The UN says countries must act urgently to protect children from the harmful effects of climate change.

O’Shae Sibley had been out celebrating a friend’s birthday when the group stopped at a Mobil gas station in Coney Island in Brooklyn on 29 July. On a steamy Saturday night, the 28-year-old professional dancer took off his shirt and was “voguing” — a dance form popularised by the LGBT+ community — to Beyoncé’s Renaissance album with a friend on the station forecourt. Just after 11pm, a separate group of young men allegedly began hurling homophobic insults saying that they didn’t like “gay dancing” in their neighbourhood, according to eyewitnesses. Sibley confronted the men, surveillance footage recovered from the gas station shows. After briefly separating, the clash turned violent, and Sibley was stabbed in the heart during a scuffle. His friends tried to apply pressure to the wound, and police arrived at 11.15pm to find Sibley bleeding heavily on a sidewalk. He was taken to Maimonides Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after. A 17-year-old suspect who allegedly fled the scene was later identified as Dmitriy Popov. Mr Popov was arrested on Friday 4 August and has been arraigned as an adult on murder and hate crime charges. He has pleaded not guilty. Eyewitnesses told the NYPD that Mr Popov had told the voguing group that their dancing offended him as a Muslim. Mr Popov’s lawyer Mark Pollard told The Independent in an interview that his client was a “good Christian boy” who regularly attended church. “I have no idea where that came from. I just know he’s not Muslim. It’s very strange,” Mr Pollard told The Independent. The killing attracted national attention due to its alleged homophobic nature, as attacks on the LGBT+ community are increasing. Beyoncé, who was performing nearby at New York’s MetLife stadium on the night Sibley was killed, paid tribute to the dancer, choreographer and model, who family say was cut down “in his prime”. A funeral for Sibley is being held in his home city of Philadelphia on Tuesday 8 August. What happened? Otis Pena, who was with Sibley when he was killed, said in an emotional Facebook video posted on the night of the stabbing that a group of friends were celebrating his birthday when they had stopped a few blocks from his home to fill up their car. He said he and Sibley were “just pumping gas and listening to [Beyoncé’s album] Renaissance and having a good time”. Mr Pena said that as the confrontation ensued, he saw Sibley wobbling on his feet after being stabbed, and rushed over to try to administer care. “I’m trying to put pressure on the wound, and there’s blood squirting everywhere… I’m covered in his blood,” Mr Pena said through tears. “They killed my brother right in front of me.” “O’Shae was just trying to tell people ‘we may be gay’ and they stabbed him right in the heart,” he continued, breaking down. “They murdered him because he was gay, because he stood up for his friends. All because he wanted people to know that we are gay.” The duo had been close friends for 15 years, he said, and had always had each other’s backs. “O’Shae was the salt to my pepper, the peanut butter to my jelly, and y’all killed him. Y’all killed my bro. O’Shae was a beacon of light that influenced everybody.” An NYPD spokesperson said in a statement they responded to a 911 call at the Mobil station at 11.14pm on 29 July. “Upon arrival, officers observed a 28-year-old male with a stab wound to the torso. EMS responded and removed the victim to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased,” the spokesperson said. Who was O’Shae Sibley? Sibley grew up in North Philadelphia and was one of nine siblings. The youngster had been teased from a young age for his love of dancing, and found refuge at the Philadelphia Dance Company, known as Philadanco, as a 13-year-old, founder Joan Myers Brown told the Philadelphia Inquirer. After starting out dancing hip hop and other modern dances, he learned ballet and classical forms at the company’s apprentice programme D/2, she said. Ms Brown told the Inquirer that opportunities were limited for young, Black dancers in Philadelphia, and Sibley moved to New York about three years ago. “I just want to be famous,” Ms Brown recalls the young dancer telling her. She introduced him to another former Philadanco student Iquail Shaheed, a dance professor who teaches at the Alvin Ailey School in New York. Sibley joined the school’s dance company Ailey Extension, where he was “cherished” by his fellow students, the group wrote in a Facebook tribute. Sibley had been auditioning for Broadway shows, and had also worked as a choreographer and model, according to Ms Brown. He was also a popular member of the ballroom dancing community, friends said. They kept in touch via weekly calls and texts, and Sibley would tell her about his latest auditions, she told the Inquirer. Tondra Sibley, the victim’s aunt, told the New York Times his death was a “senseless crime”. “O’Shae has always been a peacemaker. All he wanted to do was dance,” she said. In an email shared with the Inquirer, Mr Shaheed wrote that Sibley was killed “just because he was Black, gay and dancing”. Sibley had “wanted to make a life for himself in and through dance. Yet, his young life was snuffed out by bigotry and hatred,” Mr Shaheed wrote. He was living in an apartment in Strauss St, Brownsville, in Brooklyn, at the time of his death. Beckenbaur Hamilton, a neighbour and friend, told NBC 4 New York that he had texted Sibley on the morning he was killed out of concern for his safety. He described their neighborhood as “very homophobic.” “We have to live stifled,” he said. “We live here in a community where we have to pretend to be somebody else.” Sibley’s father Jake Kelly wrote on a GoFundme page that his son’s life had been cut “in his prime” because of his sexuality. “O'Shae not only was the glue to this family, he was a great dancer and performer for the majority of his life. His spirit lit up every room he stepped in,” Mr Kelly wrote. Philadanco has also set up a fundraising page to raise funds for Sibley’s family. Suspect arrested Dmitriy Popov, 17, allegedly went on the run for a week after the killing, before surrendering to detectives on Friday. Mr Popov has been arraigned as an adult on murder and hate crime charges and ordered to be held without bail during a court appearance on Monday 7 August. He had reportedly claimed he was Muslim during the deadly confrontation with Sibley and his friends over their shirtless “voguing” dance moves. Court records obtained by the New York Daily News allege Mr Popov said: “Stop dancing here... we are Muslim. Get that gay s*** out of here.” Mr Pollard told The Independent that his client denied making any racist or homophobic statements. “I have met his family, he has Black family members. I’ve met his friends, he has Black friends. He denies hate being a part of anything regarding this.” Mr Popov’s grandmother said outside court that he acted in self-defence, while his mother read a statement expressing sympathy for the Sibley family. “My heart goes out to the family of Mr Sibley,” she said, according to the Daily News. She said her son was a “good boy” and regular churchgoer. ‘Gay joy is not a crime’ There was anger, grief and despair among Sibley’s friends and fellow students in tributes posted to social media. Beyoncé paid tribute to the dancer in a statement on her website, writing simply: “Rest in power O’Shae Sibley.” In a statement to Advocate, LGBT+ advocacy non-profit GLAAD said the shocking murder followed a “disturbing rise in violence and harassment against LGBTQ people across the US”. “This cannot continue. No one should have to fear for their safety just for being themselves. Politicians spewing lies and proposing policies filled with disinformation, and media repeating their false and dangerous rhetoric unchallenged, are creating an incredibly hostile environment that endangers all LGBT+ people and all queer people of colour.” Sibley’s dance studio, the Ailey Extension, said in a statement that he was a “cherished and devoted student”. “He had incredible energy in the studio and was loved by instructors and fellow classmates.” New York state senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said he was “heartbroken and enraged” to learn about Sibley’s death in a post on social media. “Despite homophobes’ best efforts, gay joy is not a crime. Hate-fueled attacks are,” the senator tweeted. A memorial for Sibley is being held at the LGBT Community Center on West 13th St on Saturday 5 August. What is voguing? Voguing is a modern style of house dancing that evolved from the Harlem ballroom dance scene, and was predominantly performed by LGBT+ Black and hispanic men as an imitation of fashion models. Voguing was named after the fashion bible Vogue, and is characterised by exaggerated poses, angular movements and fluid transitions. It first gained mainstream attention after the release of Madonna’s Vogue 1990 music video and the documentary Paris Is Burning. The film focused on drag queens living in New York City and their “house” culture, and won a Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival. Willi Ninja, the “Godfather of voguing”, was honoured by Google with a “doodle” logo on its homepage on 9 June, which featured several performers recreating his iconic dancing style. Read More Teen accused of stabbing O’Shae Sibley in homophobic attack is a ‘good Christian boy’, lawyer says Beyoncé honours dancer who was fatally stabbed while dancing to her music: ‘Rest in power’ Gay man is fatally stabbed while dancing to Beyoncé at Brooklyn gas station Teen suspect charged with murder as a hate crime in O’Shae Sibley stabbing at Brooklyn gas station

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After bringing football home, England head ‘Down Under’ looking to add the Women’s World Cup to last summer’s Euros glory. The Lionesses won their first major prize with their game-changing victory on home soil but Sarina Wiegman’s side are focused on a new goal as they head to Australia as one of the favourites for the tournament. England will face a completely different challenge to what they experienced at the Euros. Not only are they away from home and on the other side of the world, but Wiegman’s team has gone through significant change in the last 12 months, much of it enforced. Injuries have been the hot topic ahead of the World Cup with Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby all ruled out, but those who remain have the experience of winning a major tournament and that should still give England confidence ahead of what is still a wide-open World Cup. Some key questions remain, however, particularly when it comes to depth. England look strong in some areas but appear to be lacking in others, particularly in defence with Williamson a key absentee. There is real talent among the wide forwards and significant competition for the starting striker role, but it does also give the sense that Wiegman is yet to land upon her starting eleven for the World Cup. That was crucial at the Euros, where Wiegman named the same starting line-up for England’s six matches. Denmark, China and Haiti complete Group D and will look to cause an upset, with some serious threats looming ahead of the knockout stages. Although the Lionesses backed up their Euros win with a win against the United States in September and victory in the inaugural women’s Finalissima against Brazil, Australia ended England’s 30-game unbeaten run in April and could be their opponents in the last-16. England Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July 2023: England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane Stadium) Friday 28 July 2023: England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney Football Stadium) Tuesday 1 August: China vs England (12:00, Adelaide) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City) Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal) Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United) Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), Lauren Hemp, (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Manchester United) Key player Keira Walsh was the player of the match in the Euros final and remains England’s most important player with her ability to set the team’s pace and tempo in midfield. Walsh moved to Barcelona last summer for what was said to be a world-record fee and after winning the Champions League on her first season at the club, the 26-year-old has returned to the Lionesses to set higher standards. The coach The best tournament manager in the world? After winning the Euros in 2017 and reaching the World Cup final in 2019 with her native Netherlands, and then winning the Euros again with England in 2022, Sarina Wiegman has every right to make that claim. The World Cup in 2023 could be her greatest challenge but Wiegman, with her supreme communication, tactical observation, and player management skills, can rise to it. What are their chances? The Lionesses were declared favourites for the World Cup after winning the Euros and beating the world champions United States in September. There is less overt optimism now, due to England’s injuries and the quality of the other main contenders, but the Lionesses still remain of the strongest teams at the tournament and have been building towards this moment where they can arrive at a World Cup and act like one of the favourites. Now it’s about delivering under the pressure and amid the adversity. Denmark Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July: Denmark vs China (13:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Friday 28 July: England vs Denmark (09:30, Sydney Football Stadium) Tuesday 1 August: Haiti vs Denmark (12:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Lene Christensen (Rosenborg), Katherin Larsen (Brøndby IF), Maja Bay Østergaard (FC Thy-Thisted Q) Defenders: Simone Boye (Hammarby IF), Stine Ballisager (Vålerenga), Rikke Sevecke (Everton), Luna Gevitz (Montpellier), Sofie Svava (Real Madrid), Katrine Veje (Everton) Midfielders: Frederikke Thøgersen (Inter Milan), Karen Holmgaard (Everton), Sofie Junge Pedersen (Juventus), Josefine Hasbo (Harvard Crimson), Sanne Troelsgaard (Reading), Kathrine Møller Kühl (Arsenal), Emma Snerle (West Ham) Forwards: Signe Bruun (Lyon), Nicoline Sørensen (Everton), Amalie Vangsgaard (PSG), Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich), Janni Thomsen (Vålerenga), Rikke Madsen (North Carolina Courage), Mille Gejl (North Carolina Courage) Star player Pernille Harder is one of the top players in the world and will be a familiar face to England fans after three successful seasons spent in the Women’s Super League with Chelsea, who she joined for a world-record fee in 2020. The skillful and tireless attacker leads the line for Denmark, who cannot afford to leave her isolated. One of the game’s most decorated players, Harder will be making her World Cup debut. The coach Lars Søndergaard will say goodbye to Denmark after the World Cup after seven years in charge but the team have had their confidence boosted by recent wins against Norway, Japan and Sweden. Søndergaard, who asks his side to sit deep before breaking on the counter-attack, preferes to field a 3-4-3 formation that can switch to 4-3-3 during sustained attacks. What are their chances? Denmark will be making their first appearance at a Women’s World Cup since 2007 and will be desperate to make up for lost time. They will hope to test England and challenge for a place in the last-16. China Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July: Denmark vs China (13:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Friday 28 July 2023: China vs Haiti (12:00, Adelaide) Tuesday 1 August: China vs England (12:30, Adelaide) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Zhu Yu (Shanghai RCB), Xu Huan (Jiangsu Wuxi), Pan Hongyan (Beijing) Defenders: Wu Haiyan (Wuhan Jianghan University), Yao Wei (Wuhan Jianghan University), Wang Linlin (Shanghai RCB), Gao Chen (CCDZZY W.F.C), Chen Qiaozhu (Guangdong), Li Mengwen (Jiangsu Wuxi), Dou Jiaxing (Jiangsu Wuxi) Midfielders: Zhang Rui (Wuhan Jianghan University), Yao Lingwei (Wuhan Jianghan University), Gu Yasha (Wuhan Jianghan University), Zhang Xin (Shanghai RCB), Yang Lina (Levante UD), Wu Chengshu (Canberra United), Zhang Linyan (Wuhan Jianghan University), Shen Mengyu (Celtic F.C.) Forwards: Wang Shanshan (Wuhan Jianghan University), Wang Shuang (Racing Louisville FC), Tang Jiali (Shanghai RCB), Xiao Yuyi (Shanghai RCB), Lou Jiahui (Wuhan Jianghan University) Key player China’s captain Wang Shanshan is a wonder: a veteran striker with a tendency to score crucial goals, the 33-year-old can also help out defensively by playing at centre-back for the team. The coach Shui Qingxia took charge after the 2021 Olympics and led China to victory in the 2022 Asian Cup, where they beat Korea Republic in the final and Japan in the semis. A former midfielder who won five Asian Cups and the Olympic silver medal as a player, Qingxia is China’s first female coach and has brought glory back to the team as manager. What are their chances? Qingxia admitted that their European opponents in Group D are ahead of China, but their Asian Cup win should give them confidence. China reached the World Cup final in 1999 during the team’s golden era, where they lost to the United States. Haiti Group fixtures (all times BST) Saturday 22 July 2023: England vs Haiti (10:30, Brisbane Stadium) Friday 28 July 2023: China vs Haiti (12:00, Adelaide) Tuesday 1 August: Haiti vs Denmark (12:00, Perth Rectangular Stadium) Confirmed squad Goalkeepers: Nahomie Ambroise (Little Haiti), Lara-Sofia Larco (Georgetown University), Kerly Theus (Miami City). Defenders: Tabita Joseph (Stade Brestois 29), Kethna Louis (Montpellier), Ruthny Mathurin (Mississippi State), Betina Petit-Frere (Stade Brestois 29), Milan Raquel Pierre-Jerome (Georges Mason University), Chelsea Surpris (Grenoble), Jennyfer Limage (Grenoble), Maudeline Moryl (Grenoble) Joseph Esthericove (Exafoot) Midfielders: Melchie Dumornay (Lyon), Danielle Etienne (Fordham Rams), Noa Olivia Ganthier (Weston), Sherly Jeudy (Grenoble), Dayana Pierre-Louis (GPSO Issy) Forwards: Roselord Borgella (Dijon), Roseline Eloissaint (Nantes), Florsie Darlina Joseph (Grenoble), Shwendesky Macelus Joseph (Zenit St Petersburg), Batcheba Louis (FC Fleury), Nerilia Mondesir (Montpellier) Key player There is considerable excitement around the 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay, who has signed a pre-contract with European powerhouse Lyon ahead of the new season. The midfielder scored twice as Haiti beat Chile in the inter-continental play-offs to qualify for the World Cup and is regarded as one of the best young players in the world. “You can’t compare Melchie with any other player, she’s special,” team-mate Jennyfer Limage told Fifa. The coach Frenchman Nicolas Delepine helped spark scenes of national celebration when Haiti qualified for their first ever World Cup by beating Chile in the play-off final. With the majority of the Haiti team already playing France, Delepine took the job from French club Grenoble Foot 38 and wants his team to play quick, attacking football. What are their chances? Haiti have nothing to lose on their World Cup debut and with players such as the exciting Melchie Dumornay, they have the talent to cause an upset if they can balance their ambition with defence organisation. Read More Lionesses bonus row could drag on until after World Cup Women’s World Cup history hangs over co-hosts New Zealand The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at home World Cup glory Can Spain regroup from mutiny to challenge for the Women’s World Cup? The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at home World Cup glory Women’s World Cup stars to offset climate impact of flights to tournament

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Scientist have discovered a fly that... can't fly. In December 2021, the John Midgley and Burgert Muller from the Diversity of Pollinating Diptera in South African Biodiversity Hotspots project went to Lesotho, the only country in the world that has its entire territory located at an altitude of 1,000 metres and higher to see what they could find. At the Afriski mountain resort, they found 51 male specimens of Atherimorpha latipennis (a species discovered in 1956 but whose female had never been described) and a for the first time a female belonging to the same species which couldn't get off the ground. “It’s not unheard of for only the female of a species to be flightless,” says Midgley. “But there were no examples in this fly’s family, let alone its genus.” Martin Hauser, a senior dipterologist at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, who was not involved in the research, told the Guardian: “Active flight has only originated four times in the last three billion years, so it’s always interesting when a species loses the ability to fly. It isn’t super surprising to find flightless species. But it is remarkable when the first case of flightlessness is reported in a family.” Scientists could only make educated guesses about why the female had lost the ability to fly. Despite it being much faster than walking, allowing flies to escape predators. “flight is also costly,” said Midgley. “You have to grow wings, and it uses a lot more energy than walking.” “For the males it is worth flying around and being able to search a larger area for females,” said Hauser. “Even if, while flying, they are exposed to birds and other predators, and risk being blown off the mountain and ending up in a hot valley with no females.” Meanwhile, there are other species that can't fly like ostriches, kiwi and emus. It is thought they evolved to lose flight after the dinosaurs became extinct because there were no predators big enough to hunt them. Fly - you had one job... Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Some of Hollywood's biggest stars have battled debilitating diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis