Catch the latest news video reports on The Big Story, The Straits Times' weekday online news programme.

Singapore's high vaccination and booster rates give the country a window of opportunity to ease some Covid-19 measures, especially as the Omicron variant causes a less severe form of the disease, suggest several experts.

Easing measures does not mean doing away with all safety measures, they said. But there are some that may no longer be as useful.

Senior health correspondent Salma Khalik shares more.

Meanwhile, Iris Koh, the founder of anti-vaccine group Healing the Divide, was granted $20,000 bail on Friday (Feb 4).

She was also slapped with a new charge of obstructing a public servant in discharge of her public functions.

According to court documents, Koh is accused of tearing up a printed copy of her statement recorded on Jan 25 at Police Cantonment Complex.

In other headlines, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad continues to undergo treatment at the National Heart Institute but has been allowed to go to his home, his office said on Friday.

In a video message, Dr Mahathir said he goes back to the hospital in the evenings after spending the day at home as he still has to undergo certain procedures.

And in this week's Asian Insider, China correspondent Danson Cheong talks about the Beijing Winter Olympics, which kicks off on Friday.