Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Chinese New Year’s just around the corner and snaking queues for crispy new notes at our local banks are a common sight at this time of the year. But with greater focus put on the environment now than before, the Monetary Authority of Singapore is encouraging the public to use “Fit-for-Gifting” notes, or fit notes.  Cindy Mok, Assistant Managing Director (Finance, Risk and Currency), Monetary Authority of Singapore shares why new notes are not sustainable in the longer term.

In today's Breakfast Brief, we speak with Lee Kian Soon, CEO, Astral Asset Management about the implications for the Fed’s upcoming interest rates decision and the sectors set to benefit from the China reopening story.

Many foreign businesses are gearing up to resume business travel to China following its reopening, with at least four business missions expected to take place between Singapore and China over the next three months.  Kurt Wee, President, Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME) shares his take on business confidence in China, growth opportunities and what start-ups looking to venture into China need to look out for.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this first episode of 2023, he chats with Serge Besanger, a director of Paris-based Centre for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies, on how the war in Europe is shaping and the potential for it to spread to Asia, thanks to the strategic compact between Russia and China. Besanger, who divides his time between Paris and Singapore, says Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to widen the war and that risks bringing Asia into the conflict.  Highlights (click/tap above): 1:30 How Besanger's organisation sends life-saving blood 'pouches' into Ukraine 8:50 French to supply ‘hot pursuit’ tanks to Ukraine 12:05 Fusing of Asian, European theatres 15:03 Which Asian nations are aiding Russia? 17:25 Europe’s view of China slides; how Russian-Ukraine war could last another three years Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsider

From the UK and Japan signing a defence agreement to UK’s ailing healthcare system coming under the spotlight.  Raffaello Pantucci, Senior Fellow, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU gives us his analysis on these headlines and more. 

ARTWALK takes on the theme Echo this year. Public will get to see Singapore’s cultural heritage from a fresh perspective through works created by contemporary artists who are set to bring Little India and Katong-Joo Chiat to life. Contributing artist Laurie Maravilla (aka SPAZ), Artist & Community Organiser, RSCLS and Tambisan sa Sining shares more.

Interest in studying abroad is expected to pick up as we transit into a post Covid-19 world.  What should students looking to study abroad look out for and what resources do organisations like IDP Singapore have to help them make better informed decisions? Emma Chen, Marketing Manager, IDP Singapore with more.

In today's Breakfast Brief, we speak with Jeremy Tan, CIO, Tiger Brokers (Singapore) on his outlook for US inflation and rate hikes expectations at the next FOMC meeting. 

Despite attractive insolvency regimes in the West, many companies are choosing Singapore to be their restructuring jurisdiction. In 2022 alone, amid a wider industry downturn, exchanges like Zipmex, Hodlnaut and Vauld applied for bankruptcy protection and/or debt restructuring in Singapore's courts. Jansen Chow, Co-Head, Fraud, Asset Recovery & Investigations, Rajah & Tann talks about the unique features of Singapore's legal framework that make it the restructuring jurisdiction of choice.

The global crypto market experienced a brutal shock in 2022, where the two largest cryptocurrencies by market cap, BTC and ETH, fell by 64 percent and 67 percent, respectively. Oi-Yee Choo, CEO, ADDX shares her take on how the tokenisation and crypto market is set to evolve in 2023.