Latest news with #PuertoRican
Kuwait Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
‘Shop local': Bad Bunny brings tourism surge to Puerto Rico
The day before Bad Bunny kicked off his blockbuster residency that's expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Puerto Rico while showcasing its rich culture, he posted a simple message: Shop Local. The ethos is core to his 30-show concert series in San Juan which, after nine performances exclusive to residents, will open up to fans from elsewhere - what many Boricuas, as Puerto Ricans are known, are hoping will serve as an exercise in responsible tourism. 'It's an incredible moment for the island,' said Davelyn Tardi of the promotional agency Discover Puerto Rico. The organization conservatively estimates the residency will bring in some $200 million to Puerto Rico over the approximately three-month run, which falls during the typically less-trafficked summer months. Azael Ayala works at a bar in one of San Juan's popular nightlife zones, telling AFP that business was already booming even though the residency was only in its first weekend. It's 'completely changed,' the 29-year-old said, as crowds buzzed about La Placita where some bars were slinging Bad Bunny-themed cocktails. 'We're thrilled,' Ayala said. 'The tips are through the roof.' The fact that people are coming from across the globe to see Bad Bunny 'is a source of pride for Puerto Rico, too,' he added. Arely Ortiz, a 23-year-old student from Los Angeles, couldn't score a ticket to a show - but said Bad Bunny was still the draw that prompted her to book her first trip to Puerto Rico. 'I really love how outspoken he is about his community,' she said. 'Just seeing him, that he can get so far, and he's Latino, it encourages more Latinos to be able to go for what they want. He has for sure empowered Latinos, like 100 percent.' People sit in front of a mural of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny at La Placita de Santurce in San Juan, Puerto Rico.--AFP photos Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs on stage during his 30-concert residency opening at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. People play dominoes outside the Coliseo de Puerto Rico before the first show of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny's 30-date concert residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This aerial view shows people queing to attend the first show of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny's 30-date concert residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. People on their way to the beach walk past a mural of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, the municipality where he grew up. This aerial view shows people at the beach in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, the municipality where Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny grew up. Puerto Rican influencer Astrid Nahir poses for a photo in front of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny (left) and Puerto Rican flag murals in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican artist Humberto Olivieri paints a sapo concho (Puerto Rican toad) mural in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Tourism: It's complicated But while tourism has long been an economic engine for the Caribbean island that remains a territory of the United States, the relationship is complicated. Concerns around gentrification, displacement and cultural dilution have magnified on the archipelago beloved for stunning beaches with turquoise waters - especially as it's become a hotspot for luxury development, short-term rentals and so-called 'digital nomads' who work their laptop jobs remotely while traveling the world. Visiting foreigners sample the island's beauty but are shielded from the struggle, say many locals who are coping with a chronic economic crisis exacerbated by natural disasters, as rents soar and massive blackouts are routine. Bad Bunny - who was born and raised Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio - himself has pointed to such issues and more in his metaphor and reference-laden lyrics. 'In my life, you were a tourist,' reads one translation of his track 'Turista.' 'You only saw the best of me and not how I was suffering.' Historian Jorell Melendez Badillo told AFP that Puerto Rico by design has long catered to foreign investment: 'A lot of people see tourism as sort of like this colonial undertone,' he said. But when it comes to Bad Bunny and his residency at the affectionately nicknamed venue El Choli, 'we cannot negate the fact that it's going to bring millions of dollars' to the island, he added. 'We can celebrate what Benito is doing while also looking at it critically, and having a conversation around what type of tourism will be incentivized by this residency.' Ana Rodado traveled to Puerto Rico from Spain after a friend native to the island gifted her a ticket. She booked a five-day trip with another friend that included a visit to beachside Vega Baja, the municipality where Bad Bunny grew up and worked bagging groceries before gaining fame. After posing for a photo in the town square, Rodado told AFP that she'd been trying to take the artist's 'shop local' plea to heart. 'Tourism is a global problem,' she said. 'To the extent possible, we have to be responsible with our consumer choices, and above all with the impact our trip has on each place.' 'We try to be respectful, and so far people have been really nice to us.' Ultimately, Bad Bunny's residency is a love letter to his people - a show about and for Puerto Ricans whose narrative centers on heritage, pride and joy. 'We're here, damn it!' he shouted to ecstatic screams during his sweeping first show, which at times felt like a giant block party. 'I'd come back for the next 100 years - if God lets me, I'll be here.' — AFP
Reuters
13 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
US appeals court revives antitrust lawsuit over Puerto Rican baseball league
July 22 (Reuters) - Puerto Rico's top baseball league must face claims that it conspired to suppress competition in the popular sport on the island, home to many current and former stars of Major League Baseball, a federal appeals court ruled. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a ruling, opens new tab on Monday revived part of a lawsuit that was filed in 2022 against the league and others by a former owner-operator of a franchise in Puerto Rico's professional baseball league, Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico. The Boston-based appeals court, which hears federal cases from Puerto Rico, said that former owner Thomas Axon could pursue a narrowed antitrust and civil rights lawsuit against the league and others. The appeals court upheld the dismissal of U.S. federal antitrust claims, but allowed antitrust and fair competition claims under Puerto Rican laws. In a statement, Winston & Strawn's Jeffrey Kessler, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs, welcomed the 1st Circuit's order allowing the case to proceed and said they were weighing their options over the dismissal of the federal antitrust allegations. Francisco Colón-Ramírez, a lawyer for the baseball league, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Axon in the lawsuit said rival teams had worked to block his efforts in 2019 to restore his franchise through major new broadcast initiatives, better salaries, enhanced sponsorships and expanded merchandising. He alleged that the baseball league seized his investor-operator interest without compensation or due process, and moved to box him out of the league. The league and other defendants have denied any wrongdoing. In dismissing the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge William Young in 2023 pointed to the 'baseball exemption' of federal antitrust law. The U.S. Supreme Court in a 1922 case concluded antitrust law does not apply to the business of baseball. In the latest in a string of legal challenges involving the baseball exemption, Axon's lawyers argued it only applies to Major League Baseball and its direct affiliates, and not to the Puerto Rican league. Young disagreed. The 1st Circuit panel — Chief Judge Barron, joined by Circuit Judges O. Rogeriee Thompson and Gustavo Gelpí — suggested the exemption is out of touch with the modern realities of baseball. But the Supreme Court, the panel said, has declined so far to overrule it. The case is Cangrejeros de Santurce Baseball Club LLC et al v. Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico Inc et al, 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 23-1589. For plaintiffs: Jeffrey Kessler of Winston & Strawn For defendants: Francisco Colón-Ramírez of Colón Ramírez Read more: National Hockey League, Canadian hockey clubs defeat US class action US judge approves NCAA baseball coaches' $49 million settlement Bipartisan state coalition backs challenge to MLB's antitrust immunity
Winnipeg Free Press
14 hours ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Puerto Rico's government sues private power company as chronic outages damage appliances
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico's government filed a lawsuit Tuesday against a private power company, claiming it is responsible for damages to customers' appliances caused by chronic power outages in the U.S. territory. The civil lawsuit by the consumer affairs department says the Luma company, which oversees power transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, was 'negligent' and is responsible for damages caused to consumer appliances by outages and power fluctuations. It said the department has the authority to take cases to court to protect those affected by the company's 'inefficiency and lack of adequate service.' The action was filed against the company as a whole since the law exempts Luma's employees and contractors from claims filed by customers under an immunity granted in 2021 by Puerto Rico's Energy Bureau. The suit cited a recent Luma statement at a public hearing that the company has rejected 1,828 claims. 'It's time for Luma to be fully accountable to Puerto Rican consumers,' it said. Luma said in a brief statement that it would treat the lawsuit with the seriousness and responsibility it deserves. 'Our commitment is to continue working for the benefit of our customers, despite the significant challenges we face in operating a fragile and deteriorating electrical system, which for years has lacked the necessary maintenance and investment,' it said. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The outages have damaged thousands of appliances ranging from air conditioners to refrigerators on the island of 3.2 million people with a 40% poverty rate. The lawsuit comes months after Puerto Rico's governor promised to cancel Luma's contract, warning it would be a long and complex process. Anger against Luma has been growing ever since it signed a contract with Puerto Rico's government in 2020. Outages remain common after Hurricane Maria razed Puerto Rico's electric grid when it hit the island as a powerful Category 4 storm in September 2017. But the grid was already frail following a lack of investment and maintenance for decades by Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority, which is struggling to restructure $9 billion in debt. Two island-wide blackouts hit the island in recent months, including on New Year's Eve and during Easter Week.
Los Angeles Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Bad Bunny is staging a late-night talk show takeover
Bad Bunny is booked and busy. (Now try saying that twice.) On Tuesday night, the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican singer will make two back-to-back appearances on late-night television shows: 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' on CBS and 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' on NBC. The 31-year-old artist is in the midst of his historic No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan. The 30-night concert series is expected to generate $200 million to the local economy, according to the island's promotional agency, Discover Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny, who moonlights as an actor, is also promoting the long-awaited 'Happy Gilmore 2,' a sequel to the 1996 Adam Sandler comedy, which will premiere July 25 on Netflix. He will play a golf caddy to Happy Gilmore (played by Sandler), an aggro-ex-hockey player turned golf phenom. Both Sandler and Bad Bunny are expected to appear on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers.' It's an unusual move by the two competing networks to book the same guest on a single night, but as evening newscasts clash with fast-paced content on social media sites like YouTube or TikTok, perhaps the rules can be relaxed for a superstar. Camaraderie across the TV aisle has grown in recent days, with multiple late-night hosts decrying the cancellation of Colbert's program for what CBS has cited as financial reasons. News of this cancellation came days after Colbert criticized CBS' parent company, Paramount, over the $16-million settlement of President Trump's lawsuit stemming from a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris. 'And now for the next 10 months, the gloves are off,' said Colbert on Sunday night. His decade-long show will end May 2026. Earlier this year, Bad Bunny co-hosted 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' to promote his hit album, 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' which remains on the Billboard 200 chart since its January debut. During the program, the two disguised themselves while busking in a New York Subway station, first performing a cover of the Backstreet Boys' 'I Want It That Way,' then Bad Bunny's single 'Nuevayol.' For those wondering how Bad Bunny will pull off this New York showdown, fear not: 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' films its Tuesday program on Monday. Bad Bunny will first appear as a guest on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' on CBS at 8:35 p.m. PST, followed 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' on NBC at 9:35 p.m. PST.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bad Bunny fixing fan's low-cut dress after she accidentally flashes during live show sparks debate: 'if this was a stranger…'
Bad Bunny's concerts are known for wild energy and unexpected moments, but during a recent stop on his DEBÍ TIRRA MÁS FOTOS World Tour, a gesture from the Puerto Rican superstar has become the new viral video on social media. While performing his hit single. Titi Me Preguntó, the singer, walked over to greet fans at the barricade and ended up adjusting a fan's top mid-performance. While the moment only lasted a split second, it was enough to stir a social media debate over consent. What actually happened during the performance? As seen in a viral clip now circulating across TikTok, X, and Instagram, a fan standing at the edge of the stage appeared to have a wardrobe malfunction. Her low-cut white dress slipped, leaving her chest partially exposed. Bad Bunny, still mid-song, leaned in and used his hand to discreetly move her top back into place. The entire interaction lasted just a few seconds, and he kept singing without missing a beat. Fans can't agree on whether it was respectful or not. As the video began making the rounds on social media, netizens quickly weighed in, and not everyone saw the incident the same way. One person wrote, 'This is big bro behaviour. He covered her up; that's it.' Another chimed in, 'He didn't touch her breast, just the top. He was careful and respectful.' But others weren't convinced, as one pointed out, 'He should've said something instead of touching her. Consent matters." 'If this were a stranger on the street and not Bad Bunny, people would be furious,' another noted. Bad Bunny's pattern of controversial stage interactions This isn't the first time Bad Bunny's behaviour around fans has gone viral. In the past, he's made headlines for tossing a fan's phone into the water and for surprise kisses caught on camera. While his supporters argue he's just being real and spontaneous, critics say he sometimes crosses boundaries without realising it. Did the woman react to Bad Bunny coming to her rescue? So far, the woman involved hasn't made any public statements about the moment. But that hasn't stopped fans from debating what the right move should've been. Was he looking out for her? Was it an overstep? The internet is still divided, and the video keeps gaining views. Meanwhile, despite the online chatter, Bad Bunny continues to sell out arenas across the globe. His DeBÍ TIRRA Más FOTOS World Tour has extended dates, and his loyal following doesn't seem to be going anywhere. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
