Beijing hit by dirty smog but observers say air is getting better

Penalties for law-breaking factories and construction sites are contributing to improved air quality in China’s capital, say academicsFor Beijing’s residents, this winter brought a sense of deja vu: flights grounded by smog, air quality “red alerts” and pronouncements on the city’s latest efforts to fight air pollution.In January and February the average amount of PM2.5 – fine particles small enough to pass from the lungs to other organs – was reported t