These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
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China's Xi says Asia-Pacific must not return to Cold War tensions
The Asia-Pacific region must not return to the tensions of the Cold War era, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday (Nov 11), ahead of a virtual meeting with US President Joe Biden expected as soon as next week.
Xi, in a recorded video message to a CEO forum on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit hosted by New Zealand, said attempts to draw ideological lines or form small circles on geopolitical grounds were bound to fail.
"The Asia-Pacific region cannot and should not relapse into the confrontation and division of the Cold War era," Xi said. - Straits Times
Furore over booster jab eligibility
Confusion has arisen over the selection of those eligible for Covid-19 vaccine booster doses, as there have been allegations that people who have received the additional jab included those not in the priority group.
The Health Ministry had said booster shots would be prioritised for people in high-risk groups, including those aged over 60, people of all ages with comorbidities and frontliners.
However, there have been allegations of people in none of these categories sharing on social media their booster dose appointments, sparking a furore. - New Straits Times
Court disputes 'reform' goal
The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that the actions of three protest leaders at a rally at Thammasat University in August last year were an attempt to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.
The ruling involved allegations by Natthaporn Toprayoon, a lawyer and former adviser to the chief ombudsman, who petitioned the court to consider whether the actions of human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, Panupong Jadnok and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul violated Section 49 of the constitution.
The section prohibits people from using their rights and freedom to overthrow the democratic regime with the King as head of state. - Bangkok Post
GDP growth, positivity rate show Covid response 'effective': NTF
The Philippine economy's third-quarter performance and the below five percent positivity rate in Covid-19 cases show that the government's pandemic response is effective, a ranking government official said Wednesday.
"Nag-expand po ang ating GDP to 7.1 percent at ang positivity rate natin is below 5 percent so sa pamamagitan nito nakikita natin na ang pandemic response po ay tama (Our GDP expanded to 7.1 percent and our positivity rate is below 5 percent and through this, we can see that the pandemic response is correct)," Assistant Secretary Wilben Mayor, head of the strategic communications on current operations of the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19, said in an interview Wednesday night.
"[Although] it's gradual response but again nakikita natin na mayroong pagbabago at papunta tayo sa maayos na sitwasyon lalong lalo na itong Pasko (we see change happening and that we are headed to a favorable situation, especially with the looming holiday)," he added. - Philippine News Agency
Hanoi plans to vaccinate nearly 792,000 children against COVID-19
Nearly 792,000 children from 12-17 years old in Hanoi are expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the fourth quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022.
Under a plan jointly developed by the city Departments of Health, Education and Training, and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the children will get the shots right after the city receives the vaccines.
The scheme will be implemented in different phases with priority given to older children. Currently, the city has 519,547 children from 12 to under 16 years old and 272,374 between the age of 16 to under 18 years old. - Vietnam News
US slaps sanctions on Cambodians over naval base
The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on two Cambodian officials over a US-funded naval base that is supposedly increasingly being renovated for use by China, alleging corruption.
The Treasury Department said it was freezing any US assets and criminalising transactions with senior defence ministry official Chau Phirun and naval commander Tea Vinh over the Ream Naval Base.
The two and other Cambodian officials allegedly conspired to inflate costs at the base on the Gulf of Thailand and take the proceeds, the Treasury Department said. - Khmer Times
Locals report new clash between Arakan Army, military in Maungdaw
Locals told Myanmar Now that gunfire and heavy weaponry heard in northern Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State on Tuesday was likely a confrontation between the military and the Arakan Army (AA).
A man from the ethnic Dainget village of Yay Nauk Ngar Thar—off of the road connecting the towns of Maungdaw and Kha Maung Seik to the north—said residents heard up to four shells being fired at 11am from the forest around five miles away.
“Even the ground was shaking,” said the man, describing the artillery blasts. - Myanmar NOW
Vaccinations for indigenous, disabled people pose special challenges
Coronavirus vaccinations for indigenous people and people with disabilities pose special challenges, spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccinations for the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, has said.
"Indigenous people and people with disabilities experienced problems regarding their identification numbers so they could not access vaccination services," she said at the 'Challenges of Inclusive Vaccination for Indigenous Peoples and Vulnerable Groups' webinar on Wednesday.
The spokesperson affirmed that the problem was resolved by the Health Ministry through coordination with the director-general of population and civil registry at the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide these groups a population identification number (NIK). - AntaraNews.Com