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THE BIG STORY
S’pore to launch new work pass to attract top talent
A new work pass – the Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass – will be open for applications from Jan 1 next year, to attract top talent across all sectors to Singapore.
This is among several initiatives to strengthen the Republic’s position as a global talent hub, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng yesterday.
THE BIG STORY
33m affected by floods in Pakistan, over 1,000 dead
At least 33 million people – one in every seven Pakistanis – have been affected by flooding caused by record monsoon rain, which has killed more than 1,000 people.
The Singapore Red Cross has committed $50,000 in aid in response to the floods. It will also launch a public fund-raising appeal to support its operations.
Uncertainties arising from the Ukraine war have made it even more urgent for India to reduce its reliance on Russia for arms and to work towards defence manufacturing locally. Russia said recently that the delivery of two stealth frigates had been delayed by six months due to Western sanctions on some items.
Popular Thai YouTuber Natthamon Khongchak, who claimed to be a successful forex trader has reportedly fled abroad after allegedly cheating investors out of two billion baht (S$77 million). Better known as Nutty the YouTuber, she defrauded more than 6,000 victims, according to lawyer Phaisal Ruangrit.
A zero per cent sugar level for milk tea does not mean no sugar: A 400g serving of such a drink contains 1.2 teaspoons of sugar. By the end of next year, outlets selling freshly prepared drinks that have a very high level of sugar and saturated fat must label them with a Nutri-Grade mark. These drinks include bubble tea, juices and coffee.
Fifty per cent more companies here fell prey to ransomware last year, as such attacks increasingly become national security threats.
Mirroring global trends, the number of firms here that had their systems locked up until a ransom was paid shot up from 89 in 2020 to 137 last year, said the Cyber Security Agency (CSA).
