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Why air pollution is keeping some people home
What in the World
Aug 30, 2023

Poor air quality is now one of the greatest threats to human health. That’s according to a study from the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute. Researchers say air pollution cuts life expectancy by five years in South Asia, the worst affected region.

Two BBC reporters — Jaidaa Taha in Cairo and Trisha Husada in Jakarta — tell us what it’s like living in cities coping with high levels of pollution. And from Delhi our South Asia correspondent, Samira Hussain, discusses the startling impact pollution can have on health outcomes.

We also hear from Glory Dolphin Hammes — the CEO of IQAir, a tech company that monitors air quality in real time around the world.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams, Mora Morrison, Alex Rhodes and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Rachael Akidi Okwir

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USAID: Can the world live without it?

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is under fire. It is the world’s biggest donor and spends billions of dollars a year, funding programmes around the world, like fighting malaria in Bangladesh, clearing unexploded landmines in Cambodia and Laos and providing medical supplies in Sudan.

But President Trump says it is run by “radical lunatics” and he and billionaire Elon Musk, who’s got the job of trying to slash American government spending, want to shut it down. They have paused almost all international spending for 90 days and issued “stop work” orders to their staff. BBC journalist Nathalia Jimenez tells us what USAID does - and why the Trump administration wants to close it.

A large proportion of USAID funding goes towards healthcare and HIV medication in sub-Saharan Africa. Makuochi Okafor, the BBC’s Africa Health correspondent tells us what impact closing USAID could have in this region.

Anselm Gibbs, a BBC reporter based in Trinidad and Tobago, tells us about programmes USAID funds in the Caribbean. And Hilde Deman from Search for Common Ground, an international NGO that uses USAID funding in countries affected by violent conflict, talks about the impact to their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: William Lee Adams Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy Editor: Rosanna La Falce


13min 08sec




Why air pollution is keeping some people home

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