It is the eighth sandstorm to hit the Chinese capital so far this year, marking the most active spring storm season in a decade.

PM10 particles from cyclone over Mongolia are responsible for the rare phenomenon, caused by the scattering of light.

Conducted by scientists in Australia and China, the study found that more than 90 per cent of days in southern and eastern Asia had concentrations of dangerous particulate matter exceeding the WHO’s safety limit.

Six state-owned companies in Henan province were found to violate pollution control regulations during a surprise inspection.

Chinese and international researchers examined wildfires in North America and Southeast Asia for clues to the relationship between blazes and the weather.

UN health agency says 99 per cent of planet’s population breathes air exceeding air-quality limits, often rife with particles that penetrate lungs, enter veins and arteries and cause disease.

Beijing and neighbouring province of Hebei given powers to close businesses and restrict vehicle use during the Games.

Results reflect two decades of efforts but more needs to be done, official says.

Efforts to reduce smog have been extended to 64 cities this winter, plus Beijing, which hosts next year’s Winter Olympics. Analysts warn factory shutdowns could weigh on the economy.

Cloud-seeding operation was launched over suburban Beijing and surrounds hours before the tightly choreographed event. Artificial rain reduced PM2.5 pollutants by more than two-thirds and improved air quality, Tsinghua University researchers say.

Deciphering China’s relationship with coal is key to understanding the nation’s path towards carbon neutrality, particularly as the economy’s addiction to the fossil fuel runs up against President Xi Jinping’s carbon neutrality pledge.

Levels of lung-damaging particles in and around the capital reach new low, although are still above the national target and WHO’s recommendation.

As southwest China reels from floods and landslides, report shows how climate damage and risk in country’s most dense regions have changed over 60 years.

The decision to start publishing PM2.5 levels on Twitter helped push the Chinese authorities into becoming more transparent

But it may be harder for other places, with one expert saying the city was at an advantage to take action since being the capital made it easier to get policies and funding.

High winds are expected to carry sand and dust particles to central and eastern China by Friday.

Capital hit by second sandstorm in less than two weeks as air quality index tops out at 500.

A campaign in China to stamp out cultural practices seen as outdated and feudal is being met with resistance as centuries-old ideas come under pressure from authorities.

Nuclear power’s future will depend on whether the recent on-time construction of the Hualong One reactor can be sustained in future projects, and whether it can establish a good safety record, energy experts said.

Large areas were still being affected by dust and heavy winds that caused pollution levels to spike in major cities, including Beijing.

Sandstorm caused by hot, dry conditions meeting ‘Mongolian cyclone’, says China’s weather bureau.

The city authorities say factories must limit production when a heavy pollution alert is in place to halve harmful emissions