Many are ostracised by families and live in slums, but a younger generation is coming to their aid. 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.  In this 25th episode, ST’s new foreign editor Li Xueying takes over the hosting duties from our previous show presenter Bhagyashree Garekar, who will be the incoming US bureau chief for...

A conversation with a veteran Canadian commentator and author on Sikh separatism. Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' associate editor and senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this podcast, which comes after the bombshell accusation thrown by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Indian agents were likely involved in the June murder of a Canadian advocating Sikh separatism in India, he discusses the issues...

Journey into the darkest corners of the internet, where a deadly connection was forged in 140 characters or less. Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. This is the sixth and final episode of True Crimes Of Asia, a special edition podcast series that started on April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio...

Asia hosted recent multilateral meetings but it is the US' bilaterals with India and Vietnam that really matter. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests. The East Asia Summit in Jakarta, and the G20 in New Delhi, broadly solidified US relations in the region, but it is the bilaterals with India and Vietnam that really mattered.  The US was represented in...

Join us along the Laos-China Railway, as we unveil the changes it has brought to people and places. Synopsis: In a special series called Tales from the Belt and Road, The Straits Times' Indochina bureau chief Tan Hui Yee takes you to places in the region where China’s infrastructure drive is creating the most impact. For this episode, she travels to Luang Prabang town in Laos, where the new Laos-China Railway is bringing cross-border passengers and Chinese investors. Highlights (click/tap...

Our guests on how youth in Singapore, aged 18 to 35, can be quite diverse in opinions. Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. In this episode, we look at how social media and podcasts have helped presidential candidates win hearts and minds before Singaporeans go to the polls on Sept 1, 2023, this coming Friday.  ST's Jean Iau and Natasha Ann Zachariah - who cover Singapore politics -...

Rohingya remain the world’s largest number of stateless people, with over one million driven out of Myanmar living in camps in Bangladesh. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests. Life for the over one million Rohingya in refugee camps in Bangladesh continues to become increasingly intolerable, with food rations down to 27 US cents a day, and little or no...

Should fans welcome it or be concerned? And why? Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle. A new dawn for football in the Gulf kingdom kicked off in August 2023, as the league took its first bold steps towards becoming a force to be reckoned with in world football. Football is currently in the limelight with the Saudi Pro League having invested over €600 million (S$886.7 million)...

Even the perpetrator's own parents asked for their son to be put to death. Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener...

Will this kickstart a change in Singaporean habits towards embracing a greener and less wasteful society? 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. Plastic bags. Let’s face it, most of us use them. They are a key feature of our consumer lifestyles, a symbol of convenience. But they are a huge source of waste, with the vast majority burned, sent to landfills or...

NTU don says votes should determine whether Singaporeans can stomach politicians involved in such affairs. Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. July 17 marked the death knell of not one, but four political careers. Just hours before the shock resignations of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and ex-Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui, a leaked video circulated online, showing former Workers’...

A conversation with the foreign policy speech-writer of Japan’s longest serving post-War Prime Minister. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor & Senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this podcast, which comes a year after the assassination of Mr Shinzo Abe, he discusses the impact that Mr Abe left on his country and the wider region, with Professor Tomohiko Taniguchi...

How the gruesome 1998 incidents paved the way for black magic to be criminalised last year in 2022, in the predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia. Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime...

Since Ms Piang Ngaih Don’s death in 2016, a slew of measures have been introduced to stem domestic worker abuse. Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and...

Asean needs strong leadership in a fast moving world, or risks losing relevance, warns former top diplomat Marty Natalegawa, citing drifting policy on Myanmar. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests. Former Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, currently a Distinguished Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute, sees a fraying of Asean's...

Assessing the outcomes from the Modi-Biden summit in Washington Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor & Senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, which focuses on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent summit with US President Joe Biden, he chats with Dr Sanjaya Baru, the eminent Indian geo-economist, and commentator who was Media Adviser to Prime...

Kannauj is a sleepy Indian town that has managed to nurture a prized skill for generations. Synopsis: The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe. They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. In this episode, she chats with ST's India correspondent Debarshi Dasgupta. Perfume-making is an ancient tradition in Kannauj, a city by the Ganges river in the northern Indian...

Pakistan’s economy is in dire straits, its political and security situation volatile - and it is in a spot as India becomes more important to Washington.  Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests. Former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan’s arrest in May triggered riots as his supporters attacked installations and the headquarters of the Pakistan army...

More young people dream of becoming influencers and that’s ok with Beijing. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe. They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.  In this episode, she chats with ST's China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei.  Highlights (click/tap above): 1:03 How does the influencer economy work? 2:14 Why has...

This is the 2010 case that became a turning point in Thailand's debate over abortion.   Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain...

Asean also needs long-term low carbon vision to reinforce supply chain security and competitiveness. Synopsis: Each fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.  Asean recently held a summit in Indonesia, which in 2023, holds the rotating chair of the 10-member grouping. Indonesia has a key role to play at a critical juncture in global geopolitics. Former Indonesian Cabinet...

Find out what our guest expert says about Nato planning to open a liaison office in Japan, its first in Asia, to facilitate consultations in the region. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor & Senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent. In this episode, he chats with Mr James Crabtree, the Singapore-based executive director for Asia at the International Institute for...

Find out about the insidious 'Nth room' crimes in one of Asia's most highly-wired countries. Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023. Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain...

India's experience offers lessons for other countries in wildlife conservation, and one of the keys is having local communities on board. Synopsis: Each fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.  India very recently marked the fifth anniversary of Project Tiger. India has saved the tiger. Bringing a predator like the tiger, back from the brink of extinction, in a country...

Headphones are recommended for this series. Synopsis: A 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.  From April till September 2023, listen to the events surrounding a spine-chilling find in a Bangkok temple. Or the gruesome death of a domestic helper in Singapore. But for the first episode dropping on...