NEWS

Around Europe and the Middle East in seven stories…

ENVIRONMENT

SUN-SATIONAL SPANISH TEMPERATURES SOAR

SPAIN IS EXPERIENCING a searing heatwave after temperatures soared up to a sweltering 44 degrees in some regions. More than 15 degrees hotter than average for this time of year, this unprecedented rise in temperature could make May the hottest month of the century for Spain.

With 13 regions placed on high alert, including Andalucia and Andujar, the Spanish government has advised all to stay hydrated, limit physical activity and stay in cool areas whenever possible. This intense climate is the result of a mass of hot, dry air carrying dust up from North Africa. Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and brutal as global temperatures continue to rise.

ECONOMY

COINING A SENSE OF PRIDE

BRITAIN’S ROYAL MINT has released a rainbow-coloured coin to mark the 50th anniversary of Pride UK, the event which was first held in 1972. The governmentowned company has issued a commemorative 50 pence coin, which will not enter official circulation, designed by London artist, writer and LGBTQ+ activist Dominique Holmes.

This marks the first time Britain’s LGBTQ+ community has been recognised on official UK coinage and forms part of the Royal Mint’s recent strategy to implement diversity and inclusion. With state-of-the-art colour printing technology, the iconic colours of the Pride flag are recreated alongside London’s values of Protest, Visibility, Unity, and Equality.

ENVIRONMENT

GERMAN TORNADO TERROR

A TORNADO HAS left 43 people injured as it ripped through several towns in western Germany, leaving a path of savage destruction in its wake. The city of Paderborn suffered heavy damage as roofs were torn off and debris was strewn in all directions. The severe storm has resulted in 10 injured citizens and one death of a 38 year-old man.

The tornado has caused flooding to many residents’ basements, trees to be uprooted and flung into the air, and streets of cars ravaged by this brutal natural disaster. The number of tornadoes reported in Europe has been rapidly increasing in recent years.

NATURE

JAW-SOME SUMMER PENDING

A SWATHE OF great white sharks, the animal kingdom’s most feared apex predators, could be heading ferociously towards UK waters in search of seal colonies and cooler ocean temperatures, many shark experts are warning.

Sightings of great whites are few and far between in UK waters, but not unheard of altogether. Sharks of this kind that usually inhabit the Mediterranean Sea are migrating from their winter habitat, where they hunt squid, fish and the odd dolphin. However, the water then becomes too hot in the Mediterranean and they roam in search of seals in cooler waters.

AUTOMOTIVE

THE DRIVE FOR HYDROINNOVATION

RENAULT HAS FINALLY dropped the release details of its highly anticipated electric-hydrogen hybrid concept car, with the French automation company describing the ground-breaking technology as being “a key option to make electric vehicles more convenient.”

The design for Renault’s Scenic Vision incorporates a winning combination of a hydrogen engine, electric motor, battery, fuel cell and a hydrogen tank. The 2.5-kilogramme tank is found at the front of the vehicle and will take around five minutes to fill.

In a document outlining the concept, the Scenic Vision’s battery is recyclable and will be produced at a facility in France by 2024 as part of a longer-term vision for Renault.

SUSTAINABILITY

SOLAR POWER BALLADS

LOWLANDS FESTIVAL IN the Netherlands is one of the largest music gatherings in Europe. The three-day event on the outskirts of Amsterdam boasts an impressive array of artists from the indie, rock and pop worlds. This summer, the festival is looking to improve its green energy credentials with a new solar car park set to steal the show.

Cars are parked beneath the bifacial solar panels, with the parking lot covering 350,000 square metres, boasting 90,000 solar panels and space for an impressive 15,000 cars.

As festivalgoers park up and enjoy the musical feast on show, the solar carport can generate up to 35 MWp (Megawatts-peak) of energy from the sun, enough power to supply 10,000 households, or 100 Lowlands Festivals.

ENTERTAINMENT

CANNES PROTESTORS MAKE EMPHATIC STANCE

PROTESTERS STORMED THE red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, rallying against male violence, in the second incident of this nature at the French festival. A group of women unfurled a large banner at the premiere of new thriller movie ‘Holy Spider’, letting off black smoke devices and boldly holding their fists in the air.

The banner featured a list of victims of the 129 confirmed femicides since the last Cannes festival, in an attempt to highlight the number of domestic killings in France. Video footage of the event has since been shared widely on social media, helping to maximise the message of the demonstration.