Friday 9 October 2026 · Edition of the day

Current editionPast editions →

The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
85%
How to read the score
It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
RegionAllGlobalAfricaNorth AmericaSouth AmericaAsia-PacificEuropeMiddle East
TopicAllPoliticsConflict & SecurityBusinessScienceHealth
01HealthAsia-Pacific

Regional wildfire haze accompanies lawsuit against Indonesia's government

Reporting links Indonesian fires to haze across South-east Asia, with one outlet reporting school closures and respiratory illness.

The BBC reports that Indonesian wildfires are affecting Singapore and other countries in South-east Asia. The Guardian reports a class action lawsuit accusing Indonesia's government of gross negligence in managing the fires. It also reports school closures and a spike in respiratory illnesses associated with the haze.

What holds up

  • ✓Both outlets report that Indonesian wildfire haze is affecting countries across South-east Asia.
  • ✓The Guardian reports that NGOs in Indonesian Borneo have filed a class action lawsuit.

What doesn't yet

  • ?Gross negligence is an allegation in the lawsuit, not a court finding.
  • ?The summaries provide no air-quality measurements, illness counts or basis for the reported respiratory increase.

Ask before you share

  • →What monitoring and health data quantify the haze's effects?
  • →What duties does the lawsuit allege the government breached, and how has it responded?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]BBC News · Published 7 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  2. [2]The Guardian · Published 8 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com