TODAY

Up Close: This Singapore director's films have won global acclaim, but he almost moved to the UK to take up citizenship aged 6 Director K Rajagopal said his mother resisted a plan for the family to move to Britain, because she did not want to be treated as "second-class citizens in a foreign country", and because Singapore was their home. https://tdy.sg/3UPmghN @todayonlinesg

Voices: How do I choose between a charming colleague and a competent one? The best colleagues aren't either charming or competent. They have a balance of both, business owner Kelvin Kao said. 👨‍💼👩‍💻https://tdy.sg/4lUQgom @todayonlinesg

Adulting: Waiting to enjoy fruits of your labour in old age? Here’s why some people do it now Career breaks, or sabbaticals, are emerging as an attractive option for segments of the workforce, but be prepared for the downsides. 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️https://tdy.sg/4m1kYwg @todayonlinesg

Up Close: He used to want 'everything' to excel, but filmmaker Boo Junfeng now knows what matters most for an NDP show Singaporean filmmaker and NDP 2025’s creative director Boo Junfeng said his favourite parts of the parade and show when he was growing up were the fireworks, the Red Lions parachutists and the roaring flypast. "Anything that made you tilt your head up." 🇸🇬 🎶 https://tdy.sg/4lXqGzp @todayonlinesg

Big Read: 'Finally someone wants you': When male victims of sex crimes are mocked and dismissed, the hurt deepens When Mike was molested on the MRT in 2017, he froze: "My mind went blank and I couldn't think. What am I supposed to do in this kind of situation? Who's going to help a guy like me?" he said. 😞 https://tdy.sg/40NRDgd @todayonlinesg

In Pixels: Malaysia's charcoal workers who risk life and health to do the work shunned by most "I want to buy land so my family and I can live more comfortably and I can watch my grandchildren play in the yard," Mr Sahitom Ahmad said of why he endures heat and harsh conditions to work at a charcoal factory. 🔥https://tdy.sg/44RbDkx @todayonlinesg

Voices: How breast cancer treatment led me to knitting hats and breast prostheses for women like me Ms Lyn Ee was able to use the hobby of knitting, that she learnt as a 12-year-old, to spread love to fellow breast cancer patients. 🪡https://tdy.sg/4mjsBxJ @todayonlinesg

Ground Up: 'People assumed I was lazy' – Even after weight loss, some find lingering 'fatphobic' attitudes hurtful Health experts say labels such as "lazy" and “lacking willpower” applied to overweight people are rooted in stigma rather than science. 🍨https://tdy.sg/44XrZYT @todayonlinesg

Big Read: More than a disability, dementia takes a toll on the whole family – and more young patients are getting it Many underestimate the amount of caregiving needed for someone with dementia, which affects not just the patient's cognitive and physical abilities but their personalities too. 👵👨‍🦳 https://tdy.sg/4ohVg8b @todayonlinesg

Voices: I'm trying to be a 'gentle parent', but it's a lot tougher than I thought "You imagine gentle parenting happening in softly lit, beige-toned homes while you and your children are dressed in matching white linen outfits. But practising it in real life is a whole different story, especially when you weren't raised that way," says mum-of-two Nabilah Awang. 🤬⛔💆‍♀ https://tdy.sg/40zV1eK @todayonlinesg

Mental Health Matters: Can botox really improve your self-esteem? Depends on how you already feel about yourself, say experts Cosmetic procedures are no longer taboo, with well-known personalities such as Kylie Jenner openly discussing the details of how they're changing their looks. But when does "improving" our appearance become unhealthy? 💉https://tdy.sg/3TXJRNa @todayonlinesg

Up Close: She dreamed of running away to join the circus – so this NUS graduate did exactly that "Documenting and highlighting different portions of the day gives me a breath of fresh air, and a very good reminder that 'Megan, you're doing something really, really cool with your life'," said Ms Megan Lau, whose videos about her work as an aerialist in a Macau water-based circus show have gone viral. 🎪https://tdy.sg/3IJKBD4 @todayonlinesg

Big Read: Global luxury faces biggest slowdown in over a decade, but Southeast Asia defies the trend Increasingly, younger consumers are redefining what luxury means to them, placing more emphasis on individuality, values and emotional resonance than on heritage or brand prestige. ⌚️👜💵 https://tdy.sg/4fqM11L @todayonlinesg

Voices: I'm a 51-year-old man and I’m psychologically allergic to health checks "We are compelled to keep moving no matter what, not only because it defines our purpose, but because without it, what are we then?" writes Imran Johri on why men are more reluctant to go for health check-ups. 👨🩺 https://tdy.sg/418V2X3 @todayonlinesg

Ground Up: Banking on university finance clubs: How undergraduates see joining as fast-track to industry job Resume screenings, pitch decks, interviews. It sounds like a finance job application – but for some undergraduates, it’s the entry test for a campus finance club. Gruelling? Yes. But for many, it’s the first step into the industry. 💰https://tdy.sg/40DCNsB @todayonlinesg

Big Read: Home alone, but loneliness doesn’t have to be a constant companion for Singapore’s seniors "I find it so good to be alone," said 70-year-old Christine Lin, who lives on her own. Like her, more seniors are living alone and thriving. But there are also others struggling with isolation. 👵👨‍🦳 https://tdy.sg/4oc6FXo @todayonlinesg

Voices: Are we paying too much for convenience these days? After a long day, there's nothing wrong with forking out some extra money for a direct ride home or to get a meal delivered. The problem is when we start relying on it too frequently, finance author Dawn Cher says. 💸🚗🥡 https://tdy.sg/4163t5k @todayonlinesg

Mental Health Matters: Don't have a creative hobby? Here's why you should paint, sew or bake Creative hobbies involve producing something unique, which often leads us to a sense of discovery or a new way of seeing the world, a senior clinical psychologist said. 📸🎨🪴https://tdy.sg/4kK0FSE @todayonlinesg

Up Close: 'I am addicted to pain' – the female boxer gunning to take Singapore to No 1 in the global ring As a woman competing professionally in the male-dominated sport of boxing, Efasha Kamarudin described herself as a "chameleon" who can shift between different identities – an athlete, a wife and mother, and an entrepreneur. 🥊🤱 https://tdy.sg/4lGpaS5 @todayonlinesg

Big Read: As more couples are saying no to more than one child, Singapore will have to rethink support system for elderly "I don't want to be tapped out physically, emotionally," one parent said about her decision to stop at one child. 👶👨‍👨‍👦 https://tdy.sg/3TLB3K0 @todayonlinesg