Morning Briefing

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the WHO's cancer arm, on Tuesday announced it has reclassified diesel engine exhaust from "probably carcinogenic" to "carcinogenic," the U.N. News Centre reports, noting the decision came "after a week-long meeting of international experts, and [the agency] based its decision on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer" (6/12). "IARC said large populations all over the world are exposed to diesel exhaust every day," Reuters notes. "'People are exposed not only to motor vehicle exhausts but also to exhausts from other diesel engines ... (such as diesel trains and ships) and from power generators,' it said," according to the news service (Kelland, 6/12).