Nifty open today

SINGAPORE - Tired of missing her firstborn's milestones, Ms Fathiah Nur Liyana Rokhmat, 35, quit her job as a teacher in 2012 to be a stay-at-home mum. When boredom set in, she started sewing special occasion outfits for relatives and friends. Her hobby blossomed into a bridal wear business called Fanurly, a play on her name. The eight-year-old business was "thriving", she says. Buoyed by the expectation of more Malay weddings, she invested her profits in a showroom early this year. Then the pandemic hit, brides cancelled their orders and she had to cut the lease short. She spent the circuit breaker doing "a lot of crying", while taking the opportunity to spend time with her four children, aged nine to one. Then, an idea came. Ms Liyana, whose husband, 35, is a civil servant, started offering wedding-worthy masks and niqab (face coverings) about two weeks ago. They haev proven to be a hit and she has sold more than 100 pieces, with prices ranging from $28 to $38. It ... » Learn More about Retooling businesses and raising kids: Mumpreneurs struggle to keep it together

A week ago Phuketians were rallying behind the proposal to get the island open to tourists, quarantine-free, from July. The first tourists arrived from Germany and the local hotel industry were confident everything was heading in the right direction. That was until last weekend when the ‘Bangkok nightlife cluster’ came to town in the form of 3 big parties, the largest hosting some 3,000+ patrons at Café Del Mar on Kamala Beach. Now the island’s officials are trying to fully understand the potential impact of the new cases. Just yesterday the Phuket provincial public health office announced 8 new Covid infections – they will be included in the CCSA’s daily national tally today. Out of the 8 people, 4 were linked to entertainment venues in Bangkok, one visited the now notorious Thong Lor bar district. Officials have ordered 12 people who were nin close contact with that person to quarantine immediately and monitor their situation. The other 3 people visited local bars. The 4 other ... » Learn More about Phuket Covid infections reported as officials struggle with clusters in Bangkok entertainment venues

England's Justin Rose, left, bumps fists with caddie David Clark after firing a seven-under par 65 in Thursday's opening round of the Masters. AUGUSTA: Justin Rose humbled a firm and fast Augusta National layout that wreaked havoc upon many of the world's top golfers, seizing a four-stroke lead on Thursday at the 85th Masters. Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, birdied five of the last seven holes in shooting a seven-under par 65, his career-low score by two strokes in 59 Masters rounds. The 40-year-old Englishman defied a lightning-fast layout that baffled his rivals by going nine-under over the last 11 holes, the best such Masters closing run by any golfer since 2004. "The start was slow but a little bit of experience kicked in, knowing it was a tough day out here," Rose said. "I knew if I could keep it near par it would be a good day." Rose, a Masters runner-up in 2015 and 2017, took the 18-hole lead for the fourth time in the green jacket fight, after 2004, 2007 and 2008. ... » Learn More about Rose fires stunning 65 at fiery Augusta to lead Masters by four

SINGAPORE - Even though dining in was allowed for the first time in weeks, there was no mad rush for tables at eateries on Friday morning (June 19) as Singapore moved into phase two of its reopening. At the hawker centres at Bukit Timah Market and in Kovan, queues formed in front of popular stalls but most people were opting for takeaways. Small groups of friends, mostly seniors, gathered for chit-chat and coffee in Kovan, but they kept to safe distancing measures and stuck to the five-a-group rule. In phase two, people can meet socially in groups of up to five. This applies to groups who choose to dine in at eateries, which is also allowed now. A woman in her 50s at Bukit Timah Market, who wanted to be known only as Ms Tan, said that she was "quite scared" that the place would be swarming with crowds. "Actually, it's not bad. Since it's pretty quiet, I think I'll have my coffee here before buying food home for my family." The relatively cautious approach on Friday morning ... » Learn More about Day 1 of S’pore’s phase 2 reopening: No big rush as dine-in resumes but queues at malls as shops reopen