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Developing countries are in a vicious debt cycle with little relief in sight, undermining social progress.
Synopsis: The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests.
Some 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments in their debt, than on either education or health. In 2023, a record 54 developing countries allocated 10 per cent or more of government revenue just to pay off interest on their debt - reducing funds available to provide basic services from schools to hospitals, for their populations.
Public debt thus becomes a human rights crisis, as well as an environmental crisis as most debt is denominated in foreign currencies. Countries then often have to export their way out of debt - which in many cases, such as in that of Laos, means exploiting their natural resources.
The crisis is worsened by the fact that for many developing countries, it is more costly to borrow than for rich countries - because their credit ratings are worse. For example, the average African country may be paying almost 10 per cent while the United States and Germany may be paying less than 3 per cent, because the latter have higher credit ratings.
In Laos' case, there is a geopolitical dimension as well; about 50 per cent of Laos's external debt is owed to China.
There is wide consensus that this is a full blown crisis, but the solutions to it are hard to implement. Part of the reason is many creditors are private lenders. Yet solutions are critical if developing countries are to be able to dig themselves out from under the mountain of debt they are burdened with.
In this episode of Asian Insider, Olivia De Schutter, professor of law and UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, and Keith Barney, Associate Professor at the Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy, share with host Nirmal Ghosh insights into the fundamentally unjust situation many developing countries are trapped in.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:52 Global debt: From $51 trillion in 2010 to $97 trillion in 2023
4:01 The Pact for the Future acknowledges the issue, but much public debt is owned by private creditors
5:53 Why Laos debt crisis is also an environmental crisis; China's role in this
10:04 Since the debt is in foreign currencies, countries must export to repay it
13:59 China offers debt deferrals, not relief, just delaying the issue
16:01 Debt burden is driving the international community to consider debt-for-nature or debt-for-climate swaps
Follow Nirmal Ghosh on X: https://str.sg/JD7r
Read Nirmal Ghosh's articles: https://str.sg/JbxG
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
Host: Nirmal Ghosh ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
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Is modern dating painful and how can those who want to find love in 2025 find love intentionally?
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
On this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah dissected the dating game with Andrea Tan, a certified sex, love and relationship coach and founder of Athena Rising Coaching & Consulting and Chia Wei Goh, founder of CGull, a dating consultancy for men.
According to results from a Bumble survey that was released mid-Nov 2024, people here are still keen to date – four in five Singaporean singles interviewed are looking to find a long-term partner in 2025. (Bumble is a women-first dating and social networking app that was founded in 2014.)
But what are some of the issues that get in the way of finding love?
From treating dates as job interviews to having many deal-breakers, both Andrea and Chia Wei dove into the insights they gleaned from working with their clients.
Natasha wanted to find out if dating stereotypes of ideal partners that surface on social media – “man in finance, trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes” or “trad wife”, for example – hurt or help one’s chances at making a great impression.
Meanwhile, Chia Wei suggested that both genders take on a niche hobby such as yoga for men or muay thai for women, to open more opportunities to meet a partner of the opposite sex.
Andrea, who is also Bumble’s relationship expert, said that to press ahead in the dating game, one needs a cheerleader support group to provide positive affirmations.
Highlights (click/tap above):
6:59 Should you lower your standards in dating?
11:46 Looking for KPIs in dating
15:16 Men are in a more vulnerable position than women
29:42 Is it game over in the dating game for those over 40?
32:51 Where to start if you’re a first-time dater
35:00 Are men bad at conversations?
Connect with these coaches on social media:
Chia Wei: https://www.instagram.com/cgullwing/
Andrea Tan: https://www.instagram.com/theathenarising/
Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN
Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Read Elizabeth Law’s articles: https://str.sg/wL8cFilmed by: ST Video
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Elsa Goh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX
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Fehlende Folgen?
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“Money not enough” - not even raising fares can fix current school bus woes.
Synopsis: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times examines not just vehicle prices but wider transport issues and trends connected to public and private transport.
School bus fares are constantly rising, and yet operators are saying that ferrying pupils to schools is a loss-making venture with little way out. Mr Darry Lim, 44, who grew his father’s bus company from eight to 38 buses, says that the troubles facing the industry are only worsening as a sizeable number of local drivers are leaving the trade every year.
Darry is the director of Hui Leong, a private transport company and serves as the transport officer of the Singapore School Transport Association which represents mainly self-employed school bus drivers.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:21 More drivers than buses are needed
4:11 Shrinking local driver population also means a cut in foreign drivers because of the allowable foreign worker quota, worsening the situation
7:05 A driver’s typical working day start at 5.30am to pick up the first pupil
15:40 The international school student chips in
19:15 “I might be dead before I can pay off the bus!”
Read Lee Nian Tjoe's articles: https://str.sg/wt8G
Follow Lee Nian Tjoe on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/iqkJ
Read more Transport articles: https://str.sg/KHyM
Host: Lee Nian Tjoe ([email protected])
Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Follow Wheel Insights Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/iTtE
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/iqW2
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Rich lodes of valuable metals lie on the seafloor. Will a global rush to mine them be allowed – and will doing so damage the world’s oceans?
Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.
Scattered across the sea bed are trillions of potato-sized lumps brimming with lucrative metals vital to making electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, smartphones and much more. This is sparking a “blue rush”, as some countries and companies are eager to cash-in on them.
Yet the mining of polymetallic nodules remains banned and there are growing concerns that scooping them off the sea floor risks disrupting one of the most important, but still poorly understood, parts of the planet. In this episode, hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty speak with The Pew Charitable Trusts’ project director of ocean governance Julian Jackson on the risks.
Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):
2:12 Three different types of deep sea mining
6:42 Environmental impacts of deep sea mining
12:21 Why countries are pushing for deep sea mining
14:58 Implication of Micronesian country Nauru announcing intention to start sea bed mining.
17:02 Is deep sea mining necessary?
Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W
Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2
Follow David Fogarty on X: https://str.sg/JLM6
Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu
Hosts: Audrey Tan ([email protected]) & David Fogarty ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
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Good leadership that inspires confidence cuts across age.
Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.
It isn’t possible to draw lines along age, tenure, skill and leadership in the working world as neatly as previously.
The image of top leaders has expanded beyond the notion of someone assuming their position after a long-drawn process.
This is a convention upended, perhaps most prominently, by the heady proliferation of influential start-ups with precociously young leaders at the helm, one of whom journalist Tay Hong Yi spoke to in the latest episode of Headstart On Record
His guest is:
Mr Looi Qin En, partner at venture capital firm Saison Capital, who co-founded careers discovery platform Glints.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:00 How did Glints’ co-founders start a business that young?
3:20 How did Qin En grow both his technical skills and soft skills so quickly?
6:30 How to convince people to look past your age as a young leader?
14:53 How to inspire confidence among those you lead?
16:59 Has Qin En ever felt he has peaked early in his career?
20:32 Where young leaders have the most room to learn
Read Tay Hong Yi's articles: https://str.sg/w6cz
Follow Tay Hong Yi on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/AAxy
Host: Tay Hong Yi ([email protected])
Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong & Joanna Seow
Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here:
Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3
Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9
Feedback to: [email protected]
Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl
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Factors to watch are increasing population, workforce and productivity.
Synopsis: Join The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the Asian continent.
In this episode, Ravi speaks with James Cheo, chief investment officer for Asean and India with HSBC Group Private Banking, on the glowing economic prospects for Asean and India amid weakening growth in the ageing countries of North-east Asia.
Mr Cheo is a former macroeconomist with Singapore’s central bank, Monetary Authority of Singapore.
They discuss what’s driving growth in South-east Asia and India, growth being led by productivity and not just investments, and the potential pitfalls investors into these regions need to look out for.
They also discuss the likely impact of Donald Trump returning to the American presidency in January 2025.
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:10 The ‘Triple Rs’ powering South-east Asia
6:40 The new AI is all about Asean and India
9:50 The middle class is leading the way for both regions
11:00 India: 8 years of market gains in a row; Rupee stability great for investors
20:10 Asean’s tripwires
23:00 Deglobalisation challenge; Trump's return and South-east Asia
Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected])
Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP
Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
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From unwanted Secret Santa gifts to guest etiquette fails, Natasha and her guests dive into the dos and don’ts of navigating holiday gatherings with humour and grace.
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
The holiday season is here, bringing with it the fun - and sometimes the headache - of social gatherings. Whether it’s an office party, a house dinner, or a festive get-together with friends, the rules of holiday etiquette can be blurry.
On this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha is joined by colleagues who are seasoned party hosts themselves - The Straits Times features correspondent Elizabeth Law and ST senior audience growth specialist Friday Farzanah.
With tinsel on their mics and an adorable alt-Christmas tree, the trio dissect different scenarios of holiday etiquette, from navigating cheapo Secret Santas to guests who break your glasses. They debate whether “enforced fun” like icebreaker games should be, well, enforced, and reflect on gracious hosting and thoughtful guest behavior.
What pet peeves do you have about office parties, or being a guest or host during the holiday season? Tell us in the comment section below!
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:56 Secret Santa - yay or nay?
7:06 The rules of regifting
17:50 Is it ok to flake on a house party if you don’t feel up to it?
27:48 The paw-rent dilemma of dealing with excited guests
39:05 Tag-team hosting
Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN
Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Read Elizabeth Law’s articles: https://str.sg/wL8cFilmed by: ST Video
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Elsa Goh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX
Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P
YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u
Feedback to: [email protected]
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It is safer to live near a nuclear power plant than to ride a plane, says an expert. Do we have a Not In My Backyard (Nimby) syndrome?
Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Nuclear energy: Why not? That is the response from an expert on why Singapore is exploring it.
The radioactive release from the Fukushima meltdown in 2011 did not kill anyone, but thousands of workers at coal mines die every year, says Dr Alvin Chew, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in NTU.
Dr Chew’s research focuses on the usage of civilian nuclear energy. He was previously with the civil service, working on energy security and energy transition issues.
“When you compare the (nuclear sector) to airline industries, there are more airline crashes and lives being lost. But yet, people are still flying,” he adds.
Still, the horrors of nuclear disasters such as the meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima appear to have scarred mankind. To go nuclear or not is a highly polarising topic in many countries.
To gain the public’s trust on nuclear energy in Singapore, Dr Chew emphasises the importance for authorities to explain a country’s need for nuclear energy, educate the people about radiation safety, and also ensure the population is prepared for a worst-case scenario.
Most of the time, the best form of protection is to stay at home, shut the windows and wait for the authorities’ instructions, he adds.
Singapore, like several other countries mired by the triple threat of climate change, energy security and rising electricity costs, is taking a hard look at a controversial energy source – nuclear power.
The authorities have been exploring advanced nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors (SMRs), that are promised to be safer.
In this episode, Lynda Hong and co-host Shabana Begum find out what drives the fear of nuclear power. Will Singapore residents allow a nuclear plant to be built in their 'backyard'?
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:32 No deaths from Fukushima meltdown itself, but more deaths from coal-mining
7:34 Evacuation is not the best protection from radiation leaks
9:36 Why small modular reactors (SMRs) are suitable for Singapore
17:00 Nuclear and the 'Nimby' syndrome
26:02 How nuclear waste becomes a social issue
Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH
Read Shabana Begum’s articles:https://str.sg/LfQG
Hosts: Lynda Hong ([email protected]) and Shabana Begum ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producer: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
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Want a dress ironed? A facial? A shirt darned? Or perhaps a coffee freshly brewed, right on your doorstep?
Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s global correspondents about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.
More services are being offered by Indonesians on motorcycles and bicycles.
Mr Subban has a sewing machine affixed to the table in front of his bicycle. Madam Desri Muliati irons clothes on a motorcycle, using a steam iron heated with a portable gas canister.
They are among Indonesia’s formidable force of informal workers that drive the economy, accounting for nearly 61 per cent of the country’s total labour force.
In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying speaks with journalist Aqil Hamzah about the services that these workers provide, and why they eschew jobs in the formal sector.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:10 Making ends meet
3:32 Finding them on Tik Tok, Instagram and on WhatsApp
6:07 Getting started during the pandemic; how much do they roughly earn as part of this 'informal' economy?
8:46 Challenges for the new Prabowo government
15:30 A reporter intern’s observations about Indonesia; his first experience of Jakarta
Read Aqil Hamzah’s article here: https://str.sg/tQXq
Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR
Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
Host: Li Xueying ([email protected])
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
Feedback to: [email protected]
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Hypertension is a silent killer; check it before it’s too late.
Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Do you know if you have high blood pressure or what's also known as hypertension? According to the National Population Health Survey 2022, about one in three Singaporeans aged 18 to 74 has hypertension. This condition puts them at risk of heart disease and stroke. However, a significant proportion remains unaware because the symptoms become obvious only when the condition is severe.
Hypertension is present when a person’s blood pressure is at 140/90 mmHg or higher. But a slightly lower reading doesn't reduce the risk. In August 2024, the European Society of Cardiology, an influential society among cardiologists, introduced a new high blood pressure or BP category of 120-139. This implies that even readings in this range are not 'normal' as doctors once thought.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo talks to Assoc Prof Chin Chee Tang, a cardiologist from the National Heart Centre Singapore, about the new category and what to make of it. They also discuss renal denervation, a procedure that the same society said may be considered for some patients with uncontrolled, drug-resistant high blood pressure.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:19 Should I be worried about a new category of hypertension?
5:30 How do I manage my blood pressure?
11:39 Monitoring the impact of salt reduction on your blood pressure
13:32 Can high blood pressure be lowered to normal levels?
19:39 Is renal denervation the right procedure for resistant hypertension?
Check out ST's new series, No health without mental health: https://str.sg/mentalhealthmatters
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
Host: Joyce Teo ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Follow Health Check Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
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Feedback to: [email protected]
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The implementation of developing countries’ climate targets hinges on the availability of finance and technology
Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.
Despite the criticisms surrounding the UN climate conference COP29, which took place over two weeks in November in Baku, Azerbaijan, negotiators managed to reach an agreement on two key finance-related issues.
A new goal for annual climate finance flows was set at US $300 billion by 2035, a three-fold increase from the previous $100 billion target. Developed countries should take the lead in delivering this amount to developing countries to help them take climate action. An agreement on carbon markets was also reached at the summit, allowing countries to cooperate through the international trade in carbon credits to meet their climate goals.
But what do all these mean for Singapore and South-east Asia? In this episode, host Audrey Tan finds out from Ms Grace Fu, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment.
Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):
3:45 What does the COP29 outcome mean for Singapore and South-east Asia?
9:17 Can the outcome on carbon markets at COP29 help to overcome concerns on environmental integrity?
11:00 What is Singapore’s reputation in the area of carbon markets like?
13:07 How will the outcome on the new climate finance target affect climate action in Asia?
17:46 Will the waning leadership of traditional climate champions such as the US and the EU affect investor confidence in climate initiatives?
Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W
Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2
Follow David Fogarty on X: https://str.sg/JLM6
Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu
Hosts: Audrey Tan ([email protected]) & David Fogarty ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag
Feedback to: [email protected]
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Two avid travellers reveal their top hacks, where to sit on the plane and how to cut the budget while having fun.
Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times.
Singaporeans love to travel. In a survey, people said one overseas trip a year is essential. But how do we travel well while still maintaining our budgets?
Would you travel to Europe but eat cup noodles to save money?
In this episode, ST business correspondent Sue-Ann Tan looks at the top travel hacks from experts, how people achieve “budget comfort” and upgrade the travel experience without splurging thousands of dollars.
Her guests are Youtrip chief operating officer Kelvin Lam, who once left his investment banking job to be a full-time backpacker, and youthful “budget comfort” traveller Prisca Ang.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:00 How Prisca spent $3,500 for seven cities in 10 days in Japan
8:33 Should I take a direct flight or layover; top travel hacks; benefits of (being near) youth hostels
13:59 Flight hacks: what to pack, where to sit, sales
18:00 How much is too much to spend on travel?
23:45 Prioritising experiences, rather than just seeing famous sights
33:00 Must you take at least one overseas holiday a year?
Read Sue-Ann Tan's articles: https://str.sg/mvSa
Follow Sue-Ann Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/A86X
Host: Sue-Ann Tan ([email protected])
Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong & Joanna Seow
Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here:
Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3
Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9
Feedback to: [email protected]
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The US’ President-elect inherits a world different from that in his first term.
Synopsis: The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests.
Tariffs - as a weapon to restore and rejuvenate American jobs and manufacturing - will be back with a vengeance in Donald Trump’s second term. So will competition with China, in the course of which performative support for Taiwan by hawks in Congress and Washington DC security circles may end up provoking Beijing and thus hurting Taiwan.
Yet the US’ 47th President will inherit a world different from that of his first term in 2017 - one with more limits to American power. While some hawks in Washington see China as weak and advocate that the US should do everything it can to push it over the edge, realists understand the US can no longer do everything.
From the perspective of South-east Asia, it is imperative to defuse the zero-sum mentality of US-China competition. Faced with the disruptive effects of tariffs, this region has to also find ways to go back to a kind of globalisation that works for everyone.
These are some of the challenges, and currents, that the next American President and the US' trade partners and allies must navigate and adapt to, as a new era looms in Washington DC.
In this episode of Asian Insider, Nirmal hosts Danny Quah, Professor of Economics and Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, and Robert Manning, Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC, who is working on the think tank’s Strategic Foresight and China programmes.
They share their perspectives from opposite sides of the world, on the foreign policy of the Donald Trump 2.0 Administration.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:51 Defusing the zero-sum game; what is Trump's idea of a bilateral trade deficit?
6:47 Trump inheriting a very different world now in his second term
13:17 Is there a kind of globalisation that can work for everyone?
16:34 Why Donald Trump is not shy to exercise hard power
18:02 China weak? Why the US can't do everything anymore
23:54 What makes Trump so tricky to work with?
Follow Nirmal Ghosh on X: https://str.sg/JD7r
Read Nirmal Ghosh's articles: https://str.sg/JbxG
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
Host: Nirmal Ghosh ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
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Unlike our school days where it was easier to find a buddy, making new friends as an adult isn’t something that we leave to chance.
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
When you hit your adulting years, it is inevitable that someone will ask you “Have you found a partner?”. Interestingly enough, you rarely get asked if you have made new friends.
The struggle to make new friends when you are older is real. Many don’t realise - or only learn when they drift apart from their childhood friends - is that friendships, like other relationships, take effort to thrive.
In this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores the complexities of forming - and keeping - friendships in adulthood.
Joining her are Grace Ann Chua, 30, CEO and co-founder of Friendzone SG, and Jarel Low, 34, the co-founder of Offline Singapore, two individuals dedicated to creating events for meaningful connections.
From how to step out of your comfort zone to red flags in friendships, the trio discuss the upside - and challenges - to meeting new people.
Highlights (click/tap above):2:15 Why is it difficult to make friends as an adult?
9:20 The 25s vs the 35s: the different friendship outlook
14:03 Are Singaporeans a judgy, guarded bunch?
22:20 Red flags in friendships
34:05 What if you have lost the ability to make friends?
Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN
Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXmFilmed by: ST Video
Edited by ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX
Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P
YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u
Feedback to: [email protected]
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How Singapore intends to settle noise disputes more effectively.
Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Settling noise disputes will be easier with mandatory mediation as the Community Disputes Management Framework (CDMF) is enhanced, under the Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill.
Involved with how the framework can be enhanced is grassroots leader Raymond Poh.
In this episode, Lynda Hong and co-host Christie Chiu speak with him to hear about his 14 years of experience in dealing with noise disputes, and how mediation has been effective in resolving disputes between neighbours (with an 80 per cent success rate with voluntary mediation cases).
Mr Poh also shares how the Community Advisory Panel’s (CAP) recommendations, along with the proposed CDMF enhancements, may help neighbours better understand one another and find middle ground.
If the dispute remains unresolved after mediation with the Community Mediation Centre (CMC), neighbours may consider approaching the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) to file a claim as a last resort. This is equivalent to taking legal action against your neighbour, and parties involved are required to attempt mediation before filing a CDRT claim.
The new laws will also mean that officers under the new Community Relations Unit (CRU) have powers to investigate and take action in disputes where a neighbour severely disrupts the peace, such as cases where the neighbour deliberately makes loud noise throughout the day.
Officers can investigate, such as taking statements from neighbours, and with the resident’s consent, install noise sensors in homes to collect evidence.
The authorities also intend to allow the Housing Board to consider compulsory acquisition of flats as a deterrent and “the absolute last resort for severe, recalcitrant nuisance-making”.
This measure will be considered only when all other levers have failed, and acquisition is needed to protect the interests of other residents, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Law and Ministry of National Development said in a joint statement in August, adding that this will be similar to how HDB can consider compulsory acquisition of flats for those convicted of throwing killer litter under the Penal Code.
This podcast is brought to you by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY): https://www.mccy.gov.sg
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:25 CCTVs, house visits and detective work - a memorable dispute that Mr Poh had mediated
7:38 Different forms of mediation
8:17 The difference between the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT)
11:37 Why settling neighbour disputes amicably is still a priority over mandatory mediation
12:40 How simple 'give and take' neighbourly acts can help avoid mediation as much as possible
More on the Community Disputes Management Framework: https://go.gov.sg/cdmf-enhancements
Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH
Read Christie Chiu’s articles: https://str.sg/3ESxU
Hosts: Lynda Hong ([email protected]) and Christie Chiu ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producer: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb
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While there is concern over trade policy, US investors remain bullish on business with Asean.
Synopsis: The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests.
With President-elect Donald Trump intent on using tariffs as a weapon - with the larger strategy of rejuvenating American manufacturing - there is concern that the US could retaliate against countries that have a big trade surplus with the United States.
Within the 10-nation Asean bloc, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand could become targets.
But Asean's growth and competitiveness remains attractive regardless. From 2022 to 2023, for example, foreign direct investment (FDI) declined in all regions of Asia except Asean. More broadly, intra-regional trade in Asia is expected to rise by 65% to US$400 billion (S$535 billion) a year by 2030, which is a good sign for US and Asean investors.
Growth opportunities include artificial intelligence, semiconductor production, digital commerce, medical devices, and mineral supply chains - and Asean countries are competing for investment.
In this episode, Ted Osius, a former US Ambassador to Vietnam and currently President and CEO of the US-Asean Business Council in Washington DC, shares with host Nirmal Ghosh, the business council’s concerns and wish list, and also why he thinks that, regardless of US government policy, investors are bullish on South-east Asia.
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:10 The wish for a forward-looking US trade agenda remains as this region moves forward
7:23 From 2022 to 2023, FDI declined in all regions of Asia, except Asean
10:05 Which Asean countries are making real efforts to attract FDI?
12:48 Growth opportunities for US and Asean investors
13:30 Singapore a leading force in Asean, driving the digital economy framework
Follow Nirmal Ghosh on X: https://str.sg/JD7r
Read Nirmal Ghosh's articles: https://str.sg/JbxG
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
Host: Nirmal Ghosh ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
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With more people conscious about mental health issues, is going to therapy the solution to deal with inner mind and emotional struggles?
Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.
These days, conversations about mental health - and content about it - are everywhere.
Within that space, therapy often comes up as a way to deal with mental health issues. People write about it in personal essays, it’s bandied around in memes, and on TikTok, there are therapists who create short-form videos about boundaries, trauma and coping mechanisms.
But should everyone be in therapy?
To answer that question, The Usual Place’s host Natasha Ann Zachariah speaks with Raquel Ang, 35, co-founder of telewellness platform IHearU App, and singer-songwriter Layyi, 28, who was featured on a song called Lovin’ Me.
(The track, led by local singer-songwriter Haneri (Daphne Khoo) and also features Whylucas, is part of a youth mental wellness initiative by McDonald’s Singapore.)
Raquel, who has a Master’s in Counselling, has been in therapy for about two years, while Layyi started in September 2023. Both of them experienced a “breaking point” in their lives which pushed them to explore therapy.
Natasha discusses with them about whether therapy should be a universal experience or a deeply personal choice. Together, they unpack how therapy has changed them, their initial concerns about going for it and why it’s one of many tools for mental health.The Usual Place Podcast will give away 10 sets of exclusive McDonald’s merchandise to be given away. Each set consists of a tote bag, a sticker sheet, four postcards and a pack of F&B vouchers (expiring on Dec 31, 2024).
Here’s how you can win them: Subscribe to The Straits Times Podcasts’ YouTube channel and leave a comment there under this video - Is therapy only for those with mental health issues? - about what’s the best way you’re taking care of your mental health. The team will select 10 winners and get in touch with them. Good luck!
Highlights (click/tap above):2:57 Openness and eagerness for change - considerations for therapy
6:47 When is the right time to go to therapy?
11:01 The stigma of therapy
14:38 “Only the problem kid goes for therapy.”
25:03 Picking a counsellor or therapist
30:54 “Therapy speak” being a part of daily conversation38:52 Going to therapy is like going on a date with yourself
Host: Natasha Zachariah ([email protected])
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN
Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Filmed by: Studio+65Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX
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Feedback to: [email protected]
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Improve your chances of getting a ride on a wet Friday evening with some hacks from this experienced cabbie.
Synopsis: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times examines not just vehicle prices but wider transport issues and trends connected to public and private transport.
Mr James Quak is among the 89,000 qualified taxi drivers in Singapore. In this episode of Wheel Insights, the 49-year-old sheds light on how taxi drivers work out their share of the vehicle rental and how they decide which ride booking to take.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:35 The difference between being a taxi hirer and a “relief driver”
5:41 How much driving time makes up for daily taxi rental
13:59 Why taxi drivers don't look out for street-hailers
17:46 How much taxi drivers benefited during the East-West Line MRT disruption in September 2024
23:01 The reason why taxi drivers always seems to be changing shift during peak travel hours
25:39 Advice for those considering joining the trade
Read Lee Nian Tjoe's articles: https://str.sg/wt8G
Follow Lee Nian Tjoe on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/iqkJ
Read more Transport articles: https://str.sg/KHyM
Host: Lee Nian Tjoe ([email protected])
Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong
Follow Wheel Insights Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/iTtE
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/iqW2
Spotify: https://str.sg/iqgB
Feedback to: [email protected]
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While Singapore is transforming into a City in Nature, natural habitats have been lost to development, leading to more human and animal clashes. How can wildlife and humans live in harmony?
Synopsis (headphones recommended): Green Trails is a four-part environment podcast special for 2024 where The Straits Times hits the ground with experts.
In this fourth episode, our trails won’t be entirely green. Instead of a nature park or a green space, we head over to an urban place surrounded by buildings and construction noise.
The new neighbourhood of Punggol Northshore recently saw some monkey business, with troops of long-tailed macaques spotted at construction sites and even eating at a void deck of an HDB block.
To find out how residents can responsibly live in a macaque hotspot, ST journalist Shabana Begum speaks with co-chief executive of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) Anbarasi Boopal, and president of the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) Andie Ang.
Strolling along Punggol Settlement and the promenade opposite Coney Island, the conversation turns to other wildlife in our midst – from the common palm civets that tend to sneak into private houses, to the ever-present junglefowls.
Animals in urban areas being culled is never a clear-cut decision, as Ms Anbarasi says: “Removal (of animals) is always not a solution. And where do we draw the line, right?“We are okay with hornbills, but we're not okay with other birds.”
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:10 Why is Punggol a monkey hotspot?
4:45 Monkey see, monkey don’t do
11:08 When otters and civets visit homes
14:30 Is culling the best way to reduce bird numbers?
17:08 What to do when you encounter a snake
Read ST’s previous commentary about co-existing with wildlife: https://str.sg/tYpq
Find out more about macaques in Punggol: https://str.sg/ephc
Listen to other Green Trails episodes:
Ep 1: Visit to Sungei Buloh: How Singapore can better host migratory birds - https://str.sg/BrqS
Ep 2: Visit to East Coast: How reclamation will shape up against rising sea levels - https://str.sg/mRG8
Ep 3: Visit to Windsor Park: Can insects in SG's backyard be foraged? - https://str.sg/4V6nQ
Host: Shabana Begum ([email protected])
Trail producers: Hadyu Rahim, Fa‘izah Sani, Amirul Karim & Elsa Goh
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive Producers: Lynda Hong ([email protected]), Ernest Luis ([email protected]) & Audrey Tan ([email protected])
Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag
Feedback to: [email protected]
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The amount, quality and access of climate finance among key issues to be discussed at COP29.
Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.
Expectations are mounting on negotiators at COP29, the UN climate conference, to produce an outcome on climate finance. The annual summit, from Nov 11 to Nov 22 in Baku, Azerbaijan, is shaping up to be a “finance COP”, where discussions on the new collective quantified goal for climate finance – or how much money should be channelled to developing countries to help them take climate action – are expected to conclude.
In this episode, hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty chat with Ms Illari Aragon, the climate policy justice lead at nonprofit Christian Aid.
Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):
2:39 What do we mean by climate finance?
4:18 Why are discussions on the new climate finance target so contentious?
11:29 The situation on climate finance in South-east Asia
12:38 The difference between providing and mobilising climate finance
14:40 Challenges for developing countries to access climate finance
Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W
Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2
Follow David Fogarty on X: https://str.sg/JLM6
Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu
Hosts: Audrey Tan ([email protected]) & David Fogarty ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag
Feedback to: [email protected]
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