10 must-reads for today

The Tour de France begins today at the Promenade des Anglais without fans, amid the pandemic. The race start in Nice is a Covid-19 "red zone" as the number of daily infections in France reached a post-lockdown high. Organisers have implemented protocol stating that two positive cases in any team will see them removed from the competition.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday that he saw no choice but to resign over his worsening medical condition. He said he found it "gut-wrenching" to quit during the Covid-19 crisis, and before achieving goals such as resolving a decades-old abduction issue with North Korea.

China warned yesterday that the United States is destroying peace and stability, and stirring trouble in the South China Sea, after the US' guided missile destroyer USS Mustin carried out a freedom of navigation operation near the Paracel Islands, where the People's Liberation Army has been carrying out an exercise.

Tens of thousands of people were expected to march in Washington yesterday to denounce racism, protest police brutality and commemorate the anniversary of the march in 1963 where civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr made his "I Have a Dream" speech. This comes after a summer of protests sparked by the death of Mr George Floyd.

Malaysia has announced stiffer penalties for motorists who cause death due to recklessness or while driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs in the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020. The Bill was passed on Wednesday in the Dewan Rakyat with a simple voice vote.

The United States has a chokehold on China when it comes to the semiconductor industry, as China lacks the technical capacity to make chips sophisticated enough to power the next generation of machines, says Bilahari Kausikan (below).

CareShield Life, which provides lifetime payouts of at least $600 a month in the event of severe disability requiring long-term care, will start on October. It will be compulsory for all residents born in 1980 or later.

A scheme that disburses one-time grants of $500 to hawkers who sign up to food delivery platforms or who engage third-party logistics firms to deliver food will be extended to the end of the year. The fund started in April and was initially due to end on June 30, but applications have continued to be accepted.

Axington, the Catalist-listed firm linked to the Bellagraph Nova Group, which recently made a £280 million (S$506 million) bid for Newcastle United Football Club, has postponed an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) that was to have been held on Thursday, citing "recent media developments".

The Mini Electric, the British marque's first electrically powered model, has all the attributes of the Mini 3-Door range of cars: good looks, short wheelbase, low centre of gravity and famed go-kart-like handling. But the electric version raises the bar with its design, performance and refinement. It is the front runner for a getaway car because though it may not be the fastest Mini, the silent rocket is the stealthiest one in the flock.

Topics include the tightening of work pass requirements for foreigners who want to work in Singapore and the country's goal to be more green and sustainable.

President Halimah Yacob stressed the importance of strengthening social safety nets and providing greater social support in her Parliament address recently. Here is a quick look at the key priorities and plans.