Must-reads

Budget measures last year to combat Covid-19 helped cushion the recession, saved or created some 155,000 jobs, and shaved the rise in the unemployment rate by 1.7 percentage points. In its interim assessment of the impact of these measures yesterday, the Ministry of Finance called the early data encouraging.

Logistics managers in Indonesia scrambled for spare capacity when the government approached industry representatives to help move hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine across the country. Without added investment in cold storage and lorries as the roll-out ramps up, shippers say they may need to bump less crucial items.

The first Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight staffed by pilots and cabin crew vaccinated against the coronavirus left Changi Airport yesterday, marking a significant milestone for the national carrier. Flight SQ956 took off for Jakarta at 9.30am carrying a crew of 12. It was the first of three departing SIA Group flights with crew who have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Ms Iris Ting Su Yin, 42, was found with neck wounds and covered in blood in Tampines on Wednesday, and she died in hospital. On the same day, Ng Chee Kok, 45, who she married in 2000, was found lying motionless at the foot of a Punggol block before he also died. The police said Ng is believed to have assaulted Ms Ting before his death.

The Singapore Premier League's (SPL) most costly player, midfielder Diego Lopes, and his Brazilian compatriot Jorge Fellipe, a defender, have twin targets for the new season. While they want to further their careers and spur their Lion City Sailors side to success, they also hope for a better quality of life for their families here.

From quiet meals to exploring Singapore, four celebrities tell The Straits Times how they plan to celebrate Chinese New Year. Director Royston Tan will have a small family gathering, while actress Priscelia Chan hopes to do something romantic with her husband as Valentine's Day is just around the corner.