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The Star
2 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Danger in the air we are breathing
Air pollution doesn't usually make headlines – at least not until the haze rolls in, flights are delayed, or schools are forced to close. Even then, it is often treated as a temporary inconvenience, an issue forgotten once visibility improves. However, a new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in Britain, A Breath of Fresh Air , makes one thing clear: the air we breathe is slowly and silently undermining our health, our economy and our future. The science is sobering. Air pollution not only affects the lungs, but it is also now linked to heart disease, stroke, dementia, low birth weights, and even mental health problems. According to the report, almost every organ in the human body can be affected. To make things worse, there is no known 'safe' level of exposure, even low concentrations can do harm over time. For Malaysians, this shouldn't come as a surprise. We're no strangers to hazy skies, thanks to a combination of local emissions and regional events. What's more worrying is how little we've done to treat air pollution as a health emergency, rather than just an environmental or seasonal issue. A larger problem The RCP estimates that in Britain, air pollution contributes to around 30,000 premature deaths each year and could cost the economy up to GBP50bil (RM288bil) annually. While Malaysia lacks the same level of granular data, the scale of the problem is likely comparable when you factor in the haze, traffic congestion, industrial emissions and widespread open burning, not to mention indoor pollutants from poor ventilation. What the report does well is connect the dots. Air pollution isn't an isolated problem; it intersects with urban planning, housing, transport, education and health. That means the solutions need to be systemic too. We must go beyond the obvious culprits like cars and factories. Yes, reducing vehicle emissions is crucial, but we also need to confront agricultural burning, industrial waste disposal, diesel generators and poorly maintained construction sites. The haze crisis, which has become an annual fixture, needs to be met with domestic accountability, not just finger-pointing across borders. Indoor air quality also deserves more attention. In many Malaysian homes – especially in lower-income areas – cooking with gas in poorly-ventilated kitchens, exposure to damp and mould, and the use of toxic cleaning agents all contribute to chronic respiratory issues. A national strategy on indoor air – from better ventilation standards to cleaner household appliances – is long overdue. Another big point the RCP makes is about fairness. The reality is, air pollution does not affect everyone equally. Children, the elderly and low-income communities often bear the brunt of exposure. In Malaysia, this means we need targeted interventions, like HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters in schools and clinics, more greenery in dense neighbourhoods, and pedestrian zones that don't double as traffic thoroughfares. Involve healthcare professionals Like the RCP report itself, we should bring more healthcare professionals into the picture. Doctors and nurses can be powerful advocates, but they need the training and tools to understand, track and respond to the health impacts of pollution. Imagine if every clinic recorded air pollution exposure the way they do smoking history; we'd be able to build a clearer picture of how bad the problem really is, and what's working to fix it. Of course, these solutions require political will and money. But these are not just costs, they are investments. Cleaner air means fewer hospital visits, less time off work, and better educational outcomes for children. It's good public health and smart economics. The RCP report reminds us that the consequences of inaction are measured not just in emissions, but also in hospital beds, lost potential and lives cut short. This is a moment to reset how we think about air. Not just as something that surrounds us, but as something that shapes our health and our lives. Clean air should be a right, not a privilege. And certainly not a seasonal luxury. Dr Helmy Haja Mydin is a consultant respiratory physician and Social & Economic Research Initiative chairman. For further information, email starhealth@ The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'Most important threat to health' will kill 30,000 people this year
Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, has issued a warning Air pollution wreaks havoc on nearly every organ in the body, and it's expected to be linked to a staggering 30,000 deaths in the UK come 2025, a chilling report by leading medics warns. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has sounded the alarm that "no safe level" of air pollutants exists, highlighting the grim reality that roughly 99% of Brits are inhaling "toxic air". The startling insight reveals that exposure to this invisible killer could take off an average of 1.8 years from a person's life. Throwing fresh light on a decade's worth of evidence, the experts say that even seemingly benign low levels of pollution can adversely affect unborn babies and contribute to diseases ranging from cancer to mental health conditions and dementia. And there's more than just years lost. The toxic toll comes at a crippling economic cost too. Healthcare expenses and lost productivity due to foul air hit the exchequer for £27 billion each year, a number that could rocket to £50 billion if dementia and other broader effects are taken into account. Taking a stand, the College is pressing the Government for bold measures to clear the air, urging officials to put air pollution squarely on the radar as a critical health crisis. Lending his weight to the dire findings, England's Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty said in the report's foreword: "Air pollution remains the most important environmental threat to health, with impacts throughout the life course. 'It is an area of health where the UK has made substantial progress in the last three decades with concentrations of many of the main pollutants falling rapidly, but it remains a major cause of chronic ill health as well as premature mortality. Further progress in outdoor air pollution will occur if we decide to make it, but will not happen without practical and achievable changes to heating, transport and industry in particular. 'Air pollution affects everybody, and is everybody's business.' Dr Mumtaz Patel, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: 'Air pollution can no longer be seen as just an environmental issue – it's a public health crisis. 'We are losing tens of thousands of lives every year to something that is mostly preventable and the financial cost is a price we simply cannot afford to keep paying. 'We wouldn't accept 30,000 preventable deaths from any other cause. We need to treat clean air with the same seriousness we treat clean water or safe food. It is a basic human right – and a vital investment in our economic future.' It comes as Asthma and Lung UK called for tougher clean air laws. Air pollution has triggered potentially life-threatening asthma attacks and severe flare-ups of illness one in five people with lung conditions, according to a new poll by the charity. More than half of 8,000 UK patients with lung conditions said air pollution had left them feeling breathless, according to the survey. Charity chief executive Sarah Sleet has branded air pollution a "public health emergency". She added: "It is the biggest environmental threat to human health. For the millions living with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), air pollution can be deadly, yet many people are unaware of the toll it has on the nation's health. 'Toxic air is a major driver of respiratory conditions and can cause lung cancer and trigger asthma attacks, as well as flare ups of lung conditions such as COPD, exacerbating symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. 'Despite the huge personal and financial costs of air pollution, the government has not yet shown the political will to tackle this crisis.' On Thursday over 100 doctors, nurses, patients and activists will meet at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London and walk to Downing Street to deliver a letter calling for Government to commit to 'ambitious' air quality targets. And one expert from Southampton warned that the nation could be walking into a 'microplastics-style crisis'. Dr Thom Daniels expressed his concerns, as he said: "While outdoor air pollution is widely recognised and understood, the dangers of indoor air pollution remain largely overlooked – and I worry we're sleepwalking into another microplastics-style crisis if we don't act now." Next month a cross-party group of MPs said they will reintroduce a bill, named after nine-year-old schoolgirl who died from an asthma attack linked to air pollution, which aims to make clean air a human right under UK law. Dubbed 'Ella's Law', the proposed legislation is named after Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who lived 82ft from the busy South Circular Road in Lewisham and suffered the fatal asthma attack in February 2013. She became the first person to have air pollution listed as a cause of death following a landmark inquest in 2020. A Government spokesperson said: 'Air pollution is a public health issue, and we are committed to tackling this issue across the country. 'We have already provided £575 million to support local authorities to improve air quality and are developing a series of interventions to reduce emissions so that everyone's exposure to air pollution is reduced.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LA Riots Hand Republicans Script for Midterms
The masked man on the motorcycle, the one who waved a Mexican flag in front of a torched car as Los Angeles police stood by, will soon be famous. His identity remains unknown, his image iconic - but for all the wrong reasons. Republicans will replay the clip again and again in campaign ads ahead of the midterms. "This lawlessness is exactly what Americans rejected in 2024," said Michael Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee. "While Democrats sow chaos, Republicans stand as the party of law and order." President Trump is delivering on his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration, Whatley told RealClearPolitics, and ahead of the midterms, his party "will continue to run on this winning message and finish the job for the American people." As National Guard were being deployed to quell violence in California, Republicans were mobilizing to capture and catalog video of looting, rioting, and violence. One RNC official told RCP they were struggling to capture the flood of content coming across cable news. "It was just non-stop," they said. "There was so much." That content from the LA riots will soon provide fodder for the contrast Republicans hope to paint in November of next year, illustrating the failed immigration policies they allege California Gov. Gavin Newsom now embodies. For his part, Newsom blames Trump for inflaming an already "combustible situation." Los Angeles became ground zero for the Trump administrations immigration crackdown Saturday when ICE agents launched a series of raids across the city. Protests followed. Some of the demonstrations have been peaceful. The ones getting wall-to-wall news coverage, however, were not. Demonstrators hurled rocks, firework shells, and Molotov cocktails at police. Vandalism and looting ensued, prompting Trump to order 2,000 National Guardsmen to the city without the approval of the California governor. Newsom quickly condemned the move as a "blatant abuse of power" that puts the nation on a path to authoritarianism. "Trump is pulling a military dragnet all across Los Angeles," Newsom said in a speech delivered from an LA studio Tuesday, as the city remains under a curfew ordered by Mayor Karen Bass. "Well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals, his agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses." "California may be first, but it clearly wont end here," the governor said. "Other states are next. Democracy is next." The White House already saw the riots as an opportunity to paint Democrats as hapless in the face of lawlessness. After the governors speech, they were overjoyed to have that fight with Newsom. "Democrats are not even choosing the 20 on 80-20 issues," a White House official told RCP. "Theyre choosing the 10 on 90-10 issues." The situation in Los Angeles could be perilous for Democrats. Newsom has tried to differentiate a violent mob from lawful demonstrators, warning on social media that those "who take advantage of Trumps chaos" will be held accountable, while encouraging those who are "protesting peacefully." The White House, meanwhile, sees nothing but anarchy and is considering invoking the Insurrection Act, a law that grants the president authority to deploy the military on U.S. soil. Asked if he was considering it, Trump told RCP Tuesday in the Oval Office, "We will see." Republicans are betting that voters have already made up their minds. "AI couldnt generate better imagery," said Jesse Hunt, a GOP strategist and former communications director at the National Republican Senatorial Campaign. Trump won the general election, in large part, in reaction to the lax immigration policies of the Biden administration, Hunt told RCP, and the mob violence in LA will capture voter attention ahead of the midterms. "It paints a real picture of which side voters can choose to be on," he said, "public servants enforcing U.S. law in an American city or a violent mob waving another countrys flag." The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has already cut a digital spot that will serve as a template for the midterms. Posted on social media Tuesday, the video splices together clips of rock-hurling rioters in the smoke-filled streets of LA with soundbites from Democrats defending the demonstrations as "mostly peaceful protests." The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC aligned with Speaker Mike Johnson and the largest spender in House campaigns, has already argued this week that the riots roiling Los Angeles will continue to spread to other cities. When confronted with that chaos, the group predicted, "Americans will vote accordingly." A new survey commissioned by CLF, obtained by RCP, and conducted by Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio, provides the reasoning for their confidence. The polling of key congressional districts found that on illegal immigration and deportations, 57% favor "hiring nearly 40,000 additional ICE and border patrol agents to address illegal immigration as well as drug and human trafficking." The Republican survey also showed 68% of voters favor funding for the military to support law enforcement "in their fight against drug cartels." The Trump administration remains convinced that the public is on their side. "They are incredibly out of touch with what the vast majority of Americans support," a White House official said of Democrats, telling RCP, "We are going on offense and backing them into the corner of supporting dangerous criminal illegal aliens, violent rioters, and lawless chaos." Susan Crabtree is RealClearPolitics' national political correspondent. & Philip Wegmann is White House correspondent for RealClearPolitics.
The Herald Scotland
13-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
MPs to discuss ban on assisted dying adverts as Bill returns to Parliament
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is undergoing a second day of report stage, with various amendments likely to be debated and possibly voted on. Its third reading – where a vote is taken on the overall Bill – could take place next Friday. The Bill passed second reading stage by a majority of 55 during a historic vote in November, which saw MPs support the principle of assisted dying. Various reports have indicated some MPs who voted in favour last year could withdraw their support amid concerns around safeguards and how much scrutiny the proposed legislation has received, while others might switch to supporting a Bill that backers argue has been strengthened over time. Opinion in the medical community has been divided, with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) expressing concern, but some MPs who are doctors are among the Bill's strongest supporters. Seven RCPsych members, including a former president and vice president, have written to MPs to distance themselves from their college's concern, instead describing the current Bill as 'workable, safe and compassionate' with a 'clear and transparent legal framework'. Meanwhile, the Children's Commissioner for England has repeated her call for children's voices to be heard in the conversation. Dame Rachel de Souza said: 'Children's views have at best been side-lined, at worst written off entirely simply because they would not fall within the scope of the current scope of legislation. 'They have spoken passionately about their worries that this Bill could be extended further. We need only to look to other models, such as Canada, where proposals for assisted death to be expanded to 'mature minors' – children – are a live issue, to understand the source of their concern. 'This Bill has raised the level of debate on important and challenging subjects in England – but children have raised very real concerns with me about their opportunity to shape this legislation, which could impact them as they reach adulthood, or impact them in indirect ways through the deaths of loved ones.' Demonstrators are once again expected to gather outside Parliament to make their views known on the Bill. Disability campaigner George Fielding, representing campaign group Not Dead Yet UK, argued the Bill 'risks state-sanctioned suicide'. He added: 'It risks making people feel like a burden while ignoring the social, economic and systemic pressures that deny people the treatment and dignity they need to live. 'This is not choice. This is coercion, masquerading as compassion.' But Claire Macdonald, director of My Death, My Decision, which is in favour of assisted dying, said the public mood is clear that change is needed. She said: 'We hope MPs strike the careful balance between creating a law that is strong and safe, with a system that works for dying people, giving them choice and compassion at the end of life. 'What is clear is that no-one should be forced to suffer, and the British public wants politicians to change the law on assisted dying.' In a letter to MPs this week, Labour's Kim Leadbeater, the parliamentarian behind the Bill, said supporters and opponents appear in agreement that 'if we are to pass this legislation it should be the best and safest Bill possible'. She added: 'I'm confident it can and will be.' MPs will gather in the Commons for further debate on the assisted dying Bill (Anthony Devlin/PA) Among the amendments to the Bill expected to be discussed on Friday are a ban on advertising an assisted dying service were the law to change, with Ms Leadbeater previously saying it 'would feel inappropriate for this to be something which was advertised'. But Bill opponent Labour MP Paul Waugh warned of 'unspecified exceptions, which could make the ban itself worthless', adding that he had put forward a tighter amendment to 'strengthen the Bill on this issue and to better protect the vulnerable'. Ms Leadbeater said other possible amendments include ensuring 'any approved substance used for assisted dying is subject to robust regulation and scrutiny', which she said is 'essential for clinical safety, public confidence and ethical integrity'. Earlier this week, a group of charities wrote to MPs to express 'serious concerns' about what they described as an 'anorexia loophole', arguing people with eating disorders could end up qualifying for assisted dying because of the physical consequences of their illness. However, an amendment preventing a person meeting the requirements for an assisted death 'solely as a result of voluntarily stopping eating or drinking' – tabled by Labour's Naz Shah – was accepted by Ms Leadbeater without a vote last month. Ms Leadbeater said this, combined with existing safeguards in the Bill, would rule out people with anorexia falling into its scope. As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the Bill and any amendments, meaning they vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
LA Riots Hand Republicans Script for Midterms
The masked man on the motorcycle, the one who waved a Mexican flag in front of a torched car as Los Angeles police stood by, will soon be famous. His identity remains unknown, his image iconic - but for all the wrong reasons. Republicans will replay the clip again and again in campaign ads ahead of the midterms. "This lawlessness is exactly what Americans rejected in 2024," said Michael Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee. "While Democrats sow chaos, Republicans stand as the party of law and order." President Trump is delivering on his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration, Whatley told RealClearPolitics, and ahead of the midterms, his party "will continue to run on this winning message and finish the job for the American people." As National Guard were being deployed to quell violence in California, Republicans were mobilizing to capture and catalog video of looting, rioting, and violence. One RNC official told RCP they were struggling to capture the flood of content coming across cable news. "It was just non-stop," they said. "There was so much." That content from the LA riots will soon provide fodder for the contrast Republicans hope to paint in November of next year, illustrating the failed immigration policies they allege California Gov. Gavin Newsom now embodies. For his part, Newsom blames Trump for inflaming an already "combustible situation." Los Angeles became ground zero for the Trump administrations immigration crackdown Saturday when ICE agents launched a series of raids across the city. Protests followed. Some of the demonstrations have been peaceful. The ones getting wall-to-wall news coverage, however, were not. Demonstrators hurled rocks, firework shells, and Molotov cocktails at police. Vandalism and looting ensued, prompting Trump to order 2,000 National Guardsmen to the city without the approval of the California governor. Newsom quickly condemned the move as a "blatant abuse of power" that puts the nation on a path to authoritarianism. "Trump is pulling a military dragnet all across Los Angeles," Newsom said in a speech delivered from an LA studio Tuesday, as the city remains under a curfew ordered by Mayor Karen Bass. "Well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals, his agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses." "California may be first, but it clearly wont end here," the governor said. "Other states are next. Democracy is next." The White House already saw the riots as an opportunity to paint Democrats as hapless in the face of lawlessness. After the governors speech, they were overjoyed to have that fight with Newsom. "Democrats are not even choosing the 20 on 80-20 issues," a White House official told RCP. "Theyre choosing the 10 on 90-10 issues." The situation in Los Angeles could be perilous for Democrats. Newsom has tried to differentiate a violent mob from lawful demonstrators, warning on social media that those "who take advantage of Trumps chaos" will be held accountable, while encouraging those who are "protesting peacefully." The White House, meanwhile, sees nothing but anarchy and is considering invoking the Insurrection Act, a law that grants the president authority to deploy the military on U.S. soil. Asked if he was considering it, Trump told RCP Tuesday in the Oval Office, "We will see." Republicans are betting that voters have already made up their minds. "AI couldnt generate better imagery," said Jesse Hunt, a GOP strategist and former communications director at the National Republican Senatorial Campaign. Trump won the general election, in large part, in reaction to the lax immigration policies of the Biden administration, Hunt told RCP, and the mob violence in LA will capture voter attention ahead of the midterms. "It paints a real picture of which side voters can choose to be on," he said, "public servants enforcing U.S. law in an American city or a violent mob waving another countrys flag." The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has already cut a digital spot that will serve as a template for the midterms. Posted on social media Tuesday, the video splices together clips of rock-hurling rioters in the smoke-filled streets of LA with soundbites from Democrats defending the demonstrations as "mostly peaceful protests." The Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC aligned with Speaker Mike Johnson and the largest spender in House campaigns, has already argued this week that the riots roiling Los Angeles will continue to spread to other cities. When confronted with that chaos, the group predicted, "Americans will vote accordingly." A new survey commissioned by CLF, obtained by RCP, and conducted by Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio, provides the reasoning for their confidence. The polling of key congressional districts found that on illegal immigration and deportations, 57% favor "hiring nearly 40,000 additional ICE and border patrol agents to address illegal immigration as well as drug and human trafficking." The Republican survey also showed 68% of voters favor funding for the military to support law enforcement "in their fight against drug cartels." The Trump administration remains convinced that the public is on their side. "They are incredibly out of touch with what the vast majority of Americans support," a White House official said of Democrats, telling RCP, "We are going on offense and backing them into the corner of supporting dangerous criminal illegal aliens, violent rioters, and lawless chaos." Susan Crabtree is RealClearPolitics' national political correspondent. & Philip Wegmann is White House correspondent for RealClearPolitics.
