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"60 Forest Fires In 24 Hours": Homes Destroyed, 8 Hospitalised In Greece
08/02/21 1:26 AM
Nearly 300 firefighters, two water bomber planes and five helicopters were battling a forest fire in Greece on Sunday that destroyed homes and farm buildings and injured eight people, authorities...
'AirBubble' offers respite from Warsaw pollution
07/28/21 11:15 AM
At a new playground in central Warsaw, algae feast on pollutants and carbon dioxide to provide a bubble of clean oxygen in a city ranked as one of the most polluted capitals in the EU."There is untapped value in bringing the bio-intelligence of natural systems into cities," said Marco Poletto, co-founder of the ecoLogicStudio urban design firm behind the project.He suggests "turning buildings into living machines that produce energy, store CO2 and clean the air," according to a statement.The Polish capital was selected for the inaugural edition of the AirBubble as the city is in particular need of clean air.According to data released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) last month, Warsaw ranks 269th for air quality on a list of 323 European cities.The list was created based on the average level over the past two years of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the air pollutant with the highest impact on health.The EEA blames air pollution -- caused in large part by the burning of coal -- for an estimated 50,000 premature deaths per year in the country of 38 million people.The bubble is outfitted with dozens of glass cylinders containing algae immersed in water that feast on air being pumped in from below.The green organisms consume polluting molecules and carbon dioxide before releasing clean oxygen out the top of the bioreactors.The small circular playground is located next to the riverside Copernicus Science Centre, which stations an employee there to answer any questions and make sure no one gets hurt.On a recent warm afternoon, children of various ages monkeyed around in the bubble: shrieking, laughing, they hopped on rubber bubbles and swung from rope."This is fun," shouted eight-year-old Ania, while jumping.Her mother, Malgorzata Wrona, also applauded the eco-friendly concept."It's pretty cool. Especially in a big city right? Because you know: pollution and smog and everything," the 42-year-old English teacher told AFP."This gives the kids, at least, a chance to breathe some fresh air."She said that where they live, in the western city of Wroclaw, many people still heat their homes with coal, so the air quality is "terrible".The AirBubble will be in place until November for now, but could possibly become a permanent fixture. There are plans to install bubbles in other cities too.© 2021 AFP
'The animals are on fire,' say devastated farmers as wildfires sweep Turkey
08/01/21 4:26 PM
In the small village of Kacarlar, on Turkey's southern coast, farmers are facing apocalyptic scenes as wildfires continue to sweep the country.
'This is like a nightmare': Thousands displaced as floods hit Bangladesh Rohingya camps
07/31/21 10:59 AM
By Ruma Paul (Reuters) -Heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides and flash floods in refugees camps displacing thousands of Rohingya Muslims in southeastern Bangladesh this week, U.N. and other officials said on Friday, with further heavy rainfall expected. At least six Rohingya, including three children, died in landslides and flooding while 15 Bangladeshis were killed and more than 200,000 stranded by flooding in Cox's Bazar, said Mamunur Rashid, the district administrator. Nearly one million Rohingya live in crowded camps in the border district of Cox's Bazar, the world's largest refugee settlement, after fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar in 2017. The refugees mostly live in shacks made of bamboo and plastic sheets that cling to steep, bare hills. TV footage showed flooded homes and muddy water cascading down steps and hillsides. Children played in chest-high waters. "This is like a nightmare," said Rohingya Rokeya Begum. "I have never seen such flooding in the camps in four years. When the water came, there was nobody from my family at home to help. I was alone but I could take my belongings to a safer place. Now I am staying with another family." The U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said more than 21,000 refugees had been "affected" by the flooding while nearly 4,000 shelters had been damaged or destroyed. It said more than 13,000 were forced to relocate in the camps, while thousands of facilities were damaged, including health clinics and toilets. Access has been hindered due to damage to roads, pathways and bridges. And the flooding is likely to get worse. "Heavy rainfall is expected during the next few days, and as such, challenges are likely to increase,” said Manuel Marques Pereira, Deputy Chief of Mission in Bangladesh for the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration. Refugees, many of them still recovering from massive fires that tore through the camps in March, said landslides and floods left homes "totally covered with mud". "Somehow my family members could evacuate," said Abu Siddique, who lives in the Balukhali refugee camp. "The mud that came down from the hill entered my home... All of our belongings inside are covered in mud." (Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Nick Macfie)
'We went through hell': friends taking food to firemen find road blocked by Turkish wildfire – video
07/30/21 8:25 PM
When restaurant owner Murat Aktan and his friends hit the road to take hot meals to firefighters battling wildfires in the Turkish Mediterranean town of Manavgat on Thursday evening, they had no idea of the ordeal which was awaiting them. After they distributed food to the fire crews, they turned back but found the road ahead of their car blocked by sheets of flame from burning trees and undergrowth. Video filmed by Aktan showed their car almost engulfed by fire as they desperately backed away from the flames and falling embers. The four friends eventually drove to safety and returned home after their ordeal. 'We went through hell,' Aktan told ReutersTurkish fires sweeping through tourist areas are the hottest on record Continue reading...
10 Photo Stories That Will Challenge Your View Of The World
03/26/21 7:22 PM
Here are some of the most interesting and powerful photo stories from across the internet.View Entire Post ›
150 killed & villages destroyed after flash flooding ravages northeastern Afghanistan, Taliban says
07/29/21 2:29 PM
Flash floods ripped through villages in a Taliban-controlled area of eastern Afghanistan, destroying dozens of homes and burying people in mud and water. The militant group said 150 people have been killed. Read Full Article at RT.com
19-Year-Old TikTok Star Dies Days After He Was Shot In US Cinema Hall
08/01/21 9:10 PM
TikTok star Anthony Barajas has died after being shot at a California movie theater in what authorities described as a "random and unprovoked" attack.
22 Fascinating Facts About Space That Gave Me A Healthy Dose Of Existential Dread
02/08/21 11:25 AM
The biggest star known to man is 1,700 times larger than the sun!View Entire Post ›
07/30/21 10:22 PM
Some 270 Palestinians were injured in the occupied West Bank as they clashed with Israel Defense Forces troops, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds protesting Israeli settlements. Read Full Article at RT.com