1 Storm Ciara hits Britain
Storm Ciara lashed Britain with heavy rain and winds of more than 145kmh yesterday, forcing the cancellations of flights, train services and sports matches. Meanwhile, bush fires burned through parts of Western Australia even as other areas of the state dealt with the aftermath of a cyclone and the country's east coast faced flash flooding.
2 Enough supplies of staples
Singapore has a sufficient stockpile of food as well as a diverse and trusted supply chain in place, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said yesterday. This makes the panic buying of staples as Singapore's disease outbreak response level was raised to orange last Friday unnecessary, he said.
3 Rogue Thai soldier killed
A rogue soldier who killed 29 people in an overnight shooting rampage in Thailand was shot dead yesterday morning. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha acknowledged that the army may need to address mental health issues within its ranks.
4 Transition promise stands
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that a promise on the leadership transition still stands, but any prime minister must command the support of the majority in Parliament. Tun Dr Mahathir noted that Parliament could even reject anyone nominated by a party with the highest number of seats.
5 What virus scare tells us
Our response to diseases is a mirror we hold to ourselves: HIV was associated with fears of "dark" Africa; Middle East respiratory syndrome with Arabs; and now, the coronavirus is being linked with "dirty" Asians. How we view diseases speaks volumes about how we see others and ourselves, says Associate Professor Farish A. Noor.
6 Seniors buying 2-room flats
Slightly more than half of all new two-room flats have been bought by seniors aged 55 and above since the two-room Flexi Scheme was introduced in 2015. Of these senior buyers, about nine in 10 opted for short leases ranging from 15 years to 45 years, according to the Housing Board.
7 Good start for Dyson in suit
Billionaire businessman James Dyson has won the preliminary round of a defamation suit in Britain against the Daily Mail over an article that the judge ruled contained defamatory imputations against the tycoon and his wife. The couple had sued the Daily Mail's publisher, Associated Newspapers, last July over three versions of the article.
8 Budget to boost digital push
Beyond some pre-election goodies and coronavirus-related relief measures, the upcoming Budget is likely to keep the focus on spending tax dollars where it counts. One of the key focus areas of the Budget will be yet another push towards digital transformation as a means to boost economic productivity and competitiveness.
9 EPL eyes live-stream plan
Fans are hoping costs can come down with the English Premier League (EPL) mulling over selling matches via a direct streaming platform for the 2022 to 2025 seasons in a move to eliminate the middleman and provide content straight to viewers.
10 Caring for the mentally ill
There have been many cases where love has often been an indefatigable ally in the fight against the stigma and turbulence of mental illness, writes Dr Amelia Sim, a consultant at the Department of Psychosis at the Institute of Mental Health. When a patient has lost all hope, it is his caregivers who often stay by his side and reassure him of better days ahead, she says.
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