Techville’s ethics might crash as weaponized bird-like drones take flight

Techville’s ethics might crash as weaponized bird-like drones take flight

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In the futuristic town of Techville, where espresso machines take orders via Bluetooth and trash cans rate your recycling efforts with a passive-aggressive LED glare, the air these days is alive with the hum of drones.

But these are not the harmless Unmanned Delivery Vehicles of yore; they are “UAVs with a mission,” as local tech mogul Ivan Dronev likes to call them — armed, autonomous, and engineered for defense.

Yet as residents nervously scan the skies, they wonder: Have the so-called “protectors” turned from allies to adversaries? It seems like a scene straight out of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” — except these birds have heat-seeking capabilities.

Techville’s citizens had grown accustomed to smart gadgets and artificial intelligence-driven cars, yet the prospect of autonomous, weaponized drones flying overhead has brought more than a whiff of unease.

“There’s a fine line between convenience and control,” says Marla Thinkworth, a philosopher at the local university. She is known for her motto: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchers?

As Marla points out, this is not a matter of merely curbing the next-generation Roomba but rather grappling with ethics that Avicenna himself might have pondered.

“Avicenna once said: ‘The imagination is the agent of the soul,’” she notes with a wry smile.

“In Techville, it seems our imaginations have whipped up a world where our ‘agents of the soul’ have sprouted wings and missiles. The question is, do we trust them?”

Drones, or “defense birds,” as locals sarcastically dub them, were introduced to Techville with the promise of enhanced security and “smart targeting” capabilities.

These UAVs are programmed to identify threats, minimize collateral damage, and act only with “ethical intention” — a vague phrase that does little to clarify exactly where the algorithm draws the line between friend and foe.

Dronev assures the community that these machines are equipped with cutting-edge AI algorithms, learning from past engagements to “become morally sound.”

While this all sounds well and good, some Techville sceptics fear that these drones may have a broader mission than merely defending the city.

“The intentions might be ethical, but I wouldn’t want my life on the line over an algorithm’s split-second decision-making,” mutters Fredrick Bolt, a local baker and former tech enthusiast.

He points to a recent case in which one of the drones mistook a delivery van for an imminent threat. “It only baked the van to a crisp, thankfully,” Bolt jokes, his face a blend of humor and concern.

“Lucky the drone’s AI had a bit of mercy in it. Who’s next? My baguettes?”

Much like Hitchcock’s bird-flock frenzy, these drones do not strike individually but in swarms. Autonomous and networked, they communicate faster than the human brain can blink, strategizing, re-evaluating, and adapting.

This is all in an effort to make their “defensive” actions more precise and ethical, according to their engineers. But here lies the crux of the issue: Can ethics truly be programmed?

The ethical implications are especially troubling when it comes to militarizing AI.

It seems like a scene straight out of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” — except these birds have heat-seeking capabilities.

Rafael Hernandez de Santiago

“The ethics of AI in warfare isn’t about making these machines nice,” says Thinkworth, looking up at the drones weaving in formation above the city’s skyline. “It’s about making them just. But what is justice to a machine?”

Techville’s top brass argue that their approach to AI governance, which they call “Compassionate Targeting,” is the very essence of ethical warfare. They even went so far as to include a philosopher-in-chief among the council that developed the drones’ algorithms.

But for every council meeting on “Ethical Defense Strategies,” there is a sobering counterargument: Is it possible to maintain human dignity in war, or are we simply paving the way for AI-driven chaos?

Many in Techville are calling for what they describe as “ethical resistance” against the unbridled expansion of weaponized drones. They fear the precedent being set here, where the push for enhanced security might lead to an Orwellian landscape of over-surveillance and AI-driven control.

“These drones may not peck at our windows yet,” Bolt quips, “but they might as well.”

A group of Techville citizens recently gathered in the central square sporting signs reading: “We Have Minds — Machines Have Algorithms” and “Leave Defense to the Humans.”

Among them, Thinkworth waved a placard quoting Aristotle: “Virtue is the golden mean between two vices, one of excess and the other of deficiency.”

It is a profound statement, particularly given that these drones, for all their “ethics,” lack the ability to temper justice with mercy, or wisdom with restraint.

Local activist group Ethics Over Autonomy argues that the responsibility for making decisions that could harm or kill should not be outsourced to an artificial “ethics engine.” To highlight their concerns, they held an “AI-Free Day” last week, urging residents to turn off all smart devices.

“It was great,” one resident reports. “Until I realized I’d forgotten how to make coffee the old-fashioned way.”

Thinkworth’s use of Avicenna’s writings to critique the current situation has stirred the academic waters. Avicenna, a Persian polymath and philosopher, wrote about the importance of the human soul’s role in judgment.

“These drones may have calculations,” Thinkworth says, “but they have no souls. Avicenna warned against knowledge unmoored from ethical responsibility.

“He wrote: ‘The stronger the power of thought, the more dangerous it becomes when guided by no principle other than its own.’ He could have been talking about Techville.”

So, are Techville’s “defense birds” our allies, or are we standing on the brink of a Hitchcockian nightmare? The town’s residents cannot seem to decide.

The city’s tech elite assure everyone that the drones will protect, not harm, while local philosophers remind us that “AI without human oversight is as blind as a drone in a dust storm.”

For now, the drones circle and the citizens watch. And much like Hitchcock’s avian allegory, the question remains: What happens when the drones stop circling and start acting?

Is there a line we should never have crossed?

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

IMF welcomes new Lebanon government request for help on ailing economy

IMF welcomes new Lebanon government request for help on ailing economy
Updated 32 sec ago
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IMF welcomes new Lebanon government request for help on ailing economy

IMF welcomes new Lebanon government request for help on ailing economy
  • The previous caretaker administration did not enact reforms the IMF had demanded to implement a loan package
  • Lebanon’s economic crisis has pushed most of the population below the poverty line, according to the UN

BEIRUT: The International Monetary Fund on Thursday welcomed the new Lebanese government’s request for support in addressing severe economic challenges.
Lebanon in January elected a new president after a more than two-year vacuum, and then formed a government led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. In February the IMF said it was open to a new loan agreement with the country following discussions with its recently-appointed finance minister.
The previous caretaker administration did not enact reforms the IMF had demanded to implement a loan package to save the collapsed economy.
The world lender “welcomed the authorities’ request for a new IMF-supported program to bolster their efforts in addressing Lebanon’s significant economic challenges,” the IMF said in a statement.
“Lebanon’s economy remains severely depressed, and poverty and unemployment are exceptionally high since the 2019 crisis,” said Ernesto Ramirez Rigo, the head of the IMF’s delegation to Lebanon.
Lebanon’s economic crisis has pushed most of the population below the poverty line, according to the United Nations.
International donors including the IMF have called on the Lebanese authorities to implement major reforms, including restructuring the banking sector, in order to unlock funding.
In April 2022, Lebanon and the IMF reached conditional agreement on a $3-billion-dollar loan package but painful reforms that the 46-month financing program would require have not been undertaken.
Ramirez Rigo pointed to positive steps including the stabilization of the dollar exchange rate and reduced inflation.
But he said these were “insufficient to address the ongoing economic, financial, and social challenges.”
“A comprehensive strategy for economic rehabilitation is critical to restore growth, reduce unemployment, and improve social conditions,” he continued.
“The banking sector collapse continues to hamper economic activity and provision of credit, with depositors unable to access their funds,” Ramirez Rigo said.
He moreover pointed to substantial infrastructure and housing needs resulting from the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended with a November 27 ceasefire.


Saudi artist Lulua Alyahya discusses the works from her current solo show ‘Nafs’ 

Saudi artist Lulua Alyahya discusses the works from her current solo show ‘Nafs’ 
Updated 31 min 35 sec ago
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Saudi artist Lulua Alyahya discusses the works from her current solo show ‘Nafs’ 

Saudi artist Lulua Alyahya discusses the works from her current solo show ‘Nafs’ 
  • ‘I hope people see themselves in my work,’ says Lulua Alyahya 

JEDDAH: Saudi artist Lulua Alyahya’s “Nafs,” running at Jeddah’s Athr Gallery until March 25, is her first solo show in her homeland.  

“The title means ‘self,’” Alyahya tells Arab News. “I thought that would be suitable for my first Saudi solo. I’ve exhibited loads in the UK, but the work takes on a completely different meaning when it’s home. The work is very much about the Gulf in general, but specifically Saudi in a lot of ways.” 

The 26-year-old is a graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art and Goldsmiths, University of London. Her work blends personal and collective narratives to explore identity through introspective, minimalist paintings.   

Alyahya’s process is intuitive. Her latest works, primed with black gesso, embrace darker tones and undefined backgrounds. Here, she talks us through five pieces from her current show — something she says she doesn’t find that easy.  

“It’s kind of hard to speak about my work because what I hope is that people see it and see themselves in it. That’s kind of the story behind the title too. I wanted a word that people could literally see themselves in and for that to be the underscore behind all the images.” 

‘Jubbah Petroglyphs’ 

I made this painting in 2023. At the time, I was really fascinated by pre-Islamic petroglyphs in various parts of Saudi Arabia. This one is from Jubbah, near Hail. My family is originally from Hail and when Saudi started to take all these incredible initiatives of uncovering our pre-Islamic history and integrating those stories into our national identity, I just got super interested in looking through, like, Aramco’s archaeology archives and all these different things. I spoke to friends and family about their experiences of these places. I really wanted to make a painting of this specific rock where there are these repeated carvings of camels; I’m interested in camels as a symbol as well, because they’re obviously visually linked to this part of the world. If you go to a tourist shop in the Gulf, you get camel keychains and stuff. I don’t know if ‘kitsch’ is the right word — probably not — but it’s just feels very obvious; it’s very on the nose. And I’m interested in taking symbols that feel on the nose and making them mysterious or playing with the effect of that imagery. I pull from different things all the time; there’s never just one thing that I’m looking at, it’s more that I’m living, reading, speaking and then the paintings come out. There’s a painting I have at Hayy Jameel called “Boardroom” which has these men sitting at a meeting table and looking at a wall which has one of these petroglyph camels on it. Sometimes, there are references to other paintings — little callbacks. There are a lot of inside jokes. Humor is such a big part of the work. 

‘Smoke Break’  

The titles always come after the paintings, and I often leave things untitled — but this one kind of lends itself to the title because the guy’s having a coffee and smoking a cigarette. This is just a painting about rest, but there’s a lot of energy in the way that I’ve painted it; it’s very gestural and there are lots of these marks and splotches of paint.  

‘Magic Chocolate Ball’  

These girls are very funny. Like I said, humor is a big part of my work and this is a piece where I had fun and it was fun to show people. It’s based on a memory of a dessert that I think is so familiar to people living in the Gulf; you order this chocolate ball and the waiter comes over and pours hot melted chocolate on it and the ball melts and reveals something inside of it. I’ve seen it so many times and it just came to mind as I was painting, super-impulsively. What I’m interested in is how people see themselves, or others, in the imagery — or how they don’t. It’s a satirical approach to what’s happening in society. Satire is super-important, but it’s never just one thing or the other — it’s always a combination of various different tones and positions that I’m taking. Like, this is funny to me and I’m choosing to show it, but obviously there’s an emotional connection happening as I’m painting it. 

‘Untitled (2024)’  

It’s this guy on his phone sitting near a pool. He’s a solitary figure. Then there’s two horses and two palm trees. This took me quite a few months to paint. Sometimes I’ll have an idea and paint it and it doesn’t work out at all. That happens a lot more than you’d think. So, I’ll cover something over, then add something new and then cover that thing and then add something new, just waiting for this moment where the elements carry some kind of poetic logic that I trust will translate to the viewer. It’s always hard to articulate — but very easy to know — when it hits that point. 

‘Guard Dog’ 

I love dogs. I paint them a lot. This one is a German Shepherd, which is a guard dog. It’s based on a sketch — it’s very similar to a lot of other works I made. Sometimes, I get stuck on something and it repeats itself across multiple works and other times it’s a one-off thing. I prefer not to try and control it and just let things direct me. 


EU mission to host business, investment forum in Pakistan this year — finance ministry

EU mission to host business, investment forum in Pakistan this year — finance ministry
Updated 27 min 15 sec ago
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EU mission to host business, investment forum in Pakistan this year — finance ministry

EU mission to host business, investment forum in Pakistan this year — finance ministry
  • The forum aims to foster collaboration and discuss how Pakistan can continue to attract European businesses, investment
  • Finmin thanks EU envoy for the initiative, underscores his government’s commitment to supporting EU businesses in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) mission in Pakistan will be hosting a business and investment forum in Islamabad this year, the Pakistani finance ministry said on Friday.
The statement came after EU Ambassador to Pakistan Riina Kionka’s meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, which focused on a range of matters of mutual interest, particularly business and investment ties between the EU and Pakistan.
During the meeting, the two figures discussed opportunities for European businesses in Pakistan and emphasized the need to create an enabling investment climate to harness the growing appetite for expansion, according to the Pakistani finance ministry.
Dr. Kionka said the EU had already mapped over 300 European companies in Pakistan and there were many more present, extending an invitation to Senator Aurangzeb to attend the business and investment forum, which the EU mission is planning to host in Islamabad in mid-May.
“The forum aims to foster collaboration and discuss how Pakistan can continue to attract European business [and] investment,” the finance ministry said. “She emphasized that European companies were increasingly viewing Pakistan as a hub for potential business opportunities, especially in light of the upcoming forum.”
Pakistan, currently bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, is seeking foreign investment and an increase in trade to revive its fragile $350 billion economy.
Aurangzeb thanked the EU envoy for taking the initiative to host the forum, underscoring the government’s commitment to supporting EU businesses in Pakistan, facilitating their operations, and ensuring timely repatriation of dividends and profits.
He expressed appreciation for the EU’s support for Pakistan, particularly the importance of the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) facility, which has been a critical enabler of Pakistan’s efforts to drive export-led growth.
The GSP+ scheme grants beneficiary countries’ exports duty-free access to the European market in exchange for voluntarily agreeing to implement 27 international core conventions, including on human and civil rights. In October 2023, the EU unanimously voted to extend GSP+ status until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan.
“The Minister also emphasized the need for a more proactive approach in reaching out to European capitals for constructive engagement on key issues, including the continuation of the GSP Plus facility, which is vital for Pakistan’s trade relations with the EU in the coming years,” the finance ministry said.
“Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing the economic and trade ties between Pakistan and the European Union, and to creating a thriving and mutually beneficial business environment for both sides.”


Driving ban puts brakes on young women in Turkmenistan

Driving ban puts brakes on young women in Turkmenistan
Updated 41 min 42 sec ago
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Driving ban puts brakes on young women in Turkmenistan

Driving ban puts brakes on young women in Turkmenistan
  • There is no legislation specifically outlawing women under 30 from obtaining a driving license in Turkmenistan
  • But it is one of many informal prohibitions that is universally followed, so women that do drive must do so without a permit

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan: Mekhri feels “a sense of freedom and self-confidence” when she’s behind the wheel of a car – despite being forced to drive illegally because of an unwritten rule preventing women getting a license.
In Turkmenistan, the reclusive Central Asian state where she lives, young women are effectively banned from driving.
“I know the rules of the road. I drive calmly, don’t overtake anyone and know how to park,” the 19-year-old said.
Like other women interviewed by AFP in Turkmenistan – ranked by rights groups as one of the most closed and repressive countries in the world – she withheld her surname.
There is no legislation specifically outlawing women under 30 from obtaining a driving license.
But it is one of many informal prohibitions that is universally followed, so women that do drive must do so without this precious permit, which is indeed against the law.
“When my daughter wanted to enroll at the driving school, we were told that she could take lessons but that she would probably not pass the test,” said Guzel, Mekhri’s 57-year-old mother.
So instead of paying for lessons, Guzel assumed the role of instructor and now takes Mekhri outside the capital, Ashgabat, to practice.
“Where there are few cars, police officers and cameras, I let my daughter take the wheel and I teach her,” Guzel, who started driving when she was 40, said.
Among the other transport-related diktats imposed by father-and-son duo Gurbanguly and Serdar Berdymukhamedov – who have ruled the country one after the other since 2006 – are a ban on black cars.
Owners have been forced to paint the vehicles white, the favorite color of Gurbanguly, whose official titles are “Hero-Protector” and “leader of the Turkmen nation.”
Many young women share Mekhri’s frustration.
“I wanted to take my test at 18. At the driving school, the instructor immediately warned the many girls there: ‘You’ve come for nothing. You won’t be able to take it,” said Maisa, a 26-year-old saleswoman.
“But up to the exam, driving schools take both boys and girls, because they pay,” she said.
Goulia, 19, said her parents had wanted to buy her a car when she went to university so she could be more independent, do the family shopping and take her grandmother to hospital and the chemist’s.
“But because of the difficulties that girls like me face getting a driver’s license, my mother said she would have to postpone the decision,” she said.
“I’ve just turned 19 and I can’t get a license but the boys can and I don’t understand why,” she added.
Turkmenistan’s motor transport agency did not respond to an AFP request to comment.
Contacted via phone by AFP, one driving school said “women have the right to enroll in the course and take the exam” before abruptly hanging up.
But another instructor from Ashgabat acknowledged the informal ban.
“It is due to a sharp increase in accidents involving female drivers,” the instructor said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“After an investigation by the authorities, it turned out they were simply buying driving licenses,” the instructor said – a claim AFP could not verify.
Rules have also been tightened for women over 30 who are not covered by the informal ban.
To register a car in their own name, they have to show a marriage certificate, family record book and a report from their employer.
Authorities routinely reject accusations that they are restricting women’s rights.
Responding to a recent United Nations report criticizing the country, the government said: “The motherland treats mothers and women with great respect.”
Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, President Serdar Berdymoukhamedov gifted every woman the equivalent of $3 – enough to buy a cake or six kilograms (13 pounds) of potatoes.


Recipes for Success: Chef Laia Ferrer Baile offers advice and a tasty recipe 

Recipes for Success: Chef Laia Ferrer Baile offers advice and a tasty recipe 
Updated 45 min 43 sec ago
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Recipes for Success: Chef Laia Ferrer Baile offers advice and a tasty recipe 

Recipes for Success: Chef Laia Ferrer Baile offers advice and a tasty recipe 

DUBAI: From Michelin-starred kitchens in Spain and France to luxury dining destinations in the Maldives and Bangkok, Chef Laia Ferrer Baile has built an impressive career.  

Born and raised in Barcelona, Baile knew from a young age that she wanted to be a chef. She ended up training in some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, including the three-Michelin-starred Restaurante Disfrutar.  

Now, as head chef of Tabrah in Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve located on Ummahat Island off the coast of Saudi Arabia, she brings her expertise to the Kingdom. 

Tabrah in Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. (Supplied)

“My experience in Saudi has been amazing,” she tells Arab News. “The people are really welcoming, the food is amazing, and the environment I’m working in is fantastic.” 

Here, Baile shares her thoughts on simplicity in cooking, customer preferences, and her favorite cuisines. 

When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?  

I remember putting thousands of things on a dish in university because I thought the more things I put, the more the teacher would like it. But it was a disaster. I’ve learned that simplicity is best. You don’t need to add thousands of things to make something taste good. Sometimes it’s just salt and pepper. 

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs? 

Enjoy what you are doing. I always say to my family: “This isn’t a race.” Relax and enjoy the moment. Be curious about what you are doing, and learn why you are doing it.  

Tabrah in Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. (Supplied)

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? 

As a Spanish woman, I think it’s extra virgin olive oil. We call it liquid gold. It can make anything very simple become amazing; like, if you just put a bit of olive oil on a piece of bread, it will always be better.  

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

My first instinct was to say no. But, then my boyfriend said, “How can you say no to that question? You do that all the time.” So, apparently, I do. But I also like to enjoy my experience. I think it is when I’m expecting something to be very good and it isn’t — that’s when I'm really critical. When I’m not expecting much, like street food in Bangkok or a small family restaurant, I won’t be that critical. But when I go to an expensive place that I really want to try and they disappoint me, then I will be.  

What’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants?  

Overcomplicating the dishes. Also, there are restaurants where you can feel that the servers don’t want to be there, so they will always lack care. 

What’s your favorite cuisine?  

I have two kinds of favorite restaurants. There are the ones I go to with my family or friends to enjoy and celebrate — these are the ones where I find my comfort food that reminds me of my mom’s food and all the Spanish things. But I also like to find new touches that elevate food a little bit. These also inspire me. So I really like to go to Michelin restaurants, where the chefs are doing something new, just to give me a spark.  

Tabrah in Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. (Supplied)

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

It used to be curry. I used to love making quick curry dishes — I’d always have curry paste at home. Now, though, I like to cook pad Thai because it is my sister’s favorite dish. I always try to cook that when I am in a rush. It tastes good and it’s quick and easy to make.  

What customer behavior most annoys you? 

It really annoys me when people want to change the ingredients of dishes. I can understand if, for example, someone doesn’t eat tomato, then we will try to remove it. And I understand if people have allergies; I’m allergic to leek, for example, and when I go to some restaurants, people won’t believe me because there are a lot of people who say they have allergies when they don’t. We take it very seriously in the kitchen when someone says they have allergies: We cook the food separately, and we will clean the kitchen from top to bottom and we have special cutting boards and knives that we will use just for that person. So, if they say they are allergic when they aren’t, it really wastes our time.  

What’s your favorite dish to cook? 

Suquet de Peix, a potato-based seafood stew. It brings me back to my roots. When I was a kid, my family owned an apartment by the beach, and it was a very typical dish in the area.  

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?  

Anything that has to be cooked with flour or sugar, like pastries. I think I’m really bad at it. I think it’s because I tell myself every day that I’m bad at it and I don’t practice the skills for it. Don’t ask me to make a soufflé, for example; it will be an omelet.  

As a head chef, what are you like? Are you very strict, or quite laidback? 

Right now, I’m leading an all-female team. Most of them are fresh graduates, so I can’t be too harsh or aggressive with them. I really try to give them a positive and empowering environment, because I’ve worked in very, very bad kitchens where they would scream and throw things. I wouldn’t want them to experience that. But we always have to have discipline. It’s the most important thing.  

Chef Laia’s chicken kabsa croquetas recipe

Chicken kabsa croquetas. (Supplied)

Ingredients: 

For the filling: 

1 cup cooked chicken (spiced with kabsa seasoning: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, cumin) 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

2 tbsp grated carrot 

1 spoon of tomato puree  

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/4 tsp ground cumin 

Salt and pepper to taste 

For the béchamel sauce (croqueta base): 

3 tbsp butter 

3 tbsp all-purpose flour 

1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed 

Salt and white pepper to taste 

For coating: 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

2 large eggs, beaten 

2 cups breadcrumbs (panko or regular) 

For frying: 

Vegetable oil  

Instructions: 

Prepare the filling: 

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, the garlic and the carrot until soft and translucent, then add the tomato and keep cooking for 10 minutes. 

Add the shredded chicken, ground cinnamon, and cumin. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.  

Make the béchamel sauce: 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for two to three minutes to form a smooth paste (roux). 

Gradually whisk in the warm milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy. 

Season with salt, and white pepper.  

Mix the spiced chicken into the béchamel sauce until well combined. 

Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface), and refrigerate for at least two hours or until firm. 

Shape the croquetas: 

Once the mixture is firm, take small portions and shape them into cylinders or balls about the size of a golf ball. 

Coat the croquetas: 

Roll each croqueta in flour, dip in beaten egg, and then coat with breadcrumbs. 

For an extra crispy texture, repeat the egg and breadcrumb coating. 

Fry the croquetas: 

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or pot to 180°C (350°F). 

Fry the croquetas in small batches until golden brown and crisp, about two to three minutes. 

Remove and drain on paper towels. 

Tips: 

For a baked version, brush the croquetas with olive oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway. 

You can freeze the croquetas before frying for a quick make-ahead snack.