Let's Talk, Singapore

Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of. Do follow all nine episodes of Invisible Asia over the next two months on The Straits Times podcast channel on audio apps - Apple podcasts, Spotify or Google podcasts. The S...

Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of. Do follow all nine episodes of Invisible Asia over the next two months on The Straits Times podcast channel on Apple podcasts, Spotify or Google podcasts. The Straits Times'...

Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen, unheard and little talked about.  Do follow all nine episodes of Invisible Asia over the next two months on The Straits Times podcast channel on Apple podcasts, Spotify...

Asian Insider Ep 60: Himalayan glacier disaster - instability possibly exacerbated by climate change 14:29 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. Amid shrinking glaciers and unstable slopes, building more roads and dams in the Himalayas increases the risk of disaster, as Nepa...

Asian Insider Ep 59: Myanmar in crisis as military coup comes at worst time 20:30 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. Myanmar's future has been thrown into grave doubt, with international communities' options limited, as historian Dr. Thant Myint-U and analyst Richard Hors...

Asian Insider Ep 58: Organised crime a threat to Asean 21:21 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. South-east Asia's challenge of tackling organised crime syndicates goes beyond the issue of dealing with drugs. Their activities often have an impact on human trafficking, mone...

Asian Insider Ep 57: Biden presidency a welcome change for Japan and South Korea 16:34 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. How would Joe Biden’s presidency affect Japan and South Korea? Correspondents Chang May Choon and Walter Sim tell Asian Insider what to expect with th...

Asian Insider Ep 56: Trump’s presidency - how Asia will view his legacy 16:52 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. President Donald Trump made his mark with his America First foreign policy, but how will Asia look back on his legacy? US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh hosts the f...

Asian Insider Ep 55: Plastic pandemic - plastic waste surges amid Covid-19 crisis 14:36 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. From masks to face shields and food packaging, the Covid-19 crisis has led to a new surge in plastic waste. The Straits Times' climate change editor...

Asian Insider Ep 54: Why India’s farmer protests are unlike any demonstrations PM Modi has seen 15:12 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. Protests continue, and are having ramifications abroad as well, ST India Bureau Chief Nirmala Ganapathy and Hudson Institute's Aparna P...

Asian Insider Ep 53: Biden inherits a conflicted United States Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. The US election and its contested result has denied Washington its bragging rights of having the most secure democracy in the world, as Georgetown Professor Sanford Ungar explains...

Asian Insider Ep 52: Wuhan one year later - Covid-19 scars remain but life returns to normal 13:43 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. Life in Wuhan, once the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak, has largely returned to normal. But some residents are still reeling from the...

Asian Insider Ep 51: China ends absolute poverty in signature achievement for President Xi Jinping 14:10 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. China marked a milestone in its anti-poverty efforts this week, removing its last remaining counties from a list of poor regions. ST...

Asian Insider Ep 50: What would a Biden administration mean for Asia? 15:45 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. In this episode, ST's associate editor Vikram Khanna moderates and hosts a special panel comprising Singapore ambassadors and professors Tommy Koh and Chan Heng...

Asian Insider Ep 49: Life-changing and scarring pandemic for HK and Singapore youth 12:55 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. Depression may be a serious long term effect of the Covid-19 pandemic for the youth in Singapore and Hong Kong. Ghosh hosts The Straits Times' Hong...

Asian Insider Ep 48: Disunited States of America - internal tensions worsening 15:54 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. The US has been through major upheavals and may be on the cusp of another. In this episode, Mallory Newall - public opinion analyst and Washington DC-ba...

Asian Insider Ep 47: On tenterhooks in Asia: China, India keenly watching US Election 17:50 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. What does another Trump presidency or a Biden victory mean for China and India? Nirmal Ghosh hosts The Straits Times' China correspondent Elizabe...

Asian Insider Ep 46: High risk of election-related violence in the US 16:56 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. The high risk of election-related violence on and beyond the US presidential election on Nov 3 is worrying, say experts on Asian Insider. 1) Introduction (0:08)...

Asian Insider Ep 45: Thailand in crisis: Special Parliament session offers space for compromise 13:47 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. How far will the Thai government go in meeting protesters’ demands? The outcome is uncertain as protesters remain emboldened amid crack...

Asian Insider Ep 44: Why the Quad is not an Indo-Pacific "Nato"; 4-nation mechanism still only consultative 16:38 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. The Quad of four nations was revived because of wariness of China but is still aspirational, as Brookings Institute's Tanvi...

Asian Insider Ep 43: US Election won't shift its foreign policy: Bilahari Kausikan  14:51 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective on the week's global talking points with expert guests. Will the US Election shift the country's foreign policy? Former top diplomat Bilahari Kausikan tells ST's US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh why we shoul...

Asian Insider Ep 42: Taiwan Strait tension- US a key factor in China's sabre-rattling 16:54 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, together with our stable of 30 correspondents based around the world, The Straits Times gives an Asian perspective on the global talking points of the week. There is rising military pressure on Taiwan as China sees the United States to be veering from the One China policy. What...

Asian Insider Ep 41: Thailand's anti-government protests erupt due to pent-up grievances 16:39 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, together with our stable of 30 correspondents based around the world, The Straits Times gives an Asian perspective on the global talking points of the week. Thailand's anti-government protests have been growing in recent months. ST's US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh hosts politic...

Asian Insider Ep 40: Myanmar's NLD still likely election winner amid conflict and Covid-19 14:56 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, together with our stable of 30 correspondents based around the world, The Straits Times gives an Asian perspective on the global talking points of the week. As Myanmar goes to the polls, Aung San Suu Kyi's popularity with the Bamar Buddhist majority will prevail, analysts R...

Asian Insider Ep 39: India & China edging towards more serious conflict in the Himalayas? 15:47 mins Synopsis: Every Friday, together with our stable of 30 correspondents based around the world, The Straits Times gives an Asian perspective on the global talking points of the week. ST's US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh hosts Hudson Institute South Asia expert Aparna Pande, and ST's global affairs c...