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.
Saving our rhino: Iman's egg successfully retrieved for IVF treatment
An egg has been successfully retrieved from Malaysia’s last female Sumatran rhino to be used for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment in order to save the species from extinction.
The process of retrieving the egg from Iman was done by a team of expert from Leibniz Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, Germany, led by Prof Thomas Hildebrandt, at Tabin Wildlife Reserve yesterday. – New Straits Times
New cyber-security masterplan launched to protect critical sectors
A masterplan has been unveiled to protect operational technology (OT) systems from cyber-attacks that can cripple Singapore’s water supply, transport and other critical sectors.
The OT Cybersecurity Masterplan will bolster defence against such cyber-attacks by growing the talent pool and facilitating the exchange of information between the public and private sectors. – The Straits Times
Toxic smog covers greater Bangkok
Fine dust was at unsafe levels in most of greater Bangkok on Tuesday morning, the exceptions being Bangkok's Bang Na and Phaya Thai districts and six districts in adjacent provinces.
The Pollution Control Department reported on Tuesday morning that particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and less in diameter (PM2.5) was between 40-81 micrograms per cubic metre of air over the past 24 hours – and in most of greater Bangkok was at unsafe levels exceeding 50mcg. – Bangkok Post
Good neighbours: Papuans help non-natives flee violence in Wamena
As thousands of non-native residents are trying to flee from Wamena in Papua’s Jayawijaya regency following deadly rioting, some heart-warming stories have emerged about native residents of the province protecting non-native residents during the chaos. At least 33 people have been killed in the Wamena riots – most of them people of non-Papuan descent. – The Jakarta Post
National Bank of Cambodia calls for green finance policies
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) continues to call on financial institutions in the Kingdom to put policies in place to promote green finance and friendly investments. This comes after the Swiss-based Bank for International Settlements (BIS) on the same day launched an open-ended fund for central bank investments in green bonds.
The fund aims to tackle the growing demand for climate-friendly investments among its member institutions and help the central banks incorporate environmental sustainability objectives in the management of their reserves. – Phnom Penh Post
PGH budget for 2020 cut by P456M
The ‘budget-cut epidemic’ afflicting the country’s health sector has spread to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), which suffered a P456-million (US$8.8 million) reduction in its proposed budget for 2020, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said.
“While many [Filipinos] are getting sick, we are slashing our budget for hospitals,” Recto told reporters. – Philippine Daily Inquirer