A day after slipping to second place, Lahore once again topped the global pollution chart reporting worst Air Quality Index (AQI) in the world on Thursday. Lahore’s AQI, as per Swiss group IQAir’s live ratings, reached 1,039 making it the worst polluted city globally, while New Delhi ranked second with an AQI of 422 around 10:48am. According to the AQI scale, an index value of 300 or higher is considered “hazardous” to health, and Lahore has consistently recorded values between 800 and 1,000 on the scale. Lahore tops global pollution chartPauseUnmute The prevailing smog situation in Punjab has warranted strict measures from the provincial government which has ordered the closure of schools and a shift towards online classes till November 17. The drastic deterioration of air quality in the smog-hit regions has caused an increase in health issues like eye and throat infections and respiratory diseases.  Authorities have advised citizens to avoid stepping out of their homes unnecessarily and keep their doors and windows closed besides ensuring use of face masks. The smog crisis is not limited to Punjab as it has also affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Peshawar and surrounding districts. However, residents of Lahore have some hope as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast strong winds and rain in the upper regions of the country including Lahore from November 14 to 16. Met officials said between November 14 and 16, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore were likely to experience light rain with strong winds and thunder. The downpour might likely improve the city’s air quality which currently is way beyond the “hazardous” level. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1250950-dense-smog-propels-lahore-to-record-worst-aqi-in-world

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/11/14/live-israel-bombs-gaza-camps-6-israeli-soldiers-killed-in-south-lebanon

People in flood-hit areas of Spain are bracing for a new weather front expected to bring heavy rain, two weeks after the worst floods in Spain’s modern history killed more than 200 people. Spain’s State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, issued an orange alert on Tuesday, the second-highest level, for heavy or torrential rains in the eastern Valencia region, which was hit hard by a previous storm on October 29. The official death toll from the floods stands at 222 people, after a year’s worth of rain fell within hours. Rosa Tauris, a spokesperson for Valencia’s emergency committee, told reporters that the impact of the expected rainfall could be severe due to the amount of mud already on the ground from the previous floods and the conditions of the sewage system. The emergency committee issued a special warning calling on municipalities and organisations to take preventative measures, including closing schools. Advertisement Tauris also recommended that citizens work remotely when possible and avoid non-essential travel. The town council in Chiva, one of the worst-hit sites, cancelled classes and sports activities, while in nearby Aldaia, workers piled up sandbags to protect the town. “We are placing sandbags to replace the floodgates that the previous floods tore down,” municipal worker Antonio Ojeda said, hoping it will prevent the Saleta ravine from overflowing again. Ditches and drains that are obstructed with trees, tyres and car parts are also being cleaned out in preparation for the rainfall. On Monday, 10,000 tons of furniture, appliances, and clothing were removed, almost as much waste as Valencia disposes of in a year. Weather warnings were also issued for the Balearic Islands and parts of Galicia in the far northwest, Catalonia in the northeast, and Andalusia in the south. Weather forecaster Monica Lopez told the state broadcaster that she did not expect the new storms to be as tumultuous as those in Valencia two weeks ago. Royal visit The preparations come as Spain’s King Felipe VI said he and Queen Letizia would return to the epicentre of the floods “early next week” after survivors heckled and threw mud at the royals during their last trip. The king is due to return to Valencia on Tuesday to meet with soldiers participating in the relief work following the October 29 floods. On Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a fresh aid package worth almost 3.8 billion euros ($4bn) to residents, property owners and farmers. The government previously announced more than 10.6 billion euros ($11.3bn) in economic recovery measures to help flood victims and areas. The final bill to recover from the floods is expected to soar to tens of billions of euros. On Sunday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the authorities’ handling of the floods. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/12/spains-flood-hit-areas-brace-for-new-storms

Lahore has dropped to the second place in global pollution rankings after New Delhi surpassed the Punjab capital, becoming the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday, as the province and surrounding areas remain under the grip of dense smog. According to live data from Swiss-based air quality monitor, the air quality index (AQI) in Lahore and New Delhi stood at 393 and 721, respectively, as of 8am. The dangerously high AQI levels reflect hazardous air conditions, with both cities enduring a prolonged period of toxic smog. The worsening air quality is affecting daily life in both cities, with residents facing serious health risks due to prolonged exposure to hazardous pollutants in the atmosphere. Not only Lahore, but other districts including Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala have also witnessed intense air pollution, leading to the complete closure of schools and ban on all outdoor activities till November 17. The orders for school closure were later extended to five more districts of Punjab, including DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Sargodha and Rawalpindi Divisions, in a bid to lower children’s exposure to pollution, especially during the morning commute when it is often at its highest. According to the provincial Environmental Protection Agency, the decision was made due to an “unprecedented rise in patients with lung and respiratory diseases, allergies, eye and throat irritation, and pink eye” across the province. Meanwhile, Multan — home to several million people some 350 kilometres away from Lahore — remains the city worst-hit by smog, where the AQI passed 2,000 last week, a staggering height never seen before by incredulous residents. According to the AQI scale, an index value of 300 or higher results is “hazardous” to health and Pakistan has regularly tipped over 1,000 on the scale. A score of 0-50 is considered good. The southern city’s AQI was recorded at 396 this morning. As the residents in Punjab continue to battle toxic smog, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Peshawar and surrounding districts have also been blanketed by the dark haze. However, the smog levels witnessed a slight decline in the provincial capital as the city recorded an AQI of 187. The air quality is reportedly being monitored at five points in Peshawar. However, any measures to curb air pollution are not being witnessed in the province. The drastic deterioration of air quality in the smog-hit regions has caused an increase in health issues like eye and throat infections and respiratory diseases. Authorities advise citizens to avoid stepping out of their homes unnecessarily and keep their doors and windows closed beside ensuring mask-wearing. The persistent smog-crisis has also causing widespread traffic disruptions, as the inter-provincial motorways remain closed at various points to prevent accidents. Bad air quality and consequent low visibility have also caused various road accidents, resulting in multiple casualties. A man was killed and three others were injured in a bus and car collision in Kamalia, Punjab. Cloud of poison A mix of low-grade fuel emissions from factories and vehicles, exacerbated by agricultural stubble burning, blanket Punjab and surrounding regions each winter, trapped by cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds. The WHO says that air pollution can trigger strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. It is particularly punishing for children and babies, and the elderly. In order to bring down smog levels, the government in Punjab has restricted prohibited outdoor activities including sports events, exhibitions and festivals, and dining at restaurants in Lahore and eight other districts. However, “unavoidable religious rites” are exempt from this direction. Outlets like pharmacies, oil depots, dairy shops and fruit and vegetable shops have similarly been exempted from the directions to close by 8pm. UNICEF has called for greater efforts to reduce pollution and protect children’s health in Punjab, saying that more than 11 million children under five years of age are in danger as they breathe the toxic air. Last year, the Punjab government tested artificial rain to try to overcome the smog, and this year, trucks with water cannons sprayed the streets — with no results. For days the concentration of polluting micro-particles PM2.5 in Punjab has been dozens of times higher than that deemed tolerable by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The provincial government has blamed its toxic air this year on pollution wafting in from India, where northern parts have also been battling hazardous air, and has said it will take the issue up with the neighbouring country through its foreign ministry. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1250533-lahore-ranks-as-worlds-second-most-polluted-city

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/11/13/live-israeli-attacks-kill-dozens-us-finds-israel-is-not-impeding-gaza-aid

An American woman who went missing while on a hike on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, has died and her body has been recovered, authorities said on Monday. The woman has been identified as a 20-year-old student from North Carolina named Brook Cheuvront. Cheuvront was reported missing on Saturday after a tracking app she was using stopped updating and friends could not reach her, said SANParks spokesman JP Louw. A view of Devils Peak, left, Table Mountain and the city center, and Lions Head in Cape Town on June 13, 2024. Wikus de Wet/AFP/Getty Images The management of SANParks, which manages Table Mountain and other national parks, said the cause of death was still unclear and an inquest into her death has been opened. An initial search was conducted by rangers, wilderness search and rescue members, and trail runners until late Saturday evening when it was no longer practical to continue, said Louw. An aircraft joined the search the next day and helped to locate the body. South African authorities have urged people to avoid hiking on their own, suggesting it be done in groups of at least four people. Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/23/africa/american-hiker-dead-south-africa-table-mountain-intl-latam/index.html

An explosion targeting a police vehicle injured at least 12 people, including two policemen, at the eastern bypass in Quetta, said police on Wednesday. The law enforcers told Geo News that explosive material was planted in a motorcycle which was found by rescue officials near the site of the blast. Bomb disposal squad, according to the police, was called at the spot, while the nature of the blast was being determined. The injured, meanwhile, were shifted to the Civil Sandeman Hospital, said the police. Terrorists will be brought to justice, says CM Balochistan Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has condemned the attack, directing concerned authorities to provide medical facilities to those injured in the explosion. “Terrorists will be brought to justice,” he said, adding that action against them will continue. The blast comes just two days after a “remote-controlled bomb explosion” targeted a police van guarding a convoy of foreign envoys heading to Malam Jabba from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Sunday. According to the police, the attack targeted a group of 11 foreign diplomats, resulting in one officer losing his life and four others being injured. All the envoys were safe after the explosion and had been shifted to Islamabad, said the police. The nation has been reeling under rising violent attacks since the Taliban rulers returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan. The two most vulnerable provinces saw a sharp rise in deadly attacks last month, according to data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). The digital database of security incidents managed by the Islamabad-based think-tank suggested an alarming situation as the number of attacks jumped from 38 in July to 59 in August. These incidents included 29 attacks in KP, 28 in Balochistan, and two in Punjab. Meanwhile, KP witnessed 25 casualties in the 29 terrorist attacks during August. “The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Lashkar-e-Islam, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and few local Taliban groups were reportedly involved in these attacks,” the report stated. Against this backdrop, the federal cabinet in June this year approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign following the Central Apex Committee’s recommendations under the National Action Plan to root out terrorism. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1233635-two-cops-three-others-injured-after-police-vehicle-targeted-in-quetta-blast

Source: https://aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/25/israel-attacks-lebanon-live-families-flee-israeli-bombs-unsure-where-to-go

Hurricane John struck Mexico’s southern coast on Monday night after rapidly strengthening into a major Category 3 storm, triggering warnings of ‘life-threatening’ floods and mudslides. Packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (193 kph), the storm made landfall south-southwest of the city of Marquelia in Guerrero state at around 9:15 p.m. local time, according to the National Hurricane Center. Just a day ago, the storm was pacing at 35 mph (56 kph), but it underwent two rapid intensifications in a 24-hour period, ramping up speed by more than three times. “This heavy rainfall will likely cause significant and possibly catastrophic, life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides to the Mexican States of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and southeast Guerrero, particularly in areas near the coast,” the center said. Oaxaca state is a popular tourist spot known for its beautiful landscapes and beaches. Fishermen return to shore ahead of the arrival of Hurricane John in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca State, Mexico, on September 23, 2024. Rusvel Rasgado/AFP/Getty Images Oaxaca’s governor said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 shelters, while authorities had suspended classes in several costal zones on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. Businesses in Puerto Escondido, a tourist destination in the southern part of the state, have closed after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area’s main beaches, the news agency reported. Ana Aldai, who works for a restaurant there, told AP she was “a little bit distressed” because notice from authorities came quickly. The Salina Cruz Port is seen closed ahead of the arrival of Hurricane John in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca State, Mexico, on September 23, 2024. Rusvel Rasgado/AFP/Getty Images “There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases,” she said. Torrential rainfall of 10 to 20 inches, with isolated totals near 30 inches, could pummel areas along the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero until Thursday. The coastal areas of Chiapas are also expected to be hit by rainfall of six to 12 inches, with isolated totals around 15 inches, during the same period. The rainfall could cause a life-threatening storm surge, producing significant coastal flooding near the landfall location, the National Hurricane Center said. The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves in coastal areas, it added. Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/24/americas/hurricane-john-mexico-landfall-intl-hnk/index.html

Case lodged against suspects and they have been handed over to anti-human trafficking circle for legal action The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration authorities on Monday arrested three Afghan women at the Karachi airport for trying to go to Germany on counterfeit documents. “The arrested pax have been identified as Zahra Sultani, Mehria Rehmani and Aziza Mohammadi,” said the immigration officials. They said medical and business documents of all three women were forged, adding that a case was lodged against the suspects and they were handed over to the anti-human trafficking circle for further legal action. As per the officials, Aziza came to Pakistan on a medical visa. The documents furnished by her apparently showed she had been admitted to a hospital for treatment in Islamabad between April 27 and May 20, 2024. While, upon investigation, it was revealed that she never visited Pakistan since obtaining her passport, the immigration authorities said. Similarly, documents with Mehria, who arrived in the country on a business visa, insisted that she was on a business trip to Pakistan with her spouse Iqbal Hakimi. When inquired about her husband, the woman claimed she was unmarried and knew no one named Iqbal Hakimi, the FIA officials added. They said, as per documents provided by Zahra, she arrived in Pakistan on September 2 with a female patient, Marman Parveen, as an attendant. Investigation revealed that she deceptively took a Pakistani visa pretending to be the patient’s attendant. It should be noted that the immigration authorities at the Karachi airport recently arrested at least nine other such foreigners going abroad on forged documents. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1233051-fia-arrests-three-afghan-women-for-using-fake-documents-to-travel-abroad