The turret of the Palace Museum in Beijing is seen in a clear day on Nov 22, 2017. [Photo/IC] BEIJING - After five years fighting air pollution, Beijing and neighbors are finally breathing noticeably cleaner air, with sales of anti-smog mask down markedly. The average density of PM2.5 in Beijing was 58 micrograms per cubic meter last year, meeting the target and 20.5 percent less than in 2016, Liu Baoxian, deputy director of Beijing environmental protection monitoring center, told a press conference. Densities of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10 also dropped by 20 percent, 4.2 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively. The 226 good air days in 2017 were 28 more than in 2016, while the number of heavy pollution days fell from 39 to 23. An air pollution plan issued by the State Council in September 2013 ordered Beijing to reduce its PM 2.5 density from 90 in 2013 to around 60 micrograms per cubic meter by the end of last year. Among pollution controls were demolition of coal-fired boilers and the phasing out vehicles with high emissions, according to Li Xiang, of Beijing bureau of environmental protection. Li said small coal-fired boilers had almost vanished, replaced by gas or electricity, and all districts in the city proper had stopped coal use. Since 2013, Beijing has shut down six cement plants and closed or upgraded nearly 2,000 companies in printing, casting, furniture manufacture and other sectors, she said. personalized silicone wristbandscharity bracelets ukcheap silicone wristbandswrist band com coupon code
SEOUL-- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday ordered a thorough investigation into the unauthorized delivery of four more mobile launchers of the U.S. missile shield to the country. Yoon Young-chan, chief presidential press secretary, told a press briefing that President Moon said it was "very shocking" after he was briefed on the unauthorized transportation. Top presidential security advisor Chung Eui-yong reported to Moon that four more THAAD mobile launchers were secretly transported to South Korea in addition to two launchers already installed. Moon ordered the security advisor and the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs to thoroughly look into the secret delivery. About two weeks before the May 9 presidential by-election, two mobile launchers and a radar for the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile interception system were transported in the middle of night to a golf course at Soseong-ri village in Seongju county, North Gyeongsang province. THAAD is composed of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, a AN/TPY-2 radar and a fire and control unit. The clandestine transportation raised speculation that it was aimed to politicize security issues during the election campaign period, which tended to benefit conservative candidates in past elections. Earlier in the day, President Moon gave a phone call to Defense Minister Han Min-koo, who was appointed by ousted President Park Geun-hye, to verify the secret delivery of four more launchers, according to the presidential Blue House.
