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 first Omicron case is an overseas traveller to port city Tianjin
The health authorities in northern China's port city of Tianjin have detected the first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant on the country's mainland, the state-run Tianjin Daily reported on Monday (Dec 13).
The infection was discovered in a Polish national who arrived from Warsaw on Dec 9.
The patient had a normal temperature and no symptoms but later tested positive and was transferred to a designated hospital, the Global Times said. - Straits Times
Court rejects bid to hold 'hybrid' trial for Najib's 1MDB case
The High Court today rejected the prosecution's application to have Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial conducted by way of a 'hybrid proceeding'.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah however did not rule out the possibility of having such proceeding conducted in the future.
"With respect to prosecution's application for a hybrid proceeding, after considering oral submissions and reflecting upon the matter, for now I am deciding against it but I am not ruling it out in the future," he said. - New Straits Times
NY countdown gets green light
New Year countdown festivities will be allowed to take place while the consumption of alcoholic drinks will be permitted until 1am on Jan 1, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Speaking after chairing a CCSA meeting, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that attendees agreed that New Year festivities will be held under the so-called Covid-free setting measures.
The prime minister also stressed the need for Thais to be vaccinated before taking part in New Year countdown activities which will start from Dec 27. "Everyone should get their vaccine shots as quickly as possible," he said. - Bangkok Post
12.6K operations net P5.8-B illegal drugs in Metro Manila
A total of PHP5.8 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized in the National Capital Region (NCR) since November last year, with Metro Manila's top cop vowing to sustain the campaign's gains.
Citing latest data, NCR Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said Tuesday a total of 12,597 anti-drug operations resulted in the confiscation of 839,475.48 grams of shabu worth PHP5.7 billion; 568,233.17 grams of marijuana worth PHP68 million; ecstasy worth PHP27 million; and 286.10 grams of cocaine amounting to PHP1.5 million from November 2020 to December 12 this year.
Danao, who assumed his post as Metro Manila's top cop on Nov. 10, 2020, vowed to sustain the gains in the illegal drugs campaign, lauding his team for the job well done. - Philippine News Agency
Vietnam and RoK vow to deepen parliamentary cooperation
Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and Speaker of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s National Assembly Park Byeong-Seug agreed to continue to deepen the relationship between the two parliaments with the plan to establish friendship groups of young and female parliamentarians.
RoK National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-Seug hosted an official welcoming ceremony in Seoul for chairman Hue yesterday. The two legislators then held talks to discuss various issues.
The Korean parliament leader spoke highly of chairman Hue’s official visit to the RoK, saying that the visit had contributed to promoting the strategic partnership between the two countries and was the first visit to the RoK by a Vietnamese high-ranking leader since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. - Vietnam News
Arrival of Covid-19 vaccines further accelerates semblance of normal
The arrival of an additional 300,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine yesterday will further accelerate the government’s initiative to get almost all people in Cambodia to be double vaccinated and get their booster shots.
The vaccination campaign is seeing results with less Covid-19 cases and almost zero deaths, a hopeful path out of this pandemic, and the nation back to a semblance of normalcy.
Yesterday, the vaccines were donated through COVAX Facility. - Khmer Times
Zaw Myint Maung denied permission to testify in person at Suu Kyi's second Covid-19 trial
Mandalay Region’s ousted chief minister, Dr Zaw Myint Maung, will not be allowed to travel to Naypyitaw to testify in court on behalf of deposed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a source familiar with the proceedings.
Zaw Myint Maung, who is also vice chair of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, had been called as a witness in her trial on charges of breaching Covid-19 rules.
Last week, he was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of incitement and violating the same pandemic-related restrictions. - Myanmar NOW
G20 success will open investment opportunities for Indonesia: official
The successful holding of the G20 Summit, which will feature 150 side events in 20 cities that are expected to draw many foreign participants, will open investment opportunities in Indonesia and improve people's economy and welfare.
Head of the communication bureau of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Andreas Dipi Patria, made the remarks at a virtual discussion broadcast from here on Monday.
"It is our opportunity to not only promote our tourism sector. We also must show them that we are ready to be a nice place to invest,” he said. - AntaraNews.Com