#team reach for the skai

[virtualelectronicshub]

Machine learning's benefits in river and mountain emergencies

Why is automated analysis of aerial photos becoming increasingly popular in the field of humanitarian aid?

 The World Food Programme (WFP), which has been at the forefront of innovation for the past six decades, has a keen ability to detect emerging technologies that have the potential to have a significant effect on disaster response. As a result, there has been a rapid shift toward utilizing the capabilities of machine learning to improve the speed and accuracy of post-disaster evaluations and mapping, as well as to deliver aid that is more precisely targeted to the individuals who have the greatest need for it.

The World Food Program (WFP) made history when it used drones for the first time to conduct post-disaster assessments in Mozambique after typhoon Idai (2019). But the fact that the kit in and of itself provides significant advantages for straightforward and cost-effective humanitarian work is only half of the tale. The second tier of technology that takes the true value from the sheer treasure of data contained in the high-quality photographs that are collected by drones is maybe less obvious than the first layer of technology. In order to accomplish this, the WFP developed a tool called the Digital Engine for Emergency Photo-analysis (DEEP). This tool makes use of machine learning in order to transform the information gleaned from a bird's eye perspective into information that response teams can use.

 Ideas with potential can be developed into useful solutions, but for this to happen, they need to be implemented by capable operational partners. After being placed in the capable hands (and computers) of the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) of Mozambique and the University of Mozambique, it became clear that DEEP is capable of reducing post-disaster assessments from weeks to less than an hour, with an accuracy rate of 85 percent in locating damaged buildings. And the most exciting thing is... It can be installed on any laptop so long as it has a respectable video card, it can function without an internet connection, and it performs just as well when applied to satellite images.

 In addition, DEEP is not the only project that the WFP has worked on with excellent partners to transform vast amounts of information gleaned from satellite photos into actionable guidance for decision makers. It has been collaborating with Google Research to develop SKAI, which is capable of assessing building damage in fewer than 24 hours by using machine learning to satellite photos. In large urban areas, such as when it was used after the Beirut port explosion (2020) and Cyclone Yasa in Fiji, SKAI is proving to be 80% more accurate than manual assessments, despite the fact that it does not require large amounts of labelled data sets to be trained. This is what distinguishes SKAI from other artificial intelligence systems (2021).

 However, even within the scope of establishing local capability, there is still a long way to go before emergency response systems such as DEEP and SKAI can be considered truly scalable. In order to reach their goal, humanitarians will need to overcome three obstacles.

 To begin, we need to ensure that imagery can be accessed by humanitarian organizations. After all, machine learning requires an enormous amount of data to function properly. Satellite photography with a high resolution can be quite pricey, and the datasets that are currently available do not cover the majority of humanitarian situations. We applaud the efforts being made to make data that is highly guarded and privately owned available to humanitarian organizations.

 Second, any technology that is utilized for humanitarian work needs to adhere to stringent standards and have a centralized governance structure. To determine these norms, the community as a whole needs to meet together and discuss them, maybe through the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC).

 And last, the community will have to face the fear that machine learning evaluations are just another example of a technology "black box." Humanitarian organizations will need to collaborate with local experts in order to remove some of the mystery surrounding artificial intelligence and machine learning. These tools will help support national and local emergency preparedness if users have confidence based on accurate information.

 In spite of this, it is abundantly clear that machine learning possesses the potential to enable humanitarian actors to perform significantly above their station whenever a catastrophe occurs; consequently, the level of coordination that exists between the government, the private sector, and humanitarian actors needs to be increased in order to unlock this potential. Every new disaster that occurs after that, in which time or lives are lost, will serve as a reminder to redouble our efforts, and clear steps toward achieving that goal are outlined in a new policy brief that is being distributed as part of this week's Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation.

[dwtsforever]

Beautiful Skai, with these last two dances you not only proved that you are a great dancer but that you had so much more to give in the competition. You started strong, you may have lost your way, but you never stopped fighting, and on your final night you not only redeemed your cha cha but your place as a top contender in the competition. 

I truly believe the judges did you a great disservice this season. I myself knew that you needed to work on your feet and balance and the judges never told you that (with a one time exception from Derek, but it was long over due to have been said). The judges could have told you more, and it shows because one week of rehearsals with Bruno and we got these two amazing performances from you that are hands down your best. You were back to the same confidant Skai you were week 1 and you even surpassed that first performance. Its a shame you won’t get to continue, and I hope they do some type of redemption or second chance season, if not all-stars, because I’m sure this was just the beginning of what you could do.

[bellamyblake]

Anon asked for: A situation where Clarke defends Bellamy so I wrote a season 3 canon divergence, where Pike is caught and killed but since Bellamy was part of his team, he is locked up and the council needs to decide his punishment. 

“We can’t just let him out there, restore things to the way they were” Stevenson, one of the older council members and good friend of her mom raised his voice to a high pitch which made Clarke itch she could cover her ears with her hands but instead she just ends up leaning forward and trying to gather her composure.

This council meeting must’ve been one of the longest she’s ever attended and though the trial of those who had been a part of Pike’s group had been going on for a week now, they all knew Bellamy’s case would be the hardest.

“He provided guns for him, they organized a coup, this boy needs to be punished, not just set free!” another council member, this time, a woman who’s name Clarke thinks is Rita, joins in.

“He thought he was doing the right thing.” Clarke tries to keep the calm in her voice but it proves fruitless when it just sends the other nine members of the council raising their voices in disagreement with her. 

The only two who remained calm and quiet still were Kane and her mom and she knew that they’d have a big impact on the decision of Bellamy’s fate in the end when everyone was done barking their pieces.

Right now Bellamy was locked inside a cell, isolated from the others and when she went in there to see him last night, she was surprised and then quickly outraged, to find that his face was beaten up to a pulp and there was an open wound on his head, the blood from which streamed down his face and colored it  red.

He hadn’t talked to her when she yelled at the guards to let her in and help him, he refused to let her fix him and she had to force  him to stay still so she could at least examine the wound on his head.

“Go away, Clarke!” he had hissed at her, pushing her away so hard she almost stumbled on her feet “You can’t be here!”

“You’re bleeding out.”

“And I deserve it. Now get out!” he had said and she left but later sent in her mom to try and patch him up. 

He still fought her on it and the guards had to keep him still so she could wrap his head and clean his cuts because he refused to be helped. 

In the end they were forced to sedate him because he was struggling so much, he was actually further injuring himself.

When Pike was caught with the help of no other than Bellamy, the grounders had brought him to camp, led by none other than Lexa and Indra. 

Everyone involved in the massacre was arrested and Pike was stripped to a pole and killed in the way Finn should’ve been barely months ago. 

Then they insisted on dealing with the other soldiers, wanted to kill them too but Kane and Clarke had managed to talk them into letting them serve justice on their own and decide what should happen with them. 

Indra and Lexa agreed but only if they were still publicly lynched so the people of Arkadia knew what would happen if one of them dared to disobey the coalition and raise their hands on the grounders again.

Bellamy was among one of the ten most trusted and valuable soldiers in Pike’s group so he was strapped to a pole like his already dead leader and lynched with a whip while everyone were forced to watch. 

They hit them until they passed out. 

For some of them that happened quite fast, after the tenth or twentieth hit, but Bellamy made it to the fifty second, as if he insisted on punishing himself as much as he could, before his body slumped forward and his arms that were tied around the pole, went limp.

After, they were strapped to a pole, arms tied at the wrists again and bodies hanging over a beam with feet barely touching the ground for three days, only taken down to be given water twice a day before they were strapped once more-yet another excruciating punishment insisted of the grounders so that the skai people learned their way.

After, they were locked up-everyone together except for Bellamy who the council insisted be set apart as he could be dangerous and incite another coup. 

Clarke was the only one who knew that was impossible-he was barely aware of his surroundings most of the time.

She was the one who insisted on being the person to give him his water and every time he was let down he refused to drink, again, as if wanting to punish himself further. 

She had to force a few sips in his mouth but he spat them away, looked into her eyes with his lost brown ones before he spoke quietly.

“Give it up, princess.” which broke her heart.

She knew why he did what he did, she understood his stance as much as no one else wanted to. 

The grounders had killed more people than she could count before the adults even reached the ground, they had hurt them and attacked them, killed them while they were hunting or getting water from the river or even just taking a walk. And they had betrayed them in Mount Weather and forced his and her hand to do the impossible.

Following someone who promised that they’d be safe and taken care of, that they’d expand and things will work out instead of giving him and the kids false promises, made all the sense in the world for her when it came to Bellamy. 

He had always wanted the best for their people. Not the elders, the kids. 

He had went into that damn mountain to protect them, to take them out safe and sound and he had but then she left him to his own devices and still, no matter the mental and physical toll it all took on him, he tried to do just that.

He might’ve made a mistake but in his head, this had been the right thing at the time and she could never blame him for it.

Not when she was the one who abandoned him.

“He killed three hundred grounders, I think we’re lucky to be alive right now at all!”

“Oh, please, he was just a soldier following orders!” Clarke bites back at Lewis, another council member who had insisted Bellamy be executed with Pike when the grounders came to serve their justice “One person can’t kill a fucking army.”

“You’re defending him because you’re no better than him.You went into that mountain and-”

“That’s enough!” Kane raises his voice and the table finally goes silent. As the newly officially elected council, Clarke knew he’d have the last word so she rest her head on her hands and breathed in. “I have heard all of your points and-”

“You haven’t heard shit!” Clarke bursts out angrily standing up and leaning on her hands.

“Clarke, sit down!”

“No, I won’t sit down, mom!” she barks at her and looks around “None of you are looking at the bigger picture here-yes, he was involved with Pike, but he did it for the only reason he’s ever done anything in the past year-to protect the kids! He thought he was doing the right thing!”

“Yes, but he is older than the so called group of delinquents-” Rita bursts “He should know better than to follow Pike.”

“He was manipulated!”

“Oh, please-”

“Didn’t any of you stop for a second to think that you wouldn’t be having your children right now if it wasn’t for him going into that mountain and saving them?” she pins her look on those members who she knows had kids in Mount Weather “That includes Peter, doesn’t it, Rita?”

“This was something completely different.”

“How? How was it different? He thought following Pike was the right thing to do to protect the forty eight, how can you not see that?”

“This is pointless.” Kane raises his hand to stop this and looks at Clarke forcing her to sit back down “Why he did what he did doesn’t matter anymore. We need to focus on what comes after.”

“So it doesn’t matter he was the one that helped us catch Pike?” Clarke raises her voice again “You will so conveniently forget about this detail?”

“We’re not forgetting about it, Clarke. It is the reason why he wasn’t executed with him and you know that very well.” another council member, Wilson whose kid Lee was one of the delinquents,  joins in the fight and runs his hand down his tired face. 

“But he was Pike’s right hand man, he did give him guns and then followed him into that field, killing people in their sleep. What do you propose? We let him out there and restore his position in the guards after all this?”

“Yes, because as I said, he did the right thing in the end.” Clarke said but her voice was drowned by the other council members right away.

“I say we banish him.” Stevenson suggests “We can’t keep him here, he can start another coup and overthrow this council.”

“Are you kidding me?” Clarke stands up again “Have you looked at him? Can’t you see how fucked up he is? He has PTSD, he’s struggling to stand on his feet, the guards beat him day in and day out, he’s not safe in a damn cell in camp, let alone out of it. The grounders will kill him the first chance they get!”

“And they’ll solve our problems!”

“Rita, that’s not right and you know it!” Kane interrupts the commotion again hoping to restore the order “No matter what he did, Bellamy’s still one of us. If anything, all of us failed him, failed those kids. We can’t expect them not to go out there and try to find someone who want.” that gets them all quiet and somber up the mood around the table 

“We are responsible for Pike and what he did, not Bellamy or any of those involved with him. We let it come to this which is why no, we can’t just banish a twenty-three year old kid out in the woods to be killed in a matter of minutes.”

Clarke’s surprised when no one argues with that but a quiet round of “That’s true” and “Hmms” goes around and that makes her breathe a little better.

“Clarke’s right, he did go in that mountain and risk his lives for your children and he did in the end, realize his mistake and helped us catch Pike.” Kane adds “We have to take this under consideration.”

“We also need to take in consideration his mental and physical health.” Abby speaks up for the first time, her eyes lingering on Clarke as if she knows exactly why she’s fighting so hard for Bellamy. 

“Clarke’s right he does have PTSD, like most of the kids that were sent down here, but his has worsened. He doesn’t sleep and has nightmares...I’m afraid he doesn’t care what really happens to him anymore and those guards who beat the crap out of him every day are not helping the situation. Frankly...I think we should all be ashamed that we’re letting this happen. Those men deserved to be punished for breaking a fellow soldier’s ribs and splitting his head opened but I don’t see you discussing that right now even though you all know it.”

“If this was the Ark, he would’ve been floated.” Rita announces clearly unaffected by their passionate speeches.

“Yes, but we’re not on the Ark.” Kane says harshly and bawls his hands in fists. “So we need to figure something else out.”

“He still has to make up for what he did. I don’t believe he can be a guard anymore.” Clarke huffs at that.

“So he can’t be a guard but I can be a council member after I melted 200 people in that mountain?”

“That’s not the same and you know it.” Wilson joins in again and the voices raise into a loud pitch once more, some agreeing or disagreeing with him.

“It’s survival. It damn right is the same!” she hits the table with her fists scaring the shit out of them all.

“Clarke, if you don’t take it easy, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Kane threatens just when she’s just about ready to rage hell unless they listened to her. “I say we should hear to what Bellamy has to say on the matter too.” Kane nods at the guards by the door “Bring him in.”

“He shouldn’t have a say, he’s a damn prisoner” Rita huffs under her nose and Clarke itches to kick her in the shin with her boot.

When they lead him in, he’s dragging his feet, his face is a mess of bruises and cuts, some of which seem way too fresh to Clarke and considering they weren’t bandaged like the others, she makes the conclusion they’re fresh and probably from this morning when he was brought breakfast. 

His left eye is swollen shit, his wrists are covered in lacerations from where he had struggled against his cuffs and his head was wrapped in a big already dirty white bandage that had leaked some judging by the red spot on the side of his forehead. 

They don’t untie him but instead leave him in the middle of the room, just a few feet away from the council members table and once he doesn’t have the support of the two guards, he staggers on his feet and has to will himself to stay standing so he doesn’t pass out on the floor.

“Bellamy Blake, you stand accused of treason according to the Exodus charter before the Arkadia council” Kane begins but Clarke almost misses the words, entirely focused on him. He looks up at them with his one opened eye and he seems like he has no idea where he is at all. “How do you plead?”

There’s a moment of silence in which he doesn’t say anything.

“Bellamy, how do you plead?” Kane asks insistently again but Bellamy simply stands there completely dumbfounded and shaking, probably out of fear, Clarke thinks and that’s the tip of the glass for her.

“Jesus, can’t you see he’s not alright?”

“Clarke-”

“What’s wrong with you, people?” she stands up again but instead of leaning on the table, she circles around and carefully approaches Bellamy. “Hey” she says carefully.

“Clarke, step back, he can be dangerous” she hears his mom’s voice behind and snaps her head back at her.

“He’s not dangerous, he’s breaking apart! Can’t you fucking see that?” they grow quiet at that and she reaches for his face but when he takes a step back as if afraid from her, she opts for his elbow. 

“Bellamy, do you understand what’s going on here? It’s okay if you don’t, we just need you to tell us.”

He looks around, then his eye falls on the table, then back to her and it takes him a moment before he nods.

“You’re here to kill me.” he mumbles finally and it’s so barely audible and so weak and broken that Clarke’s heart shatters into a million pieces.

“No, we’re not.” Kane says behind them and Clarke moves away so he can see the councilor, but she doesn’t leave Bellamy’s side, instead she stands there, hand still on his elbow, supporting some of his weight so he doesn’t pass out. “We’re trying to decide on a proper punishment for you.”

He doesn’t say anything at that again.

“Marcus, I don’t think he’s in a condition to do this now-” Abby begins after seeing what Clarke had just a minute ago-he might be standing there before them but he had no idea what was happening. 

He was shattered by PTSD and brought apart by physical pain. Clarke was sure the injuries on his back from the whipping still hadn’t healed. 

In fact...she had no idea if the bandages have been changed at all in the past few days since the event.

“We have to. The camp needs to put this matter behind us and you know Indra will come asking about the outcome of the trials in just a few days.” he reminds her “Bellamy do you-”

“I know what’s going on.” he finally speaks up and his voice doesn’t come out weak and confused. When Clarke looks at his face she sees some sort of recognition there and lets herself breathe a little easy.

“Good. Now let’s go back to where we were. How do you plead?”

“I’m guilty.”

“Alright.” Kane sighs and runs his fingers through his hair before he continues ”Well there’s been some debates going around here about what we should do with you after you’re released. Do you have anything to say in your defense, something that could help us take a decision?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Bellamy-” Clarke tries but he interrupts her.

“I don’t care what you do to me.” he tells the council “Don’t tell me you do, princess?”

“Of course, I do.” she insists, squeezing his elbow as if to prove her point but he just smiles and shakes his head at that.

“Kill me or don’t. I probably deserve whatever’s coming my way.” 

“No, you don’t! Bellamy, you tried to help our people, you trusted that Pike could keep everyone safe and make life better, did you not?” she was trying to help him but he refused to comply. He looked at her and there was so much confusion as there was surprise in his eye that it made it clear for her, that he wasn’t certain why she was even here trying to defend him after everything he’s done. 

“Clarke, I think you two should wait outside while we talk this once more and call you back, okay?” Kane says and nods at the guards before Clarke can protest that she needs to be here when they make this decision but the men come on both their sides and start shoving Bellamy back to the exit. 

Clarke tries to fight them, barks at them to stop pushing him so hard but they won’t listen. 

Once outside, they push him on the floor and he curls up on himself on the ground. She kneels near him and puts her hands on his legs.

“Hey-” she says gently “Everything will be alright.”

He laughs sadly.

“Nothing has been alright for a long while, princess.” she swallows hard at that and looks away before he speaks up again “What are you even doing here?”

“Someone has to defend you.”

“I don’t deserve it.”

“Yes, you do.” she moves up and covers his curled up body with hers “You do.” it’s an awkward hug but it’s the first one they’ve shared in a while and though it may be painful for him, though he may still be shivering under her, he lets her push his head to her chest and wrap his broken body with her arms. 

He doesn’t say anything else, but he closes his eyes and lets her hold him.

He wants to tell her it’s the most human he’s felt since Mount Weather but he doesn’t. He’s afraid if he does, he’ll start crying.

They call them in twenty minutes later.

He almost trips over when he stands up and this time he doesn’t have the strength to stay on his feet so the guards have to hold his arms to keep him upright when they read him his sentence.

“After much consideration and debate-” Kane begins “The council reached the conclusion that once you’ve healed, you are to join the construction crew in our camp. We can not allow you to join the guards for obvious reasons and we refuse to banish you or lock you up indefinitely. We believe, it is in our and your best interest if you try to rebuild this camp and fix what you have broken by participating in Pike’s rule.” Clarke tenses at that. 

This wasn’t the right call and they all knew it. 

Physical work would be demanding for his body even if he took a month to recover which she was sure they won’t give him. 

But what was worse was that the construction crew consisted of the worst of the camp’s men and women-mostly ex-prisoners or angry soldiers who were removed from duty after making unfixable mistakes, there were a few con men and petty thieves, but mostly low lives who loved making each other’s lives miserable.

One of them could be easily paid to remove Bellamy from the picture and make it look like an accident. Stab in his side or a push from the rooftop of a building and he’d be gone before he even opened his mouth to scream for help.

Which she wasn’t sure he’d even do.

He’d have to leave camp and go to the clearing where they’d have to chop woods for the cabins they had to build, which also made him an easy target if any of the grounders still decided to retaliate and kill him out there in the open.

This wasn’t a solution.

This was the council hoping Bellamy Blake dies at the hands of an angry wife or brother or daughter whose relative he had killed at the massacre. That way they’d wash their hands off of him and Indra would be more than pleased.

It was a death mission.

And she won’t let it happen.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Bellamy shakes his head and looks straight ahead once again as if he wasn’t even there, as if this was happening to someone else and not him.

“Then you’re free to go now. Guards, take off his cuffs and get him to medbay.”

Clarke lets him carry him away but she wastes no time lingering after though her mother and Kane call her name. She has nothing to say to them anymore.

Instead, she heads to her tent, gathers all her stuff in a bag and then finds the rest of the delinquents. 

At around midnight, she sneaks in medbay and finds Bellamy sleeping in a cot on the end of a long row and she shakes him to consciousness.

“Hey, come on, Bell, wake up!” she whispers in a rush and looks around, hoping no one saw her come in and that Jackson’s still asleep in his office. “Come on, we have to go!”

“What’s happening?” he asks when he focuses on her and watches as she pulls away his blanket and grabs both his wrists to help him sit up. 

“We’re leaving.”

“What?”

“You and me, we’re going.”

“Going where?”

“To the sea. If you stay here, you’ll die and I’m not going to let that happen.”

“Clarke-”

“Come on, the kids will help us out, but we have to go, now!” he doesn’t question her, doesn’t ask why she’s willing to sacrifice everything for him. 

Deep down, he thinks it may be because she feels in her heart what he always has felt in his too but he doesn’t dare be that arrogant. 

You couldn’t be prideful in love...you could only be hopeful.

He puts his clothes on and let’s her help him out.

They disappear into the night and for the first time in forever, he’s not afraid of the darkness.

In the morning, Abby finds his bed empty and when she asks around for her daughter and finds out no one has seen her, Kane sends in a team searching the woods for her but she knows nobody will find any trace of them.

And she can’t say she’s surprised.

[stancontenders]

overwatch tag game

tagged by: @lunatic-bye​ shjfshdjf big thank my guy ❤️❤️❤️

#basics

name & url: ves or lai ; 44onak main blog: sk0258 but i’m dead there so lmao other social media: uh got a dA and twitter by the same name as my main age: 21 location: socal baBEY zodiac sign & alignment: aries-pisces cusp, chaotic neutral sexual orientation: bi relationship status: single preferred pronouns: he / she / they

#overwatch

battletag/platform: uH skais#11860 on bnet ; u can add me but i don’t play often due to wrist issues role: support / tank main: mercy ; but i wanna play more dva sjhsjhs favourite map: lijiang aaa, it was my first qp map and i have some Nostalgia favourite skin: U KNow what i’m predictable and i love the rosy brown skins from the 2017 lny event ( fortune mercy, palanquin dva, rose tracer ) the only one i don’t have is the rooster bastion favourite event: uH probably yeti hunt because i like playing both winston and mei overwatch babe? kshfjdh i’m gonna be risky and say ana ; she’s one of the reasons why i wanted to play overwatch to begin with

#overwatch league

favourite team(s): nyxl, lag, lav, i lov a lot man favourite player(s): hh zunba, poko, and jjonak ?? ( also envy and woohyal but u know how it be :^) ) favourite owl blog(s): i don’t remember a lot shjdfhsjdh but basically all my mutuals ?? also if u been talking to me lately u own my heart what city would you like to see in owl? kshfjshj california already has 3 teams so maybe another EU or a canadian team do you own any owl merch? if yes, what do you own? no i haven’t reached that level of clowning yet i’m poor bich if you could spend a day with anyone from owl, who would it be and why? no one cuz i’m a baby who’s too anxious to even go to the arena lol

tagging: idk who’s done this before ajfhdjkfhduhf but if u haven’t and wanna then i’ve tagged u

[katieamazeballs]

“Dancing With The Stars” has gone through quite a few changes this season, and it’s about to go through another: Derek Hough will step out from behind the judges’ table to take the dance floor once again, on Oct. 19.

The six-time Mirrorball champion will perform a routine with his girlfriend and “Dancing” alum Hayley Erbert, his first in-show dance since 2017. It is a routine he has three weeks to get ready, and he admitted during a virtual panel for the show on Wednesday that he woke up “sore” after his first session for it.

Hough took over a judging spot from Len Goodman at the start of this season and in his new role, Hough admitted that sometimes he has to catch himself because his “inner coach…inner teacher wants to come out, and I want to give a whole Ted Talk on how I can improve this jive in 4.5 seconds.” In his new role, he shared he often thinks about what he wanted when he was a dancer, and that was to hear how he could improve. So his approach with how he speaks to the dancers on the show is to come with compassion and empathy because he has been where they are and knows how hard what they are doing is.

“I appreciate them so much,” he said. “The fact that they’re just there, my respect level for them is already up here, and my job is how can I help them; how can I serve them?”

Executive producer Andrew Llinares said originally the plan was to have four judges, but with COVID restrictions, they’ve only figured out a way to have “sprinkles” of Goodman this season.

Other changes to the season have included Tyra Banks coming in to host the show and the lack of a live, in-studio audience, due to new health and safety guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The redesigned set, Llinares said, as well as “not having backing dancers, not having huge set pieces” means that “everything is more focused on the couple [dancing] than it has been in a long time.” Changing the host, he said, was “all about evolution: making the show feel fresh, making the show feel new, reaching out to a new audience.”

Having Banks, Llinares continued, “refreshed the pace of the show. I think it’s taken the show to a new place in terms of feeling faster and just feeling different.” He also noted that she brings an energy and expertise into the ballroom that has “brought a new life” to the show.

Banks shared that she didn’t say yes to the gig right away: “I had to really think about it,” she said. It took a “couple of months to make sure I could really bring something unique and different.”

One thing she does completely differently is take part in multiple wardrobe changes throughout the show — a notable one coming up for a “twist on Halloween” episode may be the Bride of Chucky, she teased.

“I don’t personally care that much about fashion,” she said, adding paparazzi photos look very different from her red carpet shots, “but when I am on that stage I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun with fashion in my entire career, including ‘America’s Next Top Model.'”

This season, theme weeks are taking place every other week, with the next one coming up on Oct. 12 and being “’80s night,” Llinares revealed. This means a combination of ’80s music, fashion and movies. The one after that is on Oct. 26 and will be that Halloween episode Banks teased. It will be “villains night,” Llinares said, in which “everybody takes on a famous fictional villain and plays homage to that villain.”

Regardless of whether the week is a themed one or not, the goal, Llinares says is to “create something that makes everyone feel good for two hours every week” and he is always on the look out for something that will be exciting and unique. This week, that includes a tribute to Cameron Boyce by Skai Jackson, a performance by Anne Heche that “talks about the time she was with Ellen [Degeneres] … and how that time affected her in her life,” and AJ McLean performing a Backstreet Boys number and getting his group involved in a “COVID-safe way.”

But no matter what changes come, Hough said the most important thing is that the “heart of the show” has stayed the same — and that, in his opinion, is the relationship between the pro dancer and the celebrity, and their journey.

[allinmycorner]

Here are my thoughts about the contestants after the first week of dancing! As is customary, no one was eliminated this week, which is why I’m using a picture of the set. 

Justina and Sasha: I think she might be my early favorite! She's got spirit and is committed to the dance. And she really shone in her cha-cha with Sasha. I think she could take him all the way to hoisting a mirrorball trophy this season. She just needs to work on the things the judges brought up and she'll only get better. 

Skai and Alan: Skai is another early favorite. I'm also really glad to see her dancing on this show. I think she and Alan are an excellent pairing, though her height may end up being an issue. But I think they can figure it out and once they do, they may be the team to beat. 

Nev and Jenna: Nev might be the one to beat and is definitely the men's frontrunner right now. He's also pretty sweet and seems to be getting along well with Jenna. Their foxtrot was a good first week dance - it showed enough talent but also held the promise of just getting better. 

Kaitlyn and Artem: I am so happy to have Artem back in the ballroom! And I'd like to congratulate him as he and his fiancee/former partner Nikki Bella had a baby boy over the summer! He and Kaitlyn seem to gel well and she's not that bad. I know there were a lot of people who were not happy about Hannah winning and felt that ABC rigged the show in her favor. I mean, I won't deny that it doesn't hurt that the last winner came off one of their biggest shows but I also think that underestimates the power and breadth of Bachelor Nation. I do absolutely believe that they alone could vote Hannah to the mirrorball trophy and it is possible that they could do the same for Kaitlyn this year too. We'll just have to see if she she keeps getting better or if this first dance was just a fluke. 

Monica and Val: Monica was pretty good! She definitely has more work to put in but it was a good first outing and shows promise. Val is a great teacher so I think he'll be able to get her to improve, so watch out Justina, Skai and Kaitlyn. Monica could outdance you. 

AJ and Cheryl: AJ set a good bar for the night as the first dancer of the season. I had to laugh when he asked Cheryl if she was a Backstreet Boy or NSYNC fan and she said that NSYNC were the better dancers but BSB had the better songs. And then he said that she was on the same page as his wife. It's going to be fun watching him dance with her and see if he goes as far as Nick (which was to the finals). 

Anne and Keo: Anne was pretty enjoyable to watch and wasn't too bad. I think she and Keo are well-matched and that he will be able to help her go far. I don't think he's going to reach the finals with her like he did with Evanna but I think they'll be safe for a few more weeks. It'll be enough for Anne to really change how she is perceived since I think she's still seen as Ellen's kooky ex-girlfriend. She's definitely eccentric but still pretty cool. 

Jeannie and Brandon: I like Jeannie's personality. She seems to be game for anything and is willing to put in the work, even doing a few tricks for her first dance. I'm not sure if she can pose a challenge to our top women but she could honestly end up being the dark horse. We'll need to keep our eyes on her. 

Jesse and Sharna: I am also so happy to have Sharna back as well! And I used to watch Passions, too, Sharna. So I best know Jesse as Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald. I'm glad to see him in the ballroom. I'm not sure if I would classify him as the men's dark horse just yet but I think I want to see what happens next week. I think he shows promise and so I want to see how he improves. 

Johnny and Britt: Now Johnny might be the dark horse for the men's. While ice dancing and ballroom dancing are different, he reminds me a lot of past winner Adam Rippon. So I think he can come from the middle of the pack and possibly win it all. I also like Britt and think she has a great attitude. She and Johnny seem to be well matched, so I think that will give them a boost as the competition continues. 

Vernon and Peta: Vernon may also be a dark horse for the men as well. Football players have a great track record in the ballroom and Vernon shows he could live up to their legacy out of the gate. Paired with Peta, I think he can go far - possibly all the way to the end. 

Nelly and Daniella: Nelly honestly surprised me. I didn't think he would be as good as he was but he pulled it out as he danced to his own song. (And I danced along too). It's going to be fun getting to know him throughout this season as well as getting to know his partner Daniella. Chrishell and Gleb: I was surprised with how low she was scored. I didn't think she was that bad. She wasn't the best but she wasn't worse than Jeannie. I wonder if going second may have hurt her. Some times the judges underscore the first couple dancers out of the gate before they get an idea of what the average level of talent is amongst that season's crops of celebrities. So I think Chrishell may have been a victim of that. I hope she bounces back next week. 

(I don’t know if it will ever come up that Chrishell’s soon-to-be-ex-husband was also on Passions. I think he joined after Jess left). 

Charles and Emma: Poor Charles. He gave it his all and I think that he can last a few more weeks but he's probably not going to make it too long. I loved how excited Emma was even for their three "4" paddles. That's the spirit, Emma! 

Carole and Pasha: You know, I forget sometimes that this show has paddles lower than 4. But Bruno broke out his "3" paddle for Carole's paso doble and...yeah, it wasn't too harsh. She's not a dancer and it does take guts to do this show. I know I probably couldn't. But I don't think she's going to improve much. She probably should be the first to go but is goofy enough that people may still vote for her. I guess we're going to have to see how next week plays out.

Reminder - next week’s show will air on Tuesday. See everyone after that! 

[starfallengv]

( SPOILER WARNING ) the content bellow contains influences from star wars: a new hope and rogue one: a star wars story please be advised before reading that these may be considered spoilers for those that haven not watched the films.

“ It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the [ PRAMFAYA ], an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents, [ a rebel leader ] races home aboard [ a ] starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save [ their ] people and restore freedom to the galaxy…. ” - Star Wars: A New Hope, 1977

THE AZPLANA’S GREATER GALACTIC EMPIRE has taken over the galaxy. It is a dark day for those planets fighting against the tyranny of the Ice Nation and it’s allies. Still there is always hope. The stolen plans sent from the surface of the planet Scarif have allowed the rebels to gain a full view of the operational power and weaknesses of the Pramfaya. With one fatal issue; in order to activate the weakness one must first destabilize the reactor core so that a direct hit to the reactor can cause the damage necessary to destroy the battle station. THE REBEL COALITION must send a team of elite fighters into the empire’s ranks, where they must they situate themselves in a position to reach the reactor and be able to destabilize it without causing alarm to empire. And in order to do so they must be willing to give up everything for the cause and forget the rebel alliance’s most important teaching: blood must not have blood.

Welcome to STAR FALLEN a star wars focused group verse centered around the 100′s mainframe and plot style while set in the star wars universe and story; the rules and interaction protocol will be listed bellow. Please make sure to read all of the information.

ONE. Star Fallen will operate with a plot drop based system; each plot drop will require execution by most of the characters involved; rebel forces; the galactic empire and the elite team infiltrating pramfaya [ the death star ] (rebels pretending to be members of the galatic empire). We will have a group verse skype chat in which you can plan out specific ways to go about executing each plot drop.

TWO. Due to the limitation of characters in the 100 we will allow two of each character to enter the rolepay. One as a rebel; and one as a remember of the galactic empire. Please note however; that you may only have two muses in the roleplay at a time. ( for the skai person doubles; we recommend using their name as spelled in trigedasleng for the galactic empire and the regular spelling for the rebellion ).

THREE. Because this is plot drop driven we will require activity in the verse. You must be active with at least two interactions per plot drop or you will be removed.

FOUR. Because of the fact that this is such a distinct universe we will require a bio to be submitted at he bottom of the application. They can be as long or short as you want but please remember to include how your character got to where they are in the story.

FIVE. Any major plots need to be cleared with this account. However if the plot seems to be growing in that direction; just give us a heads up. We’ll be more than happy to allow it and inform the rest of the members as to what’s going on.

                                             JOIN THE BATTLE

[dwtsforever]

Semi finals

This pretty much sums up how I feel about tonight's semi finals.

[dbpmsnews]

Microsoft Teams meetings and calling news roundup: The latest features and new upgrade tools

Over the past year, Microsoft Teams has expanded with new messaging, meeting and calling capabilities that make it the primary client for Intelligent Communications in Office 365. Today we are pleased to share several updates, including: New meetings and calling features in Team...

"Microsoft Teams meetings and calling news roundup: The latest features and new upgrade tools" by James Skay originally published January 29th 2019 in Microsoft Teams Blog articles

Over the past year, Microsoft Teams has expanded with new messaging, meeting and calling capabilities that make it the primary client for Intelligent Communications in Office 365. Today we are pleased to share several updates, including:

New meetings and calling features in Teams

Updates to the Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams roadmap

New tools in the Admin Center for IT administrators to upgrade to Teams-Only mode

  New Microsoft Teams features and functionality

Microsoft Teams continues to grow as the hub for teamwork in Office 365. We are continually adding new experiences, including those previously found in Skype for Business, as well as features new to our online meetings offering, such as background blur.

  Now Teams includes several features previously available only in Skype for Business Server: Group Call Pickup, Call Park, Shared Line Appearance, and Location-Based Routing (public preview). These features give organizations flexibility in how calls are handled and routed in Microsoft Teams. Learn more about these features in the Microsoft Teams Blog post, Additional Voice Features for the New Year. 

  We’ve also released enhancements to Cloud Recording, Outlook Meeting Scheduling for OWA, and Surface Hub Support.  You can see the latest updates in the Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams capabilities roadmap.  For additional roadmap updates, please visit the Microsoft 365 Public Roadmap.

  Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams capabilities roadmap

  Teams-Only mode available in Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business Admin Center 

Today, we are pleased to announce that “Upgrade to Teams-Only mode” functionality is now available for all tenants. Tenant administrators can now easily upgrade specific users or their entire tenant to Teams, with a few clicks in the Teams Admin Center. This new functionality makes the technical elements of the upgrade easier.

  That said, it’s important to keep in mind that the move from Skype for Business to Teams is much more than a technical upgrade. A successful, user-centric rollout begins with educating users and encouraging adoption of Teams’ collaboration and communication capabilities, often through a period of coexistence of both Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. We encourage you to make the move to Teams-Only mode after validating Teams meets your needs by monitoring the Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams capabilities roadmap, initiating Teams pilots within your organization, and driving Teams usage to 100% saturation with your user base.

  We have published a rich set of online resources including Success With Teams and Get Started on Your Skype for Business to Teams Upgrade to help with Teams adoption as well as upgrade planning and management. These resources have been recently updated to incorporate learnings from real customer engagements and community feedback. You can also refer to our sessions from Microsoft Ignite 2018 on the planning, change management, and technical sides of the Skype for Business-to-Microsoft Teams upgrades. (See session recordings: Designing your path from Skype for Business to Teams: Start Here! and Planning a seamless migration from Skype for Business to Teams for IT Admins).

  Automated and assisted upgrades from Skype for Business to Teams

In August 2018, we began offering Microsoft-driven automated upgrades to our smaller customers who may not have the dedicated staff or resources to upgrade their Skype for Business Online tenants.  Tenants that are selected to participate in the automated upgrade process are notified through the Office 365 Message Center and email to the IT administrator. Customers who receive an offer for automated upgrade do have the option of performing the upgrade on their own, or to defer the automated upgrade.  Details of the process and next steps are provided in the communications to tenant admins.

  Larger Skype for Business Online customers and those with complex implementations may also be eligible for upgrade assistance. If your organization has already adopted Microsoft Teams and you are interested in upgrading from Skype for Business, reach out to your FastTrack representative or your Microsoft account team to continue the journey to Teams. You can also leverage the expertise of Microsoft partners to help map and navigate the journey to Teams.

  Introducing Microsoft Teams Rooms

Last week we announced we are rebranding Skype Room Systems to Microsoft Teams Rooms. The new name comes on the heels of recent improvements to the meeting room experience, including proximity detection for Teams meetings, and dual-screen support to optimize content and video for rooms with dual displays. Learn more in the blog post Introducing Microsoft Teams Rooms.

  Expanding Teams capabilities and experiences

Keep watching the Microsoft Teams Blog to stay up-to-date on the latest Microsoft Teams news.

  Resources:

Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams capabilities roadmap

Microsoft 365 Public Roadmap

Skype for Business to Teams upgrade videos from Microsoft Ignite 2018

Success with Teams

Get Started on Your Skype for Business to Teams Upgrade

Skype for Business Upgrade FastTrack Resources

Microsoft Teams Certified Devices

  Read Full Post

[thekabbydaily]

Previewing ‘The 100’ season 4, episode 2, ‘Heavy Lies the Crown’

SELINA WILKEN 9:19 PM EST, FEBRUARY 3, 2017

The 100 returned strong with “Echoes,” but the second episode of season 4 is even better.

After a fantastic season 4 premiere, it’s hard to imagine that The 100 gets better from here — but it really, truly does.

“The burden of leading weighs heavily upon Clarke and Bellamy when different challenges force them to determine who will live and die.”

The crown truly does lie heavy in this deceptive and cleverly titled episode that explores the moral complexities of doing ‘the right thing’ for one’s people.

To tide you over until next Wednesday, we’ve put together a spoiler-light teaser article to whet your appetite for The 100 season 4, episode 2, “Heavy Lies the Crown.” Follow the butterflies…

1. It’s all in the details

“Heavy Lies the Crown” was written by Justine Juel Gillmer, who also brought us the tense and terrifying, yet comfortingly delinquent-centric “Demons.” This episode is similarly harrowing, but below the drama the main focus is still on the core character dynamics.

One of my favorite moments of “Heavy Lies the Crown” is small and narratively insignificant: In the middle of a tense sequence, Bellamy reaches out to hold Harper back, anticipating her reaction before she even has it. It’s a subtle reminder of how well these characters know each other and, more importantly, how aware the show is of all the dynamics, even those that aren’t ‘relevant’ to the main story. The attention The 100 pays to its non-romantic, relatively minor relationships provides extra layers of meaning to every scene, and is one of the things I love most about the show.

And Harper and Bellamy aren’t the only characters whose dynamic is put under the microscope this week. The episode sheds light on both old and new relationships and rewards fans who’ve been paying attention to the emotional development of the lead and supporting players over the course of the series.

2. The Bravenlarke of it all

As I discussed at length in my review of “Echoes,” Bellamy and Clarke emerged from the tower in Polis as true partners in leadership. Not because they agree on everything, as they certainly don’t, but because they’re able to understand and respect the other’s point of view, and balance each other out.

As Jason Rothenberg said in our recent interview, Bellamy remains “mostly heart” in their heart/brain dynamic, but he also pointed out that Clarke can’t fully be the ‘brain,’ being “obviously smart as hell, but also very compassionate.”

Enter Raven, whose pragmatic perspective in “Heavy Lies the Crown” completes what we might call the ‘triangle of leadership.’ While Clarke is looking for a way to save everyone, Raven is more realistic, and wants Clarke to accept that this might not be possible, and instead focus on saving as many people as they can.

While Clarke and Raven debate the moral dilemma of ‘all’ vs ‘many,’ Bellamy has to make a decision between ‘many’ and ‘few.’ The promo for this episode reveals that he and his team have to decide whether to bring the hydro-generator they’ve recovered in Ice Nation home to help save a larger group of people in six months, or blow it up to save a group of slaves today. It’s an impossible choice, and ultimately a huge crossroads moment not just for Bellamy, but for everyone involved.

In many ways, this is the episode in which both Clarke and Bellamy figure out what kind of leaders they want to be. Clarke is particularly conflicted, ultimately finding the top a very lonely place to be before discovering that there is, in fact, one other person in Arkadia who truly understands her position.

Meanwhile, Raven, not wearing a heavy crown of leadership (yet?), is firm in her convictions and bolstered by scientific superiority. The dynamic between Bellamy, Clarke and Raven and the points of view they represent should definitely spark some big debates in fandom in the weeks to come.

3. Say hello to your new friend(s)

“Heavy Lies the Crown” introduces a couple of new characters. As the promo stills reveal, this is the episode in which we meet Ilian, a new recurring character played by Chai Romruen.

Before the season started, Ilian was one of the two characters I was most excited to see (the other being Tati Gabrielle’s, who was briefly seen last week shouting, “This is blasphemy!”), and let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed. His introduction scene is harrowing and should inspire instant sympathy.

The episode also marks the first appearance of Stonewall actor Ben Sullivan, who plays Riley. I assumed he’d be a one-off character, but according to IMDb, he’s set to recur throughout the season. I’ll leave the how and why up to speculation.

All I’ll say about Riley at this point is that he’s a member of Skaikru and not a total stranger to our heroes, but there’s a very good reason we haven’t seen him before now.

4. Kabby patties, brace yourselves

Meanwhile in Polis, the newly appointed Skaikru Ambassador is still fully convinced he can save the world through diplomacy. Isn’t Kane just the best?

Abby is still treating Roan, who — probably like every bad patient she’s ever had — insists that he totally doesn’t need more than a couple of days to recover from a bullet wound. Y’know, #JustGrounderStuff.

But don’t worry, there are several scenes of Kabby together, too, including a moment we’ve all been waiting for. That’s not what you need to brace yourselves for, though, because there’s a lot more to come for them. Not to be dramatic or anything, but this episode will make you feel all the feels.

5. Long live the king?

So much for the Age of Azgeda: Aside from his #1 fan Echo and the Skaikru dream-team, Roan and his very heavy (looking) crown is not exactly a hit with the Grounders. A new clan is introduced this week (in fact, watch closely and you might learn the names of all the clans), whose leader poses a particular threat.

It’s already proving tough for Roan to justify keeping Skaikru in the coalition without revealing the truth about what they’re trying to do, and this episode makes it clear that both Clarke and Roan took a huge leap of faith in “Echoes” by trusting the other. Because, as Echo points out, who’s to say Clarke isn’t lying to save her people’s skin?

Meanwhile, Octavia comes into her Skai Rippah role in a big way, and her steely focus on her appointed task should chill you to the bone. She’s committed to keeping Roan safe, taking Bellamy’s instruction very seriously — perhaps even too seriously — yet an edge of sincerity reveals itself in a sobering exchange with newcomer Ilian.

Yes, the post-Lincoln Octavia is deceptively devoid of emotion, but we all know the fire is brewing just underneath the surface. Marie Avgeropoulos’ acting this week is off the charts, and the disconnect between her and Kane’s diplomatic strategies is surely a sign of things to come.

Above all else, “Heavy Lies the Crown” is about choices. Through the tribulations of current and past leaders, the episode reveals some uncomfortable truths about the burden of leadership, and further adds to The 100‘s over-arching narrative of “there are no good guys.”

The episode is also about friendship and loyalty, at once celebrating and challenging how much the delinquents love and trust each other. A lot of things will be thrown up in the air by episode’s end, opening up for exciting new possibilities.

‘

The 100‘ season 4, episode 2 airs Wednesday at 9/8c on The CW

[jeanettethibodeau]

Vasiliki's Millousi Tribute in Greek TV "SKAI channel" with English Subtitles

“Looking through the pages of my life you will always find the word gymnastics written next, you will find next to the word happiness, unhappiness, next to the word hope, pain, next to the word recognition and finally next to the word Vasiliki”, writes Vasiliki Millousi.

Apply what we’ve heard, certainly for your own sport, but also for many other sports that at 18, 19, 20 years old, champion must stops that make up the 20 after you have no future No, and I can not deny Your own story is just that Yes, there is no terminated date in our sport, but only when you will feel that it is not your body another go Three years stopped and why you come back; Was eating something inside me that I think I have to offer and others that I can do more, only that I knew it until that moment, my life was gymnastics.

It was strange conditions At what age was this; At my nineteen’s, in a way forced me to stop.

It is something that has been pain too much because it was an unwritten law that when you grow up and reaches in some age should you stop and told me: “Thank you for trying and for your offer but you know that you have to stop.

” Of course I repeat champion by then in national championships If we see so little strict, but the championship is not necessarily numbers and medals.

If you look at the victories which had until nineteen and your victories today when you came back, what would you say were the most important; First there none relation, I turned and I was another athlete and another human being because I was very young when I stopped, I did not understand what was do The most important for me; Every time I climb on the podium is possible moment for me but this time in London was something special because it is the stage that will make the Olympics 2012 this year and for me it was a good premonition.

The national anthem of Greece has always been unbelievable moment How does it feel to be faced by countries like Russia, China, U.

S.

and must come from a country that is too small, which is not a superpower in Gymnastics Previously I felt little bit ahead of them as though this sounds bad, because confrontation, so though I’d received, but now assessors and people count on me so I don’t thinking at all You made them can count on; do you think; Yes, I did, and with my progress and my stay in gymnastics for many years, who know a lot of years and the progress I had, and the success which was later made them count on me I want to tell me a little about the T-shirt you wear that has seen over the Greek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”, what exactly is this; I made a move because I wanted to offer.

The Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” is something that touches and interests me.

I had no other way to do it, because as you know, money does not have much, so that I can give them and I thought to do that, so with my offer to be able to give children a help And how do you offer with this t-shirt; With this shirt, which made the company FREDDY, the largest percentage of sales revenue that we will go for the needs of Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” I want to go a little bit in bread-winning; Where you have income; My only income is from the Greek Federation of Gymnastics, which gives me some money, called “Journey” Is a monthly income; So take it at least every month, this small amount, whatever it is, you get every month; Unfortunately, pay per long periods And take them all; Not a part of them, every time I want to talk a little about the circumstances where we are today in the gym, where we see the other girls who train, which are also smaller athletes of our national team.

Must be round at 10 degrees Celsius in here There is too cold today.

We wish to avoid every time the weather isn’t cold outside, because does not heat inside the gym Allow to have 10 degrees Celsius and do training at so cold; No.

Does not allow.

Normally it is prohibitive.

The ideal conditions is around 22 degrees Celsius Can be injured very seriously so is it; Yes.

And as you can see with such temperatures do not do much training because it is dangerous You feel stronger than some other athletes who compete in some countries have much better infrastructure, support, and despite everything they have, you manage to win them.

At that time you feel stronger; Yes it is very important.

I feel really strong, because we in front of what they have other countries, we have nothing, absolutely nothing, and we are all to be commended for this, we are really strong as Greeks Writes in your personal website a very nice and touching text and seems to have come from the heart.

You say “I missed childhood, I did not played there, paying attention to my diet, I did not feel carefree as other children.

Want to tell us a little about it; I think that’s a champions life.

Anyone who makes a champion, it passes these things.

From an early age I get into a system that I have not really played, I did not know what was game out with friends, I did not know what it means to get back from school and go to sleep to rest, like the other kids, because I had to leave school to eat something very quickly and go to practice and read over the breaks so I can have time because when you turn the night after the workout you have no courage to read You wanted and you did; There were times that you felt can not stand, but also had support from your parents and say “Continue” When are you young age, you depressed.

I do not think any child wants to be depressed.

No.

Then I felt pressure and I thank my coaches and my parents who supported me, pull me and do not let me stop or go away from my goal.

Now I will tell you that I will not change it for anything In your website, write a moving text, and thanks one man, one blue eye, as you say you always looking to the gym to give you strength Yes.

They were the eyes of my dad.

Was a man who was always there beside me and wanted so much to do gymnastics, and admired.

Now I really think that if he lived would be too happy for me The Vasiliki’s Millousi FREDDY T-Shirt you can buy it here:Vasiliki Millousi Official Facebook Page: www.

facebook.

com/VasilikiMillousiFreddy Greece: www.

facebook.

com/freddy.

greeceGreek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”: www.

hamogelo.

grwww.

vasilikimillousi.

gr.

The post Vasiliki’s Millousi Tribute in Greek TV “SKAI channel” with English Subtitles appeared first on IPTVRestream.

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/restream/vasilikis-millousi-tribute-in-greek-tv-skai-channel-with-english-subtitles/ from https://iptvrestream.tumblr.com/post/615342680259641344

from Best IPTV Channels - Blog https://reneturgeon.weebly.com/blog/vasilikis-millousi-tribute-in-greek-tv-skai-channel-with-english-subtitles

[trandangelilber]

Vasiliki's Millousi Tribute in Greek TV "SKAI channel" with English Subtitles

“Looking through the pages of my life you will always find the word gymnastics written next, you will find next to the word happiness, unhappiness, next to the word hope, pain, next to the word recognition and finally next to the word Vasiliki”, writes Vasiliki Millousi.

Apply what we’ve heard, certainly for your own sport, but also for many other sports that at 18, 19, 20 years old, champion must stops that make up the 20 after you have no future No, and I can not deny Your own story is just that Yes, there is no terminated date in our sport, but only when you will feel that it is not your body another go Three years stopped and why you come back; Was eating something inside me that I think I have to offer and others that I can do more, only that I knew it until that moment, my life was gymnastics.

It was strange conditions At what age was this; At my nineteen’s, in a way forced me to stop.

It is something that has been pain too much because it was an unwritten law that when you grow up and reaches in some age should you stop and told me: “Thank you for trying and for your offer but you know that you have to stop.

” Of course I repeat champion by then in national championships If we see so little strict, but the championship is not necessarily numbers and medals.

If you look at the victories which had until nineteen and your victories today when you came back, what would you say were the most important; First there none relation, I turned and I was another athlete and another human being because I was very young when I stopped, I did not understand what was do The most important for me; Every time I climb on the podium is possible moment for me but this time in London was something special because it is the stage that will make the Olympics 2012 this year and for me it was a good premonition.

The national anthem of Greece has always been unbelievable moment How does it feel to be faced by countries like Russia, China, U.

S.

and must come from a country that is too small, which is not a superpower in Gymnastics Previously I felt little bit ahead of them as though this sounds bad, because confrontation, so though I’d received, but now assessors and people count on me so I don’t thinking at all You made them can count on; do you think; Yes, I did, and with my progress and my stay in gymnastics for many years, who know a lot of years and the progress I had, and the success which was later made them count on me I want to tell me a little about the T-shirt you wear that has seen over the Greek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”, what exactly is this; I made a move because I wanted to offer.

The Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” is something that touches and interests me.

I had no other way to do it, because as you know, money does not have much, so that I can give them and I thought to do that, so with my offer to be able to give children a help And how do you offer with this t-shirt; With this shirt, which made the company FREDDY, the largest percentage of sales revenue that we will go for the needs of Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” I want to go a little bit in bread-winning; Where you have income; My only income is from the Greek Federation of Gymnastics, which gives me some money, called “Journey” Is a monthly income; So take it at least every month, this small amount, whatever it is, you get every month; Unfortunately, pay per long periods And take them all; Not a part of them, every time I want to talk a little about the circumstances where we are today in the gym, where we see the other girls who train, which are also smaller athletes of our national team.

Must be round at 10 degrees Celsius in here There is too cold today.

We wish to avoid every time the weather isn’t cold outside, because does not heat inside the gym Allow to have 10 degrees Celsius and do training at so cold; No.

Does not allow.

Normally it is prohibitive.

The ideal conditions is around 22 degrees Celsius Can be injured very seriously so is it; Yes.

And as you can see with such temperatures do not do much training because it is dangerous You feel stronger than some other athletes who compete in some countries have much better infrastructure, support, and despite everything they have, you manage to win them.

At that time you feel stronger; Yes it is very important.

I feel really strong, because we in front of what they have other countries, we have nothing, absolutely nothing, and we are all to be commended for this, we are really strong as Greeks Writes in your personal website a very nice and touching text and seems to have come from the heart.

You say “I missed childhood, I did not played there, paying attention to my diet, I did not feel carefree as other children.

Want to tell us a little about it; I think that’s a champions life.

Anyone who makes a champion, it passes these things.

From an early age I get into a system that I have not really played, I did not know what was game out with friends, I did not know what it means to get back from school and go to sleep to rest, like the other kids, because I had to leave school to eat something very quickly and go to practice and read over the breaks so I can have time because when you turn the night after the workout you have no courage to read You wanted and you did; There were times that you felt can not stand, but also had support from your parents and say “Continue” When are you young age, you depressed.

I do not think any child wants to be depressed.

No.

Then I felt pressure and I thank my coaches and my parents who supported me, pull me and do not let me stop or go away from my goal.

Now I will tell you that I will not change it for anything In your website, write a moving text, and thanks one man, one blue eye, as you say you always looking to the gym to give you strength Yes.

They were the eyes of my dad.

Was a man who was always there beside me and wanted so much to do gymnastics, and admired.

Now I really think that if he lived would be too happy for me The Vasiliki’s Millousi FREDDY T-Shirt you can buy it here:Vasiliki Millousi Official Facebook Page: www.

facebook.

com/VasilikiMillousiFreddy Greece: www.

facebook.

com/freddy.

greeceGreek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”: www.

hamogelo.

grwww.

vasilikimillousi.

gr.

The post Vasiliki’s Millousi Tribute in Greek TV “SKAI channel” with English Subtitles appeared first on IPTVRestream.

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/restream/vasilikis-millousi-tribute-in-greek-tv-skai-channel-with-english-subtitles/ from IPTV Restream https://iptvrestream.tumblr.com/post/615342680259641344 from Best IPTV Channels https://reneturgeon.tumblr.com/post/615344259710795776

[reneturgeon]

Vasiliki's Millousi Tribute in Greek TV "SKAI channel" with English Subtitles

“Looking through the pages of my life you will always find the word gymnastics written next, you will find next to the word happiness, unhappiness, next to the word hope, pain, next to the word recognition and finally next to the word Vasiliki”, writes Vasiliki Millousi.

Apply what we’ve heard, certainly for your own sport, but also for many other sports that at 18, 19, 20 years old, champion must stops that make up the 20 after you have no future No, and I can not deny Your own story is just that Yes, there is no terminated date in our sport, but only when you will feel that it is not your body another go Three years stopped and why you come back; Was eating something inside me that I think I have to offer and others that I can do more, only that I knew it until that moment, my life was gymnastics.

It was strange conditions At what age was this; At my nineteen’s, in a way forced me to stop.

It is something that has been pain too much because it was an unwritten law that when you grow up and reaches in some age should you stop and told me: “Thank you for trying and for your offer but you know that you have to stop.

” Of course I repeat champion by then in national championships If we see so little strict, but the championship is not necessarily numbers and medals.

If you look at the victories which had until nineteen and your victories today when you came back, what would you say were the most important; First there none relation, I turned and I was another athlete and another human being because I was very young when I stopped, I did not understand what was do The most important for me; Every time I climb on the podium is possible moment for me but this time in London was something special because it is the stage that will make the Olympics 2012 this year and for me it was a good premonition.

The national anthem of Greece has always been unbelievable moment How does it feel to be faced by countries like Russia, China, U.

S.

and must come from a country that is too small, which is not a superpower in Gymnastics Previously I felt little bit ahead of them as though this sounds bad, because confrontation, so though I’d received, but now assessors and people count on me so I don’t thinking at all You made them can count on; do you think; Yes, I did, and with my progress and my stay in gymnastics for many years, who know a lot of years and the progress I had, and the success which was later made them count on me I want to tell me a little about the T-shirt you wear that has seen over the Greek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”, what exactly is this; I made a move because I wanted to offer.

The Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” is something that touches and interests me.

I had no other way to do it, because as you know, money does not have much, so that I can give them and I thought to do that, so with my offer to be able to give children a help And how do you offer with this t-shirt; With this shirt, which made the company FREDDY, the largest percentage of sales revenue that we will go for the needs of Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” I want to go a little bit in bread-winning; Where you have income; My only income is from the Greek Federation of Gymnastics, which gives me some money, called “Journey” Is a monthly income; So take it at least every month, this small amount, whatever it is, you get every month; Unfortunately, pay per long periods And take them all; Not a part of them, every time I want to talk a little about the circumstances where we are today in the gym, where we see the other girls who train, which are also smaller athletes of our national team.

Must be round at 10 degrees Celsius in here There is too cold today.

We wish to avoid every time the weather isn’t cold outside, because does not heat inside the gym Allow to have 10 degrees Celsius and do training at so cold; No.

Does not allow.

Normally it is prohibitive.

The ideal conditions is around 22 degrees Celsius Can be injured very seriously so is it; Yes.

And as you can see with such temperatures do not do much training because it is dangerous You feel stronger than some other athletes who compete in some countries have much better infrastructure, support, and despite everything they have, you manage to win them.

At that time you feel stronger; Yes it is very important.

I feel really strong, because we in front of what they have other countries, we have nothing, absolutely nothing, and we are all to be commended for this, we are really strong as Greeks Writes in your personal website a very nice and touching text and seems to have come from the heart.

You say “I missed childhood, I did not played there, paying attention to my diet, I did not feel carefree as other children.

Want to tell us a little about it; I think that’s a champions life.

Anyone who makes a champion, it passes these things.

From an early age I get into a system that I have not really played, I did not know what was game out with friends, I did not know what it means to get back from school and go to sleep to rest, like the other kids, because I had to leave school to eat something very quickly and go to practice and read over the breaks so I can have time because when you turn the night after the workout you have no courage to read You wanted and you did; There were times that you felt can not stand, but also had support from your parents and say “Continue” When are you young age, you depressed.

I do not think any child wants to be depressed.

No.

Then I felt pressure and I thank my coaches and my parents who supported me, pull me and do not let me stop or go away from my goal.

Now I will tell you that I will not change it for anything In your website, write a moving text, and thanks one man, one blue eye, as you say you always looking to the gym to give you strength Yes.

They were the eyes of my dad.

Was a man who was always there beside me and wanted so much to do gymnastics, and admired.

Now I really think that if he lived would be too happy for me The Vasiliki’s Millousi FREDDY T-Shirt you can buy it here:Vasiliki Millousi Official Facebook Page: www.

facebook.

com/VasilikiMillousiFreddy Greece: www.

facebook.

com/freddy.

greeceGreek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”: www.

hamogelo.

grwww.

vasilikimillousi.

gr.

The post Vasiliki’s Millousi Tribute in Greek TV “SKAI channel” with English Subtitles appeared first on IPTVRestream.

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/restream/vasilikis-millousi-tribute-in-greek-tv-skai-channel-with-english-subtitles/ from IPTV Restream https://iptvrestream.tumblr.com/post/615342680259641344

[iptvrestream]

Vasiliki's Millousi Tribute in Greek TV "SKAI channel" with English Subtitles

“Looking through the pages of my life you will always find the word gymnastics written next, you will find next to the word happiness, unhappiness, next to the word hope, pain, next to the word recognition and finally next to the word Vasiliki”, writes Vasiliki Millousi.

Apply what we've heard, certainly for your own sport, but also for many other sports that at 18, 19, 20 years old, champion must stops that make up the 20 after you have no future No, and I can not deny Your own story is just that Yes, there is no terminated date in our sport, but only when you will feel that it is not your body another go Three years stopped and why you come back; Was eating something inside me that I think I have to offer and others that I can do more, only that I knew it until that moment, my life was gymnastics.

It was strange conditions At what age was this; At my nineteen’s, in a way forced me to stop.

It is something that has been pain too much because it was an unwritten law that when you grow up and reaches in some age should you stop and told me: “Thank you for trying and for your offer but you know that you have to stop.

” Of course I repeat champion by then in national championships If we see so little strict, but the championship is not necessarily numbers and medals.

If you look at the victories which had until nineteen and your victories today when you came back, what would you say were the most important; First there none relation, I turned and I was another athlete and another human being because I was very young when I stopped, I did not understand what was do The most important for me; Every time I climb on the podium is possible moment for me but this time in London was something special because it is the stage that will make the Olympics 2012 this year and for me it was a good premonition.

The national anthem of Greece has always been unbelievable moment How does it feel to be faced by countries like Russia, China, U.

S.

and must come from a country that is too small, which is not a superpower in Gymnastics Previously I felt little bit ahead of them as though this sounds bad, because confrontation, so though I'd received, but now assessors and people count on me so I don’t thinking at all You made them can count on; do you think; Yes, I did, and with my progress and my stay in gymnastics for many years, who know a lot of years and the progress I had, and the success which was later made them count on me I want to tell me a little about the T-shirt you wear that has seen over the Greek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”, what exactly is this; I made a move because I wanted to offer.

The Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” is something that touches and interests me.

I had no other way to do it, because as you know, money does not have much, so that I can give them and I thought to do that, so with my offer to be able to give children a help And how do you offer with this t-shirt; With this shirt, which made the company FREDDY, the largest percentage of sales revenue that we will go for the needs of Greek non-profit organization “Smile of the Child” I want to go a little bit in bread-winning; Where you have income; My only income is from the Greek Federation of Gymnastics, which gives me some money, called “Journey” Is a monthly income; So take it at least every month, this small amount, whatever it is, you get every month; Unfortunately, pay per long periods And take them all; Not a part of them, every time I want to talk a little about the circumstances where we are today in the gym, where we see the other girls who train, which are also smaller athletes of our national team.

Must be round at 10 degrees Celsius in here There is too cold today.

We wish to avoid every time the weather isn’t cold outside, because does not heat inside the gym Allow to have 10 degrees Celsius and do training at so cold; No.

Does not allow.

Normally it is prohibitive.

The ideal conditions is around 22 degrees Celsius Can be injured very seriously so is it; Yes.

And as you can see with such temperatures do not do much training because it is dangerous You feel stronger than some other athletes who compete in some countries have much better infrastructure, support, and despite everything they have, you manage to win them.

At that time you feel stronger; Yes it is very important.

I feel really strong, because we in front of what they have other countries, we have nothing, absolutely nothing, and we are all to be commended for this, we are really strong as Greeks Writes in your personal website a very nice and touching text and seems to have come from the heart.

You say “I missed childhood, I did not played there, paying attention to my diet, I did not feel carefree as other children.

Want to tell us a little about it; I think that's a champions life.

Anyone who makes a champion, it passes these things.

From an early age I get into a system that I have not really played, I did not know what was game out with friends, I did not know what it means to get back from school and go to sleep to rest, like the other kids, because I had to leave school to eat something very quickly and go to practice and read over the breaks so I can have time because when you turn the night after the workout you have no courage to read You wanted and you did; There were times that you felt can not stand, but also had support from your parents and say “Continue” When are you young age, you depressed.

I do not think any child wants to be depressed.

No.

Then I felt pressure and I thank my coaches and my parents who supported me, pull me and do not let me stop or go away from my goal.

Now I will tell you that I will not change it for anything In your website, write a moving text, and thanks one man, one blue eye, as you say you always looking to the gym to give you strength Yes.

They were the eyes of my dad.

Was a man who was always there beside me and wanted so much to do gymnastics, and admired.

Now I really think that if he lived would be too happy for me The Vasiliki's Millousi FREDDY T-Shirt you can buy it here:Vasiliki Millousi Official Facebook Page: www.

facebook.

com/VasilikiMillousiFreddy Greece: www.

facebook.

com/freddy.

greeceGreek non-profit organization “The Smile of the Child”: www.

hamogelo.

grwww.

vasilikimillousi.

gr.

The post Vasiliki's Millousi Tribute in Greek TV "SKAI channel" with English Subtitles appeared first on IPTVRestream.

from IPTVRestream https://iptvrestream.net/restream/vasilikis-millousi-tribute-in-greek-tv-skai-channel-with-english-subtitles/

[sachinsbblog-blog]

Global Rear-View Mirror Market Study 2016-2026, Industry Growth, Size, Share, Global Forecasts Analysis, Company Profiles, Competitive Landscape and Key Regions Analysis Research Reports

QYReport offers��latest published report on global Rear-View Mirror market and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to consumers through an in depth report. This report focuses on the key global Rear-view Mirror market players, to define, describe and analyze the value, market competition landscape, market trends, market share, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.

 The global Rear-view Mirror market will reach Volume Million USD in 2019 and with a CAGR xx% between2020-2026.

Objective of the Study:

To assess the demand-supply scenario of Rear-View Mirror which covers production, demand and supply of Rear-View Mirror market globally.

To analyze and forecast the market size of Rear-View Mirror in terms of volume and Value.

To classify and forecast global Rear-View Mirror based on vehicle type, product type, feature and regional distribution.

To identify drivers and challenges for global Rear-View Mirror market.

To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in global Rear-View Mirror

To identify and analyze the profile of leading players involved in the manufacturing of global Rear-View Mirror.

Some of the major key players operating in Rear-View Mirror are

Mitsuba Corporation

Honda Lock Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Ficosa International SA

Samvardhana Motherson Reflectec

SL Corporation

Ishizaki Honten Company Limited

Ichikoh Industries Ltd.

Magna International, Inc.

Continental AG etc.

To perform the study, QYReport Research conducted primary as well as exhaustive secondary research. Initially, QYReport Research prepared an exhaustive list of Rear-View Mirror manufacturers operating globally. Subsequently, QYReport Research conducted primary research surveys, which include primary calls, email responses, etc., with the identified companies. While interviewing, the respondents were also asked about their major competitors. Through this technique, QYReport Research could include manufacturers which could not be identified due to the limitations of secondary research. QYReport Research analyzed product offerings and regional presence of all major Rear-View Mirror supplier across the globe.

QYReport Research calculated the market size for Global Rear-View Mirror using a bottom-up technique, wherein manufacturers’ volume sales data for different applications, were recorded as well as forecast for the future years. Multiple secondary sources such as directories, company websites, company annual reports, white papers, investor presentations and financial reports were also used by QYReport Research.

 Request for a Sample Market Research Report of Global Rear-View Mirror Market @ https://www.qyreports.com/request-sample/?report-id=227466

 Product Type Coverage (Market Size, Trends & Forecast, Major Company of Product Type etc.

Exterior Mirrors

Interior Mirrors

Demand Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Consumer Distribution):

Passenger Cars

Commercial Vehicles

Company Coverage (Main Products, Sales data & Services etc.):

SMR

Magna

Gentex

Ficosa

Beijing Goldrare

Sichuan Skay-View

Murakami Kaimeido

MEKRA Lang

SL Corporation

Ichikoh

Flabeg

Shanghai Lvxiang

Major Region Market

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

South America

Middle East & Africa

Please contact us for any specific customized requirements or changes you want and we will offer you the report as your requirement.

Inquire on Global Rear View Mirror Market Report at https://www.qyreports.com/enquiry-before-buying/?report-id=227466

About Us:

We at QYReports, a main statistical research report distributor oblige in excess of 4,000 renowned customers overall gathering their tweaked research prerequisites as far as market information size and its application. Our core team comprises of enthusiastic statistical surveying experts with rich mufti-function involvement with domestic and universal statistical surveying and knowledge management processes.

 Contact Us:

204, Professional Center, 7950 NW 53rd Street,

Miami, Florida 33166, US

Phone number: + (1) 786-292-8164

Email: sales@qyreports.com

[smnews]

The death toll from a fire which ripped through a Greek coastal town stood at 80 on Wednesday as frantic relatives tried to track down people missing from the inferno and coroners began the grim task of identifying bodies. Hundreds of people were trapped in the eastern resort of Mati on Monday night as flames whipped around them. Many jumped into the sea to survive but others died from suffocation, either in their cars or trapped on the edge of steep cliffs. The Greek anti-terrorist service was investigating suggestions that the blaze - one of several throughout the Attica region - was started deliberately, a security source said. Arson is often thought to be behind some fires in a crude attempt to clear forest land for building. The fire brigade said the death of a survivor in hospital had brought the toll up to 80. The service had also received dozens of calls reporting missing persons, but it was unclear if some of them were among those found dead, a spokesperson said.  Some appeared on television to plead for help, and others posted pictures online of their missing loved ones.  "I'm looking for my mum," a young woman told Greece's SKAI TV between sobs. Her mother was Athina Karakoulaki, 48, whom she last spoke to on Monday afternoon as the flames closed in. A father also appealed on Greek TV for help to find his missing 9-year-old twin daughters after he thought he recognised them in TV news footage below.  Sophia and Vasiliki's father recognised them in TV news footage of their escape from the fires on a boat, and is now appealing for help to find his daughters Yiannis Philipopoulos and his wife had spent the day fruitlessly searching local hospitals and through law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, and said seeing the footage of the boat on the TV news had given them hope that their daughters, who went missing with their grandparents, were still alive.  But later reports in Greece said that a man who was on board the boat had come forward to say the girls were his, meaning that Mr Philipopoulous' twins Sofia and Vasiliki (pictured below, left to right) remain among the ranks of the missing.  Greece wildfires: missing twins photo The fire in Mati broke out close to 5pm, (2pm UK time), an hour which is observed as a siesta time in rural Greek communities. Mati was popular with local tourists, including pensioners, and they were caught up in the tragedy alongside international tourists - including a handful of Brits and an Irish honeymooning couple - as well as local residents.  Rescue teams combed through the area and the sea on Wednesday trying to locate anything which could offer clarity on the missing, who are thought to number about 40. "We took our cars and went down to the sea and got into the sea to escape, but there were people who did not make it," said Mati resident Agni Gantona. "We got into the water and stayed there for about five hours until the boats came to pick us up. We were at the beach with about 250, 300 people. "Some were burned, some were near fainting from the smoke and the flames. Groups of us, we were holding each other by the hand and shouting each other's names, because we could not see from the smoke." With most of the corpses badly charred, identification of the dead will be challenging, experts said. "Work has started on identifying the victims of the wildfires but the majority of the bodies are totally charred," Grigoris Leon, head of the Hellenic Society of Forensic Medicine, told Reuters. An aerial view shows burnt houses and trees following a wildfire in the village of Mati Credit: REUTERS/EUROKINISSI The post-mortems and identification procedures are taking place at a morgue at Shisto, west of Athens. Leon said this will involve team work by coroners, forensic dentistry experts from the Athens University's Dental School, and the police forensic service. It was unclear what caused the fire, which spread rapidly through the community. But some suggested that the sheer force of winds, thick pine, fire and panic was a deadly combination making even the most well-executed evacuation plan futile. Greece wildfires gallery puff "Armaggeddon," wrote the daily newspaper Ethnos on its front page, a reference to the Biblical location prophesising the end of times. It carried a photo of a burned Greek flag hanging among the branches of a charred tree. Bride in hospital and groom missing as Irish newlyweds caught up in wildfires A newly-married Irish couple were also caught up in the wildfires. Zoe Holohan and Brian O'Callaghan-Westropp became separated as they tried to escape the fires in the coastal town of Mati. The pair got married at Clonabreany House in Kells, Co Meath, last Thursday before flying out to Greece for their honeymoon on Saturday. Ms Holohan, who works in advertising for the Sunday World, is in hospital after suffering burns to her head and hands, but her husband has not yet been found. Zoe Holohan on her wedding day. She is now recovering from the Greek fires in hospital Credit: PA The couple, who live in Dublin, were travelling in a vehicle when they were forced to flee. Ms Holohan was able to escape to a nearby beach and was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night. The British Embassy said a number of Brits had also been evacuated, with one in hospital with minor injuries.  'Mati no longer exists': Resort devastated by blaze Fire service spokeswoman Stavroula Maliri said firefighters were still searching for more victims and taking "dozens of calls" from people looking for relatives. Winds of above 60mph in Mati caused a "sudden progression of fire" through the village, said Maliri. "Mati no longer exists," said the mayor of nearby Rafina, Evangelos Bournous, adding that more than a thousand buildings and 300 cars had been damaged. "I saw the flames outside the window of our hotel. I thought it would explode," said Alina Marzin, a 20-year-old German tourist who had been staying at the Capo Verde hotel in Mati on Monday evening with her brother and their parents. At least six people died trying to escape the flames into the sea. Some 715 people were evacuated by boats to Rafina, the government said. One rescuer told The Telegraph that rescuing those in the sea was his "duty as a human".  Egyptian fisherman Halil Tafir, 42, said the coastguard asked if he could help the victims, many of whom were struggling for air in the waves, so he set out on his fishing boat.  “They were terrified and nervous," he said. "I pulled them up with my hands and used the rope to get them. I saw at least two dead bodies in the water. And I saw a 70 year old lady who was covered in burns. I tried to save her but at first I couldn’t reach her. We finally got her into the boat. “I was so glad I could rescue them and they thanked me.” The boat could only fit 20 people at a time, forcing the fishermen to make multiple trips to and from the safety of nearby Rafina. At one point the flames were so close they were licking around the boat, he said. He finally stopped rescuing people at 3am on Tuesday morning.  But Mr Tafir says he is no hero.  “I’m just human. It was my duty to help as a human,” he said.  Wildfires The European Union activated its Civil Protection Mechanism after Greece sought help. Several countries said they were sending aircraft to help fight the flames. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted the EU "will spare no effort to help Greece and the Greek people", while Pope Francis spoke of his "deep sadness," sentiments echoed by EU and NATO leaders. NATO head Jens Stoltenberg offered the alliance's full solidarity with Greece, whose government earmarked financial aid for victims' relatives. "People are shocked, lost. Some of them have lost everything: children, parents, homes," said Red Cross spokeswoman Georgia Trisbioti. Wildfire in Mati, Greece Were fires started by arsonists? Investigation begins Interior Minister Panos Skourletis said the priority was to extinguish a fire still burning in Kineta, 30 miles from Athens. Near the town of Marathon, residents fled to safety along the beach, while 600 children were evacuated from holiday camps. Officials raised the possibility the blazes could have been started deliberately by criminals out to ransack abandoned homes. "I am really concerned by the parallel outbreak of these fires," Tsipras said as supreme court prosecutors announced they had opened an investigation into the causes of the fire. Showers were set to see temperatures around Athens drop slightly after hitting 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Fires rage across Europe amid record temperatures The wildfires come as record temperatures in northern Europe have seen blazes cause widespread damage in recent days. Sweden, experiencing an unprecedented drought and the highest temperatures in a century, has counted more than 20 fires across the country. Fires have also hit Finland's northernmost Lapland province. A global heatwave map shows how the UK was another warm blob in a mostly warmer-than-normal world in June 2018 Norway, which experienced its hottest May temperatures on record, has seen several small fires. One firefighter was killed on July 15 trying to contain a blaze. Fires have raged for five days in Latvia, destroying more than 1,000 hectares in the Baltic state.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2mI6J3z