Rally in Belgrade demands end to alarming air pollution

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Thousands of people have rallied in Belgrade to demand an end to alarming levels of air pollution in Serbia due to the use of coal-fired power plants and other factors The environmental protest comes a day after other environmental demonstrators blocked bridges and roads in several locations in Serbia, and scuffled with riot police. Serbia’s air pollution is also due to a lack of air-filtering devices in mines and factories and the use of old cars and pollution-inducing fuel for home heating. Environmental worries have gained public attention recently, with activists accusing Serbia’s populist authorities of allowing foreign investors to hurt the Balkan nation’s environment in their search for profits.