An ampoule of Antarctic air from the year 1765 has formed the centrepiece of a new exhibition. It reveals the hidden histories contained in polar ice for the visitors attending the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Artist Wayne Binitie has spent the last five years undertaking the collaboration with scientists of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to analyse and preserve cylinders of ice from deep in the ice sheet that record past climate change.

In what is being termed as a pivotal moment for the planet, the ice cores have allowed Binitie to display in Glasgow.&nbsp;

The Polar Zero exhibition at the Glasgow Science Centre features a cylindrical glass sculpture containing the air which has been extracted precisely from 1765.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-shares-an-old-article-predicting-amazons-failure-elon-musk-replies-419819">Also read |&nbsp;Jeff Bezos shares an old article predicting Amazon's failure, Elon Musk replies</a>

A second cylinder presents an ice core containing tiny bubbles of air that were trapped as snow fell and compacted. Now, they reveal the horrifying rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since that date.

The glaciologist Dr Robert Mulvaney, who was responsible for mining the ice for the BAS said that it is possible to drill out ice from a particular era.

Watch | Pope Francis emphasises on need to act on climate change

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pope-francis-emphasises-on-need-to-act-on-climate-change-419077/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "Snow falls in Antarctica year by year – but there’s no melting going on. So the snow builds up and compresses all the years of snow beneath. As we drill down we’re driving further and further into the past – a bit like counting the rings of a big tree."

“What helps is that every so often we know that a certain volcano blew up in a particular year and we may find evidence of that. So using our drills to find a specific year isn’t quite as hard as you would imagine."

He explains how the visitors at Polar Zero will hear the ancient air bubbles popping as the ice core emerges from its insulated tube. This will further blend with Binitie’s immersive soundtrack of music and natural sounds and can touch and even taste the iced water.&nbsp;

An ampoule of Antarctic air from the year 1765 has formed the centrepiece of a new exhibition. It reveals the hidden histories contained in polar ice for the visitors attending the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.

An ampoule of Antarctic air from the year 1765 has formed the centrepiece of a new exhibition. It reveals the hidden histories contained in polar ice for the visitors attending the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow. Artist Wayne Binitie has spent the last five years undertaking the collaboration with scientists of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to analyse and preserve cylinders of ice from deep in the ice sheet that record past climate change. In what is being termed as a pivotal moment for the planet, the ice cores have allowed Binitie to display in Glasgow. The Polar Zero exhibition at the Glasgow Science Centre features a cylindrical glass sculpture containing the air which has been extracted precisely from 1765. Also read | Jeff Bezos shares an old article predicting Amazon's failure, Elon Musk replies A second cylinder presents an ice core containing tiny bubbles of air that were trapped as snow fell and compacted. Now, they reveal the horrifying rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since that date. The glaciologist Dr Robert Mulvaney, who was responsible for mining the ice for the BAS said that it is possible to drill out ice from a particular era. Watch | Pope Francis emphasises on need to act on climate change He was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "Snow falls in Antarctica year by year – but there’s no melting going on. So the snow builds up and compresses all the years of snow beneath. As we drill down we’re driving further and further into the past – a bit like counting the rings of a big tree." “What helps is that every so often we know that a certain volcano blew up in a particular year and we may find evidence of that. So using our drills to find a specific year isn’t quite as hard as you would imagine." He explains how the visitors at Polar Zero will hear the ancient air bubbles popping as the ice core emerges from its insulated tube. This will further blend with Binitie’s immersive soundtrack of music and natural sounds and can touch and even taste the iced water.

Capsule from 1765 containing air reveal facts about Antarctic ice

France&nbsp;ended&nbsp;its&nbsp;evacuations&nbsp;from&nbsp;Taliban-controlled&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;late Friday, officials said, one day after a suicide bombing left scenes of carnage outside Kabul airport.

The airlift had to be stopped because "the security conditions were no longer being met at the airport", Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defence Minister Florence Parly said in the wake of Thursday's attack, which killed scores of Afghan civilians and 13 US troops.

In a statement, the ministers blamed the lack of security on the "rapid disengagement of the American forces".

Separately, Parly tweeted that the French forces had managed to fly around 3,000 people out of&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;before their airlift operation was halted.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kill-list-biden-says-us-troops-may-have-handed-a-list-of-american-citizens-to-taliban-408871">Also read |&nbsp;Kill list? Biden says US troops 'may' have handed a list of American citizens to Taliban</a>

"In less than two weeks, the French military has brought some 3,000 people to safety, including more than 2,600 Afghans," she tweeted.

The French embassy team in Kabul has reached Abu Dhabi and&nbsp;from&nbsp;there will fly home to&nbsp;France, the ministers said.

France&nbsp;has called for setting up humanitarian operations to assist the thousands of Afghan nationals who failed to get a flight out to leave by other means.

"Our efforts continue," the two ministers said.

A French delegation met Thursday with Taliban representatives with the talks centring on the situation at the Kabul airport and the airlift operations, the ministers said.

France ended its evacuations from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan late Friday, officials said, one day after a suicide bombing left scenes of carnage outside Kabul airport.

France ended its evacuations from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan late Friday, officials said, one day after a suicide bombing left scenes of carnage outside Kabul airport. The airlift had to be stopped because "the security conditions were no longer being met at the airport", Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defence Minister Florence Parly said in the wake of Thursday's attack, which killed scores of Afghan civilians and 13 US troops. In a statement, the ministers blamed the lack of security on the "rapid disengagement of the American forces". Separately, Parly tweeted that the French forces had managed to fly around 3,000 people out of Afghanistan before their airlift operation was halted. Also read | Kill list? Biden says US troops 'may' have handed a list of American citizens to Taliban "In less than two weeks, the French military has brought some 3,000 people to safety, including more than 2,600 Afghans," she tweeted. The French embassy team in Kabul has reached Abu Dhabi and from there will fly home to France, the ministers said. France has called for setting up humanitarian operations to assist the thousands of Afghan nationals who failed to get a flight out to leave by other means. "Our efforts continue," the two ministers said. A French delegation met Thursday with Taliban representatives with the talks centring on the situation at the Kabul airport and the airlift operations, the ministers said.

France ends evacuations from Afghanistan

Syria's air defence system engaged "hostile targets" over the capital Damascus late Thursday, state news agency SANA reported, with a military source claiming they were Israeli missiles.

"The Israeli enemy launched an aerial attack... targeting positions near Damascus and around the city of Homs," the military source told SANA.

"Our air defence responded to the missiles and shot most of them down," it added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said that "Israeli missiles targeted arms depots and military positions of" Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, between Damascus and Homs.

Neither SANA nor the Observatory reported any damage or casualties.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-2200-people-have-died-in-deadly-haiti-earthquake-locals-claim-406983">Also read |&nbsp;More than 2,200 people have died in deadly Haiti earthquake, locals claim</a>

Lebanese media also reported two missiles fell in the Qalamoun region bordering Lebanon.

The Israeli army rarely acknowledges its strikes in Syria and a spokesperson told AFP it did "not comment on foreign media information".&nbsp;

However, since the start of the war in Syria ten years ago, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian territory, targeting regime positions as well as allied Iranian forces and members of Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Israel regularly underlines that it will not allow Syria to become a stronghold of its sworn enemy Iran.

The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011 with the regime's repression of pro-democracy protests, has grown increasingly complex over the past decade, drawing in more and more parties.&nbsp;

According to the Observatory, the war has left nearly half a million people dead.

Syria's air defence system engaged "hostile targets" over the capital Damascus late Thursday, state news agency SANA reported, with a military source claiming they were Israeli missiles.

Syria's air defence system engaged "hostile targets" over the capital Damascus late Thursday, state news agency SANA reported, with a military source claiming they were Israeli missiles. "The Israeli enemy launched an aerial attack... targeting positions near Damascus and around the city of Homs," the military source told SANA. "Our air defence responded to the missiles and shot most of them down," it added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said that "Israeli missiles targeted arms depots and military positions of" Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, between Damascus and Homs. Neither SANA nor the Observatory reported any damage or casualties. Also read | More than 2,200 people have died in deadly Haiti earthquake, locals claim Lebanese media also reported two missiles fell in the Qalamoun region bordering Lebanon. The Israeli army rarely acknowledges its strikes in Syria and a spokesperson told AFP it did "not comment on foreign media information". However, since the start of the war in Syria ten years ago, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian territory, targeting regime positions as well as allied Iranian forces and members of Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel regularly underlines that it will not allow Syria to become a stronghold of its sworn enemy Iran. The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011 with the regime's repression of pro-democracy protests, has grown increasingly complex over the past decade, drawing in more and more parties. According to the Observatory, the war has left nearly half a million people dead.

Syria says air defence shot down Israeli missiles

Intense smoke due to wildfires in the US West Coast caused hazy skies in New York, with the air quality index worsening to 157 in Manhattan.

New York City air quality was among the worst in the world. State officials advised people with asthma and heart disease to avoid strenuous outdoor activity.&nbsp;

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There is still quite a bit of near-surface smoke over NYC this morning from wildfires burning in Western North America. A cold front coming through later today will push the smoke away and clear our skies out. <a href="https://t.co/7b4r7Vdqyf">pic.twitter.com/7b4r7Vdqyf</a>
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George Pope, professor of earth and environmental studies at Montclair State University, who added that he could not see Manhattan from his New Jersey office, was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "I think it’s unusual to have this kind of haze, I don’t recall seeing this kind of thing".

He added, "You can pretty much always see the skyline, at least a silhouette if it’s a hazy day. This is, like, this is unprecedented".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-residents-flee-as-fires-ravage-western-canada-399580">Also read |&nbsp;More residents flee as fires ravage western Canada</a>

This is the second year in a row that smoke from huge wildfires in the US west has traveled 2,000 miles east.

David Lawrence, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said, "We’re seeing lots of fires producing a tremendous amount of smoke. By the time that smoke gets to the eastern portion of the country where it’s usually thinned out, there’s just so much smoke in the atmosphere from all these fires that it’s still pretty thick".

Intense smoke due to wildfires in the US West Coast caused hazy skies in New York, with the air quality index worsening to 157 in Manhattan. New York City air quality was among the worst in the world.

Intense smoke due to wildfires in the US West Coast caused hazy skies in New York, with the air quality index worsening to 157 in Manhattan. New York City air quality was among the worst in the world. State officials advised people with asthma and heart disease to avoid strenuous outdoor activity. There is still quite a bit of near-surface smoke over NYC this morning from wildfires burning in Western North America. A cold front coming through later today will push the smoke away and clear our skies out. pic.twitter.com/7b4r7Vdqyf — New York Metro Weather (@nymetrowx) July 21, 2021 × George Pope, professor of earth and environmental studies at Montclair State University, who added that he could not see Manhattan from his New Jersey office, was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "I think it’s unusual to have this kind of haze, I don’t recall seeing this kind of thing". He added, "You can pretty much always see the skyline, at least a silhouette if it’s a hazy day. This is, like, this is unprecedented". Also read | More residents flee as fires ravage western Canada This is the second year in a row that smoke from huge wildfires in the US west has traveled 2,000 miles east. David Lawrence, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said, "We’re seeing lots of fires producing a tremendous amount of smoke. By the time that smoke gets to the eastern portion of the country where it’s usually thinned out, there’s just so much smoke in the atmosphere from all these fires that it’s still pretty thick".

Wildfire aftermath: New York air quality is now among the worst in world

There have been reports of empty oxygen cylinders piling up in the city of Khulna, which has now become Bangladesh's coronavirus hotspot amid a surge.&nbsp;

The government has ordered a strict week-long nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, but Khulna's hospitals cannot cope.

On Thursday, Khulna city recorded 46 virus deaths, while in earlier waves the daily death toll never went into double figures. 
Most people say the real toll is much higher. Also, as per the reports, graveyards cannot cope with the number of dead in nearby cities such as Satkhira.

The main state-run Khulna general hospital is one of four in the city treating coronavirus patients and has 400 beds and is unable to cope up with the patient surge.&nbsp;

Niaz Muhammad, the chief government doctor for the Khulna region, said, "We have been dealing with enormous admission pressure in hospitals. He further denied an oxygen shortage.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-heads-into-strict-lockdown-amid-record-coronavirus-spike-395092">Also read |&nbsp;Bangladesh heads into strict lockdown amid record coronavirus spike</a>

Amid the lockdown, police, and troops have patrolled the streets across Bangladesh. Hundreds of people have been arrested each day for leaving their homes. In Khulna, restrictions on movement have been in place since last month, as the infection rate has soared.

However, the city's factories are still open and many people say they are forced to go out to work.

Bangladesh has recorded just over 935,000 cases and 14,900 deaths in the past 15 months. As per the citizens, the figures are drastically under-reported.

As a part of the lockdown, all offices and transportation are shut during this period while factories, including the country's prime garment export sector, will be allowed to remain open if they follow health protocols, the government said.

A police officer at one checkpoint said only essential goods carriers and ambulances were being permitted to move on the streets.

There have been reports of empty oxygen cylinders piling up in the city of Khulna, which has now become Bangladesh's coronavirus hotspot amid a surge. The government has ordered a strict week-long nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, but Khulna's hospitals cannot cope.

There have been reports of empty oxygen cylinders piling up in the city of Khulna, which has now become Bangladesh's coronavirus hotspot amid a surge. The government has ordered a strict week-long nationwide lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, but Khulna's hospitals cannot cope. On Thursday, Khulna city recorded 46 virus deaths, while in earlier waves the daily death toll never went into double figures. Most people say the real toll is much higher. Also, as per the reports, graveyards cannot cope with the number of dead in nearby cities such as Satkhira. The main state-run Khulna general hospital is one of four in the city treating coronavirus patients and has 400 beds and is unable to cope up with the patient surge. Niaz Muhammad, the chief government doctor for the Khulna region, said, "We have been dealing with enormous admission pressure in hospitals. He further denied an oxygen shortage. Also read | Bangladesh heads into strict lockdown amid record coronavirus spike Amid the lockdown, police, and troops have patrolled the streets across Bangladesh. Hundreds of people have been arrested each day for leaving their homes. In Khulna, restrictions on movement have been in place since last month, as the infection rate has soared. However, the city's factories are still open and many people say they are forced to go out to work. Bangladesh has recorded just over 935,000 cases and 14,900 deaths in the past 15 months. As per the citizens, the figures are drastically under-reported. As a part of the lockdown, all offices and transportation are shut during this period while factories, including the country's prime garment export sector, will be allowed to remain open if they follow health protocols, the government said. A police officer at one checkpoint said only essential goods carriers and ambulances were being permitted to move on the streets.

Bangladesh's virus hotspot gasps for air as cases surge

The densely-populated Gaza Strip has long lacked sufficient drinking water, but a new project helps ease the shortage with a solar-powered process to extract potable water straight from the air.

Extracting potable water from air | This Israeli firm in Gaza is turning air into drinking water

As the world is facing the worst coronavirus outbreak—India has emerged strongly in responding to the crisis so far. Till now, the government of India has rescued 1,497 people, which includes 55 foreign nationals as well.

The deadly coronavirus has crippled large parts of the world, infecting over 1,69,000 and killing more than 6,500 people, mostly in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

Porous borders, shortage of medical supplies and lack of awareness have made people more vulnerable to the lethal virus—forcing most countries to respond with strong measures to tackle the pandemic.&nbsp;

India has been highly vigilant and proactive in fighting this global health emergency.

It has managed to keep up its efforts in not just controlling the virus spread, but has also carried out timely rescue and evacuation of stranded citizens.

January 28, 2020. India was one of the first countries to initiate evacuation processes after the news of the virus outbreak in Hubei was reported.&nbsp;

Within a few days, 653 Indians and 7 Maldivians were brought back from Wuhan in two batches of 323 and 330.&nbsp;

All of those rescued were monitored in quarantine either at ITBP Chhawla camp or at Manesar facility in the national capital region.

Neighbourhood first policy has always remained important for India.&nbsp;

Unlike, Pakistan which refused to bring back its own citizens from Wuhan, India has rescued both—its own citizens and nationals from countries.&nbsp;

In its third leg of operations, India brought back 36 nationals belonging to 7 different countries. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, China, South Africa, USA and Madagascar expressed their gratitude for Delhi's humanitarian action.&nbsp;

India has a massive diaspora. More than 30 million of them living in different continents away from home.&nbsp;

Among them were fisherman from Kerala stranded in Iran, a huge community of labourers in West Asia and Arabia as well.&nbsp;

Collaborating with Tehran, minister of external affairs S Jaishankar and ambassador Dhamu Gaddam evacuated 389 people from Iran — in four batches.

The latest ones to be evacuated were 52 students and a teacher from Tehran.

An Air India flight in Delhi also landed from Tokyo carrying 119 Indians and 5 nationals from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru—who were earlier quarantined on board the diamond princess, a cruise ship off the Japanese coast.&nbsp;

Another 211 students and 7 foreign nationals were brought to Delhi from Italy—the second most affected country by a novel coronavirus.

The government of India has responded swiftly and effectively in dealing with the first signs of the infection, which has, so far, affected more than 110 people and killed 2.&nbsp;

Apart from carrying out rescue operations, India has also provided 15 tonnes of medical and relief consignment to china.&nbsp;

Prime minister Narendra Modi has interacted with leaders of SAARC countries through a video conference. Allocating an initial fund of $10 million, PM Modi has called for setting up a rapid response team of doctors and experts to fight the coronavirus outbreak which is still in its benign, early stages in India.

As the world is facing the worst coronavirus outbreak—India has emerged strongly in responding to the crisis so far. Till now, the government of India has rescued 1,497 people, which includes 55 foreign nationals as well.

As the world is facing the worst coronavirus outbreak—India has emerged strongly in responding to the crisis so far. Till now, the government of India has rescued 1,497 people, which includes 55 foreign nationals as well. The deadly coronavirus has crippled large parts of the world, infecting over 1,69,000 and killing more than 6,500 people, mostly in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Porous borders, shortage of medical supplies and lack of awareness have made people more vulnerable to the lethal virus—forcing most countries to respond with strong measures to tackle the pandemic. India has been highly vigilant and proactive in fighting this global health emergency. It has managed to keep up its efforts in not just controlling the virus spread, but has also carried out timely rescue and evacuation of stranded citizens. January 28, 2020. India was one of the first countries to initiate evacuation processes after the news of the virus outbreak in Hubei was reported. Within a few days, 653 Indians and 7 Maldivians were brought back from Wuhan in two batches of 323 and 330. All of those rescued were monitored in quarantine either at ITBP Chhawla camp or at Manesar facility in the national capital region. Neighbourhood first policy has always remained important for India. Unlike, Pakistan which refused to bring back its own citizens from Wuhan, India has rescued both—its own citizens and nationals from countries. In its third leg of operations, India brought back 36 nationals belonging to 7 different countries. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, China, South Africa, USA and Madagascar expressed their gratitude for Delhi's humanitarian action. India has a massive diaspora. More than 30 million of them living in different continents away from home. Among them were fisherman from Kerala stranded in Iran, a huge community of labourers in West Asia and Arabia as well. Collaborating with Tehran, minister of external affairs S Jaishankar and ambassador Dhamu Gaddam evacuated 389 people from Iran — in four batches. The latest ones to be evacuated were 52 students and a teacher from Tehran. An Air India flight in Delhi also landed from Tokyo carrying 119 Indians and 5 nationals from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru—who were earlier quarantined on board the diamond princess, a cruise ship off the Japanese coast. Another 211 students and 7 foreign nationals were brought to Delhi from Italy—the second most affected country by a novel coronavirus. The government of India has responded swiftly and effectively in dealing with the first signs of the infection, which has, so far, affected more than 110 people and killed 2. Apart from carrying out rescue operations, India has also provided 15 tonnes of medical and relief consignment to china. Prime minister Narendra Modi has interacted with leaders of SAARC countries through a video conference. Allocating an initial fund of $10 million, PM Modi has called for setting up a rapid response team of doctors and experts to fight the coronavirus outbreak which is still in its benign, early stages in India.

Coronavirus outbreak: India emerges as a proactive nation in fighting global health emergency

One of the biggest industries to be hit by the long-term repercussions of the coronavirus is aviation. Thousands of flights have been cancelled globally, with stringent travel bans in place to contain the outbreak.

However, this helped create a new record!

On March 14, Air Tahiti Nui, a French airline undertook the longest ever passenger flight in terms of distance. The flight covered 15,715 kilometres from Papeete in Tahiti, French Polynesia to the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-the-global-aviation-industry-survive-coronavirus-related-slowdown-286815" hreflang="en">Will the global aviation industry survive coronavirus-related slowdown?</a>

CNN reported that this new record was a result of the travel restrictions in place, especially the ones set up by the United States.

Usually, this route involves a halt at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). 
 
If an aeroplane halts in the US, passengers have to undergo customs before continuing their journey.

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However, owing to current restrictions, this was impractical. So, the aircraft flew directly from Papeete airport to Paris and covered the journey in under 16 hours, making it the world's longest commercial flight, considering the distance which was covered.

The record was previously held by Singapore Airlines, which offers a flight between Singapore and Newark covering a distance of 15,343 kilometres.

An Australian carrier called Qantas tried something different last year. They undertook ''Project Sunrise'', whereby the aircraft flew for 19 hours non-stop between London and Sydney. However, no paying passengers were on board.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/aviation-industry-hit-by-coronavirus-286814/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This flight, TN064 is also the world's longest scheduled domestic flight, for it travelled within French territory, from French Polynesia and mainland France.

The aircraft crew included four pilots, and ran the next-generation Boeing 787-9, CNN reported.

Media reports suggest that the aircraft was not at all full, and was able to undertake the full journey without refuelling.

The airline, however, said that these are one-off measures, only in place until the coronavirus pandemic is in full swing. Most airlines around the world are trying to navigate across the contemporary aviation climate, whereby a lot of bans have crippled the scope of layovers and halts.

The International Air Transport Association has said that the revenue losses due to coronavirus could run as high as 113 billion dollars across the industry this year. 
&nbsp;

One of the biggest industries to be hit by the long-term repercussions of the coronavirus is aviation. Thousands of flights have been cancelled globally, with stringent travel bans in place to contain the outbreak.

One of the biggest industries to be hit by the long-term repercussions of the coronavirus is aviation. Thousands of flights have been cancelled globally, with stringent travel bans in place to contain the outbreak. However, this helped create a new record! On March 14, Air Tahiti Nui, a French airline undertook the longest ever passenger flight in terms of distance. The flight covered 15,715 kilometres from Papeete in Tahiti, French Polynesia to the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Also read: Will the global aviation industry survive coronavirus-related slowdown? CNN reported that this new record was a result of the travel restrictions in place, especially the ones set up by the United States. Usually, this route involves a halt at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). If an aeroplane halts in the US, passengers have to undergo customs before continuing their journey. However, owing to current restrictions, this was impractical. So, the aircraft flew directly from Papeete airport to Paris and covered the journey in under 16 hours, making it the world's longest commercial flight, considering the distance which was covered. The record was previously held by Singapore Airlines, which offers a flight between Singapore and Newark covering a distance of 15,343 kilometres. An Australian carrier called Qantas tried something different last year. They undertook ''Project Sunrise'', whereby the aircraft flew for 19 hours non-stop between London and Sydney. However, no paying passengers were on board. This flight, TN064 is also the world's longest scheduled domestic flight, for it travelled within French territory, from French Polynesia and mainland France. The aircraft crew included four pilots, and ran the next-generation Boeing 787-9, CNN reported. Media reports suggest that the aircraft was not at all full, and was able to undertake the full journey without refuelling. The airline, however, said that these are one-off measures, only in place until the coronavirus pandemic is in full swing. Most airlines around the world are trying to navigate across the contemporary aviation climate, whereby a lot of bans have crippled the scope of layovers and halts. The International Air Transport Association has said that the revenue losses due to coronavirus could run as high as 113 billion dollars across the industry this year.

Coronavirus helps set a new record: World's longest scheduled commercial flight ever!

Air Chief RKS Bhadauria on Tuesday formally inducted the Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier aircraft into No 41 Squadron at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam. 
 
"The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria formally inducted the Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier aircraft into No 41 Sqn, the 'Otters', at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam today," an official statement read. 
 
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF)tweeting a picture, said, "#CAS ACM RKS Bhadauria with #No41Sqn, the 'Otters' at the induction ceremony of the Airfield Calibration #Dornier aircraft."

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HAL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HAL</a> produced Dorniers are fitted with state of the art Flight Inspection System (FIS) and Ground Maintenance Support System (GMSS) calibration systems. Acquisition of the two modified Dorniers allows in-house calibration of Nav Aids at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAF</a> airfields under the MAFI project. <a href="https://t.co/HKpPD0xtPW">pic.twitter.com/HKpPD0xtPW</a>
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1211950199716765696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"The #HAL produced Dorniers are fitted with state of the art Flight Inspection System (FIS) and Ground Maintenance Support System (GMSS) calibration systems. Acquisition of the two modified Dorniers allows in-house calibration of Nav Aids at #IAF airfields under the MAFI project," IAF said in another tweet. 
 
The modified Dornier 228 aircraft have been acquired to undertake in-house calibration of navigational aids available after implementation of Modernised Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) at IAF bases. While the first aircraft was delivered on November 19, the second is expected to be delivered in early 2020.

Air Chief RKS Bhadauria on Tuesday formally inducted the Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier aircraft into No 41 Squadron at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam.

Air Chief RKS Bhadauria on Tuesday formally inducted the Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier aircraft into No 41 Squadron at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam. "The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria formally inducted the Flight Information system (FIS) Dornier aircraft into No 41 Sqn, the 'Otters', at a ceremony at Air Force Station Palam today," an official statement read. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF)tweeting a picture, said, "#CAS ACM RKS Bhadauria with #No41Sqn, the 'Otters' at the induction ceremony of the Airfield Calibration #Dornier aircraft." The #HAL produced Dorniers are fitted with state of the art Flight Inspection System (FIS) and Ground Maintenance Support System (GMSS) calibration systems. Acquisition of the two modified Dorniers allows in-house calibration of Nav Aids at #IAF airfields under the MAFI project. pic.twitter.com/HKpPD0xtPW — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 31, 2019 × "The #HAL produced Dorniers are fitted with state of the art Flight Inspection System (FIS) and Ground Maintenance Support System (GMSS) calibration systems. Acquisition of the two modified Dorniers allows in-house calibration of Nav Aids at #IAF airfields under the MAFI project," IAF said in another tweet. The modified Dornier 228 aircraft have been acquired to undertake in-house calibration of navigational aids available after implementation of Modernised Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) at IAF bases. While the first aircraft was delivered on November 19, the second is expected to be delivered in early 2020.

Air Chief inducts FIS Dornier aircraft into number 41 squadron

Extinction Rebellion climate activists were arrested after gluing themselves to a roadblock they had erected in central London on Monday (December 9).

Activists glue hands to roadblock to highlight air pollution in London

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-quality-improves-slightly-in-delhi-safar-says-relief-temporary-263072">air quality</a> is likely to be in the 'bad'&nbsp;to 'very bad'&nbsp;category on Wednesday and may worsen even further in the coming two days in the Delhi and NCR region, according to Skymet Weather. 
 
According to weather experts from Skymet, the reason behind this is a western disturbance on the western side of the Himalayas which is going to impact the flow of air in Delhi-NCR regions. 
 
The reduced flow of air is likely to lead to an increase in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-need-for-odd-even-scheme-as-delhi-skies-have-cleared-up-arvind-kejriwal-262895">accumulation of pollutants</a> in the region and on November 21 and 22 when the situation could worsen even further. 
 
Apart from Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad too are going to be impacted by the worsening air quality. 
 
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi had improved since Saturday when it was marked at 357.

The air quality is likely to be in the 'bad' to 'very bad' category on Wednesday and may worsen even further in the coming two days in the Delhi and NCR region, according to Skymet Weather.

The air quality is likely to be in the 'bad' to 'very bad' category on Wednesday and may worsen even further in the coming two days in the Delhi and NCR region, according to Skymet Weather. According to weather experts from Skymet, the reason behind this is a western disturbance on the western side of the Himalayas which is going to impact the flow of air in Delhi-NCR regions. The reduced flow of air is likely to lead to an increase in the accumulation of pollutants in the region and on November 21 and 22 when the situation could worsen even further. Apart from Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad too are going to be impacted by the worsening air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi had improved since Saturday when it was marked at 357.

Delhi: Air quality to be bad today, may worsen in upcoming days

One cold night in October, Gerel Ganbaatar decided to stay with her parents in one of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mongolian-president-arrives-in-india-to-intensify-bilateral-ties-250746">Mongolia's traditional ger</a> communities on the outskirts of the capital -- a decision which would prove fatal.

Within hours of arriving, she and her parents both became breathless and nauseous. They desperately called for help,&nbsp;but by the time medics arrived Gerel, who was four months pregnant, was already dead.

The 29-year-old's parents were using smokeless briquettes to warm their home for the first time that night: A government-issued fuel,&nbsp;made of coking coal from the southern Gobi region and washed coal powder,&nbsp;it has been linked to deaths and ill-health.

Since residents started using the briquettes in October, there have been seven other deaths,&nbsp;mainly children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Nearly one thousand have been hospitalised in Ulaanbaatar's outer slum districts, prompting fears the fuel can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.&nbsp;

Gerel's grieving mother, Jargalsaikhan Mishigdorj, warns the fuel should be used with care.

"I have burned coal all of my life, we have never ever been suffocated," she explains.&nbsp;

The Mongolian government is trying to battle dangerous smog levels in one of the world's most polluted cities by trying to offer replacements for raw coal, which produces a dense, dangerous smoke, but is often&nbsp;used by the poor to warm their homes in a place where temperature can plummet to minus 40C.&nbsp;

Mongolian officials say the briquettes last longer and emit fewer fumes.

Toxic air

One nurse at the National Poison Emergency hospital, who declined to say her name, told AFP she had never seen the numbers of carbon monoxide poisoning patients so high.

"We are working under an enormous amount of pressure," she says.

The city's emergency unit said issues were easing once people were told the "correct ways to burn the briquettes".&nbsp;

They said public service workers were spending time in the ger district to teach people about the new fuel as well as to report if any raw coal was still being used.

Its the latest example of governments in Asia struggling to find a safe, workable solution to replacing coal, in a region that is battling toxic levels of air pollution.

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to provide cooking gas connections to millions of rural residents has been beset by corruption.&nbsp;

In neighbouring China, three million homes near Beijing were ordered to switch from coal to gas or electric heating in 2017, but a difficult transition left many without any heating at all.

Ulaanbaatar is the world's coldest capital and only half of the residents have central heating, and Ulaanbaatar regularly exceeds World Health Organisation recommendations for air quality.

The government has been trying to force low-grade coal out of commission to reduce the thick air pollution that has plagued the city.&nbsp;

And experts say there is evidence that the move is already having a positive impact on the environment.

Sonomdagva, associate professor at the National University of Mongolia, told AFP that PM 2.5 -- tiny particles that get into the lungs and bloodstream -- had decreased by 40 per cent compared with October last year.

"However, an incredibly long and warm autumn, plus the usage of the new refined fuel, and fear of suffocation meaning people use only wood (for fuel) can also be reasons of the 40 per cent decrease," he said.

Fear of suffocation

Byambajargal Losol, a physicist at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/first-time-in-a-decade-mongolian-president-to-visit-india-250052">Mongolian Science Academy</a>, told AFP that he believes the smokeless briquettes are the best way to reduce air pollution -- but that more needs to be done to help their safe use.

"People are using briquettes just like the old raw coal and burning it the same way," he said, adding: "The briquettes are thick and compact so they require twice as much oxygen to burn, compared to raw coal."

Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when there is a restricted oxygen supply.

The state-owned factory that produces the briquettes said families should also clean their stoves before burning the new fuel.

It has started providing free stove repair services after issues were highlighted in the local press. The government has also promised to distribute free smoke detectors in ger districts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While citizens say the briquettes have benefits, some remain wary.

Ger resident Turbold Sainbuyan told AFP that the new briquettes save time and last longer.

"I had to break up the raw coal, (but) the briquettes are ready to use," he says.&nbsp;

"Now we use one bag of briquettes for three days compared to one bag of raw coal for only one day," he adds.

His mother Enkhjargal Chuluun, a nurse at a private dental clinic, said the briquettes are warmer than raw coal.

She says: "But we still have fear of suffocation, so we started opening the window at night."

One cold night in October, Gerel Ganbaatar decided to stay with her parents in one of Mongolia's traditional ger communities on the outskirts of the capital -- a decision which would prove fatal.

One cold night in October, Gerel Ganbaatar decided to stay with her parents in one of Mongolia's traditional ger communities on the outskirts of the capital -- a decision which would prove fatal. Within hours of arriving, she and her parents both became breathless and nauseous. They desperately called for help, but by the time medics arrived Gerel, who was four months pregnant, was already dead. The 29-year-old's parents were using smokeless briquettes to warm their home for the first time that night: A government-issued fuel, made of coking coal from the southern Gobi region and washed coal powder, it has been linked to deaths and ill-health. Since residents started using the briquettes in October, there have been seven other deaths, mainly children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Nearly one thousand have been hospitalised in Ulaanbaatar's outer slum districts, prompting fears the fuel can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Gerel's grieving mother, Jargalsaikhan Mishigdorj, warns the fuel should be used with care. "I have burned coal all of my life, we have never ever been suffocated," she explains. The Mongolian government is trying to battle dangerous smog levels in one of the world's most polluted cities by trying to offer replacements for raw coal, which produces a dense, dangerous smoke, but is often used by the poor to warm their homes in a place where temperature can plummet to minus 40C. Mongolian officials say the briquettes last longer and emit fewer fumes. Toxic air One nurse at the National Poison Emergency hospital, who declined to say her name, told AFP she had never seen the numbers of carbon monoxide poisoning patients so high. "We are working under an enormous amount of pressure," she says. The city's emergency unit said issues were easing once people were told the "correct ways to burn the briquettes". They said public service workers were spending time in the ger district to teach people about the new fuel as well as to report if any raw coal was still being used. Its the latest example of governments in Asia struggling to find a safe, workable solution to replacing coal, in a region that is battling toxic levels of air pollution. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to provide cooking gas connections to millions of rural residents has been beset by corruption. In neighbouring China, three million homes near Beijing were ordered to switch from coal to gas or electric heating in 2017, but a difficult transition left many without any heating at all. Ulaanbaatar is the world's coldest capital and only half of the residents have central heating, and Ulaanbaatar regularly exceeds World Health Organisation recommendations for air quality. The government has been trying to force low-grade coal out of commission to reduce the thick air pollution that has plagued the city. And experts say there is evidence that the move is already having a positive impact on the environment. Sonomdagva, associate professor at the National University of Mongolia, told AFP that PM 2.5 -- tiny particles that get into the lungs and bloodstream -- had decreased by 40 per cent compared with October last year. "However, an incredibly long and warm autumn, plus the usage of the new refined fuel, and fear of suffocation meaning people use only wood (for fuel) can also be reasons of the 40 per cent decrease," he said. Fear of suffocation Byambajargal Losol, a physicist at the Mongolian Science Academy, told AFP that he believes the smokeless briquettes are the best way to reduce air pollution -- but that more needs to be done to help their safe use. "People are using briquettes just like the old raw coal and burning it the same way," he said, adding: "The briquettes are thick and compact so they require twice as much oxygen to burn, compared to raw coal." Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when there is a restricted oxygen supply. The state-owned factory that produces the briquettes said families should also clean their stoves before burning the new fuel. It has started providing free stove repair services after issues were highlighted in the local press. The government has also promised to distribute free smoke detectors in ger districts. While citizens say the briquettes have benefits, some remain wary. Ger resident Turbold Sainbuyan told AFP that the new briquettes save time and last longer. "I had to break up the raw coal, (but) the briquettes are ready to use," he says. "Now we use one bag of briquettes for three days compared to one bag of raw coal for only one day," he adds. His mother Enkhjargal Chuluun, a nurse at a private dental clinic, said the briquettes are warmer than raw coal. She says: "But we still have fear of suffocation, so we started opening the window at night."

Mongolia's new 'cleaner' fuel linked to deaths, illness

Raising concerns over the depleting air quality in Uttar Pradesh, artificial lungs installed near Nagar Nigam office in Lalbagh area turned black within 24 hours.

"This shows the air quality here. It took six days for the lungs to turn black in Delhi, 18 days in Bengaluru," said Ekta Shekhar, Director, Climate Agenda.

She added, "In Lucknow, the lungs turned black by the very next day of the installation, within 24 hours."

"We had used HEPA filters. There are loopholes in the National Clean Air Programme of the government. Till the time they are not addressed, the situation won't be better in the state," Shekhar said.

Besides UP, the overall air quality index (AQI) again deteriorated to 'very poor' category on Sunday in the national capital after the level of harmful pollutants shot up.

According to Centre-run SAFAR, Delhi's AQI was docking at 382 in the morning.&nbsp;

Raising concerns over the depleting air quality in Uttar Pradesh, artificial lungs installed near Nagar Nigam office in Lalbagh area turned black within 24 hours.

Raising concerns over the depleting air quality in Uttar Pradesh, artificial lungs installed near Nagar Nigam office in Lalbagh area turned black within 24 hours. "This shows the air quality here. It took six days for the lungs to turn black in Delhi, 18 days in Bengaluru," said Ekta Shekhar, Director, Climate Agenda. She added, "In Lucknow, the lungs turned black by the very next day of the installation, within 24 hours." "We had used HEPA filters. There are loopholes in the National Clean Air Programme of the government. Till the time they are not addressed, the situation won't be better in the state," Shekhar said. Besides UP, the overall air quality index (AQI) again deteriorated to 'very poor' category on Sunday in the national capital after the level of harmful pollutants shot up. According to Centre-run SAFAR, Delhi's AQI was docking at 382 in the morning.

UP air quality: Artificial lungs turn black within 24 hours

Private FM channels will be allowed to broadcast All India Radio news in English and Hindi after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Tuesday launched the facility.

The FM channels will have to carry the AIR news in an unaltered format and the service will be available free of cost on a trial basis till May 31 this year.

As per the terms and conditions, during the trial period, private FM broadcasters may avoid broadcasting in disturbed or border and Naxalism-affected areas.

Information and Broadcasting minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said the move empowers citizens.

“This empowers me as a citizen. What else does a democracy need? We should be able to make our citizens aware and empowered. This was approved much before and I would like to congratulate the Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials for the nudge,” he said.

He said the All India Radio and the Prasar Bharati were in discussion on costs.

“Our priority is awareness among citizens and secondary is revenue generation. We have made it available free of cost so that there are no further delays,” he added.

He said now that people will be listening to announcers from the All India Radio on different FM channels, it is also an occasion for the Prasar Bharati and the All India Radio to step up.

Through a televised message, Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash termed the initiative significant in this era of collaboration and convergence.

Anuradha Prasad, president, Association of Radio Operators of India, thanked the government for accepting the long-standing demand of private radio broadcasters to present news on their platform.

Private FM radio broadcasters would be permitted to broadcast AIR news bulletins in English and Hindi as per the list of bulletins given in news schedule, subject to certain terms and conditions.

Any private FM broadcaster which intends to broadcast the news bulletins will first have to register with the News Services Division: All India Radio on its website.

The commercials which are broadcast during news bulletins shall also have to be carried along with the news in toto.

The private FM broadcasters will have to give due credit to the AIR for sourcing their news and will have to carry AIR news bulletins either simultaneously or deferred live by not more than 30 minutes.

In case of deferred live, an announcement should precede that it is a deferred live broadcast.

Union Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare, CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shashi Shekhar Vempati and DG, AIR F Sheheryar were among those present at the event.

Private FM channels will be allowed to broadcast All India Radio news in English and Hindi after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Tuesday launched the facility.

Private FM channels will be allowed to broadcast All India Radio news in English and Hindi after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Tuesday launched the facility. The FM channels will have to carry the AIR news in an unaltered format and the service will be available free of cost on a trial basis till May 31 this year. As per the terms and conditions, during the trial period, private FM broadcasters may avoid broadcasting in disturbed or border and Naxalism-affected areas. Information and Broadcasting minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said the move empowers citizens. “This empowers me as a citizen. What else does a democracy need? We should be able to make our citizens aware and empowered. This was approved much before and I would like to congratulate the Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials for the nudge,” he said. He said the All India Radio and the Prasar Bharati were in discussion on costs. “Our priority is awareness among citizens and secondary is revenue generation. We have made it available free of cost so that there are no further delays,” he added. He said now that people will be listening to announcers from the All India Radio on different FM channels, it is also an occasion for the Prasar Bharati and the All India Radio to step up. Through a televised message, Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash termed the initiative significant in this era of collaboration and convergence. Anuradha Prasad, president, Association of Radio Operators of India, thanked the government for accepting the long-standing demand of private radio broadcasters to present news on their platform. Private FM radio broadcasters would be permitted to broadcast AIR news bulletins in English and Hindi as per the list of bulletins given in news schedule, subject to certain terms and conditions. Any private FM broadcaster which intends to broadcast the news bulletins will first have to register with the News Services Division: All India Radio on its website. The commercials which are broadcast during news bulletins shall also have to be carried along with the news in toto. The private FM broadcasters will have to give due credit to the AIR for sourcing their news and will have to carry AIR news bulletins either simultaneously or deferred live by not more than 30 minutes. In case of deferred live, an announcement should precede that it is a deferred live broadcast. Union Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare, CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shashi Shekhar Vempati and DG, AIR F Sheheryar were among those present at the event.

Private FM channels to be permitted to broadcast AIR news

Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has decided to close down All India Radio's national channel and its regional training academies in five cities as part of "cost-cutting measures" and to "rationalise" services.

The programme, technical, ministerial and other staff posted at National Channel in Todapur and Nagpur etc, apart from those working at Regional Academies of Broadcasting and Multimedia (RABMs) in five cities, may be posted as per the requirement of the organisation, said the order issued by the Directorate General, All India Radio (AIR).

In order to "rationalise AIR services and keeping in view of the cost-cutting measures", it has been decided by Prasar Bharati and communicated to DG AIR on December 24, 2018, to close down the national channel of AIR and RABMs located at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Shillong and Thiruvananthapuram with immediate effect, it said.

The order, dated January 3, stated that the programmes of archival value maintained by national channel should be sent to the central archives in Delhi for digitisation and preservation for posterity.

The national channel, which broadcasts from 6 PM to 6 AM, came up in 1987 and played an important role in keeping people abreast with national issues, an AIR source said.

"National channel has a huge repository of programmes and the personnel will now be redeployed," the source said.

It is understood that certain sections within AIR are not happy with the decision as they believe that the national channel was an important part of the broadcasts and there were other ways to cut costs than shutting it down altogether.

"These days you can livestream, you can make it an application-based service, there are many other ways of cost-cutting. The effort should have been to strengthen national channel and not close it down," a source said.

Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has decided to close down All India Radio's national channel and its regional training academies in five cities as part of "cost-cutting measures" and to "rationalise" services.

Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has decided to close down All India Radio's national channel and its regional training academies in five cities as part of "cost-cutting measures" and to "rationalise" services. The programme, technical, ministerial and other staff posted at National Channel in Todapur and Nagpur etc, apart from those working at Regional Academies of Broadcasting and Multimedia (RABMs) in five cities, may be posted as per the requirement of the organisation, said the order issued by the Directorate General, All India Radio (AIR). In order to "rationalise AIR services and keeping in view of the cost-cutting measures", it has been decided by Prasar Bharati and communicated to DG AIR on December 24, 2018, to close down the national channel of AIR and RABMs located at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Shillong and Thiruvananthapuram with immediate effect, it said. The order, dated January 3, stated that the programmes of archival value maintained by national channel should be sent to the central archives in Delhi for digitisation and preservation for posterity. The national channel, which broadcasts from 6 PM to 6 AM, came up in 1987 and played an important role in keeping people abreast with national issues, an AIR source said. "National channel has a huge repository of programmes and the personnel will now be redeployed," the source said. It is understood that certain sections within AIR are not happy with the decision as they believe that the national channel was an important part of the broadcasts and there were other ways to cut costs than shutting it down altogether. "These days you can livestream, you can make it an application-based service, there are many other ways of cost-cutting. The effort should have been to strengthen national channel and not close it down," a source said.

AIR to shut down national channel, regional training academies in 5 cities to cut costs

The air quality of Delhi nosedived on Tuesday just a few days after scores of effigies were burned across the region on the occasion of Dussehra.

According to the latest System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data, the air quality in capital`s Lodhi Road area showed levels of prominent pollutants PM (particulate matter) 10 and PM 2.5 at 237 and 214, respectively.

The AQI between the range of 51 to 100 is considered as satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 falls under the poor category, whereas 401-500 range is severe.

The organisation has adviced the people residing in Delhi to avoid all outdoor physical activities. It has warned all asthmatics to keep relief medicines handy. "Stop any activity level if you experience any usual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or fatigue," it added.

On a related note, SAFAR has also conducted a scientific study which revealed that 41 per cent of the pollution in the national capital is caused by the transport sector. It also said that "after transport, wind-blown dust is the second major contributor with 21.5 per cent followed by industries at 18.6 per cent.&nbsp;

The other minor contributors are power and residential sectors contributing about 4.9 and 3 per cent, respectively. Others contribute about 11 per cent.&nbsp;

Residential sector includes slum, crop residue, cow dung, a street vendor, household, DG Set, wood burning, etc while other sectors include MSW Plants, MSW open burning, crematory, aviation, incense sticks, brick kilns".

On the contrary, air quality has shown slight improvement in Mumbai with PM 1o at 137. Though it is not as severe as Delhi but is quite high considering the fact that Mumbai is along the sea.&nbsp;

Tomorrow, air quality is expected to be around 141, SAFAR said.

According to a May 2018 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Delhi featured in the list of the 20 most polluted cities in the world.&nbsp;

The air quality of Delhi nosedived on Tuesday just a few days after scores of effigies were burned across the region on the occasion of Dussehra. According to the latest System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data, the air quality in capital`s Lodhi Road area showed levels of prominent pollutants PM (particulate matter) 10 and PM 2.

The air quality of Delhi nosedived on Tuesday just a few days after scores of effigies were burned across the region on the occasion of Dussehra. According to the latest System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data, the air quality in capital`s Lodhi Road area showed levels of prominent pollutants PM (particulate matter) 10 and PM 2.5 at 237 and 214, respectively. The AQI between the range of 51 to 100 is considered as satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 falls under the poor category, whereas 401-500 range is severe. The organisation has adviced the people residing in Delhi to avoid all outdoor physical activities. It has warned all asthmatics to keep relief medicines handy. "Stop any activity level if you experience any usual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or fatigue," it added. On a related note, SAFAR has also conducted a scientific study which revealed that 41 per cent of the pollution in the national capital is caused by the transport sector. It also said that "after transport, wind-blown dust is the second major contributor with 21.5 per cent followed by industries at 18.6 per cent. The other minor contributors are power and residential sectors contributing about 4.9 and 3 per cent, respectively. Others contribute about 11 per cent. Residential sector includes slum, crop residue, cow dung, a street vendor, household, DG Set, wood burning, etc while other sectors include MSW Plants, MSW open burning, crematory, aviation, incense sticks, brick kilns". On the contrary, air quality has shown slight improvement in Mumbai with PM 1o at 137. Though it is not as severe as Delhi but is quite high considering the fact that Mumbai is along the sea. Tomorrow, air quality is expected to be around 141, SAFAR said. According to a May 2018 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Delhi featured in the list of the 20 most polluted cities in the world.

Delhi gasps for breath as air quality dips further

In a bid to counter anti-India propaganda by Pakistan through its radio penetration, India on Monday launched an FM station for the border belt near Amritsar that can be heard 50 km into the Pakistani territory.

A 20kW FM transmitter of the All India Radio (AIR) located at Gharinda close to the international border near Amritsar was formally inaugurated by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla, an AIR statement said.

The transmitter, that will be used for both domestic and external broadcast, is of immense strategic importance as programmes radiated from the transmitter can be heard in a radius of 90 km, including up to 50 km inside Pakistan, it said.

Sampla, while inaugurating the transmitter, told reporters that it will help in resolving the issues of non-availability of good quality signals of AIR in Amritsar and surrounding areas, and also help in countering malicious anti-India propaganda unleashed by radio channels from across the border.

The minister expressed hope that the content of the channel would also go a long way in bridging people-to-people contact among the Punjabi speaking people of the two countries.

Chairman Prasar Bharati Surya Prakash said on the occasion that as a public service broadcaster, Prasar Bharati and its two constituents All India Radio and Doordarshan, were committed to playing a catalytic role in the development of the country.

Lauding the role of AIR, the Prasar Bharati Chairman said that AIR has always been at the forefront of preserving the country's cultural heritage and integrity.

Director General AIR Fayyaz Sheheryar said the FM transmitter shall ensure stereo quality listening of radio programmes in the region.

To begin with, the transmitter will carry an assortment of programmes broadcast in Punjabi by FM Rainbow Channel of AIR Jalandhar, 'Des Punjab', and programmes in Saraiki language. Popular programmes of Urdu service of the External Services Division, AIR, will also be broadcast, the statement said.

Des Punjab programme and the programmes in Saraiki which are presently broadcast on medium wave are immensely popular in Pakistan as these are specially devised to focus on the commonality of the Punjabi culture and heritage between the two halves of Punjab, it said.

Initially the transmitter shall carry programmes for 18 hours per day from 6.00 AM to 12.00 midnight.

Amritsar and surrounding areas are inundated by radio programmes broadcast from across the border. The content broadcast from across the border is often found to be not conducive to India's national interest and needs to be countered, the statement said.

This transmitter, due to its strategic location, would provide for countering of any misleading anti-India propaganda and put India's point of view in the correct perspective, it said.&nbsp;

In a bid to counter anti-India propaganda by Pakistan through its radio penetration, India on Monday launched an FM station for the border belt near Amritsar that can be heard 50 km into the Pakistani territory.

In a bid to counter anti-India propaganda by Pakistan through its radio penetration, India on Monday launched an FM station for the border belt near Amritsar that can be heard 50 km into the Pakistani territory. A 20kW FM transmitter of the All India Radio (AIR) located at Gharinda close to the international border near Amritsar was formally inaugurated by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla, an AIR statement said. The transmitter, that will be used for both domestic and external broadcast, is of immense strategic importance as programmes radiated from the transmitter can be heard in a radius of 90 km, including up to 50 km inside Pakistan, it said. Sampla, while inaugurating the transmitter, told reporters that it will help in resolving the issues of non-availability of good quality signals of AIR in Amritsar and surrounding areas, and also help in countering malicious anti-India propaganda unleashed by radio channels from across the border. The minister expressed hope that the content of the channel would also go a long way in bridging people-to-people contact among the Punjabi speaking people of the two countries. Chairman Prasar Bharati Surya Prakash said on the occasion that as a public service broadcaster, Prasar Bharati and its two constituents All India Radio and Doordarshan, were committed to playing a catalytic role in the development of the country. Lauding the role of AIR, the Prasar Bharati Chairman said that AIR has always been at the forefront of preserving the country's cultural heritage and integrity. Director General AIR Fayyaz Sheheryar said the FM transmitter shall ensure stereo quality listening of radio programmes in the region. To begin with, the transmitter will carry an assortment of programmes broadcast in Punjabi by FM Rainbow Channel of AIR Jalandhar, 'Des Punjab', and programmes in Saraiki language. Popular programmes of Urdu service of the External Services Division, AIR, will also be broadcast, the statement said. Des Punjab programme and the programmes in Saraiki which are presently broadcast on medium wave are immensely popular in Pakistan as these are specially devised to focus on the commonality of the Punjabi culture and heritage between the two halves of Punjab, it said. Initially the transmitter shall carry programmes for 18 hours per day from 6.00 AM to 12.00 midnight. Amritsar and surrounding areas are inundated by radio programmes broadcast from across the border. The content broadcast from across the border is often found to be not conducive to India's national interest and needs to be countered, the statement said. This transmitter, due to its strategic location, would provide for countering of any misleading anti-India propaganda and put India's point of view in the correct perspective, it said.

AIR launches FM station in border belt to counter Pak's anti-India propaganda

Environment ministers from about 100 countries gather in Nairobi next week to issue a clarion call against air, land and water pollution blamed for some nine million deaths in 2015.

Ministers under the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) will finalise a global declaration vowing to combat &quot;rampant pollution&quot; as a growing threat to human life, economies and ecosystems.

Seven million of those deaths are caused by car exhaust, factory fumes and indoor cooking, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which hosts the assembly.

Water pollution is the second deadliest type, followed by exposure to toxins and carcinogens in the workplace.

Last month, UNEP said approximately one in six deaths in 2015 were due to pollution, mainly in poor and developing countries.

Almost half of the nine-million death toll came from just two countries - rapidly-industrialising India and China.

The December 4-6 meeting will be the third UNEA, created by world leaders in 2012 to strengthen world efforts to save the environment.

The assembly is the highest-level decision-making forum on environmental issues. All 193 UN states are members.

Nearly 2,500 participants have registered for this year&#39;s gathering, including a host of company CEOs, the heads of other UN agencies, scientists and activists.

The ministers will negotiate the wording for a number of resolutions on specific anti-pollution steps, such as limiting the amount of fish-choking plastic that finds its way into the ocean, and banning the use of toxic lead in paint.

&quot;Our oceans are filling with trash so fast that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the seas than fish,&quot; according to a UNEP statement.

&quot;A global ban on lead in paint is one of several resolutions under discussion at UNEA and, if agreed by ministers, will be a key step in removing an environmental hazard that harms the mental development of 600,000 children every year,&quot; it added.

Other resolutions, still in the draft phase, will aim for stricter air quality control in cities, and to reduce environmental degradation caused by armed conflict.

Pollution, according to the UNEP, is &quot;the biggest human killer bar none.&quot;

&quot;We need to beat pollution before it beats us,&quot; said UNEP head Erik Solheim.

&quot;That means being able to breathe in our cities, keeping dangerous chemicals out of the food chain, and stopping our oceans from being transformed into a plastic soup.&quot;

The assembly must yield a political declaration by Wednesday, entitled &quot;Towards a Pollution-Free Planet&quot;.

It will commit UN member countries to limiting humankind&#39;s soiling of the planet with chemicals, non-biodegradable litter and toxic smoke.

&quot;Nine million people die prematurely every year because of environmental intoxication - this is clearly a moral scandal,&quot; said Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Aside from outright poisoning, pollution causes an array of deadly ailments such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The December 4-6 meeting will be the third UNEA, created by world leaders in 2012 to strengthen world efforts to save the environment

Environment ministers from about 100 countries gather in Nairobi next week to issue a clarion call against air, land and water pollution blamed for some nine million deaths in 2015. Ministers under the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) will finalise a global declaration vowing to combat "rampant pollution" as a growing threat to human life, economies and ecosystems. Seven million of those deaths are caused by car exhaust, factory fumes and indoor cooking, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which hosts the assembly. Water pollution is the second deadliest type, followed by exposure to toxins and carcinogens in the workplace. Last month, UNEP said approximately one in six deaths in 2015 were due to pollution, mainly in poor and developing countries. Almost half of the nine-million death toll came from just two countries - rapidly-industrialising India and China. The December 4-6 meeting will be the third UNEA, created by world leaders in 2012 to strengthen world efforts to save the environment. The assembly is the highest-level decision-making forum on environmental issues. All 193 UN states are members. Nearly 2,500 participants have registered for this year's gathering, including a host of company CEOs, the heads of other UN agencies, scientists and activists. The ministers will negotiate the wording for a number of resolutions on specific anti-pollution steps, such as limiting the amount of fish-choking plastic that finds its way into the ocean, and banning the use of toxic lead in paint. "Our oceans are filling with trash so fast that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the seas than fish," according to a UNEP statement. "A global ban on lead in paint is one of several resolutions under discussion at UNEA and, if agreed by ministers, will be a key step in removing an environmental hazard that harms the mental development of 600,000 children every year," it added. Other resolutions, still in the draft phase, will aim for stricter air quality control in cities, and to reduce environmental degradation caused by armed conflict. Pollution, according to the UNEP, is "the biggest human killer bar none." "We need to beat pollution before it beats us," said UNEP head Erik Solheim. "That means being able to breathe in our cities, keeping dangerous chemicals out of the food chain, and stopping our oceans from being transformed into a plastic soup." The assembly must yield a political declaration by Wednesday, entitled "Towards a Pollution-Free Planet". It will commit UN member countries to limiting humankind's soiling of the planet with chemicals, non-biodegradable litter and toxic smoke. "Nine million people die prematurely every year because of environmental intoxication - this is clearly a moral scandal," said Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Aside from outright poisoning, pollution causes an array of deadly ailments such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

UN makes global bid to end 'rampant' pollution

Want to breathe long and deep? Longing for that whiff of fresh air, so elusive in Delhi-NCR?

Just head to the Oxygen Chamber that offers you oodles of clean air, and it&#39;s free.

That the Oxygen Chamber is next to the Huda City Metro station, crowded and chaotic with lots of people inside and lots of traffic outside, makes the contrast starker.

Built by Nurturing Green, the Oxygen Chamber is a welcome break in a city where masks and air purifiers are increasingly the norm as air pollution levels fluctuate between severe, very poor and poor.

Equipped with an air purifier and NASA approved air purifying plants such as areca palm, peace lily and sansevieria trifasciata (also known as mother-in-law&#39;s tongue or snake plant), the place, spread over 13,000 sq ft, is a treat for the eyes, and, more important, for the lungs.

&quot;The NASA approved air purifying plants available in the Oxygen Chamber absorb harmful gases like xylene, benzene, formaldehyde and CO2 to bring freshness indoors,&quot; Nurture Green Founder Annu Grover told PTI. &quot;We are practically breathing poison,&quot; she said.

So, enter the chamber and levels of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 and 10 - microscopic particles that can enter and embed deep into the lungs and subsequently the bloodstream, get into a free-fall, making a safe and pollution-free landing at 8-10 from the hazardous 300-400.

There&#39;s&nbsp;a catch, however. The chamber also has an electronic air purifier.

&#39;&#39;These air purifying plants are not there to replace the air purifiers. No. We are saying that both complement each other. It works like this. The air purifying plants absorb the harmful gases, while the electronic air purifier takes care of your PM level,&#39;&#39; said Nikhil Grover, senior marketing manager of the company.

Using medical analogy, he said an electronic air purifier works like &#39;allopathy&#39; and the air purifying plants are somewhat close to &#39;homoeopathy&#39;.

According to him, it would cost Rs 15,000-20,000 to build an oxygen chamber in a home.

The place also sells all kinds of green plants, indoor and outdoor, as well as theme-based garden and balcony furniture, among a host of other things.

Built by Nurturing Green, the Oxygen Chamber next to the Huda City Metro station is equipped with an air purifier and NASA approved air purifying plants such as areca palm, peace lily and sansevieria trifasciata

Want to breathe long and deep? Longing for that whiff of fresh air, so elusive in Delhi-NCR? Just head to the Oxygen Chamber that offers you oodles of clean air, and it's free. That the Oxygen Chamber is next to the Huda City Metro station, crowded and chaotic with lots of people inside and lots of traffic outside, makes the contrast starker. Built by Nurturing Green, the Oxygen Chamber is a welcome break in a city where masks and air purifiers are increasingly the norm as air pollution levels fluctuate between severe, very poor and poor. Equipped with an air purifier and NASA approved air purifying plants such as areca palm, peace lily and sansevieria trifasciata (also known as mother-in-law's tongue or snake plant), the place, spread over 13,000 sq ft, is a treat for the eyes, and, more important, for the lungs. "The NASA approved air purifying plants available in the Oxygen Chamber absorb harmful gases like xylene, benzene, formaldehyde and CO2 to bring freshness indoors," Nurture Green Founder Annu Grover told PTI. "We are practically breathing poison," she said. So, enter the chamber and levels of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 and 10 - microscopic particles that can enter and embed deep into the lungs and subsequently the bloodstream, get into a free-fall, making a safe and pollution-free landing at 8-10 from the hazardous 300-400. There's a catch, however. The chamber also has an electronic air purifier. ''These air purifying plants are not there to replace the air purifiers. No. We are saying that both complement each other. It works like this. The air purifying plants absorb the harmful gases, while the electronic air purifier takes care of your PM level,'' said Nikhil Grover, senior marketing manager of the company. Using medical analogy, he said an electronic air purifier works like 'allopathy' and the air purifying plants are somewhat close to 'homoeopathy'. According to him, it would cost Rs 15,000-20,000 to build an oxygen chamber in a home. The place also sells all kinds of green plants, indoor and outdoor, as well as theme-based garden and balcony furniture, among a host of other things.

Oxygen Chamber in Gurugram; much-needed respite from pollution

The national capital received some rainfall late Friday&nbsp;cleaning up some of the smog.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> witnessed overnight drizzle: Visuals from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajpath?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajpath</a> <a href="https://t.co/GP3gsdPC0J">pic.twitter.com/GP3gsdPC0J</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931700262271463425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Pollution levels decreased further on Friday as Delhi received rainfall in some parts of the city, and is expected to witness more such drizzles on Saturday as well, an official from the MET department told the media.&nbsp;

Due to a disturbance in the western part of the country, overnight rain hit the national capital, reports say.&nbsp;

The approximate Air Quality Index of Delhi, which was measured at 363 on Thursday, decreased to 310 on Friday.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from Rajpath after overnight drizzling: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Anand Vihar at 260, Punjabi Bagh at 251, Siri Fort at 236, Shadipur at 214 in Air Quality Index; all of them fall in &#39;Very Unhealthy category&#39; <a href="https://t.co/DIJh030LfO">pic.twitter.com/DIJh030LfO</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931701867918135296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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An AQI value between 301 and 400 is said to be under the &lsquo;very poor&rsquo; category of pollution.&nbsp;

Levels of particulate matter also decreased throughout the day in Delhi-NCR after showing a slight high on Thursday.&nbsp;

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49 trains delayed, 14 rescheduled and one cancelled: Visuals from New <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> Railway Station <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pollution?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pollution</a> <a href="https://t.co/1cq0W4oOnS">pic.twitter.com/1cq0W4oOnS</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931703944480309249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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As rains continue to hit the capital, the pollution levels and particulate matter are expected to decrease, making the air cleaner, reports added.

Meanwhile, as many as 49 trains were delayed while 14 rescheduled and one cancelled due to smog.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Due to a disturbance in the western part of the country, overnight rain hit the national capital

The national capital received some rainfall late Friday cleaning up some of the smog. #Delhi witnessed overnight drizzle: Visuals from #Rajpath pic.twitter.com/GP3gsdPC0J — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × Pollution levels decreased further on Friday as Delhi received rainfall in some parts of the city, and is expected to witness more such drizzles on Saturday as well, an official from the MET department told the media. Due to a disturbance in the western part of the country, overnight rain hit the national capital, reports say. The approximate Air Quality Index of Delhi, which was measured at 363 on Thursday, decreased to 310 on Friday. #Visuals from Rajpath after overnight drizzling: #Delhi's Anand Vihar at 260, Punjabi Bagh at 251, Siri Fort at 236, Shadipur at 214 in Air Quality Index; all of them fall in 'Very Unhealthy category' pic.twitter.com/DIJh030LfO — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × An AQI value between 301 and 400 is said to be under the ‘very poor’ category of pollution. Levels of particulate matter also decreased throughout the day in Delhi-NCR after showing a slight high on Thursday. 49 trains delayed, 14 rescheduled and one cancelled: Visuals from New #Delhi Railway Station #Pollution pic.twitter.com/1cq0W4oOnS — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × As rains continue to hit the capital, the pollution levels and particulate matter are expected to decrease, making the air cleaner, reports added. Meanwhile, as many as 49 trains were delayed while 14 rescheduled and one cancelled due to smog.

Overnight drizzle in Delhi may help ease up pollution

Rio de Janeiro&#39;s air is dirtier and deadlier than portrayed by authorities, and the Olympics&#39; promised legacy of cleaner winds has not remotely been met, an analysis of government data and Reuters&#39; own testing found. 
 
Brazil declared in its official bid for the Olympic Games, which open on Friday, that Rio&#39;s air quality was &quot;within the limits recommended by the World Health Organization&quot;. 
 
That was not true when Rio won the right to host the Games in 2009 and it is not true now. 
 
Rio for years has surpassed WHO limits for the most dangerous air pollutant,&nbsp;called particulate matter (PM),&nbsp;spewed from millions of vehicles clogging the city&#39;s roads. 
 
Thousands die annually in Rio&#39;s metropolitan area of 12 million people because of complications related to the air. People exposed to the pollution have higher risks of lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, asthma and other diseases. 
 
&quot;This is definitely not &#39;Olympic air&#39;,&quot; said Paulo Saldiva, a University of Sao Paulo pathologist and member of the WHO committee that set tougher global pollution standards in 2006. 
 
&quot;A lot of attention has been paid to Rio&#39;s water pollution, but far more people die because of air pollution than the water,&quot; he said. &quot;You are not obligated to drink water from Guanabara Bay, but you must breathe Rio&#39;s air.&quot; 
 
Rio&#39;s contaminated Olympic waterways have drawn attention as the city suffers endemic levels of gastrointestinal diseases from a lack of sewage collection. Reuters recently reported that Rio&#39;s Olympic water venues and favourite beaches also tested positive for drug-resistant &quot;super bacteria&quot;. 
 
But there has been no talk of Rio&#39;s air pollution, three-quarters of which is caused by exhaust fumes from the 2.7 million vehicles on its roads, according to Rio state&#39;s environmental protection agency, Inea. 
 
Its data shows that since 2008, Rio&#39;s air has consistently been two to three times above WHO&#39;s annual limit for PM 10 - so called because the particulate matter has a diameter of 10 microns or less, seven times smaller than that of a human hair. 
 
That means Rio has the dirtiest air of any Olympic host city since scientists began consistently tracking PM 10 in the late 1980s, with the exception of Beijing in 2008. 
 
Tania Braga, head of sustainability and legacy for the Rio Olympics organising committee, said air quality cannot be judged on PM data alone and other pollutants are at low levels. 
 
Saldiva dismissed that, saying &quot;the health damages associated with PM pollution are the most severe of all pollutants&quot; and, because of that, Rio&#39;s air is of poor quality. 
 
The WHO says on its website that &quot;PM affects more people than any other pollutant,&quot; that outdoor pollution caused 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 and that those deaths were due to exposure to PM 10.&nbsp;The UN&nbsp;body did not respond to requests for comment on Rio&#39;s air quality. 
 
Using the WHO&#39;s methodology on estimating mortality, Saldiva calculates some 5,400 people died in Rio because of air pollution in 2014, the most recent year that data is available.&nbsp;By comparison, Rio&#39;s infamous murder levels resulted in 3,117 deaths last year. 
 
From 2010 to 2014, metropolitan Rio had an annual average PM 10 reading of 52 per cubic meter of air, according to Inea statistics. The WHO&#39;s limit for the annual average is 20. 
 
Jamie Mullins, a professor of resource economics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, estimates that for every 10 units above the WHO limit on PM 10 levels, track athletes across all events see their performances diminished by 0.2 per cent.&nbsp;Mullins based that calculation on an examination of nearly 656,000 results from U.S. track athletes over eight years, and the air pollution during each. 
 
&#39;Sad Reality&#39; 
 
During the Beijing Olympics, the PM 10 level was 82, well above Rio&#39;s. When London held its Games in 2012, the PM 10 level was 23, government data showed. 
 
The PM level was 44 during the 2004 Olympics in Athens, 24 in Sydney in 2000 and 28 in Atlanta in 1996, said Staci Simonich, a professor at Oregon State University who published a 2009 study on pollution at the Beijing Games. 
 
&quot;Rio&#39;s numbers are all too common for the developing world. That is the sad reality,&quot; said Simonich. 
 
Air quality varies depending on weather, as&nbsp;rains temporarily clean PM from the air. But Rio is in its dry season and pollution is at its peak. 
 
Inea denied Reuters&#39; requests to see monthly data on PM levels for 2015 and this year.&nbsp;Some experts even question the reliability of Inea&#39;s data,&nbsp;noting that three-quarters of its 64 automatic monitoring stations are run by private companies that pollute, as a condition for them winning environmental licenses. 
 
&quot;The local agency should be fully and independently managing the stations,&quot; said James Lents, an air pollution expert who designed southern California&#39;s anti-smog effort.&nbsp;Inea did not respond to requests for comment on the private stations. 
 
Saldiva and his top researcher Mariana Veras teamed with Reuters to analyse Inea&#39;s data and carry out independent testing on PM 2.5,&nbsp;fine particles that pose the most serious health risks.&nbsp;Inea&#39;s data shows that since 2011, Rio&#39;s PM 2.5 levels surpassed WHO&#39;s annual limits 83 per cent of the time. 
 
Reuters conducted 22 separate hour-long tests for PM 2.5 levels: in front of the Olympic Park and the Olympic Village, next to the beach volleyball arena on Copacabana beach and just outside the Olympic stadium where track athletes will compete. 
 
There are no standards for one-hour tests for PM 2.5 &ndash; instead the WHO sets a 24-hour average level of 25 and an annual average of 10. But Saldiva and other experts said the results show athletes, fans and Rio residents are exposed to high levels of PM 2.5. 
 
The highest readings were at the Olympic stadium &ndash; with a peak of 65 PM 2.5 during a June 30 test taken mid-morning, the same time of day athletes will compete.&nbsp;The Copacabana site had a 57 reading the same day, while the Olympic Village where athletes will sleep hit a maximum of 32. 
 
Rio&#39;s mayor, Eduardo Paes, has been praised by experts for creating Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes and extending a subway line, but Rio&#39;s fleet of vehicles still grows by 100,000 a year. 
 
The mayor&#39;s office told Reuters improvements in public transport would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;It said the BRTs had already resulted in 750 smaller-capacity buses being removed from roads.&nbsp;But Saldiva said mass transport must be vastly expanded to significantly impact pollution levels, given the number of cars and trucks on Rio&#39;s roads. 
 
&quot;The idea of an Olympic legacy in terms of diminishing air pollution is Utopian. It is unimaginable that a few BRT routes will substantially change the quality of the air,&quot; he said. &quot;For the Brazilians remaining in Rio after the Olympics have come and gone, there is no clean air legacy.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Rio surpasses WHO limits for particulate matter, the most dangerous air pollutant. Of recent Olympic hosts only Beijing had dirtier air

Rio de Janeiro's air is dirtier and deadlier than portrayed by authorities, and the Olympics' promised legacy of cleaner winds has not remotely been met, an analysis of government data and Reuters' own testing found. Brazil declared in its official bid for the Olympic Games, which open on Friday, that Rio's air quality was "within the limits recommended by the World Health Organization". That was not true when Rio won the right to host the Games in 2009 and it is not true now. Rio for years has surpassed WHO limits for the most dangerous air pollutant, called particulate matter (PM), spewed from millions of vehicles clogging the city's roads. Thousands die annually in Rio's metropolitan area of 12 million people because of complications related to the air. People exposed to the pollution have higher risks of lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, asthma and other diseases. "This is definitely not 'Olympic air'," said Paulo Saldiva, a University of Sao Paulo pathologist and member of the WHO committee that set tougher global pollution standards in 2006. "A lot of attention has been paid to Rio's water pollution, but far more people die because of air pollution than the water," he said. "You are not obligated to drink water from Guanabara Bay, but you must breathe Rio's air." Rio's contaminated Olympic waterways have drawn attention as the city suffers endemic levels of gastrointestinal diseases from a lack of sewage collection. Reuters recently reported that Rio's Olympic water venues and favourite beaches also tested positive for drug-resistant "super bacteria". But there has been no talk of Rio's air pollution, three-quarters of which is caused by exhaust fumes from the 2.7 million vehicles on its roads, according to Rio state's environmental protection agency, Inea. Its data shows that since 2008, Rio's air has consistently been two to three times above WHO's annual limit for PM 10 - so called because the particulate matter has a diameter of 10 microns or less, seven times smaller than that of a human hair. That means Rio has the dirtiest air of any Olympic host city since scientists began consistently tracking PM 10 in the late 1980s, with the exception of Beijing in 2008. Tania Braga, head of sustainability and legacy for the Rio Olympics organising committee, said air quality cannot be judged on PM data alone and other pollutants are at low levels. Saldiva dismissed that, saying "the health damages associated with PM pollution are the most severe of all pollutants" and, because of that, Rio's air is of poor quality. The WHO says on its website that "PM affects more people than any other pollutant," that outdoor pollution caused 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 and that those deaths were due to exposure to PM 10. The UN body did not respond to requests for comment on Rio's air quality. Using the WHO's methodology on estimating mortality, Saldiva calculates some 5,400 people died in Rio because of air pollution in 2014, the most recent year that data is available. By comparison, Rio's infamous murder levels resulted in 3,117 deaths last year. From 2010 to 2014, metropolitan Rio had an annual average PM 10 reading of 52 per cubic meter of air, according to Inea statistics. The WHO's limit for the annual average is 20. Jamie Mullins, a professor of resource economics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, estimates that for every 10 units above the WHO limit on PM 10 levels, track athletes across all events see their performances diminished by 0.2 per cent. Mullins based that calculation on an examination of nearly 656,000 results from U.S. track athletes over eight years, and the air pollution during each. 'Sad Reality' During the Beijing Olympics, the PM 10 level was 82, well above Rio's. When London held its Games in 2012, the PM 10 level was 23, government data showed. The PM level was 44 during the 2004 Olympics in Athens, 24 in Sydney in 2000 and 28 in Atlanta in 1996, said Staci Simonich, a professor at Oregon State University who published a 2009 study on pollution at the Beijing Games. "Rio's numbers are all too common for the developing world. That is the sad reality," said Simonich. Air quality varies depending on weather, as rains temporarily clean PM from the air. But Rio is in its dry season and pollution is at its peak. Inea denied Reuters' requests to see monthly data on PM levels for 2015 and this year. Some experts even question the reliability of Inea's data, noting that three-quarters of its 64 automatic monitoring stations are run by private companies that pollute, as a condition for them winning environmental licenses. "The local agency should be fully and independently managing the stations," said James Lents, an air pollution expert who designed southern California's anti-smog effort. Inea did not respond to requests for comment on the private stations. Saldiva and his top researcher Mariana Veras teamed with Reuters to analyse Inea's data and carry out independent testing on PM 2.5, fine particles that pose the most serious health risks. Inea's data shows that since 2011, Rio's PM 2.5 levels surpassed WHO's annual limits 83 per cent of the time. Reuters conducted 22 separate hour-long tests for PM 2.5 levels: in front of the Olympic Park and the Olympic Village, next to the beach volleyball arena on Copacabana beach and just outside the Olympic stadium where track athletes will compete. There are no standards for one-hour tests for PM 2.5 – instead the WHO sets a 24-hour average level of 25 and an annual average of 10. But Saldiva and other experts said the results show athletes, fans and Rio residents are exposed to high levels of PM 2.5. The highest readings were at the Olympic stadium – with a peak of 65 PM 2.5 during a June 30 test taken mid-morning, the same time of day athletes will compete. The Copacabana site had a 57 reading the same day, while the Olympic Village where athletes will sleep hit a maximum of 32. Rio's mayor, Eduardo Paes, has been praised by experts for creating Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes and extending a subway line, but Rio's fleet of vehicles still grows by 100,000 a year. The mayor's office told Reuters improvements in public transport would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It said the BRTs had already resulted in 750 smaller-capacity buses being removed from roads. But Saldiva said mass transport must be vastly expanded to significantly impact pollution levels, given the number of cars and trucks on Rio's roads. "The idea of an Olympic legacy in terms of diminishing air pollution is Utopian. It is unimaginable that a few BRT routes will substantially change the quality of the air," he said. "For the Brazilians remaining in Rio after the Olympics have come and gone, there is no clean air legacy." (Reuters)

Rio's air dirty, deadly and not Olympic-like

The US military conducted air strikes in Libya on Monday, following a government request to target the Islamic State group&#39;s Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced. 
 
While the Pentagon has previously carried out air attacks on specific high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday&#39;s action marked the first known US strikes in Sirte itself. 
 
&quot;At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision air strikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya,&quot; Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using an acronym for the IS group. 
 
US strikes in Sirte &quot;will continue&quot;, Cook added without elaborating. 
 
President Barack Obama authorised the bombings following recommendations from top pentagon officials, and the strikes were &quot;consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces&quot;, Cook added. 
 
&quot;The US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya,&quot; he said. 
 
Monday&#39;s action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February, likely killing an IS leader called Noureddine Chouchane and dozens of other jihadists. 
 
In November, a US strike killed Abu Nabil, another IS leader who was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. 
 
A US senior administration official said US action would be limited to strikes and information sharing to support these, and that 
American troops would not take part in any ground operations to support the GNA. 
 
The official said precision strikes would target key IS military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes.&nbsp;Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. 
 
Exploiting Libya&#39;s power vacuum, IS jihadists established a foothold in Libya, especially in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates fewer than 1,000 IS fighters are in Sirte. 
 
(AFP)

Monday's action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February

The US military conducted air strikes in Libya on Monday, following a government request to target the Islamic State group's Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced. While the Pentagon has previously carried out air attacks on specific high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday's action marked the first known US strikes in Sirte itself. "At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision air strikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using an acronym for the IS group. US strikes in Sirte "will continue", Cook added without elaborating. President Barack Obama authorised the bombings following recommendations from top pentagon officials, and the strikes were "consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces", Cook added. "The US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya," he said. Monday's action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February, likely killing an IS leader called Noureddine Chouchane and dozens of other jihadists. In November, a US strike killed Abu Nabil, another IS leader who was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. A US senior administration official said US action would be limited to strikes and information sharing to support these, and that American troops would not take part in any ground operations to support the GNA. The official said precision strikes would target key IS military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes. Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. Exploiting Libya's power vacuum, IS jihadists established a foothold in Libya, especially in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates fewer than 1,000 IS fighters are in Sirte. (AFP)

US launches first anti-IS air strikes in Libya's Sirte

One more youth was killed today in a clash between a stone-pelting mob and security forces in Kashmir, raising the toll in the five-day unrest to 35, even as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed &quot;great sadness and sorrow&quot; over the deaths and promised a &quot;healing touch&quot;. 
Shattering the peace during most of the day, clashes erupted this evening at Harnag in Koimoh with a group of youth pelting stones on passing vehicles of security forces. 
In retaliatory action by the security forces, one youth was injured, officials said, adding he succumbed while being shifted to hospital. This raised the toll during the five-day unrest to 35. 
As soon as the news of death of the youth spread, angry protesters set ablaze a forest hut at Khannabal in Anantnag district town, the officials said. 
In another incident, a youth was injured when security forces opened fire at Koil in Pulwama district to disperse a mob which was pelting stones at an Indian Air Force base, the officials said. 
They said Reyaz Ahmad Padder was admitted to District Hospital Pulwama where his situation is stated to be stable. 
Earlier, barring some incidents of stone-pelting, Kashmir was relatively calm through the day as curfew remained in force in some parts of Kashmir, including Pampore and Kupwara towns, restrictions were in place on movement of people in the rest of the Valley. 
A police spokesman said barring &quot;some incidents&quot; of stone pelting at various places, the situation &quot;remained under control&quot; in the valley. 
The stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Khudwani, Kulgam, Iman Sahib, Shopian and Kakpora in south Kashmir, Kralpora, Kupwara, Trehgam, Langate, Lalpora, Putkha Sopore and Main Chowk Sopore in north Kashmir, he said. 
Reaching out to people, Mehbooba sought their &quot;support in pulling J&amp;K out of the vortex of violence and bloodshed.&quot; 
She said she needs people&#39;s support in realising the dream of a politically-emancipated, economically self-reliant and socially secure Jammu and Kashmir. 
&quot;The 27-year-long violence has left deep wounds in almost each home here and we have to jointly safeguard our state and our people from further bloodshed and destruction,&quot; she said after paying homage to the martyrs of 1931 at the Martyrs graveyard in Khawaja Bazar area of downtown Srinagar. 
Commenting on the current unrest, Mehbooba said, &quot;My heart is overwhelmed with great sadness and sorrow as a result of the killings in the latest spate of violence in Kashmir.&quot; 
Asserting that &quot;I won&#39;t let the people down, despite facing a challenging task&quot;, she said, &quot;While my government&#39;s immediate priority would be to reach out to the affected families with a healing touch, in the long run a concerted effort shall have to be launched to make peace and stability a reality in J&amp;K, with youth being the focus of the government&#39;s welfare initiatives.&quot;&nbsp; 
Urging people not to &quot;play with peace&quot;, the Chief Minister asked them not to fall prey to the machinations of those elements who want to disturb peace in the state. 
&quot;I think the biggest tribute to them would be to protect that peace and not fall prey to the machinations of those elements who want to disturb peace here,&quot; said Mehbooba who was accompanied by some of her Cabinet colleagues, legislators, party functionaries and top officers of the civil and police administration. 
According to the latest figures available, most deaths over the last four days have taken place in Anantnag district (16) followed by Kulgam (eight), Shopian (five), Pulwama (three), Srinagar and Kupwara (one each). 
Meanwhile, militants fired at the vehicle of a Sub Divisional Police Officer in Shopian district but he escaped unhurt, police said. 
Normal life remained affected for the fifth consecutive day today due to the shutdown called by separatist groups to protest the civilian killings in the clashes with security forces. The separatists today extended the shutdown by two more days till July 15. 
Shops and business establishments remained closed while public and private transport remained off roads due to the strike. 
Mobile Internet and train services remained suspended while mobile telephony has been snapped in Kupwara area following the death of a youth during protests yesterday. Mobile telephony is partially suspended in south Kashmir&#39;s four districts. 
Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained by police after they tried to defy restrictions and lead a march to Martyrs graveyard in downtown Srinagar. 
Geelani, who was under house arrest, was detained by the police on the airport road outside his residence in uptown Hyderpora after he defied restrictions and tried to take out a march to commemorate the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931. 
Police also detained Mirwaiz, who was under house arrest, after he defied the restrictions and came out of his Nigeen residence to lead a march to the Martyrs graveyard. 
Mirwaiz climbed the main gate of his residence as a heavy deployment of police had barricaded the gate and did not open it, a spokesman of the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat said. 
 
(PTI)

Total toll reaches 35. Another youth is injured after security forces open fire to disperse a mob pelting stones at an air force base

One more youth was killed today in a clash between a stone-pelting mob and security forces in Kashmir, raising the toll in the five-day unrest to 35, even as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed "great sadness and sorrow" over the deaths and promised a "healing touch". Shattering the peace during most of the day, clashes erupted this evening at Harnag in Koimoh with a group of youth pelting stones on passing vehicles of security forces. In retaliatory action by the security forces, one youth was injured, officials said, adding he succumbed while being shifted to hospital. This raised the toll during the five-day unrest to 35. As soon as the news of death of the youth spread, angry protesters set ablaze a forest hut at Khannabal in Anantnag district town, the officials said. In another incident, a youth was injured when security forces opened fire at Koil in Pulwama district to disperse a mob which was pelting stones at an Indian Air Force base, the officials said. They said Reyaz Ahmad Padder was admitted to District Hospital Pulwama where his situation is stated to be stable. Earlier, barring some incidents of stone-pelting, Kashmir was relatively calm through the day as curfew remained in force in some parts of Kashmir, including Pampore and Kupwara towns, restrictions were in place on movement of people in the rest of the Valley. A police spokesman said barring "some incidents" of stone pelting at various places, the situation "remained under control" in the valley. The stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Khudwani, Kulgam, Iman Sahib, Shopian and Kakpora in south Kashmir, Kralpora, Kupwara, Trehgam, Langate, Lalpora, Putkha Sopore and Main Chowk Sopore in north Kashmir, he said. Reaching out to people, Mehbooba sought their "support in pulling J&K out of the vortex of violence and bloodshed." She said she needs people's support in realising the dream of a politically-emancipated, economically self-reliant and socially secure Jammu and Kashmir. "The 27-year-long violence has left deep wounds in almost each home here and we have to jointly safeguard our state and our people from further bloodshed and destruction," she said after paying homage to the martyrs of 1931 at the Martyrs graveyard in Khawaja Bazar area of downtown Srinagar. Commenting on the current unrest, Mehbooba said, "My heart is overwhelmed with great sadness and sorrow as a result of the killings in the latest spate of violence in Kashmir." Asserting that "I won't let the people down, despite facing a challenging task", she said, "While my government's immediate priority would be to reach out to the affected families with a healing touch, in the long run a concerted effort shall have to be launched to make peace and stability a reality in J&K, with youth being the focus of the government's welfare initiatives." Urging people not to "play with peace", the Chief Minister asked them not to fall prey to the machinations of those elements who want to disturb peace in the state. "I think the biggest tribute to them would be to protect that peace and not fall prey to the machinations of those elements who want to disturb peace here," said Mehbooba who was accompanied by some of her Cabinet colleagues, legislators, party functionaries and top officers of the civil and police administration. According to the latest figures available, most deaths over the last four days have taken place in Anantnag district (16) followed by Kulgam (eight), Shopian (five), Pulwama (three), Srinagar and Kupwara (one each). Meanwhile, militants fired at the vehicle of a Sub Divisional Police Officer in Shopian district but he escaped unhurt, police said. Normal life remained affected for the fifth consecutive day today due to the shutdown called by separatist groups to protest the civilian killings in the clashes with security forces. The separatists today extended the shutdown by two more days till July 15. Shops and business establishments remained closed while public and private transport remained off roads due to the strike. Mobile Internet and train services remained suspended while mobile telephony has been snapped in Kupwara area following the death of a youth during protests yesterday. Mobile telephony is partially suspended in south Kashmir's four districts. Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were detained by police after they tried to defy restrictions and lead a march to Martyrs graveyard in downtown Srinagar. Geelani, who was under house arrest, was detained by the police on the airport road outside his residence in uptown Hyderpora after he defied restrictions and tried to take out a march to commemorate the 85th anniversary of those who laid down their lives fighting the Aristocratic rule in the state in 1931. Police also detained Mirwaiz, who was under house arrest, after he defied the restrictions and came out of his Nigeen residence to lead a march to the Martyrs graveyard. Mirwaiz climbed the main gate of his residence as a heavy deployment of police had barricaded the gate and did not open it, a spokesman of the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat said. (PTI)

While CM talks of 'healing touch', one more youth killed in Kashmir

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. 
 
Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a &quot;historic reforestation&quot; to reinforce the &quot;green belt in the megalopolis&quot;. 
 
The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. 
 
Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. 
 
Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles.&nbsp;Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. 
 
The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. 
 
Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. 
 
(AFP)

The city will also restrict traffic to combat air pollution, which is at its worst levels in a decade

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a "historic reforestation" to reinforce the "green belt in the megalopolis". The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles. Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. (AFP)

Mexico City to plant 18 million trees in massive reforestation effort

London, May 28 (IANS) Would-be mothers please take note! Prenatal exposure to harmful air-borne pollutants can likely increase the risk of stillbirth during the pregnancy`s third trimester, finds a new study based on `suggestive evidence.` 
 
 
According to the researchers, nearly 2.6 million children worldwide were stillborn at 28 weeks or more in 2015, with the wide geographical variation in prevalence suggesting that most of these deaths were preventable. 
 
&quot;Stillbirth is one of the most neglected tragedies in global health today,&quot; said Marie Pedersen from University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
WHO rejects call for Olympics to moved due to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZikaVirus?src=hash">#ZikaVirus</a> <a href="https://t.co/dXLSk0wBCx">https://t.co/dXLSk0wBCx</a>
&mdash; dna (@dna) <a href="https://twitter.com/dna/status/736460787665883137">May 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
The findings showed that specifically, a 4 microgram per cubic meter (&micro;g/m3) increase in exposure to small particulate matter of less than 2.5 in diameter (PM2.5) was associated with a 2 percent increased risk of stillbirth. 
 
Further, particles less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone also showed to increase stillbirth risks. 
 
&quot;The existing evidence is suggestive of causality for air pollution and stillbirth without precise identification of the timing of exposure,&quot; Pedersen added. 
 
For the study, published online in Occupational &amp; Environmental Medicine, the reviewed 13 studies, which found an association between exposure to air pollution -- particularly during the third term of pregnancy -- and a heightened risk of stillbirth. 
 
&quot;With the limited studies on the relevant topic, our review suggests strong priorities for future research. If the evidence of an association between ambient air population and stillbirth is confirmed in future studies, it would be of major public health importance,&quot; Pedersen noted. 
 
--IANS

Would-be mothers please take note! Prenatal exposure to harmful air-borne pollutants can likely increase the risk of stillbirth during the pregnancy`s third trimester, finds a new study based on `suggestive evidence

London, May 28 (IANS) Would-be mothers please take note! Prenatal exposure to harmful air-borne pollutants can likely increase the risk of stillbirth during the pregnancy`s third trimester, finds a new study based on `suggestive evidence.` According to the researchers, nearly 2.6 million children worldwide were stillborn at 28 weeks or more in 2015, with the wide geographical variation in prevalence suggesting that most of these deaths were preventable. "Stillbirth is one of the most neglected tragedies in global health today," said Marie Pedersen from University of Copenhagen in Denmark. WHO rejects call for Olympics to moved due to #ZikaVirus https://t.co/dXLSk0wBCx — dna (@dna) May 28, 2016 The findings showed that specifically, a 4 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3) increase in exposure to small particulate matter of less than 2.5 in diameter (PM2.5) was associated with a 2 percent increased risk of stillbirth. Further, particles less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone also showed to increase stillbirth risks. "The existing evidence is suggestive of causality for air pollution and stillbirth without precise identification of the timing of exposure," Pedersen added. For the study, published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, the reviewed 13 studies, which found an association between exposure to air pollution -- particularly during the third term of pregnancy -- and a heightened risk of stillbirth. "With the limited studies on the relevant topic, our review suggests strong priorities for future research. If the evidence of an association between ambient air population and stillbirth is confirmed in future studies, it would be of major public health importance," Pedersen noted. --IANS

Air pollution may up stillbirth risk during third trimester

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