Deep Dive

US military strikes on Venezuela and the dramatic seizure of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife have sparked international outrage and discussions about a new global order. Where does this leave countries like Singapore? In this Deep Dive episode, Tiffany Ang speaks with Professor Joseph Liow of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Kevin Chen from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies to examine the broader geopolitical stakes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) accused three students of academic fraud this year, saying that they used generative AI tools in their assignments. What are the limitations around AI use, when does it cross the line and is it time to rethink the way assignments are designed and assessed? Steven Chia and Otelli Edwards speak with Associate Professor Ben Leong, director of the AI Centre for Educational Technologies at NUS, and Jeremy Soo, co-founder of Nex AI.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore reported 314 suicides in 2024, with the sharpest increase among adults aged 30 to 39. Nearly two-thirds were men. What pressures do these groups face? And what are the warning signs? Otelli Edwards and Steven Chia speak with Dr Jared Ng, a psychiatrist and the former chief of emergency and crisis care at the Institute of Mental Health, and Eugene Chong, counselling psychologist at Seeding Minds. WHERE TO SEEK HELP  If you or someone you know is struggling and needs support, please consider reaching out to one of the helplines below.    Youthline: +65 6436 6612 (call), 8533 9460 (text) and over email at hello [at] youthline.sg (hello[at]youthline[dot]sg). Youthline provides free mental health support to youth via phone, email or a live chat service. It runs from 9am to midnight daily. Calls outside of operating hours are redirected to Samaritans of Singapore or the Singapore Civil Defence Force for emergency medical services.   Samaritans of Singapore: 1767 (call), 9151 1767 (WhatsApp text) and over email at pat [at] sos.org.sg (pat[at]sos[dot]org[dot]sg). Samaritans of Singapore provides round-the-clock confidential emotional support for individuals in crisis, thinking about or affected by suicide. The call and text-based services are operational 24 hours a day, every day of the week.   National Mindline: 1771 (call), 6669 1771 (WhatsApp) and through online webchat on the http://mindline.sg/fsmh website. This is a round-the-clock confidential national-level helpline. Beyond immediate counselling, those who require more support can be directed to the appropriate care and resources. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid rising rents and growing competition, some Singapore businesses are closing down or relocating to cheaper premises. A local bakery in Siglap announced on social media it was moving out after its rent was increased by 57 per cent. Are commercial rent hikes spiralling out of control, or is this simply market forces at work?Steven Chia and Otelli Edwards speak to Ethan Hsu, head of retail at Knight Frank Singapore, and Terence Yow, managing director of Enviably Me Group of Companies and chairperson of the SG Tenants United for Fairness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karen Wee, Executive Director of Lions Befrienders, and Dr. Reuben Ng, a social gerontology expert, dive into the alarming rise of elderly Singaporeans living alone, which has doubled in a decade. They discuss the urgent need for community support and the dangers of isolation, linking loneliness to serious health risks. Reuben challenges ageist stereotypes, advocating for assessing capabilities over age. Together, they explore innovative solutions, from tech to tailored engagement programs, to empower seniors and improve their quality of life.

After Singapore beat Hong Kong to qualify for the Asian Cup, interim head coach Gavin Lee was handed the top job, with a mammoth task – to turn Singapore football around. He reveals how he's staking his 18-month contract on a bold strategy to strengthen the Lions. Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang speak to him about how he measures success on the football field and how challenging better national teams is part of the big plan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When local bakery chain Twelve Cupcakes abruptly announced that they were closing and going into liquidation, about 80 employees were suddenly left jobless. Can more be done to strengthen Singapore’s employment laws without hurting our competitive edge? Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang sit down with Patrick Tay, assistant secretary-general of NTUC and Amarjit Kaur, head of employment at Withers KhattarWong on tightening safeguards when companies fail their employees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mother was recently sentenced to jail for faking her home address to get her child into a primary school, raising the question - just how far will parents go to secure a spot in their school of choice and how can we tighten the process? Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang unpack the pressures some parents face with Primary 1 registration with Junda Ong, founder of SG Schooling and Assistant Professor Jacqueline Ho from Singapore Management University. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore has revised its ambitious "30 by 30" goal, now aiming to produce 20 per cent of its fibre needs and 30 per cent of its protein requirements by 2035. But with high costs, limited land and a small farming base, how realistic are these farming targets? Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang unpack what it’ll take to build a resilient food supply chain and get Singaporeans to buy local with Professor Paul Teng from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Ray Poh from Artisan Green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With English dominating daily life in Singapore, some parents say they lack the confidence or motivation to speak and teach their mother tongue at home. So how can we help children appreciate and learn their mother tongue languages — and can we see them as more than just another school subject? Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang sit down with Dr Tan Ee Ling, owner of Shiawase Books and Hayati Abdullah from NUSA Malay Language Tuition and Enrichment Centre on this week’s episode of Deep Dive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.