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Asia-Pacific's resurgent Covid-19 wave claimed new records across the region as governments scrambled to impose new restrictions and ramp up vaccination drives. Malaysia reported 7,857 new cases, its third straight day of record highs, as its largest state joined the nationwide movement control order.

The idea that the coronavirus could have emerged from the Wuhan laboratory has gained momentum in the US, though most scientists still favour natural causes. One factor is the continued lack of conclusive proof either way, fuelled by reports with circumstantial evidence that have kept the lab leak possibility alive, say analysts.

Three Indian vessels joined firefighting operations off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka, yesterday to contain a raging inferno on board a Singapore-registered container ship, the X-Press Pearl, after an explosion on Tuesday. Fears continue that the vessel would break apart.

A fragile ceasefire remains intact, but the work to rebuild after the war between Israel and Hamas has just begun, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the close of a Middle East trip. The path forward could stretch indefinitely without a clear resolution, with past efforts to rebuild Gaza having failed.

Unmanned drones will soon be a common sight at six reservoirs here as part of national water agency PUB's efforts to leverage technology for its daily operations. A drone will first be deployed at MacRitchie and Marina reservoirs at the end of this month, with four others to be deployed at other reservoirs in the third quarter.

Singtel has announced a strategic reset that includes unlocking the value of its infrastructure asset portfolio following a strategic review of its two key business units. The announcement came on the same day that Singtel reported a 92.7 per cent decline in second-half net profit.