Angel of Death

Dog-owners are being urged not to leave their pets in the car or to walk them during the hottest part of the day. The warning from Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) comes as a heatwave affects large parts of the UK. The Channel Island charity said it was expecting to receive reports from the public of dogs locked in cars, dogs being walked on hot pavements, animals in direct sunlight and wildlife in need. GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said there were simple things islanders could do to ensure it is safe to take pets outside. 'Stop and think' He advised avoiding walking dogs at the hottest part of the day and testing the heat of the pavement with the back of a hand for seven seconds. Dogs should be walked on cooler grass, ideally in shaded areas, early in the morning or evening, he said. "We urge all pet owners to stop and think and ensure that their pet is not put in a life-threatening situation," Mr Byrne added. "If your dog is left in the car, even if parked in the shade as the sun moves [it] could put them at a real risk of heat exhaustion, which can lead to death." The GSPCA said when it is 22°C (72°F) outside, the temperature inside a car can soar to 47°C (117°F) within 60 minutes. It added a dog inside a hot car could suffer heat stroke and said the signs to look out for included heavy panting, profuse salivation, lethargy and lack of co-ordination. A vet should be called to lower the dog's body temperature slowly. Lorna Chadwick, GSPCA animal welfare manager, said: "We do not want to see animals' lives put in danger due to the hot weather and if anyone is concerned about a dog in a hot car or animal at risk please call us on 01481 25726." Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2gyx9e1y4o

Egyptian Olympic wrestler Mohamed 'Kesho' Ibrahim has been arrested in Paris for an alleged sexual assault. The Paris prosecutor's office released a statement saying: "On August 9 around 5am, a man born in March 1998 in Egypt who was a wrestler in the Olympic delegation was arrested in front of the Oz cafe." It is understood he was arrested for allegedly touching the buttocks of another customer at the cafe. The Egyptian Olympic Committee (EOC) named Kesho, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games, as the team member who had been arrested. The EOC added he will be investigated by its ethics committee and could face a life ban from competition. "If the allegations are substantiated, the wrestler will face permanent suspension and will be barred from participating in both domestic and international competitions," it said. Kesho was beaten by Azerbaijan's Hasrat Jafarov in the first round of the men's 67kg Greco-Roman wrestling on Wednesday. The EOC said he had been given permission to leave the Egyptian camp to watch the final of his weight category but failed to return and turned off his phone. Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/articles/c8dpmrrj6ggo

Chinese car maker Zeekr says its new electric vehicle (EV) batteries charge faster than any of its rivals, including industry leaders Tesla and BYD. The firm claims its upgraded batteries can be charged from 10% to 80% capacity in 10 and a half minutes using its ultra-fast charging stations. In comparison, Elon Musk’s Tesla says a 15 minute charge allows its Model 3 to cover 175 miles (282km), a little under half the car’s full range. Zeekr's 2025 007 sedan, which will be available from next week, will be its first vehicle to have the new battery. The battery performs well even in cold weather charging from 10% to 80% of its capacity in less than half an hour at temperatures as low as -10C, the company also said. BBC News has contacted Tesla and BYD to request a response to Zeekr's announcement. Tu Le, founder and managing director of consultancy firm Sino Auto Insights told the BBC: "Tesla’s charging technology is not industry leading anymore and has not been for some time." "These bold claims by Zeekr are believable, but more importantly even if it’s not the fastest charging EV battery, being one for the fastest is still quite a leap for them". "The competition in China is incredibly fierce and while brands like BYD prioritise scale and sales, brands like Zeekr, Li [Auto] and Nio are focused on maximising the charging experience," said Mark Rainford, a China-based car industry commentator. "Zeekr's parent company, Geely, is pretty much a vertically integrated business... they have the resources to do this," he added. Geely owns several brands, including UK-based luxury sports car brand Lotus and Sweden's Volvo. In May, Zeekr's shares started trading on the New York Stock Exchange, marking the first major US market debut by a Chinese company since 2021. The shares are currently trading 27% below the price set in its initial public offering (IPO). The listing came just days before the Biden administration announced major tariff hikes on Chinese-made electric cars, solar panels, steel and other goods. The White House said the measures, which included a 100% border tax on EVs from China, were a response to unfair policies and intended to protect US jobs. Officials in the US, the European Union and other major car markets have grown increasingly concerned about the rapid overseas expansion of Chinese EV companies. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgl20971wxpo

Russia has imposed a "counter-terrorism operation" regime in three regions to try to halt a surprise cross-border incursion by Ukrainian troops. The authorities in the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions on the border with Ukraine now can restrict the movement of people and vehicles and use phone tapping among other measures. This comes as the Ukrainian offensive into the Kursk region is now in its fifth day. Kyiv has not openly admitted the incursion. Reports say Ukrainian troops are threatening to seize one regional town as they fight more than 10km (six miles) inside Russia - the deepest advance since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The new security measures in the three Russian border regions were announced by the National Counter-Terrorism Committee (Nak) on Friday. It said this was done "to ensure the safety of citizens and suppress the threat of terrorist acts by enemy sabotage and reconnaissance units". The authorities now have powers to enter private homes, restrict the movement of traffic and pedestrians, order the temporary relocation of people and monitor information sent electronically. This comes as Moscow is struggling to contain the Ukrainian offensive. More than 76,000 people have already been evacuated from the Kursk region's border areas, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. Russia said that up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, supported by tanks and armoured vehicles, entered the Kursk region on Tuesday morning. The Ukrainians have since reportedly seized a number of villages, and are also threatening the regional town of Sudzha. On Friday, a video emerged purportedly showing armed Ukrainian soldiers who claimed to have control over the town, as well as a key Russian gas facility there owned by the Gazprom company. BBC Verify has now confirmed that the footage was indeed from the Gazprom facility on the north-western outskirts of Sudzha, about 7km from the border with Ukraine. The video alone does not verify the claim that Ukrainian troops have taken the whole town. Russian military bloggers earlier claimed that the town was in Moscow's hands. Earlier, BBC Verify checked and confirmed the location of another video posted online on Friday morning. It shows a 15-vehicle Russian convoy damaged, burned and abandoned on a road through the town of Oktyabrskoe, roughly 38km from the border on the Russian side. The footage also shows Russian soldiers, some injured, possibly dead among the vehicles. Moscow has since sent reinforcements - including tanks and rocket-launching systems - to the Kursk region. In its latest report on Saturday morning, the Russian defence ministry said its troops were "continuing to repel the attempted invasion" of Ukrainian forces. It claimed that Ukraine's attempts to "break through deep into Russian territory" had been foiled. The Russian claims have not been independently verified. On Friday, the UN nuclear agency urged both Russia and Ukraine to "exercise maximum restraint" as the fighting was edging closer to the Kursk nuclear power plant - one of the biggest such facilities in Russia. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said measures must be taken “to avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences”. The power plant is located about 60km north-east of Sudzha. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qedq0penko

Apple launched the iPhone 14 series a couple of months back and rumours about the next generation iPhone models (iPhone 15 phones which are expected to release after 10 months) are already making rounds on the internet. This year’s Pro and non-Pro variants of the iPhone 14 lineup also had several differences between them. The upcoming iPhone 15 series is now expected to offer more exclusive features with the Pro devices which won’t be available for the base variants. Earlier, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo mentioned that the strong demand for the iPhone 14 Pro may likely encourage Apple to increase the differences between the devices that will be released in the upcoming iPhone 15 series. The iPhone 15 lineup is expected to include the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max smartphones. However, it is important to note that several hardware changes were likely planned at least a few years ago. Here are some key features that might be exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro models. Five key features that are expected to remain exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro According to a report by MacRumors, the upcoming Apple iPhone 15 Pro smartphone will have five features that will remain exclusive to the Pro variants. Apart from this, Apple might release next year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max with a new name -- the iPhone 15 Ultra. Moreover, Apple will be able to increase the iPhone's average selling price by pushing more customers towards the Pro variants. Here is a list of the expected features: iPhone 15 Pro: A17 Bionic chip The Pro models in the iPhone 15 lineup are expected to come powered by the upcoming A17 Bionic chip which will be based on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process. This new chipset is likely to improve performance and efficiency compared to this year’s iPhone 14 Pro processor. The report also mentions that 2023 could be the second consecutive year for Apple to include its latest chipset only in the Pro models of the iPhone lineup. iPhone 15 Pro: USB-C port As per the report, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to sport a faster USB Type-C port and may either feature USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3. This addition will significantly increase the devices’ data transfer speeds which is more than what the Lightning cable for current iPhones support. However, the USB-C port on vanilla iPhone 15 devices are may remain limited to the speeds offered by USB 2.0 and the Lightning cable. iPhone 15 Pro: Increased RAM support The report also suggests that the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models might come equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the base variant is expected to continue to pack 6GB of RAM like the latest devices. The increased RAM support will help apps like Safari to keep more content active in the background. This will also prevent the app from reloading content whenever it is reopened later. iPhone 15 Pro: Solid-state buttons Next year’s iPhone 15 Pro models are likely to feature solid-state volume and power buttons, the report adds. The upcoming Pro variants are expected to ship with two extra Taptic Engines that will offer haptic feedback. This feedback will simulate the feeling of pressing the buttons without them physically moving. These buttons will be similar to the Home button that is available on the latest iPhone SE or the trackpad included in the latest MacBooks. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Increased optical zoom The 2023 iPhone 15 Pro Max is speculated to feature a periscope telephoto lens. This addition is likely to offer at least 10x optical zoom on the upcoming devices compared to the 3x zoom available on the latest iPhone 14 Pro models. https://gadgetsnow.indiatimes.com/mobiles/iphone-15-pro-may-include-these-five-exclusive-features-what-to-expect/articleshow/95661337.cms

ln the spirit of the holiday season, Venmo is updating its mobile app to make it easier to donate to local charities. By first tapping the search bar on the Venmo app, you will see a new selection titled “Make a Donation”. There, you will be met with a wide variety of trending, local charities. Specific categories are also present, including, but not limited to, animals, the environment, homelessness, and veterans. You can choose to pay with either your in-app balance, link bank account, or whatever credit card you have on file, according to the announcement(opens in new tab). You do have to pay a small transaction fee(opens in new tab) of 1.9 percent plus an extra $0.10, but there’s no setup. You can start donating right away. All of the charities in Venmo’s new section have been approved by parent-company Paypal, but we still recommend doing some homework and making sure you’re donating to a good place. Some charities, like the Salvation Army, sport a verification blue checkmark. This means the charity provided all the necessary paperwork to Paypal, proving it’s legitimate. From what we could tell, most charities have yet to be verified. The update is currently available for download on both iOS(opens in new tab) and Android(opens in new tab). And within the coming weeks, Venmo will be adding a feature to share donations made with your friends as a way to encourage them to do the same. More changes In addition to the new charities section, Venmo is redesigning its peer-to-peer payment screen with some quality-of-life changes that make sending (or better yet, receiving) money easier to do. Now, you will see the profile picture of the person you’re sending money to instead of just the name, and the dollar amount will sport a bigger font for easier viewing. Sending and requesting money will be made easier with a new Plus button next to a recipient’s profile picture. By tapping the button, you can add more people for one big transaction instead of doing it one by one. The Send Money redesign is rolling out today alongside the charities section, however other reports(opens in new tab) state this particular change may not reach all users at once. It'll arrive in a later wave, at which point, you'll have to update the app a second time. And with Black Friday almost here, Venmo’s redesign couldn’t have come at a better time. TechRadar has a massive list of Black Friday deals that you should check out. It ranges from laptops to gaming consoles and even mattresses. https://www.techradar.com/news/venmo-update-helps-you-spread-the-holiday-cheer-via-new-charity-section

After studying multiple incidents involving melting and overheating 12VHPWR power adapters with the GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cards for several weeks, Nvidia has finally issued an official statement. "We are actively investigating the reports," a statement by Nvidia reads. "We are aware of about 50 cases globally. Our findings to date suggest that a common issue is that connectors are not fully plugged into the graphics card. To help ensure the connector is secure we recommend plugging the power dongle into the graphics card first to ensure it is firmly and evenly plugged in, before plugging the graphics card into the motherboard. We are investigating additional ways to ensure that the connector is secure before powering on the graphics card. Nvidia and our partners are committed to supporting our customers and ensuring an expedited RMA process, regardless of the cable or card used." The company is aware of 50 melting 16-pin 12VHPWR adapter cases globally and will keep investigating further. So far, the company has found that melting and overheating have happened when the adapter's connector is not securely plugged into its socket. The company advises GeForce RTX 4090 owners to securely connect the adapter before installing the board into its PCIe slot. Meanwhile, the company and its partners promise to replace damaged hardware promptly for those affected by the issue. Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4090 is the company's $1,599 flagship product. News of the adaptor problems became well-known through forum and reddit posts, which created an impression that it was a widespread issue. So far, Nvidia says it has investigated 50 reports of melting adaptors, which isn't egregiously high considering that Nvidia and its partners have sold tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of GeForce RTX 4090 graphics boards so far. Nvidia is still investigating the reports and ways to ensure the adapter is seated correctly before powering on the card, though the company didn't elaborate on whether the latter entails a modification to the existing design or other measures. We'll update as necessary. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/nvidia-issues-statement-on-melting-12vhpwr-power-adapters

Valorant has garnered a massive fan base since 2020, roping millions of players from competitor FPS games. Its burgeoning po[CENSORED]rity has also made quite a splash on other platforms. From mobile to console players, everyone wants to get a taste of Riot’s character-based shooter, and it seems the developer is listening – Valorant console is coming. A new job posting has revealed that Riot is developing Valorant for console. While rumours of Valorant mobile and console were plenty, this official posting confirms that Riot is firing on all cylinders to expand its FPS. Currently, Valorant is in need of a senior game designer, meaning the game is still in the early stages of development. So, players must wait at least a year or two before they can enjoy it on Xbox, PlayStation, and other consoles. This isn’t the first time players have caught wind of Valorant on console. Data miners dug out solid strings featuring PSN and Xbox keywords, piquing the interest of console players. Now, the job posting has confirmed what was just a rumour; Riot is indeed recruiting for Valorant console. While this is undoubtedly great news, it also comes with valid concerns for PC players. Valorant has been out for over two years and has finally established a stable competitive network. Now, players are concerned that Riot might consider adding crossplay that could potentially harm the gameplay. If we were to take a wild guess, it’s doubtful Riot would allow crossplay, considering Valorant’s widespread esports scene. It’s crucial for game health and integrity that all competitors have similar gaming devices, but again, nothing is set in stone. For now, Valorant fans are happy that the unique character-based FPS is thriving in 2022. If you’re new to Valorant, it’s worth checking out the best Valorant crosshair codes before jumping into rank queues. The game continues to become ever more competitive, and breaking into the Valorant Immortal leaderboard is no longer a cakewalk! https://www.pcgamesn.com/valorant/console-riot-job

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Nick movie: 15 Facts about Dr octopus you might not know Time: Cyber Brainwave Netflix / Amazon / HBO: N/A Duration of the movie: 2:53 Trailer:

Music title: ❤ RIYAD RAYANI HADA HALI هذا حالي 🤔 رياض رياني Signer: RIYAD RAYANI رياض رياني Release date: 2024/4/7 Official YouTube link:

A Thai court has ordered the dissolution of the reformist party which won the most seats and votes in last year’s election - but was blocked from forming a government. The ruling also banned Move Forward's charismatic, young former leader Pita Limjaroenrat and 10 other senior figures from politics for 10 years. The verdict from the Constitutional Court was expected, after its ruling in January that Move Forward’s campaign promise to change royal defamation laws was unconstitutional. The court had said changes to the notoriously harsh lese majeste law was tantamount to calling for the destruction of the constitutional monarchy. Wednesday's verdict again serves as a stark reminder of how far unelected institutions are willing to go to preserve the power and status of the monarchy. But the ruling does not mean an end to the reformist movement in Thai politics. The surviving 143 Move Forward MPs are expected to transfer to another registered party and continue their role as the main opposition in parliament. "A new journey has begun. Let’s keep walking together, people," the party said in a message accompanied by a video on its social media platforms. Chaithawat Tulathon, the leader of the opposition and one of the MPs barred from politics, stood up in the chamber and bid farewell to his colleagues, saying it was an "honor" to work with them. This verdict "may raise the question whether Thailand is a constitutional monarchy or an absolute monarchy", said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. He said it was "deja vu on one hand, and uncharted territory, on the other". This is more or less a repeat of what happened in 2020 when the then Future Forward Party, which had also done unexpectedly well in an election, was also dissolved, and transformed itself into the Move Forward Party. That verdict four years ago ignited huge street protests, led by a new generation of student activists, which lasted for six months and voiced unprecedented demands for the monarchy to be made more accountable. The authorities have since made extensive use of the lese majeste law to prosecute hundreds of protest leaders, including some Move Forward MPs. The law has been widely criticised as stifling freedom of expression in Thailand, and in its manifesto Move Forward had proposed less severe punishments – jail sentences have been as high as 50 years – and a more rigorous process for filing charges. Fears among reformists that Move Forward would not do as well in last year’s election as Future Forward had in 2019 proved unfounded. The party defied expectations to outperform every other party and become the largest in parliament, revealing a strong yearning for change among Thai voters. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crkmdd4vevxo

A man who killed a pet rabbit after claiming the animal had bitten him has been given a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping animals for 10 years. Andrew West was caught on a hidden camera at a house in Sheffield picking up the grey lop-eared rabbit by his neck and forcefully throwing the animal down towards the ground. The city's magistrates court heard that the 30-year-old was interviewed by the RSPCA and immediately admitted the offence. In mitigation they were told he suffered from severe ADHD and had not not taking his medication at the time. A vet said it was "one of the most disturbing cases of violence" he had seen. The upsetting footage, which was captured from the bedroom of a house in Adrian Crescent in Sheffield on 29 August 2023, was passed to the RSPCA which then launched an investigation. At a sentencing hearing, Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard that RSPCA officers, accompanied by police, had gone to the property on 31 August last year after several video clips had been passed to the charity. In one of them West can be seen grabbing the pet named Milo, and saying to him, “You’re never going to hurt me again, do you understand?” Further footage showed the rabbit, which didn’t belong to him, being flung on the floor by West before being found dead a short time later. The court heard that when he was asked by the RSPCA why he was heard in one of the video clips saying, “Oh yeah you're going to get it," he said this meant he wanted to hurt Milo because he was angry with the rabbit for biting him, but he had not intended to kill it. 'Extremely cruel' In mitigation two references provided to the court attested to his "kind personality" and "love of animals". At a sentencing hearing at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 26 July, he was handed an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. A post-mortem report indicated the rabbit had been suffering from a brain infection called E cuniculi, a common infection in rabbits which can, in some cases, lead to seizures or death. A vet who viewed the video footage and gave written evidence in the case, said: “Regardless of the post-mortem findings we can safely say that the individual in the footage was extremely cruel and violent towards Milo. "Through his callous actions he has blatantly caused a great deal of pain, stress, fear and unnecessary suffering. "This is one of the most disturbing cases of violence towards a helpless animal that I have had the misfortune to witness.” Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnvyyz3m132o

Automotive experts discuss the latest attempts by the Biden administration to protect the U.S. industry from Chinese competition. Ford managed to eke out a small sales gain in the third quarter while most automakers dipped. Plus, suppliers warn that a prolonged port workers' strike could close plants and force layoffs. How do I subscribe? Can't wait to hear the next episode of "Daily Drive"? Subscribe through a podcast app to receive episodes as soon as they are available. If you don't have a podcast app already, here are some options. Link: https://www.autonews.com/daily-drive-podcast/daily-drive-podcast-october-2-2024

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and defender Neco Williams have been fined for misconduct by the Football Association after last season's defeat by Everton. Nuno has been fined £40,000 and handed a one-game touchline ban, which is suspended until 31 May 2026, while Williams has been fined £24,000. It follows their comments after Forest had three penalty decisions go against them in their 2-0 Premier League defeat at Goodison Park in April. Nuno said the officials had "bad" games while Williams told Sky Sports: "Every single week this happens now. We are getting decisions against us, I don’t know why. Is it because we are a lower, bottom half of the table team?" Both men have also been warned about their future conduct. As part of the Premier League's commitment to improving VAR, BBC Sport understands the league has spoken to clubs and managers about the impact of public criticism of VAR undermining the game - and that there will be a new focus on regulating these public comments. Sources told BBC Sport the Premier League felt it became too easy to blame VAR as a deflection. On the pitch, there were 12 manager touchline bans last season. The FA said in a statement: "It was alleged that the manager and player's comments constitute improper conduct in that they implied bias and/or questioned the integrity of the match officials and/or bring the game into disrepute." A decision by the FA against the club is still to be made, however, after Forest released an angry statement on X - seen over 45m times - just minutes after the final whistle. The club claimed they told referees body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) that the game's video assistant referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell was allegedly a fan of relegation rivals Luton. The fallout from the game also led to former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg leaving his role as a referee analyst at Forest. Clattenburg, in the Mail on Sunday, called the decisions a "joke" and said Forest were "feeling victimised". Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c14zxz3j8nvo

The fencing off of 10 railway arches at Bradford Forster Square station will "definitely be an improvement" for the area, according to the city's civic society. The arches, which had been used by rough sleepers, were closed off at the end of last week by Bradford Council and will eventually be used as art spaces as part of next year's City of Culture. Support organisation Homeless Not Hopeless (HNH) branded the move "heartless". But Bradford Civic Society chair Si Cunningham said many visitors would "really welcome these improvements". Mr Cunningham said: "I think a lot of people who come into Bradford city centre via Forster Square will really welcome these improvements. "For many years now it's been quite a startling arrival into Bradford to see the state the arches have become in recent years. "To see them fenced off is definitely going to be an improvement on the area. "And I think also it will really help those people who have been choosing to live a street-based lifestyle in the city centre too." A Bradford Council spokesperson said the arches were empty and had no one in them at the time the fences were put up. When the work began there was one person sleeping there who "has been offered alternative emergency accommodation and ongoing support". The spokesperson added: “The first stages of planned work to enhance the area near Forster Square railway station has started. "This involves the preparatory work of closing off the railway arches in preparation for installing gates and new lighting to the arches. “Our Homeless Outreach Partnership has been working closely on a daily basis for months with the people who sleep rough in the arches, to help them access the support that is available for them." HNH organiser Steve Richardson said there did not seem to have been any consultation with those sleeping in the archways and the fencing off felt "a bit heartless to us". The council spokesperson said living in the railway arches was "not an appropriate, safe solution for people on the streets, some of whom are the most vulnerable in our society". They added: "Supporting these people is a key priority for the council, and we will continue to work with our many partners and associated services to offer a wide range of support to anyone who needs it across the district.” Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2edgrr94wko

Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes as large wildfires reach the suburbs of Athens, with some flames leaping as high as 25m (80ft). Homes and properties in nearby towns such as Varnavas as well as northeastern parts of the Greek capital are on fire, including a school in Nea Penteli. With the sun setting, aircraft working to extinguish the flames have been forced to land, making it a ground operation overnight. Residents are complaining there are not enough fire trucks and firefighters to help, as Greek authorities request international assistance. Help is expected from Spain, Italy, Turkey, Romania and Canada, with France also providing a Super Puma utility helicopter and the Czech Republic sending 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles. In unprecedented scenes, people in Athens are wearing masks to protect themselves from the choking smoke that has filled the air, as they try to put out flames. A human chain of firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers and citizens are using everything they have to try to put fires out, with some resorting to tree branches. Strong winds are also aiding the rapid spread of fire. Earlier on Monday, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said winds were up to seven on the Beaufort scale, indicating a moderate gale force. Burning pine cones launched from trees by the wind are spreading the fire. After more than 24 hours of fires, thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate, with some refusing to in order to save their homes. A message from emergency services is calling on residents of the capital's northern suburb of Dionysos to evacuate toward nearby Kifissia. Thirty such localised messages have been sent. On Sunday, people in towns and villages, including the historic site of Marathon, were ordered to move to safer areas. More than 700 firefighters, 119 vehicles, and large numbers of soldiers have been deployed to put out the flames, with many volunteers also contributing. One fire is raging around Mount Penteli, famous for its marble quarries, and the adjoining Athens suburb of the same name where three hospitals have been evacuated. The National Observatory of Athens in Penteli is also under threat, as the flames burn through some of its facilities. One blaze - which has engulfed a timber factory - is a particular concern due to the dangerous materials in the surrounding area. There is an out-of-business petrol station next door. In other parts of Penteli, various explosions can be heard, most likely from fuel tanks and residential gas cylinders. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyj80v2wrpo

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