Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Tuesday (Aug 18, 2026)

Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan with Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro during the Signing Ceremony of the Agreed Minutes of the ninth Philippines-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) at the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday (Aug 18, 2026) in Manila. -- Photo: Bernama

Malaysia

* SST remains, but GST elements may be considered, says Anwar

* TH probe not limited to 2014-2020 RCI period, says Anwar

* M40 group a key focus of upcoming Budget, says PM Anwar

* TH welcomes move to amend Act, committed to strengthening governance

* Alam Maritim CEO remanded by the MACC

* No DAP partnership in Melaka polls or I walk, warns Akmal Saleh

* Budget 2027 to focus on raising incomes and boosting national competitiveness, says Amir Hamzah

* Awaludin returns for second term as Negri state assembly Speaker

* Penang Hospital lights up in green as tribute to organ donor mother of five

* Teacher's assault case: Education Ministry leaves action to state education authorities

* Lorry driver pleads not guilty to reckless driving causing deaths of mother, son

* Prosecution files appeal against Zizie Izette's acquittal

* Woman overcomes fear of dogs to rescue stray lost at Melaka roundabout

* Umno's state election strategies aimed at victory, not backstabbing, says Ahmad Maslan

* Malaysia and Indonesia pledge closer cooperation to tackle transboundary haze

* Printing firm director remanded over alleged RM100,000 false claims

* Beefing up border security: Joint Home-Transport Ministry plan to be presented to Cabinet

* More than 600 Border Control officers to be stationed at RTS' Bukit Chagar ICQ complex

* Facebook top source for online gambling and scam posts, says Fahmi

* UEC holders caught in bind over tougher public university admission requirements, says MCA Youth

* Budget 2027 seen offering more incentives to SMEs

* National Anti-Drugs Agency to set up drone unit to boost hotspot surveillance, says Saifuddin

Singapore's Harhys Stewart (centre) celebrates with a teammate after scoring a goal during the second leg of the 2026 Asean Hyundai Cup football semi-final match between Thailand and Singapore at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. -- Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP

Singapore

* Singapore singer Iman, the daughter of football legend Fandi Ahamd, performs at US event, shares stage with rapper Snoop Dogg

* Social media platforms must verify advertisers’ identities under new Singapore code

* 15-year-old girl arrested over bomb hoax at Singapore's Xinmin Secondary School

* Singapore enhances safeguards against online scams and compliance by the end of January 2027

* RTS Link fare, opening date to be announced jointly by Malaysia and Singapore, says Loke

* RTS Link entering testing phase ahead of January launch, says Loke

* Two men arrested in Singapore for allegedly breaking into Balestier temple, stealing cash from donation boxes

* Research integrating Western medicine and TCM gets boost under new collaboration

* Man jailed in Singapore for ill-treating baby daughter; smacked her on the buttocks repeatedly

* Bond yields rise, oil extends gains as US-Iran ceasefire expires

* Golden Destinations eyes growth with East Malaysia, Singapore expansion

Indonesia

* Indonesian court began a trial on Tuesday for 11 daycare staffers alleged in child abuse case

* Decision on extradition of pilot arrested in Indonesia pending probe, says Saifuddin

* Malaysia, Indonesia step up cooperation to check on hotspots

* 16 hikers hit by hypothermia, injuries during Indonesia independence day climb

* Make it rain: Indonesia chases clouds to stem El Nino fires

* Indonesian court begins trial of daycare staffers in alleged child abuse case

* Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes off Indonesia's Sumatra island

* Fear grips children after deadly earthquake in eastern Indonesia leaves thousands displaced

* Left shaken on country’s 81st birthday / Indonesia wildfires damage nearly 95,000 hectares of land in July alone, minister says

Student protesters shout slogans during a rally against the government's spending policies and what they described as the growing role of the military in civilian affairs in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. -- AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana

Thailand

* Thailand to expand Suvarnabhumi Airport auto gates to more nationalities

* Malaysia eyes high-value Thai self-drive tourism market

* Royal Barge rehearsals begin ahead of November ceremony

* ‘Gun crackdown misses the mark’ in Thailand

* Motor racing - Williams confirm Thai star Albon for 2027

* Thailand to review pardon criteria after backlash over release of 85-year-old drug trafficker

* Iran says Hormuz will remain closed until the US fulfils its commitment under the memorandum

* Hormuz Strait to remain shut until US meets interim deal conditions, Iran says

Philippines

* Philippines sees no impact on defence ties from US Middle East redeployment 

* Philippine student live-streamed fatal school shooting before taking own life, official say

* Grade 9 Philippine student allegedly kills Grade 10 student before taking own life in western Mindanao school

* Two students dead in Philippines school shooting including gunman, officials say

* Trash piles up in Metro Manila waters after habagat-induced flooding

* Philippines sees no impact on defence ties from US Middle East redeployment

* Oil climbs as fading US-Iran peace hopes raise supply risks

Police gather at Ateneo de Zamboanga University following a shooting at the school in Zamboanga on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. A student livestreamed himself shooting another schoolmate dead before taking his own life at a high school in the Philippines on August 18, authorities said. -- Photo by Gabriel Vince PALLALOS / AFP

Vietnam

* Vietnam exonerates ex-MP for fatal crash after online outrage

* Vietnam govt orders probe into Vietnam Airlines incident at Munich Airport

* Youth in Vietnam use social media to demand explanation over death of teenage girl

* Flight returns to Munich after issue with takeoff

* New govt measure targets uneven boy-girl birth ratio

* Eleven prosecuted in alleged kidney trafficking ring in HCM City

* Cheng Hoe urges Malaysia to draw inspiration from 2014 comeback against Vietnam in Hyundai Cup semifinals second leg

Myanmar

* Major alert in Myanmar as cholera outbreak kills three in Myanmar, hundreds more fall ill

* Nation: Three foreigners nabbed for burglary

* Junta chief visits Russia

* Hundreds hospitalised in Yangon cholera outbreak: minister

* Asian currencies edge up as softer dollar cushions impact of rising oil

* Paunglaung Dam in Myanmar reaches full supply level; authorities monitor spillway overflow

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (right) meets a member of the public as his wife, Thananon Niramit (centre), reacts during a visit to Thaitown in Sydney on August 18, 2026. The Thai Prime Minister is on a three-day official visit to Australia. -- Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP

Cambodia

* Cambodia and Malaysia reaffirm army-to-army cooperation

* Donor fatigue guts demining in Asia, as active conflicts draw away funding

* Only 40% of the world's health facilities meet basic sanitation standards: UN

* Chinese jailbreak attempt foiled at Phnom Penh prison

* Cambodia shuts 605 scam-linked sites, sends 4,147 suspects to court

* Cambodia unveils five-year plan to transform Phnom Penh into regional tourism hub

Laos

* Awards boost efforts to advance inclusive healthcare in Laos

* Laos eyes data centres, AI in investment push

* OpenAI unveils ChatGPT for Teens with stronger guardrails, parental controls

* Lao authorities detain 11 foreign nationals, seize 1.8 tonnes of suspected wildlife products

Brunei

* Malaysia, Brunei expand cross-border banking collaboration

* Gold slips on firmer Treasury yields, oil prices; Fed minutes in focus

* Nutrition: Sugary drinks linked to high blood pressure 

* UAE mission to South-East Asia participates in the third GSC-Asean meeting

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (second left) stands with his wife Thananon Niramit,, the Governor of New South Wales Margaret Beazley (second right), and her husband Dennis Wilson, as they pose for a photograph in front of the Sydney Opera House during an official function at Government House in Sydney on tuesday, August 18, 2026. The Thai Prime Minister is on a three-day official visit to Australia. -- Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP

Aseanplus

* Ringgit extends gains to close higher vs major, regional currencies

* Malaysia, Japan to strengthen cooperation on circular economy, waste management

* Cristiano Ronaldo's wife wears $75M jewelry set crafted from 342-carat diamond for wedding

* Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games flame lighting ceremony held in Tokyo ahead of the torch relay

* Russia protests to Japanese ambassador over Takaichi's 'anti-Russian' remarks

* China lowers flags, tightens security for former premier Zhu Rongji's funeral

* Japan’s Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival illuminates summer night sky

* ‘No PM visit to India until Hasina extradited’

* Bangladeshis drift to their deaths over 11 days

* Last hot summer for Japan cosplay extravaganza

* 15 devotees killed in hotel blaze, stampede in India

* Digital economy on track to account for 30% of GDP by 2030

* 'China Shock 3.0'? New wave of 'Chinese dividends' on the way

* China shows degraded land can recover, senior UN official says

* HKGCC outlines roadmap for HK’s five-year plan, policy address

* Bond yields jump, oil extends gains as US-Iran ceasefire expires

* Everland theme park in South Korea opens vote to name baby panda

* Taiwan to break trillion-dollar barrier on defence for first time

* Australia to establish 1 billion litre-reserves of jet fuel, diesel

* Korea's southeastern region reports over 2,500 cases of storm damage

* A Chinese animated film mocked as ‘terrible’ becomes a box office hit

* Balochistan flood project ‘downgraded’ by World Bank over housing cap

* Lavrov says Russia, North Korea fighting for 'new, righteous' world order

* Minister’s emergency airlift exposes healthcare gaps in Sudurpaschim, Nepal

* Woman in Japan rescued eight days after being swept away while river trekking

* Japan defence minister says US, South Korea cooperation 'critical' for security

* South Korea's Lee backs stronger self-defence, says drills not aimed at North Korea

* ‘Die on the road, not in hospital’: Chinese man takes paralysed wife on epic road trip

* South Korea justice minister resigns amid dispute over prosecutors’ investigation powers

* Chinese workers turn bosses into virtual pets for stress relief amid rising quirky trend

* Hong Kong - the world's second most visited city welcomes 31 million tourists in seven months

* At this Beijing restaurant, robots make and cook your noodles, and deliver them to your table

* Senior BJP party leader Sanjay Tandon hails youth as driving force behind India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat

* As China ends its fishing ban in East China Sea, Japan to monitor situation amid deteriorating Tokyo-Beijing relations

* Indian model Twisha Sharma died by suicide, no significant injuries suggesting physical assault: AIIMS medical board report

* Entertainment: Singer Khadijah Ibrahim returns with new single after a 26-year hiatus

* Badminton: Letshanaa relishing challenge against world No. 3 Wang Zhiyi

* Badminton: Yuqi gracious in defeat, hails giant-killer Ayush's quality

* Soccer - Holders Al-Ahli to face former winners Al-Ain in Asian Champions League