Category Archives: Middle East

UAE questions damning World Bank report into air quality

The Ministry of Environment and Water has said his department is in contact with the World Bank over its report that said the UAE has the worst air pollution in the world. The recently-published World Bank’s The Little Green Data … Continue reading

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Air Pollution Now Threatening Health Worldwide

Humanity is losing the battle for clean air. Despite decades of efforts to combat it, air pollution is taking a growing toll on human health, the environment, and the economy, according to a new Worldwatch Institute study. Once primarily an … Continue reading

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Air pollution: Delhi is dirty, but how do other cities fare?

The WHO last week named India’s capital the worst of 1,600 cities for PM2.5 particles. What are the other measures of pollution, and do the experts agree? Last year, a study by the World Health Organisation found that Delhi had … Continue reading

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Heavy dust pollution follows heat wave

After Wednesday’s sweltering heat subsided, the country enjoyed significantly cooler temperatures on Thursday but endured heavy dust for much of the day. A hazy Thursday followed a daylong heat wave in which temperatures rose to 44° Celsius in some areas … Continue reading

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Haifa residents step up protest against air pollution

Over one thousand activists and Haifa area residents reignited protests Sunday over Health Ministry findings that linked heightened cancer rates in the city with high levels of air pollution. Carrying signs reading “we’re suffocating,” and wearing anti-pollution masks, protesters gathered in … Continue reading

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Report: 15% of cancer cases in Haifa due to air pollution

Some 15 percent of all cancer cases in the Haifa Bay area can be attributed to air pollution, according to a new Health Ministry report. The report, which covers the decade from 1998 to 2007, says some 780 cases of … Continue reading

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Iran MPs wear medical face masks to protest air pollution

Iranian lawmakers wore medical face masks in parliament on Sunday in a show of solidarity with residents of their areas battling pollution from strong sandstorms. Sixteen MPs from the western provinces of Khuzestan, Ilam and Kermanshah donned the masks to … Continue reading

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Dust pollution shuts down major cities in Iran

Eleven cities in Iran’s southwest Khouzestan province have shut down offices and schools over excessive dust particles in the air. Iranians tweeted pictures of buildings and streets covered with dust with the hashtag #Khouzestancantbreath while officials and politicians used the … Continue reading

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