OpenAI
Wildfires Burning Across Canada Cause Air Pollution Warnings in North America
Air pollution warnings have been issued across North America due to at least 400 wildfires burning across Canada. The smoke has covered major cities in Canada and the northern U.S., resulting in an unhealthy haze and bringing home the realities of climate change to those who have not experienced the effects of forest fires firsthand. In the U.S., warnings were issued across a wide portion of the Northeast and Midwest, with air quality in New York City being the worst since measurements began in 1999. The air in Toronto and elsewhere is likely to worsen in the coming days.
“I left a window open last night and the top of my laptop, the desk and the window sill all had ash on them,” reportedly said a colleague from Toronto, Ian Austen.
The events show the unpreparedness of the world’s richest continent for the hazards of the future.
In Canada: Wildfires typically burn large sections of forests and grasslands each year between May and September. However, the fires have spread ten times what is typical. Firefighters from various countries, including the U.S., South Africa, France, Australia, and New Zealand, have been dispatched to assist Canada in battling the flames.
Worldwide: While the air quality levels are unusual for North America, they would not be a cause for alarm in Jakarta or New Delhi. South Asia has nine of the world’s 10 cities with the worst air, and hazardous pollution causes an estimated two million premature deaths a year, according to the World Bank.
Flooding Across Ukraine
The destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine caused widespread flooding in Ukrainian- and Russian-held areas, affecting tens of thousands of people.
In Kherson, rescuers staged a complete evacuation of a neighborhood cut off from the rest of the city by inundated streets. The flooding hit an area that was already ravaged by war. The destruction of the dam could cut off the water supply to farmland, potentially leading to fields in the south of Ukraine turning into deserts as early as next year, according to the country’s agriculture ministry.
The floodwaters are likely to be polluted with toxic chemicals, scientists warn, including machine oil and chemicals and toxins from various sources. The destruction of the dam may have been caused by a deliberate internal explosion, according to experts.
Here are maps of the flooding.
Hong Kong’s Request to Ban Protest Song
The Hong Kong government has asked a court to ban public performances of a popular protest song, “Glory to Hong Kong.” The song gained popularity during the pro-democracy protests in 2019 and is available on most major online platforms. The government also criticized Google for displaying the song in search results for Hong Kong’s national anthem. The move to ban the song is seen as a test of how much Hong Kong can control online content, and the latest attempt by authorities to root out any remaining vestiges of political dissent in the city.
Insults Across the Ages
Insults have remained relatively unchanged over time, with highly personal remarks about a person’s status, appearance, sexual prowess, or courage being the norm. The use of similar insults across the ages, from biblical times to Shakespearean literature, is evident.
