The Straits Times Podcasts

Letter From The Bureau Ep 1: Getting to know Little Singapore in the south of India 16:08 mins Synopsis: Join The Straits Times's foreign desk editor Bhagyashree Garekar in this podcast series as she talks about life as it goes on, amid, and in spite of the headlines, with one of ST’s 30-odd correspondents in 15 cities across the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe every month. They will share with you some of the more interesting things they are reporting on from the countries they are based in.  In this episode, she hosts Rohini Mohan - ST's India correspondent - about a unique region in south India where the people have strong historical, economic and emotional ties to Singapore. They chat about the following: Where is 'Little Singapore' in south India and why it gets this name (0:55) Background to districts surrounding Trichy (short for Tiruchirapalli) - the fourth largest city of Tamil Nadu and its decades-old connection to Singapore (2:28) Hear about little Lee Kuan Yew Jayaprakash, born in Mannargudi town in Tamil Nadu in 2015, and the inspiration for his name (6:30) Amid Covid-19 pandemic, as many migrant workers returned home after job loss or to care for their parents, the love affair with Singapore has turned into separation anxiety (9:05) Read Rohini Mohan's stories: https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/rohini-mohan Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg) & Ernest Luis Edited by: Aleemah Basirah Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Follow Rohini Mohan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohini_mohan Read more of ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/letter-from-the-bureau Read & subscribe to the Asian Insider newsletter: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider Discover Asian Insider Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduMSOntUoS6ALNp21jMmgfBX --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts:  http://bt.sg/podcasts Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaking Of Asia Ep 1: Do not mock India, learn from its Covid-19 troubles 9:26 mins Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' associate editor Ravi Velloor, in this series of podcasts based on his weekly columns on Asian issues, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent. Ravi argues that while much of the global media has focused on the shortcomings of the Indian government, he sees this as a hybrid, with the effects of the coronavirus as an act of nature - made worse by human errors and emotions, complacency, power play, religion and class issues, and of course, utter misgovernance.  He covers the following reasons for India's seeming Covid collapse as the world watches on: 1st factor: The complacency virus (2:50) 2nd factor: Why and how the Indian elections became coronavirus super spreader events (4:19) 3rd factor: How an ancient Hindu bathing ritual in the Ganges that takes place every 12 years, became another super spreader event (5:53) 4th factor: Only about 2% of Indians vaccinated with their second shot (7:03) Paying tribute to the real heroes of India's underfunded and collapsing health sector (8:00) Read Ravi Velloor's columns: https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/ravi-velloor Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Fa'izah Sani Edited by: Adam Azlee Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Follow Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Read & subscribe to the Asian Insider newsletter: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider Discover Asian Insider Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduMSOntUoS6ALNp21jMmgfBX --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts:  http://bt.sg/podcasts Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian Insider Ep 69: India's worsening Covid crisis 18:04 mins Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the week's global talking points with expert guests. The new Covid-19 variants in India preyed on a complacent government and population, as ST's India correspondent Rohini Mohan and Ashoka University Professor Gautam Menon, explain on Asian Insider. They discuss the following points:  1. Bangalore in lockdown after spike in infections (3:34) 2. Complacency set in after the first wave peaked in 2020 (6:47) 3. Official data vs real numbers ‘not fooling anyone’ (9:55) 4. Role of media in focus as India battles deadly second wave (13:09) Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg) & ST Video team Edited by: ST Video team and Aleemah Basirah Subscribe to the Asian Insider Podcast channel and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Discover Asian Insider Videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduMSOntUoS6ALNp21jMmgfBX Read Ghosh's stories: https://str.sg/JbxG Follow Nirmal Ghosh on Twitter: https://str.sg/JD7r --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts:  http://bt.sg/podcasts Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition 9-episode series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of.  The Straits Times' South Korea correspondent Chang May Choon closes our series as she casts the spotlight on the South Korean Muslim minority. As many as 3,000 South Koreans convert to Islam each year, according to the Korea Muslim Federation.  But a lack of understanding of Islam among the country’s general populace, contributes to the daily difficulties that they face for their belief.  In this podcast, listen to translated testimonies from South Korean Muslim converts Song Bo-ra, Lee Seul and Yu Hong-jong. Our series' narrator is Tan Jia Ning. How Bo-ra counters misconceptions about the way the hijab is viewed (2:01) Lee Seul still uneasy in public after her own conversion to Islam (4:33)  South Korean government working to change its people's mindsets about Islam as Muslim tourist numbers rose pre-Covid (5:51) Hong-jong on the difference between the way Christians and Muslims are viewed in South Korea (8:14) Booming demand for halal Korean food from Muslim students, workers and tourists (9:28) Lee Seul and Song Bo-ra helping to make South Korea a more Muslim-friendly country (11:20)  Read the full story by Chang May Choon: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/many-koreans-have-big-misunderstandings-about-islam Produced by: Magdalene Fung, Tan Jia Ning, Adam Azlee, Fa'izah Sani, Penelope Lee & Ernest Luis Edited by: Adam Azlee Discover ST's Invisible Asia podcast series: Channel: https://str.sg/wuZn Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3s Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJH SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Invisible Asia Videos: https://str.sg/wuTU --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX ---See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green Pulse Ep 49: Can aquaculture solve the seafood “seaspiracy”? 20:38 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. The recently-released Netflix film “Seaspiracy”, which calls on people to stop eating seafood, has generated widespread debate. Supporters say the film highlights the impact of industrial fishing on marine life, bringing public attention to an aspect of the trade that not many usually think about. But others have lambasted the British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi for inaccurate facts and figures used to support the arguments made. In this episode, ST environment correspondent Audrey Tan and climate change editor David Fogarty speak with Professor Dean Jerry, an aquaculture expert from the Singapore campus of the James Cook University, about the implications of seafood consumption and the role of aquaculture in feeding the world. They discuss the following points: Is the demand for seafood really emptying the oceans? (2:43)  How can Singapore consumers identify sustainable wild-caught seafood? (6:55)  What is the role of aquaculture in feeding the world? (9:33) But aquaculture does not have a pristine reputation, so can it be made more environmentally-friendly? (13:28) Can there still be plenty of fish in the sea, while ensuring that communities can continue to get access to seafood? (17:25) Listen to Ep 44: Fishy business about the fish you eat in Singapore: https://omny.fm/shows/green-pulse-1/in-hot-soup-the-fishy-business-about-the-fish-you FAO’s (Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN) state of the world fisheries: http://www.fao.org/state-of-fisheries-aquaculture Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg), David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Penelope Lee Edited by: Penelope Lee Subscribe to Green Pulse Podcast series and rate us on your favourite audio apps: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6EV  Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Follow Audrey Tan on Twitter: https://str.sg/JLMB Read her stories: https://str.sg/JLM2 Follow David Fogarty  on Twitter: https://str.sg/JLM6 Read his stories: https://str.sg/JLMu --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts:  http://bt.sg/podcasts Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Invisible Asia Ep 9: 'Many Koreans have big misunderstandings about Islam' 14:06 min Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition 9-episode series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of.  The Straits Times' South Korea correspondent Chang May Choon closes our series as she casts the spotlight on the South Korean Muslim minority. As many as 3,000 South Koreans convert to Islam each year, according to the Korea Muslim Federation.  But a lack of understanding of Islam among the country’s general populace, contributes to the daily difficulties that they face for their belief.  In this podcast, listen to translated testimonies from South Korean Muslim converts Song Bo-ra, Lee Seul and Yu Hong-jong. Our series' narrator is Tan Jia Ning. How Bo-ra counters misconceptions about the way the hijab is viewed (2:01) Lee Seul still uneasy in public after her own conversion to Islam (4:33)  South Korean government working to change its people's mindsets about Islam as Muslim tourist numbers rose pre-Covid (5:51) Hong-jong on the difference between the way Christians and Muslims are viewed in South Korea (8:14) Booming demand for halal Korean food from Muslim students, workers and tourists (9:28) Lee Seul and Song Bo-ra helping to make South Korea a more Muslim-friendly country (11:20)  Read the full story by Chang May Choon: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/many-koreans-have-big-misunderstandings-about-islam Produced by: Magdalene Fung, Tan Jia Ning, Adam Azlee, Fa'izah Sani, Penelope Lee & Ernest Luis Edited by: Adam Azlee Discover Invisible Asia Podcast playlist: https://omny.fm/shows/st-bt/playlists/invisible-asia Discover Invisible Asia Video playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduNKeEL19yhXFVHxGB8X315b Discover ST & BT podcasts: Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR  Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU  Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP  Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt  Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts  https://bt.sg/moneyhacks  Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  --- Discover more niche podcast series by ST and BT below: Follow BT Money Hacks Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks  Follow BT Mark To Market Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt  Follow Health Check Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaN  Follow Green Pulse Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaf  Follow Asian Insider Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa7  Follow Lunch With Sumiko Podcast on: https://str.sg/J6hQ  Follow #PopVultures Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWad  Follow Life Weekend Picks Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa2  Follow #GameOfTwoHalves Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWRE  Follow Bookmark This! Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWas  Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #InvisibleAsia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Story Ep 86: Should social gatherings be limited in light of Covid-19 cluster who met over meal? 7:14 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story, hosted by Hairianto Diman and Olivia Quay. Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, weighs in on the latest developments in the Tan Tock Seng cluster, which has grown to 13 cases. He also discusses whether tighter curbs need to be reimposed on social gatherings, after it was discovered that the seven other cases linked to the 38-year-old Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officer met for a meal. The Health Ministry said the eight of them had gathered for a meal, when transmission was likely to have taken place. Produced by: Hairianto Diman (mdhairi@sph.com.sg) & Olivia Quay (oliviaq@sph.com.sg) Edited by: ST Video team and Aleemah Basirah Discover The Straits Times Videos: https://str.sg/JPrc Discover ST podcasts: Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  Follow Hairianto Diman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamhairianto/?hl=en Follow Olivia Quay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviaquayhere/?hl=en --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts:  http://bt.sg/podcasts Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Story Ep 85: How to respond to a virus outbreak in hospitals? Expert weighs in 2:21 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Experts in Singapore said that the possible cluster at Tan Tan Seng Hospital is of concern, but these is no need to be overly worried. Professor Dale Fisher, a senior infectious diseases consultant at National University Hospital, speaks about the measures in place at hospitals to manage such an outbreak. Produced and edited by: ST Video team and Aleemah Basirah Discover The Straits Times Videos: https://str.sg/JPrc Discover ST & BT podcasts: Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts https://bt.sg/moneyhacks Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2 #PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover BT Podcasts:  http://bt.sg/podcasts Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Story Ep 84: Covid-19 reinfection cases: Expert on finding bright spots amid grim reality 8:09 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. The past week has delivered a Covid-19 shocker to Singapore, not just because of the increase in community cases, but also the infections in people who had been vaccinated or who had been previously infected. Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases specialist at the Rophi Clinic, discusses with The Big Story hosts Hairianto Diman and Olivia Quay, the grim reality that Covid-19 will never be completely eradicated. He also weighs in on the US' announcement that fully vaccinated Americans can be unmasked when exercising, dining and socialising outdoors in small groups. Produced and edited by: ST Video team and Muhammad Firmann Discover The Straits Times Videos: https://str.sg/JPrc Discover ST & BT podcasts: Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts https://bt.sg/moneyhacks Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  --- Discover more niche podcast series by ST and BT below: Follow BT Money Hacks Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Follow BT Mark To Market Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt Follow Health Check Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaN Follow Green Pulse Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaf Follow Asian Insider Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa7 Follow Lunch With Sumiko Podcast on: https://str.sg/J6hQ Follow #PopVultures Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWad Follow Life Weekend Picks Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa2 Follow ST Sports Talk Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWRE Follow Bookmark This! Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWas Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Story Ep 83: PSLE entry scores explained; No need for perfect results to get into top sec schools 11:26 mins Synopsis: This is a special episode of The Straits Times' video series The Big Story. Primary Six pupils will not need to achieve perfect scores to get into top secondary schools when the new PSLE scoring system takes effect this year, based on entry scores for 139 secondary schools released on Tuesday (April 27) by the Education Ministry. The indicative cut-off scores are based on the new PSLE scoring system, which will be used for the first time by this year’s Primary 6 cohort to gain entry to secondary schools next year. Senior education correspondent Sandra Davie advises parents on how to choose the right school for their children, instead of the top school. Produced and edited by: ST Video team and Muhammad Firmann Discover The Straits Times Videos: https://str.sg/JPrc Discover ST & BT podcasts: Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts https://bt.sg/moneyhacks Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  --- Discover more niche podcast series by ST and BT below: Follow BT Money Hacks Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks Follow BT Mark To Market Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt Follow Health Check Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaN Follow Green Pulse Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaf Follow Asian Insider Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa7 Follow Lunch With Sumiko Podcast on: https://str.sg/J6hQ Follow #PopVultures Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWad Follow Life Weekend Picks Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa2 Follow ST Sports Talk Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWRE Follow Bookmark This! Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWas Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.