An Olympic tryout in Beijing: banning cars, briefly. More than a million cars were banned from Beijing's notoriously clogged streets Friday in a test run for all-out measures to reduce pollution during the 2008 Olympics. [News Source]

Beijing stops cars for Olympic games clean air test. Beijing embarked on a four-day experiment on Friday to see if taking 1.3 million cars off the city's streets will substantially reduce air pollution at next year's Beijing Olympics. [News Source]

Court Hearing to Lift Ban on Heavy Trucks Crossing Bronx-Long Island Bridges to Resume Friday Aug. 17 (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) Legal representatives of the heavy trucking industry argued today in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan to lift a newly imposed ban blocking heavy trucks from using the three Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority Bronx-Long Island bridges. [News Source]

Pollution watch: Staying indoors can be more harmful, says study (Indian Express via Yahoo! India News) The level of discomfort felt as one enters a damp building is rarely due to physiological or psychological reasons. This discomfort called the sick building syndrome is in most cases because of indoor pollution. While outdoor pollution dominates public perception, a research on the 'comparative study of particulate matter emitted during cooking in city households using chulha and kerosene ... [News Source]

Finally, MC plant installs chimney (Indian Express via Yahoo! India News) Following a warning notice by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the MC pre-mix plant authorities have decided to install a chimney to control air pollution levels. "We too have realised that the pollution of the plant was a nuisance for many living nearby, and the rules are applicable to all," said MC commissioner Vikas Partap. "We have spent Rs 5 lakh to control the air pollution ... [News Source]

Subaru 2008 PZEV Lineup Receives EPA SmartWay(TM) Certification (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that its 2008 PZEV Legacy, Outback and Forester 2.5 liter, naturally aspirated models have received the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay certification and are now listed in its Green Vehicle Guide that recommends the cleanest and most fuel- efficient vehicle choices. [News Source]

Bad air ups heart risks in young adults (AAP via Yahoo!7 News) Bad air can trigger in young, healthy adults a string of adverse biological changes that are linked to cardiovascular disease, a Taiwan study has shown. [News Source]

Air pollution linked to key indices of cardiovascular risk in healthy young adults (ANI via Yahoo! India News) Washington, Aug 16 (ANI): A National Taiwan University study has linked air pollution to key indicators of cardiovascular risk in healthy young adults. The cardiovascular risk indices include inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation and autonomic dysfunction. As part of the study Chang-Chuan Chan and colleagues investigated the effect of common urban air pollutants on biological markers for ... [News Source]