The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, launched the London-wide Low Emission Zone, designed to reduce harmful emissions from the most polluting diesel-engined lorries, coaches and buses. Cars and motorcycles are not affected.

The capital has the worst air pollution in the UK and among the worst in Europe. Over one million Londoners live in areas that exceed statutory air quality limits. Poor air quality worsens asthma and causes the premature death of an estimated 1,000 people each year in London. Seven out of ten Londoners say they are worried about pollution from traffic exhaust fumes.

The introduction of the zone means that, from today, all diesel-engined lorries weighing more than 12 tonnes will be required to meet strict emissions standards. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, buses and coaches will be required to meet these standards from 7 July.

Harper to draw the line on Afghanistan

The election, of course, won't be fought over Afghanistan. That is Harper's wish because he knows that the government has shown such incompetence in governing over the past few months that his hawkish stand on Afghanistan maybe the only thing that parts of the population may see as positive. However, it also carries downsides. The handling of the mission by the Harper government has been as loaded with lies as any other part of their agenda and the opposition parties could argue that Harper can't be trusted to be handed a majority and be given a blank cheque on this or any other part of their agenda. It also presents an interesting conundrum. If Harper goes to the electorate with Afghanistan and wins a minority (polls show a Liberal minority right now but let's give him the benefit of the doubt on this), he either has to change his policy on Afghanistan or the Governor-General has to ask the LPC to form the government even if they have less seats.

Filed under: NFL

-The worst month for sports is what were going through right now. The NBA is hitting the mid-season and there is yet to be any real excitement. You have the NFL that just got over a month ago, and yes, we're all sad because that marks the end of football for another 6-7 months. College Football recruiting is always fun, but we all know that in a sense it is just a waiting game that is boring. We have College Basketball hitting conference schedules real hard which is truely fun to watch, but we then enter the conference tournaments and they mean nothing. MLB isen't even heard of in this month, and NASCAR has qualifying on the week before Daytona. Isen't that just interesting. The month of February is a complete let-down. This month is almost worthless in the world of sports. I mean, the NBA season may be shaping up, but there is another 40 games to be played.

Regional news: Appeals court upholds convictions in Miss. wetlands ...

JACKSON, Miss. -- The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the convictions of a Mississippi coastal developer and two others for mail fraud and violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

A federal jury in February 2005 convicted Robert J. Lucas Jr., of Lucedale, chief executive of Big Hill Acres Inc., and the two others of 41 charges, including conspiracy.

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Movie Talk

SMITHEE'S RED CARPET GOOD, BAD AND THE OBVIOUSLY UGLY REPORT: You think rain causes traffic to clog in Atlanta? The wet weather clearly delayed Hollywood's entertainment elite. The arrivals were, at first, slow and far between. First up: Former Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr.

THE SNOOTY CREW: Among those who pretty much ignored the print press: "Juno" writer Diablo Cody in wild-animal print and tats, Nicole Kidman, a pregnant Cate Blanchett and, of course, Tommy Lee Jones.