World’s worst air in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek

This month the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek has topped rankings for air pollution on several days, overtaking Chinese cities which often lead the list. The central Asian city only has around a million inhabitants, but for several years now, it has been choked in smog for several months over the winter, when many in the city heat their homes with coal fires. And with the coronavirus pandemic hitting the country’s economy hard, the thick smog seems to hang even thicker.