The Straits Times Podcasts

#PopVultures Ep 39: GOT7 and longevity of pop idol groups 34:01 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries. In their first episode of 2021, #PopVultures Jan Lee and Sam Jo discuss some K-pop news - the exodus of GOT7 members from their management agency JYP Entertainment. They recap the details of the GOT7 exit, dis...

Lunch With Sumiko Ep 28: Opposition Leader & Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh 5:49 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 the Leader of the Opposition, Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh. Mr Singh was formally designated Leader of the Opposition after the genera...

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...

Health Check Ep 52: Addressing Covid-19 vaccine safety and the science behind it 20:14 mins Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times and this episode is on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines. Much has been said about the safety and effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine frontrunners but there are still many people who are hesitant about taking the vaccine, most...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 116: Indra Sahdan on how to groom Singapore's next goal machine 14:54 mins Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points. This week ST Sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz hosts former national captain and Lions marksman Indra Sahdan, who is offering commercial specialised striker coaching sessions called The Finishing Touch , to budding...

The Big Story Ep 69: Expert says rise in imported Covid-19 cases not threatening healthcare system yet 4:41 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Associate Professor Alex Cook of NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, weighs in with The Big Story host Olivia Quay on the rise of imported Covid-19 cases in Singapore. With a nine-month high of...

The Big Story Ep 68: Police can access TraceTogether data – how will it affect future uptake rate? 10:09 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Following the Jan 4 statement on the Singapore Police Force's access to TraceTogether data, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan - Foreign Affairs Minister and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation initiative -...

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...

The Big Story Ep 67: High-Speed-Rail termination latest in Malaysia's recent rail controversies 5:10 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. In his latest piece, Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh writes that Malaysia's cancellation of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project is the latest in a series of controversies involving train pro...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 115: What to look forward to in sport in 2021 16:34 mins Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points. ST Sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz hosts ST’s sports editor Lee Yulin and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath, as they share what they hope for from both local and international sports and athletes in the new year. Sazali...

Green Pulse Ep 41: Putting sustainability on the national agenda 12:14 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. This year, the environment ministry in Singapore was renamed the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment. Previously, it was...

The Big Story Ep 66: What are the metrics of success for home-based learning in 2021? 6:36 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Home-based learning is set to become mainstream as students from secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute will have compulsory HBL days of at least two days a month, starting from the third term of 20...

Health Check Ep 51: How to find the right doctor 12:24 mins Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times. In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo asks Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, the director of global health at the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, for tips on how to find the right doctor. They disc...

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...

#PopVultures Ep 38: 2020's Pop Culture milestones & mishaps 34:49 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries. It's been an unprecedented year of viruses, face masks and Zoom calls, but nevertheless, pop culture soldiers on. The #PopVultures Jan Lee and Yeo Sam Jo pay tribute to some of this year's dearly departe...

Bookmark This! Ep 18: Our favourite books of 2020 31:55 mins Synopsis: A monthly literary podcast by The Straits Times featuring titles in the headlines and sizzling reads. What are the books that got you through 2020? In the latest episode of this monthly literary podcast, The Straits Times journalists Olivia Ho (left) and Toh Wen Li (right) pick some of their favourite books that came out this y...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep 114: Breaking at the Olympics and the Singapore scene; EPL wrap 19:29 mins Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points. Money FM's Adrian Abraham talks to ST sports correspondents Sazali Abdul Aziz and David Lee, and sports broadcaster Shehzad Haque, as they talk about North London clubs Spurs and Arsenal slipping up again, while Manches...

The Big Story Ep 65: Keep going to hawker centres to keep culture alive  6:36 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. About 6,000 hawkers in more than 110 hawker centres across Singapore will receive in the coming weeks, a label indicating their new Unesco intangible cultural heritage status. The cultural milestone for Singapore - hawker cult...

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...

Green Pulse Ep 40: Could no-kill meat products be food for the future? 15:49 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 has become the first country to approve the sale of a cultured meat product -- chicken bites by Californian start-up...

Health Check Ep 50: Pros and cons of online doctor reviews 11:51 mins Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times.  Today’s episode is on online doctor reviews. Recently, the Singapore medical council (SMC) advised doctors to refrain from participating in online search engine optimisation platforms that make use of patient feedback and ratings, as these can be...

The Big Story Ep 64: Phase 3 'positive, uplifting news'; voluntary Covid-19 vaccination is 'constitutional right': Expert 10:51 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, weighs in with The Big Story hosts Hairianto Diman and Olivia Quay...

#GameOfTwoHalves Ep.113: Singapore athletes fight back against body shaming, mistreatment 17:30 mins Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times tackles the biggest sports talking points. Money FM's Adrian Abraham talks to ST sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz about local athletes speaking out against a culture of abuse - both physically and mentally - which they have been victim to for years....

Lunch With Sumiko Ep 27: UN intellectual property agency's Singaporean chief Daren Tang explains Covid-19's effect on innovation 5:03 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 Singaporean lawyer Daren Tang, who became Director General of the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property O...

#PopVultures Ep 37: The Crown and all that Diana Drama! 31:15 mins Synopsis: The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries. This week the #PopVultures Jan Lee and Yeo Sam Jo wade into the world of prestige drama - Netflix's hit series The Crown, about the British royal family and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In Season Four, its l...