The Thai cabinet declared November 4-5 as public holidays in Bangkok and its adjacent province of Nonthaburi as the government is scheduled to host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. 

Emergency crews in Japan are continuing to search for more than a dozen people still missing on Tuesday (October 15) after Typhoon Hagibis ripped through Japan over the weekend causing widespread damage and killing at least 64 people. 

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced on Monday (October 14) that it would slightly reduce the rate of appreciation of the Singapore dollar's nominal effective exchange rate (S$NEER) policy band, leaving the width of the policy band and the level at which it is centred unchanged. This is the first time in over three years for Singapore's central bank to ease monetary policy, according to local media. 

Turkey's incursion into Syria will stretch from Kobani in the west to Hasaka in the east, going some 30 km (19 miles) into Syrian territory, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday (October 13), and the town of Ras al Ain was already under Turkish control. 

As a major typhoon approaching the east coast of Japan is expected to ravage through Tokyo and other eastern areas, the country is at its highest alert level on Saturday (October 12) with most stores closed and public transportation shut down. 

Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel was elected on Thursday (October 10) to serve in the newly-created post of president of the Republic of Cuba. The election took place at an extraordinary legislative session of the National Assembly of People's Power, the single-chamber parliament.