters cross a narrow road, full of curves and surrounded by a gigantic city of millions of inhabitants. Türkiye has been defending for years that this trafficking represents an enormous risk both for maritime security and for Istanbul itself, especially after several accidents of ships occurring next to historic and residential areas. The problem for Ankara is that the Bosphorus is regulated by the Montreux Convention of 1936, which guarantees free transit and greatly limits the possibility of charging direct tolls to ships. The idea that could change the rules. There appears the real core of the project Istanbul Canal. As it is an artificial route and not a natural strait, Türkiye could try apply rates and services transit routes similar to those of Suez or Panama without formally breaking international maritime law. For years, this possibility seemed more like a geopolitical fantasy than a near reality, but the Hormuz crisis aims to restore prominence to an uncomfortable question: what happens when large maritime corridors stop being simple routes and become tools of economic and political pressure. Iran has already hinted at the possibility of demanding payments in Hormuz, something that has alarmed organisms international organizations and the great maritime powers. In this context, the old Turkish project begins to fit within a broader trend: transforming certain strategic steps into infrastructures capable of generate multi-million dollar income and increase the political weight of the countries that control them. Istanbul, Türkiye, divided by the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Strait. Erdogan’s dream. Yes, because Recep Tayyip Erdogan turned the Istanbul Canal into one of its great symbols politicians. In fact, he has compared it to Suez and Panama, he has described it as a project aimed at transforming the Türkiye’s international role and has presented it as a work capable of turning Istanbul into one of the great logistics centers in the world. On paper, the channel would have 45 kilometers longwould allow the passage of large oil tankers and freighters and would be accompanied by ports, logistics zones, new urbanizations and enormous real estate developments. It would also physically split the European part of Istanbul, creating a kind of gigantic artificial island between the Bosphorus and the new canal. The big question: if anyone would pay to use it. The enormous problem of the project has always been the same. Although Türkiye could charge tolls on the new canal, the Bosphorus would still exist as a free alternative. That doubt has been haunting the plan for years: why a shipping company would agree to pay millions to cross an artificial route when it has another relatively nearby toll-free route. Ankara is confident that congestion, navigation risks and possible delays will push many companies to choose the new corridor, especially for dangerous goods and large tankers. But many economists and maritime experts believe that the real profitability of the project remains uncertain and it would depend on very specific international scenarios, precisely like those that the Hormuz crisis is causing today. Criticism within Türkiye. Furthermore, the Istanbul Canal It has never been solely a discussion about maritime trade. For years it has been accumulating criticism for its ecological impacturban and economic. Scientists and urban planners warn that the canal would cross forests, aquifers, agricultural areas and very sensitive ecosystems in the north of Istanbul. Not only that. There are also fears about how alter the currents between the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Marmara, affect marine biodiversity or increase problems related to earthquakes and landslides in an already very seismically vulnerable region. Plus: the projected cost (which different estimates place between 15,000 and more than 60,000 million dollars) continues to generate doubts even among sectors that support strengthening Turkey’s strategic position. Hormuz has reactivated the dream. For years, the Istanbul Canal seemed to move between bombastic announcements, delays, political disputes and financial doubts. but the war around Hormuz has returned to put on the table a much broader issue: the enormous power that certain maritime points have to alter supply chains, energy markets and entire geopolitical balances. Türkiye now watches as the entire world discusses blockades, maritime insurance, tolls and control of strategic routes while your old project appears again, at least in some sectors of the country, as a possible tool to increase your global influence in a century where maritime corridors once again become central pieces of international power. Image | Wikimedia, NASA In Xataka | Neom has stopped being science … Read more

15 years were not enough for Amazon to defeat Steam. Now that defeat is taking its toll on him.

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In 2025, Amazon faces a deep crisis that challenges its hegemony. The obvious signs are mass layoffs what you are facing in the last few days, or the massive crash of your cloud serviceAmazon Web Services (AWS), which globally affected numerous digital platforms. But before, there have been multiple signs, some more subtle than others, that have made it clear that his gigantism was preventing him from precisely combating apparently much weaker rivals. One of its last bosses, Ethan Evans, has made it clear by recounting how Amazon tried to impose itself on the leading digital video game distribution platform, Steam. And despite having many more resources, it failed miserably. A revealing chapter. The failure of Prime Gaming within Amazon is a revealing chapter, and has been clearly exposed by Ethan Evans, former vice president of Prime Gaming. In a post that shared on his Linkedin profileEvans said that Amazon decidedly opted to compete with Steam, trusting in its size and resources to prevail. However, this strategy not only failed, but also showed a deep disconnection with the ecosystem in which its rival operated. According to Evans, the company tried everything to unseat Steam, from mergers with smaller stores that it intended to grow, to launching its own services such as Luna cloud gaming platform. But it never managed to deliver an experience that was significantly better. What went wrong. Evans says that one of the critical failures was underestimating the value of Valve, which combined a robust offering with a consolidated community and an interface adapted to the needs of players. Amazon mistakenly believed that its dominant presence and technological infrastructure would be enough, without understanding that players had already solved many of their problems and were unwilling to change. Evans adds to all this problems of focus, frequent changes in direction and the lack of a clear value proposition within a highly segmented and competitive market. As Evans himself says, there were experts who pointed out that this failure was foreseeable given the saturation and maturity of the digital gaming market, where differentiation requires not only capital, but also an innovative vision and solid relationships with users. Prime Gaming, in free fall. Prime Gaming is, perhaps, one of the departments of Amazon’s business that is suffering the most. In 3dJuegos they detail a “huge” cut that especially affects its MMO projects. Amazon will carry out a restructuring that will bring with it a very significant number of layoffs, including a total of 14,000 employees, with a direct impact on the Irvine and San Diego studios, which worked on titles such as ‘New World’ and the MMO based on ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Despite these cuts, Amazon will keep its video game division active, but with a different approach: they will focus on more sustainable products and agreements with third parties instead of continuing with their own big-budget developments. They continue to function as a distributor of the new ‘Tomb Raider’ and the Open world driving game from Maverick Gamessimilar to ‘Forza Horizon 5’. They also have a project from their studio in Montreal, ‘March of Giants’, moving forward with a closed alpha. The official justification for the restructuring is linked to the need to be “more agile” in a context of the explosion of artificial intelligence and changing markets. Goodbye, ‘New World’. Without a doubt, the project that suffers the most from these changes is ‘New World’, an MMO that will soon be discontinued and whose servers will close sometime in 2026. Season 10 and the latest updates, including the ‘Nighthaven’ expansion, will be the last content that the game will receive. As a way of thanking the community, Amazon made the “Rise of the Angry Earth” expansion free for all PC players, which multiplied users to a very notable but apparently insufficient 40,000 daily players. Massive restructuring. Amazon is preparing, at all levels, for major structural changes, starting with the massive reduction of its corporate workforce. As has been knownAmazon plans to cut between 14,000 and 30,000 jobs globally. The impact of the layoffs will be especially felt in areas such as human resources, advertising, payments, device development (including Fire TV), customer analytics and Audible. The overcontracting that took place during the pandemic and the need to redirect resources towards strategic areas such as artificial intelligence are presented as some of the reasons in a very complex situation. In Xataka | Amazon has calculated how much it costs to lay off 600,000 employees: 30 cents per item sold and many robots

In Spain, eating chocolate is becoming a luxury. And that has begun to take its toll on your consumption

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Despite price swings And that the tablets no longer take the deficated rhythm of A few months agothe chocolate market continues to cross turbulence. The latest IPC data show that eating chocolate today comes out 19% more expensive that a year ago, which threatens to convert the chocolates and chocolates into (almost) a luxury. Consumption is not falling to the same extent in which prices rise, but the industry begins to understand a reality: demand, even the very very chocolate, It is not immune to inflation. The big question is now … Will prices continue to upload? A percentage: -13%. They do not run good times for cocoa and chocolate lovers. It is something that We have been saying. Your crisis responds to A mixture of factors that transcend Spain, but still the data that are coming from the national market help to better understand its evolution and perspectives. One of the last clues is the INE in your price index August. It shows that both chocolate and cocoa powder continue to make more expensive. The first is today 13.1% more expensive than in January and 18.8% more than a year ago. In the case of the second, the product that is marketed in dust, the percentages are respectively at 10 and 11.8%. They are not as strong increases as those of a few months ago, when the interannual chocolate climb touched 25%but still far exceed General Food CPIwhich barely grew 1.8%. Consumption, in retreat. The price is not the only clue we have to understand the chocolate situation in Spain. Moreover, there is another equally important (or even more) indicator that is directly related to the evolution of costs: demand. And this is also far from moving in positive values. As the price of chocolates, tablets, nougat and other cocoa products rose, its demand was contracted. And what, how has you denounced Facua, at least part of the sector attempted to compensate for raw materials through a strategy of “Redouflation”which basically consists in reducing the size of the product without touching its price. At the end of 2024, for example, the organization detected that practice in Christmas sweets. And how does demand evolve? If we talk about chocolates, cocoa and their derivatives, the data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food draw a negative curve. Your study ‘Food consumption in Spain’prepared with data from 2024, shows that last year we buy less than the previous one. The fall was 4.4%, although in the specific case of per capita consumption the setback was higher, 5.6%staying at about 3.03 kilos per individual and year. “In the long term, the purchase of these products by Spanish households decreases, because 4.7% less chocolates/cacaos are bought than with respect to 2008,” Precian From map, which clarify in any case that this setback does not affect the entire sector equally. In fact, it is concentrated in derivatives, which retreat 10%. Chocolates grew 6.2%. Four of the 2024 food report published by the Government. Are there more updated data? Yes. And although the figures change the sign, negative. Updated data The Ministry on Food Consumption shows that in the mobile year at the end of the first quarter (March 24-March 25) the demand for chocolates and cocoa in Spain had reduced 6.1%, leaving per capita intake by 2.96 kg. A year earlier that indicator was greater: 3.19 kg. Now, that fall leaves a positive reading for the industry: chocolate is enduring the price increase well. Or at least he is not suffering as much as he could. It is reflected by another report published in July by Nielseniq, which esteem That the demand for sweets in general has contracted 2.6%, that of chocolate 3.2%and that of cocoa 1.7%. It may seem a lot, but it shows an amazing resistance of the product if one takes into account that in a few years it reached take up 30%. Less consumption, more expense. The Data from the Ministry of Food They show a curious trend in the chocolate sector, one that is probably explained by that decoupling between the rhythm to which prices rise and to which demand lowers. In 2024 we might have bought less chocolate, cocoa and derived products, but if we talk about the money moved in the market the data is superior. “In terms of value, the category closes with an increase of 6.4%, which means a gain of 86.5 million euros for the industry,” Confirm the mapwhich has also found the increase in ounces throughout the year 2024. “The average price of these products is € 10.11/kilo, a figure that is 11.3% greater than last year, an increase of € 1.02/kilo.” Year (Tam March) Consumption (kg/per capita) of chocolates/cacaos/dirt 2O25 2.96 2024 3.19 2023 3.21 2022 3.54 2021 4.03 2020 3.57 2019 3.57 Millions of millions (which). The Photo of the year included between the months of March 2024 and 2025 is similar. The millions of kilos of chocolate that moved in the industry fall, but the millions of euros of billing rise. To be precise, the first indicator retreated 6.1%. The second grew by 7.1%. In fact it is one of the greatest increases between the categories identified by Map in its latest report. Only the prepared dishes (10.8%), olive oil (11.8%), frozen potatoes (11.9%), some fresh fruits (8%) and part of the wine industry, although with lower billing levels, are exceeded. How does the industry respond? Recently, coinciding with the World Chocolate DayEfe published a balance that shows that (despite everything) the chocolate industry is maintaining its sales and enduring the guy. It does so in thanks to exports. According to the data it manages, in 2024 consumption grew by 7.5% in value while its volume was reduced by 3.9%. I wish They stand out That data and remember that in 2023 the difference between spending and volume was more pronounced. “There is an effort, since profitability is reduced by the cost of raw material.” For the Spanish industry … Read more

The bathers have always seen the sea shells as an innocent souvenir. And that is taking its toll on the beaches

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A shell measures only a few centimeters. Not that, in some cases. That is why it is normal to take a small snail or a valve home seems a harmless act and without the greatest significance. It is. The problem is when that small act is multiplied by thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands or thousands of millionswhich adds to the visits that humanity makes to the beaches of the planet over a year. With that data on the table the ‘stolen’ shells to the sands do become a challenge, one capable of even Alter ecosystems. Granite granite is made a beach … And it gets rid. A quick (and devastating) calculation. In the world we live around 8,000 million Of people and (almost) we all share a hobby: go to the beach, take long walks through the sand, sunbathe, bathe and why not? Go home with a little shell in your pocket as a memory. After all, what’s wrong with? The act is innocent if we look only at what we do, but the thing changes when we expand the perspective and we put accounts, which was recently a Florida researcher in An interview with The country. “There are almost 10,000 million visits to beaches annually and almost certainly, Explain Michał Kowalewski, a researcher of specialized in the study of invertebrates. “Let’s say that a shell is collected for every hundred visits, which sounds at little, but even so we would be talking about 10,000 tons of shells that disappear from the beaches every year.” In summary, a full -fledged marine plunder with which several Olympic pools could be filled to the top. Are there more calculations? Yes. A few years ago Kowalewski participated in A study Together with experts from the University of Barcelona (UB) that helps to understand what the bathers take home Conchas. Its analysis is interesting because part of a very concrete sandal, the Saolu Long Beachin Tarragona, where the influx of tourists has triplicate Since 70. To know how that boom is affecting the area, experts compared two samples of shells taken with enough margin: the first data of 1978-1981, the second of 2008-2010. What did they find out? That that greater pressure from the bathers was taking its toll on the Reserve of Conchas. And for worse. “The increase in tourism on the Mediterranean coast is related to a 70% decrease in shells during the tourist season of July and August and 60% the rest of the year,” summary From Ub. The area in which they focused their efforts is interesting because the influx of tourists increased 2.7 times during the study period and the analyzes show that the abundance of shells along the coast fell almost to the same extent, 2.6. Is everything due to tourism? The studypublished in 2023 in the academic magazine Plos Oneemphasizes the influence of tourism and its considerable increase between the end of the 70s and early 21st century, but that is not the only factor that has influenced the beach ecosystem. During the three decades that passed between both samples the urban environment of the beach was altered with new hotels and also varied the use and maintenance of the environment. “The correlation could also respond to the increase in water turbidity because there are more recreational vessels or for organic pollution, or the elimination of shells for daily cleaning services, among other reasons,” They recognize Catalan experts, who insist on the need for “more studies”, especially in areas where tourists look actively for their great view, as in the coast of Florida, the Philippines or Indonesia. Why is it important? Because shells are more than whims of nature or potential souvenirs. “They are not there by chance, they are part of the natural gear that keeps our beaches alive and stable,” Clarify in The country Fernando García, one of those responsible for the Malacological Collection of the National Museum of Natural Sciences. The shells help the sands retain their firmness and resist erosion and even influence the acidity of the water. Much more than souvenirs: homes. “The disappearance of shells could have a significant impact on the natural environment, causing alterations in the stabilization of the coastline and a decrease in the production of carbonated sediments, among others,” Underline in the UB. Not to mention that the shells serve to look more than look in our nightstand. There are birds that use them to build nests and serve as a refuge for different organisms. An extra reason: the law. There is one more reason to think twice to fill the shell pockets. In addition to damaging the environment can damage our economy. As I remembered recently Legal, technically the Coastal Law It does not allow “elements of the maritime-terrestrial public domain” and that includes mollusks, stones, sand and shells. “This activity can lead to a sanction of up to 60,000 euros according to the value of the damage “, warns. “Irreparable damage”. At the beginning of 2022 the Cabildo de Fuerteventura recognized that in just four months (and not precisely high season) the island authorities had seized more than 4,500 kilos of shells, rholites, stones and sand at the airport. Hence, remember the local population and tourists “the importance of avoiding practices such as the plundering of materials.” “Every year the Environment personnel return thousands of kilos of this type of Majorero landscape materials that recover from the plunder at the Fuerteventura airport,” insists The organism, which points out that the most seized material is white sand (640 kg) and black (309 kg). “Insular ecosystems are fragile, so any bad condition can be as irreparable damage.” Images | Carlos Alejo (Flickr) and Art of Hoping (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | The beach of the crystals: Galicia has one of the most fascinating sands in Spain by chance

Brussels Baraja tariffs of 10% and 25% to US products. The measure aims to take its toll on the European consumer

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We are attending a new climbing in the commercial war between Brussels and Washington. According to the EFE agencythe European Commission proposes to impose 10% and 25% tariffs to certain imported products from the United States. A proposal that, if progress, could have direct consequences for European consumers. The product list. Although the complete list of goods subject to the new tariffs proposed by the European Commission is not yet known, Bloomberg has had access to a document that includes dozens of categories. At the moment, there are two notable absences: digital services and whiskey. This is what appears on the list. Consumer and leisure goods: Appliances Motorcycles Recreation vessels Naipes Luxury products and others: Food products: Embutidos Corral birds and other agricultural products Personal and health care products: Industrial and Security Materials: Two possible tariffs. Bloomberg points out that most of the products included in the proposal would be subject to a 25%tariff, while a minority would face one of 10%. For now, it is not defined what percentage will apply to each category, so we will have to wait for the publication of the official document to know the details. Without bourbon on stage. As we point out, the final proposal does not include alcoholic beverages such as Bourbon whiskey, leaving out the 50% tariff that was initially shuffled. According to ReutersBrussels would have made this decision to avoid the 200% tariff to alcoholic beverages in the EU with which Trump threatened in case that measure went ahead. It is not yet official. 10% and 25% tariffs remain, for now, a proposal. Its public diffusion can be interpreted as a way of measuring the land in full commercial escalation. In any case, it is planned to be approved at the end of this week and enter into force on April 25. The collection, however, would begin in mid -May. View price increase. Tariffs, As explained by Tax Foundationthey function as taxes applied to imports. In practice, this additional cost is rarely assumed by companies: it ends up impacting directly on the consumer pocket. So if we are approved we will probably see products from the most expensive US. Images | European Parliament | The White House In Xataka | There is a clear winner with the 25% tariffs to the car: it is called byd and represents everything that China has to win

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