Malaysia again shuts schools as Indonesian smoke thickens

KUALA LUMPUR: Air pollution in Malaysia's capital spiked to "very unhealthy" levels on Sunday as acrid smoke billowing from Indonesian agricultural fires intensified, in an environmental crisis that is fraying regional tempers.

Pollution readings soared past the 200-point level Sunday morning in the Malaysian government's hourly air-quality index, a threshold that triggers automatic school closures during weekdays.