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Do you like free stuff? We already know the answer to that. And, boy, do we have good news for you: Not only will your help protect you from the virus, but it can get you so much free stuff. Companies, organizations and state and local governments are offering incentives to people getting their coronavirus vaccines -- just show your .

These incentives may be especially helpful in urging more people to get both doses of either the or vaccine as the causes a spike in COVID-19 cases. As of this week, 71% of US adults have received at least one vaccine dose, but recent data has shown that some people are skipping the second shot . And though the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has pointed out the mild that most people experience after the second vaccine shot, those side effects still don't compare to actually having . If having to get two shots is part of the concern, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is just one dose.

Aside from brands offering incentives, some employers are also offering a perk, whether it's paid time off or a cash bonus. If you aren't sure whether there's a perk, ask your employer -- you might be pleasantly surprised. To take advantage of all these perks on offer, you have to do your part and get vaccinated. Regularly updated, here's everything your vaccine card will get you.

Nationwide perks for getting vaccinated

Krispy Kreme

You can get a free Original Glazed Doughnut at any by showing your vaccination card. As long as you've gotten at least one shot, you can get one free doughnut per day through the end of 2021.

Uber and Lyft

Both Uber and Lyft are offering assistance to help people get to vaccine centers and pharmacies to get their shots. You can also help out with this effort by donating rides to those in need directly through the companies.

Statewide and regional perks and lotteries

Many states are offering vaccine incentives. Here are some of the highlights.

California

Opportunities to participate in the state's biggest vaccine incentive programs, like the $1.5 million lottery or the $50,000 prizes, expired earlier in the summer. But the race to be one of the first 2 million people to get vaccinated between May 27 and July 18 and win a $50 gift card is still open, and select vaccination sites are currently giving away Six Flags tickets for anyone showing up for their shot. Find a participating clinic here.

Colorado

As in California, Colorado's large cash rewards for getting vaccinated against COVID-19 have expired. However, if you're in Colorado and have been waiting to get the vaccine, make an appointment at one of these vaccine sites and you'll get a $100 Walmart gift card, no competition necessary.

The state of Maryland is offering a $100 incentive to state employees who get vaccinated. Employees must be fully vaccinated and show proof to their HR departments. The state is also requiring these people to comply with a booster shot if that becomes necessary.

Michigan

The city of Detroit is offering a $50 gift card to people who offer rides to those going to get their vaccines. Those who want to do this have to set up the appointments for those who need rides through the Good Neighbor program by calling 313-230-0505.

New York City

New Yorkers who get vaccinated for the first time will receive $100 on a prepaid debit card or their choice of another prize if they get a shot at one of the city's vaccination sites. Additionally, organizations can refer people to a vaccination site and sign up to receive $100, and up to $2,000 in referrals.

Ohio

Ohio was a leader for state governments offering its citizens incentives for getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Now, state workers in Ohio can receive $100 for getting vaccinated for the first time, while their spouses can earn $25.

The Cincinnati Reds are offering $10 tickets to people with proof of at least one shot.

Washington, DC

Teens ages 12-17 are offered a pretty sweet deal if they get their first shot at a participating DC vaccination site -- a pair of AirPods (while supplies last) or a $51 gift card. In addition to the AirPods, teens can be entered into a drawing to win a $25,000 scholarship or an iPad and headphones. Parents who take their kids to get a shot at one of the three DC public schools are eligible for a $51 gift card themselves. Students aged 18-21 who are seeking a high school diploma at a DC public school can also get a pair of AirPods or a $51 gift card (if supplies are available).

How to find other perks in your area

Plenty of other businesses, including local sports teams, are offering incentives to get vaccinated. The best way to find them is to keep tuned in to your local news. Both TV news and newspapers will inform you of what perks you can find in your area. You can also scout places on Facebook, especially if you live in an area that has its own Facebook community for happenings like this.

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Free beer, doughnuts and $1 million: Incentives to get your COVID-19 vaccine

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Companies and governments are giving away money, doughnuts, scholarships and even AirPods in a continued bid to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

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Respect: Aretha Franklin Biopic - Speakeasy.com

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Respect: Aretha Franklin Biopic - Speakeasy.com

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A new biopic of soul diva Aretha Franklin takes its title from one of her most famous songs, "Respect". This resource will introduce pupils first to the song, which became an anthem for the women's movement and the civil-rights movement. Then they can discover the biopic. Jennifer Hudson was chosen by Franklin herself before her death to play her in the film.

This film is a great extension to Shine Bright Première Files 1 Biopics in Hollywood and 8 African American art.

Axes du programme : Fictions et réalités / Art et pouvoir

OBJECTIFS LINGUISTIQUES :
Grammaire : présent simple / prétérit simple / could / had to / structures causatives
Lexique : musique / défense d'une cause / biographie / sentiments
OBJECTIFS PRAGMATIQUES : partager ses impressions au sujet d'une artiste/ d'un film (document modalisant = featurette)
OBJECTIFS CULTURELS : Aretha Franklin / Women's rights / Civil Rights / 1960s in the USA
OBJECTIF METHODOLOGIQUE : analyser les paroles d'une chanson / commenter une vidéo/performance artistique

Respect
On general release 8 September

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Information and articles about developments in English teaching, themes covering different aspects of culture, news and events in the English-speaking world

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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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July was Earth's hottest month on record

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July was Earth's hottest month on record

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July 2021 has earned the unenviable distinction as the world's hottest month ever recorded, according to new global data released by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

"In this case, first place is the worst place to be," said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. "July is typically the world's warmest month of the year, but July 2021 outdid itself as the hottest July and month ever recorded. This new record adds to the disturbing and disruptive path that climate change has set for the globe."
July 2021 by the numbers

Around the globe: the combined land and ocean-surface temperature was 1.67 degrees F (0.93 of a degree C) above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees F (15.8 degrees C), making it the hottest July since records began 142 years ago. It was 0.02 of a degree F (0.01 of a degree C) higher than the previous record set in July 2016, which was then tied in 2019 and 2020.

The Northern Hemisphere: the land-surface only temperature was the highest ever recorded for July, at an unprecedented 2.77 degrees F (1.54 degrees C) above average, surpassing the previous record set in 2012.

Regional records: Asia had its hottest July on record, besting the previous record set in 2010; Europe had its second-hottest July on record-tying with July 2010 and trailing behind July 2018; and North America, South America, Africa and Oceania all had a top-10 warmest July.

Extreme heat and global climate change

With last month's data, it remains very likely that 2021 will rank among the world's 10-warmest years on record, according to NCEI's Global Annual Temperature Rankings Outlook.

Extreme heat detailed in NOAA's monthly NCEI reports is also a reflection of the long-term changes outlined in a major report released this week by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"Scientists from across the globe delivered the most up-to-date assessment of the ways in which the climate is changing," Spinrad said in a statement. "It is a sobering IPCC report that finds that human influence is, unequivocally, causing climate change, and it confirms the impacts are widespread and rapidly intensifying."
Other notable highlights from NOAA's July global climate report

Sea ice coverage varied by hemisphere: The Arctic sea ice coverage (extent) for July 2021 was the fourth-smallest for July in the 43-year record, according to analysis by the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Only July 2012, 2019 and 2020 had a smaller sea ice extent. Antarctic sea ice extent was above average in July - the largest July sea ice extent since 2015 and the eighth highest on record.

The tropics were busier than average: In the Atlantic basin, the season's earliest fifth-named storm, Elsa, formed on July 1. The Eastern North and Western Pacific basins each logged three named storms. Overall, global tropical cyclone activity this year so far (through July) has been above-normal for the number of named storms.

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It's Official: NOAA Declares July 2021 Earth's Hottest Month on Record

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July 2021 has earned the unenviable distinction as the world's hottest month ever recorded, according to new global data released by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. "In this case, first place is the worst place to be," said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. "July is t

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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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Summer Review 2021 Comprehension & Grammar.PDF

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Globecartoon - Political Cartoons - Patrick Chappatte

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Taliban enters Kabul as Afghan president flees

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Taliban enters Kabul as Afghan president flees

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Taliban enters Kabul as Afghan president flees

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A Look At Afghanistan’s 40 Years Of Crisis — From The Soviet War To Taliban Recapture

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Afghans have lived through Soviet and U.S. invasions, civil war, insurgency and a previous period of heavy-handed Taliban rule. Here are some key events and dates from the past four decades.

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The hardline Islamist group retook control of Afghanistan as foreign forces pulled out in 2021.

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Prof. Dame Sarah Gilbert, U.K. co-creator of a vaccine against COVID-19 in Barbie Doll by Mattel. Article

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Prof. Dame Sarah Gilbert, U.K. co-creator of a vaccine against COVID-19 in Barbie Doll by Mattel. Article

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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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Life in plastic, it's fantastic! COVID vaccine scientist gets Barbie

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Aqua - Barbie Girl (Official Music Video)

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Lionel Messi Signs With Paris St.-Germain (Published 2021)

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Leaving F.C. Barcelona, Messi is set to join P.S.G. on a two-year contract that highlights the growing gap between soccer’s rich and its superrich.

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Girl beaten to death by relatives for wearing jeans in UP

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A teenage girl was beaten to death in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district by her relatives after she refused to stop wearing jeans.

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BBC News : Teen girl beaten to death for wearing jeans

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BBC News : Teen girl beaten to death for wearing jeans

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A teenage Indian girl was allegedly beaten to death by family members last week because she had chosen to wear denim jeans.

After Neha Paswan had been killed, some family members allegedly tried to dispose of her body by tossing it over a bridge.

But Neha's body got caught up on railings and police began investigating.

Now police have lodged a case of murder and destruction of evidence against 10 people, including Neha's grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.

A family argument had broken out over Neha's clothes at their home in Savreji Kharg village in Deoria district, one of the poorest regions in the state.

Neha suffered serious head injuries during the alleged attack, according to a police statement given by her mother.

"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," Shakuntala Devi Paswan said.

The argument spun out of control, Shakuntala Devi claimed, and the alleged attack left Neha unconscious on the floor.

Some family members then called a rickshaw, claiming they wanted to take the teenager to the 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," Shakuntala Devi said.

The rickshaw driver had stopped on a bridge and an attempt was made to push Neha's body into the Gandak river below.

But when the body got caught up in the railings, police were called.

The rickshaw driver has since been charged by police.

Shakuntala Devi told that some family members had grown increasingly agitated as Neha had experimented with wearing non-traditional Indian clothing.

Neha liked to dress in modern clothing, her mother said.

In recent years the issue of violence against women and young girls in India has become a flashpoint for national protests and public debate.

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Teen girl in India killed for wearing jeans

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A teenage Indian girl was allegedly beaten to death by family members last week because she had chosen to wear denim jeans. After Neha Paswan had been killed, some family members allegedly tried to dispose of her body by tossing it over a bridge. But Neha's body got caught up on railings and police began investigating.

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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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At least 120 people have died and hundreds more in western Europe are unaccounted for after some of the worst flooding in decades.

Record rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks, devastating the region.

In Germany, where the death toll now stands at over 100, Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a determined battle against climate change.

At least 20 people have died in Belgium. The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland are also affected.

Many factors contribute to flooding, but a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely.

The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo declared 20 July a national day of mourning.

"We are still waiting for the final toll, but this could be the most catastrophic flooding our country has ever seen," he said.

Scale of damage becoming clear

We met an elderly man trying to get into a village which was all but destroyed. His grandchildren were there, he said, but he couldn't get hold of their parents.

Even the authorities say they don't know for sure how many people are missing. There is no phone signal in much of the region, making communication all but impossible. But the death toll is expected to rise today and with every hour that passes the magnitude of this disaster becomes ever clearer.

All along the River Ahr there are flooded homes, broken bridges, the twisted remains of campsites and caravan parks. For many of the dazed people we met surveying the damage here, it's almost impossible to imagine clearing up and starting again.

Some 15,000 police, soldiers and emergency service workers have been deployed in Germany to help with the search and rescue.

Entire villages have been destroyed, and officials in the western German district of Ahrweiler say up to 1,300 people are unaccounted for.

Gregor Jericho, a resident of Rheinbach in North Rhine-Westphalia, told the BBC: "It's a very sad scene. Streets, bridges and some buildings are destroyed. There's garbage everywhere.

"Parts of buildings are in the road, people are sitting and crying. It's so sad. People have lost their homes, their cars are in fields flooded. My city looks like a battle has taken place."

In the same town, Ansgar Rehbein told Reuters he saw the river's water level rising so rapidly that he had to immediately get out of his house.

"Once the river started overflowing and the water came down from the hillside, it was a matter of two minutes before the courtyard was flooded with waist-high water," he told the news agency.

"We had to get out through the window and uphill in order to save ourselves."

In Belgium, dramatic footage of the floods showed cars being swept away along a street in the city of Verviers. A curfew was in place overnight because of the risk of looting.

Residents of Liège, Belgium's third-largest urban area after Brussels and Antwerp, were ordered to evacuate on Thursday. Local officials said those unable to leave should move to the upper floors of their buildings.

The Meuse river, which flows through the city, stabilised on Friday morning, with small overflows in some areas.

Chronicle of a disaster foretold

Scientists have condemned politicians for failing to protect their citizens from extreme weather events such as the floods in northern Europe and the US heat dome.

They have been predicting for years that summer rainfall and heatwaves would become more intense due to human-induced climate change.

Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, said: "The deaths and destruction across Europe as a result of flooding is a tragedy that should have been avoided.

"Forecasters issued alerts early in the week, and yet the warnings were not taken seriously enough and preparations were inadequate.

"The fact that other parts of the northern hemisphere are currently suffering record-breaking heatwaves and fires should serve as a reminder of just how much more dangerous our weather could become in an ever-warmer world."

Scientists say governments must both cut the CO2 emissions that are fuelling extreme events, AND prepare for more extreme weather.

Yet in the UK - hit by severe flooding on Monday - the government's advisory climate change committee recently told ministers the nation was even worse prepared for extreme weather than it was five years ago.

It said the government was keeping only a fifth of its pledges to cut emissions.

And only this week the UK government told people that they don't need to reduce flying because technology will solve the emissions problem - a notion that most experts consider a gamble.

The Netherlands has reported no casualties but thousands of people in towns and villages along the Meuse river have been urged to leave their houses quickly.

The river running through the Swiss capital Bern burst its banks, flowing at a record rate of 560 cubic metres a second on Friday.

Lake Lucerne is flooding into the town and people in Basel have been told to keep well away from the River Rhine. There is also the risk of mud and rock slides in the Alps as the flood waters run off.

Global heating causes more water to evaporate, which leads to an increase in the amount of annual rain and snow

At the same time, a warmer atmosphere means it can hold more moisture - which also increases the intensity of rainfall

Rather than gently watering plants, this intense rainfall leads to flooding, like we're seeing in Northern Europe now

Have you been affected by the flooding in Germany? If it is safe to do so please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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Europe floods: At least 120 dead and hundreds unaccounted for

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At least 120 people have died and hundreds more in western Europe are unaccounted for after some of the worst flooding in decades. Record rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks, devastating the region. In Germany, where the death toll now stands at over 100, Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a determined battle against climate change.

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California Wildfires: Caldor Fire and Dixie Fire evening updates - Aug. 22, 2021

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Turkey, Greece and Italy heat waves and wildfires

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Turkey, Greece and Italy heat waves and wildfires

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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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Dubai makes its own fake rain to beat the heat

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Dubai makes its own fake rain to beat the heat

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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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Tokyo Olympics: Constellation of drones form globe at 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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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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American athletes protest at theTokyo Olympics 

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American athletes protest at theTokyo Olympics 

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Highlights from the Closing Ceremony | #Tokyo2020 Highlights

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The youngest medal winners... it could be you!

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The youngest medal winners... it could be you!

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Paralympics - Paralympic Games Tokyo 2021 - France TV

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Bebe Vio, seeking a medal in wheelchair fencing

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Bebe Vio, seeking a medal in wheelchair fencing

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It is not only Beatrice Vio's unblemished record that draws people's attention, it is her youthful celebration following each victory, plus her fervent passion to inspire young people with a disability that captures the hearts of many.

Better known as Bebe, her positive joyful attitude towards life is depicted in the Netflix documentary 'Rising Phoenix', where she is featured among nine Paralympians.

The Italian sensation pretty much has not lost an individual bout on the international scene since her memorable Paralympic debut victory at Rio 2016 in the women's foil category B. Her winning streak ended last December at the World Cup in Kyoto, Japan, where she lost to Russia's Ludmila Vasileva in the final.

Apart from that loss, Vio has appeared unbeatable, and at 22, more is expected to come ahead of her second Paralympics at Tokyo 2020.

In 2008, at the age of 11, Vio contracted meningitis which resulted in a stay of over 100 days in the hospital. Doctors were able to save her life but only at the cost of the amputation of all four limbs.

Fencing was a passion for Vio before her illness, and she quickly adapted to wheelchair competition. Trained by coaches Federica Berton and Alice Esposito, Vio took part in her first official wheelchair fencing match in Bologna, Italy, in May 2010. As the only wheelchair fencer in the world to compete with no arms and no legs, she has not looked back since.

Vio did not compete at the London 2012 Paralympic. Instead, she represented future Paralympians as a torchbearer for those Games. Soon afterward, she made it into the Italian senior squad. It did not take long for her to make her mark as a serious contender in the category B foil discipline.

December 2012 saw Vio finish as runner-up at the World Cup in Eger, Hungary only losing in the final to London 2012 silver medallist Dani Gyongi of Hungary.

Vio built on this performance at her next major competition in April 2013, beating Marta Makowska of Poland, a bronze medallist at London 2012, to take victory at the IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Grand Prix in Montreal, Canada. She then secured a successive tournament win at May's Grand Prix competition in Lonato del Garda, Italy.

Aged just 16, Vio took part in the 2013 World Championships, but could only manage 10th in the category B foil event. A year later, she was topped the podium twice at the European Championships, taking gold in the individual and team foil events.

At the 2015 World Championships in Eger, Vio achieved her objective for the season - claiming the world title after beating home favourite Gyongyi in the foil final. She also went the whole season unbeaten.

Although she retained her individual European title on home territory in 2016 beating Russia's Irina Mishurova, her run of 11 consecutive World Cup victories came to an end in July when she was beaten by another Russian Viktoria Boykova.

As a 19-year-old at her debut Paralympics in Rio 2016, Vio shocked firm favourite China's Jingjing Zhou 15-7 to win gold in the individual foil B.

She had progressed from the pool stage undefeated, winning all her bouts 5-0. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Makowska 15-6, then stunned defending Paralympic champion Fang Yao of China 15-1, to make the gold medal match.

Days later, the new Paralympic champion won bronze in the foil team. Joining her on the podium was her teammates Andrea Mogos and Loredana Trigilia, behind China and Hungary in gold and silver, respectively.

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Beatrice Vio - Wheelchair Fencing | Paralympic Athlete Profile

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It is not only Beatrice Vio's unblemished record that draws people's attention, it is her youthful celebration following each victory, plus her fervent passion to inspire young people with a disability that captures the hearts of many. Better known as Bebe, her positive joyful attitude towards life is depicted in the Netflix documentary 'Rising Phoenix', where she is featured among nine Paralympians.

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Jeff Bezos successfully completes space flight

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

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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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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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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.