Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (second, left) with the Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders Meeting at Japan Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Monday, Dec 18, 2023. - Bernama
Malaysia:
* Malaysian PM will always be from majority race, says Dr M
* Senior cop charged with murder over fatal accident involving teen
* Ridiculous for Xmas cake greeting to become an issue, says Abang Johari
* Jakim lifts ban on non-Islamic festive greetings on display products
* Customs makes first-ever fentanyl seizure, worth RM45mil, at KLIA cargo complex
* 'World's most expensive' Musang King durian in Raub sold for RM185,000
* Tommy Thomas files civil suit against govt, task force over memoir probe
* 1MDB trial: Prosecution plans to call Jasmine Loo
* Sarawak to work with UAE on renewables and fossil fuel industries
* Health Ministry outlines five-point strategy to deal with recent surge in Covid-19 cases
* Varsities must follow Health Ministrys guidelines to prevent Covid-19 resurgence, says Zambry
* 20-year-old guilty of sexual assault sent to Henry Gurney School
Local residents protest against the arrival of Rohingya refugees near a temporary camp where they are staying at a port in Sabang island, Indonesia's Aceh province on Monday, December 18, 2023. The mostly Muslim Rohingya were the target of a 2017 crackdown by Myanmar's military that is the subject of a UN genocide probe. Around a million have fled to Bangladesh, and from there thousands risk their lives each year on long and expensive sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia. - AFP
Singapore:
* Singapore: Father-son pair fined for disturbing public peace after fighting a youth
* Singapore welcomes Japan’s efforts to help Asia become greener: PM Lee
* Jail, caning for man in Singapore’s first conviction for importing cannabis edibles
* Singapore exports swing to growth first time in 14 months
* US Fed pivot will lift Singapore dollar in 2024
* Growing EV industry opens new career options - More workers take opportunity to upskill for the sector
* Asia shares subdued for BOJ meeting, US inflation test
* Oil climbs over 1% in Asian trade after drop in Russia exports, Red Sea jitters
Indonesia:
* Indonesia and Japan boost ties on food and security, digital transformation
* Emerging markets - Bank Indonesia hold rates as Asian currencies, stocks on backfoot after rate-cut rally dissipates
* Indonesian transgender models shine spotlight on pollution with plastic fashion
* Hundreds of Covid-19 cases emerge in Jakarta, South Tangerang
* PDI-P tones down tough rhetoric against Jokowi
* Enhancing bilateral ties - Indonesia and Japan
* Food for thought: Prabowo’s free daily lunch plan costing RM300m
A drone doing a forest restoration survey over a reforested area in Chiang Mai. On a hillside overlooking cabbage fields outside the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, a drone's rotors begin to whir, lifting it over a patch of forest. - AFP
Thailand:
* Beauty with brains: Advocate Chatnalin brings home Thailand’s second Miss Intercontinental crown
* Cold freeze in Thailand as temperatures may dip to 1 degrees Celsius in most regions
* Thailand eyes Japanese investors and tech talent for digital economy boom
* Drones help solve forest carbon capture riddle in Thailand's Chiang Mai
* Thai rice farmer makes art with plantings that depict cats
* Only B7, B20 diesel to be available in Thailand from May 1
* Thai Cabinet to consider liquor cost cuts, reduce airport duty-free shops
Philippines:
* Filipino politicians and business leaders call for dialogue over South China Sea situations
* Philippines' Marcos seeks more defence and military pacts amid China tensions
* Philippine jeepney drivers on 12-day strike to protest shift to EV-powered minibuses
* Thousands flee as storm hits southern Philippines
* Philippines seeks more defence pacts amid China tensions
* Philippines: Studying constitution change for push on investment
Philippine's Lourence Ilagan reacts during his match against Canada's Matt Campbell, on day three of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, London. - AP
Vietnam:
* Vietnam arrests ex-provincial leader for alleged abuse of power
* US sees no impact on Vietnam ties from Hanoi-Beijing defence pledges
* Vietnam's VinFast agrees deal with Marubeni to recycle used EV batteries
* Vietnam rice exports expected to hit US$5bil this year
* Vietnam's four largest banks cut savings interest rates
* Hanoi a magnet for investment inflows - City plays home to 4,500 projects worth US$3bil
Myanmar:
* Shootout at Myanmar-Thai border: 15 suspected drug smugglers killed
* UNICEF: Myanmar needs US$208mil urgently by 2024 to support millions of children affected by the conflict
* Myanmar is now world's largest source of opium, says United Nations
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) greets Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet during their bilateral meeting at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. - AP
Cambodia:
* Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam agree to work together and tripartite anti-crime measures
* Cambodia's economy remains robust in 2023 despite weakening global demand, say experts
* Manet boosts job prospects for Cambodians in Japan
Laos:
* High-speed rail linking Thailand's Nong Khai and Laos capitaol Vientiane expected to complete in 2028
* Laos grapples with surge in abandoned infants amid economic turmoil
Brunei:
* Bandar Seri Begawan ranks 4th in Asean in quality of living for expats, says report
* Brunei gears up for more wet weather as tropical storm Jelawat to indirectly influence local weather, says weatherman
Residents crossing a road during a snowfall in Weihai, in China's eastern Shandong province. - AFP
AseanPlus:
* Malaysian Police edge Thailand in thrilling final as Selangor finishes third in country's premier dart tournament
* Malaysia emerges as overall champion at Global Esports Games with one gold and two silver medals
* Anwar to attend Azec and meet Malaysian diaspora in Tokyo
* Malaysian jazz legend Lewis Pragasam passes away at 66
* Security tight ahead of landmark trial for media tycoon Jimmy Lai
* Bernama, Xinhua step up cooperation ahead of M'sia and China's 50th year of diplomatic ties
* China to conduct sea trials for first ultra-deepwater drilling ship
* Chinese firms look to Malaysia for assembly of high-end chips: sources
* Only one in four women in their 20s in S.Korea want to get married: report
* Taiwan’s Elephant Trunk Rock loses its ‘nose’ to erosion and weathering
* Tech-linked group wants to track anti-Asian discrimination at work
* South Korean police investigating graffiti found on Seoul’s main palace, country's topmost national treasure
* Rare snowfall in southern China as deep freeze grips the north
* Startups face grim holiday season as layoffs, closures mount
* Temple promised by BJP transforms Indian city but Muslims, some locals feel neglected
* Success abroad drives rare winners in dismal China stock market
* China's to conduct its first deep-sea drilling vessel and make trial voyage
* Nearly one in five teenagers say they’re on YouTube and TikTok almost all the time
* Pakistan's jailed Imran Khan uses AI-crafted speech to call for votes
* Hong Kong opposition activist Agnes Chow ‘not only national security law suspect allowed to leave city’
* Hong Kong green experts concerned about flood risk, impact on bird life if ponds are filled in for new I&T hub
* Outrage as man drags wife out of car leaving crying toddler son on busy road in China during row over boy’s education
* N Korean missile test had potential range of entire US: Japan / North Korea fires ICBM after condemning US 'war' moves
