Name: Smog So Bad It Can Be Seen From Space | November 12, 2024
Uploaded: 2024-11-12T10:00:09.000Z
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We've got your news for you this Tuesday, November 12th.

Remember to submit your unique vocabulary words for tomorrow's Your Word Wednesday.

Put your school name, your word, and definition in the comment section of my most recent post on my at coywire social accounts, and we'll choose one winner to work into tomorrow's show. All right, we've got lots to get to, so let's hop right into it, starting with U.S. politics, where the balance of power in the nation's capital is nearly set.

Ballots are still being counted in a number of congressional races, and even with some races still undecided in the Senate, CNN projects that Republicans will now control the chamber with at least 52 out of the 100 seats.

The party will need to choose a new Senate majority leader before the new Congress convenes in January. The Senate takeover was the first big election night success for Republicans, flipping seats in Ohio, West Virginia, and Montana.

It's a big victory for the party, which hasn't had a majority in the chamber since 2021.

There are still two Senate races still to be declared, those in Arizona and Pennsylvania.

On the other side of Washington, D.C., the fate of the House of Representatives remains up in the air.

Republicans are trying to defend their narrow majority there, and CNN has not yet projected winners in more than a dozen House races. Meanwhile, American voters chose former President Donald Trump to be the 47th president of the United States.

Trump and his team are working on building the president-elect's administration at his Florida property in Mar-a-Lago.

So far, Mr. Trump's campaign manager, Susie Wiles, has been named as White House Chief of Staff.

Ms. Wiles will become the first woman to ever hold that title.

President-elect Trump will travel to Washington, D.C. this week to meet with President Biden. Before Inauguration Day, states have until December 11th to confirm their Electoral College votes before electors officially cast their 538 Electoral College votes.

Now, once all races are determined, the new Congress will be sworn in on January 3rd, and then both chambers will count electoral votes on January 6th.

With Republicans set to control the presidency, the Senate, and possibly the House of Representatives, the GOP will be in prime position to back the future Trump administration's agenda.

CNN's Manu Raju joins us now to break it down further. Republicans have an edge in holding on to the House, barely.

They may barely hang on to power, but there are still votes that are left to be counted.

And that's because right now, to get to the magic number, that's 218 seats, they only need, Republicans do, to five more wins.

Democrats, however, need to flip five Republican districts.

Much more difficult, especially since they are only leading in two Republican districts.

Republicans, meanwhile, are leading in two Democratic districts.

So, if that holds, the Democrats are most likely going to be in the minority.

And that, of course, would be a huge letdown for their party.

They thought they were going to carry districts from Iowa to Nebraska to New York to California.

They left a bunch of Republican wins, pickup opportunities, on the table.

That's what's going to cause a lot of hand-wringing, blame game of sorts, potentially at the top of the ticket to some Democrats' down ticket, outperforming Kamala Harris' performance in some of those battleground districts.

But at the moment, those votes still yet to be counted. One thing is for certain, though.

Republicans will have the majority in the Senate, 52 seats at least, a couple of seats yet to be called, potentially adding one more seat to see how the Pennsylvania Senate race turns out here.

And another big question for Republicans, who will lead this new majority?

Because Mitch McConnell, the longtime Senate Republican leader, the longest-serving Senate leader in the history of the Senate, is stepping aside from his leadership post.

That means there are several candidates who are vying to replace him, three specifically Senator John Cornyn, Senator John Thune, Senator Rick Scott. Next, we're going to take a look at a situation happening in Southeast Asia where two neighbors, India and Pakistan, are dealing with extreme pollution that's affecting the lives of millions of people.

Air quality typically worsens in that region in the wintertime because cold air traps particulates billowing up during crop burning or those that come out of vehicles and power plants.

The pollution recently got so bad that it registered three times higher than levels on the IQ Air Index that are considered hazardous.

Pakistan's government is calling for climate diplomacy with India so the two countries can address the issue.

CNN's Sophia Sethi shows us more. The traffic is still flowing in Lahore.

The government officials are urging people to stay at home.

For a city that often ranks as one of the worst in the world for air pollution, face masks are mandatory.

A thin shield against the skyrocketing amount of pollutants in the air.

The city's air quality index stopped 1000 again last week.

That's an unprecedented level as the IQ Air Index defines hazardous as anything over 301.

Many public spaces like zoos, parks and historic monuments have been closed, along with many schools which have shifted to online classes for at least another week.

Everyone has a right to enjoy seeing the sun.

Some types of tuk-tuks and barbecue restaurants have been banned.

But the smog is a recurring problem, especially at this time of the year, when particles from low-grade diesel fumes and crop burning get trapped in the cold air.

And some residents say that the closures aren't stopping that.

They have closed schools that don't create the smog.

They have not closed the factories and brick kilns.

They are now closing the things which create the smog.

Delhi's air has also reached hazardous levels in recent days, though some residents are still exercising outdoors.

The World Health Organization says breathing toxic air is harmful and can cause strokes, heart diseases, and respiratory infections.

One clinic in New Delhi says there is a 20 to 25 percent rise in patients, especially after the Diwali holiday, when people set off illegal fireworks.

Sore throats, burning eyes, and troubled breathing are common complaints.

I have been taking medicines, but there is no relief.

Officials in New Delhi began a trial program recently to spray water from drones to clear away dust and pollutants.

And the smog problem in South Asia is in need of more long-term solutions. Last week, we saw how the famous Trevi Fountain's renovation has some tourists in Rome working around barriers for photo ops and has them doing the traditional coin toss into a makeshift pool.

But it turns out, thanks to renovations, some visitors will get the chance of a lifetime to see the masterpiece up close.

CNN's Barbie Latsanado shows us how it's all part of a plan to study the crowds that visit the iconic landmark. The Trevi Fountain behind me is normally gurgling with water, into which millions of tourists throw coins each year.

But thanks to a massive renovation project worth more than $300,000 that includes cleaning and scrubbing up of calcium rust and dirt, this iconic fountain is dry.

You know where the water should be is this metal walkway that is going to offer the tourists who come here a rare opportunity to take an intimate look at this 18th century masterpiece. The fountain's last cleaning and repair began in 2014 and took more than a year.

But increasingly, hot temperatures and a steady growth in tourism traffic have also led to the erosion of some of the basin.

The Trevi Project is one of many conservation and renovation projects slated to finish in time for the kick-off of the Vatican's holy jubilee year of 2025, which will draw millions more visitors than usual to the Eternal City's popular sites. Pop Quiz Hotshot!

A group of penguins in water is called a raft, but what are they called on land?

Named after the distinctive walk of a penguin, the collective noun for a group of penguins on land is a waddle of penguins. Alright, for today's story, getting a 10 out of 10, what do you call a penguin on a sandy beach?

This emperor penguin was found isolated on a beach in Western Australia, more than 2,000 miles from its home in Antarctica.

Conservation officials said it most likely followed a northward current a bit too far while looking for food.

Apparently, directions got frost in translation.

Poor thing looked malnourished when they found him, but he's now in the capable hands of a local wildlife caretaker.

We are sending some love to Santan Junior High School in Chandler, Arizona.

Thank you for subscribing to our CNN10 YouTube channel and putting your shoutout requests in there.

 I'll see you right back here tomorrow on CNN10.

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Smog So Bad It Can Be Seen From Space | November 12, 2024

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