Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Saturday (Oct 31)

Malaysian golfer Mirabel Ting tees off during the third round of the LPGA Tour Maybank Championship 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on Saturday (Oct 31). She is the best Malaysian player in the field after three days of competition. -- Photo: Bernama

Malaysia

* Selangor Ruler unwell due to Influenza A infection, investiture ceremony postponed to Nov 7

* Mat Sabu admits voters may be confused over PH-BN cooperation

* Melaka polls: 79 candidates to contest 28 seats, says EC chairman

* Anwar calls for stronger action against school bullying

* Media layoffs should be last resort, says Fahmi

* Melaka polls: All 28 nomination centres closed at 10am

* French President Macron to visit Malaysia on Nov 16-17

* Cabinet agrees to two-stage AUKU reform

* Two charged over offensive remarks against Negri Ruler

* Asyraf Wajdi hopes BN-PN cooperation will extend to Putrajaya

* Melaka polls: PM’s pol-sec in three-way fight for Paya Rumput seat

* Barisan parties must work together to win Melaka seats, says Zahid

* Over 20,000 turn out for Bella-Syed Saddiq 'Kenduri Rakyat' in KK

* Zahid backs wider CSA, says pact can help address public concerns

* Ministry: DPP programme not a way for refugees to get PR, citizenship

* AGC did not interfere in Mohd Shuhaily's return to the police force, says AG

* Extra RM200mil grant allocated to support small-scale entrepreneurs, says Anwar

* Nation: Woman tricked into transferring RM486,000 of company funds in impersonation scam

Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir (right) shaking hands with Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan upon his arrival for a meeting in Rawalpindi. -- Photo by HANDOUT / Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) / AFP

Singapore

* ‘Better late than never,’ says Singapore FM on first Pakistan visit by Singapore leader in two decades

* The Middle East conflict: Iran says fourth oil tanker hit mine, caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz

* No way to tell if Singapore investors affected by Binance hack; withdrawals temporarily suspended

* NTU Singapore and Google deepen AI collaboration

* Trump administration plans to deport some Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan

* SIA extends Singapore-Dubai flight cancellation until Feb 28, 2027, amid Middle East conflicts

* Asean Plus Three calls for targeted implementation of food, agriculture and forestry strategy

Indonesia

* 'Rhizomatic' movements help Indonesian youth voice political messages

* No resting on fleeting rain in Indonesia: Comment

* Indonesia: Wildfires fuel deadly air pollution

* Iran's supreme leader warns the US and Israel against new attacks

* Indonesia's Rayhan Latief enjoys stellar finish for the third round at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

* Indonesian students-activists continue to protest govt's response to climate issues; report says fire pollution has killed 3,560 people in September

Models present a creation by Eri during Jakarta Fashion Week 2027 on Saturday, October 31, 2026. -- Photo by Lelananging Jagad / AFP

Thailand

* Thai customs seize over 3,000 vapes and zombie pods worth RM361,000

* Thailand's economy improves in September on AI-driven exports

* Anutin and Bhutanese PM seek closer economic ties through FTA

* Merz sees mounting concern in Asia over EU ‘Buy European’ rules

* Global wildlife trade involves a staggering number of more than 107,000 species, says study

* Bangkok: Malaysian physician makes history as first Asian to head global pain association IASP

Philippines

* Marcos to Bangsamoro’s new MPs: Sustain the gains of peace

* Philippine Airlines cancels and reschedules flights Nov. 14-18, when delegates arrive for Asean summit

* Pope Leo tries to stay neutral as basketball rivals descend on Vatican

* Filipino Dumdumaya disappointed despite superb show at the third round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

* Singapore-Manila flights among those cancelled, rescheduled by Philippine Airlines from Nov 14-18 due to Asean Summit

Women take part in Halloween celebrations at Khao San Road in Bangkok on Saturday, October 31, 2026. -- Photo by Chanakarn LAOSARAKHAM / AFP

Vietnam

* Vietnam remains on FATF 'grey list' of increased monitoring for financial crimes; Myanmar remains on black list

* Vietnam's Long Thanh airport set to begin commercial operations Dec 24

* 'More babies please' Vietnam capital Hanoi now offering cash incentives to boost birth rate 

* Asean needs to strengthen food supply chains amid geopolitical uncertainty and extreme weather, says Sabu

* Vietnam's Nguyen Tuan Anh continues steady form and remains among the top 20 at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Myanmar

* Myanmar to have 34 public holidays in 2027, including nine-day Thingyan break

* Rampaging elephant that killed seven people shot dead in Myanmar

* No sign of Suu Kyi meeting during Asean envoy’s visit

* Nation: Myanmar boys deny threatening elderly woman

Mothers paint their children's faces during a Halloween event at Euro Park inside the Peng Huoth development in Phnom Penh on Saturday, October 31, 2026. -- Photo by TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP

Cambodia

* Singaporean, 18, makes history with Miss Teen Universe Asia win in event held in Phnom Penh

* Cambodia announces return of 18 looted Khmer antiquities from Britain

* More than 5,000 attempt to illegally enter/exit Cambodia; 373 charged

Laos

* Lao health working group maps priorities for 2027 ahead of Least Developed Country graduation

* China says stealth attack drone makes first takeoff, landing on amphibious ship

Brunei

* Brunei delegation makes educational visit to leading Malaysian Islamic Finance and social development institutions

* Family: Study finds that adults with a parent who lived to 100 have lower health risks

Championship leader Miyu Yamashita of Japan walks across the green during the third round of the LPGA Tour Maybank Championship 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on Saturday (Oct 31). -- Photo: Bernama

Aseanplus

* Cops bust online scam ring in KL, nab 18 foreigners

* Middle East war - Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted 'hostile' drone over Riyadh region

* Hong Kong housing chief quits over Tai Po fire, accepts political responsibility

* China: Former factory worker crowned richest woman, again

* North Korea: Kim pushes for AI-powered warfare

* Biz7: A test of Asean growth 

* Rubio to host meeting of Indo-Pacific Quad, wrap up G20 gathering

* Fire breaks out at Nepal hotel along route to Everest base camp

* Incheon Airport check-in systems resume after 35 flights delayed

* China tests powerful AI that could one day be used on submarines

* Modi’s mass detentions stoke anger among young Indian protesters

* Parents demand answers after needle reused on 78 pupils in China

* Students cheating with smart glasses to be prosecuted in S. Korea

* Japan urges Russia to release detained journalist in rare meeting

* Japanese bodybuilder, 90, flexes ageless ambition on Spanish stage

* New Zealand PM vows foreign aid cuts, free trade deals if re-elected

* Helicopter crashes on pilgrimage flight in Himalayan state, killing six

* US bans Chinese labs from testing electronics ahead of Trump-Xi meeting

* Bangladesh death toll from dengue rises, unlikely to ease before December

* Taiwan looks to autonomous swarms to counter Beijing’s grey-zone pressure

* ByteDance accelerates robotics commercialisation with new recruitment drive

* Huawei opens defence in US criminal trial, touting its record of innovation

* China hands former regulator suspended death sentence over US$65mil bribery charge

* Chinese scholars warned of challenge of ‘translating academic research into policy’

* Australia launches new biodiversity restoration method to expand Nature Repair Market

* Hong Kong to make bid-rigging for renovation projects a crime after deadly Tai Po fire

* Taiwan vows vigilance as Beijing releases detailed satellite imagery of island landmarks

* In Michigan Senate race, Trump’s softer China tone gives candidates room to look elsewhere

* Train collides with bear in Japan’s Hokkaido, causing passengers to spend the night on board

* Motorsport: Marquez stretches overall lead with second place finish in MotoGP sprint

* Cricket - India add pacer Nabi to squad for first three New Zealand ODIs

* Motor racing-Verstappen and Lawson get grid drops after Mexico practice clash

* Motorcycling - MotoGP title 'already lost' after Sepang withdrawal, says Martin

* Golf - History beckons for Miyu Yamashita as she moves closer to defending the Maybank Championship title

* Golf - Birdie blitz helps young star Mirabel Ting to merge as best local performer after three rounds at the Maybank Championship

* Lifestyle: Belle Sisoski takes traditional Malaysian sounds across Asia with Toyota project