Baked Courgette (Zucchini) with Feta

Spain King Welcomes Soccer Heroes Home

Tens of thousands of jubilant fans turned out in the streets of the Spanish capital Madrid on Monday to welcome home the national football team after their record-breaking victory at the Euro 2012 tournament. Spain's King Juan Carlos greeted the team at Madrid's Zarzuela Palace. He told them: "Each of you is a good player, but as a team you are formidable…You know how to play together, how to combine your own skills with those of your teammates." The team then headed off through the streets on an open-top bus for their victory parade. It seemed as though the city had been turned red and yellow as the bus made its way through the capital. Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas said: "It's one of the best days of my life."

Spain's 4-0 thrashing of Italy in the final in Kiev on Sunday made them the first ever team to win three successive major international tournaments. They won the World Cup in 2010 and have now become the first nation to successfully defend a European Championship. Their winning margin on Sunday was the biggest ever for a Euro final. Spain became the first team to win 15 straight competitive fixtures and matched Brazil's record 35-game unbeaten run from the 1990s. They also qualified for the last two major tournaments, winning every game they played. Many soccer analysts are now saying the team is the greatest ever and they could win the 2014 World Cup, for four in a row. (Breking News)

Woman claims watching 3D film made her pregnant

(The Poke)

Kayaker's lucky escape from great white shark

One kayaker had a lucky escape after he spotted a great white shark.

Walter Szulc was paddling near Cape Cod in the east of America when he saw the animal's fin behind him.
Despite being his first time in the ocean, Mr Szulc managed to stay calm and paddle quickly back to shore.
Experts think that sharks come to the area to eat seals, one of their favourite foods.
Mr Szluc said: "I saw the fin out of the water. I looked down and saw the body and realised that part of the shark was underneath me."
The beach was closed after the ocean predator was seen, but no more sharks have been spotted in the area since. (CBBC Newsround)

Learn In Your Sleep, Researchers Say

U.S. researchers suggest sleeping can help us remember things we have just learnt. A team from Northwestern University report that a 90-minute nap can help people learn a new skill. The article on their research is published in the June edition of the journal "Nature". The scientists say: "Information acquired during waking can be reactivated during sleep, promoting memory stabilization." Test volunteers practised musical tunes before and after a short sleep. During the nap, the researchers played one of the tunes the volunteers had practised, but not the other. The team found that the participants made fewer errors when playing the melody that had been played while they slept.

Study co-author Dr Paul J. Reuber points out the research might not work with learning a foreign language while you sleep. He said: "The critical difference is that our research shows that memory is strengthened for something you've already learned." He added: "Rather than learning something new in your sleep, we're talking about enhancing an existing memory by re-activating information recently acquired." However, Dr Reuber did say there were possibilities for language learners: "If you were learning how to speak in a foreign language during the day, for example, and then tried to reactivate those memories during sleep, perhaps you might enhance your learning," he said. (Breaking News)

British Singer Adele is Pregnant

British singing sensation Adele has announced she is expecting her first child. She posted on her website: "I'm delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together. I wanted you to hear the news direct from me. Obviously we're over the moon and very excited, but please respect our privacy at this precious time." The 24-year-old star has been dating boyfriend Simon Konecki, 36, since last summer. Adele has already quashed rumours the couple are engaged. Adele recently told Britain's "People" magazine that she "really wants to be a mum". She said it was her goal to have three sons by the time she is 30 and joked that she had "better start getting on with it". (Breaking News)

Plant flowers in garden after 25 year wait

A plant which only flowers once every 25 years has come into bloom at a National Trust property in south Devon.

Gardeners noticed changes in the Mexican plant called Furcraea in the first weeks of May.
Since then it has grown a spike more than three metres tall covered with flowers and buds.
Head gardener Cat Saunders said: "I feel really lucky to be working here at this time - it's not your everyday gardening experience."
The gardeners will collect seeds from the plant to grow for a new generation of Furcraea, but of course that could be another 25-year wait. (CBBC Newsround)

Ajo Blanco

Ajo blanco, a white version of gazpacho, is believed to have originated with the moors. If a silkier texture is desired, try soaking the blanched almonds in milk before processing. This will enhance the soup's delicate creaminess.

• Serves 4 to 6
• 15 minutes preparation plus chilling time
• Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 1 cup (6 oz) blanched almonds
• 4 slices crustless white bread, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups (20 fl. oz) cold water
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Salt
• 1/2 cup (3 oz) seedles green grapes

To garnish

• Toasted slivered almonds
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

Combine the almonds, bread, and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the olive oil until a smooth paste is formed.

Add in the cold water and the vinegar. Process until the mixture is thin and smooth. Season with salt to taste.

Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Float the grapes on the top of the soup. Cover and allow to chill in the refrigerator.

To serve, pour the soup into individual soup bowls and garnish with the toasted almond slivers and chopped parsley, if desired. (Spain recipes)

Rural Olympics

Valencia fire still burning

It's thought the fire was started by solar panel workers.

The number of people evacuated by the Cortes de Pallas fire in Valencia has now risen to 1,000. The smoke from the fire has closed four roads.

The town of Dos Aguas had to be evacuated on Thursday, and today other nearby municipalities have also been evacuated.

In Adilla the Mayor says they are ‘desperate’ and that extinguishing the fire is ‘proving very complicated’. More than 200 local residents have had to leave their homes in the municipality.

The residents have been taken to Turis or Macastre where facilities are being prepared for them. Some residents of Cortes de Pallás are now being allowed back home.

The President of the Generalitat regional government, Alberto Fabra, flew over the affected area by helicopter and he said that the thousands of hectares affected presented a ‘gruesome and devastating’ landscape. He described the fire as ‘the largest in recent years’, but declined to put a number on the hectares destroyed. (typicallyspanish.com)

Freak rain, hail and thunderstorms cause chaos across UK

Freak storms, hailstones as big as golf balls, and major floods brought villages, towns and cities across the UK to a standstill on Thursday.

Schools were washed out with floodwater, and the famous Tyne Bridge in Newcastle was struck by lightning.
In Shropshire a man died after being swept away in a stream.
Weather experts are saying this could end up being the wettest June on record. But they also say that the most extreme weather is over for now.
Joe asked BBC weather expert Simon King to explain why the weather has been so extreme. (CBBC Newsround)

 

We asked if you'd been affected by the floods, and loads of you got in touch - here's a selection of your comments.

"Our school power went off and I was terrified."

George, Newcastle, England

"Today our school had freak weather. You were only out for five seconds and you were drenched."

Sana, Bradford, England

"I had to go to my Aunt's house to stay safe. Later we went outside and found a lot of baseball sized ice balls."

Anne, Newcastle, England

"Our sports day was cancelled because of the rain. We all got to go home at 11:00am!"

Thomas, Buckinghamshire, England

"The storm caused the hall to flood at my school. I was petrified, and so were my guinea pigs."

Emily, Leicestershire, England

"Our school has been flooded, along with my home. It is devastating!"

Charlotte, Birmingham, England

"My school is shut due to flooding; my dad went to help clear up. There was six inches of water."

Claudia, Whitley Bay, England

"We were at school when a huge black cloud covered the sky and blotted out the sun. Suddenly everything went dark like it was the evening, then the thunder, lightning and rain started. It was a terrifying but amazing experience. School is closed today."

Alice, Hexham, England

"I wasn't allowed to go outside all day yesterday because of the rain, it was so boring."

Freddie, Carrick-on-Suir, Ireland

"Our school has been flooded. Ceilings have fallen in, classrooms windows were smashed and water came flooding in through them. All the power around the school went out because of the water. Lightning hit a metal pole outside and set it on fire. Everyone was evacuated and school is closed for repairs today."

Amy, Birmingham, England

"The storm yesterday caused our Youth club to close."

Ellie, Hartlepool, England

"I went to see the Olympic Torch Relay on Thursday and three trees were stuck down from the lightning and car windows were broken from the hail stones. They were the size of a marble."

Lucy, Lincolnshire, England

"My school got flooded and the roof collapsed. There's NO SCHOOL TODAY!"

Oly, Leicestershire, England

"My garden was flooded so much that we couldn't go outside."

Daisy, Newcastle, England

"My school went on a school trip. First there were light showers but then there was thunderstorm and lightning and we were soaking wet."

Vinesh, Warwickshire, England

"The rain was just over a foot deep outside my house and there was thunder and lightning all night! My power went off as well!"

Alice, Belfast, Northern Ireland

"My house got struck by lightning. It caused the internet to stop working and made my dad jump."

Macey, Staffordshire, England

"Our sports day was cancelled yesterday and postponed to today, but the field is like a swimming pool so sports day is cancelled altogether."

Maisie, West Midlands, England

"We were out playing in our school when lightning and floods suddenly hit us. We were rushed inside and we had to stay at school for another 35 minutes!"

Daisy, Lancashire, England

"The floods haven't affected me but watching it on the news it makes me feel like I have to help someone! Instead of rain and hail its been 27 28 and 29 degrees."

Tia, Middlesex, England

"All my streets are flooded and all the drain pipes burst. A massive fire engine came to clear all the water."

Jess, County Durham, England

"When my mum went to go shopping she got turned away. They asked for a French baguette but the lady said they were too soggy."

Alisha, Leicestershire, England

"The rain will help our islands hydro main power supply. We had a thunder storm which my sister was terrified of, and the lightning was quite terrifying."

Erin, Isle of Eigg, Scotland

"My mum left the window open and my hamster got drenched."

Caitlyn, Gateshead, England

"It was cool & awesome seeing the thunder and lightning."

Rachel, West Midlands, England

"Our school has been flooded along with my home! It is devastating when it happens to you and you don't realise how bad it is until it has happened!"

Charlotte, Birmingham, England

"I was on the Tyne Bridge when it got struck by lightning. I was terrified."

Sam, Newcastle, England

"The area were I live got flooded and at about 9:20pm our whole power went off. It was still off when i went to school."

Joshua, County Durham, England

Spain 4 - Italy 0

Spain made football history by achieving their third international title in a row, beating Italy 4-0 to win Euro 2012.

Goals from Silva, Alba, Torres and Mata sealed Spain's victory against an Italy side who just couldn't match them.
Many now say it makes Spain the greatest football team in the world, ever!
To complete the success, Fernando Torres got the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals at Euro 2012.

Italy were devastated at their loss, and star striker Mario Balotelli left the pitch in an angry outburst.

Spain's 4-0 victory was the biggest ever win in a Euros final, with their style of football also a winner.
Their passing game between midfielders, without a striker, had been criticised by Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger as "boring".
But their technique has now given them three international victories - Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, and now Euro 2012.

Torres' immediate impact

Spain dominated the first half in front of goal even though Italy had large amounts of possession. By half time Spain were two goals up.
But in the second half Italy had the agony of going down to 10 men after third substitute Motta went off injured - only 10 minutes after he came on.
In the 75th minute Torres was brought on to replace Fabregas, and he had an immediate impact.
He steered home Spain's third goal and then gave an assist for his Chelsea team-mate Mata.
(CBBC Newsround)