Iran has accused Israel of "mass murder", after thousands of pagers exploded across parts of Lebanon and Syria, killing 12 people and wounding nearly 3,000. Lebanon's health minister said the victims include fighters of Iran-backed Hezbollah, four health workers and two children. The pagers involved were originally thought to be linked to Taiwanese electronics company Gold Apollo, who has denied making the devices. Victoria Jen, Sarah Coates and Nick Harper report from Taiwan, Tel Aviv and Washington DC respectively.

What is a Sumatra squall? Did it bring Tuesday (Sep 17) night's sudden storm in Singapore? Here's what you need to know.

At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members detonated simultaneously across Lebanon. Some experts have speculated that the explosions could have been caused by the devices' batteries detonating, possibly through overheating. Others speculated that the pagers could have been intercepted before reaching Hezbollah and either been tampered with electronically or implanted with an explosive device. Lebanon's prime minister and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the explosions. Israeli officials have not commented on the allegations. Tony Loughran, director of risk consultancy ZeroRisk International, gives his analysis on CNA’s Asia Now. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Southeast Asia is among the key engines of global growth in the years to come and offers “a huge commercial market”, says British Trade Policy Minister Douglas Alexander. He shares with CNA’s Poh Kok Ing how Britain, under the new Labour government, is pursuing new trade relations with the rest of the world. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

At least nine people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by Hezbollah members - including fighters and medics - detonated simultaneously across Lebanon on Tuesday (Sep 17). In the first clip, a CCTV captured the moment a man's bag exploded in a supermarket in Beirut. More details: https://cna.asia/3MNT7zx Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

United States Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has launched a new cryptocurrency business, just weeks before the presidential election in November. Anthony Scaramucci, founder and managing partner at investment firm Skybridge Capital, tells CNA’s Asia First why Trump’s new venture is a “breach of norms” that could hurt him at the ballot boxes. Scaramucci, who also briefly served as the White House director of communications under the Trump administration in 2017, has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris this election. He also shares how the outcome of the polls could affect the cryptocurrency market. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Some businesses further out from the Marina Bay Street Circuit say the Formula 1 weekend usually means there are fewer customers. They are hoping to turn things around this year by having F1-related deals and activities. At the same time, hotels in and around the action are expecting revenue this year to be better. The Singapore Grand Prix takes place this weekend. CNA’s Nasyrah Rohim reports. Read more: https://cna.asia/4e1IEN0 Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Kiribati is a picturesque, Pacific Island nation struggling to survive. It's one of the lowest-lying countries in the world and climate change is threatening its very existence. Migrating all its people to a plot of land on nearby Fiji had been an option. Teresa Tang asks CNA's Jack Board why that’s been put aside in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

The final race meeting at the Singapore Turf Club on Oct 5 will honour its employees and its 182-year history. About 10,000 are expected to turn up, with many from the public enjoying free tickets. It will feature 10 races, culminating with the 100th and final Grand Singapore Gold Cup. Each race will focus on a particular period of the club, honouring its heritage across the different eras. The public can also enjoy a heritage walk, which showcases the Singapore Gold Cup's evolution. Aslam Shah reports.

Singaporean music artists will soon have the ears of some 600 million monthly listeners in China. This is part of global outreach plans launched by Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), a leading Chinese online streaming platform. It aims to spotlight the mainland's music talents globally while collaborating with artists from around the world. Currently, some of Singapore's household names like JJ Lin, Kit Chan and Sezairi Sezali are already on the platform. Muhammad Bahajjaj reports.

The number of private hire vehicles and taxis in Singapore has grown from last year, but drivers are taking home less earnings, with the average number of trips going up by a mere 1%. Associate Professor Walter Theseira, a transport economist from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, shared more about the challenges facing private hire car drivers and cabbies. He also discussed whether more regulation can help to ensure drivers are able to make a living.

Singapore's job market grew faster than expected with the rebound in the construction and manufacturing sectors. Such jobs were filled by non-residents mostly on work permits. Resident employment dipped slightly due to seasonal declines in segments like retail and support services. Industry observers said firms are still cautiously hiring as they navigate the challenging global economic climate. They added that the real estate, insurance, logistics and transport sectors will help boost Singapore's job market in the months ahead. Nadirah Zaidi reports.

Speaking at the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said political leaders must work hand in glove with the public service to deliver a good government and steady progress. And, when it comes to tough decisions, they must also have the courage to win the people's mandate. Nasyrah Rohim reports.

Voters in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir region are gearing up for the first phase of local elections on Wednesday. They will be voting in members to the state's legislature, in what will be the first local election in the region in a decade. Many see this as an opportunity to make their voices heard -- to protest the federal government's removal of the region's special status in 2019. The revocation of the region's status of a full state was done overnight without consulting the people of Kashmir, and many still call it a betrayal by New Delhi. Ishan Garg reports.

Also on East Asia Tonight (Sep 17), Washington says Beijing's "dangerous ways" in the South China Sea put Philippine lives at risk; the US and Japan near deal to curb tech exports to China; and the rise of 'qiong you', or travelling poor, in China.

The Malaysian king has ordered an immediate and thorough police investigation into allegations of child abuse and crimes that have shocked the nation. Last week, police carried out raids at 20 care homes and rescued over 400 children who were allegedly exploited and sexually abused. The victims are aged between one and 17 years old. The welfare homes are believed to be linked to Islamic conglomerate Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB). Afifah Ariffin reports from Kuala Lumpur.

Typhoon-hit Myanmar has reported more than 220 dead, after being pummelled by Typhoon Yagi last week. The storm was the worst to hit Southeast Asia in recent years. In some areas, floods that have persisted for days are still at neck-high levels. The United Nations said more than 630,000 people are in urgent need of help. Aid agencies are struggling to reach the hardest-hit areas -- mostly in remote provinces. Before Typhoon Yagi, millions were already suffering from more than three years of war. The International Federation of Red Cross said the ongoing conflict is hampering relief efforts.

In this special two-part series, Andrea Heng asks Singapore’s money makers about their relationship with money. Real estate mogul Ismail Gafoor shares how his childhood shaped his attitude towards money, the number one financial rule he and his wife live by, and why it took years for him to finally enjoy spending money on himself. 0:00 Intro 2:09 How his childhood shaped his attitude towards money 3:38 Is McDonald's worth it? 6:34 Learning to make himself a priority 12:34 Why he doesn't lend money to friends 17:14 Teaching his kids about money 20:00 Mistakes when buying big ticket items Write to us with your feedback, comments and questions at cnapodcasts@mediacorp.com.sg Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia