Indonesian officials reiterated commitment to send peacekeeping troops to war-torn Gaza after the ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, but asserted the mission will only go with a mandate from the United Nations.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who will remain chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) until the end of the year, symbolically passed the gavel to Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos at the close of a summit in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting Thursday might yield a truce in the trade war between the world's top two economies, a possible grand finale to Trump's Asia tour marked by praise, pomp and even a replica gold crown from South Korea's leader.

"At least 50 killed, including 22 children and a number of women and children, as a result of the ongoing Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since last night," Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the agency, told AFP.

Australia last month agreed to pay Nauru A$2.5 billion ($1.6 billion) over three decades to host several hundred deported non-citizens.

Trump and his supporters have repeatedly raised the question of a 2028 presidential run for the 79-year-old, drawing concern from his foes and cheers from backers. 

ASEAN and China have signed an upgrade to their free trade agreement, strengthening regional economic cooperation and modernizing the bloc’s trade framework with its largest trading partner.

Abhisit shared insights into his pivotal political decisions and reflected on the evolving political dynamics in Southeast Asia.

It remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops, in part given the refusal ofPalestinian Hamas militants to disarm as called for by the plan, while Israel has voiced concerns about the make-up of the force.

"It’s a catastrophic situation expected in Jamaica," WMO tropical cyclone specialist Anne-Claire Fontan said at a Geneva press briefing. "For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure."

A cohort of around 350 immigrants -- many of them convicted of serious crimes including assault, drug smuggling and even murder -- could eventually be sent to the low-lying atoll after Australia failed to resettle them elsewhere. 

Australia will from December 10 force social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to remove users under the age of 16. 

President Prabowo Subianto has returned to Jakarta from Malaysia ahead of schedule, following a busy weekend at the ASEAN Summit, which saw Southeast Asian leaders sit down with United States President Donald Trump to hash out new deals, the United Nations chief call for an end to violence in Myanmar and the welcoming of the bloc's 11th member Timor-Leste after a 14-year wait.

Speaking on Air Force One, Trump said he was hopeful of a deal when he sees Xi on Thursday in South Korea, while also indicating he was willing to extend his trip in order to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has billed the December 28 polls as a step towards reconciliation in the civil war unleashed by his 2021 coup.

A US Navy helicopter and a fighter jet went down in the waters of the South China Sea on Sunday in two separate incidents, the US Pacific Fleet said on X. 

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration experienced air traffic control staffing issues at 22 locations on Saturday, and added additional shortages were expected to lead to more flight delays and cancellations in the days ahead.

The first crash involved a MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, which "went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz," according to a statement from the US Navy's Pacific Fleet.

Timor-Leste’s long-awaited admission into ASEAN and United States President Donald Trump’s attendance, his first since returning to office, have dominated the first day of the bloc’s 47th summit on Sunday, when its members reiterated the importance of unity and cooperation amid rising global tensions.

Beijing this month announced sweeping restrictions on the rare earths industry, prompting Trump to threaten 100 percent tariffs on imports from China in retaliation.

The year-long funeral ceremony of Thailand's former Queen Sirikit started Sunday, with grieving royalists set to salute the procession bringing her remains to lie in state at Bangkok's Grand Palace.

A second day of US-China trade talks concluded in the Malaysian capital on Sunday, ahead of Trump's meeting with Xi in South Korea later this week, in a bid to seal a deal to end the bruising trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

India and China resume direct flights on Sunday after a five-year suspension, a move important both for trade and a symbolic step as Asia's giants cautiously rebuild relations.

Its Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao joined ASEAN leaders for a summit and signing ceremony in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, before posing for photographs together in interlocking arms.  

Harris, who replaced Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate but lost to Donald Trump, told the BBC that she had not yet decided whether to make another White House bid.

The deal was signed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet together with Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, following a bloody border dispute this year.

Timor Leste's accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations follows a 14-year wait and though its membership is not expected to be transformative, it represents a symbolic victory for its President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the heroes of its struggle for independence.