Category Archives: World News

Air pollution ‘nearly as bad’ for baby as smoking during pregnancy

AIR pollution can lead to babies being born with shorter bodies and smaller heads, according to Scottish research which found that high exposure to toxic fumes during pregnancy is nearly as harmful as smoking. A study by Edinburgh and Aberdeen universities found that Scottish … Continue reading

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Smoky haze, and heat, return to the Seattle area — but pollution isn’t from B.C. this time 

The smoke, originating in our own state, is not nearly as bad as earlier this month, but you can expect to see the haze until the winds change and push it out, maybe as soon as this afternoon. The smoke … Continue reading

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Firms face fines after new monitors detect pollutants 

Following the installation of 100 small air-quality monitors in Taoyuan’s Kuanyin Industrial Park (觀音工業區), two factories are being prosecuted for violating air pollution and waste disposal regulations, Environmental Protection Administration officials said yesterday. The action is part of the agency’s … Continue reading

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New California law gives air quality officials the power to quickly shut down polluters 

Local air quality officials are gaining new powers to quickly stop polluters when they endanger people’s health under legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday. The law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, follows years of frustration in communities such as … Continue reading

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Forest fires hit Indonesia, as scientists warn blazes are ‘new normal’

Forest fires are once again sweeping across Indonesia, with academics warning that the blazes, which have become an annual event since the mid-1990s, have become the “new normal”. So far five Indonesian provinces have declared emergencies as result of forest fires, according … Continue reading

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Portland air quality remains unhealthy, but some relief may come Friday 

Portland’s air quality rating remains unhealthy on Friday, although some relief may come later in the day. The thick haze from wildfires in British Columbia has blanketed the Portland area this week amid record heat. KGW chief meteorologist Matt Zaffino says westerly winds … Continue reading

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Pierce County burn ban for smoky air includes barbecues, campfires 

Diminished air quality prompted the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to ban all outdoor burning in the region Wednesday. The state 1 burn ban went into effect at 4 p.m. for Pierce, King, Snohomish and Kitsap counties because smoke from British … Continue reading

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B.C. wildfires cause light orange haze over Vancouver in wake of air quality advisory

Vancouver residents are experiencing a small taste of what others in the B.C. Interior have been enduring for nearly a month. This morning, a light orange haze has descended over Vancouver. The misty skies are the result of smoke being … Continue reading

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