Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Under the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement, both countries will embark on 17 joint initiatives for a start, such as developing a list of environmental goods and services with an eye to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers. On the Straits Times The Big Story, Multimedia Correspondent Hairianto Diman speaks with Professor Sumit Agarwal, managing director of Sustainable and Green Finance...

In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Eleanor Smallwood, Host and Producer at the BBC on the future of UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, what to expect from Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee’s first ever policy address as well as the Freedom Thought Prize - the European Union's highest tribute to human rights defenders.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that Singapore is the fifth richest city in the world and the second-wealthiest in Asia with nearly 250,000 millionaires?  Well, according to a report by London-based investment migration firm Henley & Partners, that number is set to get even higher with the country set to get 2,800 more High-Net-Worth Individuals this year.  The report also added that the country could see more o...

Singapore’s current wave of Covid-19 infections is being driven by the XBB sub-variant. Now, it is expected to peak at an average of 15,000 daily cases by about mid-November. Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Dr Leong Hoe Nam, Infectious Disease Expert at the Rophi Clinic on what this means for Singapore’s fight against Covid-19 and can we expect to roll back stricter vaccination differenti...

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times analyses Singapore's latest news and announcements.  The Straits Times' Zakir Hussain, Singapore editor at The Straits Times, speaks with Money FM 89.3's Bharati Jagdish. The number of otters in Singapore has increased to 170 islandwide and the National Parks Board (NParks) is taking an integrated approach to managing their population, which includes relo...

As we edge closer to concepts like Web 3.0 and the metaverse, the bridging of worlds between virtual and reality will shine a spotlight on how technology can help to shape the future of Singapore’s smart cities ambitions. In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Jacques Beltran, Vice President, Cities & Public Services, Dassault Systèmes to find out more.  Produced and edite...

Inflation remains on the top of minds of investors as they continue to mull the latest September ‘s consumer price index figures. If you recall, the reading came in hotter than expected at 8.2% on-year from September, while annual core inflation rose from 6.3% in August to 6.6% in September, the highest yearly increase in 40 years. Meantime, market participants continue to digest the slew of earni...

9 in 10 Singaporeans are saying that investing can help protect their wealth amid inflationary pressures. Yet, lack of capital, fear of losses and lack of knowledge were the most cited challenges by investors. Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Gavin Chia, Singapore Managing Director, moomoo to find out how we can better address your financial concerns. See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Singapore's GST hike will go ahead as planned in January. But the government will review the measures to offset its impact.  In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimedia Correspondent Cheow Sue-Ann speaks with Irvin Seah, Senior Economist, DBS about inflation and the impact of tightening monetary policies on Singaporeans. They also discuss ways Singaporeans can better navigate the choppy waters...

New variants of the rapidly mutating coronavirus are still popping up around the world, and a new iteration of COVID on the rise in Asia may be the most immune-evasive yet. The XBB strain is causing a small surge in cases in several countries, including Singapore. What is this new XBB strain, should we be worried and how can we better protect ourselves from getting infected? Prime Time's Bharati J...

The metaverse is opening up a host of possibilities for users around the globe that stretch far beyond just gaming. Having come a long way from the early days of so-called virtual weddings, where most only appear in video games like The Sims or Maplestory, it is just a matter of time before we see a wedding in the metaverse!  And Singapore hosted its first such wedding on September 17 - when the C...

With more than half of surveyed organisations in the Asia Pacific scaling up their use of digital technologies, adaptability in cloud adoption is inescapable and essential. So how do companies cope with securing the immense flood amount of data? And how can businesses protect their most vital assets while keeping up this rat race of cloud transition? Prime Time's Bharati Jagdish speaks with Rafi K...

According to GlobalData’s deals database, financing deals worth some US$492.3 million were announced in Asia Pacific in August this year. This was a drop of nearly 40% over the previous month and close to a 45% ((44.6% drop)) when compared on a yearly basis.  But yet some VC investors seem to be actively funding projects and startups in the meantime. So how do they view the industry, and what are...

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. As ransomware continues to be a growing cybersecurity threat to businesses, In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Jacqueline Jayne, Security Awareness Advocate, KnowBe4 on how businesses can take preventive measures to mitigate the risks and also be prepared to deal with a ransomware incident, before it happens. Produced and edited by...

According to the latest data from jobs portal Indeed, there’s a growing demand for workers in hospitality and tourism. Other sectors that have seen a rise in hiring also include insurance, veterinary and real estate. With loosening pandemic restrictions and reopening of borders, what other opportunities can jobseekers look out for? And how challenging will it be for recruitment across industries a...

From Dec 26, bus and train fares will rise by 2.9 percent, meaning an increase of 4 to 5 cents for adults, depending on the distance travelled.  Meanwhile, fares for concession groups such as students and elderly will go up as well by a smaller amount of 1 cent. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimedia journalist Cheow Sue-Ann speaks with Transport Correspondent Kok Yufeng for more on these...

Malaysia's richest state, Selangor, confirmed that it will not dissolve its state assembly and hold polls this year, a move that points to prolonged political intrigue lasting at least till the middle of next year. Will the other states follow suit? Plus why is Dr. Mahathir Mohamad still contesting at the age of 97? And are the young cohort of first-time voters going to game changers for Malaysia'...

The US markets are on our agenda with the US CPI data for September set to be released on Thursday.  Based on earlier forecasts by Bloomberg, the headline consumer price index is expected to moderate slightly from 8.3 per cent on-year in August to 8.1 per cent on-year in September. Meanwhile, the more closely watched core inflation is set to rise from 6.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent on-year for Septe...

Businesses are all pushing towards digitalisation, the insurance industry is no different. Are Singaporeans keen to purchase the more complex or complicated insurance policies via an app-model? And what should consumers look out for when buying insurance online? In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Stephan Kaiser, Chief Executive Officer of KoverNow, for more insights. Produ...

Launched in 2020, Alibaba affiliate Alipay+ provides services and technology tools to global merchants and e-wallets to enable their users to make payments in overseas markets using their local e-wallets.  So far, Alipay+ is accepted by global merchants both online and in-store across over 55 countries and regions using partner e-wallets such as the namesake Alipay, Touch and Go, and Kakao Pay. An...

Prices of resale properties are still increasing and more HDB flats are crossing the one million dollar mark. Given the resilience of the property market in Singapore, how effective will the latest round of property cooling measures be? And how will Singaporeans really be impacted? Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Wong Siew Ying, Head of Research and Content, Propnex Realty to find out.  S...

Investments into the agricultural scene have gained increased attention amid supply chain disruptions brought about by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.  More recently, hurricane Ian hit Brazil, as well as Florida’s orange belt, sending orange juice futures in New York up by as much as 3% then. Question is - how can players in the industry mitigate such supply chain concerns and volatilities br...

The upcoming 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party taking place on Oct 16 Sunday is expected to be the most significant political event for China in decades. In the Spotlight on Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Jonathan Frewin, Senior journalist with BBC World Service Partner Hub on what to look out for that will set the tone for China’s goals and priorities for the next fi...

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has dissolved Malaysia's Parliament, announcing it in a special television address today, paving the way for snap polls nearly a year ahead of the deadline for a general election. It comes after Malaysia unveiled a smaller budget for 2023 on Friday, which is widely seen as an attempt to woo support for the ruling parties ahead of federal polls anticipated by year...

Today is World Mental Health Day. Prime Time's Bharati jagdish speaks with Mavis Chng, PR & Social Content Marketing Manager, JobStreet by SEEK to find out how career dissatisfaction, burnout, and unhealthy work-life balance can impact employees' overall mental wellbeing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.