English in Madrid

Source: Wikipedia (Andrew Dunn)   The Portuguese gave us fried fish, the Belgians invented chips but 150 years ago an East End boy united them to create The World's Greatest Double Act  They're a British institution as well as a national money-spinner , but how much do we really know about fish and chips? For most of us, the classic combination of battered fish and chipped potatoes deep-fried in beef fat or vegetable oil is as English as the cup of tea that washes it down . But just as tea originates in India or China, fish and chips is partly Portuguese and partly Belgian.  The British can take credit for uniting these two Continental imports and creating a coupling that is loved the world over . Today, Britain's 10,500 fish and chip shops have an annual turnover in excess of £650million. This multi-million-pound industry, which currently accounts for a quarter of the white fish and more than ten per cent of the potatoes we eat, grew from humble beg...

Source:  Julia Joppien on Unsplash German cities to trial free public transport to cut pollution   Plan to be tested in five cities in effort to meet EU air pollution targets and avoid big fines   “Car nation” Germany has surprised neighbours with a radical proposal to reduce road traffic by mak ing public transport free, as Berlin scrambles to meet EU air pollution targets and avoid big fines . The move comes just over two years after Volkswagen’s devastating “dieselgate” emissions cheating scandal unleashed a wave of anger at the auto industry, a keystone of German prosperity. “We are considering public transport free of charge in order to reduce the number of private cars,” three ministers including the environment minister, Barbara Hendricks, wrote to EU environment commissioner Karmenu Vella in the letter seen by AFP Tuesday. “Effectively fighting air pollution without any further unnecessary delays is of the highest priority for Germany,” ...

Source: Wikipedia (LG Girls )   Walk-on 'grid girls' scrapped from Formula One races Formula One says the custom does not resonate with its brand values and "clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms". Women who walk on to the grid at the start of Formula One races will no longer be used, the sport's organisers have said. The change will apply from the start of the new Grand Prix season, with the first race taking place in Melbourne, Australia on 25 March. The women, commonly called grid girls, are often seen carrying the drivers' standards which indicate their race numbers and their location on the starting line. They also often line the route that the top three drivers take as they head to the podium at the end of a race. Sean Bratches, managing director of commercial operations at F1, said: " Over the last year we have looked at a number of areas which we felt needed updat ing so as to be more in tune with our vision ...