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.
Grief and mourning after Iran plane crash kills 176
Bereaved friends and families joined in mourning Wednesday after a Ukrainian airliner crashed near Tehran killing all 176 on board, as harrowing details started emerging about the victims, most of them from Iran and Canada.
Both Canada and the United States called for a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash, which came shortly after Tehran launched missiles at American troops in Iraq in response to the killing of a top Iranian general.
There was no immediate indication that foul play may have caused the Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) plane to go down, soon after take-off, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned against speculating on the crash causes. – The New Straits Times
US, Iran step back from the brink; region still on edge
The U.S. and Iran stepped back from the brink of possible war on Wednesday as President Donald Trump signaled he would not retaliate militarily for Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. No one was harmed in the strikes, but U.S. forces in the region remained on high alert.
Speaking from the White House, Trump seemed intent on deescalating the crisis, which spiraled after he authorized the targeted killing last week of Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani. Iran responded overnight with its most direct assault on America since the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, firing more than a dozen missiles at two installations in Iraq. – Philippine Daily Inquirer
'You're the PM, take charge,' Rosmah allegedly tells Najib in 1MDB-linked audio clips released by Malaysian graft busters
The anti-graft agency on Wednesday (Jan 8) released voice recordings purportedly of former prime minister Najib Razak conspiring with senior Malaysian officials to cover up the 1MDB scandal, including asking United Arab Emirates leaders to do the same in a dispute over US$6.5 billion (S$8.78 billion) in debt payments to Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
MACC played several clips from 2016 which allegedly showed an attempt to manipulate investigations and other fraudulent acts aimed at concealing missing funds from 1MDB, the state investment firm under the then premier’s control. – The Straits Times
Bangkok on high alert as PM2.5 levels forecast to rise
Bangkok on Wednesday recorded the world's third worst air quality on Air Visual, a popular app monitoring pollution, while City Hall is on high alert for a predicted rise in PM2.5 levels until the end of this week.
The level of PM2.5 at 9.30am on Wednesday rose to over 119 microgrammes per cubic metre, placing the Thai capital third behind only Australia's Canberra and India's New Delhi in terms of air pollution. – Bangkok Post
China top destination for Myanmar trafficking victims
China is the top destination for victims of human trafficking in Myanmar, the police anti-human trafficking task force said.
The task force said that out of the 239 anti-human trafficking cases recorded in 2019, 196 cases were forced marriage to Chinese nationals. – Myanmar Times