KUALA LUMPUR -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, will drive economic recovery in Southeast Asia (SEA) and make it flourish and bloom again, a Malaysian veteran politician said.

"This is an Asian change century... Therefore I think we should get together," said Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a Gua Musang Member of Parliament under the ruling BN affiliated UMNO party, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Signed in November last year, RCEP is a mega trade deal between 10 ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and its five free trade agreement partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. (Malaysia-RECP-Interview)

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HANOI -- Vietnam reported 13,889 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including 13,873 locally transmitted and 16 imported, the Ministry of Health said.

The infections brought the country's total tally to 1,694,874 with 31,877 deaths, said the ministry. Nationwide, as many as 1,302,542 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered, up 38,260 from Tuesday. (Vietnam-COVID-19)

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MANILA -- The Philippines has banned firecrackers to avoid injuries and deaths during the New Year revelry to welcome 2022, a government official said on Wednesday.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano has ordered the local governments and the national police to crack the whip on manufacturers, sellers, and users of illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices, according to Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.

Malaya said the police and the local officials will enforce the ban by confiscating and destroying the prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices. (Philippines-Firecracker)

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MUMBAI -- India's financial capital Mumbai has banned new year parties on new year's eve on Friday over concerns of rising COVID-19 cases.

The municipal commissioner of Mumbai has clarified that there is no night curfew on Dec. 31, but crowds will be restricted at public places such as beaches, parks, and marine drive. (India-Mumbai-COVID-19)