1 Great Barrier Reef hit
The decline in Australia's Great Barrier Reef is accelerating, exacerbated by record sea temperatures, a leading coral scientist has concluded, confirming earlier indications that large parts of the reef have suffered its third mass coral bleaching event in five years. This event is severe and more widespread than previous episodes.
2 $5.1b to help firms, families
An additional $5.1 billion will be funnelled into a third round of support measures to save jobs and support businesses and families as Singapore heads into a month of heightened measures to stem the virus spread.
3 Japan set for emergency
Japan is set to impose a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as today to try to stop the coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday.
4 US seeks funding for Pacific
United States military officials have outlined a spending request to bolster deterrence against China after the pandemic ebbs, a sign of preparations to shore up the country's standing in the Asia-Pacific region.
5 Third stage in long battle
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has produced his third Budget in less than two months. This is a war-footing response, and there may be more to come, says associate editor Vikram Khanna.
6 Maid found guilty
An Indonesian maid who killed her employer in 2016 and left her with over 90 knife wounds was yesterday found guilty on a lesser murder charge and is set to avoid the death penalty.
7 Mistress to repay ex-lover
The High Court has ruled that businessman Toh Eng Tiah is entitled to repayment, interest-free, of $1.12 million of the $2 million that he sued his former mistress Angelina Jiang for. HOME B5
8 M&A deals shrink 22.4%
Merger and acquisition activity (M&A) in Singapore took a hammering in the first quarter. The value of such deals came in at US$10.2 billion (S$14.6 billion) for the period, which is 22.4 per cent down from the same period last year.
9 Athletes' art of adjustment
While everyone is hit by the coronavirus shutdown, sportsmen are the masters of adaptation and adjustment, says assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath.
10 Straight to streaming
Hollywood is rerouting 2020 films online because of the pandemic. This is quite unprecedented, notes columnist Whang Yee Ling, as major movies have all the while respected an exclusive theatre run before being released on streaming platforms.
VIDEO
On the front line
Join medical experts from various regions, including Singapore, in an exclusive Facebook event jointly presented by The Straits Times, 7NEWS Australia and the South China Morning Post. str.sg/blurb303
VIDEO
Impact on seniors in US
Long-term care facilities and retirement communities in the United States have become coronavirus hot spots, with outbreaks reported there in several states in recent days. str.sg/blurb304
