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Al-Ahram Weekly 16 - 22 December 1999 Issue No. 460 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 16 - 22 December 1999 Issue No. 460
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Debate Focus Profile Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES: Yet another week has passed with Cairo residents living in the shadow of the "mysterious cloud" -- as the Arabic-language press describes the smog engulfing parts of the capital.
Many were awaiting the report by a scientific committee established by Mufid Shehab, minister of higher education and scientific research, to look into the reasons behind the phenomenon which has continued for over a month. However, it had little new to say.
It concluded that the smog is the result of certain meteorological conditions which were exacerbated by the presence of smoke in the air -- from the burning of agricultural refuse, car exhaust fumes and factory emissions.
When the air contains a particularly powerful cocktail of pollutants and there is no wind for consecutive days, smog appears. This line has been reiterated by the government, and piecemeal measures to fight air pollution have been stepped up, although perhaps to little avail, judging by the sore eyes, coughing and breathing problems experienced by many Cairo residents.
photo: Sherif Sonbol
