News about Indonesia: events, facts and developments on tafs uz.
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Due to the worst air quality in Singapore in more than a decade, running clubs moved their training sessions into shopping malls: more than 80 runners circled the corridors of Marina Square before the stores opened, preparing for international marathons.
Otabek YusupovSchools in the southern Malaysian state of Johor have reopened after a 10-day suspension that affected more than 1,000 schools and about 600,000 students. The decision was made after air quality improved, but the situation remains tense in Sarawak and Singapore, while Indonesia continues to battle fires.
Aziz KarimovA tourist from Lipetsk recorded a short video for her friend while standing in the queue at the checkpoint of Denpasar airport in Bali. Cameras recorded the filming in this area, after which the woman was detained and forcibly expelled from the country. According to Mash, the law provides for a fine of up to $300 and up to a year in prison for such a violation.
Javlon TursunovIndonesia's Health Ministry reported 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infections linked to forest and land fires, with 4,522 new cases registered in a single day. Air quality in six priority provinces has reached hazardous levels. President Prabowo Subianto said companies responsible for repeated fires could lose their concessions, while protests took place in Samarinda demanding the fires be declared a national disaster.
Sevara AzamovaThe Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) conducted takeoff and landing exercises on a section of the Pasuruan–Probolinggo toll road in East Java, testing its suitability as an alternate runway. Two Super Tucanos and two F-16s took part in the maneuvers. The commander stressed that highways would be used only in emergency situations.
Sevara AzamovaSchoolchildren in East Java took part in government-organized prayers for rain amid the season's worst forest fires. According to Nusantara Atlas, more than 1.9 million hectares have burned; smoke has reached Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor. Six firefighters have died, including a 51-year-old volunteer in Kalimantan.
Javlon TursunovFour countries signed the 'Badr' memorandum in Doha on developing defense cooperation: joint projects in military production, R&D and technical training. Project management will be carried out through a two-tier mechanism — an Executive and a Strategic Council.
Sevara AzamovaBali's Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) issued a drought warning for October 21–31, urging residents to save water and observe fire safety measures. Various levels of drought alert have been declared in a number of areas of the island.
Sevara AzamovaResidents of Palangkaraya on the Indonesian part of Borneo have been living under toxic smog from forest fires for several weeks. Smoke seeps into homes, causes coughing and breathing difficulties, reduces street vendors' sales, and has forced students to study online for nearly an entire semester.
Javlon TursunovThe passenger ferry KMP Batumandi, traveling from Bakauheni on Sumatra to the port of Merak in Banten province, caught fire on Tuesday while approaching the port. All 420 passengers and 40 crew members were evacuated; no deaths have been reported. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Javlon TursunovOn October 20, students and activists held demonstrations in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Makassar and Pekanbaru, demanding that the forest fires be recognized as a national disaster. The actions coincided with the second anniversary of Prabowo Subianto's presidency. Fires since July have destroyed more than 1.9 million hectares, and smog has sickened thousands of people.
Javlon TursunovTurkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler arrived in Qatar to sign a four-party memorandum of understanding on defense industry cooperation between Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia. The signing is expected on Wednesday in Doha. The document is intended to strengthen the existing bilateral projects of the four countries within a multilateral framework, with an emphasis on joint production and technology transfer.
Javlon TursunovUN Secretary-General António Guterres held a working meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on October 19. The parties discussed reform of the multilateral system, the UN 2030 Agenda and regional crises, including the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. Guterres called Indonesia a 'pillar of multilateralism' and thanked it for its contribution to UN peacekeeping missions.
Aziz KarimovThe Nusantara Atlas monitoring project estimated the area burned by fires in Indonesia from January to the end of September at more than 1.9 million hectares, calling the figure conservative. This is 38% more than by the same point in 2019. Jakarta declined foreign assistance, while Singapore reported 15 consecutive 'unhealthy' air quality days — more than during the 2015 crisis.
Otabek YusupovIndonesia has scaled up operations to extinguish forest and land fires on Sumatra and Kalimantan using aircraft, while Malaysia has offered assistance and an ASEAN cooperation mechanism.
Otabek YusupovRescuers evacuated dozens of critically endangered orangutans from forest fire zones in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Months of smog have worsened air quality in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor, affected around 2,400 flights and led to school closures. Malaysia proposed a regional cooperation mechanism within ASEAN.
Otabek YusupovThe ASEAN meteorological monitor declared 'Alert Level 3' — the highest in a four-tier system — due to dense transboundary haze from fires in Indonesia. The pollution has disrupted daily life in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor: schools are closing and respiratory illnesses are rising. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur ranked in the top 3 of the world's most polluted major cities according to IQAir.
Aziz KarimovSingapore announced it has sent 'preventive notices' to seven Indonesian companies whose lands, according to an investigation, were the source of fires causing haze across Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, four people died while fighting fires on Java. Air quality in Singapore reached 'very unhealthy' levels, while in Palangka Raya it was hazardous.
Otabek Yusupov
