Catch up on the hottest topics on The Big Story, The Straits Times’ weekday online news program.

Bali Airport reopened to foreign visitors on Thursday (October 14) for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic early last year. It comes as the government of President Joko Widodo struggles to restart the country’s valuable tourism industry.

However, strict quarantine rules and onerous visa requirements, including the search for a guarantor, threaten to keep visitors away at least for now, officials said.

And on Wednesday evening, airport officials said no international flights were scheduled to Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Regional correspondent Jeffrey Hutton, who is currently in Bali, gives the latest news from the field.

In a surprise move, Singapore’s central bank tightened monetary policy on Thursday, saying it expects inflation to rise and aims to ensure price stability over the medium term.

In its tightening measure, the Monetary Authority of Singapore slightly increased the slope of its nominal effective Singapore dollar exchange rate range from 0% previously.

UOB economist Barnabas Gan discusses this development.

And don’t miss out on this week’s lifestyle choices.

Travel correspondent Clara Lock shares more about Singaporeans’ best choices among the 11 countries that are part of the Vaccinated Travel Lane program, while food correspondent Eunice Quek recommends bakeries in the Katong area.

Journalist Jan Lee talks about the award-winning Hacks on HBO Go, which recently won Emmys for Best Writing and Comedy Directing.