The thick haze shrouding a large area of northeastern China could hang around until Saturday, authorities warn. It started on the weekend as temperatures dropped and cities started burning coal to keep warm. "Many cities in China, including the northeastern provinces, use coal as the major heat generator, which pushes up air pollution levels," said Zhang Bin, an official with Changchun city environmental protection department, according to state news agency Xinhua. Farmers were also contributing to the haze by burning straw after the autumn harvest, according to Xinhua. Read more
