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In today's bulletin: Can steroid Dexamethasone be used to treat Covid-19 patients?, Indian PM says death of soldiers in border clash with China "will not be in vain", Pyongyang's next move, e-payments battle looms in Indonesia, gaming trade shows await the end of coronavirus, and more.

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WILL DEXAMETHASONE BE THE WONDER DRUG TO FIGHT COVID-19?

Scientists in Singapore, together with their peers in the region and beyond, are watching out for more research and findings on steroid Dexamethasone to see if it can be used to treat Covid-19 patients, as suggested by a team at Oxford University.

Results of a trial conducted by the team showed that the cheap and widely used steroid, used to reduce inflammation in other diseases, also lowered death rates by around a third among the most severe Covid-19 patients.

The Oxford team administered the drug to more than 2,000 patients and compared their recovery with over 4,000 patients who were not given the drug. They reported that the risk of death for patients on ventilators, which is used to help them breathe, was cut from 40 per cent to 28 per cent after they were put on the steroid for 10 days.

The World Health Organisation has hailed the finding as a "lifesaving scientific breakthrough" but some doctors remain skeptical.

So far, no effective treatment or vaccine for coronavirus has hit the market. Covid-19 deaths globally, meanwhile, now exceed 440,000.

One of the concerns, scientists say, is that it seems to work only with the really serious ill patients and does not help patients who do not have difficulty breathing. Read more in Senior Health Correspondent Salma Khalik's report.

Also read:

Timothy Goh: Five antibodies that fight Covid-19 discovered by Singapore's defence R&D organisation

US FDA revokes emergency use status of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 treatment

INDIAN PM SAYS DEATH OF TROOPS IN CLASH WITH CHINA WILL NOT BE IN VAIN

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on national television to assure his countrymen that the death of Indian soldiers in the border clash with China in the Himalayas, would not be in vain.

"India wants peace but is capable of giving a reply if provoked," he said in a televised address, as commentators took to media to voice their anger over the incident, which came as India and China were discussing de-escalation measures.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Mr Zhao Lijian said China and India were in close communication on resolving tensions through both diplomatic and military channels. The clash did not receive extensive coverage in China.

The State Department in Washington said the United States was "closely monitoring" the dispute and added that both countries had expressed a desire to "de-escalate" the situation.

WHAT WILL PYONGYANG DO NEXT?

North Korea's move to destroy a liaison office with South Korea in the border town of Kaesong stoked tension afresh on the next move by the country's leader to get sanctions relief and more.

Observers believe Pyongyang could move to destroy South Korean-built structures at a North Korean mountain resort, send troops to the Demilitarized Zone and test more missiles, among other measures. The hope for now is that Pyongyang will be deterred by the presence of 28,000 American soldiers in South Korea and that it may not want to annoy China.

Meanwhile, South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, who oversees engagement with North Korea, offered to step down today, saying he takes responsibility for the worsening ties between the neighbours.

Also read:

Seoul needs to deal with Pyongyang's renewed brinkmanship

INDONESIA SET TO BE E-PAYMENT BATTLEGROUND

Asean's biggest economy and the world's fourth-most populous nation Indonesia is set to become an e-payment battleground, as lead players compete to increase their reach.

The battle right now seems to be building up between Facebook and PayPal backed Gojek, a ride-hailing firm which owns the country's largest digital payment company Gopay, and SoftBank-backed OVO, an affiliate of Grab. There are other players in the market as well, writes Indonesia Correspondent Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja.

Indonesia's e-payment market was estimated by Bank Indonesia to total US$10.4 billion (S$14.5 billion) last year. And online shopping is picking up.

Read also:

More people go cashless, e-payment volume soars amid Covid-19 crisis

GAMING TRADE SHOWS WAITING TO SPRING BACK

The pandemic gave a boost to video gaming but has also meant a setback for video gaming trade shows, with many of the most influential ones being cancelled or put on hold. In their place, game developers and publishers are turning to digital events, writes Deputy Tech Editor Trevor Tan. But, while this may remain the norm this year, several game developers, publishers and fans say they would still prefer physical events over digital ones, he adds.

Also read:

10 games to look out for this year

IN OTHER NEWS

CHINA EXTRADITION POSSIBLE UNDER NEW SECURITY LAW IN HONG KONG: China's planned national security law for Hong Kong could allow for extraditions to the mainland, the city's sole representative to Beijing's top lawmaking body said today. The comments by Mr Tam Yiu-chung, a veteran pro-Beijing politician, are significant because the threat of extradition to China's party-controlled courts was the fuse that lit last year's explosive pro-democracy protests.

NORWEGIAN SALMON NOT SOURCE OF BEIJING MARKET CORONAVIRUS: Chinese and Norwegian authorities have concluded that Norwegian salmon was not likely the source of the novel coronavirus found on chopping boards in a Beijing food market. This was stated by the Norwegian fisheries and seafood minister following a meeting between Chinese and Norwegian authorities.

ASIAN BUSINESS SENTIMENT PLUNGES TO RECORD LOW: The business sentiment of Asian companies has hit a record low in the second quarter, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey found. Some two-thirds of the firms polled flagged a worsening Covid-19 pandemic as the biggest risk in the next six months. And business confidence during the June quarter fell by a third to 35, only the second time the Thomson Reuters/INSEAD Asian Business Sentiment Index has slumped below 50 since the survey began in the second quarter of 2009.

AUSTRALIA TO KEEP BORDERS CLOSED TILL 2021: Canberra has said it is unlikely to reopen its border to international travellers until next year, although it might consider relaxing entry rules for students and other long-term visitors. Separately, two Australian universities based in Canberra said they plan to hire a plane to fly in about 350 students, who got shut out in the middle of their studies because of border closure.

That's it for today. Thanks for reading, stay safe and we'll be back with you tomorrow.

Shefali