International News
Canada’s Wildfires Smoke Deteriorate Air Quality In Northern U.S
A satellite image of the eastern United States shows swirling clouds of smoke from wildfires and haze enveloping large portions of that region.
Smoke moved into portions of northern New York State and Vermont on Tuesday. In the Upper Midwest, air quality alerts were issued in Minnesota.
Hundreds of wildfires continued to blaze on Tuesday across Canada, exacerbating an already active wildfire season that was only expected to worsen, and sending smoke into portions of the United States, creating poor air quality levels.
In Ontario, a layer of haze enveloped parts of Ottawa and Toronto, where Canadian officials warned residents about the poor air quality, as smoke moved into portions of northern New York State and Vermont. All of New York City was under an air quality alert on Tuesday because of the smoke; by the afternoon, the Manhattan skyline was obscured by hazy skies.
There were more than 400 active wildfires in Canada on Tuesday, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, with more than 200 deemed to be “out of control.”
In eastern Canada, Quebec was most affected by wildfires as of early afternoon on Tuesday, with more than 150 active blazes across the area, according to the fire agency. Residents in some areas were being encouraged to close their windows and doors, local officials in Quebec said.
Videos and images showed some fires blazing for miles, sending dark smoke plumes billowing into the sky.
Burned-area boundaries and hotspot locations are estimates based on satellite data, and hotspots indicate likely areas of burning detected within the previous two days. By Martín González Gómez and Madison Dong
At a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was in contact with local officials across Canada about the fires.
“This is a scary time for a lot of people,” Mr. Trudeau said.
As of Monday, an estimated 26,000 people across Canada had been evacuated from their homes because of wildfires, Bill Blair, Canada’s minister of public safety, said at the press conference.
“The images that we have seen so far this season are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada,” Mr. Blair said.
A woman in an orange hoodie walks her dog along a grassy bank of the Ottawa River, and smoke obscures part of the background on the river’s opposite side.
Many Canadians who have had to evacuate in recent days had just a few hours to pack before fleeing their homes, Mr. Trudeau said.
“When people lose their homes, they don’t just lose a roof and their possessions,” Mr. Trudeau said. “They lose a special place where they saw their children grow up, where they built a life for themselves. This is incredibly difficult and heartbreaking.”
Bands of smoke from the numerous wildfires were expected to shift southward across the border on Tuesday, creating hazy skies and prompting the U.S. National Weather Service to issue air quality alerts for parts of the upper Great Lakes and the Northeast.
Large swaths of Minnesota were under air quality alerts through the evening on Tuesday, the Weather Service said. Light winds were expected to push smoke from wildfires in Quebec across Minnesota. Smoke was also predicted to move into the state off Lake Superior.
Weather officials warned that people more sensitive to poor air quality, such as people with lung disease and heart disease, children, and older adults, should limit certain activities outdoors.
Farther east, air quality alerts were also in place for multiple counties in upstate New York and New York City through midnight. Similar alerts were issued for parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
Satellite images of North America on Tuesday showed light brown smoke streaming south from the fires. The smoke appeared to be particularly thick over portions of Quebec, Ontario, and New York. Hazy.
In a controversial move, Republican Representative Andy Ogles has introduced a resolution aimed at amending the U.S. Constitution to permit former and current President Donald Trump to run for a third term in office.
The proposal, announced on Thursday, seeks to revise the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms.
Ogles argued that Trump is uniquely equipped to address the nation’s challenges and lead a turnaround for the United States.
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“No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times,” Ogles said in his statement. “He has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness. He must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal.”
The congressman also underscored the importance of giving Trump the tools needed to address what he described as damage caused by the Biden administration.
“We must provide Trump with every resource necessary to correct the disastrous course set by the Biden administration,” he added.
“He is dedicated to restoring the republic and saving our country, and we, as legislators and as states, must do everything in our power to support him.”
The resolution calls for a constitutional amendment to modify the 22nd Amendment, which was ratified in 1951 following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency from 1933 to 1945.
Roosevelt’s extended time in office spurred fears of presidential overreach, leading to the adoption of term limits.
Trump, who won the 2024 presidential election and returned to office, has previously downplayed the idea of seeking a third term.
However, during a conversation with Republican lawmakers, he humorously alluded to the possibility.
“I suspect I won’t be running again unless you do something,” Trump said. “Unless you say, ‘he’s so good, we have to just figure it out.’”
Ogles lauded Trump’s actions during his second term, citing executive orders aimed at securing the southern border, restricting gender identities to male and female, boosting energy production, and withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
These measures, according to Ogles, demonstrate Trump’s ability to restore America’s standing and address critical issues.
The 22nd Amendment, proposed in 1947 and ratified four years later, was designed to uphold the principle of limited presidential terms first established by George Washington, the nation’s first president.
Washington voluntarily stepped down after two terms, warning against any president serving so long as to resemble a monarch or dictator.
Republicans currently hold a slim three-seat majority in the House of Representatives, but amending the Constitution is a daunting task.
The proposed amendment would require approval from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, as well as ratification by three-fourths of the states—a high bar in today’s deeply divided political climate.
While Ogles’ proposal is unlikely to succeed, it reflects the enduring loyalty Trump commands among his supporters and within the Republican Party.
The resolution has already drawn criticism from opponents who argue it undermines democratic principles, while supporters insist it is necessary to allow Trump to complete what they view as his mission to “restore America’s greatness.”
Bangkok authorities closed more than 350 schools on Friday due to hazardous air pollution, marking the largest mass closure since 2020.
This comes as the Thai capital was ranked the world’s seventh-most polluted major city, according to air quality monitor IQAir.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced that 352 schools across 31 districts were shut down to protect students from the worsening air quality.
By Friday morning, PM2.5 pollutant levels — fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream — reached 108 micrograms per cubic meter, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 15 micrograms for daily exposure.
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Air pollution in Southeast Asia typically spikes during the colder months, as stagnant air combines with smoke from crop burning and vehicle emissions.
Authorities reported that this week’s pollution levels were among the highest in years, prompting measures not seen since the pandemic.
On Thursday, more than 250 schools in Bangkok were already closed, and city officials urged residents to work from home while restricting heavy vehicles from entering the capital.
The Interior Ministry has also banned the agricultural practice of stubble burning, threatening legal action against offenders.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, speaking from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, called for urgent measures to combat the crisis, including limiting construction projects and cooperating with neighboring countries.
Both Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh also ranked among the world’s top 10 most polluted cities on Friday, with their governments facing mounting pressure to address air quality concerns.
Despite international attention, Cambodian authorities downplayed the issue, stating that their air quality remained within acceptable levels.
“Other countries have their own standards. Cambodia has our own standard to determine the air quality,” said Environment Ministry spokesperson Khvay Atitya.
In a historic move, Turkey’s national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, has resumed flights to the Syrian capital Damascus after a 13-year suspension.
The first flight, carrying 349 passengers, departed from Istanbul International Airport on Thursday morning, according to Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu.
The resumption of flights marks the end of a pause dating back to April 2012, when the airline suspended operations due to the onset of the Syrian civil war.
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The decision comes as relations between the two nations improve and reflects a growing trend of Syrians returning to their homeland after years of displacement.
Turkey, which hosts approximately 3 million Syrian refugees—the highest number worldwide—has witnessed many Syrians preparing to return home.
Anadolu reported that several passengers on Thursday’s flight were traveling to Syria for the first time in over a decade.
“I feel like I’m in a dream,” said Ahmet Kiraz, a passenger who had lived in Turkey since 2012. Kiraz expressed his disbelief at finally being able to return home, a moment he had thought might never come.
Images from the scene showed travelers boarding the plane with the Syrian flag draped across their shoulders, a symbol of both pride and a longing for their homeland.
Turkish Airlines announced plans to operate three flights per week to Damascus, with further details expected to be disclosed later in the day.
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