Thai Navy finds no trace of oil from recent spill in seas off Rayong province

23 Sept 01:49 Key points summarised by AI

The Royal Thai Navy reports no visible oil traces on the sea surface off Rayong, though 200 sailors remain on standby for any new findings.
Divers are continuing to survey the undersea environment, with initial inspections around Samet Island indicating no harm to seagrass or corals.
A gelatinous substance found on beaches has been collected for laboratory testing, while the origin of black stains is under investigation.
Small-scale fishermen and over 500 businesses have filed compensation claims due to fishing restrictions and economic impact from the spill.

Indonesia haze spikes Singapore pollution, shuts East Timor schools

Yesterday 19:04 Key points summarised by AI

Haze from Indonesian forest fires has caused severe regional air pollution, with Singapore's air quality hitting "very high" levels (PM2.5 at 288) and East Timor shutting schools nationwide for three days.
Singapore has responded by activating subsidies for haze-related medical treatment and distributing N95 masks to eligible residents, measures last seen during a similar crisis in 2015.
In Indonesia, over 280,000 respiratory problems have been recorded in affected regions, with fires razing hundreds of homes and displacing nearly a thousand people on Sumatra island.
The intensified blazes are attributed to a powerful El Nino cycle causing drought and persistent slash-and-burn land-clearing practices.
Despite Indonesian government efforts, including deploying over 60,000 personnel and attempting cloud seeding, the crisis continues, prompting Malaysia to seek cooperation with Indonesia to address the worsening haze.