These are the top stories making the front pages of major newspapers from across Southeast Asia today.
Get up to speed with what’s happening in the fastest growing region in the world.
South Korea sees lowest new virus infections for 2 weeks while Italy's number soars
Italy on Sunday recorded the second-highest coronavirus toll in the world, after reporting a sharp jump in deaths and overtaking South Korea on infections.
The number of fatalities nearly tripled, rising from 133 to 366 on Sunday, according to the civil protection agency, with most deaths occurring in the hard-hit Lombardy region in Italy's wealthy north.
The country now has the most deaths of any country outside China, and the second-most COVID-19 infections in the world, after the number of cases rose by a single-day record of 1,492 to 7,375. – Viet Nam News
Oil dives 31% in worst loss since 1991 Gulf War as all-out price war erupts
Oil markets tumbled the most since the Gulf War in 1991 on Monday (March 9) after the disintegration of the Opec+ alliance triggered an all-out price war among the world's biggest producers.
In one of the most dramatic bouts of selling ever, Brent futures sank by 31 per cent in a matter of seconds after the open of trading in Asia on Monday after already suffering their biggest loss since the global financial crisis at the end of last week. As Brent collapsed as low as US$31 a barrel, Goldman Sachs Group warned prices could drop into the US$20s. – The Straits Times
POGOs to stay; taxes to fund COVID-19 response – Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte will neither stop nor suspend the operations of Philippine offshore gaming hubs since their taxes may be used to fund programs such as the response to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) threat.
The President made the decision after reading a report from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on revenues that the government earns from Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos). – Philippine Daily Inquirer
Thai, Asia stocks plunge on virus fears, oil prices
Stock markets plunged in Thailand and around Asia on Monday, as panic selling set in with traders fretting over the economic impact of the new coronavirus and digesting a free-fall in the oil price. Thailand's benchmark SET index was down 5.07% to 1,295.35 at 10.10am.
Elsewhere, the Japanese market led the declines, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 index dropping 4.30% or 892.90 points to 19,856.85 about 50 minutes after the opening bell, while the broader Topix index was down 4.13% or 60.74 points at 1,410.72. – Bangkok Post
PM presents new Cabinet line-up list to Agong
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was granted an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to present a list of the new Cabinet lineup to His Majesty, today.
In a statement earlier, the Prime Minister’s Office said that after acquiring the consent of His Majesty, the Prime Minister will announce the new Cabinet at 5pm today at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya. – The New Straits Times