Pakistan, China and Russia hold informal talks on Afghanistan in Doha
Special envoys from Pakistan, China and Russia held an informal meeting in the Qatari capital on Monday to discuss regional cooperation on Afghanistan...
Smoke from intense wildfires burning across Canada has spread thick haze over parts of the US Midwest, causing “very unhealthy” air quality in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan on Tuesday.
Over 27,000 Canadians have been forced to evacuate their homes as the fires rage through three provinces, with the smoke plume even drifting all the way to Europe.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul, the smell of smoke hung heavy despite morning rain, prompting the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to issue a statewide alert through Wednesday. The worst air conditions were concentrated around the Twin Cities, but officials expect the smoke to clear by midday Wednesday.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources warned that much of the state could face unhealthy air until Thursday morning, urging vulnerable groups—especially those with lung or heart problems—to limit outdoor activity and take frequent breaks when outside.
The smoky haze extends beyond the Midwest, reaching as far east as Michigan, west to the Dakotas and Nebraska, and southeast to Georgia. The EPA’s AirNow monitoring system showed air quality in Minneapolis-St. Paul hitting “very unhealthy” levels, while large areas of eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin recorded “unhealthy” air.
Local hospitals have reported more patients with breathing problems linked to the smoke. Pulmonologist Dr. Rachel Strykowski said wildfire smoke worsens symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, especially for people with asthma or COPD. She recommended staying indoors and using N95 masks, which are effective at filtering out fine particles.
Most of the smoke originates from fires northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where thousands have evacuated, including entire communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The fires have already claimed two lives near Winnipeg in mid-May.
The wildfire smoke has traveled high into the atmosphere, carried by jet streams all the way across the Atlantic to Europe. Though it creates hazy skies there, it is not expected to impact surface air quality. Scientists say this shows just how powerful and extensive the Canadian wildfires have become. Carbon emissions from the fires are nearing record levels last seen in 2023.
As wildfires continue, authorities in North America urge people to stay informed and take precautions to protect their health from the dangerous smoke.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign as political and economic tensions mount.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday approved the disbursement of an additional $500 million to Ukraine, following the completion of its eighth review under the country’s $15.5 billion Extended Fund Facility.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday publicly criticized AT&T for technical issues that disrupted a national conference call with faith leaders, urging the company’s leadership to address the situation and suggesting his administration may turn to a different carrier in future communications.
France, Spain, Kenya, and several other nations announced on Monday a joint pledge to tax premium-class airline passengers and private jet users, in a move aimed at raising billions of dollars for climate action and sustainable development.
Special envoys from Pakistan, China and Russia held an informal meeting in the Qatari capital on Monday to discuss regional cooperation on Afghanistan, Pakistani envoy Mohammad Sadiq confirmed in a post on X.
Türkiye’s leading drone manufacturer Baykar has completed its acquisition of historic Italian aviation firm Piaggio Aerospace, paving the way for a European production base for its unmanned aerial vehicles and civil jets.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment