Asean News Headlines at 9pm on Saturday (April 22, 2023)

A man swims in a canal as temperatures hit a record 45.4 degrees Celsius (113.7 Fahrenheit) in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday, April 22, 2023. - Reuters

Malaysia:

* Livelier Aidilfitri, first in three years without special SOP

* Joint effort in arrest of Dhaka-based attaches

* Public-private collaboration is key in speeding Malaysia's transition to clean energy

* Lynas may temporarily shut down Malaysian operations if licensing prohibitions continue

* Covid-19: Melaka issues health alert over rising cases

* Dusk-to-dawn Sabah sea curfew extended to May 5

* Haze: Only two locations in M'sia record unhealthy API readings as at 3pm April 22

* Govt to probe claims of bail counter closing early, says Azalina

* Meaningless Raya without 'ayah', says Najib’s daughter

* M'sia on right track with disaster preparedness, says Mercy Malaysia

Pelicans rest in an aviary during a media tour of Bird Paradise, a new 17-hectare bird park that houses 3,500 birds from 400 species, at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore. - Reuters

Singapore:

* Singapore looking into wider adoption of biofuels, bioresources to hit net-zero emissions target

* Singapore Airlines pilot who evaded income tax gets six months’ jail, ordered to pay RM605,000

* Financial summit sees contracts worth over US$10 billion signed between Singapore and China

* Singapore ministers visit Johor Ruler at Istana Bukit Serene on first day of Raya

* Death for man over drug deal - City-state to hang man who conspired to smuggle 1kg of cannabis

* Singapore's Tulipmania – from Turkiye with love

* Oil rises but post weekly loss as economic uncertainty weighs

Indonesia:

* Indonesia bolsters railroad cooperation with Japan; Asean country aims to set up a railroad ecosystem with Japan's help

* Hari Raya joy in the air in Indonesia as 6.1-magnitude eathquake hits Banda Sea, reports USGS

* Indonesia's main party names Java governor as presidential candidate

* Indonesia’s new low-cost carrier launches maiden Jakarta-KL flights

* Ruling party declares Ganjar as presidential candidate

Indonesian Muslims take part in a morning prayer celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Surabaya on Sunday, April 22, 2023. - AFP

Thailand:

* Cop with a golden heart - Thai policeman delivers Grab order on behalf of rider who faints and crashes his bike

* More than two million people Thais seek medical help after breathing difficulties due to pollution

* Thai authorities issue extreme heat warnings for dozens of provinces

* Swathes of Asia sweat in heatwave

* Harvard alumnus on a mission in Thailand

Philippines:

* China's Foreign Minister says it will do all it can to repair ties with the Philippines after talks in Manila

* Philippines raises concerns over Taiwan in talks with China

* Differences in South China Sea are not sum total of Philippines-China relations, says Philippine official

* Biden to meet Philippine President Marcos at White House next month

* Philippine rebel leaders killed in boat blast

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo (fifth left), and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (fifth right) hold a bilateral meeting at the Diamond Hotel on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Manila, Philippines. - AP

Vietnam:

* Human Rights Watch accuses Vietnam of abducting blogger from Thailand

* Vietnam's capital reinstates mask mandate in crowded spaces as Covid-19 cases spike in country

* Taiwan's Apple MacBook maker Quanta to build plant in Vietnam

Myanmar:

* Myanmar town records hottest day in 44 years

* Six killed and over 100 injured after tornado hits central Myanmar

Cambodia:

* Cambodia to start construction of second major expressway in June, says minister

* 76 per cent of Cambodian children under the age of one received vaccines during Covid-19 pandemic:, says UNICEF

Laos:

* Laos' central bank to implement stringent controls to stabilise currency

Brunei:

* Brunei govt sends out national alert over fake currency notes usage in country

A view of the hybrid rice breeding at the International Rice Research Institute, in Los Banos, Laguna province, Philippines. - Reuters

AseanPlus:

* China blasts potential US investment curbs as 'economic coercion'

* Japan's 'crying baby sumo' festival returns after pandemic

* Popular kids show ‘CoComelon’ may be getting a movie

* Russia responds in kind to mass expulsion of its Berlin diplomats

* US arrests two people suspected of running Chinese ‘secret police station’ in New York

* Hong Kong has dumped 50,000 Covid vaccine doses since start of inoculation drive, including improperly stored stock

* Stalled Chinese investment deal set to return to EU agenda next month

* South-East Asian nations mobilise to secure their interest at South China Sea

* Macau Junket boss jailed for illegal gambling, money laundering

* Woman, 58, with chronic illness found dead in HK hospital toilet after waiting more than 12 hours for emergency treatment

* US-China military stand-off near Taiwan ‘no reason’ for Beijing to relax its guard

* Suga of BTS fills first solo album 'D-Day' with honest thoughts

* Hong Kong customs seizes HK$905 million worth of illegal cigarettes since January, marking 330 per cent jump from last year

* India court rejects Xiaomi's challenge to $676 million asset freeze -sources

* Japan to prepare to potentially shoot down North Korean spy satellite

* CPO futures likely to trade range-bound with bearish bias next week

* Samsung hit with $303 million jury verdict in computer-memory patent lawsuit

* Alphabet CEO Pichai reaps over $200 million in 2022 amid cost-cutting

* Australia unveils direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders

* ‘Hello, hello’: Parrots taught to make video calls feel less lonely, study shows

* Cathay Pacific sees 42-fold increase in passengers in March; an upstick of 4,000% year-on-year data