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THE BIG STORY
Construction sector boosts hiring, salaries
Construction companies here are ramping up hiring and bumping up workers' salaries, as the sector slowly recovers from its worst-hit days at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Employment had risen by 25,200, or 116 per cent, from the preceding quarter. The number of work permit holders is also almost back at pre-pandemic levels.
The couple allegedly involved in a luxury goods scam appeared in court via video link yesterday. Pi Jiapeng (left), 26, and his wife Pansuk Siriwipa, 27, were each handed two charges of cheating and one of leaving Singapore illegally. The judge remanded them, agreeing with the prosecution that they were a flight risk.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (left) in southern Ukraine has been shelled in recent days, opening up the possibility of a grave accident just 500km from the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Russia says Ukraine is recklessly firing at the plant, while Kyiv says Russian troops struck it themselves.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's (right) pledge to carry out a public probe into the multi-billion-dollar scandal involving delayed naval vessels could backfire on his party, Umno. Insiders say defence contracts have been a source of patronage for vested interest groups linked to the party.
Drink stall owners and a coffee shop association welcome the move requiring freshly prepared drinks to be labelled with a Nutri-Grade mark but are unsure how the nutrition content will be measured. They note that the drinks, which include coffee, juices and bubble tea, each have different amounts of sugar added as they are prepared.
The muted response from retail investors to Singapore's inaugural sovereign green bond was expected, given its 50-year tenor, say analysts. The public offer drew 1,749 applications totalling $52.9 million, representing a 1.06 subscription rate. The bonds will be issued to retail investors on Monday.
