Mount Ruang volcano erupts in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, on Friday, April 19, 2024. A remote Indonesian volcano sent a tower of ash spewing into the sky on April 19, after nearly half a dozen eruptions earlier this week forced thousands to evacuate when molten rocks rained down on their villages. - AFP
Malaysia:
* Cost of living an important factor in new civil servants' pay structure, says PM
* Federal Court to deliver verdict on May 3 on woman's appeal over Muslim status
* Anwar says Najib's 'house arrest order' solely a Pardons Board issue
* Cops rearrest 10 linked to Israeli 'hitman' case under Sosma
* Malaysia dismayed by veto of Palestine's bid for UN membership
* Malaysia's economy likely grew 3.9% y-o-y in Q1 - advance estimate
* Opaque EIA process can harm Sabah's biodiversity, says WWF-Malaysia
* Sabah couple's Paris dreams dashed by Mt Ruang eruption
* Local airlines resuming flights from Sabah, Sarawak following volcanic eruption
* Families of croc attack victims can apply for social welfare assistance, says Nancy
* Mount Ruang eruption: MetMalaysia conducts simulations to identify potential tsunami threat
* Health, Higher Education ministries to jointly address issues with parallel pathway programme
Apple CEO, Tim Cook (right) shakes hands with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong in Singapore Friday, April 19, 2024. - AP
Singapore:
* World No.1 and crowd favourite Viktor Axelsen headlines list of big guns vying for Singapore Badminton Open
* Singapore: 18 years’ jail, 24 strokes of cane for man who sexually assaulted step-niece
* Fakebook? Meta blamed as online shopping fraud doubles in Singapore
* ‘Charismatic, loving, a true friend’: Ex-colleagues remember Singaporean woman killed in Spain
* Scion PM modernised Singapore
* Apple CEO to meet S’pore leaders to wrap Asia tour
* How Singapore investors can ride the gold wave as prices hit record highs
* Oil surges as reports of Israeli strike on Iran roil markets
Indonesia:
* WHO says wider alert on contaminated J&J cough syrup 'likely'; Indonesia among hardest hit
* Indonesia on alert for more eruptions from remote volcano; thousands have been evacuated
* Indonesia's Mount Ruang eruption disrupts airspace and airport closure extended
* 32 families relocated after cold lave floods hit East Java, Indonesia
* Shared call for ceasefire - China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his successor Prabowo
* Indonesia - Volcano’s fury sparks tsunami alert; airports closed
A man checks his phone while sitting amidst walls adorned with graffiti at the Chaelomla garden square in Bangkok on Friday, April 19, 2024. - AFP
Thailand:
* Drunk driving, crashing into police barricade lands Thai minister’s son in jail for four months
* Thai divers seek to take on 'ghost gear' threatening marine life
* Thailand in talks with group of investors from Middle East and China to build world’s tallest tower
* Man charged with murdering Thai girlfriend ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation
* Thailand considering expanding humanitarian aid to Myanmar, says official
* Tripling bilateral trade with NZ and Thailand on the cards
Philippines:
* A lot of potential to be tapped in Philippines; Singapore hopes to play key role, says its minister
* Three Filipinos dead in UAE heavy floods, confirm officials
* Philippines and New Zealand plan troop visits and logistics deals
* Philippines central bank governor unfazed by peso slump
* Surging dollar pressures Asian FX; S.Korean won leads losses
A part of a village on Tagulandang island covered by ash from eruptions of Mountt Ruang in the Sulawesi island, Indonesia, Friday, April 19, 2024. More people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. - AP
Vietnam:
* Vietnam's Noi Bai and Da Nang named in world’s top 100 airports; top five spots are all in Asia
* Vietnam central bank says it’s ready to intervene in forex market; dong now at record low against dollar
* MMEA seizes Vietnamese fishing boats in Sabah waters, 12 crewmen detained
* Human resource challenge for Vietnam's tourism sector
* IMF, World Bank cite progress in debt restructuring
Myanmar:
* United Nations sounds alarm on violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state
* Myanmar's Suu Kyi being used as 'human shield', says her son who fears for her safety
* Prominent Baptist pastor in military-ruled Myanmar detained again hours after release from prison
* Asean 'deeply concerned' by escalating Myanmar violence
Voters register outside a polling station during the first phase of voting for national elections in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on Friday, April 19, 2024. Almost 1 billion Indians begin voting today in elections lasting more than six weeks, weighing up whether to hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third five-year term to continue his mix of economic and Hindu nationalist policies. - Bloomberg
Cambodia:
* Gruesome discovery in Phnom Penh: Man stabs woman friend to death and tries to commit suicide
* Coming home: 78 trafficked Cambodians rescued in Saudi Arabia, says minister
* Rains wreak regional havoc
Laos:
* Laos govt and private sectors extend support for free school meals programme
* Road accidents claim 33 lives during Lao New Year holidays
Brunei:
* Malaysian man charged with attempt to use counterfeit money in Brunei denied bail
* Filipino defendant in dangerous driving case that led to death in Brunei to appeal
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso during the sprint qualifying at the Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China -on Friday, April 19, 2024. - Reuters
AseanPlus:
* HK boy band Mirror's concert in Malaysia cancelled, Singapore gig still on
* ‘Felt like a punch in the gut’: Asian chilli crunch makers including from Malaysia hit back at Momofuku’s trademark application
* Alamak! Japanese dance team wows Malaysians by dancing to viral hit 'Alamak Raya Lagi'
* Westlife returns to Malaysia for a show on June 9, with only three members this time around
* Indians vote in huge election dominated by jobs, Hindu pride and Modi
* Six weeks, 969 million voters, 2,600 parties - Hindu nationalist Modi the favourite as India votes
* Israel attacks Iran; no plan for immediate retaliation from Tehran
* Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
* No missile attack against Iran, Iranian official tells Reuters
* Jeonju International Film Festival kicks off next month with 232 works from 43 countries
* Teenager charged with terrorism over Sydney bishop stabbing
* Apple pulls WhatsApp from China app store on Beijing request
* Remote province in China sees surge in tourism, thanks to hot pot
* South Korea set to adjust medical reforms in bid to end walkout, say media reports
* Japanese doctors demand damages from Google over ‘groundless’ reviews
* Japanese AI tool predicts when recruits will quit jobs
* Pakistan police kill bomber, militant to thwart attack on Japanese nationals
* First Hong Kong district council poll after ‘patriots-only’ electoral overhaul cost taxpayers HK$1.2 billion
* Visit to China by German Chancellor Scholz shows divisions in EU over how to engage with Beijing on trade and Russia
* Can Hong Kong be more Muslim-friendly? Having more ‘halal’ dining options can help attract Middle East visitors
* Senior US and Chinese officials hold talks on ‘industrial overcapacity’ and anti-money-laundering
* US tariffs review of over US$300 billion worth of Chinese imports almost done, says top trade envoy
* HK must speed up roll-out of food waste bins at private housing amid residents dropping off scraps at public estates: lawmakers
