"Smoke Exposure"

#12871973

17 October 2025

Smoke billows from a residential area in Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 17, 2025, as a thin layer of smog shrouds the atmosphere of the bowl-shaped valley, with the Air Quality Index measuring above 100. The average readings of Kathmandu's pollution exceed annual average concentrations of PM2.5 of 5 ug/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 ug/m3 more than 3-4 days per year, as prescribed by the World Health Organization. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (solid or liquid droplets) in the air less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. It is among the most dangerous pollutants that can get past the nose and throat to penetrate the lungs and even the bloodstream. PM2.5 particles are small and are also likely to stay suspended in the air for long, increasing the chances of people inhaling them. According to Nepal's Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index, an air quality reading of 151-200 is considered unhealthy, causing everyone to experience problems and sensitive groups to feel more severe effects. When air quality reaches 201-300, it is considered a very unhealthy level, and health risks increase for everyone in the area. When it crosses 300, it becomes hazardous, meaning that the air is of extremely poor quality and poses serious health risks to everyone.

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#12871974

17 October 2025

Smoke billows from a residential area in Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 17, 2025, as a thin layer of smog shrouds the atmosphere of the bowl-shaped valley, with the Air Quality Index measuring above 100. The average readings of Kathmandu's pollution exceed annual average concentrations of PM2.5 of 5 ug/m3, while 24-hour average exposures should not exceed 15 ug/m3 more than 3 to 4 days per year, as prescribed by the World Health Organization. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (solid or liquid droplets) in the air less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. It is among the most dangerous pollutants that can get past the nose and throat to penetrate the lungs and even the bloodstream. PM2.5 particles are small and are also likely to stay suspended in the air for long, increasing the chances of people inhaling them. According to Nepal's Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index, an air quality reading of 151-200 is considered unhealthy, causing everyone to experience problems and sensitive groups to feel more severe effects. When air quality reaches 201-300, it is considered a very unhealthy level, and health risks increase for everyone in the area. When it crosses 300, it becomes hazardous, meaning that the air is of extremely poor quality and poses serious health risks to everyone.

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#12868195

16 October 2025

Crowds flee as riot police fire tear gas at protesters near the Tunisian Chemical Group's plants in Gabes, Tunisia, on October 15, 2025. A mass protest that brings together thousands of residents of Gabes demands the dismantling of the units of the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT). The mobilization comes after a surge in cases of respiratory problems, poisonings, and illnesses affecting students at a middle school located near the phosphate processing plant, sparking anger among a population exposed to chemical risks for more than fifty years. In 2017, Tunisian authorities promise the gradual dismantling of the polluting units of the Gabes chemical complex following strong protests against pollution. However, this decision is never fully implemented, and the population continues to suffer from massive pollution.

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#12450376

7 June 2025

LONGUEUIL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A young groundhog is spotted in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025.

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#12450252

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of Montreal's harbour area with Olympic Stadium in the background, obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450262

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of traffic on Road 132 with Montreal harbour area obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450253

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of Montreal's Jacques Cartier Bridge obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450254

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: Montreal's Concorde Bridge, Victoria Bridge, and Samuel de Champlain Bridge are obscured by travelling wildfire smoke on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450255

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of traffic on Road 132 with downtown Montreal obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450258

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of Jean-Drapeau Park with the Biosphere, obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450259

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A cyclist wearing a mask rides across Montreal's Jacques Cartier Bridge, surrounded by travelling wildfire smoke, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450260

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450261

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: Montreal's Concorde Bridge, Victoria Bridge, and Samuel de Champlain Bridge are obscured by travelling wildfire smoke on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450247

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of Montreal's harbour area obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, seen from Longueuil Marina, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450248

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of traffic on Road 132 with downtown Montreal obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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#12450249

7 June 2025

MONTREAL, CANADA - JUNE 6: A view of a deserted Longueuil festive zone area, obscured by travelling wildfire smoke, in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2025. As hundreds of wildfires rage across Canada, drifting smoke has triggered emergency evacuations, power outages, and air quality alerts in Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the U.S., with Montreal ranking as the second most polluted city in the world on June 6, ahead of Delhi and Santiago, and Toronto placing fourth, according to IQAir.

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