Moscow blanketed with thick smog

ITN reports that Moscow is enveloped in thick smog due to fires, high heat and pervasive air pollution.

The Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters said 21 fires across 42 acres were burning in the region.

As a result, the Russian capital has been shrouded in a fog, causing breathing difficulties for many residents.

In Moscow's outskirts, crops have been destroyed by the fires, causing huge financial losses to farmers. Wildlife has also been affected.

Read the full story: Moscow shrouded by smog due to forest fires

Photo from ITN

Russia expands conservation areas

Environmental News Network reports that Russia will expand their wildlife protected areas 3 percent by 2020.

The new conservation space will be almost the size of the country of Switzerland.

The Russian government's decision establishes 9 new nature reserves and 13 national parks covering a total area of over 3.8 million [hectares] by 2020. Russia is also introducing marine buffer zones of over 1 million ha.

An existing 9 reserves and 1 national park will see their areas increased by 500 thousand ha.

The decision was based on an analysis of WWF in cooperation with The Nature Coservancy and MAVA Foundation, carried out between 2006-2008, and is aimed at fulfilling Russia's commitment under the Convention on Biodiversity to establish effective protected area systems that safeguard biodiversity.

Read the full story: Russia to create national parks and reserves nearly size of Switzerland

Photo from ENN

"15 most toxic places to live"

Mother Nature Network reports on the 15 most toxic places to live:

Included in the list are:

Citarum River, Indonesia: the vast amounts of trash clogging up the waterway makes it look like a landfill rather than a river

Rondônia, Brazil (picture): slash and burning the Amazon rain forest to raise cattle has ruined the area

Lake Karachay, Russia: it was used by the former Soviet Union as the dumping spot for nuclear waste

See the slide show: The 15 most toxic places to live

Photo by National Geographic / Getty Images

Three years across Siberia to London

The Guardian newspaper reports on the bicyclist who rode across Siberia back to London.

Rob Lilwall's journey took him over 30,000 miles from the far eastern edge of Siberia, through Japan, South Korea, Australia, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Europe and finally back to the UK.

Read the full story: Cycling home from Siberia

Photo by Rob Lilwall