‘Ella’s Law’ urgently needed to save lives from toxic air, says mother

Latest updates and essential advice from The Independent [View in browser]( [Alternate text] Daily briefing April 22, 2021 Today’s essential news from the source you trust This morning’s headlines The mother of a nine-year-old girl who became the first person in the UK to have air pollution recognised as a cause of death is [calling for a new law in her daughter’s memory](. A coroner’s report has urged the government to set stricter air pollution limits to prevent similar deaths in the future, after Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah died following a severe asthma attack in 2013. She was admitted to hospital nearly 30 times in the three years prior and suffered many attacks at home. Speaking to The Independent after the release of the report, her mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, said: “It’s really important that the coroner’s recommendations are taken incredibly seriously. It’s about improving the health of the nation and trying to stop other families going through what we went through. If nothing changes, then there are going to be families that go through what we’ve gone through... I can campaign but children are still dying in the meantime.” Air pollution is responsible for between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths each year in the UK, according to official estimates. Follow the latest on the environment in our [Earth Day liveblog]( India has reported [more than 314,000 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours for the first time](, surpassing the record for infections in a single day previously set by the US in January. The country also saw its deadliest day so far, as it recorded 2,104 deaths due to coronavirus in the day up to Thursday morning. India recently outstripped Brazil to become the second worst-hit country in the pandemic and it has been rocked by a devastating second wave since the country appeared close to a return to normalcy in January. There are widespread shortages of oxygen and hospital beds in Delhi, currently the worst-affected single city, while the situation is also dire in the states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, which reported 67,468 and 33,214 new infections respectively. Experts have attributed the second wave to the emergence of more infectious virus variants, as well as fatigue with pandemic safety measures and the decision to allow a range of large political and religious gatherings. A black man from North Carolina was [shot and killed by police]( who had been called to search his property, the incident coming just a day after ex-Minneapolis police officer was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd. Police arrived at the scene early on Wednesday. Relatives identified the man as 40-year-old Andrew Brown, a father of 10. He was shot by police around 8.30am as he drove away from officers in Elizabeth City, witnesses say. The city is in the northeastern part of the state on the Atlantic coast. The Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement: “During the execution of the search warrant, a citizen who was subject to the search warrant was shot and fatally wounded.” Neighbours say they heard anywhere between six and eight shots being fired. Mr Brown’s family stated that he didn’t carry a gun and that he didn’t hurt anyone, a local outlet reported. . We need your support The Independent employs over 100 journalists around the world to bring you news you can trust. Please consider showing your support with a contribution. [Contribute]( . Top stories [UK ‘will suffer new Covid wave this summer,’ expert warns]( [MI5 joins Instagram as part of drive to become more transparent]( [‘Pervasive racism’ caused failure to commemorate black and Asian troops, report says]( . Discover the full story Save 50% on a digital subscription when you subscribe today. [Subscribe now]( . 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