Largest Indonesian island, with a volatile haze and climate footprint
Iran has ruled out Oman’s 50-50 regional management for the Strait of Hormuz, insisting on control of its side and opposition to a wide sharing arrangement. Oman proposed a Malacca-style model with voluntary fees to stabilize shipping after disruptions from the US-Israeli war. Officials say talks are progressing step by step, but hardliners remain skeptical about concessions.
Wildfires across Indonesia have intensified amid a dry El Niño season. The largest blaze, in Mount Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, has scorched hundreds of hectares of land, prompting park closure and air-ground firefighting operations. Authorities warn the fire season will remain severe through August and September.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake has struck off Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, and rescue teams have recovered dozens of bodies and treated hundreds of injured. Authorities have recorded hundreds of aftershocks, lifted an initial tsunami warning after tide gauges showed limited sea-level change, and declared a 14-day state of emergency as landslides and damaged roads are slowing aid deliveries.
Indonesia has faced a spike in wildfires driven by a strong El Niño and dry conditions; fires have burned more than 107,000 hectares and pushed flames within metres of the Yiari orangutan rehabilitation centre in West Kalimantan. Authorities are using cloud-seeding aircraft, water-bombing and local teams to fight blazes as haze reaches neighbouring Malaysian Borneo.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake off Flores has killed dozens, injured hundreds and displaced tens of thousands. Aftershocks exceed 3,000 as relief efforts expand to remote areas; roads and terrain slow delivery while authorities mobilise more air and sea assets.
The AP and Independent reports show Indonesia facing El Niño-driven drought with thousands of hot spots across Kalimantan and Sumatra. About 3,000 residents have gathered for a rain-prayer in Palembang as firefighting efforts continue and cloud-seeding and water-bombing aircraft expand to curb the haze.
Anak Krakatau has erupted since late Friday, producing lava fountains and ash plumes up to 50,000ft and forcing temporary closures at Soekarno‑Hatta and multiple regional airports. Authorities have suspended operations at several airports, delayed or cancelled hundreds of flights and stranded tens to hundreds of thousands of passengers while marine and air exclusion zones remain in place.
Airports serving Jakarta have reopened after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau has moved away. Authorities are conducting inspections and cleaning as flight disruptions affect thousands of passengers across eight airports.
A speedboat carrying five photojournalists, two crew members and a guide has lost contact after departing Carita for Anak Krakatau. The last message reported arrival near the volcanic island, but rescuers have yet to locate them amid ongoing eruptions and ash dispersal affecting flights and online schooling for affected communities.
Toxic haze from forest and peat fires across Kalimantan has intensified, forcing online schooling in parts of Sumatra and Borneo and prompting international firefighting assistance. Local women’s firefighting groups are monitoring hotspots and engaging communities to curb slash-and-burn practices, amid El Niño-driven drought and mounting cross-border air pollution.
Japan has deployed 300 crew members aboard the landing ship JS Kunisaki with three CH-47 Chinook helicopters to Kalimantan, Indonesia. The operation marks the first overseas firefighting mission by the JSDF, aiming to reach areas inaccessible to ground teams amid worsening fires driven by El Niño and a prolonged dry season. The effort complements regional and international firefighting support as Indonesia battles recent air pollution and health impacts.
Bloomberg reports that the Trump administration has rolled back climate data and tools from federal websites as part of a broader deregulatory push, potentially increasing corporate and research uncertainty about environmental risks. The move follows earlier steps to reduce protections for water bodies and emissions rules, and experts warn the changes will erode decision-making resources for businesses and policymakers.
Widespread fires in Borneo and nearby Sumatra have produced dense haze drifting toward Malaysia and Singapore. Authorities report extensive peat and forest burns, with schools shuttered and air quality surging past safe limits; rainfall has offered brief relief, while El Niño intensifies fire activity.
Wildfires across Kalimantan, Sumatra and Borneo have intensified amid El Niño-driven drought. Firefighting efforts face delays, with residents and wildlife suffering as haze drifts to neighboring countries. Legal actions pursue accountability and regional cooperation intensifies.
The region faces worsening air quality as fires in Indonesia burn; Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are among the world’s most polluted cities. Airlines cancel flights; governments consider regional action as ASEAN discusses the crisis.
Indonesia’s intense forest and peatland fires persist as El Niño drives drought, triggering cross-border haze that harms air quality and public health across Southeast Asia. Regional governments deploy firefighting personnel and aircraft while communities demand accountability and action to stop the cycle of fires and costs.
A fuel shortage on Bali has stretched queues at gas stations into hours, with disruptions blamed on tanker discharge delays. Authorities have ordered civil servants to work from home for three days while schools move online, as deliveries resume and stations extend hours to alleviate shortages.
Singapore has extended preventive notices to 3 Kalimantan-based Indonesian companies under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, joining 7 others linked to fires in Sumatra. Authorities demand firefighting teams, cessation of burning and action plans, while regulators warn of prosecutions and penalties if offenses are met. The cross-border crisis disrupts daily life across Southeast Asia and has intensified calls for regional cooperation.