New Delhi topped global pollution charts Friday as Diwali firecracker celebrations worsened air quality to hazardous levels, despite a ban. Seasonal crop burning further compounded the smog, leaving the city blanketed in thick, dense pollution.
New Delhi ranked as the world's most polluted city on Friday after Diwali celebrations involving firecrackers, despite a ban, pushed air quality to hazardous levels. Thick smog enveloped the city, obscuring landmarks like the presidential palace and nearby gardens frequented by joggers and cyclists following Thursday's festivities. According to Swiss firm IQ Air, Delhi's air quality index (AQI) hit 348, classifying pollution as hazardous and placing the city at the top of a real-time global pollution ranking.
Although local authorities have banned firecrackers during Diwali and the winter months for several years, in line with Supreme Court orders, enforcing the ban remains challenging, despite penalties. Some Hindu groups argue the ban infringes on festival observance, while the Delhi government maintains it is intended to protect public health. Friday’s smog was further intensified by seasonal crop residue burning in northern India, which worsens air quality each winter as colder air traps pollutants from various sources.
U.S. President Donald Trump faced pointed criticism over the Iran war on Wednesday in a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, shortly before hi...
Brazil moved closer to the World Cup 2026 knockout stage with a Vinícius Jr double, while Morocco fought back in a six-goal thriller against Haiti, a...
Villagers took part in Dragon Boat Festival celebrations on 24 June in Foshan, Guangdong province, where traditional racing was held on the narrow, wi...
A cemetery in the Gaza Strip containing the remains of 22 Canadian soldiers killed during a 1956 United Nations peacekeeping mission has been destroye...
Tesla has been sued by the family of a 76-year-old Texas woman who was killed when a driver using the company’s Model 3 driver-assistance system cra...
Dense smog has forced authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province to shut several major motorways on Tuesday (16 December), stranding commuters as visibility dropped sharply and Lahore’s air quality reached hazardous levels.
India has imposed stricter anti-pollution measures in its capital New Delhi and adjoining areas on Tuesday, as the air quality deteriorated to "severe" levels, the government body responsible for air quality management said.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 1,000, with health officials warning that the outbreak is spreading rapidly through displacement camps and across borders.
Major technology, telecom, aviation and crypto-related firms have pledged to strengthen cooperation to tackle the illegal wildlife trade according to statements made at a business forum convened by United for Wildlife during London Climate Action Week.
Scientists have identified almost 166,000 square kilometres of coral reefs worldwide that appear capable of surviving and recovering from the impacts of climate change, offering new hope for some of the planet's most vulnerable marine ecosystems.
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026, becoming one of the strongest events recorded in seven decades.
France’s parliament has formally recognised state responsibility for the use of the toxic pesticide chlordecone in Martinique and Guadeloupe, marking a significant step in addressing decades of environmental contamination and public health concerns.
Financial markets are significantly underestimating the economic impact of biodiversity loss, potentially leaving countries exposed to sovereign debt crises and rising borrowing costs, according to new research published on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment