Pope attacks Europe's throwaway culture

 

Pope Francis criticised Europe in a speech at the European Parliament. He attacked Europe's 'throwaway culture,' which he said ignored the elderly, the seriously ill and unborn children. He said technology and economics seemed more important than people. He said people were now just "cogs in a machine" and that whenever someone is no longer useful, that machine throws them away. He said Europe suffers from uncontrolled consumerism.

 

The Pope warned that Europe's sense of community and great ideas were disappearing because of bureaucracy. He warned that this was "downright harmful" to people. The Pope also warned that Europe was not caring for its people. He said: "One of the most common diseases in Europe today is the loneliness typical of those who have no connection with others." He added that this was especially true of the elderly and the young. (Breaking News)



At last: royal portrait unveiled 20 years late

In 1994, López was given the brief to paint the Spanish royal family, which then consisted of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia and their three children, the Princess Elena, Princess Cristina and Prince Felipe.
 
Much has changed in those 20 years: Prince Felipe is now King Felipe and all three children are married with families of their own.

King Felipe, on seeing the painting for the first time, reportedly exclaimed, “We are all how we were 20 years ago!” according to Spanish newspaper, El País. (The Local)

Independence for Catalonia ???

1.8 million people vote in favor of independence for Catalonia

Over a third of those eligible turned out to vote, according to census estimates

The Catalan government has released its results for participation in the unofficial poll on independence for the northeastern Spanish region that was held on Sunday. Deputy premier Joana Ortega announced that 2,305,290 people had come out to cast their vote, just over a third of those eligible.
She went on to say that 80.76% of the participants had voted yes to the two questions asked: “Do you want Catalonia to be a state?” was the first; in the case of a positive response, voters were asked: “Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state?”
The “yes-no” response obtained 10.07%; “no-no” 4.54%; and blank votes accounted for 0.56%.
The results were released with 100% of votes counted. (El País)

 

Gachas

“Gachas” are a simple dish, made from toasted flour, oil and milk. In many parts of Spain, including the region of La Mancha, shepherds who lived in the hills with their flocks would prepare a pan of “gachas” with meat. In Andalucia, it is more common as a dessert, prepared with anise seeds or liqueur, sugar and cinnamon. This recipe is for the dessert version and is absolutely sweet and delicious.

Ingredients

• 4 thin slices baguette
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as corn or canola
• 1/2 cup unbleached white wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp anis seeds
• 1 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2 %)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top
• 3/4 cup warm milk to serve with “gachas”

• Cook Time: 15 minutes

 

Preparation

This sweet gachas recipe makes 4 servings.
Pour vegetable oil into a large frying pan and heat. When hot, fry the bread slices, browning them on both sides. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Heat milk in a medium saucepan, but do not boil.
Fry the flour in the same oil on low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk. When the flour is toasted, remove the pan from the burner. Slowly pour the hot milk into the frying pan, stirring constantly so that no lumps form. As the mixture thickens, add the sugar while stirring and return to low heat. The mixture should be creamy and smooth.

Tip: Make sure that the milk is hot and stir constantly as it is poured into the fried flour. Doing this will help prevent lumps from forming.
Pour the 3/4 cup milk into a saucepan and heat to lukewarm.
While milk is heating, spoon the gachas into individual bowls, then pour in the milk. Sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon. Top with a slice of fried bread. Serve warm. (spanishfood.about.com)

Galapagos tortoises out of danger

Giant Galapagos tortoises were a symbol for endangered animals. In the 1960s, there were just 15 of them. They were dying out. Wild goats were eating their food and damaging their habitat, so conservationists took action to help them. Now, the tortoises are doing well. There are over 1,000 of them living and breeding in the wild. It is a conservation success story. Conservationist James Gibb said that about half of the tortoises that were released have survived. Mr Gibbs added: "That's actually pretty amazing." He added that the tortoises could now survive without human help.

 
Giant tortoises used to live all over the world. People hunted them so they almost became extinct. There were over 250,000 in the 16th century and just a few thousand in the 1970s. Giant tortoises can weigh up to 250 kg and can live for over 100 years. One tortoise lived in captivity for more than 170 years. Wikipedia says: "Tortoises also live very uncomplicated lives, and can nap up to 16 hours a day." The conservation story in the Galapagos Islands will continue. Next year, a small island that lost all of its tortoises a few years ago will get 200 more. (Breaking News English)

Guy Fawkes

Halloween Quiz

 

 

Surf the Net and try to answer these questions

1. When is Halloween celebrated?

2. Which terrible creature is also known as lycanthrope?

3. What is another name for Halloween?

4. The Romans called Halloween "Pomona Day". Who or what was Pomona?

5. Before they happened upon the pumpkin, the Irish carved  Jack o' Lanterns out of what?

6. How much did the world's largest pumpkin weigh?

7. According to the phobia list, which phobia is the fear of Halloween?

8. What is a male which known as?

9. When was the first Halloween  greeting card made?

10. What does the old English  word "hallow" mean?

11. People in which country celebrate their culture's Halloween by eating candy skulls?

12. A popular Halloween drink in the 18th century Ireland was called "Lamb's Wool". It was made with roasted, crushed ... and milk.

13. In what year can we accept to have a full moon on Halloween night?

14. Where do pumpkins grow?

15. What name is given to a group of witches?

16. What priests first celebrated what we've come to know as Halloween?

17. At Halloween parties, guests traditionally "bob" for ...

 

29th October 1975: Franco's 36-year reign ends

General Franco's dictatorship has effectively ended with the announcement heir designate Prince Juan Carlos will take over as provisional head of state for Spain.

The move comes as a result of the general's continuing illness. He has suffered a massive series of heart attacks and internal bleeding in the last three weeks. The 37-year-old prince has been groomed for the role since he was named heir designate in 1969, continuing an agreement between General Franco and the Prince's father. The urgent need of a leader for the country persuaded the prince to take over on a provisional basis, something which he had been reluctant to repeat. (BBC - On This Day)

Web full of energy but also has 'dark side'

The Internet's founder, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has spoken about it 25 years after he created it. He said it is a force for good, but it has a negative side. He told the BBC: "Everywhere I look I see a mass of energy…and also in some places, they are using the web for organised protests." He was sad at the amount of trolling and negativity. He was shocked that normal people, "suddenly become very hateful instead of very loving".

Berners-Lee was at London's Science Museum for a new 'Information Age' exhibition. It has the server that hosted the first ever website, which still has a note on it that Berners-Lee wrote about not switching it off. Berners-Lee is a director of the World Wide Web Consortium, which looks after the Web's development. He hopes people will build more web-based tools that will help us collaborate for positive change, rather than fight. (Breaking News English)

Halloween Quiz

Choose the correct answers.

1) When is Halloween celebrated? 13 October 31 October 1 November 2) What are the special colours of Halloween? purple and orange white and orange black and orange 3) What is a Jack-o-Lantern made of? melon pumpkin cucumber 4) The festival of Halloween marks the end of summer the end of autumn the end of winter 5) A witch flies on a board broom cat 6) Who brought Halloween to America? English immigrants German immigrants Irish immigrants 7) What aren't supernatural creatures? princesses fairies witches 8) What do children say when the knock at the door on Halloween? Trick or Treat Trick or Money Trick or Beat 9) Which creatures abound during Halloween? black rats white mice black cats 10) What is potion? a liquid with magic powers a mixture of dried flowers something to eat   To check your answers: http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/countries/halloween.htm

Malala Yousafzai wins Nobel Peace Prize

The girls' rights activist Malala Yousafzai, 17, has won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014. She was one of two Nobel laureates. The other is the children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. Malala got the accolade two years and a day after a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on her school bus. She recovered in a British hospital and toured the world speaking for the rights of girls to go to school. She told reporters that school, "is like walking through a magic door to your dreams". Malala is the youngest ever winner of the prize. She is the second Pakistani to scoop the award.

Ms Yousafzai and Mr Satyarthi won the prize, "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people, and for the right of all children to education." Pakistan's Prime Minister congratulated Malala. He said she made Pakistanis proud. He added that: "Her achievement is unparalleled and unequalled." He urged all children to follow her. Mr Satyarthi said his award was for the, "many voices of children who are victims…across the world". He said it was important, "for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education". (Breaking News English)

European Day of Languages

At the initiative of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001 on 26 September.

Throughout Europe, 800 million Europeans represented in the Council of Europe's 47 member states are encouraged to learn more languages, at any age, in and out of school. Being convinced that linguistic diversity is a tool for achieving greater intercultural understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent, the Council of Europe promotes plurilingualism in the whole of Europe.

On the occasion of the day, a range of events are organised across Europe: activities for and with children, television and radio programmes, language classes and conferences. National authorities and the various partners are given a free hand to organise activities. To coordinate the activities organised at national level, the Council of Europe asks participating countries to nominate "National Relay Persons" for the day. (edl.ecml.at)

 

Scotland decides: The independence referendum explained

In nine days time, people across Scotland will face a massive choice - whether or not to become an independent country, separate from the United Kingdom.

A referendum asks you to vote yes or no to a question or proposal.

The people of Scotland will be asked the simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

Scotland has been part of the UK for more than 300 years, so the vote is a huge moment for the country. (CBBC Newsround)

Food crime is an international problem

There is a new and growing danger with the food we eat. Criminal gangs are selling billions of dollars of fake food to supermarkets around the world. The food could be very dangerous. In the past few years, there have been some high-profile scandals. In Britain, tons of horse meat ended up in products that were labeled as beef. British police recently found a product that used cheaper peanut powder instead of almond flour. This could seriously harm or kill people with peanut allergies. In 2008, six babies died in China after gangs made and sold fake milk powder. Gangs can make a lot of money from fake food. It is also safer than selling drugs for the gangs because the penalties are lower.

The assistant director of Interpol, Michael Ellis, told the BBC that food crime is very similar to the drugs trade. He said: "In my experience, the patterns used by criminals involved in counterfeiting are very similar to those used in the dealing of drugs." He said police in 33 countries showed that food crime is a serious international problem. The police found children's candies that were dyed with a poisonous chemical, 430,000 litres of fake drinks and 22 tons of long-grain rice that was labeled as high-quality basmati rice. The British government said it was a difficult problem to tackle. It said that using technology might be the only way to beat the criminal gangs. (Breaking News English)

 

 

Teachers cyber-bullied by students and parents

Seven-year-olds and their parents are posting abuse and damaging comments about their teachers on social networking sites, according to new research. This is a serious rise in the cyber-bullying of teachers. A survey from a British teaching union found that almost half of teachers had reported abuse to the school, police or the website. A fifth had been cyber-bullied in the past year. Three per cent of the comments were from under-elevens.

 

The survey showed that 64% of the comments were from students, 27% from parents, and the rest by both. Many were about teachers' looks, ability, and sexuality. The union said: "It is clear that steps need to be taken to protect teachers." It added that the terrible words and lies in the abuse caused teachers a lot of suffering. Many have lost their confidence to teach and have left the profession. They think reporting the abuse would lead to more trouble. (Breaking News English)

 

 

Marmitako

Ingredients

800 gr Albacore tuna
500 gr potatoes
200 gr tomato
100 gr red peppers
4 green peppers
1 Onion
6 garlic cloves
100 ml olive oil
1 l fish stock
1 chili pepper
1 tsp pimentón
salt

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes about the size of a walnut. Cook in the fish stock. Roast the green peppers, peel and cut into strips. Fry in oil with a clove of garlic. In a frying-pan, make a sofrito with the onion, garlic, chopped tomato, pimentón and chili pepper. Finally, add the red peppers. Remove the skin from the tuna and cut into pieces. Season and add to the pan of stock when the potatoes are nearing completion. Add the sofrito with the green peppers, cook for a further five minutes and serve. (FoodsfromSpain)

 

Gambas Pil Pil

Piping hot prawns in a chilli sauce 

This dish is definitely one which is made for sharing and is so simple to prepare. You will often find it as a starter in restaurants on the coast, where it’s served sizzling hot in heatproof earthenware dishes with plenty of bread to mop up the juices.

 

For two people, you will need around 20 medium-sized prawns, which must be peeled, heads and tails removed, then washed and dried off before they are fried.

Put three tablespoons of good quality olive oil into your earthenware dish (or a small frying pan, if you are unable to find one), with three cloves of garlic, finely chopped, two whole, dried chilli peppers and a pinch each of paprika and salt.

Heat the dish until the oil begins to sizzle, and then add the prawns. They’ll only need a few minutes to cook, until they turn pink and begin to curl up. Remove the dish from the heat, using a cloth or an oven glove to protect your hands as it will be very hot, and leave to rest for a minute before serving with some crusty bread.

Try and exercise a little patience however, as you can easily burn your mouth if you start tucking in too soon! (Typically Spanish)   

 







 

Children can learn to eat vegetables

Getting kids to eat their greens can be difficult. Children often refuse to eat vegetables. This can lead to a poor diet. A new study says parents can train their kids to like vegetables. Under-twos can get to like vegetables if they try them up to ten times. Even fussy eaters will eat them. This is good news for parents who are worried about what their children eat. It also means kids will have better nutrition.

The study was on children aged between four months and three years. Each child had between five and 10 servings of artichoke puree. The younger children ate more of it. A professor said under-twos will eat new vegetables because they are more open to new experiences. After 24 months, they are less willing to try new things. She said if parents want children to eat vegetables, they should start early and serve them often. (Breaking News English)

 

Happy birthday Mr Winton

In 1939 a British man, Sir Nicholas Winton, saved 669 mainly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia, which was under occupation by Nazi Germany. While risking his own life he organized train transports of the children from the endangered area to Great Britain which was not yet affected by the war. There he found new homes for them and allowed them to start a new, safe life. He never talked about his deed and had it not been for his wife, who in 1988 by chance discovered documents about the whole operation, his heroic act would be forever hidden from the eyes of the public and the saved children.
Sir Nicholas Winton is now 105 years of age and he continues to maintain that what he did for the Czechoslovakian children was nothing out of the ordinary. (Change.org)

The May Crosses of Cordoba

At the beginning of May, the tradition of the May Crosses follows a street parade called "the Battle of the Flowers" in which floats decorated with flowers are driven though the city to welcome the coming of spring.

In the May Crosses, huge crosses decorated with flowers, plants in pots and manila shawls, are put up in courtyards and squares, and the neighbourhood associations and local clubs set up a bar serving traditional tapas and drinks to the visitors. Traditional Sevillanas music is played and dance shows are performed by night.

To get the perfect image of Cordoba in May, just stroll round the districts of San Basilio, San Andrés, Santa Marina, San Agustín and the city centre during the May Crosses festival. (english.turismodecordoba.org)

MAY CROSSES FESTIVAL 2014: From 30th April to 4th May
2014 May Crosses' map & programme: Click here

The Brave Tin Soldier

“I thought the Germans were serious”

Lidia López and Nabil Kaddaure have a lot in common. They are both Spaniards from regions where being young and unemployed pretty much go together. The two signed up to the German government’s The Job of My Life program hoping to learn both German and a profession. After spending time at a hotel/school in Rostock, the two say that they feel cheated that the German government has suspended the scheme, which provided funding for young people from hard-hit regions of Europe.

Lidia, aged 25, has almost finished the program: German language courses in Spain; more language courses in Germany, along with on-the-job training; and finally, a three-year contract to continue learning about hotel management. But she says that the German authorities have delayed her payments and refuse to give more information about the scheme, which has been suspended for this year.

Nabil, aged 21, has been in Rostock for just two weeks, and is attending German classes eight hours a day. “Things began to go wrong a couple of weeks ago when I received a letter from my language school in Malaga saying that the German government was suspending grants because there was no money. I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” she says.

Nabil says that she’s not only disappointed at the haste with which the German authorities have suspended the scheme, but also with her experience of it so far, describing it as a “bungle”.

“There is a group of Italians and Spaniards here who have been told that they will have funding to finish their training, but the four of us from Málaga have not been told anything, either way. And we were here before the other groups. I thought that the Germans were serious, but now I’m not so sure.” (El País)

Gabriel García Márquez dies

Gabriel García Márquez, one of the world's greatest novelists, has died from a lung infection at his home in Mexico. He was 87. The Colombian writer won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 and other top awards. Colombia's government announced three days of national mourning. It said García Márquez was, "a writer who changed the lives of his readership". His book ''Love in the Time of Cholera" is the best selling book in Spanish. He wrote many more classics. Critics say he is one of the most important writers ever. He helped develop a style of writing called "magical realism".

Barack Obama paid a tribute to Márquez. He said: "The world has lost one of its greatest visionary writers." Bill Clinton said: "I was always amazed by his unique gifts of imagination…He captured the pain and joy of our common humanity". García Márquez said he was a storyteller from a young age, saying: "I have often been told by the family that I started recounting things, stories and so on, almost since I was born - ever since I could speak." Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa said: "His novels will survive and will continue to find new readers everywhere." (Breaking News English)

7 portions of fruit & vegetables a day best

We are always told that five portions of fruit and vegetables are enough to keep disease away and to live longer. A new study now says people who eat seven portions a day are healthier. Researchers studied the eating habits of 65,000 adults over seven years. They said that there was a strong "inverse" relationship between eating fruit and vegetables and death with people who ate more fruit and vegetables.

The researchers said people who ate up to seven portions a day had a 42 per cent lower risk of death than those who had just one portion. They said schools should serve healthier meals and supermarkets should display cheaper fruit and vegetables where people can see them better. They said frozen and canned fruit was bad for you. A dietician said people who ate more fruit and veg were richer, so their lifestyles helped them to live longer. (Breaking News English)

 

Lisbon

          10 Reasons Why You Should Go to Lisbon

1. CULTURE: It's one of the world's great historical cities, with characteristic and surprising sights, cultural treasures, and a beautiful setting that make it a paradise for walkers and photographers.
2. VALUE: It's one of Europe's best values -- officially Western Europe's least expensive capital.
3. LOCATION: It's the closest European capital to the United States and just around a 2-hour flight from all the other major European cities.
4. CLIMATE: Its mild climate makes it an ideal year-round destination. Even in winter, when most other European cities are freezing, in Lisbon high temperatures rarely go below 10C (50F).
5. RESORT: It is the only European capital located so close to sandy beaches, enabling visitors to combine culture with fun by the sea.
6. SIZE: It's a compact and intimate city, ideal for a short city break or a longer romantic stay, with a lively café culture and a nightlife that is one of the most vibrant in Europe.
7. VARIETY: Its surroundings offer an incredible variety of tourist attractions, from fairytale palaces in one of Europe's most romantic towns (Sintra), to world-class golf and fun in Europe's largest casino in Estoril, to surfing in Cascais or escaping to a natural park in Arrábida, to dolphin-watching in Setúbal.
8. GATEWAY: It makes a perfect base to explore many of Portugal's most outstanding towns and villages, from Evora to Obidos.
9. SAFETY: It's one of the safest European capitals. Tourists are always automatic targets in all big cities and visitors should beware of pickpocketing in Lisbon, but serious random violent crime is practically unheard of in this city.
10. WELCOMING: It's a friendly city with a cosmopolitan population, welcoming to all visitors and families with children, and open to minorities and alternative lifestyles. (GoLisbon)

                                                                          

Seafood Fideuá - Fideuá de marisco

A fishermen’s dish with strong flavors, especially if served with alioli. It can be balanced well with a Mediterranean-style Chardonnay such as those made in the Penedès region.

Ingredients:

200 gr fresh shrimp                            4 crayfish
150 ml olive oil                                  400 gr monkfish
2 cloves garlic                                    2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp hot pimentón                           1.5 l fish stock
saffron threads                                   400 gr noodles
8 baby clams                                      salt

Preparation:

Place the paella (that is, the round metal pan in which this dish is cooked) over the heat, add the oil and gently fry the prawns and crayfish. Remove and set aside. Add the monkfish, garlic, tomato and pimentón. Quickly add the stock to prevent the pimentón from burning and, when it begins to boil, add the saffron and noodles. Spread out evenly in the pan. Season with salt and add the shrimp and baby clams. Place the paella in the oven at 180ºC / 356ºF for 5 minutes so that the noodles brown and dry out a little.

Presentation:

Leave to stand for 5 minutes before taking to the table.
(Foods from Spain)

St Patrick's Day

Marinated boquerones

Boquerones are a kind of anchovy and are delicious cold and marinated as tasty tapas, or marinated and then fried as a first course.

Basic ingredients for 4 people:

• 1 kilo of boquerones (anchovies)
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup rock salt
• slices of ginger
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp whole black pepper corns
• chopped hot peppers

Steps:

1. Clean fish and marinate overnight in the vinegar, salt and ginger mixture.

2. The following morning discard the liquid. Prepare all the other ingredients and add the fish.

3. Mix well and put in bottles. Leave refrigerated for at least 2 weeks before serving.

(Euroresidentes)

250 million children cannot read or write

A United Nations report says more than 250 million children of primary school age cannot read or write. They could also not do basic maths. The report said 120 million children have spent little or no time in school. The researchers said countries lose money when children do not go to school. Each year, governments lose up to $130 billion. A U.N. spokeswoman said there was a global "learning crisis". This is because in a third of countries, 75 per cent of primary school teachers do not have enough training. The spokeswoman said: "The issue now is to put the focus on quality."

Most children not going to school are girls. Developing countries can get richer if they send girls to school – up to 25 per cent richer in 40 years. Almost two-thirds (66%) of girls in Arab countries and sub-Saharan Africa may never go to school. In Yemen, just 36 per cent of girls are literate. The Reuters news agency said: "If current trends continue, the poorest part of the young female population in developing countries won't achieve literacy until 2072" The good news is that in Laos, Rwanda and Vietnam, the number of children not going to school fell by 85 per cent in the last five years. (Breaking News English)

Madrid, 11th March 2004

International Women's Day

One in three EU women experienced violence

The EU said that laws must change to protect women. They want to make domestic violence a crime. Police in many countries cannot stop domestic violence because it happens in the home. The survey's author said violence against women shows there is a lot of human rights abuses in EU countries. He said no one should ignore this. Violence against women is a huge problem that affects everyone. He added: "Violence against women does not just impact a few women only. It impacts on society every day." He also said there was a strong link between alcohol and violence.

The EU said that laws must change to protect women. They want to make domestic violence a crime. Police in many countries cannot stop domestic violence because it happens in the home. The survey's author said violence against women shows there is a lot of human rights abuses in EU countries. He said no one should ignore this. Violence against women is a huge problem that affects everyone. He added: "Violence against women does not just impact a few women only. It impacts on society every day." He also said there was a strong link between alcohol and violence.  (Breaking News English)

 

 

Paco de Lucia dies

World-renowned Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia has died aged 66 in Mexico, reportedly of a heart attack while playing with his children on a beach.

The death of one of the most celebrated flamenco guitarists was announced by the mayor's office in Algeciras, southern Spain, where he was born.

He is said to have died in the Mexican resort of Cancun.

Famous for a series of flamenco albums in the 1970s, he also crossed over into classical and jazz guitar.

He also worked on films by Spanish director Carlos Saura, notably appearing in his 1983 version of Carmen, which won a UK Bafta award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1985.

Algeciras is to hold two days of official mourning. Its mayor, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, called the musician's death an "irreparable loss for the world of culture and for Andalusia".

He had lived both in Mexico and in Spain in recent years. (BBC News)

No free wi-fi biggest tourist complaint

A survey from a hotel chain reveals that a lack of free wi-fi is one of the biggest complaints among holidaymakers. It is a key requirement for many tourists and travellers. Many guests are frustrated that hotels charge for Internet access. Some hotels set a fee of $30 a day, while others charge up to $10 an hour. Two thousand travellers answered questions about their biggest complaints. The most common one was rude and unfriendly staff. Second was checking in to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

The survey showed that 51% of people thought free wi-fi was crucial. It ranked higher than a hotel swimming pool or being close to a city's sites. A spokesman said: "It's crazy to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi." A hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge because they know their customers will pay. He said budget hotels provided free wi-fi because their guests care more about value. They offer it for free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, journalists at the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet in their rooms. (Breaking News English)

Saint Valentine – 14th February

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14. It is a festival of romantic love and many people give cards, letters, flowers or presents to their spouse or partner. They may also arrange a romantic meal in a restaurant or night in a hotel. Common symbols of Valentine's Day are hearts, red roses and Cupid.

In 260 AD, Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for all young men. He believed that single men made better soldiers than married men and he wanted his army to be as strong as possible. 

A priest at the time, named Valentine, felt that the law was unfair and continued to perform secret marriage ceremonies for young lovers. When Claudius found out, he ordered Valentine’s execution. While in prison waiting for his execution, Valentine fell in love with the young daughter of his jailer.

Just before his death (on February 14th), he wrote her a love letter which he signed ‘From your Valentine’, an expression still used today.

Count on me

A nice song, just for pleasure or maybe to practise the first conditional. Anyway, enjoy it!

Night work could damage your health

A new study suggests working shifts at night can be damaging to one's health. In particular, it increases the risk of several cancers, diabetes, mental illnesses, and various heart diseases. Researchers from the Sleep Research Centre at the U.K.'s University of Surrey discovered that many genes in the body needed to follow a regular 24-hour cycle, during which the body sleeps at night. If this cycle is broken, up to 1,500 genes could get damaged, eventually resulting in potentially life-threatening diseases. Professor Derk-Jan Dijk said: "The study has important implications because we now need to discover why these rhythms exist and think about the consequences of that."

The human body has around 24,000 genes. Many of these switch off if the body does not follow a regular sleeping pattern. This can cause parts of the immune system to become less efficient, making us more susceptible to illnesses. Study co-author Dr Simon Archer said: "Over 97 per cent of rhythmic genes become out-of-sync with mistimed sleep, which really explains why we feel so bad during jet lag or if we have to work irregular shifts." Dr Dijk said that despite the results of the research, it would be difficult for people to change their lifestyles. He explained it was difficult for society to function without people working night shifts, but said people needed to understand the dangers and "mitigate the impact". (Breaking News English)