Catch the latest news video reports on The Big Story, The Straits Times' weekday online news programme.

As the Omicron variant continues to spread, countries in the region are stepping up measures to manage the situation.

In Malaysia, large New Year's Eve celebrations will not be allowed following the discovery of a second Omicron case in the country.

Malaysia's Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said only small and private New Year's Eve and Christmas gatherings will be permitted.

Over in Australia, cases hit a record 3,820 on Friday (Dec 17) - breaking the previous high of 3,400 a day earlier.

A Taylor Swift album party in Sydney last week has turned into a super-spreading event with 97 positive cases reported.

Back home, one more local Covid-19 case has tested preliminarily positive for the Omicron variant in Singapore.

The man, who is fully vaccinated, is a loading assistant at Changi Airport Terminal 3. He had no contact with flight passengers, said the Health Ministry.

He was identified as a close contact of a previous case reported on Wednesday, who had also tested preliminarily positive for the new variant.

In non-Covid-19 news, a 46-year-old foreigner was found on Wednesday (Dec 15) to be in possession of undeclared Singapore and foreign currencies totalling $31,023.

He was among 23 travellers who arrived at Changi Airport that day and were hauled up for failing to declare cash of more than $20,000, or failing to pay taxes on cigarettes, liquor and other items.

Also on the show, senior transport correspondent Christopher Tan shares more about the Straits Times Car of the Year 2021.