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.

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday (July 7), Singapore's multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 confirmed that group sizes for dine-in services and indoor mask-off activities in gyms will increase to five people. Wedding receptions can also resume with no more than 250 people allowed with pre-event testing.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung also shared that 2.1 million or 39 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, while more than 3.7 million people or around 65 per cent have had their first dose or have booked an appointment.

Additionally, Finance Minister and task force co-chair Lawrence Wong said rules could be further eased around end-July, if 50 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated and if the Covid-19 situation remains stable. The next phase could see a further increase of group sizes to eight people.

He added that it will be timely for Singapore to have "a more definitive roadmap to transit towards living with endemic Covid-19". However, for indoor mask-off activities deemed higher-risk like dining in at F&B outlets, different guidelines will apply for vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, shares his insights.

Separately, there were 12 confirmed Covid-19 cases as at Wednesday noon, of which five are locally transmitted. Five of the seven imported cases were detected upon arrival while two developed Covid-19 during stay-home notice or isolation.

We will also share the latest news from Singapore and around the world.