Indonesia capital hit by major pollution spikes: monitor

Indonesian capital Jakarta has been the world's most polluted city on four days this week, according to air quality monitor.

Jakarta and its surrounds form a megalopolis of about 30 million people that has outpaced other heavily polluted cities including Riyadh, Doha and Lahore during the week for its concentration of tiny particles known as PM2.5.

Jakarta has regularly recorded "unhealthy" levels of PM2.5, which can penetrate airways to cause respiratory problems, many times the World Health Organization's recommended levels.

President Joko Widodo has planned to tackle pollution levels by reducing "Jakarta's burden" as the country prepares to move its capital to Nusantara on Borneo Island next year. He also said a planned metro train network across Jakarta "must be finished" to reduce pollution.