Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Saturday (April 4, 2026)

Relatives of Indonesian peacekeepers who were killed while serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, weep during an honor ceremony upon the arrival of their bodies at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia, on Saturday, April 4, 2026. -- AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim

Malaysia

* Anwar slams Western hypocrisy, Malaysia stands firm on justice principles

* 2026 Haj: Preparations smooth, on schedule

* Anwar slams critics over 2008 petrol pledge

* Najib seeks stay on US$1.3bil SRC payment

* Petronas now a net importer of fuel, says Anwar

* Former MCA president Ling Liong Sik passes away

* Anwar: Boost silat to build youth with character and spirit

* Global energy crisis: Education still a priority, says Anwar

* Malaysia’s food supply stable despite global energy crunch

* Dr Wee: Ling a towering statesman, nation builder, visionary

* Stop politicking and help save the country, PM tells Opposition

* Soldier assaulted in camp critical, on life support, says Army chief

* Ringgit set for cautious week versus US dollar amid West Asia conflict

* Master knowledge but don't abandon character building, morals, says Anwar

* Residents of Gua Musang Hospital quarters concerned over presence of black panther

A safety officer is in the driver's seat onboard a GRX robotaxi, operated by Grab Holdings Ltd. and WeRide Inc., in Singapore. Singapore's Grab became Southeast Asia's first ride-hailing provider to launch a driverless service, betting that the technology can help cut costs and prove out robotaxis in dense urban traffic. -- Photographer: Ore Huiying/Bloomberg

Singapore

* Special committee in Singapore to tackle supply and food price impacts of the Middle East conflict 

* Three arrested for causing hurt, robbery after 1.5-hour stand-off at flat in Singapore

* Singapore's Workers' Party disciplinary panel completes investigations into party chief Pritam Singh

* More kids sexually assaulted in Singapore in 2025; attacks by family members against them also up: Police

* Singapore: City-state to give targeted household aid and those badly hit by Mid-East conflict

Indonesia

* Magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes off north Indonesia, confirms USGS

* Indonesia calls for urgent UNIFIL meeting after blast in Lebanon injures three more of its peacekeepers

* Indonesia receives bodies of peacekeepers killed in Lebanon

* Three peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon are Indonesian: UN

* Most Indonesians push back on Board of Peace membership, Gaza troop plan

Thailand

* Thai contractors warn of wave of abandoned projects amid rising costs of raw materials, fuel

* PM2.5 levels in Chiang Mai reaches ‘extremely dangerous’ levels, visibility plummets

* Blood clots, burning eyes: pollution chokes north Thailand

* Northern Thailand air crisis: Governor orders closure of nine national forests to combat ‘toxic smog’

A motorcyclist rides past signage with the gas prices in Thai baht displayed at a Bangchak fuel station in Bangkok on April 4, 2026. The war in the Middle East, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has caused disruptions to oil and gas supplies and price fluctuations across much of Southeast Asia. Fuel prices in Thailand have reached record highs, with unleaded gasoline at 57.51 baht (1.76 USD) per litre and diesel at 47.74 baht (1.46 USD). -- Photo by Amaury PAUL / AFP

Philippines

* Tayabas City in Philippines cancels Easter Sunday fest amid energy crisis

* Ceiling collapse at Nino Aquino International Airport injures seven people 

* Pope Leo's Good Friday service offers prayer for deported children

Vietnam

* Vietnam Q1 growth slows as costlier Middle East energy tests 2026 target

* Free cancer screening, health checks to benefit 10,000 people in Hanoi

* Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese authorities crack transnational drug manufacturing case, arrest 41

Myanmar

* Yangon power lines restored, electricity supply resumes

* Asean: Philippines continues to engage Myanmar after military leader's election win

* Myanmar blacklists 287 companies over undeclared export earnings

* Myanmar: Junta chief elected as president, he is now the numero uno

Cambodia

* Cambodian children with congenital heart disease get new lease on life

* Cambodian casino licence revoked after over 100 scammers detained

* Lawmakers approve anti-cybercrime law in Cambodia

Laos

* International UXO/Mine Awareness Day marked in Vientiane

* Ground broken on US$6.7 million Danang–Xekong Friendship Hospital in Laos

Brunei

* Brunei bank showcases digital innovation, AI capabilities

* Brunei's Niagamas enhances accessibility with wheelchair facilities at major malls

Foreign tourists with their purchases gather at a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing on Saturday, April 4, 2026. -- AP Photo/Andy Wong

Aseanplus

* World in chaos: A distant conflict rocks Asean

* Malaysia asked to act as mediator between Gulf countries and Iran

* Artemis II astronauts on moon mission send back photos of Earth

* Filtered fortune: Social media is turning wealth into a fashion obsession

* 5.2 magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Türkiye

* South Korea restarts Gori-2 nuclear reactor

* Cannabis cases reach record high in Japan

* Police arrest two in investigation into Australian fugitive

* Caked in nostalgia: Tasty treat is China's Qing Ming staple

* South Korea suitcase murder reveals pattern of family abuse

* Sri Lanka struggles to avert economic collapse over Middle East conflict

* Hong Kong home bought 52 years ago fetches owner 252 times return

* Hong Kong woman loses HK$2.5 million in online collagen drinks scam

* Couple convicted of stealing trade secrets for China loses US citizenship

* Trump-Xi summit: US trade chief casts doubt on pre-meeting Beijing visit

* South Korean TV under fire over profanity glitch in AI subtitles for Artemis II

* Stick to Easter travel, Australians told, though hundreds of petrol stations dry

* Mongolia's new PM: Some Ministers may be retained based on performance

* Japan PM Takaichi plans Australia visit to discuss rare earths, Nikkei reports

* Australia maintains ambiguity over reported dispatch of troops to Middle East

* UN Hormuz vote now expected next week; China opposes authorisation of force

* China’s science awards system is plagued by shadowy practices. Can reforms fix it?

* Man arrested after allegedly starting fire in Tokyo’s famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing

* China targeted in US birthright citizenship debate, but Supreme Court justices sceptical

* How to take down a US F-35 over Iran? Chinese engineer’s prophetic tutorial goes viral

* US-sanctioned vessel carrying Iranian crude oil shifts course to China from India: Report

* Pakistan Idol finale postponed amid ‘regional tensions rising and calls for national austerity’

* Controlled escalation? Trump hails ‘victories’ in Iran but vows more strikes in next few weeks

* Collapse of Tokyo's aging cherry blossom trees during viewing season raises safety concerns

* Powerhouse United States is losing its influence in the Indo-Pacific — and not on the battlefield

* Why Empress Dowager Cixi and people in ancient China used animal faeces in beauty routines

* Vaccines to be fast-tracked: China tightens border controls, culls cattle amid foot-and-mouth outbreak

* MidEast conflict chaos: UN warns rising global food prices could push five million into hunger in Arab region