Indonesia closes more schools as forest fire haze worsens

Schools in Palembang, the capital of Indonesia's South Sumatra province, switched to remote learning Wednesday due to worsening haze from forest and peatland fires, affecting over 250,000 students at 1,030 schools. The emergency measure, prioritizing children's health against acute respiratory infections, will be reviewed regularly. About 12,800 schools across Sumatra and Borneo islands remain closed, with more than 1.4 million students impacted nationwide, according to officials and Save the Children. The fires, intensified by El Nino and a prolonged dry season, have burned over 202,000 hectares since January. Smoke has drifted to the Philippines and triggered an emergency in Malaysia, while international firefighting aid has come from Japan, the US, Russia, Australia, Canada, and Ukraine.