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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North Korea fires ballistic missile as military activity surges
North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile off its east coast on Tuesday (Oct 19), officials in South Korea and Japan said, as Seoul opens a major arms fair, spy chiefs meet to discuss the nuclear standoff, and South Korea prepares for a space launch.
The North Korean launch would be the latest weapons test by the country, which has pressed ahead with military development in the face of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
One ballistic missile was launched about 10.17am local time from the vicinity of Sinpo, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, where North Korea keeps submarines as well as equipment for test firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). - Straits Times
Covid-19 deaths below 100 for sixth consecutive day
The Health Ministry reported 72 Covid-19 deaths on Oct 18, below the 100 mark for the sixth consecutive day.
According to the ministry's data shared on CovidNow and GitHub, Malaysia logged 103 deaths on Oct 12 and the cases dropped to 68 on Oct 13; 88 on Oct 14; 89 on Oct 15, 88 on Oct 16 and 63 deaths on Oct 17.
The latest reported deaths raised the country's death toll to 27,993. - New Straits Times
Molnupiravir gets thumbs up
Yong Poovorawan, chief of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University, has said that Molnupiravir can help reduce the risk of hospitalisation or death among people suffering from Covid-19.
Dr Yong said the medicine, developed by Merck, is highly effective if patients take it within five days of first experiencing symptoms.
The doctor mentioned the results of research titled "Molnupiravir, an Oral Antiviral Treatment for Covid-19" published via medRxiv website which shows that the medicine was effective. "Molnupiravir is the first oral, direct-acting antiviral shown to be highly effective at reducing nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 infectious virus and viral RNA and has a favourable safety and tolerability profile," the research said. - Bangkok Post
966K Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Caraga
The Department of Health in Caraga Region (DOH-13) said a total of 966,314 coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine doses have already been administered in the region as of October 17.
Based on the latest report released Monday night, the agency said of the total individuals vaccinated in Caraga, 484,451 are already fully vaccinated while 481,863 have already received their first dose.
The highest number of vaccinated individuals in the region among the priority groups are the frontline personnel in essential sectors (A4) with 314,027 individuals vaccinated -- 114,717 of whom are fully vaccinated while 199,310 got their first dose. - Philippine News Agency
HCM City begins to close field hospitals at dormitories, schools
The HCM City Department of Health has begun to close COVID-19 field hospitals located at dormitories and schools as the number of COVID-19 cases has dropped in recent weeks.
On October 16, the department closed field hospitals No.1 in Thu Duc City after more than three months of operation.
The 4,500-bed field hospital No.1 was located in the dormitory of Vietnam National University-HCM City’s Centre for National Defense and Security Training. It started operation on July 2. - Vietnam News
Surge in COVID-19 cases in Southern Thailand spells trouble for Cambodian border provinces
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) of Thailand said on Monday afternoon that the situation in the southern border region remained a concern for the government.
Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala registered a combined 2,303 new transmissions compared to 1,610 new cases registered in Greater Bangkok, according to CCSA data.
Yala logged the most new cases in the southernmost region — 756 — followed by Songkhla (579), Pattani (502) and Narathiwat (466). - Khmer Times
NUG welcomes ASEAN's decision to exclude Myanmar junta from summit
Myanmar’s shadow government said on Monday that it welcomed a decision by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) not to allow the country’s military chief to attend a summit of the regional grouping later this month.
In a statement, the National Unity Government (NUG) called the move an “unprecedented and positive step” and urged the bloc to ensure that not only junta members, but also “any individuals and organisations” associated with the regime, are barred from the summit.
“ASEAN must ensure the Myanmar representative can objectively represent the interests of Myanmar and its people,” the NUG said in its statement. - Myanmar NOW
Tackling climate change Indonesia's national interest: minister
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, has highlighted Indonesia's firm commitment to mitigating the impacts of climate change.
"The President of the United States’ Special Envoy, John Kerry, and I discussed at length how to develop climate change mitigation programs. I have told him that Indonesia is solemn about the issue," he said at the virtual Climate Festival 2021-Climate Leaders Message 2021, accessed online from here on Monday.
In addition, he emphasized that as the largest archipelagic country which owns many tropical forests, tackling climate change has been Indonesia’s national interest, which has been reflected in its policies, community education, and empowerment, as well as law enforcement. - AntaraNews.Com