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| - Here are the latest developments in Asia related to the novel coronavirus pandemic: South Korean voters turned out in force to back President Moon Jae-in's handling of the coronavirus epidemic, putting on compulsory face masks and gloves to give his Democratic party a parliamentary majority according to exit polls. South Korea was among the first countries with a major virus outbreak to hold a national election since the global pandemic began, and a raft of safety measures were in place around the vote. China said it was "seriously concerned" about the US decision to suspend funding for the World Health Organization, and urged Washington to fulfill its obligations during the coronavirus crisis. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused the Geneva-based body of putting political correctness above life-saving measures as he ordered the funding freeze for "mismanaging" the pandemic. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced she will take a 20 percent pay cut in a symbolic act of solidarity with people struggling financially during the coronavirus pandemic. Ardern said her personal salary, those of her fellow ministers and of top public servants would be slashed by a fifth for six months. Asian equities were lower, bucking an overnight rally on Wall Street prompted by encouraging signs that US coronavirus infection rates were in decline. Singapore late Tuesday reported 334 new infections, taking the city-state's total number of cases to 3,252, including 10 deaths. The financial hub managed to keep cases down through a strict regime of testing and tracing in the early stages of the outbreak, but is now battling a second wave of infections. A large number of cases have been linked to crowded foreign workers' dormitories. Many of the labourers have now been moved to alternative accommodation, including so-called "floating hotels" berthed off the coast and usually used by people in offshore industries. Taiwan's aid shipments to countries battling the coronavirus have sparked a fierce debate on the island about whether it should rebrand its national carrier China Airlines. The self-ruled island has donated millions of face masks and other medical supplies overseas -- but much of that aid has been ferried on China Airlines jets, sparking confusion over whether the largesse has come from Taiwan or China. The Indian Premier League, the world's richest cricket tournament, has been indefinitely postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, a team official told AFP. Though India's cricket board made no official announcement, the further delay of the Twenty20 tournament, which draws top players from around the world, was inevitable after the government extended a three-week lockdown until at least May 3. An Australian who repeatedly sneaked out of coronavirus quarantine, reportedly to visit his girlfriend, was jailed for a month -- the first person imprisoned under the country's lockdown laws. Jonathan David, 35, was arrested earlier this month after jamming open a fire escape and slipping out of mandatory quarantine at a Perth hotel, Western Australia police said. Worried about a "coronavirus divorce"? An enterprising Japanese short-term rental firm is marketing its empty apartments as a way for stressed couples to get some time apart during the virus lockdown. "Please consult with us before thinking about 'coronavirus divorce'," the Tokyo-based Kasoku urges customers, offering its Airbnb-like fully-furnished units as "temporary shelters" for people to escape the family, whether to work or just get some peace and quiet. China's airlines suffered losses of 33.6 billion yuan ($4.8 billion) in the first three months of this year due to the impact of the coronavirus, aviation authorities said. This made up most of the 39.8 billion yuan hit to the overall industry, said Civil Aviation Administration of China spokesman Xiong Jie. Passenger volume also plunged 71.7 percent in March from a year ago, as countries around the world imposed quarantine measures or tightened entry requirements to curb the spread of the virus. burs-sr/amj
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