New Delhi targets older diesel vehicles to clear up choking smog

Commuters make their way amidst smog on a flyover in New DelhiBy Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Authorities in New Delhi began revoking licenses for thousands of older diesel vehicles on Tuesday and halted construction work on the underground rail network, as air pollution remained several times over the safety limit. India&;s Supreme Court, which has in the past led the drive to clean up the city&039;s air, ordered the Delhi administration to report back in two days with a plan to combat the worst smog in 17 years. Licenses given to diesel-powered vehicles more than 15 years old are being withdrawn, which would lead to the removal of 200,000 vehicles from the city&039;s roads, Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung&039;s office said in a statement earlier in the day.

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Delhi under cloud of smog, considers traffic measures to ease pollution

Black kites perch on an electricity pylon amid heavy smog in DelhiBy Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A million school children were forced to stay at home, thousands of employees reported sick and long queues formed outside shops selling face masks on Monday as New Delhi struggled with its worst pollution for nearly 20 years. The Indian capital&;s government was considering whether to bring back a scheme to reduce traffic, a minister said on Monday, as air pollution remained many times above what are considered to be safe levels for a second week. New Delhi&039;s streets were shrouded in a heavy gray haze of smoke, ash and other pollutants, and residents complained of breathlessness, watering of eyes, aggravated coughs and wheezing.

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Prisoners get out of jail for papal Mass at Vatican

Pope Francis celebrates a Jubilee mass for prisoners in Saint Peter's Basilica at the VaticanBy Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Prisoners from around the world attended a special Mass by Pope Francis on Sunday, hearing him call for society to put more trust in rehabilitation, improved jail conditions and more clemency. Francis, who has often criticized the effects of unbridled capitalism, also said those who worship the laws of financial markets are themselves prisoners of their own ideologies because markets often punish the weakest members of society. The Vatican said about 1,000 prisoners took part in the Mass in St. Peters Basilica.

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