Wildfires continue to burn across at least nine countries in Europe and North Africa, forcing mass evacuations as firefighters battle on in tinderbox conditions. Greece, France, Portugal, Spain, Gran Canaria, Italy, Croatia, and Turkey have seen raging fires this week as extreme heat billows over the countries. Temperatures are expected to peak on Wednesday, sparking hopes of some reprieve from the fatal heatwave. Follow the latest on wildfires in Europe here. Evacuations have taken place near Lisbon and in Gran Canaria, while the Greek prime minister warned on Tuesday of tough days ahead, with conditions possibly improving after Thursday. The Greek Fire Brigade has already been battling more than 500 fires for almost two weeks, while the high temperatures of the recent new heatwave are set to exceed 44C in some areas of Greece. A blaze in Rhodes prompted “the biggest evacuation” in Greek history, with over 20,000 people forced to flee homes and hotels over the weekend, while around 2,500 people have already been evacuated from Corfu, which has been enduring dozens of blazes. Italian firefighters said they battled nearly 1,400 fires between Sunday and Tuesday, including 650 in Sicily and 390 in Calabria, the southern mainland region where a bedridden 98-year-old man was killed as fire consumed his home. Meanwhile, in North Africa, at least 34 people have been killed in Algeria, with fires burning in a total of 15 provinces and 1,500 people evacuated from their homes. Among those killed were 10 soldiers who became trapped by flames. Strong winds have resulted in fires spreading to neighbouring Tunisia, with two border crossings closed in an attempt to contain the blaze. Here we look at where the fires are currently burning: Rhodes: Italy: Croatia: Portugal: Turkey: Read More Greece fires – live: Spain, Portugal and Italy battle wildfires as Europe faces ‘perfect storm’ Deadly wildfires across the Mediterranean destroy homes, threaten nature reserves When will heatwave in Europe end? New forecast shows relief in sight Where are the wildfires? The nine affected European countries mapped When will heatwave in Europe end? New forecast shows relief in sight Bluffing or not, Putin’s declared deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus ramps up saber-rattling

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 23, 2023--

Max Verstappen will be accompanied by two bodyguards at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix amid safety concerns. Red Bull have decided to act after the Dutchman was booed by a section of Mexican fans at the US Grand Prix in Austin last Sunday, while there was also chanting of “Checo” during the Dutch national anthem. Social media threats have also been made against the three-time F1 world champion. Verstappen and his Mexican team-mate Sergio Perez have endured a topsy-turvy relationship, with a significant low in Brazil last year when Verstappen ignored a team order to let Perez pass him. And while Verstappen did not ask for protection in the Mexico City paddock, Red Bull special advisor Helmut Marko revealed the team are not taking any chances. “Max doesn’t really want that [bodyguards] and is relaxed,” Marko told F1-Insider.com. “But we have responsibility for him. That’s why we just want to play it safe.” World champion Verstappen is 226 points clear of Perez in the championship standings, with 15 wins compared to two. Perez has not won since Azerbaijan in April and has endured a dismal few months despite being in the quickest car on the grid. It has resulted in speculation that the Mexican will lose his seat for 2024, a year before his contract runs out. But team boss Christian Horner has repeatedly insisted Perez will be their driver next year. Perez will be eyeing a historic victory at his home race this weekend, where he has been on the podium twice. Read More Willy T Ribbs: ‘There were death threats – but I was never going to play the victim’ Mercedes chief admits ‘embarrassment’ after Lewis Hamilton disqualification Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ

Authorities in Tennessee are searching for the son of Nashville's police chief as a suspect in the Saturday shooting of two suburban police officers.

(Reuters) -Elon Musk's brain chip startup Neuralink has raised $280 million in a funding round led by Peter Thiel's Founders

Chinese retail sales grew in October at the fastest rate in five months, data showed Wednesday, boosted by an extended holiday at the start of the month, though other indicators pointed to...

(Reuters) -The Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority approached a number of big UK lenders this week to see if

Unbeaten Americans Errol Spence and Terence Crawford made weight Friday for their long awaited and highly anticipated welterweight world title...

Megyn Kelly said, 'It would be wise to carefully assess the need for travel and or activity outside your residence over the next 24 to 48 hours'

LONDON British retail sales unexpectedly rose in May from April, suggesting most consumers were coping with high inflation's

Gemma Atkinson has announced the name of her second child with Gorka Marquez as she shared the first picture of the infant. The couple, who met when the former Emmerdale star took part in BBC reality show Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, welcomed their first child earlier this week. In her original post, Atkinson, 38, shared that she had given birth to a boy, with the pair spending a joyous week together before Spanish dancer Marquez, 32, heads off to rehearsal for the new series of Strictly. On Saturday (22 July), Atkinson shared her first photo of her baby son sleeping in his cot in a blue t-shirt. She confirmed his name in the comment section, writing: “Thiago Thomas Marquez [heart emoji]. Our family is complete.” Atkinson and Marquez’s fellow Strictly stars flooded the comment section with support, with pro Oti Mabuse calling the picture “beautiful”. It Takes Two host Janette Manrara commented: “Look at him! CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!” Dianne Buswell said that Thiago was a “mini” version of his father, while Karen Hauer wrote: “Oh the most beautiful little one. Felicidades.” The couple, who already share a three-year-old daughter, Mia, were not partnered up on Strictly in 2017, but started dating after the series finished. Atkinson gave birth to Mia in 2019, during which she he needed an emergency c-section and suffered a haemorrhage after the birth, losing nearly a litre of blood. Following the experience she said she was initially “adamant” that she and Marquez would not want another child. Appearing on Steph’s Packed Lunch last year, she recalled: “All these things were going through my mind, what did I do that caused all that to happen? I was telling myself for weeks and weeks I’d failed at childbirth. “I was having horrible dreams that someone was going to take Mia from me. I remember my mum running into my bedroom and I was sat up screaming, sweating.” Marquez will appear as a professional dancer on the forthcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing, which kicks off in September. One fan favourite pro who won’t be taking part this year, however, is Amy Dowden, following her breast cancer diagnosis. The Welsh dancer, 32, told fans she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer in May and underwent a full mastectomy to treat the disease shortly after. Dowden had shared ambitions to compete on the dancing competition this year, saying that only chemotherapy would affect whether she’d compete on this year’s Strictly. However, on Friday (21 July), Dowden shared that she would be needing to have chemo after more tumours were discovered following her mastectomy. “They found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow,” she said. “It wasn’t in the plan, originally – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on. “This year, it means I’m not going to be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly, but I’m in such regular contact with the team – the BBC have just been utterly incredible,” she said. Read More Fans defend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid breakup rumours Tim Shaddock rescue: Ben Fogle offers to pay for Australian sailor and dog to be reunited after emotional separation Father sparks outrage for calling son ‘spoiled’ after 23-year-old said he can’t throw wedding for under $7,000 Gemma Atkinson announces birth of second baby in heartwarming Instagram post Myleene Klass says she’s ‘changed history’ as government pledge miscarriage support Researchers warn after 25 types of toxic flame retardant found in human breast milk

According to skin influencers on TikTok, topical steroid creams are being ‘illegally sold’ in some black Afro hair and beauty supply stores, affecting black women in particular. Angela Mavalla, a pharmacist and skincare educator, has been sharing TikTok videos garnering thousands of views, encouraging black women to stop purchasing topical steroid creams from these shops – as they are meant to be prescription-only treatments used with appropriate guidance from a doctor. When used incorrectly, the creams can make potentially make skin symptoms worse and harder to manage. “Though these creams tend to address issues like acne and eczema very quickly, because of their potent nature, the skin becomes addicted to it and will flare up badly once you stop using them,” said Mavalla. “A lot my clients – [who are black women] – that I consult privately, were coming to me with issues relating to topical steroid use, such as having terrible flare-ups because they had stopped using the cream, and needed help with tapering off them. “I began making content based on these creams, mainly to warn people of them, and found that these TikTok’s would go viral in a short space of time, with lots of people relating to it, and giving their own testimonials of how the creams damaged their skin,” Mavalla added. “I have seen instances of accidental skin bleaching, worsened eczema and hyperpigmentation, topical steroidal withdrawal and addiction, and worst of all, a crippling low self-esteem and self image. It’s awful. “The first point of call when it comes to steroidal creams should always be a pharmacy. Pharmacists are always willing to help, advise and where necessary, signpost to the most appropriate medical profession, such as a dermatologist.” Dr Unnati Desai, the national GP lead, as well as safeguarding lead for GP services and dermatology lead at Nuffield Health, acknowledged that it can take sometimes take time to correctly diagnose these conditions, and might require a biopsy. It might also take a longer period of time to get symptoms under control, as skin conditions may require trying multiple different treatment regimes to find the one that suits each individual person, as well as getting to grips with individual triggers. What are topical steroid creams and what should they be used for? Doctors prescribe topical steroid creams to treat a wide range of skin complaints – but it’s important to have proper assessments first. “They are topical medications (synthetic corticosteroids) that have an anti-inflammatory action on the skin, by suppressing the skin immune system and constricting the blood vessels of the skin where applied,” Desai told the PA news agency. “They are used for dermatological conditions that result in inflamed, itchy or irritated skin – e.g. eczema, psoriasis, lichen simplex, lichen planus, lichen sclerosus and other autoimmune dermatoses.” Why do people experience topical steroid withdrawal after using steroid creams? When used incorrectly, topical steroids may have potentially significant side-effects. And as Desai warned: “Stopping any steroid treatment suddenly can often result in a flare-up of the condition, which may be worse than the original presentation.” There are some obvious signs and symptoms to look out for to figure out if you are experiencing topical steroid withdrawal, such as red, burning skin and a lumpy, papulopustular rash. “When using a steroid cream to get a dermatitis flare-up under control, especially when a more potent steroid cream has been used for a prolonged period of time, it is necessary to slowly come off the steroid cream and wean your skin off treatment by either reducing the potency of the cream, or the frequency [of application],” said Desai. “This gives the skin time to adjust to coming off the steroid cream slowly, but also clarifies whether the skin condition is coming under control with treatment. “Sometimes, severe dermatoses require long-term use of a medication to be controlled, in which case your doctor will consider alternative treatment modalities.” What damage can it do to your skin?Desai added: “Long-term use of potent steroid creams is not recommended, as there may be some systemic absorption, which can result in suppression of your body’s natural cortisol hormone at the worst. “In most cases, it is the long-term impact on the skin itself that is the concern, as regular or long-term use of steroid creams can impact the skin integrity and thickness, resulting in thinning of the skin, stretch marks, increased hair at the site of use, enlarged skin blood vessels and bruising. “Using a steroid cream when there is an underlying infection present on the skin will make the infection worse, or using steroid creams on the face can result in other chronic skin conditions, such as perioral dermatitis or other acneiform eruptions. “Occasionally, an allergy can develop to components within the cream that can make the dermatitis worse.” How can people remain safe? Desai stressed the importance of only using topical steroid treatments under the appropriate supervision of a qualified clinician. “In addition, as most chronic inflammatory skin conditions tend to result in drier skin, self-care at home with soap substitutes and emollients is important,” she said. “This includes gently cleansing the skin one to two times daily maximum (over-washing will negatively impact the skin barrier function, as will long hot bubble baths), and using unscented emollients (medical grade skin creams designed to gently hydrate the skin), which will better protect the skin and may, depending on the skin condition, make a flare-up less frequent or less severe. “If a steroid cream is needed, a doctor will recommend the amount of cream to be used according to the size of the area affected. We use the ‘Finger Tip Unit’ (FTU) – one FTU is the amount of topical steroid that is squeezed out from a standard tube along an adult’s fingertip – as a method of advising each patient how much cream they need to use with each application.” Read More House of the Year 2023 shortlist revealed by Royal Institute of British Architects Fatima Whitbread supporting new fostering campaign, as research finds ‘misconceptions put people off’ 5 key coat trends to complete your autumn/winter wardrobe 12 ways to weave some woodland wonder into your home Hibernation mode: 5 small self-care adjustments to make before the clocks change 13 possible cancer symptoms you should get checked out