Air quality has long been an issue of concern in Beijing. In the weeks leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games, factories were closed and road traffic was severely restricted so athletes and spectators could enjoy relatively clean air. More recently, however, smog levels in the Chinse capital have soared off the charts.
On Sunday, the pollution level was 16 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended maximum. But that didn’t deter the organisers of the Beijing Marathon. Instead of postponing the event, they hired more medical staff to cater for the 25,000 runners, many of whom pulled out. Briton Chas Pope noted that he “felt pretty ridiculous given we’re meant to be running for health and fitness”.
As it stands, Beijing is one of the few places in the world where it is healthier to stay indoors than it is to go outside to take exercise. If something isn’t done about the air quality, perhaps the next marathon will have to be conducted inside a gymnasium on treadmills.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
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Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
