at any time, any place a using using video nevada's we have like a set of songs to sing along to down load is the community from super munsey to, to tie our varied courses, put it into active exercises, are available at d, w dot com, slash dot atlanta on facebook or in the app store, land gym and for free with d. w. hello and welcome to focus on europe. i'm laura babylon, thanks for your company. it's been a year since the taliban seized power in afghanistan. the chaos that followed sent

shock waves across the world. cobbles airport was crowded with people trying to escape life under the militants. some even clung to evacuation planes and acts of desperation. the window to flee was narrow as international rescue flights, including ones from germany, brought refugees out of the country. since international troops withdrew from afghanistan and the taliban has ruled with an iron fist life for many afghans is now a fight for survival. poverty is rampant and the medical system is on the brink of collapse. well, things are especially bad for sick and injured children, like abdul, the 11 year old lost both of his hands and now he is receiving help from the aid organization. peace village international. the agency brings children in need of urgent medical care to over housing in germany. we accompanied abdul on his trip

or happening for medical treatment in germany. hundreds of afghan parents have brought their children to cobble. among them is 11 year old abdulla and his father . abdulla both hands and a bomb attack and he's nearly blind and his left eye the german 8 organizational piece village international is his only chance for receiving proper medical treatment. oh, oh, yeah. first atlanta i visited other hospitals but didn't recover. sack them. that's why i'm here. oh, because i need help with my hands that that delish, one visit to the whole again, the social worker, claudia pepper mueller, has been flying to afghanistan for years. she and her team bring severely injured children like abdulla back to germany for treatment. the woman who actually present the taliban seized power in august 2021. busy she has seen conditions in the

country, take a dramatic turn for the worse, for as long as the load the hadn't in all our time here. we've never had so many families come to us in over 2200 came from you again. that telling one child you can come and another you can only come later is really hard. because you don't know if the child will survive half a year, especially with bone infections m, jaime, after life. no afghan stands, economy has collapsed. numerous people are starving, many qualified doctors have left the country as have many aid organizations. we can now call them and fish and without children have started coming to us again without any dressing on their wounds or pain killers. good. yeah. we've seen seriously injured children who would be an intensive care in germany without any pain medication or bandages. just lying at home like that. good. i'm fossil how the leading that you've also had before being able to help the children. claudia pep,

lula and her colleagues need the taliban cooperation and really without their permission and valid passports. the children aren't allowed to leave the country as it italian bonnen was at this point. the taliban or men belonging to that organization or an free department is our organization. we've had some really positive experiences with poor the t, the f o. actually we were amazed when they requested our honda. for about 40 years, the 8 organization has been transporting seriously ill and injured children to germany, unchartered flights to a foreign land. far away from their parents and brothers and sisters. oh my god, you're in august and he she what's her name? mama. oh that my oh no i though. a few months later we meet until again in the

peace village and we'll belvin. he's been living here with other gravely injured children from crisis and war zones from around the world. it's a community thrown together by dire need for as long as the surgery and rehab last o. a medical nurse checks abdulla progress and explains his treatment. i said so once, comp, i mean when he came to us a few months ago, he still had a wound here in the chest area class. we managed to remove several little pieces of metal capsules locked in while they were out, the wound closed up quite nicely. around yeah, abdul still has an operation coming up all. it's to separate the not from the radius, so we'll have a tensor like forearm fan on. so i have that stuff or. yeah. and that way it'll be possible for him to grasp a pen or fit. something is kind of the pucker and order. another thing out to fix

young with abdul knows the operation will bring him new possibilities. as emma let, i'm not scared. i'm happy that they're operating on me on the left and i'm not scared at all. that's. that's there that, ah, yeah, playing helps the children at piecemeal which international, momentarily forget about their pain war and being away from their homes and families. here every one becomes one team, at least for a while, and they all contribute their own experience, hinders cause. it's amazing how each day these children show me how much life is worth living. they show me use the day to live in the moment later. that's also what they learn in their countries. it's not like us, and we tend to think everything through right up to retirement event, but they'll tell you you can think about today or tomorrow at the most likely, but enjoy the life you've got laughing. when i went in,

that's me. oh, ok, don't, doesn't yet know when he'll be able to return to afghanistan. but he's already looking forward to showing his father all the things he can do again. oh wow. europe is experiencing another extremely hot and dry summer. the situation looks apocalyptic, especially in the continent. south forests are burning, and droughts are drying up rivers. the great capital of athens is one of the hottest places on the continent, but efforts are underway to cool down the ancient city. athens now has its very own chief heat officer, the 1st ever in europe, her task to keep the residence comfortable despite record temperatures. ah, in high summer the sun beats down on athens,

temperatures of 40 degrees celsius or more, are becoming commonplace. and that's hard on tourists and locals alike. aline. mit easily always keeps her water bottle handy. she knows all about summer in the city, in the risks it poses. because she's athens chief heat officer, the greek capitals 1st, and the 1st and all of europe. it's her job to prepare the city for climate change . here she's descending into the cities historical underground, together with an employee of the athens waterworks, it's home to hadrian aqueduct, an underground tunnel, almost 20 kilometers long, built by roman emperor hadrian. in the 2nd century e. d. aline, murray, valley once water to flow. here again, soon, engineers have already drawn up plans and also that they are planning to create 20

specific points where the, where they tap into the water into the green new parks. the idea is to create a green belt running street through the city. the creation of parts should produce a cooling effect. the cheap heat officer is particularly proud of this small part, which was inspired by japanese gardens. that we have to choose glance that are both to have a lot of leaves and thick canopy that without a loser there leaves in the winter. but also can, can do not need the enormous amounts of water and can survive in difficult conditions for several years. now, extreme heat waves and grease have almost always been accompanied by forest fires, which are increasingly becoming a threat to the capital. in mid july, there was a wild fire on the northern outskirts of athens. dozens of homes were destroyed.

aline moody volley knows that time is running out in a few decades, large parts of this city of close to $4000000.00 people could become uninhabitable . already athens is often the hottest city in europe during the summer and we don't have a lot of barks and, and green spaces. and we have a lot of old people. the fact that the, the surfaces are we have a lot of surfaces that then to heat up. we have a lot of cars that produce even more heat and air conditioning and produces even more c. so it's actually a pretty deadly makes enough. studies have shown that older people in particular are at risk of dying during heat waves. so elaina, moody valley is also seeking advice from the red cross. here colleagues from the australian red cross explain how they devised a system to help vulnerable groups cope with temperatures of up to 50 degrees

celsius. they started out in response to a big the way that killed many people at the request of the local authorities. there we are preparing people to be able to help and people before they get really sick so that we can tell them what to do. and if they start having symptoms, somebody's there that can answer a phone or can be next to them to help them. so they don't end up in the hospital yet, few athenians take heat that seriously or perceive it as life threatening. my son almost if i got dizzy or feel like i'm going to throw up, i just stick my feet and cold water. oh, could he on at all? but unity doesn't. this is increasingly unbearable in summer. no rivers and most of surrounding countryside has burned up enough to your knowledge here that the heat is an issue for a geese emanuel. and not just because he likes to run long distances. he's an actor and one of the most famous climate activists in greece to promote climate

protection. the athenian ran 2500 kilometers from here to the world climate conference in glasgow. scotland last year. he thinks, having a heat officer like a leaning buddy valley isn't a bad idea, but that for athens, it's likely too little too late. now my babble ran of jo, 3, a floor yard and them it'd be nice to have a new park in my neighbourhood with a fountain i can cool off in on hot days. i'm up on the store. but to be honest, it seems like giving a cancer patient and aspirin, alamahood, emily, rush, speeding. i get the impression that we've already surrendered normally is realistic . i'm up of iffy or the blue nikki, my beginning accepted the climate crisis from up and now about we're trying to somehow live with it to the bottom blue or blacksmith driven level shadow stores after elaina moody really doesn't want to give up on her home city but she can see why young athenians might choose to leave. my daughter is currently studying in norway. and to tell you the truth, i, i'm kind of happy studying in norway. i because i think it's going to

get it going. i'm afraid i'm worried that this going to give to really hard in the south. do, only medievalist says young athenians should also be able to have a future here. after all, this ancient city has survived many a crisis in its almost 4000 year long history or italy has also been suffering under extreme heat and drought. water supplies are running low and in places like the island of julio tourism is making the situation worse. while the revenue, the holiday makers generate is welcome, but the vast amounts of water they consume is creating a problem. the most obvious solution is the sea desalination plant on julio, produces millions of leaders of fresh water daily. but it's a plan that comes at a high price if only sea water were possible on the italian

island, julio se of elva, there's plenty of sea water. and for centuries there was also enough spring water. but booming tourism led to the water demand exploding. in summer, julio's population increases tenfold. which is why this desalination plant was needed. 2000000 liters of fresh water are made here from sea water every day. a lot, a lot quack. if anybody, water is pumped out of the sea and into these 2 tanks, what that anguish the do i said a battery, the still cadjew when the dish i'm of in these cylinders, bacteria and other micro organisms are filtered out by that they didn't. but equal lactose hallie, doctor, my, she saw otherwise they could cause problems later in the treatment process. i see stem i the threat dummy in, don't the filter, salt water is then forced under high pressure through these white pipes. and a membrane salt cannot pass through. so what comes out is fresh water

at more, it's good, it's really good. the process sounds simple enough, but come the solution. be broadly applied. biologist, andrea blue shoe says desalination has drawbacks. he and his team have been studying the sea floor off of julio for more than 10 years, including around the plenty thought a manager, thought a member there before with the brine from the plant comes back into the sea will about that. just air behind the rocks where the foam is with us humor the other with the, with this fog. this brian is 3 times a salty as normal sea water. the biologists have found that all plants within a radius of about 30 meters have died, including neptune grass, which is crucial for the water balance. to compare, this is a healthy c bed off julia la anthem's apple. she go 9 aqua alo, fish,

water grass is as vital as a forest on landed. i'm yet that, that wester, but gruel stabilizes the sea bed today, produces oxygen, make it going to provides refuge for fish, as well as other sea creature letter corner. therefore, you said what that beat is yours in raids, our proper ecosystems. so it'll be dotted up if she bit who is what i'm get the ability to you see me nerdy out flow from the plant. most animals have also disappeared. and the dissemination plant comes with other problems. it uses as much power as $503.00 person households lap in the sunni, the electricity is produced on the island of over on the other side. so should i leave that in order to meet there with the help of generator is there like the guy that i meet the vision at? i thought it this is the power generation plant every day around 1000 liters of diesel or burned just to power the desalination plant. but finding

a greener alternative isn't straightforward. busy the mayor explains that many of the houses are historic and not suited to solar panels. and as most of the island is a nature preserve wind turbines aren't allowed to either pull drop or via regular transport thought the mall, dickie look around, fortune and my lot in many tons of diesel are brought here for power production project. but the little start to that civilian or the eastern, the italian state has a project to connect the island to the mainland with a power cable electric of the music. i could see that the projects launch date is unclear. so for now, the islanders carrying on with oil as there is no good alternative to desalination . and for hoteliers, like eva marys, desalination is desperately needed. but he and mart chair are in even the past water was brought over by tankers. was when that was used up, my grandparents had to go down to the harbor to collect water from wells along with

these jug. was it rock? can domino, i live in front. i land some with the desalination plant. we've had no more water problem us to pro lemmy call aqua. but having a constant supply, fresh water carries a hidden risk, says biologist. andrea belushi are there. so if i don't get that bush decided, daughter should bumped out with a desalination planned egg, people waste water or chart, a shower after swimming mile than a 2nd. and a 3rd tra, they hose down ships in the harbour with fresh water in a bar go. the dissemination plant is soon to be upgraded to produce even more fresh water. but that also means more brine and even more fuel use. i time people re learn to treat fresh water as a precious commodity. imagine not knowing whether your child is alive or dead. afghani and alexander bood kabbage no,

this agony all too well. their son maxime took up arms when russia invaded ukraine, while the war has been raging for almost 6 months, and reports of ukrainian prisoners of war being abused have emerged. maxime is it? one of the estimated 7000 ukrainian soldiers believed to have been captured by russian forces for his parents. the days are filled with heartache and uncertainty . every morning you kenya would keep it takes a few minutes. she's holding a photo of her son maxime. she hasn't had any sign of life from him since he was taken prisoner by the russian military, 2 months earlier. she's terrified he's being tortured or that he's no longer alive . you know, so then the court and i sit and cry while my husband still a slave of inches when he gets out i wash my face so yeah, that's and try to be strong for the day. so it be,

so i only allow myself to cry like that early in the morning if kenya and alexander would cubic invited us in to hear about their son, who like what they're maxime would cubic volunteered for military service. for years he'd worked as a ukrainian journalist and stood up for refugees and human rights. when russia invaded ukraine, they tell us maxime decided to fight for his country. when unfamiliar good is that true? but sushi is a pacifist issue. and auntie militarist has been all his life. yes. because i'm she ain't look at me. but he told me i have to join the army. d. she'll have to defend the values i fought for my whole life. so swift, both boys have been level them a lot if we'd been younger we'd have joined to you was but were to on the hold max seems parents only found out he'd been taken prisoner from

a video shown on russian state media. it showed their son being interrogated in a cell or somewhere in well, i said it was terrible. leticia. the 1st thing i felt was pure horror. yet the willis, i saw my only child and thought this can't be true over the following weeks. social media channels close to the kremlin, labeled maxime, a nazi and ultra nationalist. and even a british spy over and over again. simply because in 2003, he worked as a producer for the bbc. his parents went to the ukrainian military ukraine, security service, and aid organizations. but no one could tell them anything. they dishes in the book with chris fuller, my biggest worry is that they won't treat our son as a p o w at all. but as a criminal m e survey, they've been doing with many others zeppelin, leach,

i'm worried that they'll put him on trial. it is using all these lies. and from the top of the evidence shifts, yes. will you freak? according to ukraine security service over 7000 ukrainians have now been taken as prisoners of war by russian forces. the security service is collecting as much information as possible, but its work is highly confidential. so it turned down our interview requests. however, an attorney representing 50 families of p o w's was prepared to talk to us bloody slough. ignore tiff works closely with the security service, trying to bring the p o w 's back home. i see, he thinks russia will be accusing more and more ukrainian soldiers of being nazis or committing other invented crimes. i think this is, sir, this is done mostly for their political purposes. when you create such an, you know, importance of the person who's gray nazis, you know,

you may use it to in, in their political, you know, trait maxime parents are determined not to let that happen. so they have filed an emergency appeal with the european court of human rights, hoping it'll put pressure on russia to allow international organizations access to their son. and i see what you were doing this so we can find out how maxine was doing my stick. you really have just one goal, them one way that maxime and his comrades be set free. seemeth until then you're gonna and alexander put cubic are trying to remain strong and fight back the panic and fear they feel for their son. and finally, in italy, cycling as a sport normally associated with professional athletes. but change is afoot in the home of ferrari and vesta. the bicycle as a means of transport is picking up pace,

and the city of ferrara is the head of the curve. ferrara is a cycling city, a quarter of residence cycle regularly, which is unusual in italy where few got around by bike before the pandemic. ferrara's love of bicycles can be seen in reaching glitter. instead of throwing away old, broken bicycles. they donate piles of them to the project to be refurbished and resold a wagner that a, when a man all. and they support our social project by donating bikes that were left in yards or seller, cd and fina shambles from are made. we recycle $300.00 to $350.00 bikes per year, bit of paranoid or not because i mean on the beach. i could tell jordan that's like rescuing one from the junkyard every day. sullivan, the butcher shall the b damage. which eclipse is both good for the environment and the local community. the project employees, people seeking to re enter the workforce and as hired to men and demand for the

bikes is high. the city has been working to become even more bicycle friendly for decades. this also attracts cycle tourists for whom new ideas are being developed, such as bed and bike, where bicycles can be taken into the room. oh, well, help evelyn de la sa tourist and know where to store their bicycles. none of that, and they have expensive bias. it's more that they need to know that they'll be say, a dual focus on october. the bennett, in ferrara, people have been alex cyclists for over 150 years. the highlight of the year is the historic bike race where everyone has to ride vintage racing bikes. i like all of this is my 2nd time promises that i'm writing, my grand does bike. he's real happy bottle and then will the content up on the movie. the same frequency of each of arrival. ferrara, kids learn to cycle before they can walk. armina, boy, iraq, that gotta have been cycling since i was 14. now i am 80. i wrote 25 kilometers to come here today. i'm

a little late to love to read her throat at the body tab. and they're off the rudest, 61 kilometers. but that's more pleasure than competition for all those and ferrara . passionate about cycling as they say, it's the journey, not the destination. and that brings us to the end of our program. thank you so much for watching. ah ah, with

a is the end of the pandemic in sight. we show what he could look like will return to normal. and we visit those who are finding it difficult

with success in our weekly coping 19 special in 10 minutes on d. w. lab has no limit. no love is for everybody. love is live with love matters and that's my new podcast. i'm evelyn sharma, and i really think we need to talk about all the topics that more divides and deny that this i have invited many, dear and well, i guess, and i would like to invite you to an end. sometimes a seed is all you need to allow big ideas to grow. we're bringing environmental conservation to life with learning packs like global ideas. we will show you

how climate change and environmental conservation is taking shape around the world and how we can all make a difference. knowledge grows through sharing, download it now for free. lagrange habitat ended the listening place of longing. the mediterranean sea, it's waters connect people of many cultures. siena l must rock and to far abdul karim drift along with exploring modern lifestyles and mediterranean, where it has history left its traces. meeting people hearing their dreams, a mediterranean journey intended to so starts august 14th on d w. ah

ah ah ah, this is dw news, my from berlin, western allies pledge cash and weapons for ukraine. a one and a half 1000000000 euro package also includes training for ukrainian troops. denmark's prime minister promises keith. we will not let you down.