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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Singapore hopes to be among first countries to resume cross-border travel with China: DPM Heng
When China is ready to resume cross-border travel, Singapore hopes to be among the first countries with which it restores greater connectivity, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Wednesday (Dec 29).
He was speaking at a press conference following the virtual 17th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), co-chaired by Mr Heng and Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng on Wednesday.
The pair had held a bilateral meeting before attending the JCBC, an institutionalised, annual, high-level, bilateral platform overseeing and providing direction to Singapore-China cooperation. - Straits Times
121 landslides recorded nationwide during northeast monsoon 2021/2022
A total of 121 landslide incidents were reported nationwide during the northeast monsoon (MTL) 2021/2022 based on the latest report by the Mineral and Geosciences Department.
The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) said the department, in collaboration with the Public Works Department (PWD) and Malaysian Highway Authority, has and is taking appropriate actions on the matter.
"The Mineral and Geosciences Department and Public Works Department have been asked to coordinate landslide reporting so that it is more comprehensive and also involves slope areas under the supervision of local authorities," Nadma said in a statement on Wednesday. - New Straits Times
Omicron now 'spreading fast'
Omicron infections in Thailand are rising with 740 cases confirmed in 33 provinces, 489 of which were imported while the balance were local infections linked to those, the Ministry of Public Health said on Wednesday.
"Omicron is now clearly spreading rapidly but it's not really severe," said Dr Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS).
At least 108 countries have detected cases of the highly transmissible strain while all states in the US have recorded cases, he said, pointing to the need for continuous monitoring of the variant's development. - Bangkok Post
BRP Tarlac holds another relief drive for 'Odette'-hit areas
The Philippine Navy's landing dock BRP Tarlac (LD-601) is now en route to "Odette"-devastated provinces carrying another load of relief items and supplies for communities still reeling from the effects of the typhoon.
"Philippine Navy vessel BRP Tarlac (LD-601), departed from Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila today, December 29, for another transport mission of much-needed relief goods and equipment for areas severely devastated by Typhoon Odette in Cebu, Bohol and Surigao," PN spokesperson Commander Benjo Negranza said Wednesday night.
He added BRP Tarlac is carrying around 488,000 kilograms of consolidated relief goods and other essential items from various stakeholders. - Philippine News Agency
Vietnamese, Israeli firms sign agreement for cooperation, distribution of experimental oral COVID-19 vaccine
Vietnam’s private groups Tan Thanh Holdings and 10 Pharma JSC will be distributors of the COVID-19 oral vaccine Oravax for Southeast Asian nations, comprising Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Oravax Medical of Israel's Oramed Pharmaceuticals and the Vietnamese firms signed a cooperation agreement for Oravax, currently in development, at a ceremony held online on Wednesday.
Nadav Kidron, chief executive of Oramed and Oravax chairman, said the deal, worth hundreds of millions of US dollars for Oravax, included pre-order of oral vaccine and further potential negotiation for follow-on orders. - Vietnam News
Border provinces tightening up as Omicron hits Thailand
Amid fears of large-scale transmission of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, border province authorities are looking at the possibility of implementing strict measures for crossing migrant workers, including implementing mandatory quarantines and PCR testing. These measures are the result of what was learnt dealing with the Delta variant, which appeared to enter the Kingdom via migrant workers.
Cambodia’s neighbour Thailand reported that it has detected 514 cases of Omicron – with at least 147 designated as ‘local’ cases.
Most worrying are 2 separate outbreaks from the district of Kap Choeng in Thailand’s Surin province, which directly borders Cambodia and is the site of the O’ Smach International checkpoint in Oddar Meanchey province. - Khmer Times
Junta statement 'full of lies', says KNU spokesperson
A statement published by Myanmar’s junta on Wednesday regarding recent clashes in Kayin (Karen) State’s Myawaddy Township is “full of lies,” according to a spokesperson for the Karen National Union (KNU).
The statement, which appeared in several mouthpiece publications on Wednesday, claims that the regime’s forces have used only “limited force” in the clashes that began on December 15.
The fighting, which erupted in response to a military raid targeting opposition groups sheltering in the KNU-controlled town of Lay Kay Kaw, escalated into airstrikes on December 23. - Myanmar NOW
Indonesia receives 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccines under COVAX
Indonesia received 1,236 thousand Sinovac doses via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access or COVAX facility on Wednesday.
The vaccines, which were the 182nd batch to arrive in the country, took the total number of vaccine doses Indonesia has received so far to 458,069,415.
"Hence, the total number of vaccines which have arrived in Indonesia since the first batch both in the form of raw materials as well as finished vaccines has reached 458,069,415 doses," director general of information and public communication at the Communication and Informatics Ministry, Usman Kansong, said on Wednesday. - AntaraNews.Com