A potent El Niño event and extensive land-clearing practices have turned the Indonesian archipelago into a tinderbox, with some burns described as being the size of Western Europe. The crisis is testing President Prabowo Subianto’s administration following deep cuts to disaster funding. Greenpeace has since linked more than 20 palm, pulp and sugar companies to the sources of the smoke, including several firms with ties to Malaysia and Singapore.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Malaysia Shuts Schools Over Toxic Haze From Indonesia
World14 days ago
Educational authorities in a densely populated region have suspended classes to shield students from hazardous airborne pollutants drifting from the south. The closures in Malaysia respond to a thickening toxic haze caused by wildfires in Indonesia, which are currently at their most severe level in over a decade. This pollution is spreading from Manila to Singapore, where the air quality reached the worst level in the world on October 5 and now threatens the operations of an upcoming Formula One race.
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