(Reuters Health) - Childhood asthma rates appear to be dropping in many communities across southern California, and a new study suggests this may be due at least in part to improved air quality.Air pollution has long been linked to a variety of respiratory problems and an increased risk of severe asthma attacks for people who already have the breathing disorder. But research to date hasn't offered as clear a picture of how much reducing levels of toxic chemicals in the air might help stop asthma from developing at all.For the current study, researchers followed 4,140 kids without asthma for eight years, starting in 1993 when children were in fourth grade and typically around 9 to 10 years old. The study spanned two decades and included three cohorts of children living in one of nine southern California communities with historically poor air quality.Regional air pollution levels generally declined during the study period, with decreases in nitrogen dioxide, ozone gasses and fine … [Read more...] about Improved air quality tied to fewer new childhood asthma cases
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News US Ambassador to China visiting Tibet this week
BEIJING - U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was scheduled to visit Tibet this week, a U.S. embassy spokesperson said, the first visit to the region by a U.S. ambassador since 2015, amid escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. The visit follows passage of a law in December that requires the United States to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing policies that restrict access to Tibet for foreigners, legislation that was denounced by China. "This visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Branstad was travelling to Qinghai and neighboring Tibet from May 19 to May 25 on a trip that will include official meetings as well as visits to religious and cultural heritage sites, the spokesperson said. In December, China criticized the United States for passing … [Read more...] about News US Ambassador to China visiting Tibet this week
US Ambassador to China visiting Tibet this week
BEIJING: U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad was scheduled to visit Tibet this week, a U.S. embassy spokesperson said, the first visit to the region by a U.S. ambassador since 2015, amid escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.The visit follows passage of a law in December that requires the United States to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing policies that restrict access to Tibet for foreigners, legislation that was denounced by China."This visit is a chance for the ambassador to engage with local leaders to raise longstanding concerns about restrictions on religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.Branstad was travelling to Qinghai and neighbouring Tibet from May 19 to May 25 on a trip that will include official meetings as well as visits to religious and cultural heritage sites, the spokesperson said.In December, China criticised the United States for passing the … [Read more...] about US Ambassador to China visiting Tibet this week
This is the resistance to China’s influence in Canada, and this is their moment
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By Jeremy Nuttall Star Vancouver Tues., April 30, 2019 VANCOUVER—Standing at the counter of a coffee shop in Vancouver’s Commercial-Broadway Skytrain station, underneath a little Canadian flag, the leaders of the resistance bicker over who gets the honour of paying for their drinks. Louis Huang ends the standoff by shoving $5 into Gao Bingchen’s pocket and walking to their seats. They have bigger conflicts to discuss. Huang and Gao, both originally from Mainland China, are the founders of the 60-member Alliance Guard of Canadian Values. Since 2009, they’ve been trying to get Canadian governments to “be aware, really aware about the influence of the Chinese communist government in Canada,” Huang said. Gao doesn’t speak much English, so Huang does the talking. Gao sits quietly next to him, checking his phone and waiting for brief translations of what is being said. Huang says the Canadian political class just … [Read more...] about This is the resistance to China’s influence in Canada, and this is their moment
US Navy’s warning to China in sea row ups ante
A US Navy warning to China that it will treat Beijing's maritime militia the same way it treats Chinese naval vessels has upped the ante in the South China Sea and raised questions on how the new policy will work out in practice. Beijing's use of non-military vessels has been a worry for claimants to islands in the South China Sea. China is known to deploy vessels that look like fishing trawlers but are actually part of its maritime militia, operating in a so-called "grey zone" and likely reporting to Chinese navy commanders. This fleet has been strengthened since around 2015, analysts say. A US Department of Defence report last year noted that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the China Coast Guard and the maritime militia "sometimes conduct coordinated patrols", and together form the "largest maritime force in the Indo-Pacific". The issue is how official naval forces, including and most importantly those of the United States, should react if China uses ostensibly civilian … [Read more...] about US Navy’s warning to China in sea row ups ante