Malaysia records highest COVID-19 deaths ever, Indonesia extends ban on foreign entries
On February 8, Malaysia reported a daily record 24 deaths from COVID-19, raising total fatalities to 896, while Indonesia decided to close its borders to foreigners for two weeks amid the spread of the pandemic.
Collecting samples for COVID-19 testing in Malaysia (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – On February 8, Malaysia reported adaily record 24 deaths from COVID-19, raising total fatalities to 896, whileIndonesia decided to close its borders to foreigners for two weeks amid thespread of the pandemic.
On the day, Malaysia also posted 3,100 new coronaviruscases, bringing the cumulative total to 245,552, of which 51,977 were undertreatment.
The country will receive a batch of COVID-19 vaccine of Pfize /BioTech in late this month.
Meanwhile in Indonesia, the government on February 8 decided to extend the ban on the entry of foreigners to February22 amidst the spread of the pandemic.
All foreigners are principally still banned from enteringIndonesia, Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman for the country’s national COVID-19 taskforce told a press conference.
Exceptions, however, will be granted for long-termresidents, those from countries who have travel corridor arrangements withIndonesia and those who get special permission from Indonesian ministries orinstitutions, but by still applying health protocols, including a five-dayquarantine.
In December, the Indonesian government barred all foreign visitors,except for ministerial-level government officials and long-term residents, fromentering the country, as it tries to keep out seemingly more transmissiblevariants of the coronavirus.
The nation reported 8,242 new COVID-19 cases on February 8,pushing its tally to 1,652,958, the highest in Southeast Asia, with the deathtoll standing at 31,763./.
The COVID-19 pandemic has still developed complicatedly in Southeast Asia with many new infections and deaths reported in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand on February 8.
Some five million people in Thailand will be vaccinated with AstraZeneca at the initial stage monthly and some 10 million people at subsequent stage monthly, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on February 8.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Collecting samples for COVID-19 testing in Malaysia (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
