{
  "id": 2350685,
  "title": "Malaysia’s Sarawak shuts almost 600 schools as haze hits ‘very unhealthy’ level",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/malaysias-sarawak-shuts-almost-600-schools-as-haze-hits-very",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-21T09:26:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3364829/malaysias-sarawak-shuts-almost-600-schools-haze-hits-very-unhealthy-level"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Transboundary haze has again disrupted daily life on Malaysian Borneo, forcing nearly 600 schools in Sarawak to shut on Friday as air pollution in parts of the state reached “very unhealthy” levels. The closures affecting almost 200,000 pupils were the latest disruptions caused by Southeast Asia’s persistent haze problem, which flares during dry spells when forest and peatland fires – often…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Haze worsens in Sarawak as unhealthy API readings rise",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/haze-worsens-in-sarawak-as-unhealthy-api-readings-rise",
        "published": "2026-08-21T08:08:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Afternoon checks show nine Sarawak areas with unhealthy air quality, Serian still very unhealthy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/afternoon-checks-show-nine-sarawak-areas-with-unhealthy-air-quality",
        "published": "2026-08-21T08:56:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}