5 things to do today: Watch Web series on Ramadan, learn to bake cakes in local flavours and more

Stay in and help fight Covid-19. The Straits Times recommends fun, uplifting things to do each day

PHOTOS: STORIES OF RAMADAN, SINGAPORE SWIMMING ASSOCIATION/FACEBOOK, TWO POINTS PRODUCTIONS, WILDEARTH/YOUTUBE

1 WATCH: Web series on Ramadan

(From far left, in a photo taken before circuit breaker measures were in place) Vlogger Nuseir Yassin, video creator Alyne Tamir, chef Mel Dean and vlogger Agon Hare are some of the people involved in the creation of Stories Of Ramadan, a series of v
(From far left, in a photo taken before circuit breaker measures were in place) Vlogger Nuseir Yassin, video creator Alyne Tamir, chef Mel Dean and vlogger Agon Hare are some of the people involved in the creation of Stories Of Ramadan, a series of videos that explore ways people celebrate the festival around the world. PHOTO: STORIES OF RAMADAN

The holy month of Ramadan begins today for Muslims, but there will be no visits to mosques or social gatherings to break fast due to the circuit breaker measures.

A series of eight videos by popular vlogger Nuseir Yassin, better known as Nas Daily, will explore the ways people celebrate Ramadan around the world, including how they are doing so given the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stories Of Ramadan, which premieres on Facebook Watch at 11am today, examines multiple aspects of Ramadan, from fasting to charitable giving in videos of about four minutes.

One of the episodes features local charity Free Food For All, which distributes halal-certified food and groceries to the less privileged.

Yassin, 28, tells The Straits Times: "Fasting, spirituality, friendship and acts of kindness are part of Ramadan. It is religious, but it is also a cultural event involving family and loved ones."

"It's very beautiful that we can celebrate it," says Yassin, who adds that he will be observing the holy month with his parents, who are in Israel, over video-conferencing platform Zoom, and with his roommates in Singapore.

Info: Nas Daily Facebook page

2 ADMIRE: National divers training on dry land

National divers training on dry land. PHOTO: SINGAPORE SWIMMING ASSOCIATION/FACEBOOK

How do national divers train with the circuit breaker in place?

Get glimpses of their home workout regimes in a video posted on Facebook by the Singapore Swimming Association.

Be awed by the poise and grace of Singapore's national divers as they go through dry circuit training, even without water or a 10m platform.

The divers include Jonathan Chan, 22, the first Singaporean diver to qualify for the Olympic Games and the first local athlete to earn a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Info: SG Diving at home, Diving: Jonathan Chan is first Singaporean diver to qualify for the Olympics

  • Write in

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3 PLAY: Two Point Hospital

The patients are bored while waiting to see the doctor, so you have to build magazine racks and arcade machines to keep them entertained.

An overworked doctor wants to resign, so you have to spruce up the staff resting room with posters, bookcases and snack machines to improve morale.

In Two Point Hospital, you have to manage everything from staff recruitment to building toilets while ensuring a healthy profit.

First available on PC in 2018, the game was released for the Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Nintendo Switch console platforms in February this year.

(From far left, in a photo taken before circuit breaker measures were in place) Vlogger Nuseir Yassin, video creator Alyne Tamir, chef Mel Dean and vlogger Agon Hare are some of the people involved in the creation of Stories Of Ramadan, a series of v
Two Point Hospital. PHOTO: TWO POINTS PRODUCTIONS

Brimming with dry humour, the addictive gameplay of Two Point Hospital is a welcome distraction in these trying times.

Info: Game review: Two Point Hospital is seriously addictive

4 GO: Safari drives in South Africa

(From far left, in a photo taken before circuit breaker measures were in place) Vlogger Nuseir Yassin, video creator Alyne Tamir, chef Mel Dean and vlogger Agon Hare are some of the people involved in the creation of Stories Of Ramadan, a series of v
Safari drives in South Africa. PHOTO: WILDEARTH/YOUTUBE

Watch a family of elephants approach you and observe hyenas emerging from their dens up close.

Accompany park rangers as they drive around the Kruger National Park in South Africa through livestreams of these safari drives on YouTube channel WildEarth.

There are two safari drives a day, at noon and 9pm Singapore time. Viewers can also comment in a live chat and rangers will field some questions about the animals.

Info: WildEarth YouTube channel, Call of the wild: Magical encounters in Kruger National Park during emerald season

PHOTO: SCHOOL OF PERFECT BAKES

5 LEARN: Bake cakes in local flavours

Try baking a pandan chiffon cake, gula melaka coconut bun and strawberry shortcake in three free online baking lessons offered by the School of Perfect Bakes.

The courses are led by culinary instructor Diana Gale, who wrote The Domestic Goddess Wannabe Bakes (2018), which features more than 80 baking recipes.

Those who wish to learn more can pay a fee to sign up as a member to access more online classes and be under Gale's direct mentorship. These classes are of various difficulty levels - basic, intermediate, advanced and professional.

Info: Register for free online classes, Cookbook author's recipe for pandan coconut butter cake

With input from Sazali Abdul Aziz and Lester Wong

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 23, 2020, with the headline 5 things to do today: Watch Web series on Ramadan, learn to bake cakes in local flavours and more. Subscribe