RIP cigarettes as from tomorrow all over Europe

EUROPE (euroalert.net) As from 17th November 2011, once the new safety standards enter into force, national authorities will make sure that all cigarettes sold in the EU are of a type known as 'Reduced Ignition Propensity' (RIP). This means cigarettes which self extinguish when left unattended and which are thus less likely to cause fire. According to the European Commission, the number of fatalities caused by fires can be reduced by over 40% with the introduction of 'Reduced Ignition Propensity' (RIP) cigarettes. Therefore, once the new safety standards are published in the EU Official Journal, all cigarettes sold in Europe will have to comply with these measures. The Commission remains committed to a "smoke-free Europe" and address this issue via its on-going EU "Ex-smokers are unstoppable" campaign, which was launched in July 2011.>>>

Brussels criticizes Spain for treatment of animals

Castellar Zoo (English) from Igualdad Animal on Vimeo.

SPAIN (Agencies) The treatment given animals in Spain is worrying the European Commission. It therefore initiated proceedings yesterday on the treatment given animals at abbatoirs and threatened Spain with fines for those who live in zoos. As to the latter, the fines could be into the millions becausethe country ostensibly does not meet European regulations about the care of the animals nor on authorization for the zoos themselves. Spain was already fined because those zoo regulations were not being met in several regions (Aragón, Asturias, Balears, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Extremadura and Galicia) and proof has not yet been received that the proper "authorization is being issued, nor that the zoos that did not meet the required standards had been closed," according to an EU communiqué published yesterday. Recently, there have been demostrations all over Spain against animal cruelty, which followed a report issued by a pressure group called Igualdad Animal (Animal Equality) in which several zoos, including those of Jerez and Castellar (above), were condemned for the quality of care and space. Igualdad Animal demanded the closure of the zoos in their report because the animals suffer at "physical and psychological level, their facilities do not meet their needs, there is nowhere for them to look for food and there is no live vegetation nearby. We have chosen to show the Castellar zoo documentary because it is in the Campo de Gibraltar. However, zoos all over the country were included in it.

Did you remember to put your clocks FORWARD?

EUROPE Don't say you forgot to put the clocks FORWARD ONE HOUR last night! You mean you didn't get up at 2am to put all the clocks in the house forward? Which one didn't you do? No, dear, the computer does it all by itself because it knows where it is right now. (Prospero memo to monkeys: Enough about clocks already!)

Clocks go FOWARD tonight

EUROPE Yes, we lose an hour's sleep tonight. Clocks officially go FORWARD one hour at 2am, which as if by magic (or the fussing with technology) turns into 3am.

Clocks go FORWARD tomorrow night

EUROPE Clocks go FORWARD ONE HOUR at 2am on Sunday, March 27 (that's the night of Saturday to Sunday, you stopout, you!). Daylight savings, or something... oh, and they give you that hour back in October, don't worry.

Broad band in Spain costs 10.8% more than the average in Europe

(Agencies) According to a report issued yesterday by the EU's Commission for Telecommunications Market, the cost in Spain of medium-speed broad band service (between 2 and 10 mgb, over 70% of all users) is almost 11% above the average of the best offers available in the rest of Europe. Also, the difference between the same service by Orange, the cheapest, and Telefónica (now Movistar), the most expensive is nearly €26. As for prices by Telefónica, the preponderant operator, in respect of other European operators (including Deutsche Telekom, KPN, BT, Eircom and Telecom Italia), the best offer by the Spanish operator for broand band + voice (i.e. national phone calls) averages €58.1 against €33.8, the average in Europe.

How has the ash cloud affected you?

(Photo: www.telegraph.co.uk) We are increasingly hearing horror stories about how local people are being affected by the air transport paralysis throughout not just Europe but the whole world: from those with travel to the UK planned and paid for, to relatives or friends stuck as far away as Australia. Please tell us how the situation has affected you or anyone you know, however unimportant it may seem. (We want some communication from our readers so that everyone can commiserate together...)

Did you put your clocks forward?

Clocks all over Europe went forward one hour last night. Did you remember?

(Prospero memo to monkeys: "That's enough about bleeding clocks, you lot!!" Memo to Prospero from monkeys: "Er... sir, the clock on your desk isn't ... um." Memo Prospero to monkeys: "Shuddup!" )

Clocks Spring Forward on Saturday

Clocks in Europe go forward one hour on Saturday night. We will be reminding you (and us) of it again...