By 2027, every school will have to follow standard disciplinary measures such as detention and conduct grade adjustment for different types of misbehaviour.

But the measure that divided parents, teachers and parliamentarians was that bullies can get up to three strokes of the cane.

Caning in schools is not new, so why were so many people upset that school bullies will be caned?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with ST education correspondent and former secondary school teacher Elisha Tushara, and chief executive officer of the Singapore Children’s Society Ang Boon Min, about what caused the scrutiny over caning for bullies.

At a time when bullying cases are increasing - albeit by a small number - will caning change behaviour among recalcitrant students? Also, if parents step in to take on their child’s bullies, will it make things worse?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:35 Does caning students work?

4:55 Do children learn from being caned?

8:22 Creative ways students try to escape caning

11:20 How do children become bullies?

13:34 Reframe the language around bullying

16:35 Most children don’t want their bully punished

19:11 Natural for parents to “feel an ache”

20:42 What is restorative justice?

22:35 Will teachers be stretched further?

26:45 How to help bullied children feel safe?

29:35 Parents involvement can be “unproductive”

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

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

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

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Assistant producer: Stacey Ngiam

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

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Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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The dopamine trap: Is Asia’s conservative culture driving a porn addiction crisis?

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Asia holds the highest rate of problematic pornography use in the world at nearly one in five people, according to a study which researchers term 'Asian Paradox'. While casual viewing can be healthy for adults in some instances, this taboo weaponises the dopamine hit for tech-savvy youths.

In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with Dr Peter Chew, Associate Professor of Psychology at James Cook University Singapore, to unpack this silent epidemic.
They explore the neuroscience behind the digital dopamine trap, why a teenager's developing brain is vulnerable, and why symbolic website bans are failing.

Dr Chew also dismantles common misconceptions, explaining the crucial difference between clinical addiction and religious guilt; how sex education should change; and why abstinence-only programmers cause higher unwanted pregnancies.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:25 Why is porn so devastating to a teenager?

6:40 Does porn addiction lead to sex crimes?

10:05 What does treatment entail?

12:38 Approaching the topic of sex and pornography with youths

16:24 Moral implications towards sex education

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

Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v

Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

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

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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A banquet in Beijing does not alter US-China rivalry but both leaders could sell modest outcomes as wins, says analyst.

Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points.

In this episode, US Bureau Chief Bhagyashree Garekar chats with Han Shen Lin, the China Managing Director for The Asia Group, a strategic advisory firm based in Washington DC. Mr Lin leads the firm’s China operations from its Shanghai office.

Concurrently, as an Associate Professor of Practice in Finance at NYU Shanghai, he teaches courses in global finance and markets.

Mr Lin also serves as Chair of the Financial Services Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

He is a US Marine Corps veteran (Indo-Pacific) and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Ukraine).

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:31 Is the summit happening for sure?

3:12 China could get Tehran's attention on a ceasefire, but will they?

5:39 Why has Trump been so keen to go to China?

7:28 What might be President Xi's top asks?

9:18 Will they talk about AI?

11:24 Trump often trolls foreign leaders but treats Xi respectfully. What does Beijing make of this?

13:54 Will this summit improve ties?

Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo

Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gD6E

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz

Host: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

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

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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