Hi all,
In today's bulletin: Countries on edge as coronavirus fears persist, Malaysia takes a step backwards for womankind, Singapore's overall inflation falls to zero, Japan gives out masks as rewards, and more.
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'SECOND WAVE' FEARS
Across Asia, countries are continuing to hunker down amid persistent fears of new waves of coronavirus infections.
Malaysians are bracing for a third extension of the nationwide movement control order, as the government prepares guidelines to cater for Ramadan. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is due to address Muslims' concerns about fasting under the restrictions in a special Ramadan speech tonight (April 23). The movement order, which began on March 18 and has already been twice extended, will end on April 28.
In Taiwan, the authorities are mulling a lockdown as an outbreak onboard a navy ship threatens to upend the self-governed island's success in dealing with the disease on its shores. In South Korea, a surge in tourist bookings to Jeju Island has officials on edge after an easing of social distancing rules, even as the government charts a plan to handle a potential second wave of infections ahead of its fall and winter flu season.
Read more:
Australia to keep borders shut for at least three months
US-CHINA ROW OVER FAKE NEWS, SLOW NEWS
Alarming messages many Americans received last month warning that US President Donald Trump would soon lock down the entire country, were fake news -- and now US intelligence agencies say they have concluded that Chinese operatives helped push those messages across platforms.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hit out at China again, accusing it of failing to report the coronavirus outbreak in a timely manner, covering up the true threat of the disease, and taking advantage of the pandemic to bully Hong Kong, Taiwan and its neighbours in the South China Sea.
China's foreign ministry has repeatedly rebutted the US' accusations about its lack of transparency, and rubbished its fake-news claims as "complete nonsense not worth refuting".
Also read:
China to give WHO US$30m more after US freezes funds for coronavirus fight
Coronavirus crisis offers Taiwan a chance to push back against China
GENDER INEQUALITY IN MALAYSIA
The Muhyiddin Yassin administration's move to shore up its position has unravelled the previous government's efforts to empower women leaders.
The Cabinet unveiled last month saw fewer women in the highest echelons of the Malaysian government, and more celebrated female corporate figures have recently been dropped from state agencies and government-linked firms. Greater losses are expected to follow as the Perikatan Nasional coalition seeks to install more supporters, Malaysian bureau chief Shannon Teoh writes.
Also read:
The message behind the Muhyiddin-Anwar meeting
DOOM AND GLOOM AS STAFF CUTS LOOM
Core inflation in Singapore dipped deeper into negative last month and overall inflation fell to zero, as businesses grappled with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Credit ratings agency Moody's downgraded a record 96 companies worldwide, including some in Singapore, amid deteriorating economic conditions and sharp declines in commodity prices.
As companies confront the downturn by looking to cost-cutting measures, experts caution that staff layoffs should be the last resort, as workforce morale and productivity could take a hit in the longer run, with rehiring and retraining incurring extra costs in the future.
SECURITY FLAW IN IPHONES, IPADS
A security flaw in iPhones and iPads may have allowed hackers to steal users' data for years. The vulnerability in the email software, known as the Mail app, was exploited in at least six cybersecurity break-ins, going as far back as January 2018. according to a San Francisco-based mobile security forensics firm. Apple says it is planning to fix the flaw.
IN OTHER NEWS
MASKS AS REWARDS IN JAPAN: Japanese towns often offer local specialities from wagyu beef to tuna as gifts to those who donate money in a special tax scheme, but the coronavirus pandemic has made masks this year's must-have item, with people giving up to 7,000 yen (S$93) in return for a "gift" of reusable linen and cotton masks.
'FORCED QUARANTINE' IN CHINA: A Chinese citizen journalist who posted videos about the coronavirus situation in Wuhan has resurfaced after going missing for almost two months, saying in a YouTube video that he had been forcibly quarantined.
MUKESH AMBANI TRUMPS JACK MA AGAIN: India's Mukesh Ambani is Asia's richest person once more, after a deal with Facebook sent his conglomerate's stock surging. Mr Ambani's fortune rose about US$4.7 billion (S$6.7 billion) to US$49.2 billion, putting him ahead of China's Jack Ma, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
That's it for today. Thank you for staying with us and check back for more good stories tomorrow.
Magdalene
