‘Toxic’ New Delhi smog ten times recommended limit

Taleban kill 8 policemen

NEW DELHI, Nov 13, (Agencies): A thick cloud of toxic smog 10 times the recommended limit enveloped India’s capital, New Delhi, on Monday, as government officials struggled to tackle a public health crisis that is well into its second week.

A US embassy measure showed levels of poisonous airborne particles, known as PM 2.5, had reached 498 on Monday afternoon, compared with the upper limit of “good” quality air at 50.

India’s weather office said rain was forecast over the next three days which could help clear the smog.

“Light rainfall is likely in states surrounding Delhi and in Delhi over the next three days, and this could result in a change in wind pattern in the region,” Charan Singh, a scientist at India Meteorological Department, told Reuters. “Smog will start to abate starting tomorrow.” But Skymet, India’s only private weather forecaster, said dense smog would continue over Delhi and the surrounding area for at least the next two days.

The Supreme Court is due to hear a petition filed by a New Delhi lawyer to direct government authorities to tackle the “intolerable and unbearable air pollution”.

The Delhi state government declared a public health emergency last week after pollution levels spiked, a yearly phenomenon blamed on a combination of illegal crop burning in northern states, vehicle exhaust and dust.

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Splinter group splits further:

A splinter group of the Pakistani Taleban has been further split into two groups in an apparent blow to Jihadis operating against Pakistani forces to enforce Islamic law, known as Sharia.

A video statement Sunday said the Hizbul Ahrar group, formed in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan a day earlier, will be headed by the militant commander Mukarram Khan. Khan had earlier served as an important commander and spokesman for the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar group.

The statement said Khan left Jamaat-ul-Ahrar over differences with its chief over attacks against innocent minority Christians, killing civilians, extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other acts he deemed unIslamic.

Russian base jumper dies:

A Russian extreme sportsman famed for his record-breaking free-falling stunts has died in a base jumping accident in the Himalayas, expedition organisers in Nepal said Sunday.

Valery Rozov, 52, an acclaimed daredevil, was pursuing a “seven summits” quest -- base jumping from the highest mountains on all seven continents.

He was jumping from Ama Dablam, a 6,812-metre (22,349-foot) mountain in the Everest region on Saturday when the incident occurred.

“He jumped but crashed into the mountainside and did not survive,” Mingma Gelu Sherpa, from the Seven Summits Club that organised his expedition, told AFP.

Taleban kill 8 policemen:

An Afghan official says a Taleban attack in western Farah province has killed eight police officers.

Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor, says the Taleban attacked a police check point near the city of Farah, the provincial capital, early on Monday morning

Mehri says the attack only lasted 10 to 15 minutes and when reinforcement arrived, they found the bodies at the checkpoint.