Declaring war “against everybody” including China and hoping for the right result is very worrying. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, Ravi speaks with Ambassador John Bolton, the American foreign policy hawk and former National Security Adviser to President Donald Trump, on US policy toward Asia. Mr Bolton speaks on the chaos and confusion i...
Aug 07, 2025•22 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Social isolation is especially acute in the capital city of Seoul—and it’s not just among the elderly. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. In this episode, host and foreign editor Li Xueying speaks to South Korea correspondent Wendy Teo, who has lived in South Korea for six years, as she describes what life in Seoul can be like, and explains why loneliness is a looming epi...
Jul 31, 2025•19 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Ultimately, the outcome might depend on both sides’ threshold for pain. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus. For July, host and deputy foreign editor Albert Wai connects with senior China correspondent Yew Lun Tian. They take stock of the twists and turns in the tariff negotiations between Washington and Beijing. Both sides have weaponised access to rar...
Jul 24, 2025•24 min•Season 2Ep. 36
A conversation with Chicago-based Mayank Chhaya, the Dalai Lama’s biographer, on the highs and lows of His Holiness’ remarkable journey through life. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, Ravi speaks with Mayank Chhaya, writer, broadcaster and the Dalai Lama’s biographer. Mr Chhaya, a writer and broadcaster, says that at 90, the Dalai Lama has become larger than the Tibetan caus...
Jul 10, 2025•22 min•Season 2Ep. 35
From the use of bamboo scaffolding for construction projects to a six-decade-old public housing estate, changes are afoot. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. Hong Kong’s bamboo scaffolding is immortalised in many a Jackie Chan flick, with heroes and baddies fighting it out while teetering on poles. But the city has been gripped in what Hong Kong correspondent Magdalene Fu...
Jul 03, 2025•24 min•Season 2Ep. 34
On international platforms, he earns praise but faces rising scepticism domestically. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus. For our June episode, ST’s Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh and host Tan Tam Mei return to be joined by Ariel Tan, a senior fellow at RSIS, as they unpack Malaysia’s showing at global forums. From hosting a landmark Asean Summit and joini...
Jun 26, 2025•53 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Listen to our news commentary podcasts on the go every week. Podcasts have become part of the global media landscape these days. The audio-on-demand format allows many listeners to often do other chores or hobbies, while hearing the shows in the background over headphones or bluetooth speakers Almost every weekday, check out our discussions on Singapore current affairs and social issues, geopolitics through an Asian lens, health, climate change, personal finance and career. Follow our shows on y...
Jun 19, 2025•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1
A conversation with the eminent private sector economist and strategic affairs expert Manu Bhaskaran. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. South-east Asia is reeling from a flood of Chinese-manufactured goods that threaten the region’s industry, from cars to even batik shirts. Some call this phenomenon the ‘Second China Shock.’ In this episode, Ravi speaks with...
Jun 12, 2025•16 min•Season 2Ep. 32
China’s unofficial national flower is getting Heze noticed, as its cities strive to develop unique calling cards Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. The Straits Times’ foreign editor Li Xueying and China correspondent Joyce Lim take us to Heze, a city in Shandong province, where peonies aren't just admired by tourists - they drive a multi-billion yuan industry. Long revere...
Jun 05, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Industry players say they will hunker down and focus on Central Asia and Southeast Asia. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus. For May, host and deputy foreign editor Albert Wai and assistant foreign editor Sarah Ng connect with Aw Cheng Wei who is based in Chongqing. They discuss Chongqing’s evolution as an automotive hub and its aspirations to beef up ...
May 22, 2025•18 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Singapore's 2025 general election was held on May 3, and the ruling People's Action Party won 65.57 per cent of the national vote, a commanding swing up from its 61.24 per cent share in 2020. The ruling party won 87 seats out of the contested 97, securing a majority in Parliament. The opposition Workers' Party retained two GRCs in Aljunied and Sengkang, and one SMC in Hougang. This election gave Prime Minister Lawrence Wong the clear mandate that he had sought, in his first electoral contest as ...
May 03, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Indonesia’s capital, one of South-east Asia’s most crowded cities, contains 12 million people in a land area of 660 sq km. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. Host and foreign editor Li Xueying speaks to The Straits Times’ Indonesia bureau chief Arlina Arshad, who has lived in Jakarta for 16 years - and moved five times. What are the lessons that she’s picked up in searchi...
May 01, 2025•16 min•Season 2Ep. 29
A conversation with M R Narayan Swamy, veteran South Asian journalist and biographer of slain Tamil Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. As Sri Lanka approaches the 16th anniversary of the end of its civil war, Ravi speaks with M R Narayan Swamy in this episode. Swamy is the author of several books on Sri Lanka’s now-vanquished militant group, Liberation Ti...
Apr 10, 2025•25 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Xi’an is famous for its terracotta warriors but still faces significant challenges in air pollution. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. In six of the 10 years between 2014 and 2023, Xi’an had the poorest air quality among China’s new top-tier cities, which are the most commercially attractive cities after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In 2023, the city ranked...
Apr 04, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Who is Dr Anji Sinha? Our US bureau chief finds that the key to this story lies in relationships. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points. As of the publication of this episode on March 21, nothing much is known about the person recently nominated by US President Donald Trump to become the top American diplomat in Singapore beyond his or her name. The Straits Times’ senior columnist Lin Sul...
Mar 20, 2025•32 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Thousands of mainland Chinese are choosing Malaysia’s laid-back vibes over their stressful lives back home. Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus. For March, hosts Lim Ai Leen and Tan Tam Mei kick off with ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh, and special guest Dr Ong Kian Ming, both based in Kuala Lumpur. It’s easy to settle down in multicultural Malaysia, as thousands of mainlan...
Mar 20, 2025•50 min•Season 2Ep. 26
But Malaysians’ love affair with the fruit persists. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. Talk about what’s new with Johor nowadays and one usually ends up with a five-letter acronym - JSSEZ, or the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. But all the excitement about rising opportunities has also hastened the demise of what traditionally has juiced up Johor’s economy - pinea...
Mar 13, 2025•15 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Why our expert guest speaker draws parallels with the chaotic Cultural Revolution in China in 1966. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode - recorded on March 4 - Ravi speaks with Wang Xiangwei, the eminent Hongkong-based China scholar and former editor-in-chief of South China Morning Post. Mr Wang, who currently teaches at Hongkong Baptist University, offers a Chinese perspective...
Mar 06, 2025•25 min•Season 2Ep. 23
The relationship may not necessarily be purely competitive only. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus. For February, host and deputy foreign editor Albert Wai and assistant foreign editor Chang May Choon connect with colleagues - Magdalene Fung based in Hong Kong, and Joyce Lim in Shenzhen. They wonder if Shenzhen has indeed eclipsed Hong Kong today, and...
Feb 27, 2025•20 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Making sense of the domestic and foreign policy agenda of Trump 2.0 – and the implications of a new world order for Asia. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US bureau chief to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points. In this episode, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Lin Suling, US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar and assistant foreign editor Clement Tan discuss the first month of Donald Trump's second term, focusing on his foreign policy in...
Feb 20, 2025•35 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Find out too, why the Rodrigo Duterte outreach to China failed. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, Ravi speaks with Don McLain Gill, a Manila-based geopolitical analyst, and lecturer at the international studies department at De LaSalle University. Dr McGill presents a primer on Filipino-China ties, the implacable nature of China’s approach t...
Feb 13, 2025•30 min•Season 2Ep. 20
The choice of decor by a Tamil Nadu resident whose father was a bus conductor in Singapore speaks of the ties between both cities. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. Trichy in southern India has no direct flights to the capital city New Delhi, but it has five daily flights to Singapore. The planes are packed, underscoring the rich flows of people both ways. It is a relati...
Feb 06, 2025•21 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Insights on Asean's beachside pow wow, the Johor-Spore economic zone and ex-PM Najib's house arrest bid. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus. For January, hosts Lim Ai Leen and Tan Tam Mei kick off with ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh, based in Kuala Lumpur. There are high expectations for Malaysia as it assumes the Asean chairmanship in 2025. B...
Jan 30, 2025•37 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Making sense of the blitz of executive orders, announcements and rhetoric from the new US President - and what Asia should take away. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US bureau chief based in the United States to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points. In this episode, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Lin Suling and US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar discuss the big announcements, power moves and ambiguous comments from the 47th US Pres...
Jan 23, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 17
The Great Wall of China was built for protection, but now it's in need of guardians to preserve the 2,000-year-old structure. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. When a part of the Great Wall section in Liaoning started to crumble in 2016, authorities paved it over with cement to keep it safe, sparking outrage. Other sections had been transformed into tourist attractions c...
Jan 16, 2025•13 min•Season 2Ep. 16
We look at what is happening on the ground with a Myanmar watcher. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, Ravi speaks with Pichai Chuensuksawadi, former group editor of Bangkok Post and observer of Myanmar affairs. They discuss the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, the role of outside players in the conflict, prospects of the junta holding elec...
Jan 09, 2025•22 min•Season 2Ep. 15
What are some of President Trump’s likely policy priorities after he takes office for a second time? Will he do exactly as he threatened? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ assistant foreign editor Clement Tan catches up with US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar to talk about President Donald Trump’s possible policy priorities in his second term. In this episode, they discuss the cabinet appointees President Trump has already announced, his China policy and the war of words that has already erupted bet...
Jan 02, 2025•32 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Political stalemate is diminishing Thailand’s international stature and economy Synopsis: The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests. Thailand, once seen as a rising middle power, is now stuck in political and economic stagnation that are affecting its international standing. Its years of political turmoil had caused its economy to underperform, with GDP growing by 1.9 per cent in 2023. While economists ex...
Dec 26, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Developing countries are in a vicious debt cycle with little relief in sight, undermining social progress. Synopsis: The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests. Some 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments in their debt, than on either education or health. In 2023, a record 54 developing countries allocated 10 per cent or more of government revenue just to pay off interest...
Dec 19, 2024•18 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Factors to watch are increasing population, workforce and productivity. Synopsis: Join The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the Asian continent. In this episode, Ravi speaks with James Cheo, chief investment officer for Asean and India with HSBC Group Private Banking, on the glowing economic prospects for Asean and India amid weakening growth in the ageing countries of North-east Asia. Mr Cheo is a former macroeconomist with...
Dec 12, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 11
