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Level B2+

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Reports of girls and young women being brutally assaulted by family members have recently made headlines in India. The incidents have also put the spotlight on how unsafe girls and women are within their own homes.

Last week, 17-year-old Neha Paswan was allegedly beaten to death by members of her extended family in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh because they didn't like her wearing jeans.

Her mother, Shakuntala Devi Paswan, told BBC Hindi that the teenager had been severely beaten with sticks by her grandfather and uncles after an argument over her clothes at their home in Savreji Kharg village in Deoria district, one of the least developed regions in the state.

"She had kept a day-long religious fast. In the evening, she put on a pair of jeans and a top and performed her rituals. When her grandparents objected to her attire, Neha retorted that jeans were made to be worn and that she would wear it," her mother said.

The argument escalated, resulting in the violence, she claims.

Shakuntala Devi said as her daughter lay unconscious, her in-laws called an autorickshaw and said they were taking her to hospital.

"They wouldn't let me accompany them so I alerted my relatives who went to the district hospital looking for her but couldn't find her."

The next morning, Shakuntala Devi said, they heard that the body of a girl was hanging from the bridge over the Gandak river that flows through the region. When they went to investigate, they discovered it was Neha's.

Police have lodged a case of murder and destruction of evidence against 10 people, including Neha's grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and the auto driver. The accused have yet to make any public statement.

Senior police official Shriyash Tripathi told BBC Hindi that four people, including the grandparents, an uncle and the auto driver, had been arrested and were being questioned. He said police were looking for the remaining accused.

Neha's father Amarnath Paswan, who works as a day labourer on construction sites in Ludhiana, a town in Punjab, and had returned home to deal with the tragedy said he had worked hard to send his children, including Neha, to school.

Shakuntala Devi said their daughter wanted to be a police officer, but "her dreams would never be realised now".

She alleged that her in-laws were putting pressure on Neha to leave her studies in a local school and often chided her for wearing anything other than traditional Indian clothing.

Neha liked to dress up in modern outfits - two of the photographs her family shared with the BBC showed her wearing a long dress in one and a pair of jeans and a jacket in another.

Campaigners say violence against women and girls within homes in a society steeped in patriarchy is deeply embedded and is often sanctioned by family elders.

Girls and women in India face serious threats - from being at the risk of foeticide even before they are born because of the preference for sons - to discrimination and neglect. Domestic violence is rampant and on average, 20 women are killed every day for bringing in insufficient dowries.

Women and girls in small town and rural India live under severe restrictions with village heads or family patriarchs often dictating what they wear, where they go or who they talk to, and any perceived misstep is considered a provocation and must be punished.

No wonder then that the alleged assault of Neha for her choice of clothing is just one among a number of brutal attacks reported on girls and young women by their family members that have recently shocked India.

Last month, a gut-wrenching video that emerged from Alirajpur district in the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh showed a 20-year-old tribal woman being beaten by her father and three male cousins.

Following outrage, police lodged a complaint against the men and said she was being "punished" for running away from her "abusive" marital home.

A week before the incident, reports said two girls were mercilessly beaten up by their family members for talking on the phone with a male cousin in the neighbouring district of Dhar.

Videos of the incident showed one of the girls being dragged by her hair, thrown to the ground, kicked and punched and beaten with sticks and wood planks by her parents, brothers and cousins. After the video went viral, police arrested seven people.

A similar incident - that also took place last month - has been reported from the state of Gujarat where two teenagers were beaten by at least 15 men, including relatives, for talking on mobile phones, police said.

Gender activist Rolly Shivhare says "it's shocking that in the 21st Century, we are killing and assaulting girls for wearing jeans or talking on a mobile phone".

Patriarchy, she says, is "among the biggest problems in India" and points out that politicians, leaders and influencers often make misogynistic comments that set a bad example and the message of gender equality doesn't filter down to the community and family.

"The government says girls are our priority and announces grand schemes for their welfare, but nothing happens on the ground," Ms Shivhare says.

In the West, a child or a woman who's at risk within their homes can be moved to a shelter or put in foster care.

"The shelter homes and crisis centres in India are few and most are so badly run that no-one would want to go live there. Our government needs to allocate more funds and improve their condition," Ms Shivhare says. "But the only long-term solution is to make girls more aware of their rights."

Reporting from Deoria by Rajesh Kumar Arya, BBC Hindi

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The Indian girl killed for wearing jeans

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Neha Paswan was allegedly beaten to death by relatives who disagreed with her choice of clothes.

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Read the article /  Level B2

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Whether you're from the U.S. and call it a "Beltway" or Europe and call it a "Ring road," Madrid will be calling it the "green way" soon enough, as the Spanish capital aims to combat their city's island of heat by encircling themselves with a sea of green.

Their urban forest project will involve planting nearly a half million trees on a 46-mile perimeter (75-km) around the city. When the trees have reached maturity, they should absorb around 175,000 tons of CO2 per year.

Black pine, beech, Spanish juniper and various oak species can all be found in the arid middle of Spain wherein lies the Spanish capital, and it is these native trees which require little water or specialized soil conditions that will constitute the new forest.

RELATED: Volunteers in India Do it Again-Planting 250 Million Saplings in Single Day and Seeing 80% Survival Rate

"What we want to do is to improve the air quality in the whole city, to fight the 'heat island' effect that is happening inside the city, to absorb the greenhouse emissions generated by the city, and to connect all the existing forest masses that already exist around the city," Mariano Fuentes told

As Madrid's councilor for the environment and urban development, Fuentes explained that for cities that belch three-quarters of all human-caused CO2, which tend to absorb much more heat and poor air than surrounding countryside, methods for combating climate change and general environmental degradation need to be varied.

"It has to be a global strategy," added Fuentes. "It's not only about cars, but also a pedestrianization strategy, the creation of environmental corridors in every district... and most of all... to engage citizens in this new green culture, it is essential for every city to face the near future in the best conditions."

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Experts assured reporters that "it's not a park," but certainly for nature-loving Madrileños, it will be a place of respite, shade, and bird habitat that will work night and day to absorb excess heat and clean the air of the European mega-city.

WATCH the video from EuroNews...
Plant Some Good News on Social Media For All Your Friends Who Love Spain...

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Madrid is Planting a Huge Forest Ring Around the City to Lower Heat Levels and Cut CO2 Emissions

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Madrid planners aim to create an urban forest of 500,000 trees around the city to absorb heat, co2 and bad air.

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‘Respect’: All you need to know about Aretha Franklin biopic’s release date & cast

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‘Respect’: Here are all the details you need for the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic including the release date, cast, plot and much more.

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At 23, Manchester United soccer star Marcus Rashford has already scored a lot of goals, but becoming the youngest person to top The Sunday Times Giving List -a metric of philanthropy among rich Brits-is an achievement that has the whole country cheering.

Donations he made, and those by people inspired in response to his efforts to combat food poverty, generated a total of $28 million (£20 million), giving him a "Giving Index" ranking of 125% of his personal net worth of $23m (£16m).

Over the past year, Rashford has become something of a hero to many Brits: Last year, as second waves of COVID-19 abounded, he faced down the UK government's proposal to cut spending towards free school lunches.

Here's how he managed it.

The striker, who has often been a shining light in difficult recent seasons at Manchester United, and a fixture on England's national team, managed to shine some of the spotlight he receives on an issue close to his heart: having experienced hunger as a child himself, he knew that disadvantaged kids rely on school lunches for daily calorie requirements.

His insistent lobbying got Boris Johnson to U-turn on the Conservative government's position-coaxing £170m ($240m) for the free food voucher program from last November through to the summer.

In response, Rashford won the Professional Footballers Merit Award, and was recommended by Johnson to receive an MBE (Member of the British Empire).
READ: #WallStreetBets Traders Donate $300,000 to Adopt Gorillas From Dian Fossey Fund
"As a young Black man from Wythenshawe, never did I think I would be accepting an MBE, never mind an MBE at the age of 22," he said to Sky Sports in response.

A friendly rivalry
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"What Marcus has done over the last 12 months is incredible," said Liverpool team captain Jordan Henderson before a recent game between the two clubs. "He has battled against food poverty, given a voice to kids who otherwise wouldn't have one, and used his own reputation for the benefit of others."

Henderson, who has captained the second-most decorated English club for 7 years, came in sixth place on the Times' Giving List, by raising £4 million ($6 million) from his fellow footballers to join his own contributions towards the UK National Health Service to help support its response to the pandemic.
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Again, we come to a point in the story where non-football fans will be at a loss for understanding the gravity of Henderson's words, as Liverpool and Manchester United are the bitterest of rivals. As the two most successful clubs in English football, their matches are among the most watched of any on Earth.

Rashford has continued his giving work, establishing the Child Food Poverty Task Force, linking up with many of the nation's biggest supermarkets to help end childhood hunger.

"His own experience of relying on free school meals to eat brings authenticity and compassion to his campaigning, and his status as a Premier League footballer means people and politicians sit up and take notice," said Lindsay Boswell in a statement. CEO of FareShare, a non-profit dedicated to fighting hunger and food waste in the UK, Boswell named Rashford as an ambassador.

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English Footballer Marcus Rashford Donates Millions For Child Poverty, Becomes Youngest-Ever to Top 'Giving List'

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The Sunday Times' giving list, a measure of national private philanthropy, was topped by Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford.

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A restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City is plating up the most expensive chips on the planet, with a single serve going for $US200 ($271).

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A restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City is plating up the most expensive chips on the planet, with a single serve going for $US200 ($271).

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Do you want fries with that? What if they were going to set you back hundreds?

The fries are cooked in champagne, sprinkled with edible gold and seasoned with truffle salt

There is an eight- to 10-week waitlist for the chips

The chef said people go to the restaurant to "escape the reality of life"

A restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City is plating up the most expensive chips on the planet, with a single serve going for $US200 ($271).

The costly snack joins an already pricey menu, with Serendipity 3 also claiming world records for the most expensive burger ($US295) and ice cream sundae ($US1,000).

Guinness World Records certified the feat on July 13, making the fries officially the most expensive on Earth.

"Serendipity is really a happy place," creative director and chef Joe Calderone said.

"People come here to celebrate, to really escape the reality of life sometimes."

The creme de la creme pommes frites start out as Chipperbec potatoes. They are blanched, or scalded, in vinegar and champagne.

Then they are fried in pure goose fat, not oil, and not once but twice, so they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Sprinkled with edible gold and seasoned with truffle salt and truffle oil, they are served on a crystal plate with an orchid, thin-sliced truffles, and a Mornay cheese dip.

The sauce, too, is infused with truffles, a rare seasonal mushroom.

"Truffle is the main star here," corporate executive chef Frederick Schoen-Kiewert said.

Like many restaurants, Serendipity was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and Calderone and Schoen-Kiewert thought the fancy fries would be a good way to announce its return.

The plan is working. There is an eight to 10-week waitlist for the chips.

"It's been a rough year and a half for everyone, and we need to have some fun now," Calderone said.
Reuters

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Cooked in champagne and sprinkled in gold, these are the world's most expensive chips

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A restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side is plating up the most expensive chips on the planet, with a single serve going for $US200.

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"It is a special star sapphire specimen, probably the biggest in the world. Given the size and its value, we think it will interest private collectors or museums," Thilak Weerasinghe, the Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority of Sri Lanka, said.

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Sri Lanka: World's largest star sapphire cluster found in backyard

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The "Serendipity Sapphire" was accidentally found by a gem trader in Sri Lanka's Ratnapura region.

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Richard Branson will attempt to beat Jeff Bezos to space | CNN Business

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British billionaire Richard Branson plans to beat fellow billionaire and rival Jeff Bezos to space. Branson's company, Virgin Galactic, made a surprise announcement Thursday that he will attempt to fly in Virgin's rocket-powered plane on July 11 - nine days before Bezos's planned July 20th launch.

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Wembley Stadium in London on July 11, 2021

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Wembley Stadium in London on July 11, 2021

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Euro 2021: Italy beat England on penalties to win European Championship final • FRANCE 24 English

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Fourteen EU countries denounce Hungary’s new anti-LGBT law

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Ministers from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg gathered 13 like-minded countries in a critical statement that condemns Hungary for “stigmatising LGBTIQ persons”. #EuropeNews

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Thomas Pesquet#   Forestfires extending their smoke over the Mediterranean Sea, a scary sight from the @Space_Station

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Thomas Pesquet#   Forestfires extending their smoke over the Mediterranean Sea, a scary sight from the @Space_Station

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The award comes on the 73rd anniversary of the NHS's foundation

The Queen has awarded the George Cross to the National Health Services of the UK, recognising all NHS staff in all four nations.

In a personal, handwritten message, the Queen said NHS staff have carried out their work "with courage, compassion and dedication" for more than 70 years.

The award comes on the 73rd anniversary of the NHS's foundation.

The George Cross was instituted by King George VI on September 24 1940 during the height of the Blitz, and is granted in recognition of "acts of the greatest heroism or of the most courage in circumstances of extreme danger".

In her message, the Queen wrote: "It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.

"This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations.

"Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion, and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.

"You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation of us all."

NHS Fife's Chief Executive Carol Potter;

"Following yesterday's national Thank You Day, today's announcement of the award of the George Cross to all NHS staff, past and present, across the four nations is a fitting tribute to the hard work, resilience and the drive of all our staff to care for the communities we serve, under the most difficult of circumstances.

"As we mark our 73 rd birthday today this award recognises the biggest challenge the NHS has had to face in over 7 decades and the courage and compassion shown by all disciplines that make up our NHS."

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Queen awards George Cross to 'courageous and dedicated' NHS | NHS Fife

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Dubai is making its own fake rain to beat 122F heat

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The enhanced rain is created using drone technology that unleashes electrical charges into clouds in order for them to clump together and form precipitation

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1) Watch the video and focus on the facts (level B2-)
2) Read the article and focus on the reactions of the journalist (level B2)

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Let me start by saying that I am not an expert on the Barbie doll. Shock, I know. I didn't have one as a child, though I think my sister probably did, and I don't yet have any children of my own. You might quite reasonably point out, then, that I am unqualified - perhaps uniquely so - to write about the merits or otherwise of a new Barbie doll. But here we are. Bear with me.

Some context might be helpful. Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert may well have saved your life this year. She is the co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The UK has ordered 100 million doses of this vaccine, so there is a good chance you will have had one or even two of those doses put in your arm and can cower no more, or just a little less, from Covid-19.

We should celebrate people like Professor Gilbert - and indeed we have. She has been made a dame, was awarded the Albert Medal by the Royal Society of Arts (previous recipients include Thomas Edison and Stephen Hawking) and given a standing ovation at Wimbledon. Now she has her own Barbie doll.

I have to say - and again, I'm no expert - that it doesn't appear to resemble your standard Barbie. The doll is dressed in a black suit and white T-shirt, wears glasses and has red hair. If you squint hard enough, I suppose it could be Professor Gilbert, though it could also be Sarah Ferguson (not a professor). Either way, my sister's Barbie didn't look at all like this. Which is of course the point.

As Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and dolls at Mattel, explained: "Barbie recognises that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened. To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories [...] to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back."

Professor Gilbert echoed these sentiments (after initially admitting that the tribute was "very strange"). "I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into Stem [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realise how vital careers in science are to help the world around us," she said. "My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist."

It is hard to see this as anything other than tremendous progress. The sooner children are introduced to characters like Professor Gilbert (Mattel have also created dolls of, among others, Canadian physician Dr Chika Stacy Oriuwa and Brazilian biomedical researcher Dr Jaqueline Goes de Jesus), the better. It is, surely, about choice. Not every child will be interested. That's fine. But those that are should be catered for and I suspect the original Barbie doll didn't quite do that.

And perhaps this is where I come in. The fact that this Barbie doll of Professor Gilbert has hit the news and become a talking point - the fact that I am actually writing a column about it - is worth reflecting on. Conversations about children and the expectations placed on boys and girls through toys and clothes - astronauts for boys; princesses for girls - are usually reserved for parents. But shouldn't we all be thinking about it? Shouldn't we all care what the next generation is being taught? What opportunities to think are being provided or denied? It has ramifications for everyone. We need as many boys and girls as possible to take an interest in Stem subjects. The next Professor Sarah Gilbert is perhaps just a Professor Sarah Gilbert Barbie away from pursuing those dreams.

Undoubtedly, this bespectacled Barbie will inspire plenty of children to explore new ideas. But it has made me - and I hope you - think a bit as well. Not what I expected from Barbie on this Wednesday morning but something to be celebrated nevertheless.

I never thought Barbie was for me - but Sarah Gilbert proved me wrong

I never thought Barbie was for me - but Sarah Gilbert proved me wrong

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert holding a Barbie doll of herself in honour of the Oxford vaccine co-creator

PA

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Opinion: I never thought Barbie was for me - but Sarah Gilbert proved me wrong

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This bespectacled Barbie will inspire plenty of children to explore new ideas. But it has made me - and I hope you - think a bit as well

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Doc. B : Why is India talking about ripped jeans and knees

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Doc. B : Why is India talking about ripped jeans and knees

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Level C1

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Denim - the favourite punching bag of Indian patriarchs who routinely blame the fabric for the moral degradation of youth - is back in the news.

The latest to be riled by jeans is Tirath Singh Rawat, the newly-appointed chief minister of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Earlier this week, he blamed "ripped jeans" for all that ails the young.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Mr Rawat criticised an unnamed woman he met on a flight.

The woman, he said, was travelling with two children and was "wearing boots, jeans ripped on the knees, and had several bracelets on her arm".

"You run an NGO, wear jeans ripped at the knees, move about in society, children are with you, what values you will teach?" he asked.

A member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr Rawat went on to describe ripped jeans as clothing that both caused and was symptomatic of moral turpitude and criticised parents for allowing their children, especially girls, to wear them.

The chief minister chastised Indians for "running towards nudity" and claimed that "while people in India were wearing ripped jeans, those abroad were covering their bodies properly and doing yoga".

Mr Rawat's comments attracted widespread condemnation in India.

The opposition Congress party issued a statement asking him to "apologise to all Indian women" - or resign.

On Thursday, senior party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared photographs of PM Modi and one of his cabinet colleagues "showing their knees":

The head of Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal tweeted accusing Mr Rawat of "propagating misogyny":

His remarks also set off a Twitter storm with thousands of Indian women - and some men - sharing their photos wearing ripped jeans. And hashtags #RippedJeansTwitter and #RippedJeans trended for hours.

Some tagged Mr Rawat in their tweets; and some advised him to worry about more important matters like "ripped economy" and "women's safety":

On Friday, Mr Rawat did offer an apology - he said he was sorry if his comments had hurt anyone. He said his intention was not to show disrespect to anyone and everyone was free to wear what they chose.

The Uttarakhand chief minister is not the only Indian politician with clothing advice for women.

I cited examples of several prominent politicians who had connected rape and sexual assault to women's outfits.

Clothing restrictions, especially for women and girls, are routinely reported from rural India, steeped in patriarchy.

A decade ago, a caste council in Battisa village in Uttar Pradesh had banned girls from wearing jeans or using mobile phones.

So, why are some Indian leaders so riled by a piece of clothing?

Denims first gained popularity in India in the 1980s and over the years have become the clothing of choice, especially for the young, across the country.

In the past few years, ripped jeans have become hugely popular and everyone from Bollywood stars and celebrities to ordinary Indians are seen wearing them.

But Indians, says fashion designer Anand Bhushan, have "a love-hate relationship" with ripped jeans.

"For the young, they are about looking hip and cool and fitting in with the fashionable crowd. For their parents and grandparents, it could be incomprehensible why their children would wear torn clothes."

But, it's one thing for parents to frown upon their children's sartorial choices, it's an entirely different issue when public authorities start blaming clothes for societal ills.

"It's an attempt to control women. It's tiring how these patriarchal men hide behind the veil of tradition to put women down by trying to control what they wear," says Mr Bhushan.

"They have no new counter-arguments so they offer the same tired arguments that jeans is not a part of our culture, that it has come from the West."

Mr Rawat's criticism of the ripped jeans has had an unintended consequence - it's prompted some to try it for the first time.

Viji Venkatesh, a Mumbai-based cancer counsellor, was among those who posted their photographs on Twitter.

Ms Venkatesh told me she was "so mad" by Mr Rawat's "ridiculous and offensive" comments that she "cut up a good pair of jeans" to turn it into ripped jeans.

"I'm 69 years old and generally wear saris. I had also always wondered why kids would wear shredded jeans," she said.

"But I was so angry by Mr Rawat's anti-women remark that in a moment of pique, I made holes in it and posted a photo wearing it on Twitter."

I asked her if she had second thoughts about it now?

"No, they are really comfortable on my knees and they still look pretty good," she says with a laugh.

But, on a serious note, she adds that what women wear is nobody's business but their own.

"It's not Mr Rawat's concern. He should be worried about melting glaciers in Uttarakhand, the environmental issues that the state is facing and not about what women are wearing."

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Thousands of women are sharing their photos in ripped jeans on social media - but why?

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Watch the news report :)

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Madrid building a huge urban forest in bid to combat climate change

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The first baby beaver born on Exmoor for 400 years has been named after the England football star Marcus Rashford.

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Norwegian women's beach handball team fined for not playing in bikinis

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Richard Branson reaches space in his Virgin Galactic passenger rocket • FRANCE 24 English

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Watch 1,824 Drones Light Up the Sky at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

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Watch 1,824 Drones Light Up the Sky at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

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Olympics (@Olympics) July 23, 2021.
Forming the official Tokyo Games symbol before shaping into Earth.

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Italy won the European Championship for the first time since 1968 as Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two England penalties en route to a 3-2 shootout win after the teams had fought out a 1-1 extra-time draw at a raucous Wembley on Sunday.

The giant keeper saved from Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after Marcus Rashford hit a post, as Federico Bernardeschi, Leonardo Bonucci and Domenico Berardi all scored for the Italians.

Luke Shaw had given England a dream start with a superb goal after two minutes but Italy, who offered almost nothing in response in the first half, gradually took command as the hosts sat back and levelled through Bonucci after 67 minutes.

It was the first final to be decided on penalties since Czechoslovakia beat West Germany in 1976 and will be wildly celebrated in Italy after they lost in the final in 2000 and 2012.

They made most of the running after halftime and in extra time and England can have few complaints after their early promise faded away.

It was nevertheless heartbreaking for most of the 67,000 Wembley crowd as England came up short in their first major final since they won the World Cup 55 years ago.

It had all started so well when Harry Kane spread the ball wide to Kieran Trippier and he instantly repaid coach Gareth Southgate's faith in recalling him by sending over a curling deep cross that the fast-arriving Shaw met on the half volley to hammer inside the post for his first international goal.

England had taken an early lead in their 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia before eventually being outplayed and beaten in extra time, but they did not look like giving up the initiative on home soil, playing on the front foot, though failing to threaten Donnarumma.
Crisp shot
England keeper Jordan Pickford was similarly untroubled as Federico Chiesa's crisp shot went just wide and Ciro Immobile's blocked effort were all Italy had to show for a disjointed half.

England's well-drilled defence, which had conceded just one goal, via a Danish free kick, in their six previous tournament games, held them at arm's length and Italian frustration was summed up by centre back Bonucci letting fly wildly from 35 metres with the last kick of the half - much to the disgust of his team mates.

Pickford was called into action after 57 minutes, blocking a Lorenzo Insigne shot and then getting down to palm away from Chiesa as Italy began to apply pressure, pinning England back.

It paid dividends when Bonucci pounced from close range after Pickford had turned Andrea Belotti's header onto a post.

England could have no complaints, having virtually invited their opponents on and offered almost nothing in attack, and they would have been somewhat relieved to go into extra time.

It was a similar story in the first additional 15 minutes, though England did briefly force their way back into the game in the second period, albeit without either side creating anything to reward the crowd for their waves of noise.

So it went to penalties, where England's young guns failed and Italy took the glory.

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Italy wins European Championship final after beating England on penalties

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Italy won the European Championship for the first time since 1968 as Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two England penalties en route to a 3-2 shootout win after the teams had fought out a 1-1 extra-time draw...

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Read the article and focus on the many examples of recent Barbie dolls. Be ready to explain in detail.
Level B2+

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Prof Sarah Gilbert has had quite a year. The co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab has been made a dame, been given an emotional standing ovation at Wimbledon - and now a Barbie doll has been made in her honour.

Gilbert, who led the development of the Covid vaccine at Oxford University, said she initially found the gesture "very strange" but hoped it would inspire young girls to work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).

"I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into Stem careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realise how vital careers in science are to help the world around us," she said. "My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist."

As well as the likeness of Dame Sarah, the toy company has created models in honour of five other women working in Stem around the world.

They include US healthcare workers Amy O'Sullivan and Dr Audrey Cruz, Canadian doctor and campaigner Dr Chika Stacy Oriuwa, Brazilian biomedical researcher Dr Jaqueline Goes de Jesus and Dr Kirby White, an Australian medic who co-created a reusable gown for frontline staff.

Lisa McKnight, senior vice-president and global head of Barbie and dolls at Mattel, said: "Barbie recognises that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened. To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories ... to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back."

BBC Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo holding the Barbie doll created in her likeness. Photograph: Michael Bowles/Mattel/PA

Over the years, Mattel has made dolls to the likeness of stars including Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lopez and Cher, in celebration of their career milestones. Last month a Barbie doll modelled on tennis star Naomi Osaka sold out hours after its launch.

Meanwhile earlier this year Radio 1 presenter Clara Amfo unveiled a Barbie doll in her image. Known for fighting racial inequality and championing women's rights, Amfo's Barbie was released ahead of International Women's Day in March.

Mattel also recently released a Rosa Parks Barbie (as part of its Inspiring Women series).

In 2019, Barbie was accused of having a "wokeover" after Mattel launched a new range of gender-inclusive dolls that are free of labels.

They join a growing list of inclusive Barbies and Kens. There's now a Barbie that uses a wheelchair, a black Barbie with a natural hairstyle, and a Ken with a slightly higher BMI.

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Vaccinologist Barbie: Prof Sarah Gilbert honoured with a doll

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Co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab hopes it will inspire young girls to enter Stem careers

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Optional Read / Level B2

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When Rajini Chandy posted pictures from her glamorous photoshoot on Facebook recently, she didn't anticipate they would go viral and attract vicious trolls.

The photos show the 69-year-old housewife-turned-actress, who's generally seen in colourful elegant saris, dressed in a jumpsuit, long dresses, a pair of distressed jeans, and a short denim dress. In some, she's wearing a crown of fresh white flowers picked from her garden.

Described as "bold and beautiful" by the local press in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where she lives, the photoshoot has raised the hackles of many in a conservative state where most women still dress modestly in saris or traditional long skirts.

The photoshoot, Mrs Chandy told the BBC, was the idea of Athira Joy, a 29-year-old photographer known for her unconventional work.

Ms Joy said what attracted her to the actress was how she was so different from her own mother.

"Indian women," she says, "spend their lives caged in this system of marriage and raising a family. Most give up on life once they reach 60. They become nannies to their grandchildren."

Her 65-year-old mother, she says, is "a typical Indian woman who suffers from all sorts of health issues that 60 plus women face".

"But Rajini is different - she takes care of herself, she's fit, she's bold, she's beautiful, she's fashionable. She's 69, but in her mind, she's 29, just like me."

In traditional Keralan society, Mrs Chandy has always stood out. When she returned to Kerala in 1995 after spending decades in Mumbai where her husband worked with a foreign bank, she made heads turn as she stepped out in a pair of jeans or wore lipstick. Once, she tells me, she was reprimanded for wearing a sleeveless blouse.

In the past few years, she's made news for her "unconventional choices" - in 2016, at the age of 65, she debuted as an actress in the Malayalam-language comedy-drama, Oru Muthassi Gadha (A Granny's Mace).

Since, then, she's been seen in two more films and participated in the second season of Bigg Boss (the Malayali version of Big Brother) last year.

Mrs Chandy says she did the shoot to motivate older people to believe they can still enjoy their life.

"Most young couples spend their youth bringing up children. They put their own desires on the backburner and then they realise they are too old to chase their dreams because they're worried what would society say. I believe it's okay to do whatever you want as long as you're not hurting anyone," she says.

"I've fulfilled all my family and social obligations and now I'm just doing what brings me pleasure. I'm learning to play the drum, I'm not aiming for perfection, I'm just having fun."

The photoshoot was meant to be fun too.

"In December, Athira asked me if I'd be interested in doing a photoshoot and whether I had any inhibitions wearing Western clothes. I said no, I used to wear them all the time when I was younger. I told her I even have a photograph in a swimsuit," Mrs Chandy told me.

She found Athira's proposal interesting - during her travels abroad, she says, she'd always admired older women who were well turned out.

"But I told her I'd do it if my husband approved. So, she asked him for permission and he said: 'It's her life. If she wants to do it, I'm fine with that'."

Mrs Chandy says when she first saw the clothes Athira had hired for her from a local boutique, she was "shocked".

"I hadn't dressed up in such a sexy way in a long time. But once I wore them, I was okay."

The set of 20 photographs was taken at Mrs Chandy's sprawling home in Kochi towards the end of last month.

Bouquets, and brickbats, began arriving once the photos went up on Facebook and Instagram last week and the local press picked them up.

There were thousands of appreciative comments - people wrote in saying "you've proved age is just a number"; many described her as "bold", "stunning", "hot" and "beautiful"; many complimented her for her "confidence"; and admirers found her phone number and called or WhatsApped her to tell her "you look very good aunty".

But soon, the backlash started - and it continues.

"I was called a slut. Someone asked me, 'Haven't you died yet?' Another suggested that I 'sit at home and read the Bible. This is your age to pray, not show off your body'. Yet another person said I was an old auto rickshaw and even if I got a new coat of paint, I'd still be old."

Read more from Geeta Pandey:

The trolls are particularly agitated by two pictures - one shows her wearing distressed jeans and sitting with her legs wide apart, showing a hint of a cleavage. In the second, she's wearing a short denim dress.

"It's worse because it shows my legs," she says. "But I have good legs, so it didn't really bother me," she laughs.

A moment later though, she admits that the relentless trolling and the negative comments are getting to her. And the fact that most of the abuse has come from women.

"A lot of young men find sexiness in older women disturbing, they don't want to think of them as an object of desire. But what I found surprising was that most of the negative comments were made by women," she says.

"I think it's born out of jealousy - women in their 40s and 50s who don't take care of themselves cannot deal with an older woman still being able to flaunt her good looks."

Namita Bhandare, gender editor for news website Article 14, puts the comments down to "jealousy maybe, but let's not forget that all women are not feminists".

"Our mothers and grandmothers are great upholders of the patriarchal order."

Globally, as women get older, she says, they face the double whammy of sexism and ageism, but in India, unlike in the West, "we don't invisibilise older women".

"I feel to some extent ageism works to women's advantage in India. Older women, our dadis [paternal grandmothers] and nanis [maternal grandmothers] enjoy a certain status in the family. But then, we venerate them because they conform to a stereotype. They dress modestly, in white if they're widowed, and they are not sexualised.

"Now if a grandmother shows her cleavage or flashes her legs, she's overturning the stereotype, she's stepping out of line and then she's fair game."

Mrs Chandy says she never thought the photos would go viral or that she would be trolled.

"I'm really outspoken so maybe a lot of people don't like me. But I tell them, instead of wasting your time on me, why don't you use your energy to do a good turn for your country or the world or the Mother Earth?"

You may also like:

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Rajini Chandy: The 69-year-old Indian actress trolled for 'too sexy' photos

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Rajini Chandy, a southern Indian actress, has raised hackles in a state where women still dress modestly.

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Optional work / Level B2-

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LAST year, Kylian Mbappe addressed a crowd of around 300 people from a stage in a Paris hotel to unveil his new charity called Inspired by KM.
The PSG superstar, then only 21, revealed plans to help 98 children from the French capital "fulfil their dreams".

"We will support them until their working lives begin," he told a wowed audience, drawn to the football god's immediate likeability.

It isn't the first time that generous Mbappe, looking to aid the Euros to his World Cup winners' medal from 2018, has shown that he's one of football's good guys - just like rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

In 2019, the brilliant forward blessed with extraordinary talent kindly donated £26,000 to help fund a private search for Emiliano Sala's doomed plane.

And the year before that, Mbappe donated all his World Cup match fees and bonuses, believed to be somewhere in the region of £400,000 to a children's charity.

INSPIRED BY KM

The brainchild of his mum Fayza Lamari, Mbappe's Inspired By KM will endeavour to help children aged between nine and 14 achieve whatever they want.

At the low-key presentation, one child revealed: "I would like to become the Kylian Mbappé of maths," while another said: "I would like to go into medicine."

And Mbappe's plan to help them achieve their ambitions is to expose the kids to different kinds of activities - from learning new languages, taking arts and crafts lessons and going on foreign trips.

The charity is open to kids from all sorts of backgrounds, Mbappe explained.

He said: "It is important for everyone to mingle with people they might not otherwise meet."

I'm just trying to give a hand to children and make them smile

And Inspired By KM has a charter that all the children must adhere to.

It encourages them "to stay humble ... to take responsibility for my actions ... to take the time to listen to others ... to manage my emotions, problems and conflicts with dialogue and without resorting to violence."

Although Mbappe has enlisted the help of his parents, two aunts and the headmaster of the school he went to to run the charity, he has pledged to be heavily involved himself.

"I didn't set this up to delegate, I am going to invest myself in this to the maximum," he said.

He added: "I'm just trying to give a hand to children and make them smile."

'I DID NOT NEED TO BE PAID'

Although his exploits in the Champions League made him a worldwide star with Monaco and PSG, at the 2018 World Cup Mbappe cemented his name as a football phenomenon by outshining Messi in an epic second-round 4-3 win over Argentina.

He was instrumental as Les Bleus went on to win the World Cup, and could have been forgiven for accepting his appearance fees and bonuses awarded by the French FA.

I did not need to be paid. I was there to defend the colours of the country

But Mbappe felt the money would be better use elsewhere. He donated the £400k to the Premiers de Cordees association, a charity which looks to organise sports activities for children with disabilities, and which he is a patron of.

"I did not need to be paid. I was there to defend the colours of the country," he told TIME magazine.

I gave the money to the charity where I am a sponsor because being handicapped is something difficult

"Also, I earn enough money - a lot of money. So I think it is important to help those who are in need. A lot of people are suffering, a lot of people have diseases. For people like us, giving a helping hand to people is not a big thing.

"It doesn't change my life, but it changes theirs. And if it can change theirs, it is a great pleasure.

"I gave the money to the charity where I am a sponsor because being handicapped is something difficult. Showing them that they can do sports like everyone it is something close to my heart."

SEARCHING FOR SALA

In 2019, the footballing world united for the search of Emiliano Sala - who lost his life in a tragic plane crash after agreeing a deal to sign Cardiff from French club Nantes.

A GoFundMe appeal was set up by his agents after authorities abandoned the hunt for the missing plane to star a private search.

Former Arsenal star Laurent Koscielny and Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan both donated £1,700.

Ex-Leicester winger Demarai Gray put in over £400, while Fulham defender Maxime Le Marchand gave around £1,000 and ex-West Ham ace Dimitri Payet £8,600.

But it was Mbappe who trumped them all.

His £26k donation bumped the kitty to nearly £300k, and the search was soon resumed.

As we said, he's one of football's good guys.

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Mbappe has kids charity, donated £400k from World Cup & £26k to Sala fund

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LAST year, Kylian Mbappe addressed a crowd of around 300 people from a stage in a Paris hotel to unveil his new charity called Inspired by KM. The PSG superstar, then only 21, revealed plans to hel...

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CIARA IS FUMING - Norwegian women’s beach handball team fined for refusing to wear 'bikini' uniform

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Jeff Bezos successfully completes space flight

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Tokyo Olympics: Constellation of drones form globe at opening ceremony

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Racism in fallout of Euro 2020 missed penalties

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Racism in fallout of Euro 2020 missed penalties

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Euro 2020: England’s Rashford defiant after racist abuse – DW – 07/13/2021

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The Black England and Manchester United player has vowed to “never apologize for who I am.” Top British lawmakers have also come under scrutiny for not condemning fans who booed players taking a knee against racism.

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In a preliminary study released Wednesday, scientists said the heat wave that swept across Western North America in late June, killing hundreds of people, would have been "virtually impossible" without climate change. But researchers are still struggling to explain such a spike in temperatures.

There was never any question that the temperatures that hit cities including Seattle, Portland and Vancouver in late June were extreme. But preliminary research published by a team of scientists Wednesday showed just how remarkable they were, with the scientists describing the heat wave as "a 1 in 1000 year event in today's climate."

The temperatures recorded - as high as 49.7°C in the Canadian province of British Columbia and 46.1°C in Portland - exceeded seasonal norms to such an extent that the researchers had a hard time finding a historical comparison point.

"We estimated the probability of such an extreme event on the scale of a millennium, but it could very well be more," Robert Vautard, director of the Paul-Simon Laplace Institute of climate science and a co-author of the study, told FRANCE 24.
'Virtually impossible' without climate change
The international team of researchers ran the late June temperatures through some twenty climate models in an effort to understand the unprecedented spike. They found that the heat wave would have been "virtually impossible without human-caused climate change".

"That means we can't see any other explanation, but there remains a minute chance that such an extreme event could have happened randomly without climate change," said Vautard.

The scientists' models, however, "couldn't explain how the temperature could climb so high," Dim Coumou, a climatologist at VU Amsterdam and co-author of the study, told FRANCE 24.

The temperatures recorded exceeded previous records by five to six degrees Celsius - "much more than the two to three degrees that we would have expected under current climate conditions," said Vautard.

Indeed, the "heat dome" that caused the soaring temperatures - a convergence of pressure conditions in the atmosphere - wasn't vastly different from the one that drove the European heat wave of 2019. And while that heat wave set records, they were not nearly as stark as those set last week, which fueled major forest fires in British Columbia and left hundreds dead.

"It's clear that the dome alone isn't enough to explain what just happened, and now we must seek to understand which other factors played a role," said Coumou, who specialises in the impact of climate change on heat waves.
'Really bad luck', or a step into uncharted territory?
For now, the scientists have two main theories. The first is what the study calls "really bad luck" - in other words, that all the possible factors that cause temperatures to rise converged at the same time and place.

For one, the heat dome formed in a region which has lately seen little rain.

"The ground was very dry, meaning that there was very little water evaporating, which normally allows the air to cool a bit when the temperatures start to rise," explained Coumou. Add to this the hot winds that came down from the surrounding mountains, which made the air even more suffocating.

But the scientists are also weighing another, potentially more worrying, scenario. The heat wave that struck the Pacific Northwest could signal "that we might have crossed a threshold in the effect that climate change has on extreme weather events", said Vautard.

In that case, the deadly heat would mark a sort of step into uncharted territory, where "climate change produces heat waves more intense than we thought", said Coumou. He stressed the urgent need for further research, in order to determine whether aspects of current climate models need revising.

For Vautard, the task is all the more pressing now that the North American case has proven that "it's absolutely possible for temperatures to rise as high as 50°C in temperate regions".

"This could happen in France next," Coumou agreed. And the likelihood of such extreme events will only continue to increase if climate change continues on its current path. If the targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement are not met and global temperatures reach 2°C above pre-industrial levels, the study predicts that similar heat waves "would occur roughly every 5 to 10 years".

Barring drastic changes over the next decade, even that scenario could be optimistic, as current levels of greenhouse gas emissions put the planet on track for at least three degrees of warming.

Vautard says global North countries have no time to waste in preparing for extreme heat.

"We're not at all sure that we could stand up to temperatures of 45°C or more in the Paris area," he said.
This article was adapted from the original in French.

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Deadly North American heat wave tests the limits of climate change models

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In a preliminary study released Wednesday, scientists said the heat wave that swept across Western North America in late June, killing hundreds of people, would have been "virtually impossible" without...

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Use any source to define STEM and learn more about Girls/Women and STEM. Be ready to report your findings to your p artners.

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Germany's gymnasts wore full-body suits in women's qualification at the Olympics as they continued their stand against the sexualisation of their sport.

Some of them wore similar outfits at the European Championships earlier this year, with Sarah Voss saying she and her team-mates wanted to make youngsters feel safe in the sport.

Voss joined Pauline Schaefer-Betz, Elisabeth Seitz and Kim Bui in donning the red and white outfits that extended to the ankles on Sunday.

The body suits defy convention, with most gymnasts opting for a leotard and those who cover their legs in international competition doing so for religious reasons.

Gymnasts' outfits take on sexualisation in sport

The German team had worn similar outfits during training last week, with three-time Olympian Seitz saying at the time that it was "about what feels comfortable".

"We wanted to show that every woman, everybody, should decide what to wear," she said.

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Germany's gymnasts wear full-body suits in women's qualification at the Olympics as they continue their stand against the sexualisation of their sport.

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Topline

The Tokyo Olympics officially kicked off Friday with an elaborate yet muted opening ceremony, with athletes from the 206 participating countries and teams parading through a largely spectator-free Olympic Stadium as Japan opened the Summer Games through modern and classical performances representing their culture-and 1,800 drones.

Fireworks go off while Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the ... [+]
Getty Images

Key Facts

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach opened the Olympic Games with a message of unity, describing the ceremony as a "moment of hope" amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic torch, the athlete's first public appearance since she pulled out of the French Open in May after boycotting press conferences at the event over concerns about her mental health.

The U.S. Olympic team was led by baseball player Eddy Alvarez and basketball player Sue Bird, who served as the country's flagbearers during the ceremony's parade of athletes.

The event was not open to spectators due to Covid-19 restrictions, but there were some stakeholders in attendance, including U.S. First Lady Jill Biden.

Music stars including John Legend and Keith Urban performed John Lennon's "Imagine" along with Japanese performers, as part of a broader performance that also included traditional Japanese Kabuki performance and an elaborate drone show.

Big Number

11,656. That's how many athletes are competing in the Tokyo Olympics, according to Tokyo 2020 organizers. Not all of those athletes were present during the opening ceremony, however, with teams like the U.S. gymnastics and women's soccer teams holding their own "opening ceremonies" because they couldn't attend.

Surprising Fact

Wooden Olympic rings were displayed during the opening ceremony, which were made from lumber from trees that international athletes planted the last time Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 1964.

Key Background

The Tokyo Olympics kicked off after a year-long delay amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which has remained a concern during the Games as a growing number of athletes have had to pull out due to positive Covid-19 tests. Stringent health and safety protocols are in place, though public health experts have nevertheless expressed concerns. The opening ceremony has also been a source of controversy beyond the pandemic, as multiple people involved with its creation have resigned amid scandals-most recently director Kentaro Kobayashi, who was dismissed on Thursday after jokes he made about the Holocaust surfaced.

Basketball player Sue Bird and baseball player Eddy Alvarez lead the U.S. Olympic team during the ... [+]
Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Japanese Kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa performs during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic ... [+]
AFP via Getty Images

Further Reading

Naomi Osaka Lights The Olympic Cauldron In Muted Opening Ceremony's Biggest Moment (Forbes)

Czech Athletes Latest To Pull Out Of Tokyo Olympics Due To Covid - Here's The Full List (Forbes)

Here's What To Watch For At The Tokyo Olympics This Weekend (Forbes)

Did Olympic Athletes Need To Be Vaccinated? No - And Now More Are Testing Positive For Covid-19. (Forbes)

At Least 100 U.S. Athletes Unvaccinated As Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Kick Off (Forbes)

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Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony In Photos: Drones Fly, Athletes Celebrate In Muted Kickoff To Summer Games

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Japan celebrated their culture and the unity of the Olympic Games before a largely empty stadium.

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A man cools off at a misting station during the scorching weather of a heat wave in Vancouver, British Columbia [Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters]

Authorities say nearly 500 people have died in Canada's westernmost province across five days, as record-breaking temperatures raise serious concerns for vulnerable groups, including the elderly.

British Columbia's chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said on Wednesday afternoon that the BC Coroners Service received at least 486 reports of deaths between Friday and Wednesday afternoon - a total she said was preliminary and expected to increase.

The fatalities represent a 195 percent increase from the approximately 165 deaths that would normally occur in the province across a five-day period, Lapointe said.

"The last five days in British Columbia have seen an unprecedented number of deaths reported to the BC Coroners Service," she said in a statement.

"While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather B.C. has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province."

Temperatures have soared in BC and other Canadian provinces and territories as a so-called "heat dome" - a weather system that traps in hot air - descended on the country's west coast, as well as in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

"It's like a lid or a top, and nothing can get in, weather can't get in to remove that heat, it just builds," Dave Phillips, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told CTV's Your Morning news programme.

Experts have also said climate change contributed to the record-shattering heat. Lytton, a town in central BC, broke Canadian high-temperature records three times this week, hitting 49.6C (121.28F) on Tuesday.

Metro Vancouver Police said on Tuesday evening that officers had responded to more than 65 sudden deaths since the heat wave began on Friday, while police in Burnaby and Surrey, cities in the greater Vancouver area, also reported dozens of sudden deaths. Police said many of the deaths were elderly people.

"The vast majority of these cases are related to the heat," Vancouver police Sergeant Steve Addison said in a statement. "We've never seen anything like this, and it breaks our hearts. If you have an elderly or vulnerable family member, please give them a call or stop by to check on them."

A heat warning remains in effect for the Greater Vancouver Area, but Environment Canada said on its website that the heat "will become less intense" starting on Wednesday, though temperatures are likely to stay unseasonably warm for the rest of the week.

Environment Canada urged people to stay hydrated and remain indoors, and to check on older family members and neighbours.

The extreme heat is expected to extend to other parts of the country on Thursday, said meteorologist Doug Gillham, with high-temperature records potentially breaking in several cities including Kelowna, BC; Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta; and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

"The hot weather will extend all the way to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut," Gillham said in a post on The Weather Network website.

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'Never seen anything like this': 100s dead amid Canada heatwave

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At least 486 sudden deaths recorded in British Columbia since Friday as temperatures soar on Canada's west coast.

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Elite male athletes play in shorts and tank tops, women basically in bikinis | CNN

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Women athletes very participation in sports is a reliable trigger for misogynists the world over, one that elite sports competitions too often blunt with enforced codes for uniforms that hyper-police the presentation of the female body, writes Jill Filipovic.

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Pink offers to pay Norway's handball bikini fine 6

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Tokyo Olympics: Sky Brown wins Olympics skateboarding bronze medal

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Sky Brown has won bronze in the women's park skateboarding final at the Tokyo Olympics, as well as becoming GB's youngest Olympian EVER!

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Firefighters struggling to contain Northern California’s Dixie Fire

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The Dixie Fire has engulfed an area the size of New York City, ripping apart more than a dozen homes and structures and threatening 10,000 more.

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American athletes protest at theTokyo Olympics 

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American athletes protest at theTokyo Olympics 

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Hundreds rescued by boat from Greek island as flames reach shore

Two people have died in Greece and eight killed in Turkey amid extreme wildfires, fanned by unpredictable winds and soaring temperatures - described as the worst in southern Europe in decades.

A volunteer firefighter has died after being struck by a falling electricity pole in an area north of Athens affected by the fire, officials said on Friday.

Flames swept through a residential town outside the Greek capital overnight as wildfires burned across the country for a fifth day, while hundreds of people were evacuated by ferry from the island of Evia.

More than 700 firefighters, including reinforcements from Cyprus, France and Israel, have been deployed to fight the blaze north of Athens, assisted by the army and water-bombing aircraft.

In neighbouring Turkey, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated after flames swept through the country's southwestern coastal regions.

Show latest update

Two people killed as wildfires spread across Greece

A 38-year-old volunteer firefighter has died after being struck in the head by a falling electricity pylon in the north of the Greek capital of Athens, officials have confirmed.

A second man, named as Konstantinos Michalos, the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was found unconscious in a factory in Krioneri and was later confirmed dead in hospital.

A further 20 people have been injured.

Thousands evacuated after blaze sweeps through Athens suburbs

Thousands of people fled to safety from a wildfire that swept through a residential town outside Athens overnight, amid the worst heatwave in the country for decades.

Emergency crews have been struggling to battle the fire on Mount Parnitha on the outskirts of Athens since late on Thursday.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of more suburbs north of Athens, Evia and areas in the Peloponnese including Mani, Messinia and ancient Olympia, the site of the first Olympic Games.

Wildfire engulfs power plant in southwestern Turkey, prompting further evacuations

Wildfire engulfs power plant in southwestern Turkey, prompting further evacuations

More villages evacuated on Evia as island continues to burn

Fires on Evia, Greece's second-biggest island, continued their destructive path overnight on Friday and into Saturday morning.

Hundreds of people, including many elderly residents, were evacuated by sea late on Friday from the town of Limni on the northwestern part of the island.

Coastguard Sotiris Danikas told broadcaster ERT: " We're talking about the apocalypse, I don't know how to describe it."

Over 90 active wildfires endanger villages in Russia's Siberia

As blazes continue in Greece, Russia's Siberia is still battling its own wildfires.

Several villages in the vast region are endangered and authorities have evacuated residents from some areas.

In northeastern Siberia, 93 active forest fires are burning across 1.1 million hectares (2.8 million acres) of Sakha-Yakutia, officials said, making it the worst affected region of Russia.

A fire engulfed dozens of houses in the village of Byas-Kuel, and all village residents were evacuated, according to the local task force dealing with the emergency.

Fires also burned close to the villages of Kytyl-Dyura, Sinsk, Yedyai and several other settlements. High winds exacerbated the danger of flames spreading quickly.

In the village of Sangary, emergency teams were taking urgent steps to protect a threatened fuel supply facility.

In recent years, Russia has recorded high temperatures that many scientists regard as a result of climate change. The hot weather coupled with the neglect of fire safety rules has caused a growing number of fires.

Experts also blame the worsening situation with fires on a 2007 decision to disband a federal aviation network tasked to spot and combat fires and turn its assets to regional authorities. The much-criticized move led to the force's rapid decline.

The forests that cover huge areas of Russia make spotting new fires a challenge.

Russian military attempts to extinguish forest fires

Among the nations to have sent firefighters and aircraft to join the effort to battle the inferno in Greece are France, Ukraine, Cyprus, Croatia, Sweden and Israel. More are expected to arrive today from Romania and Switzerland, while Egypt said it would send two helicopters. Some 36 Czech firefighters with 15 vehicles are expected to arrive early on Monday.

Smoke clouds seen in neighbouring areas

People are sharing footage and images of smoke clouds seen in areas near Evia.

Greek PM visits Athens fire department HQ

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the fire department's headquarters in Athens this morning and expressed his "deep sadness for what has happened".

He said that securing aid for everyone affected by the wildfires would be his "first political priority". He also promised that all burnt areas would be declared reforestation zones.

"With great effort, and I believe with the participation of society, when this nightmarish summer has passed, we will turn all our attention to repairing the damage as fast as possible, and in restoring our natural environment again," Mitsotakis said.

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Hundreds rescued by boat as flames reach shore of Greek island - follow live

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Latest updates as wildfires rage for fifth day

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Pollution turns Argentina lake bright pink

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Pollution turns Argentina lake bright pink

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By Euronews Green with AFP

The Corfo Lagoon in Patagonia, southern Argentina, has turned pink after waste from fishing companies was dumped in its waters.

A lagoon in Argentina has turned pink and environmentalists say dumped chemical waste is to blame. The colour comes from sodium sulfite, an antibacterial product used in fish factories.

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The lagoon, near the town of Trewlew and 1,400km south of Buenos Aires, receives runoff from an industrial park and has turned the colour of fuchsia before.

In recent weeks, residents living near the lagoon blocked roads used by trucks carrying processed fish waste to treatment plants on the outskirts of their city.

With the area off-limits due to the protest, authorities granted authorisation for factories to dump their waste into the Corfo lagoon.

Who is to blame?

Residents have long complained of foul smells and other environmental issues around the lagoon and the nearby river.

"The lagoon turned pink last week and remained the abnormal colour on Sunday," says Pablo Lada, an environmental activist who blames the government for the lake being polluted. "Those who should be in control are the ones who authorize the poisoning of people."

Head of Environmental Control for Chubut province, Juan Micheloud, said last week, "The reddish colour does not cause damage and will disappear in a few days."

However, Sebastian de la Vallina, Planning Secretary for the city of Trelew disagreed: "It is not possible to minimise something so serious."

What's the solution?

Environmental engineer and virologist Federico Restrepo told AFP that this kind of fish waste should be treated before being dumped.

Dozens of foreign fishing companies operate in the area, mainly processing prawns and hake. These plants generate thousands of jobs for Chubut province, home to some 600,000 people.

"Fish processing generates work... it's true. But these are multi-million-dollar companies that don't want to pay freight to take the waste to a treatment plant that already exists in Puerto Madryn, 35 miles away, or build a plant closer," says Pablo Lada.
Watch the video above to see the pink lagoon.

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Watch: Lagoon turns shocking pink and fish farming may be to blame

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The Corfo Lagoon in Patagonia, southern Argentina, has turned pink after waste from fishing companies was dumped in its waters.