Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Saturday (Oct 24, 2026)

A street vendor walks back home amid thick haze from wildfires in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. -- AP Photo/Yulianus Stefan Lundju

Malaysia

* Malaysians to be spared higher RON95 prices even if subsidy bill hits RM45bil, says PM

* Govt prepared to absorb fuel subsidy costs of up to RM45bil a year, says Anwar

* One dead, one injured after suspected drunk driver hits DBKL contract team

* Over 270,000 New-gen MyKad issued in first month of launch

* Melaka polls: Ab Rauf to remain Chief Minister if BN wins, says Zahid

* Nearly 13,000 late birth registration cases resolved in 2026, says Saifuddin

* Malaysia to station RM40m Japanese anti-drone technology in Sepanggar, Labuan

* New national plan outlines 429 initiatives to tackle living costs, says Armizan

* Anwar says 'global investor' has chosen Malaysia for US$50bil tech sector investment

* BN reveals its candidates for Melaka polls / Pakatan announces candidates for Melaka polls

A volunteer from the Central Kalimantan Forest and Land Fire Smoke Response Coalition (RAKAT) providing mobile oxygen relief to a firefighter while battling forest and land fires in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. Toxic haze has covered parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore for weeks as Jakarta struggles to contain fires that have scorched large tracts of Borneo and Sumatra, with the smoke drifting across the region. -- Photo by REINA / AFP

Singapore

* Gas supply cut from Indonesia accounts for less than 2% of Singapore’s daily gas demand: EMA

* Malaysia, Singapore to hold RTS Link security exercise on Oct 27

* Singapore identifies 65 apps with harmful content and another 24 wongly age-rated

* Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to develop common approaches for cross-border digital money

* Singapore audit flags 65 harmful apps, including AI nudification tools and gambling games

* Singapore to form expert panel to investigate firms linked to haze

* Washington’s DeepSeek ban may deter US firms from adopting Chinese AI models: experts

Indonesia

* Drug-laden tanker seized in Indonesia owned by Malaysian company, says Bukit Aman

* Police raid online gambling operations in North Sumatra and Central Java

* Is lead exposure making South Asia more violent?

* Indonesia cuts natural gas exports to Singapore by 31 BBTUD from Oct 24

* Fires at Papua food estate worsen haze pollution, raise environmental concerns

* Indonesia: A plea to the heavens for relief

* The world's oldest cave paintings in Indonesia under threat of wildfires

A man walks back home in a village amid thick haze from wildfires in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. -- AP Photo/Yulianus Stefan Lundju

Thailand

* Bangkok issues orange-level PM2.5 alert in three districts

* Thailand to mandate safety standards for EV batteries

* Bangkok’s Vijit Chao Phraya festival to feature 31 nights of lights, drones and fireworks

* Asean-BRICS economic ties expand but trade barriers remain, says analyst

* Soccer-Advantage Infantino as AFC backing puts FIFA president on track for fourth term

* Soccer-Infantino laughs off resignation talk, touts global support as he seeks reelection

Philippines

* Quad confirmed, Manila envoy signals likely ‘Squad’ talks before Trump-Xi summit

* Four Philippine Air Force pilots killed in Batangas crash; SF-260 fleet grounded

* Philippine senator rejects alleged US$87,000 fund offer from Tesda

* Parents urged to protect children from lead poisoning at home

* Sabah deports 285 illegal Filipinos from Lahad Datu

* Typhoon Champi hits: Precautions taken as Champi sweeps by island

A customer (left) waits while a street barber in Hanoi cuts a man's hair.-- Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP

Vietnam

* Tens of thousands of fans pack Hanoi stadium for BigBang's 20th-anniversary concert

* Vietnam health ministry clarifies proposal for under-18s to donate tissues and organs

* Tesla signs deal to integrate Alipay into its cars as China competition heats up

* Explainer-Why AI data centers are powering a boom in fuel-cell demand

* Hong Kong, Beijing slam UK report’s ‘smears’ over national security law

* Chinese recycling worker turns down modeling offers after runway debut

Myanmar

* Myanmar extends visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists from five countries and regions

* Thailand welcomes US-Myanmar engagement, expects ASEAN talks on country's future

* Myanmar: Sacred festival returns after years of disruptions

* Jordan church attack survivor says assailant pointed handgun at him

* India's Anirban Lahiri surges to the fore and shares the lead with three others at Asian Tour's showpiece event

The 'Dashashwa' formation, led by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster and a nine-aircraft Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) formation, is seen during the Wings Over Ganges air show over the River Ganges in Varanasi on October 24, 2026. -- Photo by Niharika KULKARNI / AFP

Cambodia

* Cambodia see 11 per cent drop in international air passengers year on year from Jan-Sept period

* Cambodia celebrates 20 years of UN peacekeeping contributions

* Veal Veng tourism recovers after Cambodia-Thailand border conflict

* Chinese astronomers find real three-body system. It is not what Liu Cixin top movie is about

Laos

* Time to celebrate - Laos prepares for end of Buddhist Lent, boat racing festival

* 3,000 runners join charity race for children in Laos

* EU open to creating ‘kill switch’ weapon to kick Chinese firms out of market

Brunei

* Brunei’s Prince Mateen visits Singapore's Special Operations Task Force

* Dialogue held to mark 35th anniversary of China-Brunei diplomatic ties and future of friendship

* Red tide persists in coastal waters of three Brunei districts

A temporary structure built for a traditional Taoist religious ceremony lies collapsed due to strong winds from Typhoon Champi in Keelung on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Champi dumped heavy rain, toppled trees, and knocked out power to thousands of households as it swept past Taiwan's northeast on the way to China and Japan. -- Photo by I-Hwa Cheng / AFP

Aseanplus

* Scam call centre targeting South Koreans busted in Melaka

* Two Malaysians injured as Typhoon Champi hits Taiwan, says Wisma Putra

* Receivers to sell indebted Shimao’s two Hong Kong hotels to Malaysian developer

* Two foreign nationals arrested over foetus found in Bangsar trash bin

* Sabah & Sarawak: Murder suspect caught by police 17 years later

* Beijing hits out after Taipei bans mainland travel for Sun Yat-sen anniversary

* Man charged with attempted murder in Australian capital

* Typhoon Champi knocks out power to thousands in Taiwan

* Typhoon Champi sweeps past Taiwan, leaving 1 dead, 500 injured

* Seoul mayor acquitted on appeal in political funds case

* Firm’s data shows Internet hit by DDoS cyberattack

* Fishing tourism is on the rise in this historic port in south China

* Kolkata Durga Puja stampede exposes failures in crowd safety

* Five Bangladeshis charged in Canadian visa fraud investigation

* Rain and strong winds lower temperatures in Pakistan’s twin cities

* Rescue efforts intensify after Xizang earthquake kills 16, injures 76

* Japan's energy vulnerabilities exposed by Mideast crisis: white paper

* Chinese influencer ‘reborn’ from 35-storey fall returns to social media

* A rare and prized wild pepper is at risk in Madagascar's shrinking forest

* Falling child vaccination rates raise concern as Hong Kong flu deaths rise

* China moves to set global standards for brain-computer interface technology

* China’s Xi Jinping orders urgent relief after Tibet earthquake leaves 16 dead

* Rahul Gandhi's nephew forced to remove protest artwork from Delhi exhibition

* More than 31,000 foreign students overstaying visas in South Korea, data shows

* Bay of Bengal cyclone may bring rain and Himalayan snowfall to Nepal next week

* North Korea's Kim Jong Un visits China via Dandong bridge, South Korea source says

* US Politics: Five takeaways from Trump's midterm campaign rallies

* Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes waters near Vanuatu, USGS says

* Chinese influencer ‘reborn’ from 35-storey fall returns to social media

* World: Mona Lisa off limits as Paris shuts museums over protest fears

* North Korea's Kim Jong Un visits China via Dandong bridge, South Korean official says

* Russia, Ukraine agree on ceasefire in embattled town, to hold peace talks next month

* ‘Saved my mum’s life’: Chinese cancer drug on sale in US after Americans travel to buy it

* Gadgets: Twenty five years of iPod: How 1,000 songs in your pocket changed an industry

* Cricket-Mumbai Indians promote Pollard to head coach, replacing Jayawardene

* Squash: Sivasangari overcomes slow start to power into US final

* Cricket-Varma leads India fightback in four-wicket victory over New Zealand

* Cycling: Motorcycling - Marquez wins thrilling Australian MotoGP sprint to retake championship lead

* Badminton: Pang Ron-Pei Jing overcome China pair to storm into French Open final / Pearly-Thinaah stage stunning fightback to close in on French Open crown