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.

Findings from Singapore's once-a-decade population census were released on Wednesday (June 16). Data from 2010 to 2020 showed the slowest rate of population growth since independence in 1965, around 1.1. per cent each year. The census also found that married couples are having fewer babies and more Singaporeans are staying single. Senior political correspondent Grace Ho discusses the implications these trends will have in the long term.

There were 24 confirmed Covid-19 cases as at Wednesday noon, of which 19 are in the community and five are imported. Of the 19 community cases, three are unlinked and the remaining 16 are linked to existing cases.

In a video on his social media on Wednesday, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said that in the light of a growing cluster in Bukit Merah and other new cases, the Covid-19 multi-ministry task force is reviewing the timing and scope of the second stage of phase 3 (heightened alert). This second stage of reopening was scheduled to start June 21.

Meanwhile, pharmacists at Guardian, Unity and Watsons have begun selling Covid-19 self-test kits. Sales will be initially limited to 10 antigen rapid test kits per person to ensure there are adequate supplies for all, and kits will be made available at more retail locations progressively.

Also on the show, two shipwrecks, one possibly dating back to the 14th century, have been excavated within Singapore's waters. There are plans to display the discovered artefacts in museums here. Journalist Ng Keng Gene shares more on the ground-breaking development for Singapore's maritime heritage.