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TIKTOK might be “dulling” children’s brains as experts warned about the worrying effects on their intellectual development. As millions of youngsters scroll away, one psychiatrist claimed that rampant screen usage can lead to lower attention spans, poor academic performance and low IQ levels. GettyExperts say ‘TikTok brain’ is a real phenomenon associated with the negative cognitive effects in users[/caption] GettyThe rampant usage of fast-paced social media has seen children lowering their attention spans[/caption] PAProfessor Stephen Scott CBE told The Sun some of the effects of social media like TikTok, video games, and screens on the brain[/caption] One expert explained how “TikTok brain” can be a real phenomenon consuming children’s minds and altering their online and offline behaviour. And another revealed how some changes in children’s brains are similar to those in Alzheimer’s patients. Like other social media platforms, TikTok can be addictive, leading to excessive use and negative impacts on mental health and well-being. Reduced attention span, increased impulsivity, and a tendency to seek instant gratification are just a few of the worrying symptoms. Experts revealed that users constantly scrolling through short, engaging videos can find it harder to focus on longer tasks or activities. The fast-paced nature of TikTok can also lead to impulsive behaviour, such as making quick decisions without fully considering the consequences, they claimed. A disrupted sleep pattern is said to be another consequence as scrolling late at night can interfere with sleep, leading to fatigue and decreased cognitive function, the New York Post reports. Some users can even experience self-esteem issues as the constant exposure to curated content and idealised images can contribute to feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem. Excessive use of screens and social media can also detract from time that could be spent on more productive activities, such as work, studying, or hobbies, a psychiatrist told The Sun. A TikTok spokesperson told The Sun: “TikTok is a 13+ platform. We provide our younger community members with tailored support to ensure they can develop a healthy relationship with screen time.” According to the spokesperson, users aged 13-17 will automatically be set to a 60-minute daily screen time limit. Should young people decide to opt out of this limit, the platform prompts them to set a screen time limit for themselves if they spend more than 100 minutes a day on TikTok. The company added that accounts aged 13-15 do not receive push notifications from 9 pm and accounts aged 16-17 have push notifications disabled starting at 10 pm. Meanwhile, those aged 13-17 receive a weekly inbox notification which recaps their screen time. TikTok offers screen time tools including time limits, time prompts, sleep reminders and “friendly video reminders to take breaks.” There’s also an in-app dashboard that shows data on screen time. However, evidence suggested that children under the age of 13 were still able to create an account, according to the Guardian. BRAIN SLOWING DOWN Stephen Scott CBE, psychiatrist and professor of child health and behaviour at King’s College London, explained the effects of social media like TikTok, screens and video games on child development. He told The Sun: “Behaviourally – when you test kids who have a lot of screen time, with some of them going up to six hours a day – you become less able to control your impulses. “Biologically, what we are wired to do is to scan the horizon, have a look , back in the day we had to look out for threats, animals, everything like that. It’s a good characteristic to have.  “But particularly social media and video games bombard the brain with stimuli. And so, it gets over-excited.” The brain regions, even after kids stop playing a game, increase its need for immediate rewards and reduce the attention span, he explained. “It’s very competitive, it’s almost addictive. People immediately want hit rewards and things like that.” “We haven’t got the studies yet, but many of the changes are those that are seen by people with Alzheimer’s disease Stephen Scott CBEpsychiatrist & professor Children’s brains continue to develop until they are 25, but a kid’s younger years are their most formative. Throughout early neurodevelopment, a process called myelination helps provide the foundation for brain connectivity and supports the emergence of cognitive and behavioural functioning.  But according to the expert professor, increased screen time was associated with less myelination. This means that the speed of signals transmitted between neurons in the brain slows down. “The study found there was reduced myelination in areas related to attention, cognitive development and intelligence,” Professor Scott said. “The bit of the brain that wants a reward quickly and immediate gratification gets more stimulated by this stronger use of screens and social media like TikTok, and their ability to sustain concentration is reduced. GettyYoungsters also have their mental well-being affected[/caption] GettyThe Chinese app has hundreds of millions of active users[/caption] “We haven’t got the studies yet, but many of the changes are those that are seen by people with Alzheimer‘s disease. “So it’ll be interesting to see if they get earlier Alzheimer‘s.” He added: “ If you’re spending a lot of time on your phone, you’re not doing other things. “You’re not socialising with your friends. You’re not taking part in conversations. You become more and more distant.” Professor Scott, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Maudsley Hospital, added: “I can think of a 12-year-old I saw recently. “She was doing very well,  got good grades at school, but got given a phone by her parents and now spends four or five hours a day on the phone. These youngsters are now going to struggle with in the way that they’re communicating Zoe Cairnssocial media consultant “She’s an only child, and the parents find it difficult to take it away. “She’s stopped doing homework and gone down. “So it is like an addiction for some kids, not for all kids.” Despite its negative cognitive effects, Professor Scott does not think that TikTok and social media in general are all bad, as many of his patients often come to him to reveal the many things they learn on the video platform at a very young age. These can range from history and geography to global politics. He added that other networks such as Facebook and WhatsApp can also be beneficial to keeping in touch with friends and distant relatives, for instance. “TikTok and social media have many good effects, but we meet in the end to talk about how parents can supervise this,” Professor Scott explained. A Forbes article saw TikTok and social media labelled as “digital crack cocaine”, but Professor Scott disagrees with the term. GettyExperts explained that short attention spans can jeopardise children’s academic performance[/caption] GettyBut they also argued that the video platform can also be a great learning tool[/caption] He said: “For some children, I’ll be a little bit more moderate about it. And again, it’s a question of how much. “I mean, alcohol can ruin your life, but actually in moderate amounts, it can be rather fun. “So it’s about how much and how often.” “But you can imagine if you’re a single or lone parent and you’ve got a job, and you come home and you’ve got stuff to do, it’s very convenient to give the phone to the kid. “They get on and they shut up for a bit.” A GOOD TOOL Social media consultant Zoe Cairns explained how “TikTok brain” can change children’s online behaviour in how they consume content. She told The Sun: “The phenomenon around the TikTok brain is about how they [young people] are consuming short-form video content so it’s actually decreasing their attention span. “What we see on TikTok – even though Snapchat started it – is mainly short form video. “It’s quick video clips that they can quickly go through. “And what it’s going to do is that now the long form communication is what these youngsters are now going to struggle with in the way that they’re communicating, the way that they’re digesting that content.” “TikTok will have a variety of mental health issues, but it can also have a positive effect in terms of these people becoming really intelligent Zoe Cairnssocial media consultant But Cairns also explained how much of this phenomenon has some element of scaremongering as parents are sometimes scared of what might happen to their children. She said: “There’s always going to be someone that’s going to scaremonger. “What parents and people need to be doing is doing their own research, but also looking out for the symptoms from their young people to see if this is actually affecting them.” Despite its addictive features, the expert argued that the video platform can also be a great learning tool. She said: “From my point of view, I would say that TikTok has got very much education. “There’s knowledge, there’s information that children are digesting. “It’s not just entertaining videos. There’s also stuff that they’re learning about as well. “So there’s some positives and there’s some negatives.”  Cairns went on to describe how TikTok can cause more effects on youngsters other than a shortened attention span as they can become more anxious and secluded. She explained: “Anxiety is one of them [symptoms]. People will become introverted, they become very quiet. They might not talk about how they feel. “You will find that they have more in depth knowledge around things, but they might not necessarily communicate. “So it will have a variety of mental health issues, but it can also have a positive effect in terms of these people becoming really intelligent. AFPScrolling late at night can disrupt your sleep pattern[/caption] GettyA social media consultant also revealed that ‘addicted’ social media users can become more secluded[/caption] “They’re knowledgeable, they know the facts and  different sides of stories that are happening because they’ve done their research. The endless scroll on TikTok can somehow stimulate a “carrot in a stick” behaviour in users, when users endlessly swipe their fingers up in search of an “even more interesting” video, or find the ones that got lost once the feed refreshed. But she explained that a new in-app feature implemented with Google can help users avoid doom scrolling. Cairns said: “One of my bugbears is when you find something, you click on it and then you go back to the feed and it’s disappeared because your feed’s refreshed. “But TikTok now brought search into the platform, which is relatively new. “They’re working alongside Google in terms of search results. It’s going to make it easier for people to just put a keyword to find a particular video they want to see.” The expert also told The Sun how longer videos are now being implemented in social media as a whole, and that could hopefully serve as a brake to the rampant content consumption. She said: “Most of the platforms now, a little bit like how YouTube is, they’ve got their short and they’ve got their long form content. “So now we can go up to 15 minutes on a TikTok video. And now Instagram are doing the same. They’ve actually increased it to three minutes. “So we can actually now people can create content that is going to be more long form. “A lot of the platforms are encouraging people to do this, and so the algorithms are looking at those new features and concentrating on those new features. Some more and more people will start to use that longer form content.” From my point of view, I would say that TikTok has got very much education Zoe Cairnssocial media consultant Offline, Cairns believes that governments must also be putting in policies to protect its users. She said: “ I think that more infrastructure, more systems need to be put into place. More policies need to be put into place about how we protect our young people through usage. “But also working with the platform in terms of the algorithms to protect our young people in turn. “And it’s not just young people, it’s everyone, people that are vulnerable. “Even us as adults, when we have a low day, if we see something on there that just changes our mindset, then there needs to be something in place that is going to protect us, our security, our vulnerabilities, our mental well-being.” 'DIGITAL CRACK COCAINE' TikTok currently has 1 billion monthly active users worldwide since its launch in 2016, Search Logistics reports. The Chinese platform can be addictive for some people due to its engaging content, personalised feed, and endless scroll feature, which can keep users hooked for long periods of time. Bingeing on an infinite stream of 15-to-30-second-long videos reduces our attention span in ways that no other sort of media does, reports socialmediapsychology.eu. And the fact that regular users spend hours more on TikTok than on more traditional social media platforms further exacerbates the issue. Short-term memory and concentration are also impacted. Devoted TikTok users describe being unable to focus on lengthier video formats, let alone reading a book or doing homework. A study by dot.LA found that longer videos are perceived as “stressful” by 50% of users. Although the platform did add lengthier video forms of up to 10 minutes earlier in 2022 in an effort to vary their advertising palette, advertisers are aware that very short videos remain the most engaging content type for young consumers. In 2022, the ideal duration of TikTok films is expected to be between 21 and 34 seconds, according to Flixier. Other social networks start to feel “slow” and monotonous when contrasted to this fast-paced software that delivers new material with the swipe of a thumb. TikTok’s feed is also very much addictive by design. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, which generally feed us material from people or businesses we already follow, the video app centres around the feature of endless scrolling, pouring out algorithm-based recommendations for amusing videos by all sorts of unknown “creators”. The content-detection system is specifically designed and regularly modified to fit users’ interests and keep them on the site for as long as feasible. TikTok could be seen as a platform that encourages social voyeurism. A study by Frontiers found user created material to be the most addicting sort of content for young people who mostly use the app to binge on the lives of strangers. TikTok is based on the psychological concept of random reinforcement: the unending video stream is addictive in and of itself, since we anticipate to receive a reward (in the shape of a hilarious video, followed by a shot of dopamine in the brain) at any moment. TikTok can bee seen as akin to gambling since it has dopamine spikes that occur in fast succession, with research showing that addiction eventually shrinks the human brain.An MRI research from 2013 revealed that online game addiction causes structural shrinkage in the frontal brain. Another 2018 study found that children aged 9-10 who use smartphones for more than seven hours per day experience visible atrophy in their brains. This may seem like a lot, but recent data shows that average screen time has increased to 4-6 hours for children aged 8-12 and more than 8 hours for teenagers since the pandemic began, reports socialmediapsychology.eu. TikTok’s entertainment-focused algorithm is constantly evolving depending on each individual user’s tastes, allowing it to cure boredom virtually instantly. This comes at a cost, however: a reduced capacity to occupy oneself without the app, followed by a growing reliance on it. One study from the University of Bologna discovered that boredom in children and teenagers is connected to increasing access to technology, which exacerbates digital addiction. Our brains process visual information more quickly than words. This is why videos will always outperform text-based content on the internet, while children’s reading abilities will lag behind their social media habits. Still, TikTok is more damaging to the development of reading habits among younger users than most other social media sites, simply because it lacks text. However, we cannot completely blame TikTok: all of the so-called “traditional” social media platforms have begun to mimic the addictive aspects of the micro video app in order to entice younger viewers with catchy video content. YouTube added Shorts, and Instagram expanded its Reels, all in an effort to replicate the TikTok experience and remain relevant.

UKRAINIAN engineers have built a stealth torpedo-launching submarine designed for hit-and-run missions to destroy enemy warships. Analysts have tipped the streamline beast, known as Kronos, to change the future naval warfare, but more pressingly for Ukraine – it could help turn the tides of the Black Sea battle. Highland SystemsThe Kronos sub is the first of its kind – a small, stealth vessel that can launch sabotage attacks almost undetected by enemy ships[/caption] Highland SystemsThe 37th prototype of the monster machine was unveiled last year and its designers told The Sun it will be ready ‘in four months’[/caption] Highland SystemsThe dark beast of the sea can lurk on the seabed and wait for its prey[/caption] Built in the Arabian desert by a crack team of Ukrainian engineers, Kronos can be both an attack submarine or a completely autonomous underwater drone – the first of its kind. The futuristic-looking piece of kit looks more like a UFO than submarine – and its designers exclusively told The Sun “it will be ready in months”. Unlike traditionally slow-moving, heavy subs, Kronos is designed to be the underwater equivalent of a stealth jet bomber. Kronos should be able to sneak through the water, easily weaving and bombing at high speeds to target enemy warships, blitzing them with either its torpedoes or magnetic mines. And it packs a punch with a payload of 3.5 tons. Experts told The Sun that Kronos could do some “serious damage” to Russian targets in the Black Sea. Its radar-dodging exterior is shaped like a manta ray – an animal known for its manoeuvrability and speed, which its designers say makes it more agile in the water. It can be driven by a single pilot and carry up to 10 commandos for stealth missions lasting up to 36 hours and crossing up to 620 miles. It will be fully ready in another four months One of the engineers behind Kronos But its also has a remote control mode that allows it to go on unmanned missions and be piloted from over 150 miles away. Its creators also say Kronos can lead sabotage missions anywhere between 50ft to 820ft and glide through the water at 32mph, smashing the 23mph top speed of a US nuclear attack submarine. And it’s supposed to be tough, slicing through waves towering at 19 feet tall. Soon, it will be switching sand for sea – and Ukraine’s military is likely to be keeping a close eye on its developments. Kronos was built by Highland Systems in the UAE because its founder once said you can get your hands on “anything” you want there as long as you have the cash. A Ukrainian engineer at the company, who prefers to remain anonymous for security reasons, revealed to The Sun some of its most battle-ready characteristics. Highland SystemsThe view from the one-person cockpit with screens that project images[/caption] Highland systemsAn example of Kronos inside which will be custom-built depending on its client or purpose[/caption] Highland SystemsThe inside designs showing how it is driven by one pilot and can carry 10 commandos[/caption] They said that having two engines on each wing “allows it to stay idle underwater which no other submarine – even the most expensive and sophisticated – can do”. For its weaponry, “torpedoes can be installed on request of the potential governmental customer,” the source added. Kronos can fit four to six of Italian defence company Leonardo’s small electric torpedoes, known as ‘Black Scorpion’ or two of its huge ‘Black Shark’ torpedoes. It will also use a marine drone instead of a periscope that will be covered in a unique material, the engineer said, that will help make it invisible to enemy ships or subs. The source also revealed that they already have customers ready to place orders as soon as the last phase of “modernisation and upgrades” is complete. It could be a great asset for the Ukrainians Matthrew Sweeney, US Navy sub commander Remaining decidedly vague about who the interested parties are, the engineer added: “Kronos can be custom built to fulfil all requirements either civilian or military.” “It has been ready since last year,” they said, but the team is waiting on the delivery of some final specially-designed parts. Slashing previous estimates of when it would be operational, the engineer disclosed it will likely take just “four more months”. CAN IT BE REAL? For all the lofty claims surrounding what Kronos might be able to pull off, Matthew Sweeney, a submarine commander in the US Navy said that its design is “definitely feasible”. Looking at the blueprints, he told The Sun: “In theory, yes, it could do those types of missions – sneaking in and disabling ships… there’s a great value in its design”. Although Sweeney – who has spent 37 years on submarines – did question some elements of its design, including how such a sophisticated machine could be fixed or maintained in the throes of war. Yet, he noted that such a “small, fast and easy to manoeuvre” submarine would be “hard to detect” and could so some “serious damage” to enemy vessels. Its design, he added, suggests it would be able to carry out quick attacks “without sailors ever knowing what happened.” “Every nation out there that has a robust naval force is looking at these smaller, manned or unmanned, submersible vehicles to do these kind of missions.” “It is definitely feasible,” Commander Sweeney said, adding Kronos was “very exciting”. And in the tug of war battle for superiority over the Black Sea that is raging between Russia and Ukraine, it is a “big game-changer,” he said. “It could be a great asset for the Ukrainians.” TwitterIts Ukrainian designers working on the stealth sub[/caption] Highland SystemsKronos should be able to bomb down to 820ft[/caption] It can carry between four to six ‘Black Scorpion’ torpedoes, one of its engineers revealed THE BLACK SEA BATTLE Ukraine has now sunk a third of Putin’s once fearsome Black Sea fleet and what’s left of it is in the midst of relocating to a naval base in a breakaway Georgian region. With no real functioning navy of their own, the surprise success has been their sea drone attacks, including their homegrown fleet of ‘Sea Baby’ vessels. The relatively cheap killing machines have been blasting multi-million warships out the water, humiliating Putin on the world stage. However, Ukraine cannot take the fight underwater to target Russia’s three missile-carrying submarines that dangerously lurk deep down in the Black Sea. Valerii Riabykh, a former consultant to Ukraine’s military, said Kronos could be the “answer to Ukraine’s prayers.” He told The Sun that this submarine is “exactly” what Kyiv needs to finish off the job of wiping out the Black Sea fleet. “Ukraine has no means to fight against Russian submarines underwater. “The only instrument it has is Storm Shadow missiles which it used to take out a sub at the [Crimea] base when it was being repaired above water.” Riabykh, who is also editor of Defence Express, came face-to-face with the 37th prototype last year and claimed the Ukrainian military are very interested in Kronos. Originally it was designed to be a commercial sub, but as Russia invaded Ukraine over two years ago, work began to rapidly transform it into a combat vessel. Now, it’s been adapted to perform a “fully-fledged military operation…. including reconnaissance, scout missions across enemy lines and attacking enemy ships,” Riabykh said. One day, he argued, “it will help Ukraine’s security services and navy complete the banishment of Russia from the Black Sea.” During its latest unveiling in 2023, Western navy commanders were said to be in awe of its design. A spokesperson from Highland Systems told Fast Company: “We had some current commanders and former commanders of submarine forces from Nato countries inspecting it in absolute disbelief.” Riabykh believes it is perfect for sabotage operations, stating it could creep close to Crimea’s coast or even be used to help blow up Putin’s most beloved £3billion bridge. For Ukraine, the 12 mile Kerch Bridge, Russia’s only land bridge to occupied Crimea is target number one on their list. The Sun recently told of how Kyiv could finally blitz the bridge with Storm Shadow missiles, sea drones and newly arrived F-16s. Destroying it would be a major step in winning the war in the Black Sea by cutting off a major Russian military supply route and choking Putin’s war machine. EPAA Russian submarine lurking in the Black Sea[/caption] Putin’s Rostov-on-Don attack sub was destroyed while docked in Sevastopol last September by Storm Shadows – marking the first Russian sub destroyed since WW2 Black Sea FleetRussia’s Moskva missile cruiser firing a missile in the Black Sea[/caption] Experts say Kronos could help destroy the Kerch Bridge – Russia’s only land link to Crimea (pictured burning after a strike by Ukraine in October 2022)

A BOUNCER has been arrested in Magaluf after reportedly assaulting two British tourists and leaving them “seriously injured.” Both holidaymakers needed stitches for head wounds after being taken to hospital in the Majorcan party resort. AFPThe two Brit partygoers were left with head wounds after the alleged brutal attack[/caption] AlamyThe party resort is much-loved by young Brits[/caption] One suffered severe blows to the face and head, needing several stitches, and doctors haven’t ruled out the possibility of internal injuries. The other Brit was left with a severe wound above the eye and there is concern that he will lose some vision. The arrest was made after Civil Guard officers interviewed witnesses, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reports. Two of the security guard’s colleagues at the club have been formally identified, but not arrested, after being questioned by police. Investigators are now examining CCTV footage to see if the incident was filmed. The nightspot where the assault happened has not been named and police have yet to make any official comment. Last July, two bouncers were arrested after beating up three people including a woman they had previously expelled from a popular Magaluf nightspot. One of the doormen, accused of punching one of the assault victims and then leaving him unconscious after kicking him in the head while he lay on the ground, was remanded in custody after appearing before a judge. The same bouncer, placed under investigation on a suspected attempted murder charge, was also accused of punching the injured man’s female friend when she tried to intervene. Earlier this month, a British tourist was seriously injured in a fall at a Magaluf apartment block. The unnamed man, 38, was rushed to hospital with “very serious” injuries including face and head wounds in the early hours of April 6. It was initially reported he had plunged from the third-floor of an apartment block near Magaluf’s party strip after having been drinking, However, it later emerged that he had sneaked into a complex and fallen 15ft as he walked along a wall with a sheer drop. Also this month, an Italian man, 20, was arrested on suspicion of raping a British woman on a beach close to the infamous resort town. GettyTwo of the bouncer’s colleagues have been questioned by police over the incident[/caption] AlamyPolice are examining CCTV footage[/caption]

BRITS will now be hit with a new tourist tax in Tenerife after locals demanded a freeze on holidaymakers in mass anti-tourism protests. The Canary Island is now set to adopt measures to regulate the number of visitors by charging tourists a daily cos. GettyThousands of people protested against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife[/caption] GettyProtests took place in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Madrid and Malaga[/caption] GettyUp to 50,000 people are believed to have attended the march in Tenerife[/caption] RexA growing anti-tourist movement has swept the islands in recent months[/caption] This latest proposal – known as eco tax – is part of the island’s new tourism strategy being drafted by the government of Canary Islands. The island’s council today confirmed the new tax system will come in effect from January 1, 2025, as residents of Tenerife demand a cut on holidaymakers. The tax will be applied to all the famous nature sites that are protected, including the volcano Mount Teide, hamlets like Masca and several rural parks. Officials say the new charge will help to protect and control the island’s natural spaces. And income generated will be spent to maintain and improve these spaces.  While the amount of money charged has not been confirmed yet, it is understood that locals visiting such tourist attracts will also have to pay the tax. An angry anti-tourist movement has been gaining momentum throughout the popular holiday hotspot islands in recent months. Politicians are under immense pressure after tens of thousands of angry residents took to the streets to rage against the tourism industry in the country. Locals have been fuming that they are “fed-up” with “low quality” Brit tourists who only come for the cheap beer, burgers and sunbathing. President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, previously warned that a daily cost for visitors could be on the table. While not included in current plans, Clavijo said the government is willing to look at suggestions of a three euro per night charge. And just days ago, Rosa Dávila, the first female president of Tenerife, proposed a new tourism model that would charge visitors a fee to access natural spaces. She also proposed measures to “modulate” the number of tourists arriving in Tenerife – and “study the impact of demographic growth. She said after the mass protests: “We must analyze the exceptionalities that can be applied in a territory as fragile and limited as ours. What is clear is that Tenerife cannot be a theme park. “Those who visit us have to value and respect our natural and cultural wealth, our resources, and they have to be clear about the rules for their preservation. “In addition, there have to be limits to prevent tourism from overflowing.” MASS PROTESTS Residents of the Canary Islands seem to be at war with UK holidaymakers as they blast visitors with anti-tourism graffiti and emerging local campaigns. On Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets today in Tenerife to demand restrictions on holidaymakers after telling Brits to “go home”. The anti-tourist hordes filled a square in the capital brandishing banners including some that read “You enjoy we suffer” in English. More than 15,000 people waved Canary Islands’ flags and blew horns to make a deafening noise in the capital Santa Cruz. Protests also took place at the same time in other popular Canary Islands including Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Banners at the mass protest today read: “Where is the money from tourism?” and “‘Tourist moratorium now.” The marches were organised under the slogan “The Canary Islands have a limit.” Anti-tourist protestors want the authorities to paralyse two projects including one which involves the construction of a five-star hotel by one of Tenerife’s last virgin beaches. They are also looking for more protection from mass tourism – to help with the local environment, traffic and housing issues. Other demands include the protection of natural spaces, a tourist tax and better working conditions for hotel cleaners, who joined today’s protest in Santa Cruz as they insisted to the local press: “We are not slaves.” Organisers claim the march hit up to 50,000 participators. Six more capmaigners are still on hunger strike – and public sit-ins are still being organised to support them, the DailyMail reports. Why are locals in Tenerife turning up against Brits? RESIDENTS of the largest Canary Island seem to be at war with UK holidaymakers as they blast visitors with anti-tourism graffiti and emerging local campaigns. Locals have been fuming that they are “fed-up” with “low quality” Brit tourists who only come for the cheap beer, burgers and sunbathing. Now, they are demanding a tourist tax, fewer flights to the island and a clampdown on foreigners buying houses. Some protesters are claiming that their anger is directed at the government rather than tourists as they ask for change. They claim that AirBnBs and other holiday rentals are driving up the cost of living and that they are sick of the noise, traffic and rubbish that accompany the avalanche of vacationers that visit every year. Jaime Coello, president of the Telesforo Bravo Foundation, said: “The quality of the tourist product is being destroyed by the investors and the regional government.” Waves of anti-tourist graffiti that has been sprayed across the island to tell Brits they are not welcome. Bitter messages outside tourism hotspots read “your paradise, our misery” and “tourists go home”. “Locals are forced to move out and YOU are responsible for that,” said a furious printed sign. Another read: “Tourists go home!” The brewing chaos coupled with hatred for visitors is now scaring Brit tourists to go on a vacation in Tenerife. And Jorge Marichal, a hotel chain boss in Tenerife, revealed that Brits were ringing up out of fear they would not be safe on their holidays to the island. He said: “One of the problems I am facing is that clients are beginning to call and ask what’s happening here and whether it’s safe.” While the hotel owner said he understands the pain of local people, he added that being “anti-tourist” is not the way to go in. EPAActivists who are on a hunger strike to demand the halt of construction of a new hotel and a touristic luxury homes complex in Tenerife[/caption] Anti-tourist graffiti has been popping up across Tenerife Local residents are angry about housing costs, salaries and the environmental impact

FISHERMEN were promised a $10,000 reward if they were able to capture a 10ft shark that left a British tourist fighting for his life. Peter Smith, 64, was attacked by a bull shark while swimming off Tobago and suffered extreme injuries including a “severed” arm. TwitterBrit tourist Peter Smith is rushed into hospital following the brutal shark attack[/caption] TwitterThe tourist is reportedly now in intensive care[/caption] FacebookHe reportedly suffered a severed thigh and arm, and a laceration to his stomach[/caption] FacebookThe Brit national received critical care in hospital[/caption] Tobago House of AssemblyA $10,000 reward was offered to any fisherman who managed to catch the shark[/caption] Peter had ventured into the water near the Caribbean Island’s Starfish Hotel when he was attacked just 10 metres from the shore. The tourist’s arm was reportedly badly damaged from the elbow down, as was his left thigh. There were fears that both his arm and his leg had been “severed”. The Brit was also said to have suffered a laceration to his stomach. Peter, of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, underwent life-saving surgery at the Scarborough General Hospital following the attack on Friday and was set to be flown to Trinidad, hospital officials told local media. He was said on Saturday to be in a stable condition in intensive care. Topago’s health secretary Dr Faith B Yisrael announced that “all of his appendages” had been saved. Witnesses said they believed the bull shark was up to 10 feet long and two feet wide. The Tobago House of Assembly announced last night that a $10,000 reward would be given to any registered fisherman who managed to capture the shark. Local media reported on Saturday that the offer had been retracted following some backlash. Seven beaches and a marine park were closed by the government of Trinidad and Tobago following the bloody attack at Turtle Beach, along Great Courland Bay, on Friday. Witnesses said Peter was only in waist-deep water when he was attacked, and that people nearby tried to chase off the predator. Stephanie Wright, from West Sussex, said: “We saw some people on the beach, and I originally thought the gentleman had had a cardiac arrest, and I thought they were helping him. “And then I saw someone running down with a towel, and then I saw a dorsal fin come out of the water and thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s a shark.’ “As it turned, I saw the tail come out as well, as it swam off.” The government said shark sightings were reported in the Grafton area and in the Buccoo Reef Marine Park. Closing seven beaches – and all coastal areas between the beaches – will allow authorities to investigate the attack and “neutralise” the shark threat if possible, according to officials. The Tobago House of Assembly said: “The closure of these beaches is in keeping with efforts to ensure the safety of all visitors and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency is actively using unmanned aerial vehicles scans along the coastlines of these areas.” What makes bull sharks so dangerous? BULL sharks are the most dangerous sharks in the world, according to experts. The shark, also known as the Zambezi shark in Africa and Lake Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua, is a species found across the world in warm, shallow ocean waters. Such predators have also been known to swim up into freshwater rivers. They are dangerous because they are aggressive and because they tend to hunt in waters where people often swim, both during the day and at night. Humans are not the shark’s preferred prey – their diet consists mainly of fish – but they will eat almost anything, including dolphins, sea turtles, and even other sharks. BULL SHARK KEY INFO Scientific name: Carcharhinus leucas Type: Fish Diet: Carnivore Average lifespan in the wild: 16 years Size: Seven to 11.5ft Weight: 200 to 500lbs There were 69 unprovoked shark attacks and 22 provoked bites across the world last year, along with 14 fatalities, according to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File. HORROR ATTACKS The brutal attack off Tobago followed another incident where a teenage boy was mauled by a great white shark while fishing. The teen was bitten on the leg off a beach in South Australia – and subsequently rushed to hospital – having reeled the beast in from a small fishing boat. Last Saturday, another man was rushed to hospital in Australia after falling victim to a shark attack. The beachgoer was bitten at the Bombie Surfing Spot near Exmouth in Western Australia about midday. Cops said paramedics only learned of the horror attack when the man turned up at a hospital for treatment. He was immediately admitted and later declared to be in a stable condition. A local surfer said he was “shocked” to hear what had happened but it was “all part of the game” of surfing, the West Australian reported. Other beachgoers and surfers were advised to take additional caution and adhere to beach closures. GettyThe British tourist was attacked by a shark while swimming off Tobago[/caption] GettyThe man was reportedly attacked by a bull shark (file image)[/caption] 2023 fatal shark attacks THE ten fatal shark attacks of 2023 was double the five in the previous year, with four occurring in Australia. These are the locations of the 10 fatal shark attacks of 2023: Australia: 4 California, US: 1 Hawaii, US: 1 Bahamas: 1 Egypt: 1 Mexico: 1 New Caledonia: 1