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In today's bulletin:
Indonesia sees first coronavirus fatality; Cracks have begun to show in Malaysia's ruling and opposition pacts; Japan marks tsunami anniversary; New Zealand fights hate ahead of mosque shooting anniversary; Joe Biden charges into the lead, and more.
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INDONESIA REPORTS FIRST CORONAVIRUS FATALITY; WUHAN MAKES FIRST STEP TOWARD NORMALCY
After the coronavirus news started heading in the right direction for Asia in the last week, there have been some less positive developments in the last day or two as China and Vietnam start to see imported cases, and Japan saw its biggest rise in cases in one day.
Indonesia on Wednesday announced the country's first fatality from the coronavirus outbreak, a 53-year-old British woman with several underlying health conditions including hypertension and diabetes.
The death was reported just over a week after the country announced its first confirmed cases which now stand at 27.
Meanwhile, Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, made a tentative step back to normal life as China allowed some companies to re-open. Outside Wuhan, transport links also gradually started a return to regular service around Hubei province. China is enjoying a tapering-off of new cases every day, but Tuesday saw an uptick as 10 imported cases were detected. Vietnam also picked-up imported cases on a flight from Britain.
South Korea, which also saw a steady decrease in new cases in the last week, tracked down 90 new cases from a call centre in Seoul.
Japan didn't fare as well on Tuesday, as 59 new cases were reported - the biggest one-day rise since the start of the outbreak.
Must read:
Can South Korea be a model for virus-hit countries?
What would an Olympics cancellation cost Japan?
China's Internet users get creative skirting censors over coronavirus whistleblower
MALAYSIA POLITICS: WITH CRACKS SHOWING, ALL EYES ON WHICH ALLIANCE BREAKS UP FIRST
Cracks have begun to show in Malaysia's ruling and opposition pacts less than 10 days since they both staked claim to the majority in Parliament, putting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a chancy position where just a handful of disgruntled defectors can make the difference between his lasting the rest of the term or the country plunging into political chaos yet again.
Although Tan Sri Muhyiddin, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president, appears to have appeased most factions in his Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, one party president rejected the offered deputy ministership and quarrels over control of state governments have broken out.
Meanwhile, all is not well in Pakatan Harapan (PH), with its former premier Mahathir Mohamad openly sniping at Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim, whose loyalists are still insisting he should lead any future PH government.
Also read:
Vote of no-confidence likely to fail, Najib the real conspirator: Mahathir
I have written to Mahathir asking for forgiveness, says Malaysia PM Muhyiddin
Muhyiddin rejects snap polls, launches measures to counter Covid-19
JAPAN MARKS DISASTER ANNIVERSARY WITH SADNESS, NOT CEREMONY
Japan marked the nine-year anniversary of devastating natural disasters and a nuclear accident on Wednesday as official commemorations and vigils were cancelled because of fears over the spread of the coronavirus.
The triple disasters killed 15,884 people, left 2,636 people still unaccounted for and forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Must see: In Pictures: Japan marks anniversary
Also read:
Tapping the Samurai spirit to change Fukushima's image
Lessons gleaned from nuclear disaster
ONE YEAR AFTER MOSQUE MASSACRE, NEW ZEALAND IS FIGHTING RISING HATE
As new Zealand prepares to mark the first anniversary of the mosque massacre in which 51 Muslim worhippers were gunned-down, the country is fighting a rise in hate crime and xenophobia.
The country's leader, Jacinda Ardern, acted quickly - leading the country in showing an outpouring of love for the Muslim community and enacting strict new gun laws.
But the attack inspired far right nationalists and anti-immigration campaigners to be more active both online and offline, experts say. Between 30 and 50 people are being actively investigated by the agency at any given moment for posing a terror threat, a higher number than in previous years.
Also read:
Christchurch attacker charged with terrorism
Look Back 2019: Mass murder sparks social media change
US PRIMARIES: JOE BIDEN HEADING TO DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION AFTER BIG WINS
Former US Vice President Joe Biden has lengthened his lead in the race to the Democratic nomination to face Donald Trump in the November election. Biden scored decisive primary victories in Michigan and three other states on Tuesday.
"We share a common goal, and together we are going to defeat Donald Trump," Biden said in Philadelphia, thanking Sanders and his supporters for their energy and passion.
African-American voters overwhelmingly favoured Mr Biden. Part of the reason undoubtedly, is his long, eight-year association as Vice-President to Mr Barack Obama. And the Democratic Party essentially cannot win an election without African-American voters.
Also read:
Russia trying to stoke US racial tensions before election, officials say
US Democrats eye a vice-presidential consolation prize for women
Whom will Warren back, now that she's out of race?
IN OTHER NEWS
CLIMATE DENIAL RISKS WORSE WILDFIRES IN AUSTRALIA: Australia risks worse wildfires than this season's record-breaking blazes unless it reduces emissions and phases out fossil fuel exports, climate scientists warned. In a report titled "Summer of Crisis", the Climate Council lobby group said Australian governments ignored warnings from scientists for at least a decade about an impending bush fire disaster.
INDONESIA'S MINISTER OF SOE'S MOVES TO CLEAN UP SECTOR: Erick Thohir has decided to close scores of subsidiaries of state owned companies and expand hiring of well-regarded managers to boost governance after a series of scandals undermined confidence in a sector worth a quarter of the country's economy.
MAKING SENSE OF THE OIL-PRICE CRASH: It was bloody Sunday for the world's oil markets, with prices diving by about 30 per cent at the opening, the biggest one-day collapse since the Gulf War in 1991. The crash, triggered by Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, was a deliberately engineered event - a strategic and tactical move designed to grab market share in the short term and strengthen Saudi Arabia's position in the energy industry in the medium term by sidelining some of its competitors.
That's it for today, thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.
Tom
