1 A way back home to China

China’s move to lift a de facto ban on US airlines after Washington said it would bar Chinese carriers was a decision weeks in the making, rather than a reactive bid to avoid another tiff with America, China correspondent Elizabeth Law writes. Beijing’s goal was to bring home its millions of Chinese citizens still stranded abroad.

2 Making a strong comeback

Faced with the global crisis of this generation, Singapore has approached the battle against Covid-19 from a position of strength and hopes to emerge from it even stronger, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday as he rounded up the debate on the Fortitude Budget. 

3 Record jobless rate

Unemployment rate in the Philippines hit a record high of 17.7 per cent after its sweeping coronavirus lockdown forced firms to shut and left millions jobless, the Philippine Statistics Authority said yesterday. The rate had been at an all-time low of 4.8 per cent at the end of last year. 

4 US doubts China’s sincerity

The United States seeks to work with China where it can, but Beijing has shown a pattern of not keeping its word, said US State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus. She pointed to China’s encroachment of Hong Kong’s autonomy and its militarisation in the South China Sea among signs that Beijing is not sincere about cooperation. 

5 Asean response report card

Professor Tommy Koh writes a report card on Asean’s response to Covid-19. He points out that Asean was better prepared for the pandemic after the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak and expressions of solidarity, in the form of donations of supplies, were common. 

6 No tender in virus fight

Goods and services needed to fight Covid-19 can be obtained by government agencies without calling for a tender owing to the urgency of the situation, two ministers said yesterday. An emergency procurement procedure allows them to contract with suppliers directly, said Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah. 

7 Praise for Malay-Muslims

By responding with unity, resilience and compassion to disruptions brought about by Covid-19, the Malay-Muslim community here has demonstrated how it is a community of success, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli said yesterday. He was speaking at his annual Aidilfitri get-together, which was held virtually. 

8 Fewer new firms set up

About 3,800 business entities were formed in April amid the Covid-19 outbreak. This is a drop of about one-third from the average of 5,500 recorded in the same month from 2015 to last year, and it is due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat told Parliament yesterday.

9 Chelsea ‘seal Werner deal’

Chelsea have agreed to a deal to sign Liverpool-target Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, British media reported yesterday. Chelsea are said to have met the release clause for the striker, who has 25 goals in the Bundesliga this season, making him the Premier League side’s second signing after Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech. 

10 Ride like James Bond

In the upcoming film No Time To Die, Daniel Craig – playing British secret agent James Bond – rides a customised version of the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE. At the heart of the XE is its 1,200cc engine, which churns out 89bhp. Although it retains some vintage styling cues, it is a motorcycle armed with the latest technology. 

STAY-HOME GUIDE

Five things to do today

Let journalists Olivia Ho and Toh Wen Li pick out some escapist reads for you, or check out videos from the Asian Scientist Magazine that help children understand everything about Covid-19. str.sg/blurb411

PODCAST

Green Pulse

In this episode, we talk to analyst Lauri Myllyvirta from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air on the link between Covid-19 and air pollution, and the lessons the pandemic could offer for tackling climate change. str.sg/blurb412