The Chinese capital issued a “red alert” for air pollution on Friday morning, saying it was enacting for the second time the highest-level emergency pollution plan in advance of a prolonged spell of smog that is predicted to smother Beijing and elsewhere in northern China this weekend. The crisis measures were expected to start Saturday and last for four days. Beijing first issued a code red on air pollution last week. The measures further raised awareness of toxic air in this city of 22 million and underscored for the rest of the world the dismal state of the environment here. The measures took effect from Dec. 8 to Dec. 10, and they […]