A bus moves in flooded water after the heavy rain in Semarang, Central Java, on Friday, March 15, 2024. - AFP
Malaysia:
* 1MDB trial: I knew Jho Low as a rich man, not a fraudster, Loo testifies
* 1MDB trial: I didn't make any deals to get charges dropped, Jasmine Loo tells court
* Ex-soldier hit with 17 counts of outraging modesty, injuring male private
* Urgent meeting called to address dry season in Sabah
* SSPA study: Shorter hours promote balanced work-family life, says expert
* European thinkers want Malaysia to formulate strategies to combat Islamophobia
* Drought: Consumers associations warn traders against hiking bottled water prices
* Citizenship amendments will make health inequities worse, says research group
* Service tax may cost logistics sector its competitive edge, says think tank
* PETRONAS paid govt RM40bil in dividend in 2023
* Govt should consider introducing Lemon Law for defective products, says consumer group
* Ministry to continue monitoring hot weather, ready to take action if required, says Nik Nazmi
Elderly people rest on a table in flooded water after the heavy rain in Semarang, Central Java, on Friday, March 15, 2024. - AFP
Singapore:
* Elderly Singapore man, 74, gets jail for repeatedly molesting eight-year-old granddaughter during overnight stays
* Singapore tops DHL global connectedness list
* Hot weather expected to continue for rest of March; temperature may go beyond 35 deg C in Singapore
* Man, 34, jailed after punching 68-year-old boat owner, likely causing permanent disability
* Screening tool for autism effective in detecting condition earlier in children: Study
* Bankers in India to get higher salary increases than Singapore, HK
* Singapore delivers third tranche of aid to Gaza, RSAF to conduct airdrops
* Teen terror fought, carried weapon and worked with scammers
* Oil prices set to end week about 4% higher
* Tech drags on Asia stocks, dollar rises after US inflation data
Indonesia:
* Indonesia: Flooding inundates Semarang's Old Town, railway station
* Indonesia braces for protests as Prabowo polls win set to be declared
* One survivor found as Indonesian rescuers step up search for 21 missing fishermen
* Less heat as Indonesia dry season to be less severe this year, weather agency says
* Indonesia's February trade surplus smallest in nine months
* Battlegrounds tumble in favour of Prabowo, tally shows
* Indonesian presidential rivals plan to contest official election results with allegations of fraud
An airplane flies over a road as it lands at Chiang Mai International Airport amid high levels of air pollution in Chiang Mai on Friday, March 15, 2024. Thai tourist hotspot Chiang Mai was blanketed by hazy smog Friday, as residents and visitors to the usually picturesque northern city were left wheezing in the toxic air. - AFP
Thailand:
* Thaksin says 'feeling better' in first public comments since release; visit hometown Chiang Mai
* Thailand goes ahead with bill to legalise same-sex marriage
* Thai tourist hotspot Chiang Mai tops world's most polluted cities
* Asian currencies, stocks roasted by hot US inflation data
* US commerce secretary promises investments in Thailand to make semiconductors
* Thirteen sailors injured as Thai Navy warship accidentally blasts frigate
* Thai contractor faces US$3bil debt crunch as overseas projects fail
Philippines:
* Philippines bans poultry imports from Sweden and Czech Republic due to bird flu issues
* Philippine central bank sees narrower 2024, 2025 current account deficit
* What sight-seeing? Marcos reacts to Duterte's sneer on his frequent travels
* Cancer patients in the Philippines falling for alternative 'cures'
* Hundreds rescued from Philippines scam centre: police
* ICC has no authority to probe Philippines, Marcos tells Olaf Scholz
Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (centre R) greets a vendor at Warorot Market in Chiang Mai on Friday, March 15, 2024. Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited his hometown in the kingdom's north as he made his first public appearances since being freed early from a jail sentence for graft and abuse of power. - AFP
Vietnam:
* Vietnam strongly committed to promoting gender equality, women's rights, says its ambassador to the UN
* More than 200 people in central Vietnam city hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning
* Vietnam still sees large amount of plastic waste leaking into environment
* The Gen-Z students at the heart of Vietnam’s chip plans
* Vietnam economy making dynamic shift with robust growth
* Domestic products need more support in Vietnam
Myanmar:
* Skirmishes between junta and rebels destroys over 200 homes in Myanmar's Kawkareik
* Myanmar awaits approval to add traditional Thingyan festival to Unesco lists
* All-time high for opium farmers
Displaced residents working in the illegal poppy fields for their livelihood during the fighting between Myanmar' military and KNDF (Karenni Nationalities Defence Force) at Moe Bye in Pekon Township, on the border of Karen State and southern Shan State. In a remote corner of Myanmar a line of farmers move through a field of nodding poppies, making small cuts in the greenish-purple pods to release opium resin. - AFP
Cambodia:
* Cambodia launches seven gamma dose rate monitoring stations with aim of reducing environmental radiation issues
* Cambodian factory owner fined US$3.3mil for failure to pay workers
* Lao Airlines to resume direct flights to Cambodia
Laos:
* Laos grapples with extreme weather events and fires; more than RM250mil in damages in 2023
* Welcome to beautiful Laos - Preparations for Asean summit on track, says Lao PM
* Preparations for Asean Summit in Laos on track, PM told
Brunei:
* Corruption and rising cost of living issues raised during Brunei govt Legislative Council meeting
* Sahur event with sustainable values
* Ready-to-eat meals air-dropped over Gaza
South Korea's An Se-young celebrates victory following her Women's Singles quarter final against China's Han Yue on day four of the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, Friday March 15, 2024. - AP
AseanPlus:
* Tengku Zafrul says will meet Microsoft CEO in mission to make Malaysia digital hub of Asean
* Sabah inks MoU with Chinese investor to study implementation of flood mitigation projects
* Hamas presents ceasefire proposal to Israel detailing exchange of hostages, prisoners
* K-pop star IU sells out Singapore Indoor Stadium shows in three hours
* Catholic confessions to remain secret under HK security law: diocese
* China's PBOC says no intention to actively drain cash from banking system
* South Korea to host third democracy summit with digital threats on agenda
* Seoul Metro expands real-time translation at subway stations
* Korean celebrities ditch AirPods for old-school earphones
* 'Squid Game' star found guilty of sexual misconduct, gets eight-month suspended sentence
* Japan suspends Fukushima water release after quake as precaution
* India publishes election donation data after court order
* Has Hong Kong’s minibus trade reached the end of the road?
* China steps up patrols around outlying Taiwan islands
* India antitrust body orders probe into Google's billing dispute
* S. Korea scientists tout 'beef rice' as source of protein for the future
* McDonald’s experiences widespread system outage halting orders across Asia
* Shot in the hand, but Indian bus driver foils highway robbery and saves 35 passengers
* China's PBOC says no intention to actively drain cash from banking system
* Scientists announce discovery of ‘very strange’ 240 million-year-old ‘Chinese Dragon’ fossil
* When teachers bully students: Tragic cases in Taiwan spark concern about its prevalence
* Samsung poised to win over $6 billion from US for expanded investment, Bloomberg News reports
* ‘Covid is behind us’: Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Group soars to HK$9.78 billion net profit after three years of losses
