China's capital Beijing, under fire to take effective measures against air pollution, raised its four-tiered alert system to “orange” for the first time on February 21, 2014. Heavy smog was expected to enshroud the city for an indefinite period.
Pollution in Beijing
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Japanese tourists wearing masks make their way to the Olympic Park amid thick haze in Beijing, Feb. 25, 2014.
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People visit the Olympic Park amid thick haze in Beijing, Feb. 25, 2014.
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Buildings are seen shrouded in heavy haze at Qingdao development zone, Shandong province, Feb. 25, 2014.
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Children with respiratory illness receive treatment at a hospital in Beijing, Feb. 21, 2014.