Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Local scientists from NTU recently developed a new cooling system that is set to cut the carbon footprint of data centres by a quarter. Project team-lead Associate Professor Wong Teck Neng from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University Singapore shares his take on how significant this new invention is in Singapore’s broader push towards sustainability. [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | OmnyStudio [Contact Us] Presenter: Lynlee Foo Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

An incident at a school assembly has ignited a curious debate over what some regard as an outdated and top-down education system  Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe. They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.  In this episode, she chats with ST’s Indochina Bureau Chief Tan Hui Yee. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:34 Why did over 100 students get ugly haircuts? 2:55 Do Thai schools have haircut rules for students? 4:10 Authoritarianism or a matter of discipline? 5:40 Is student unrest welling up in the election season? 7:55 Are gender identity issues at play? 9:20 What do ugly haircuts tell us about a changing Thailand? 9:55 Is Thailand a relaxed, tolerant society? Read Tan Hui Yee’s article here: https://str.sg/i4ia Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo Read Tan Hui Yee’s articles: https://str.sg/i4iR Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters - --- Discover more ST podcast channels: In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt 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 ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (new): 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 --- Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsider

Have you ever wondered what goes into ensuring Singapore’s residential towns are liveable, especially as needs and expectations evolve? Harvey Neo, Senior Fellow at the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities shares his take on the importance behind master-planning as governments face increasing pressures from the influx of immigrants into urban cities. [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | OmnyStudio [Contact Us] Presenter: Lynlee Foo Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Beijing has condemned Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's ‘sneaky transit’ in the US to engage in a historic encounter with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which took place despite threats of retaliation from China. Ross Feingold, Director of Business Development, SafePro Group analyses the nuances behind that unprecedented meeting. [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | OmnyStudio [Contact Us] Presenter: Lynlee Foo Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

China has set this year's growth target at "around 5%", in a cautious forecast after the pandemic-hit economy posted one of its weakest expansions in decades. At the National People's Congress held in March, China says its focus for 2023 is the economy. But what exactly are they going to focus on and which sectors will be their priorities? In this episode of the Bigger Picture, Ryan Huang zooms in on everything China with Lance Noble, Head of China Reality Research at CLSA.

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges during a court hearing in New York. In a speech in Florida after his arraignment, Trump says his only crime is defending America and that his lawyers claim there is no case against him. Kevin Madden, Senior Partner at the Penta Group gives his analysis on how strong the case is against the 2024 White House contender. Highlights: 00:56 - Now that we know what charges Trump is up against, could you give us a sense of what the potential consequences might be? 01:49 - Trump has hired top criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche to head his legal team as he gears up to fight those criminal charges - all of which he has pleaded not guilty to. Which charges in particular should we expect his lawyers to be challenging, and how strong a case do they have?  03:28 - Trump’s lawyers have so far insisted that the allegations are politically motivated. In your opinion, how likely is Mr Trump going to get a fair trial given that he's up against a judge that has crossed paths with him in 2022? 05:00 - Kevin, you're known to be a veteran of presidential campaigns. So, what kind of impact will this have on Trump’s 2024 Presidential run? 05:58 - Publicity yes, but could it actually further boost his popularity? 07:09 - Looking at it from a legal standpoint, there is nothing in US law that prevents a candidate who is found guilty of a crime from campaigning for, and serving as, president - even from prison. We’re still in the early days, but how likely is that scenario going to play out?  08:11 - Conservatives believe that Trump is being held to a different standard of justice while liberals view this as an issue of holding law-breakers - even those in the highest positions of power - accountable. In your opinion, will this deepen already sharp divides within the American political system?  [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | OmnyStudio [Contact Us] Presenter: Lynlee Foo Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

The US Dollar Index (DXY) dropped to the fresh low since February late Tuesday, as softer US data joins downbeat fundamentals to weigh on the DXY.  Is the dominance of the US dollar in global trade also facing a significant challenge with emerging global economies, such as China and India, stepping forward to trade in their own currencies? As the world's second largest economy, China has been steadily increasing the use of its currency in international transactions, with many countries, including the members of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) bloc, now settling trade deals in yuan. Bloomberg reported that China’s yuan has replaced the US dollar as the most traded currency in Russia, a year after the invasion of Ukraine led to a slew of Western sanctions against Moscow. So, is the dollar dominance dissipating as China and Russia tilt towards a new currency bloc? Willie Keng finds out from Phan Vee Leung, CIO, Trackrecord in this latest episode of the Bigger Picture.

If you’ve ever dreaded listening to on-hold music as you wait for your customer service agent, you’re not alone.  According to a study by the Qualtrics XM Institute, Singaporeans find themselves spending more time waiting on customer service teams, with almost half of the respondents leaving with unresolved problems.  Bruce Temkin, Head of Qualtrics XM Instituteshares his insights on the matter andexplains why empathy could be the missing factor in the business equation.

Is being an entrepreneur a result of nurture or nature? And what does it take to be successful? In this special podcast series brought to you by Citi Commercial Bank in celebration of  International Women’s Day we will speak to inspiring professionals who embody the spirit of entrepreneurship and champion the power of women in the working world. In this episode, Host, Rachel Kelly speaks to Shayna Teh, founder of Food Market Hub. Shayna is a female entrepreneur who stems from a family of entrepreneurs. but that doesn’t mean her journey has been smooth sailing. 

OPEC+ made a surprising production cut to support “oil-market stability” – with adjustments taking effect in May and through the year. This is on top of previously announced cuts of 2 million barrels a day. How will oil prices move?  And with the odds of recession rising, will the Fed further hike rates in the coming months?  Willie Keng analyses all that with Abhilash Narayan, Senior Investment Strategist, Standard Chartered Private Bank.