>> hello and welcome to "focus on europe." thanks for joining us for this week's edition. let me begin by saying that today i'm really thankful this studio is air-conditioned because outside, the sweltering heat wave continues. across europe, people are suffering from the heat. with countries continually reporting record high temperatures. and wildfires are igniting not just in southern europe, but in central european countries and even in the typically cooler northern parts. heatwaves and drought each a consequence of human-induced climate change are becoming bigger problems every year.

some of the consequences of climate change have almost biblical proportions. like on the italian island of sardinia, where the province surrounding orotelli has been plagued by locusts since 2019. rising temperatures have pushed up locust numbers, and come summer, huge swarms wreak havoc on wildlife, including on farmers' crops. months of hard work can be wiped out in a matter of hours. the question is, can the insects be stopped? ♪ >> a barren landscape and the last stragglers of a recent locust swarm. the insects left a trail of devastation in their wake. also on farmer antonello brau's pastures. ♪ >> there's nothing left, look at the soil.

they devoured everything. look here, see how many locusts there are. >> the slurry tank is full of locusts. antonello had to move his 800 goats to the surrounding countryside, as there was nothing left for them to graze on here. the insects even ate the hay for the winter. which will mean higher costs on a job that's already hardly profitable. >> it's impossible to calculate the damages they caused. we've had locust invasions since 2019, but it's never been as bad as this year. >> an estimated 50,000 hectares of land in sardinia have been affected. the epicenter of the plague is the tirso river valley. >> this whole area has been ravaged by the locusts. they moved along the river, where the floodplains below this mountain range offer ideal conditions for locusts.

>> gavino and fabio work for the regional agriculture agency. part of their job is to try to gain control over the pests. >> here this female is laying her eggs. she digs a hole, clears it out, then in go the eggs. >> every female deposits up to 30 eggs, three times each season. >> these are the pods they lay their eggs in, three next to each other. inside are the eggs of the locusts. their life cycle lasts from april to july. they lay eggs three times and then they die. >> locusts will even eat other dead locusts. fabio says proper plowing of the land is an important tool for combating invasions.

>> plowing is important in order to get the eggs out of the ground and onto the surface. because only there can they be eaten by their natural predators -- birds, pigs, wild boars or other omnivores. arturo cocco, from the university of sassari, researches locusts. he explains multiple factors contribute to locust infestations, which began on sardinia in 2019. >> climate change plays a big role, because we now have long dry periods. on top of that, more and more land has been abandoned. it's no longer being cultivated or managed. >> the use of chemicals is only effective against young locusts. plus, there are large areas where pesticides cannot be used anyway because they are devoted to organic farming. researchers are therefore relying on natural predators:

first and foremost this beetle -- mylabris variables. >> we must do whatever it takes to protect and propagate the locusts' natural predators. it's the only way we can control this infestation. >> gavino and fabio collect the beetles, as they are currently the most successful weapon for preventing future locust plagues. >> this beetle lays its eggs in the hole where the locusts have their eggs. and then the beetle larvae eat the locusts' eggs. we try to capture as many beetles as possible in places where they're not needed, and use them where we need their help. >> in 2021, sardinia's regional government made a plan to combat the locust plagues. this includes an app for reporting swarms, organic pesticides, and farmers being required to plow their land. even now, gavino and fabio are

working hard so that next summer summer their native island will be spared from the insects. ♪ >> many european countries and the us are supplying ukraine with tanks, rocket launchers, and rifles to resist russia's invasion. and humanitarian aid is also being sent to ukrainians. one thing they are lacking, though, are e some very specifc kinds of cars -- all-terrain automobiles like suvs and pickups. the vehicles are mainly needed near battle lines to bring food or ammunition, or to evacuate the wounded. jacek hugo-bader is bringing such vehicles to ukraine. the initiative is funded by donations, and for him and his friends, the more cars, the better. >> irek kopec is inspecting the axle suspension here in warsaw. he's helping to get this old korean off-roader in shape. the vehicle will soon be heading to ukraine.

>> check the suspension. it's not sitting right. >> the used car was purchased with donations. the men overhaul it for free. it's to be handed over to ukraine's armed forces at no charge. >> we're looking for off-road vehicles. they can be put to use at the front, for example, to transport the wounded. ideally, they should have all-wheel drive. >> well-known polish journalist and author jacek hugo-bader came up with the idea for this initiative. since the invasion began he has been in ukraine several times, and eventually started collecting donations. >> i'm a reporter, and the job is my life. and, since i'll be going over there quite often, i wanted the ukrainians to get something out of it. so, i launched this fund-raising initiative and was able to buy four vehicles,

including that one. >> he learned what was needed most during his trips. >> the major powers send tanks and artillery, but they don't have enough everyday vehicles, and they really need them. i realize there's no point in sending good, new cars because they'll have a short lifespan in ukraine. i bring these cars to the troops of the 24th mechanized brigade in the donbass. i've friends fighting there. they received a beautiful new car from the uk that only survived for two days. >> evelyn ofsoske, a native ukrainian, is packing donations from a canadian aid organization to be brought along. >> this is a very, very expensive cool-aid badly needed , because it is suitable for the soldiers and for the general population. and we've thrown in a couple of toys for kids. just, you know, they're going through a war.

so we just thought a couple of things in the box, we had a little bit of space, so we put it in. and here is a drawing one of the children in canada had drawn for ukraine, so we will be passing on a couple of these, as well. >> her 84-year-old father and other relatives are still in kyiv. it's a source of constant worry. >> i'm very saddened, and it's bewildering to me that, in the 20 first century, we have something like this going on. >> fuel is also urgently needed in ukraine. the country is suffering fuel shortages, so jacek and evelyn will be taking supplies, both for themselves and as a donation. >> the first time i went to ukraine, there were only two filling stations along the entire road from lviv to dnieper. that's about 900 kilometers. one would only let you buy 20 liters, the other ten. and even for that, ukrainians had to stand in line for 24 hours. so, you had to stay in line around the clock just to get ten liters of fuel.

>> everything is ready to go -- fuel reserves, donations of medical supplies, and two vehicles. it is ok. so far, we will see. 290,000 kilometers on the vehicle. [laughs] so we'll see. >> it's a five-hour drive to the ukrainian border and a few more hours to lviv. a long journey for the old car and its passengers. the next day, they've almost reached their destination. jacek hands over the remaining fuel reserves and the vehicle on a parking lot on the outskirts of town. > we can't say exactly where for security reasons. vitaly will help make sure the vehicles reach the forces on the front lines. >> our boys need as many vehicles as they can get:

pickup trucks, all-wheel light off-roaders, all-wheel mini-buses are all great options, because they can get through grass, mud and other surfaces really well. i have great respect for the poles and all the other europeans who are helping us. together, we'll win. >> next week, jacek hugo-bader plans to bring another two vehicles to ukraine, a country fighting to defend its independence. >> since the beginning of the russian invasion, around one third of the ukrainian population has had to flee. millions have found shelter abroad. among them are sasha and her seventeen-year-old daughter anna, who are staying with a host family in berlin. on paper, they are safe. but how safe do you actually feel when you're starting a new life in a foreign country, and facing all of the challenges that brings? how do you deal with making a fresh start, while many of those you care about remain in a war-torn country?

our reporter accompanied sascha and anna as they took their first steps in the german capital. >> russia's violent invasion of ukraine has forced millions of people to flee their homes. they are now refugees in germany. but their hearts are still in ukraine. >> my friends stayed in chernihiv. my classmates. i can't bear the thought that they did not have the chance to escape, even though they wanted to. it's terrifying. [voice breaks] it's hard because i can't help them. >> anna was finishing up high school. sasha worked in a call center. the war completely changed their lives.

>> they bombed us from day one. so the very first week, we moved to my mother's house and hid there. we were in the basement the whole time. the bombing started. after a while, we could tell what kind of shell had fallen just by the sound. those first days, we knew a lot of people who died in the streets, civilians, ordinary people, our neighbors. >> after their third attempt, anna and sasha managed to escape. they now live with a host family in berlin. >> humans are social beings. if someone falls down next to you, you feel empathy and help em up. it's only natural. >> anna and sasha have signed up for a german class. the course is offered by the church, for free.

[chatter] [laughter] >> do you have children? >> i, two children. >> what is the name of your wife, your husband? >> i am single. >> ok, thank you very much. >> it is a little bit difficult, but it is ok. we are learning. we are students. >> we want to study germany. that's why we -- to study germany very well. >> it's not just the current situation that weighs on them. they are also still grieving the death of anna's father.

he died fighting separatists in 2017. >> as i stand here, i think of my husband. he died very early in this war. we'd found our peace with it a bit, but all those painful feelings are back again. it's all so sad. >> anna and sasha want to say thanks to their hosts so they are cooking a typical ukrainian dish. that also brings up memories of their old lives. >> i want to see my grandparents. eat grandmother's food. because it is the most beautiful thing in the world. [laughs] yeah, and meet my friends and talk about how they are feeling and if everything is fine, or maybe something is terrible.

and just talk. [chatter] >> overall, they have gotten used to their new life. and they get along welwith their host family. >> it feels like we're having dinner with our own family. we're already entirely comfortable with our german family. it's like being home. >> berlin is also growing on them. and there are new plans are in the making. >> i want to go back to ukraine to see my family members, but i think about living in germany for my life in the future. because i really like this country.

>> i'm too old to completely overturn my former life. all my relatives are in ukraine, and my house, too. i want anna to decide for herself whether she wants to stay in germany or return to ukraine. but i want to go home someday. when the war is over, i will definitely do that. >> but as to when that might be, for now, mother and daughter have no idea. [chatter] >> ludovic-mohamed zahed is a scholar of islam, a mosque founder, and he is openly gay. he was reported to be the first french muslim to be civilly married to another man. and while many would argue this was his right, there are those who say islam and homosexuality are not compatible. even in marseille in the south of france, where zahed lives. he has allies in his fight against prejudices. but the path he has chosen is long and risky. [chanting] >> imam ludovic-mohamed zahed is praying for tolerance.

and he's happy to do so with a woman. that in itself is already pretty unusual. but the real surprise is that the muslim scholar is openly homosexual, and fighting for gays to be accepted in islam. >> this can't go on. there's too much violence, pressure, and degradation. people pretend we don't exist. sometimes there's even physical violence in our families and communities. >> after studying to become an imam back in his native country of algeria, zahed fled here to marseille, in southern france. in his new home, he came out as homosexual. and founded an islamic institute. these days, he also officiates gay weddings. >> thank you for coming, i'm very honored to take part in

this ceremony. >> it's about acceptance and standing one's ground. officially same-sex marriages are not allowed in islam. >> congratulations! [applause] >> that's why some imams in france have threatened zahed and pitted muslims against him. >> some people are very angry without knowing me. it's crazy that people can hate you or want to see you dead without even knowing you. >> according to one survey, over two thirds of muslims in france have prejudices against homosexuals. >> we're muslims. we don't have that kind of thing. we behave with decency. >> for us, to be homosexual, and do such things, is a

terrible sin. and that's why muslims don't do that. >> >> but zahed wants to belong to the muslim community. he's already gone on five pilgrimages to the holy muslim city of mecca. he wants to show that homosexuals can be good muslims. [chanting] >> it was important to me and us to be physically present and show that we exist and are part of the community. that we have the same practices and that we're no less human or spiritual just because we're, as they put it, different. >> the imam is calling for open discussion about a new, reformed islam, with more tolerance towards minorities. he moderates talks on social media. and today's guests are a catholic clergyman and salima, one of few woman who are imams.

>> there is a sura that you know better than me that says we have created man, we have created women, and we ve created someing in between. >> salima values her brother in faith, and says he is breaking new ground. >> what ludovic is doing is he is creating an institution. he's institutionalizing a new, modern, inclusive islam. and this is new. there's nobody offering those tools. ♪ >> zahed also wants to protect those who are in danger because of their sexual orientation. like this group of homosexual refugees. ♪ some have had their lives threatened back in their home countries. and their fellow believers here don't always show them tolerance either.

>> it's time to sound the alarm for tolerance. >> the imam has been supporting this artistic work for years. here the group is putting on a dance performance. ♪ >> it makes me happy to see how much good it does the participants. and it's interesting for the audience, too, because some struggle to understand these identities. when they're just a reality, which the audience discovers here through art, and that's a wonderful thing. >> in order to win over more people for his cause, ludovic-mohammed zahed wants to share this with others. he's determined to keep at it, despite the risks. >> sure, there are moments when you're afraid. but not really.

and that's not going to hold us back. >> there are unfortunately only a few wild rivers left in europe. the vjosa in albania is one of the last that still flows untamed and free. it is a unique ecosystem that has remained largely undisturbed by human influences. and it's now been decided that it should stay that way. the government in tirana wants to turn the vjosa and all of its tributaries into europe's first wild river national park. that's music to the ears of nature lovers and environmentalists, although they don't quite trust the government's plans. >> the vjosa river and its tributaries are a rarity in europe as they are still largely wild. biologist olsi nika has been fighting to keep it that way for twelve years, and to keep the river safe from

hydro-electric plants. construction had already started at this site. >> 3000 dams that are being projected in the balkans, so 90% of those dams are the so-called small-scale hydros. actually, they are bringing almost nothing to the energy grid, but at the same time, they are having the huge ecological footprint. >> albania's power grid is supplied almost entirely by hydroelectric plants, but they can't meet demand. to keep the vjosa untapped, environmentalists have been calling for a national park for years. >> it's actually our last chance to still contain the free-flowing river not for albania alone, but it's on a european contact. finally, in early june, the albanian government promised to esblish a national park. >> no new power plants are to be built on the vjosa. but we can't speak of a national park where there will be only plants and animals. there'll be economic

development for people, as well. >> local residents question the project's integrity. ahmed berzani offers rafting tours for backpackers. for years, he's been campaigning to legally protect the vjosa, for gentle tourism in the region , and no dams. >> in albania, we have not all the confidence to believe what the government say because what the government now say, they can change it. >> essentially, the vjosa's future depends on whether its protection as a national park is signed into law, and on that those in power let this river stay wild. >> that brings us to the end of this edition of "focus on europe." if you missed anything or want to share a report, you can always find our program on our website, dw.com. thanks for watching, and on behalf of the entire team, try to stay cool, see you next week, and bye for now.

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berlin. another attack on europe's busiest nuclear power plant. so i, we will ask a nuclear scientist if this could be another chernobyl disaster in the making. he said there was enough evidence tst