Pheu Thai Party's Thailand prime ministerial candidate Yodchanan Wongsawat (centre right) walks with fellow party members and MP candidates during a Pheu Thai Party rally ahead of the general election in Samut Prakan on January 16, 2026. -- Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP
Malaysia
* King grants audience to PM for current national issues briefing
* Immoral activities: Army chief confirms 15 officers involved
* KJ has not submitted form to rejoin Umno, says sec-gen
* Umno postpones party polls to focus on state elections, GE16, says Asyraf Wajdi
* Umno wants to form grand coalition to unite all Malay parties, says Zahid
* Umno AGM: 'Grand coalition' not a revival of Muafakat Nasional, says Zahid
* Reinstate caning as disciplinary measure in schools, says Umno delegate
* Campaign tempo expected to pick up as Kinabatangan, Lamag by-elections reach midway point
* Development could erode majority status of constituencies, careful redelineation needed, says Penang Umno delegate
* Follow the president, not get influenced by other parties, Umno told
* Nearly a third of Sara aid spent within five days of disbursal, says Treasury sec-gen
* Three hospitalised due to ammonia gas exposure from leaked lorry in Seremban toll
* Group protests outside Bukit Aman over delays to probe killing of stray dogs on UPM campus
* No alternative location yet for pig farm besides Bukit Tagar, says Selangor MB
* Penang cops launch manhunt for duo who allegedly shot man at car wash
* Van driver killed, five factory workers hurt in Johor crash
* Minimum of 'C' in four core subjects for all students among targets in new education blueprint, says DG
* There was no need to arrest ex-FMT journo Rex Tan after midnight, says media group / Ex-FMT journo Rex Tan freed from police custody, says Bukit Aman
* Rex Tan's detention under Sedition Act unnecessary, says Ramkarpal / * Former FMT reporter Rex Tan will be released after police record statement, says Home Minister
A woman arranges bouquets on her motorcycle to sell in Surabaya on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Photo by JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP)
Singapore
* Singapore police tell music fans to stay vigilant against e-commerce scams involving K-pop merchandise
* UN biodiversity treaty enters into force, aims to protect 30% of oceans by 2030
* 88 arrested in Singapore's islandwide Central Narcotics Bureau raid; drugs found in children’s bedroom
* ‘Good-looking’ babies smuggled via Jakarta into Singapore, where adoptive parents paid over S$20,000
* Dormitories for some 200,000 migrant workers in Singapore to benefit from S$100mil retrofitting grant
* Man, 17, arrested for driving under the influence of drugs after dramatic police chase in Geylang, Singapore
* Rising again: Oil prices settle up as US begins holiday weekend
Indonesia
* Indonesia Air transport aircraft en route to Makassar lost contact; search now underway
* Indonesia's national bird the Javan hawk-eagle under pressure as forests in the country disappear
* Indonesia's ambassador-designate to Malaysia to assume duties next week
* Moderate earthquake hits Seram, Indonesia, no tsunami threat to Malaysia
* Indonesia tightens animal checks to prevent PPR virus entry
* Indonesia allocates Rp31 billion for weather modification ops across Jakarta in 2026
Indonesia's Jonatan Christie celebrates winning his men's singles semi-final match against Singapore's Loh Kean Yew. Badminton - India Open 2026 - Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India - Satutrday, January 17, 2026. -- Photo: REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
Thailand
* Thailand halts multiple major construction projects after fatal accidents
* Road collapse causes major jams en route to Bangkok after pick-up falls into sinkhole
* Thai ruling party vows to resolve Cambodia row as election nears
* Thailand's Rama II road collapse causes major jams after pickup falls into sinkhole
* Italian-Thai acknowledges mistake, requests to continue project work
* Thai Army rejects Cambodia-linked report as one-sided, misleading
Philippines
* Philippines bans Grok website, eyes X talks as backlash grows
* Poor nutrition during pregnancy causing ‘brain stunting’ in Filipino children: Health Secretary
* X offers safeguards as Philippines weighs blocking Grok
* Tropical Storm Ada triggers flooding, landslides in Albay, Philippines
* Australian coroner refers Filipino worker’s death to police after employer’s ‘deplorable’ conduct
Motorists wearing face masks cross Long Bien bridge on a polluted day in Hanoi. -- Photo by Nhac NGUYEN / AFP
Vietnam
* Viettel begins construction of Vietnam's first chip plant, trial run targeted by end‑2027
* Hanoi uses AI cameras to spot offenders, including illegal street vendors and litterbugs
* Vietnam’s leader seeks more power at party congress
* Asean Digital Ministers' Meeting adopts Hanoi Declaration on digital cooperation
* Vanity Fare: Beauty products that boost radiance for a luminous skin glow
Myanmar
* 'It's all lies' - At top UN court, Myanmar denies deadly Rohingya campaign amounts to genocide
* Myanmar military-backed party extends lead ahead of final election round
* Myanmar dismantles tele-fraud dens
* One dead, nine injured as passenger bus overturns and falls into ravine in Myanmar
South Korea's An Se Young reacts during her women's singles semi-final match against Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon. The World No 1 players easily won 21-11, 21-7. Badminton - India Open 2026 - Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India - Saturday, January 17, 2026. -- Photo: REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra
Cambodia
* Going after the cheaters: Cambodia arrests 75 online scam suspects in latest raids
* Fraudsters flee ‘scam city’
* Nearly 3,000 families in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey and Pursat provinces still unable to return home
* Pursat Governor: Thai troops occupying Cambodian territory more than a ‘border clash’
Laos
* Laos enhances education to drive human resource development
* World Bank backs Laos in boosting education, health sector
* US ambassador bids farewell, pledges continuing US-Laos ties
Brunei
* Bruneian attends philanthropy training in Jakarta
* Forum promotes workforce training investment in Brunei
* Asia to lead next AI wave -- Asia is expected to be at the forefront of the next wave of artificial intelligence (AI) growth
Philippines' tennis star Alexandra Eala (left) attends a practice session ahead of the 2026 Australian Open tournament in Melbourne on January 17, 2026. -- Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP
Aseanplus
* The Melaka controversy: ‘Gay-friendly’ hotel owner apologises
* Malaysia not direct trading partner with Iran, all trade through third party, says Tok Mat
* Over 210 undocumented migrants arrested in KL Immigration raids
* Missing actress: Husband seeks government assistance to expedite Nadia Kesuma search process
* Immigration records show missing actress leaving Saudi airport, says Tok Mat
* Cops seeking man who allegedly groped woman in LRT
* China’s weight-loss drug war: prices slashed up to 80% as obesity crisis worsens
* What’s cooking? Hong Kong restaurants thinking outside the box in bid to survive
* Major blaze threatens Seoul’s shantytown
* Probe into Grok AI service over inappropriate images
* Trump-cut Radio Free Asia to go on air again – in Korea
* Learning against the odds / A partnership of necessity
* Beijing braces for snowfall, cold wave
* Death toll in Iran protests over 3,000, rights group says
* South Korea says US chip tariff to have limited immediate impact
* Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei makes a long-awaited India debut
* Chinese student numbers at Harvard rise despite Trump visa crackdown
* Chinese solar firms eye price hikes amid silver surge, scrapping of tax rebate
* Not ‘Trump-compatible’? China expert Rudd exits Australia’s US ambassador role
* As China’s companies expand overseas, entrepreneurs want the passports to match
* Japan ramen eatery bans ‘troublesome’ China customers, charges a lot more for English menu
* China woman buys US$28 ‘love insurance’, claims US$1,400 when she gets married a decade later
* Online shopping scams cost Hongkongers HK$14 million in first week of 2026
* Japan's tourism agency issues bear-warning pictogram signs
* South Korea reports first African swine fever case in two months
* China sees rebound in marriages as policy support shows impact
* 14-year-old girl found murdered in Kerala's Malappuram; boyfriend in custody
* Hong Kong police arrest another man with knife, days after earlier case in Tuen Mun
* EU to bar Chinese suppliers from critical infrastructure, FT reports
* Indian nationals return from Iran amid unrest, recount internet shutdowns and protests
* Tennis-Djokovic likes his chances at Melbourne Park but not focusing on Grand Slam record
* Badminton: Pearly-Thinaah's run in India ends in semis
* Badminton: Malaysia unlikely to take over as host of World C'ships, says Kenny
