Malaysia:
* Johor authorities seize 11 floor mats with images said to be of Kaabah
* It's a prayer mat, not a door mat, says supermarket chain
* Unity govt to discuss Opposition allocations on April 17, says Fadillah
* Cops to record statements of three over suitcase containing RM500,000
* King and Queen convey Vaisakhi, Tamil New Year greetings
* PM Anwar extends Tamil New Year, Vaisakhi, Vishu greetings
* RM50mil fund to give Indian women micro-entrepreneurs a leg up on business
* Penang's Little India centre of Chittirai Puthandu, Vishnu preparations as Vaisakhi festivities in full swing
* Stranded in South Korea: Family seeking help to pay for sick brother's hospital bill, bring him home
* Level 2 heatwave warning issued for Kedah's Pokok Sena, says MetMalaysia
* Melaka government allocates funds for preserving historic Villa Sentosa
* MCMC seizes phone, SIM card linked to spread of viral 'civil servant' clip
Singapore:
* Singapore's ComfortDelGro investigating case of passenger getting into boot of taxi
* Jail for Singapore Nanyang university student who recorded video of woman in campus toilet, took photos of others showering
* Pope Francis to visit Singapore from Sept 11 to 13; will also stop over in Indonesia on Sept 3
* Oil settles up on Mideast tensions, posts weekly loss
* Tourism Malaysia promotes breakfast culture at Malaysia Travel Escapades in Singapore; nasi lemak and roti canai the main limelight
Indonesia:
* Indonesian President-elect Prabowo urges unity after resounding victory
* 5.2-magnitude quake hits 151 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia -- USGS
* Pope will travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore in longest trip of papacy
* Indonesia denies using air strikes in Papua region, where kidnapped NZ pilot is
Thailand:
* Thailand’s K-pop princess Lalisa of Blackpink joins top American outfit RCA Records
* Water guns are in full blast to mark Thai New Year festivities despite worries about heat wave
* Thousands of revellers join world's biggest water fights in conjunction with Thai Songkran Festival
* Thai government's digital wallet handouts to jumpstart economy, say analysts
Philippines:
* China urges US, Japan and Philippines to stop undermining regional peace, stability in South China Sea
* Philippine deals with US, Japan will not affect China's investments, says President Marcos
* US, Japan, Philippines trilateral deal to change dynamic in South China Sea, Marcos says
* Ex-Philippine leader Duterte slams US, Marcos in Chinese media
Vietnam:
* Vietnam forum boosts economic ties among Asean, emerging economies and Russia
* Real estate tycoon's death sentence is a turning point in Vietnam's anti-corruption campaign
* Vietnam's jailed dissident to be honoured by PEN America
* Vietnam VinFast’s challenges pose risk to Vingroup
Myanmar:
* Thai foreign minister urges Myanmar's military to avoid violent attack on border town after its army suffer spectacular lost
* Fall of Myanmar town to rebels sends people fleeing into Thailand
* Middle class 'rapidly eroding' as poverty soars in Myanmar, reports UN
* Rebels gain advantage in Myanmar
Cambodia:
* Chinese police take back 130 gambling and scam suspects from Cambodia
* Rosier growth forecast for Cambodia, fueled by tourism and industrial exports
* Mass exodus starts to mark Year of the Dragon in Cambodia
Laos:
* Laos President calls for solidarity to overcome challenges as country celebrates Lao New Year
* Laos to see moderate growth in 2024 and 2025, says Asian Development Bank
Brunei:
* Brunei in high spirits as country celebrates Raya in pomp and style
* Brunei health ministry says health supplements from Japan's Kobayashi were never approved by govt
AseanPlus:
* Malaysia is next best bet - Country can position itself as viable alternative to S’pore
* United Nations says waterborne illness spread in Gaza due to heat and unsafe water
* Beijing says US and Japan 'smeared and attacked' China at Washington summit
* Elderly living alone to make up a fifth of Japanese households by 2050, says study
* TikTok’s latest obsession is Donghua Jinlong, a Chinese company producing glycine
* Death toll increasing: Five people and a suspect killed in a Sydney shopping centre stabbing attack, police say
* Man shot in Sydney mall after reports of stabbings, police say
* Teen boy dies, another critically injured after stabbing near Australian school
* ‘We can’t be bullied’: Rwanda won’t take sides in US-China rivalry, envoy says
* China hits out at ‘bloc politics’ in response to new US-Japan-Philippines grouping
* Professors, students say ‘no’ to Florida as new law targets Chinese
* US ‘strongly opposes’ China’s renaming of areas along disputed Indian border
* US imposes entry ban on ex-Surinamese president, former military officials
* Top Chinese official meets North Korean leader Kim in Pyongyang in highest-level talks in years
* China-US relations: American state department official explains how Beijing risks crossing ‘red line’ with Russia
* From liver to kidney: Chinese scientists pass another milestone in pig organ transplants for humans
* Hong Kong building residents return home after deadly blaze, as some complain of long-standing safety worries
* US policy on China must pivot to cold-war stance from managing competition, two Republican policymakers say
* US-Japan alliance celebrated at White House with cherry blossom pledge, state dinner for Kishida
* Joe Biden and Fumio Kishida hail US-Japan ties, announce 70 deals as they vow to continue China dialogue
* Can Cathay Pacific get its act together, or is it time for Hong Kong authorities to take a stake in the airline?
* Hong Kong Bar Association chief hails city’s hosting of common law summit as ‘vote of confidence’ for legal sector
* Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum looks to counter ‘prejudice’ against spiders as part of mission to boost ecological awareness