10 must-reads for today
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Amid rising tensions with Beijing, the de facto US ambassador in Taiwan took part yesterday for the first time in commemorations of the 62nd anniversary of the start of the Second Taiwan Strait crisis, a key military clash and the last time Taiwan forces joined battle with China on a large scale.
Bilateral agreements that Singapore signed have not jeopardised job opportunities for Singaporeans, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said. He also assured Singaporeans that there are proper channels in place for the Government to monitor and take action against discriminatory hiring practices.
The South Korean government is considering raising its social distancing restrictions to the highest level as coronavirus cases spread beyond the Seoul Metropolitan area and Busan. South Korea reported 397 new virus cases yesterday, the highest since March 7. The number of new infections is expected to continue rising.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's administration is set to reopen talks with Abu Dhabi to resolve disputes over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case in a bid to mend strained bilateral ties. Malaysia's foreign minister will lead a special task force to Dubai.
United States Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden has said little on foreign policy - and what little he has said is alarmingly simplistic, says global affairs correspondent Jonathan Eyal.
With travel off the cards, anglers here are casting their lines into local waters more often, raising concerns over whether marine creatures could be fished out faster than they can reproduce. Working with conservationists and marine scientists, a non-profit group has come up with three guidelines for fishermen.
Singapore is not back to normal - there is still no chance to toast the new freedom in a bar or pub, as they remain off limits. But the easing of restrictions in phase two of the Republic's reopening has been a welcome start, as The Straits Times picture desk found when it ventured out to see how people are regaining some sense of normality.
Some 72 per cent of small companies in Singapore are satisfied with the relief measures rolled out by the Government to help them cope with the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey. Their level of satisfaction is higher than the regional average of 58 per cent, the survey found.
After a host of failed takeover bids since Mike Ashley bought English Premier League side Newcastle in 2007, fans are excited but also sceptical and wary over the latest one by Singapore-based Bellagraph Nova Group. They just want the club to be successful and not become "a rich person's play toy", one of them said.
Video-sharing app Tik Tok can catapult previously undiscovered talent to global stardom in 15 seconds. A TikTok video is based on music - and when it goes viral, the catchy 15-second hook that serves as the soundtrack can turn the full-length version of the song into a global hit. Music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi looks at five musicians whose songs became hits, thanks to the app.
StraitsTimes Digital
VIDEO
Master of puppets
Puppeteer Frankie Yeo did more than 150 shows last year, but the pandemic has stopped him from performing this year. He is now selling some of his puppets to pay the bills. str.sg/blurb543
INTERACTIVE
Singapore's 14th Parliament
Get to know your Members of Parliament and find out how Singapore's parliamentary system has evolved over the years. str.sg/sgparliament
