10 must-reads for today

Most European countries will lift border controls by the end of this week, allowing airlines to resume continental flights. But Europe's airline industry is likely to nurse its financial wounds for years to come and will have to depend on cash handouts from European taxpayers.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of having deep reserves of finances, people and capabilities to respond to crises, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday as he stressed the need for Singapore to emerge from the pandemic as a more resilient nation.

Graduates from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics and universities will soon be able to apply for new courses that offer additional professional certificates - advanced diploma certificates, post-diploma certificates or postgraduate certificates.

Malaysia's public transport services can now resume operating at full capacity with no limit on their operating hours. However, both operators and passengers have to comply with strict safety protocols. Mosques in the country's Federal Territories will reopen for Friday and other congregational prayers today.

Amid the angst and anxieties over Hong Kong's future and its fraught relationship with China, it may help to consider tycoon Li Ka Shing's experience, says associate editor Ravi Velloor.

The idea of giving birth during the Covid-19 pandemic can be worrying and isolating. But for one couple from Sweden and Britain, the birth of their second child during the circuit breaker period took an unexpected turn. At 2am on May 27, Mrs Lindberg delivered their second child in the back seat of a taxi in Singapore.

Disputes referred to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Itlos) or one of its chambers can now be heard in Singapore, under an agreement signed yesterday. This comes after a 2015 joint declaration between Singapore and Itlos, which expressed support for the country as a venue for the tribunal to carry out its functions.

Rising debt worldwide is likely to be the biggest problem in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, said Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Ravi Menon. While banks - including those in the United States, Britain and Asia - generally have very strong capital and liquidity buffers, corporate distress is on the cards, he said.

News of the Lion City Sailors' elite development programme has created much buzz in the local footballing scene, with many saying it will raise standards and spur other clubs and outfits to think long term. But there were also some who questioned if a European-style scheme would work in Singapore.

Zara owner Inditex said it is permanently closing as many as 1,200 stores - 16 per cent of its outlets worldwide - as the world's largest fashion retailer moves to boost online sales after posting its first-ever loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Spanish company will double down on e-commerce, investing €2.7 billion (S$4.26 billion) on its e-commerce operations.

US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh and political scientist Ian Bremmer discuss whether the United States is heading for its most divisive and violent election in our lifetime, in this episode of The Straits Times Asian Insider series. str.sg/blurb421

Find out what happens during a typical Covid-19 swab test, and how long the process usually is. str.sg/blurb422