The Straits Times Podcasts The Straits Times

"Why invest in Singapore, when you can invest in the US?" Our guest expert counters this argument with facts and his opinion.

Synopsis: Every third Monday of the month, senior columnist Ven Sreenivasan offers you an extra edge in managing your hard-earned money.

In this episode, Ven hosts Thilan Wickramesinghe - regional head of research at Maybank Securities - to look at the investment outlook from our vantage point in Singapore, at the halfway mark of June, in 2024.

This also comes against the backdrop of the new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sworn in on May 15, taking over from Mr Lee Hsien Loong, now Senior Minister.

They also cover opportunities that include bringing to fruition nascent projects such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Ideas mooted under the zone include a passport-free QR code system to speed up immigration clearance and a one-stop business and investment service centre in Johor to make it easier for Singapore businesses to set up shop there.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:11 What is the outlook for Singapore’s GDP for the rest of the year? 

6:06 The 1Q 2024 results season just concluded: Major takeaways

8:32 There is a new PM and Cabinet for Singapore in place: How Singapore is benefitting from safe haven flows and a strong ecosystem for start-ups and innovation

11:10 On the Johor-Singapore SEZ: After previous attempts, what is different this time round and what are the opportunities?

13:55 "Why invest in Singapore, when you can invest in the US?": Is this a valid statement and how should investors think about South-east Asian markets?

16:26 Discover Thilan's top stock picks in Singapore at the halfway mark of 2024 and reasons for his choices

Produced by: Ven Sreenivasan (ven@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, and Teo Tong Kai

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Follow ST's Your Money & Career Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3

Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Ven Sreenivasan's articles: https://str.sg/wuQe

Get business/career tips in ST's HeadSTart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Do note: All analyses, opinions, recommendations and other information in this podcast are for your general information only. You should not rely on them in making any decision. Please consult a fully qualified financial adviser or professional expert for independent advice and verification. To the fullest extent permitted by law, SPH Media shall not be liable for any loss arising from the use of or reliance on any analyses, opinions, recommendations and other information in this podcast. SPH Media accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever that may result or arise from the products, services or information of any third parties.

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South-East Asia has big plans to become a regional carbon storage hub. Can it work or are the risks too great?

Synopsis: Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

For years now, we’ve heard a lot about carbon capture and storage as one possible solution to climate change. CCS, as it is known, involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from polluting operations, such as power plants, refineries and steel and cement production and injecting the CO2 deep underground. 

And not just anywhere. It has to be the right type of geological formation to ensure the CO2 doesn’t escape. 

But CCS hasn’t taken off quite as well as many, especially those in the fossil fuel industry, had hoped for. There have been several very costly failures.

And yet there are plans to greatly scale up CCS, including the creation of regional CCS hubs. One of these is in South-east Asia, using depleted oil and gas wells. 

This would lock away CO2 captured from industries in the region, or, CO2 brought in by tanker ships from major polluting nations such as Japan. So, is this a good idea? Can it make a difference in fighting climate change? Or, is it just storing up trouble for the future?

To tell ST's climate change editor David Fogarty more about this is energy sector expert Grant Hauber, advisor for Asia for the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis, a US-based think tank. 

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

2:02 What is carbon capture and storage?

4:33 What are CCS hubs and can you explain the regional plans to create them?

8:43 CCS has been around for several decades. What have we learned?

17:10 And what about liability? Who’s responsible for any leaks?

21:01 CCS remains expensive. Will a high carbon price per tonne drive investment?

25:18 And what about alternative methods to remove CO2?

Produced by: David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim 

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow David Fogarty on X: https://str.sg/JLM6

Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Our expert guest on what to expect on the external front from Modi 3.0, India’s challenges, and options.

Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent.

In this episode, Ravi speaks with the eminent foreign policy thinker C Raja Mohan, the noted scholar and close friend of India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

They discuss Indian foreign policy in the wake of the recent elections that returned Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power for a third time.

Mr Modi resumes office at a time of dire border tensions with China, ruffles in what was a swiftly developing relationship with the United States, and a growing compact between India’s traditional security partner Russia and China.

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:50 A time for fresh choices

8:30 The Andhra factor in foreign policy

13:30 Could history repeat on the China border?

14:25 Soured ties with the West

17:30 Ties with Russia, now a junior partner of China’s

19:50 Soft-pedalling Quad

21:45 Where’s India’s ‘Act East’ policy?

Read more: https://str.sg/qSNa

Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg) and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Ravi Velloor on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u 

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt 

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE 

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN 

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf 

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m 

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE 

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad 

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX 

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn 

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB 

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB 

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 

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Scroll social media and you’ll likely be served a food recommendation or review, often one that’s either enthused or a takedown of sorts.

Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives.

If someone takes videos of their food and serves them with a side of honest opinions, does that make them a good food reviewer?

Singapore is a nation of foodies, and we're passionate about what we eat. But it seems like many food creators often go in with quick overviews, giving honest reviews or enthused recommendations without much context on social media.Intrigued by this proliferation of content creators who feed their audience with clickbaity spiel and pepper their food recommendations with superlatives, I wanted to find out the highlights and pitfalls of online food reviewers in this age of quick-fire social media content.To help me answer questions I have about this crowded scene, I invited food and lifestyle content creator Chiara Ang, second-generation hawker Melvin Chew, and former home-based baker-turned-marketing entrepreneur Then Zhi Wei to weigh in on the practices that make a good food review.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:35 Are there too many food reviewers on social media?6:59 Being brutally honest13:00 Eating at an establishment where you find your dish to be sub-par: To post or not to post online?18:36 Adding value with food content27:35 Showcase more than just the menu34:07 What consumers should look out for when consuming 'social media' food reviews

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Zachary Lim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video

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

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Natasha Zachariah's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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What does it take for parents to nurture an athlete who wants to reach sport’s pinnacle?

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 

The Olympics is just around the corner and come July, several Team Singapore athletes will fly the flag for the Republic in Paris. Two of them, kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder and Singapore kayaker Stephenie Chen will make their Olympics debut. 

Beyond their individual hustle to get to sports’ grandest stage, Maeder's and Chen’s journey to the Olympics has been helped by their families' relentless support.

In this episode, Maximilian’s parents Valentin Maeder and Hwee Keng and Michael Chen and Sarah-Yvonne, parents of Stephenie, join sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan to talk about how they have supported their children’s aspirations. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:00 Did Maximilian Maeder's and Stephenie Chen’s parents have sporting backgrounds that influenced their kids?  

13:10 Is there a point in which parents build a roadmap to sporting success?  

17:40 Why is there a need to trust the experts and coaches as opposed to intervening? 

21:12 Making sacrifices for your children when they pursue sports 

26:28 Why parents should be a safe space for their children who pursue sports 

35:00 Reacting to naysayers who say there is no future in sports

Read: https://str.sg/DMK2

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg), Eden Soh and Amirul Karim 

Edited by: Amirul Karim 

Follow Hard Tackle every month here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on X: https://str.sg/wtra

Read his articles: https://str.sg/ip4G

Catch visual snippets of the podcast from ST's sports Instagram page: https://str.sg/vn2F

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#hardtackle
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Children can invoke feelings of joy, gratitude and fulfilment, but also thoughts of fatigue, financial stress, and lack of personal time?

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.

For the first time ever, the resident total fertility rate (TFR) dropped below 1, hitting 0.97 in 2023. Singapore's replacement TFR rate meanwhile stands at 2.1 - the level of fertility at which the population replaces itself from one generation to the next.

The instincts to procreate, it seems, are varied and personal, as hosts Sarah Koh and Aqil Hamzah - journalists from The Straits Times - find out from their guests. 

For Ms Charisse Grace Agustin, 29, being childless was a decision that she made at the age of 18, while still a junior college student.

Mr Sng Shan En, 27, on the other hand, is already a father to a three-year-old, with plans for more children in the future if his wife wants them.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:00 The advantages to having children younger rather than older

6:00 Heartwarming moments vs. material sacrifices of having children

10:17 The future regret in not having children

16:22 Would the government’s push for babies change your decision?

18:46  Is parenting a 50/50 effort between mom and dad?

21:04 Would higher cash incentives nudge more towards parenthood?

Produced by: Aqil Hamzah (haqil@sph.com.sg), Sarah Koh (sarahkoh@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong, Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified of new episodes:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb 

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg 

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg 

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH 

Read Aqil Hamzah’s articles: https://str.sg/i5gS 

Read Sarah Koh’s articles: https://str.sg/CzpH

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u 

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt 

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE 

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN 

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf 

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m 

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE 

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad 

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX 

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T 

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn 

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB 

Singapore’s War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa 

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Get The Straits Times’ app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB 

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.