January 22, 2026
World
World
TOKYO, Jan 22 — Japan has halted the restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant just hours after it began, though the reactor remains “stable,” the operator said.
KUCHING, July 27 — Air quality at the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) in Miri has worsened, reaching an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 139 as of 4.30pm today.
The Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) reported that all other monitoring stations across Sarawak remained at moderate levels, with API readings between 51 and 100.
Areas approaching the unhealthy threshold include Lundu (95), Kuching (79), Samarahan (77), Sri Aman (75), Samalaju (75), Serian (71), and Sarikei (70).
In Malaysia, API readings from 51 to 100 are classified as moderate, while those between 101 and 200 are considered unhealthy.
At 10.32am, the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) reported isolated to scattered hotspots in Borneo and Sumatra based on its overnight satellite pass.
Dry conditions persisted across most of the southern Asean region overnight, with only isolated showers observed in central and southern Sumatra, as well as parts of central and northeastern Borneo.
The ASMC noted slight and localised smoke plumes from a few hotspots in western Kalimantan and central Sumatra. However, cloud cover limited the visibility of the full extent of the haze and hotspots.
“The overall haze and hotspot situation in the southern Asean region remains unclear due to cloud cover,” the Centre said.
Meanwhile, northern Asean experienced wetter and cloudier conditions, helping to suppress hotspot activity.
Looking ahead, the ASMC forecasts that dry weather will continue across much of the southern Asean region, with occasional showers expected in parts of Sumatra, Java, and central to eastern Kalimantan.
“Although these showers may provide some relief, hotspots and smoke haze could still persist in drier areas, potentially leading to transboundary haze,” ASMC cautioned.
Winds in the southern Asean region are expected to blow from the southeast to the south, while the northern region is forecast to remain wet, with winds mainly from the southwest. — The Borneo Post
