Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Friday (May 17, 2024)

Malaysia:

* Anwar calls for firm action following Ulu Tiram police station attack

* Ulu Tiram police station attack: Two cops and assailant dead / King expresses condolences to families of slain policemen

* Ulu Tiram police station attack: Slain officers joined force less than two years ago

* Ulu Tiram police station attack: Suspect believed to be Jemaah Islamiyah member, says IGP

* Ulu Tiram police station attack: Seven arrested, including two students, suspected Jemaah Islamiyah member

* Anwar arrives in Uzbekistan for three-day official visit / Anwar accorded official welcome in Uzbekistan

* Ahmad Zahid: Govt aims to provide each student with a device, implementation in phases

* AG’s Chambers rejects Sanusi’s representation to dismiss sedition charges

* Official HSR talks only after Cabinet approval, says Loke

* Anthony Loke: Proposed MAHB privatisation boosts efficiency

* Claim of pro-Israel firm owning MAHB shares just to incite hatred, says PM

* Malaysia, Kazakhstan ready to strengthen ties, explore new cooperation opportunities

Singapore:

* Private-hire driver who raped drunk passenger and bragged he was ‘lucky’ gets jail, caning

* Visitors to Singapore can use automated lanes to speed up travel

* Anwar congratulates Wong on appointment as Singapore’s PM

* Businessmen in Singapore placed on China’s wanted list weeks after money laundering raid in 2023

* SG firefighter stole Apple Watch worth RM1,100 while responding to a possible fire in flat

* Singapore Air staff get eight months’ salary bonus after record profits

* 35 promising young individuals from Singapore on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list

* Asian Stocks drift on uncertainty over timing of US rate cuts

* Oil set for weekly gain on signs of improving demand

Indonesia:

* Indonesia’s president-elect and former army hardman Probowo promises not to implement military-style leadership

* Indonesia relaxes import rules for electronic products, footwear and textiles; move to clear piling stock at ports

* Indonesia evacuates hundreds near erupting volcano

* Indonesia floods: Death toll rises to 67 from floods, 20 missing

* Garuda Indonesia flight makes emergency landing after engine fire

* Musk scheduled to launch Starlink in Indonesia

* Asian FX ease, stocks struggle for direction on US rate uncertainty

Thailand:

* At Thailand dive expo, fears for coral’s future that threatens many livelihood

* Thailand to work with Malaysia on Asean drive tourism project

* Forty Thai senators seek PM’s dismissal over cabinet appointment

* Thai PM ‘deeply saddened’ by deaths of two Thais in October 7 attack

* Thai PM orders probe into death of activist in pre-trial detention

* Thailand: Trackers boost conservation hopes for turtles

* ‘Capital may be relocated’- says Thai senior officials

Philippines:

* Philippine central bank says less hawkish stance may put pressure on peso

* China warns Philippines against acts of infringement, provocation in South China Sea

* Philippines to buy five Japan-made coast guard ships in US$400mil deal and shore up defence in South China Sea

* Three killed, one hurt in clashes in Philippines

* Apec economies expected to grow at moderate pace

Vietnam:

* Vietnam forfeits billions of dollars in foreign aid amid anti-graft freeze, document says

* Apartment rental prices in Vietnamese megacities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh among highest in Asia: research

* Foreigners sell Vietnam securities amid political turbulence, according to official data

* Political upheaval in Vietnam – Politburo member now resigns over party rule violations

* Vietnam forfeits billions of dollars in foreign aid amid anti-graft freeze, document says

Myanmar:

* Asean countries discuss measures to enhance early childhood care, education

* Myanmar set new highest temperature record; several provinces hit above 43 degrees Celsius, highest seen in 45 years

* Myanmar’s national security adviser engages in high-level security talks with global partners in Russia

* Asean meet with junta chief – top officials hold table talk

Cambodia:

* Cambodian deminers find three landmines on tree

* Rights group urges Thailand to stop forcing dissidents to return to countries they fled for safety; many Cambodians at risk

* After Cambodia crypto scam, Indians demand more jobs at home

* Campaign begins for provincial, municipal, town, district council elections in Cambodia

Laos:

* Crypto boom, erratic rain spark outages in Laos, Asia’s clean power export hub

* New vaccination drive aims to protect Laos children from measles and rubella

* Inadequate minimum wage deepens economic woes in Laos, fuelling labour shortages, school dropouts

Brunei:

* Local Brunei man fined RM119,000 for possessing contraband

* Security guard sentenced to jail and whippings for stealing from teachers’ staff room

AseanPlus:

* Hong Kong uncovers new Covid strain in local sewage waters but officials say it’s unlikely to cause severe illness

* Malaysian illustrator makes waves on Forbes’ ’30 Under 30 Asia’ list

* Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin pledge to develop even closer China-Russia ties in energy and finance

* Uber passengers in Hong Kong dupe drivers into stopping next to police in effort to report illegal ride services

* ‘Tip of the iceberg’: Spate of Hong Kong murder-suicide tragedies sparks calls for early detection of high-risk families

* Visa-free China entry approved at all cruise ports, tourists allowed to stay for up to 15 days

* Report: China building world’s first ‘dedicated’ drone carrier, satellite images suggest

* Safety warning over baby clothes after Hong Kong watchdog’s tests find more than half of items pose risks

* Weather bureau warns India faces another election heatwave

* Taiwanese naval drones won’t be able to sink our ships, mainland Chinese media says

* Japan police want return of diplomat who filmed boy in Tokyo bathhouse

* Top 10 cleanest airports in the world – guess who’s not on the list?

* India’s butter chicken battle heats up with new court evidence

* Taiwan lawmakers exchange blows in bitter dispute over parliament reforms

* Japan changes law to allow joint custody after divorce

* Beijing’s intervention in Chinese markets, including tech, could strangle ‘economic dynamism’, author says

* Hong Kong’s John Lee hits out at arrest of public officer over ‘unwarranted’ spying allegations by UK

* Three Hong Kong judges deny Jimmy Lai defence team’s request to recall key prosecution witness to the stand

* How China’s EV overcapacity has come to a head after 15 years, and what’s in store for the industrial policy race with US and EU

* Soccer-Three players in Australia’s A-League arrested for alleged illegal betting

* Badminton – Zii Jia beats Guangzu to reach Thai Open semis

* North Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles, Seoul says

* K-pop group NewJeans voices British Museum’s official Korean audio guide