10 must-reads for today

India's densely populated eastern states have been swamped by monsoon floods, forcing more than a million people into makeshift shelters. The floods have killed more than 10 people and injured more than 70 in the states of Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand.

With some financial relief measures tapering off by the year end, the Monetary Authority of Singapore will discuss with banks and insurers on how best to wean companies and individuals off the support. This will allow them to gradually ease back into making repayments, such as for deferred loans.

The use of a new contact tracing device and digital check-in system for Covid-19 patients is being trialled by Surbana Jurong. The technology could help minimise infection spread at worksites and potentially replace the contact tracing device, TraceTogether token, and digital check-in system SafeEntry at workplaces.

China's "wolf warrior" diplomatic strategy has raised the hackles of other powers, which, one analyst says, has left China boxed in. A new consensus seems to be evolving that China's challenge to the basic norms of the extant global order cannot go unchallenged, according to another analyst. WORLD A10

In response to the growing China threat, Canberra has made a radical shift in its defence strategy. It is looking to long-range deterrent strikes and building a regional coalition to shield Australia from Beijing's growing military power. But questions remain as to how it will meet its new goals, says Emeritus Professor Hugh White.

The layoffs at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) are a sign of things to come for Singapore's tourism sector, industry observers warn. While mass retrenchments had up till now largely been prevented, job losses and business closures are likely to rise over the next two months, as wage subsidies end and firms grapple with the continuing tourist drought, they say.

Clarence Chang Peng Hong, 55, a former manager at oil giant BP, was found guilty yesterday of receiving US$3.95 million (S$5.5 million) in bribes from businessman Koh Seng Lee. Chang accepted bribes from Koh on 19 occasions between July 2006 and July 2010 in exchange for advancing Koh's business interests with BP.

Rents for retail space are expected to fall more sharply in this half of the year amid mounting vacancies stemming from the pandemic. Currently, many landlords are still maintaining close to pre-Covid asking rents, but things could change as vacancies rise, according to a report.

Singapore Athletics (SA) yesterday sought to explain the contentious proposal to remove the voting rights of the appointed athletes' commission representative through an amendment of its Constitution, which was one of three proposed amendments to SA's charter that were not passed during its extraordinary general meeting on Monday.

Acclaimed British actor Idris Elba does not believe in censorship for racist television shows and films. However, the 47-year-old believes that warning labels at the beginning of such films or programmes would make it clear to audiences that certain content is offensive.

Watch how the Singapore Expo, with its large halls, was converted into a Covid-19 patient facility. The first 950 beds were set up within three days and all work was completed within four weeks. str.sg/blurb479

In a special edition of The Big Story, we look at the Progress Singapore Party's recent press conference in which it announced the candidates to fill two Non-Constituency MP seats. str.sg/blurb480