The Straits Times Podcasts

What are the strengths and weaknesses as of today, since the Catalist board was set up in 2007? Synopsis: Senior columnist Ven Sreenivasan offers you an extra edge in managing your hard-earned money. In this episode, Ven hosts Ong Hwee Li, the chief executive officer of SAC Capital. SAC specialises in areas like investment banking, corporate mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and e...

Analysing this is our guest - Ambassador Peter Tesch, the veteran Australian diplomat and policy strategist. Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, Ravi speaks with the eminent Australian diplomat Peter Tesch, a former ambassador to Russia and Germany for his country as well as poli...

As we say goodbye to old buildings, spaces, and businesses in Singapore like the Golden Mile Complex and Peace Centre, how do Singaporeans feel about these places? Many young people often revisit spots that hold a special connection for them, places filled with fond memories from their childhood. How would they feel if these cherished locations were to disappear? The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Z...

Singaporeans who have been to Olympics tell us why it is so important. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  Whether you are an athlete or a sports enthusiast, it is clear that the Olympics hold a special place in hearts worldwide.  From historic achievements to record breaking feats, the Olympics serve up some unforgettable moments e...

Long internships are just one form of the many talent schemes that are accepted by employers. Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times helps you put your career on the right footing from the outset. The job search is getting increasingly complex as the range of options broaden. Employers are also placing increasing focus on grooming talent in a more structured way to let them...

The tension between drivers and motorcyclists in Singapore is longstanding, ugly and increasingly a fatality risk - but what lies at the root of this strained relationship?  Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Traffic accidents claimed the lives of 54 people within the first four months of 2024.  Motor...

Humans can and must cooperate to manage climate-driven mass migration, as a heating planet forces the poor and vulnerable, particularly in the global south, to move in order to survive.  Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change. The concept of the modern nation state is a relatively...

Do you know what the Singlish word is for "afraid to lose out"? Are there direct translations of Singlish to standard English? Here's a little bonus clip from our latest episode of The Usual Place. Check out the full episode here: https://str.sg/c2sY Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav Host: Natasha Zachariah ( natashaz@sph.com.sg ) Read Nat...

The kind of English we speak in Singapore has long been a discussion point.  Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives. Throwback to 1999 when then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong urged Singaporeans to start using standard English instead of Singlish. These days though, we fiercely defend our use of Singlish and embrace the Sing...

Excessive screen time can lead to speech delays, autism-like symptoms in children. Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. My 18-month-old loves viewing videos on my phone; why is he not talking? Screen time can help children develop social, creative, communication and other skills, but very young children, especially...

The iron rice bowl is still sturdy, but demands on Singapore's public service have changed. Synopsis: Every first Monday of the month, listen to the Work Talk podcast to help you work smarter, think deeper and get ahead in your work life. With 152,000 employees across 16 ministries and more than 40 agencies, the public service is the biggest department in town.   It reports to the government, but...

Our guest expert offers a striking insider look at what it was like to cover Donald Trump’s presidency, and lessons learnt from it.    Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests. Notwithstanding a conviction, and other cases against him, Donald Trump remains the fr...

This car-sharing service managed to convince the government to allow them to match private car owners to hirers. Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends. Car-sharing causes traffic congestion because the cars are more heavily used; the cars tend to be abused by the hirers; and in the event of an accident, t...

Can you differentiate between the ways to use "can"? How good are you translating Singlish into standard English? Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives. Join The Usual Place as host Natasha hits the streets of Singapore to ask the locals. Do you know what the singlish word is for "afraid to lose out"? Are there direct tra...

Hear home-grown singer-songwriters Shazza's and Umar Sirhan's intimate live studio take of their latest single, Rain In Manhattan. Synopsis (headphones recommended): This Music Lab playlist features the full live performance of music acts invited by The Straits Times to its podcast studio. Watch the special live performance and video podcast version of this episode on the Straits Times’ Podcast Yo...

Home-grown singer and songwriter Shazza is the 12th guest in this music channel. Synopsis (headphones recommended): Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio. In the 12th episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts Singaporean singer and songwriter Shazza. The past year has been quite eventful for the 22-year-old - her music caught the attent...

How is the government's $1.3 billion budget working for SMEs so far? We invite them on the show. Synopsis: Every first Monday of the month, listen to the Work Talk podcast to help you work smarter, think deeper and get ahead in your work life. It is June, the mid-point of 2024. Join Krist Boo and her co-host Timothy Goh on Work Talk to hear how Singapore's Budget 2024 measures are affecting small...

While the future Long Island will guard against sea level rise, the trade-offs to marine life and the East Coast’s character must be addressed, stakeholders say. Synopsis (headphones recommended): Green Trails is a 4-part environment podcast special for 2024 where The Straits Times hits the ground with experts. The next episode drops in August. By end-century, Singapore’s mean sea leve...

Scroll social media and you’ll likely be served a food recommendation or review, often one that’s either enthused or a takedown of sorts. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives. If someone takes videos of their food and serves them with a side of honest opinions, does that make them a good food reviewer? Singapore is a natio...

"Why invest in Singapore, when you can invest in the US?" Our guest expert counters this argument with facts and his opinion. Synopsis: Every third Monday of the month, senior columnist Ven Sreenivasan offers you an extra edge in managing your hard-earned money. In this episode, Ven hosts Thilan Wickramesinghe - regional head of research at Maybank Securities - to look at the investment outlook fr...

South-East Asia has big plans to become a regional carbon storage hub. Can it work or are the risks too great? Synopsis: Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change. For years now, we’ve heard a lot about carbon capture and storage as one possible solution to climate change. CCS, as it...

Our expert guest on what to expect on the external front from Modi 3.0, India’s challenges, and options. Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, Ravi speaks with the eminent foreign policy thinker C Raja Mohan, the noted scholar and close friend of India’s External Affairs Minister S...

What does it take for parents to nurture an athlete who wants to reach sport’s pinnacle? Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  The Olympics is just around the corner and come July, several Team Singapore athletes will fly the flag for the Republic in Paris. Two of them, kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder and Singapore kayaker Stephenie Chen...

Robust job prospects amid artificial intelligence race, despite trade tensions Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times helps you put your career on the right footing from the outset. The semiconductor industry has been a fixture of Singapore's advanced manufacturing space since 1968. The industry has grown from strength to strength, and is now reentering the forefront of the...

Children can invoke feelings of joy, gratitude and fulfilment, but also thoughts of fatigue, financial stress, and lack of personal time? Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. For the first time ever, the resident total fertility rate (TFR) dropped below 1, hitting 0.97 in 2023. Singapore's replacement T...