Singapore tops global pollution ranks; haze subsidies rolled out as fires rage

Singapore ranked as the world's most polluted city again, per IQAir, as fires on Borneo and Sumatra, intensified by El Nino, emit toxic haze. The city-state has rolled out subsidies for haze-related medical treatment, and schools closed in parts of Malaysia, as both countries grapple with unhealthy air quality from fires in Indonesia. This is a recurring seasonal pattern, but the severity is heightened by El Nino, and the policy response signals escalating public-health impact.