A district in Beijing is under strict lockdown due to a COVID-19 cluster at the city's largest wholesale market, raising concerns about a potential second wave of infections. Officials are advocating for increased testing and sampling to contain the virus.

In a historic election, Malaysia's opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, led by Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim's party, won for the first time since the country's independence, ending Barisan Nasional's six-decade rule. The victory was fueled by a campaign against corruption and cronyism, particularly targeting the 1MDB scandal involving former Prime Minister Najib Razak. The new coalition government represents a step towards dismantling race-based politics, with Mahathir promising broad reforms to dismantle the system he once created. Despite some skepticism about the viability of the economic reforms promised, the sentiment among Malaysians is one of hope for progress and development.

Arthur Lo, a university student and participant in the Occupy Hong Kong movement, discussed the lower turnout at a recent march, the need for more creative forms of protest, and the lack of engagement from Beijing and Hong Kong's government regarding electoral reform. He expressed hope for future changes in the electoral process post-2017, aiming for a fully democratic ballot without Beijing's approval of candidates.