Asthma patients want ban on polluting crackers. The approximately 10 lakh asthma and bronchitis patients in Mumbai are holding their breath. [News Source]

Enough hot air on Kyoto. At last, some common sense rather than hot air coming out of Ottawa. Last week's announcement from Prime Minister Stephen Harper of the Conservatives' response to the arbitrary and unworkable Kyoto protocol is welcome news. [News Source]

Auto shops find benefits in being ‘green.’ More small auto repair shops in Tucson are finding ways to protect the environment through a public-private partnership between the state of Arizona and AAA Arizona. [News Source]

Kern faces soot challenge. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District went three years without violating a federal limit for microscopic soot and combustion dust. [News Source]

Del. moves to clean up power plant emissions. State regulators are on the brink of ordering historic new controls on power plant emissions that would sharply reduce allowable pollution in smokestacks. [News Source]

Argentines renew protests over Uruguay pulp project. Hundreds of Argentines opposed to a pulp mill project in Uruguay blocked a highway linking the two countries on Friday, renewing protests over the proposed plants. [News Source]

Smoke comes under fire.

Wood-fired furnaces like are drawing criticism from state air-quality experts, who say the tradeoff for cheap heat is smoky pollution.

[News Source]

Momentary relief from smoke haze for Sultanate. Brunei's skyline continues to be slightly obscured by the smoke haze, but the situation has vastly improved thanks to frequent showers and the prevailing northerly to northwesterly winds. [News Source]

Diesel’s dirty image is changing as autos gear up for cleaner fuel (The Olympian) HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Diesel engines mainly power trucks, buses and construction equipment in the United States, and they have long been scorned by environmentalists concerned about air pollution. [News Source]

Phillipines adopts anti-pollution program. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources launched the national implementation plan aimed to reduce and eliminate persistent organic pollutants which adversely affect millions of Filipinos. [News Source]

Thick haze smothers parts of Indonesia. Choking smoke haze from blazes ignited to clear land for farming smothered parts of Indonesia yesterday as more soldiers were deployed to help douse the fires, officials said. [News Source]