PHUKETWAN recognises the importance of Asean with the Economic Community approaching and marks what's happening around the region with a new column, Asean Today.

dailystar.co.lb Once in place, the so-called Asean economic community (AEC) will transform Southeast Asia - and its role in the global economy.

AP The rapid growth of Asian airlines is helping bolster economies and change life-styles, but it's also creating a daunting safety challenge as more passengers head into an increasingly crowded airspace.
http://www.fredericksburg.com/business/state_nation/rapid-growth-leaves-asian-airlines-searching-for-pilots/article_70c96215-4603-59f7-99d5-c76f06f6f830.html



mirror.co.uk A hero Brit has drowned saving his partner's 10-year-old son and their dog from a swollen river during a family holiday. Brave computer programmer Mark Selby, 45, was swimming with his partner Mary Anne Cruz and her two sons when the eldest boy was dragged into strong currents in the Philippines.



independent.co.uk Divers searching for the wreckage of the crash AirAsia passenger jet may be no nearer to finding its crucial black box flight recorders, officials say, even if they have located the body of the plane using sonar.

channelnews.asia More than a fourth of the passengers on board the ill-fated AirAsia flight QZ8501 were members of the Mawar Sharon church, Surabaya's second largest church. Thirteen families who once attended the church perished.

AP The US Embassy in Jakarta has issued a warning to Americans about a potential threat against US associated banks and hotels in Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya. An embassy spokesperson said there was nothing linking the warning with AirAsia Flight 8501.



straitstimes.com Looking for a safe, affordable place for retirement? With its warm climate, affordable housing and generous benefits, Ecuador was named the best country to retire in by InternationalLiving.com. Next are Panama, Mexico, Malaysia and Costa Rica.



thanhniennews.com As usual, Vietnam recorded a high number of traffic deaths over the extended holiday weekend, with 104 dead and 135 injured, a government agency said.



phnompenhpost.com Performers Jay-Z and Beyonce, the ''King and Queen of Hip-Hop,'' paid a royal visit to the ruins of Angkor Wat on Saturday, much to the delight of their fans. Social media was ablaze with sightings of the American couple as they strolled through the temple complex with an entourage.



nzherald.co.nz Air New Zealand will tomorrow resume flights to Singapore - its biggest long-haul move in a decade and one which marks the start of an aggressive growth phase. The airline says it is ''converting talk about growth into real growth'' with the daily service to Singapore due to take off in the early hours after pulling its planes from the route eight years ago.