The Straits Times Podcasts

The Big Story Ep 73: Covid-19 reinfections - What you need to know 8:46 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Experts told The Straits Times that people who have recovered from Covid-19 can get reinfected with the virus, as immunity wanes with time, even if they will likely be protected for a time. Senior infectious diseases consultant Dale Fish...

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...

#PopVultures Ep 41: Discussing snubs and shocks at Star Awards and Golden Globes 27:07 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries. This week, the #PopVultures cannot wait to talk about the awards season. After skipping a year due to Covid-19, local broadcaster Mediacorp's Star Awards is back and bigger than ever, wi...

Health Check Ep 54: Understanding Singapore’s portfolio approach to vaccine procurement 9:42 mins Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times that aims to help you make sense of health matters that affect you. This episode looks at how Singapore zeroed in on its choice of Covid-19 vaccines - from those by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna that are based on a relativ...

Bookmark This! Ep 19: Written In The Stars - books to read for Valentine's Day 18:32 mins Synopsis: A monthly literary podcast by The Straits Times featuring titles in the headlines and sizzling reads. In this Valentine’s Day episode of The Straits Times literary podcast, journalists Olivia Ho and Toh Wen Li visit star-crossed lovers old and new, from William Shakespeare's merry As You Like...

Bookmark This! Ep 19: Written In The Stars - books to read for Valentine's Day 18:32 mins Synopsis: A monthly literary podcast by The Straits Times featuring titles in the headlines and sizzling reads. In this Valentine’s Day episode of The Straits Times literary podcast, journalists Olivia Ho and Toh Wen Li visit star-crossed lovers old and new, from William Shakespeare's merry As You Like...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 120: An Australian Open like no other 14:20 mins Synopsis: #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times’ weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week, ST sports editor Lee Yulin and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath discuss tennis’ first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, which began on Monday (Feb 8). The topics: Rohit assesses the men’s...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 120: An Australian Open like no other 14:20 mins Synopsis: #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times’ weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week, ST sports editor Lee Yulin and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath discuss tennis’ first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, which began on Monday (Feb 8). The topics: Rohit assesses the men’s...

Green Pulse Ep 43: Future of Singapore’s patchwork forest 18:51 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change. Singapore’s forests have come under the spotlight lately, as debates over the fates of the Clementi and Dover forests continue. But these plots are not the first nor last of the country's forest...

Green Pulse Ep 43: Hear sounds of Clementi Forest; debating future of Singapore’s patchwork forest 18:51 mins Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change in this podcast series. Singapore’s forests have come under the spotlight lately, as debates over the fates of the Clementi...

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 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...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 119: What is the impact of cancelling the Olympics? 14:28 mins Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week, sports correspondent David Lee, assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath and sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan look at the possible scenario of the Tokyo Olympics being cancelled due to the coronavir...

Lunch With Sumiko Ep 29: Singapore's Tamil-English rapping hip hop star Yung Raja 5:22 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times' executive editor Sumiko Tan gets up close with newsmakers over lunch - and a selfie. In this episode, Sumiko Tan meets hip-hop artist Yung Raja, 25, who is among a handful of entertainers successfully putting Singapore on the global music map with his heady blend of spitfire Tam...

#PopVultures Ep 40: Abandoned surrogate babies and ageism in entertainment! 28:23 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries. For the #PopVultures' 40th episode, Jan Lee and Sam Jo deliver a double whammy of topics - first covering the unfolding saga of Chinese actress Zheng Shuang who has been cancelled after it wa...

Health Check Ep 53: Covid-19 panel expert addresses vaccine side effects, concerns 11:25 mins Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times and this episode is on the safety and common concerns in Singapore over the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines. Global surveys have shown that a key concern for those hesitant about taking the Covid-19 vaccine, lies with the...

World Economic Forum & Radio Davos: Great global reset; actor Robert Downey Jr on becoming a green venture capitalist 30:58 mins Synopsis: This podcast from the World Economic Forum follows the progress of the Great Reset - as stakeholders from business, government and society seek to change how the world works, putting people and planet at the heart of everything we do. Host Robin Pomeroy is...

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...

The Big Story Ep 72: Extremist content online – should Govt be more proactive in blocking access? 8:55 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Christian and Muslim religious leaders in Singapore met on Thursday (Jan 28) to reaffirm the mutual trust and understanding between the two religious communities and condemn the plot by a 16-year-old...

The Big Story Ep 71: Covid-19 vaccines likely still effective against variants 4:03 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Covid-19 vaccines like the Pfizer-BioNTech version being used in Singapore are likely to remain effective against new variants of the coronavirus, including recent strains detected in Britain and South Africa. Professor Ooi E...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 118: Are profiteers targeting sports-starved Singaporeans? 14:06 mins Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz and sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan explore an ST news report that revealed bookings for public sports facilities are being resold - at a higher rate - on...

Green Pulse Ep 42: Perfect storm - Will 2021 be the year the world warms to climate change? 14:04 mins Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change in this podcast series. Despite the pandemic dominating headlines, governments and investors made major commitments last year to t...

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...

The Big Story Ep 70: Recent Covid-19 cases in dorms not cause for alarm: Experts 3:31 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Journalist Kok Yufeng shares more with The Big Story hosts Hairianto Diman and Olivia Quay on what experts have said about the sporadic Covid-19 cases in the foreign worker dormitories. No dorm cases had been reported since...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 117: NMP Mark Chay on plans to help local sport survive beyond Covid-19 19:23 mins Synopsis:  #GameofTwoHalves is The Straits Times' weekly sports podcast that is out every Tuesday. This week ST Sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz hosts former national swimmer Mark Chay, who was among the nine new Nominated Members of Parliament selected to serve a two-and-a-half year t...