Papua sits at the crossroads of politics, culture, and geopolitics, shaping regional identity and conflicts in the Melanesian archipelago.
Indonesian fires on Borneo and Sumatra have blanketed parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in toxic haze. Authorities say thousands of personnel and aircraft have been deployed to fight the blazes, which are linked to El Niño, climate change, and peatland degradation. Schools have closed and air quality is worsening as smoke drifts across borders.