French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin after their joint statement at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France. - Reuters
Malaysia:
* Saifuddin rubbishes report claiming migrants 'tortured' at detention centres
* AGC yet to decide on Najib's request to drop charges of SRC RM27mil case
* Cops looking into claim that Indian drug lord is Malaysian
* PM Anwar woos more German businesses to invest in Malaysia
* Allowance halted for ‘beggar’ who owns Proton X70
* No Malaysians linked to Indian RM1.13bil drug bust, say police
* Latest RM70.3bil claim by Sulu group an 'extortion scheme', says Azalina
* Federal Court dismisses police, govt’s bid to appeal verdict in custodial death case
* Alcohol-handling restriction on airlines a short-sighted move, says MCA
* Jho Low-linked company transferred US$15mil of SRC funds to several parties, court hears
* LCS project getting back on track for sea trials in November, says Defence Minister
* Rewcastle-Brown's appeal against conviction set for case management on May 7
Visitors take a break under a shelter at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. - AFP
Singapore:
* Singapore's employment outlook dips for two straight quarters
* Singapore to clamp down on corporate-service providers after huge money laundering scandal
* UN chief calls for action as women's rights face backsliding and continuous violence
* Singaporean man found dead days after car plunged into ravine
* More than 1.8 million people crossed woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from March 7-10, says Singapore ICA
* Woman in SG charged with cheating claimed to have Taylor Swift concert tickets for sale
* QR code immigration clearance at Singapore checkpoints for those in cars from March 19
* 16 months’ jail, caning for nurse who molested male patient at a hospital
* Two years’ jail for foreigner who came to Singapore to burgle houses
* Asian stocks perk up, focus shifts to US inflation, BOJ
Indonesia:
* Death toll from western Indonesia floods and landslides rises to 32
* Indonesia wants to work with Singapore to host big concerts and world events
* Indonesia understates methane emissions from coal, says report
* Ramadan kicks off in much of Asia, a day after most of the Middle East
* Bali's new tourism tax will be used to tackle issues like dirty beaches
* Indonesia vastly under-reports methane emissions from coal: report
* Indonesia to deport Japanese man accused of role in US$90mil investment fraud
* Burnt by adultery, abuse and anger - A Singapore-Indonesia lov story gone wrong
* Indonesia: Two Batik Air captains suspended after falling asleep in cockpit
A man helps a child clean off mud from a mangrove forest after a mud bath purification ritual, in the Indian Ocean in Bali, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The mud bath was part of Balinese Hindu New Year celebrations. - AP
Thailand:
* Thai PM Srettha and French President Macron push for a closer partnership and strong trade ties
* Thai election body to seek dissolution of progressive party that won last year's general election; says party's demands unconstitutional
* Thailand gears up for ‘silver tsunami’ with Asean Active Ageing Centre
* Thai man detained, 14,000 methamphetamine pills seized in Langkawi
* Narathiwat police fear hijacked pickup will be used for bomb attack
* Five crew members remain missing as HTMS Sukhothai mission ends: Navy
* Thailand election commission to ask court to disband Move Forward Party - media
Philippines:
* Houthis demand "end to war in Gaza" for 17 Filipino hostages' release, says diplomat
* Philippines says US will address concerns over garment exports held up on suspicion of forced labour
* Microsoft to train Philippine women in AI, cybersecurity
* Emerging markets - Philippines peso drops after wider trade deficit as most Asian FX in 'wait and watch' mode ahead of US CPI
* Marcos, Scholz to discuss trade, jobs, West Philippine Sea
* Filipino cruise worker arrested in Florida for planting spy cameras in bathroom
Russia cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, left, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa are seen inside the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship MEGAN shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Fla.,, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. - AP
Vietnam:
* 39 disasters strike South-East Asia in early March; Vietnam and Indonesia hardest hit, says AHA centre
* Vietnam trade surplus may reignite US tensions if Trump returns, experts warn
* Vietnam's more than 700 durian growing areas issued export codes by China
* Danang airport on top-five list at Routes Asia
* Vietnam automobile market stagnant in early 2024
* Vietnam’s forestry sector to gain from carbon credits
Myanmar:
* One dead and another 20 missing after Myanmar jade mine deluge
* Over 120,000 students sit for matriculation exam in Myanmar
* Why West misreads new development paradigm
Cycle rickshaw drivers wait for customers in Hanoi on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. - AFP
Cambodia:
* National Bank of Canada weighs sale of Cambodian unit valued at more than US$2bil
* Casino raids in Preah Sihanouk lead to arrest of over 200 foreigners
* 66.1% of work on Chinese-built new airport for Phnom Penh completed: PM
Laos:
* Special project launched to foster environment security in Laos and Vietnam
* Savannakhet province launches Visit Laos Year programme
Brunei:
* Brunei's central bank strengthens support for MSMEs business set-up
* Man gets life for torture that led to toddler daughter's death
A member of staff uses a telescope to search the sky for the new moon that signals the start of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the Astronomical Observatory of the Muhammadiyah University of North Sumatra in Medan, Indonesia, Sunday, March 10, 2024. People in the world's most populous Muslim country will start observing Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar on Tuesday, March 12. - AP
AseanPlus:
* German Chancellor courts Asean nations in bid to cut China dependency
* AmBank Group forecasts ringgit to appreciate further to RM4.5 by year-end
* Malaysia's January IPI up 4.3% y-o-y, fastest pace since May 2023
* S. Korean starves himself to avoid military service, gets suspended jail term
* South Korea sees no change in US ties regardless of November election, official says
* Sporadic protests in India over contentious citizenship law
* Modi ramps up campaign to position India as alternative to China
* TikTok dragged into US election as Trump opposes ban
* South Korea's land minister bearish on property as population ages
* N. Korean vice foreign minister makes rare Mongolia visit
* South Korea opens hotline to support doctors defying walkout
* Xi exalted at every turn as China wraps up two sessions
* Cricket-Australia coach says Smith the opener will face India
* Cricket-Pant cleared to keep wickets in IPL, Shami ruled out after surgery
* Ball is on Malaysia’s court as RM600mil on offer to host Commonwealth Games
* New Zealand says seizing black boxes from LATAM Boeing 787 as passengers recount incident
* Aid ship sets sail to Gaza where hundreds of thousands face starvation five months into war
* Woman in China sacrifices life in US to shelter 2,470 stray dogs and cats, incurs US$70,000 in debt
* Alibaba revamps staff incentives to better reward high-performing staff and bolster morale, people say
* Hong Kong boy, 14, prosecuted over illegal advertising for smoking products as part of clampdown
* China’s rural land is vast, vacant – and not for sale. Would putting it on the market spell windfall or woe?
* Hong Kong airport’s sea-air logistics park in mainland China handled HK$1.1 billion in cargo in first two months of year
* Hong Kong research centre under China Academy of Sciences launches AI tool to assist in complex brain surgery procedures
