It is one of the most famous Chinese period dramas ever, but where are the members of its main cast now? Synopsis: How Did We Get Here is a new scripted series under the #PopVultures banner, where host Jan Lee will deep dive into a celebrity, a band or the cast of a movie or film that made an impact on Asian entertainment and how they got to where they are now. There is a good argument to be made that the most famous Chinese drama ever aired is the Qing dynasty period royal romance My Fair...

Asia is on the cusp of a summer of life-threatening dengue fever.  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. Dengue fever case numbers have gone up across the global tropics. This includes Singapore, a model in many respects for health surveillance and epidemic control, and mosquito control. In the first quarter of 2024, Singapore recorded more than double...

The head of the EV-electric shares some of the learnings from Singapore’s electrification journey. Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends. The pace of EV charger deployment at HDB carparks in 2024 will likely be slower than in the previous year - at least initially - before things pick up speed again. According to EV-Electric's chief executive, Mr Derek Tan, the target is to have another 700 or so...

Why mudflats are vital for dwindling numbers of birds that stop over seasonally. Synopsis (headphones recommended): In this new 4-part environment podcast series for 2024 - Green Trails - The Straits Times hits the ground with experts in spaces that are critical to the interlinked crises the planet faces: climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. The next episode drops in June. For this inaugural episode, our team heads to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the local haven for birds that...

Two youth volunteers - adults with full-time jobs - explain what motivates them to spark change in the community.  Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Youth Corps Singapore, which is under the National Youth Council, turns 10 in 2024. It is a division under the council that champions youth volunteerism to ignite positive change in society through community service. In this episode, ST podcast...

Carbon credit ratings can bring much needed transparency and accountability to the market – but is it enough to overcome years of mistrust? 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. Depending on who you speak to, carbon credits hold great promise as a tool to achieve deep cuts in carbon emissions to fight climate change. Or they are a scam that fails to deliver what...

How much is too much when sharing details of your life online? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives and digs deeper into issues of the day.Why do people feel so comfortable sharing intimate details of their lives online?The Usual Place’s host Natasha Ann Zachariah sits down with TikTokers Candice Gallagher and Shaun Elias Chua, and Twitch streamer Jacey Vong, to find out why they started sharing personal details of...

Consider other markets and the wider US tech sector.  Synopsis: Every third Monday of the month, hosts Lee Su Shyan and Ven Sreenivasan - both senior columnists at The Straits Times - offer you an extra edge in managing your hard-earned money. In this episode, Mr Adam Reynolds, Asia-Pacific CEO of Saxo, discusses the large exposure many investors have to the US tech stocks. What are the implications for them if the stocks face headwinds and how can they diversify? Highlights (click/tap...

IMH trial to study efficacy of personalised transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression. Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. Researchers from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore are studying a new personalised treatment for resistant depression.  It is the personalised version of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a...

Did Singapore let its golden boy down in any way? Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  In this episode of Hard Tackle, we delve into the lessons from the recent retirement of Singaporean swimming sensation Joseph Schooling on April 2, 2024, at just 28 years of age. Join ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan and assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath as they host two guests - Singapore Aquatics president and former national...

Hear the tough questions posed to our sports stars or authorities in our studio, and how they react. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  The Straits Times' sports podcast has been around for the past few years, in different formats - from Game Of Two Halves, to Sports Talk, and now...the Hard Tackle. We've found that this format has worked the best for us, and the harder the tackle, the more our listeners come back for...

A tech and corporate veteran breaks down the intensive interview process at top firms.Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times helps you put your career on the right footing from the outset. As skill demands and job complexity increase with economic advancement, so do employer needs as reflected in increasingly intensive job interviews. The stakes are especially high for candidates seeking a foot in the door at cutting edge companies in the technology sector and...

In a storied career, the diplomat Professor Tommy Koh also chaired the Earth Summit in 1992 and negotiated the Law of the Sea. 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. The framers of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea did not foresee global warming affecting oceans to the extent that it does - causing acidification and the death of coral reefs -...

Tan Tam Mei reflects on her time as Thailand correspondent, and looks ahead to how the country could navigate geopolitical and domestic politics. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. A man sings. It is part of Thailand’s folk music tradition from its north-east region of Isan. But he is warbling in Laotian - a reminder of...

Our guests discuss if parenthood is an expectation or choice. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives and digs deeper into issues of the day. In Singapore, where preliminary estimates indicate its Total Fertility Rate hit a record low of 0.97 in 2023, some are opting to remain child-free. In the first episode of our new podcast series, The Usual Place’s host Natasha Ann Zachariah brings together two guests who hold...

Eight years after his stunning success at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Singapore’s greatest athlete has called time on his career. Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month.  In this special episode, we bring you an excerpt of assistant sports editor Rohit Brijnath’s interview with Singapore’s Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling.  The swimmer who won the 100m butterfly gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics called time on his career on April...

Old vs young, abled vs disabled, woman vs man.  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. Labels invariably affect workplace policies and work opportunities today. Why do we put labels on others?  Do Singapore workplaces pay lip service to inclusivity? Are Human Resources teams doing enough? With a fast-ageing Singapore, are we about to see real change at the workplace?   Join me and my...

Can the Lions roar under Ogura? Synopsis: The Straits Times looks at the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. In this episode of Hard Tackle, Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by former Singapore international Noor Ali and Singapore Premier League commentator and Lions fan Zia-ul Raushan to dissect the Singapore national football team’s first two matches under new coach Tsutomu Ogura. The Lions played out a hard-fought 2-2 draw against China on March 21 in front of the...

The head of the industry body for motorcycle sellers and workshops recounts how the association has been pushing for change, from COEs to rules on safety equipment Synopsis: The Straits Times offers expert insights if you are in the market for a new vehicle or are tracking transportation trends. With all the attention on certificate of entitlement (COEs) for cars, it is easy to forget about the motorcycles, which are the smallest of all vehicle types on the road. But as this conversation...

Home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones' intimate live studio take of Call Me, a song first released in 2022, has 23 million streams on just Spotify alone.  Synopsis: 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 new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/KRFD Listen to Rangga Jones talk about his...

Home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones' intimate live studio take of not good enough, a song from his first full-length album, Emotions. Synopsis: 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 new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel: https://str.sg/KRFD Listen to Rangga Jones talk about his musical journey in...

Home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones is the tenth guest in this music channel. Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio. In the 10th episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts home-grown singer, songwriter, and producer Rangga Jones. He might not be a household name in Singapore, but in recent years, the 27-year-old has been steadily building up a fanbase in the region with his R&B/pop songs. On...

With Singapore’s resident total fertility rate dropping below 1 for the first time - hitting a historic low at 0.97 last year in 2023 - we discuss how the birth rate can be boosted. Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. For many years in Singapore, we have not had enough babies to replace ourselves, with the Total Fertility rate, or TFR, remaining below the replacement rate of 2.1.  Minister in the Prime...

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood scene. PopVultures host Jan Lee explains her transition from the previous year-long Can I Tell You Something Crazy series about pop culture zeitgeist moments to a new scripted series in 2024 along the lines of Where Are They Now. For once-famous Asian or global celebrities you might like to know more of but just don’t know where to start, DM Jan Lee your suggestions on...