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UPDATE: 11:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The drones were launched from the north and southeast in multiple waves and targeted different Ukrainian regions.<\/p>\n Ukrainian air defense forces used a combination of aircraft, air defense systems, and mobile fire groups to defend against the attack successfully.<\/p>\n Read more<\/a><\/p>\n UPDATE: 1:30 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n Approaching winter, air pollution in several Iranian cities has surged, echoing unbearable circumstances in previous years. On Saturday, Mashhad’s air quality index hit a “crisis and danger” level of 337, prompting the closure of educational centers.<\/p>\n Reza Esmaili, head of Mashhad Municipality’s Pollution Monitoring Center, attributed the pollution<\/a> to “atmospheric instability and dust rise,” calling for further investigation into the dust’s uncertain origin.<\/p>\n In North Khorasan, a sudden spike in the air quality index to 500 prompted an unhealthy day declaration. Dust from Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert is cited as the cause.<\/p>\n Khuzestan Province faces elevated air pollutant levels, with 156 reported in cities like Ahvaz. Over 500 sought medical attention within 24 hours, citing respiratory issues after autumn rains.\u00a0Authorities link Khuzestan’s pollution to industries, Iraqi fires in Hor al-Azim, agricultural waste burning, oil well flares, and old waste site fires.\u00a0Ahvaz experienced a severe air quality index last week, not having a single day of clean air this year. At least 1,247 people lost their lives in Ahvaz last year due to pollution. Khuzestan, dealing with water scarcity alongside pollution, highlights the escalating environmental crisis in Iran.<\/p>\n On the fourth anniversary of the November 2019 uprising, there are reports of significant internet disruptions in Iran, with complete outages observed in specific regions.\u00a0Starting on Saturday morning, November 18, users on social media have been sharing experiences of difficulties in accessing certain foreign websites and Gmail services. NetBlocks, the organization responsible for monitoring internet access, has officially confirmed these disruptions.<\/p>\n \u26a0\ufe0f Confirmed: Metrics show a brief disruption to internet connectivity in #Iran<\/a>, with national connectivity falling to ~57% of ordinary levels before recovering \ud83d\udcc9 pic.twitter.com\/zdFgNnHrCn<\/a><\/p>\n — NetBlocks (@netblocks) November 18, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nUkrainian Air Defenses Shoot Down 29 Iranian Shahed Drones Overnight<\/h3>\n
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Russian forces launched 38 Iranian-made Shahed-136\/131 drones on Nov. 17-18 with Ukraine successfully shooting down 29, Ukrainian Air Force Command reported this morning.<\/p>\n
\nAir Pollution Crisis Grips Iran, Particularly in Mashhad and Khuzestan<\/h3>\n
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\nInternet Disruptions on Fourth Anniversary of November 2019 Uprising<\/h3>\n
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