Malaysia has announced a state of emergency in a district of Sarawak after haze from wildfires in nearby Indonesia pushed air pollution to levels considered hazardous. King Sultan Ibrahim “has given his consent for an emergency to be declared across Serian Division, Sarawak, following haze conditions that have reached levels dangerous to public health and safety,” the office of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 3Malaysia’s former leader Ismail Sabri

The Dutch central bank confirmed this week that it had shifted tonnes of the country’s gold reserves away from North America, saying the move would leave it “better prepared for severe crises”. About 86 tonnes from roughly 313 tonnes previously held in the US and Canada were moved to London, citing rising geopolitical tensions. The aim was to ensure the gold would be easier to access should an emergency arise. The announcement naturally raised questions. Why had the Netherlands chosen to act