SINGAPORE - Catch up on the hottest topics on The Straits Times' weekday talk show.

The Big Story, broadcast every weekday at 5.30pm on Facebook and YouTube, has reporters and senior editors discussing the top stories of the day.

The show is helmed by multimedia correspondent Hairianto Diman and assistant video editor Olivia Quay, and airs live from ST's digital studio.

There were 18 new coronavirus cases confirmed as at noon on Tuesday (June 1), including 15 community cases.

Of these local cases, seven are currently unlinked. The other eight linked cases comprised six cases which had already been placed on quarantine, and two detected through surveillance.

Meanwhile, mandatory Covid-19 tests began for residents of three housing blocks in Yishun and Hougang on Tuesday.

Residents of Block 745 Yishun Street 72 were being tested after the Health Ministry said on Monday that there was "likely Covid-19 transmission" in the block.

Testing was scheduled to take place at the void deck from 9am to 4pm for two days.

Across the causeway, Malaysia goes into a two-week nationwide lockdown on Tuesday.

Slated to last till June 14, the lockdown only allows essential sectors to continue to operate, and people limited to travel within a 10-kilometre radius of their homes.

Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh discusses the lockdown measures and potential impact on the country's economy.

We also share other news in Singapore, and around the world.