1 Vote on HK law soon
China's top legislative body will vote on Hong Kong's security legislation tomorrow, the day before the city's handover anniversary, Now TV News reported, signalling that Beijing may soon hand down a measure that pro-democracy activists and business groups say could erode the city's unique freedoms.
2 Covid-19 cases top 10m
The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has crossed 10 million, marking a grim milestone in the spread of a pandemic that shows no signs of flagging, and has killed about half a million people to date. It has taken less than a week for the case count to jump from nine million to 10 million, according to tallies by data site Worldometer.
3 13 attractions to reopen
Attractions including the Singapore Zoo and Universal Studios Singapore will be allowed to reopen from Wednesday, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced yesterday. The STB said that the two places are among 13 pre-approved attractions permitted to resume operations in stages.
4 Indonesia's tough transition
Indonesia is facing an uphill task during its transition to a new normal, with many people disobeying health protocols. President Joko Widodo was seen in a video yesterday hinting at a Cabinet reshuffle after officials' slow response to mitigate the pandemic's impact.
5 Putin's plans for Russia
Russians this week vote for a new Constitution. It will help President Vladimir Putin extend his time in office. It will also put his stamp on his vision of Russia, one whose values hark back to czarist times, says global affairs correspondent Jonathan Eyal.
6 Pop culture events on hold
Fans of art and pop culture events will have to wait until next year for their favourite conventions, as several large-scale ones in Singapore have been cancelled or postponed. Among them is the Doujin Market (or Doujima) - a pop culture convention that attracted more than 20,000 visitors last year.
7 Running to help front-liners
Singaporeans have been putting their best foot forward to help front-line medical workers. About 1,200 people are pounding the pavement for the #SGOutrunCovid campaign. The initiative invites people to take part in a virtual run, with New Balance donating 50 pairs of shoes to medical staff for every 10,000km clocked by the participants.
8 Hiring practices in S'pore
Most companies here hire based on skills rather than nationality, several recruitment firms said. They said that although the new licensing conditions, announced by the Ministry of Manpower to ensure fair hiring, may lengthen slightly the time taken to match candidates to employers, the firms will not have to significantly change the way they operate.
9 Halls shut after virus case
A man who played badminton last Monday at the Jurong East Indoor Sports Hall with a large group that did not observe health rules later tested positive for Covid-19. It resulted in the closure of the venue on Saturday for disinfection and cleaning. It and all other indoor sports halls were also shut for a ''time-out'' yesterday.
10 Uplifting songs amid crisis
A new initiative this month by She Shines SG, a community outfit that helps to showcase, support and mentor women through music and the arts, is featuring uplifting original songs by women artists whose livelihoods have been hurt by event cancellations and closure of performance venues.
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