He lived the Singapore Dream of getting into medical school but quit for taichi and theatre. Why?

Good grades, good jobs, applying for a BTO, getting married. Isn’t that every Singaporean’s dream? In this episode, Julian Low, co-founder of theatre practice Wushiren, talks about his experience defying the “Singaporean Dream” by dropping out of medical school. He then went on to pursue his dream…

Why young Indonesians are falling back in love with cinemas and the analogue life

In an increasingly digital world, why are young Indonesians drawn to activities that bring them offline and together? 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, h…

This man can order TikTok and Facebook to take posts down - Singapore's online safety commissioner

In the first two months after the Online Safety Commission (OSC) started operations, the agency handled more than 500 reports of online harms. Doxing and online harassment made up the bulk of eligible reports. The OSC is a new avenue - it launched on June 29 - that helps victims by compelling plat…

Households without wealth can get ‘completely disabled’ by disruption, job loss: IPS’ Mathew Mathews

IPS' Mathew Mathews unpacks why a high salary can't protect you like a wealth buffer can. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The ave…

Haze and a Godzilla El Nino: How is Singapore preparing?

Singapore is also testing out solutions to tackle heat without air-conditioning. After three years of clear skies, the haze is back in Singapore. One contributor to the pollution is the El Nino weather phenomenon, which causes drier, hotter weather in South-east Asia.  This causes fires typical o…

'Spotify can just take it down': A Gen Z collector on why his peers are going analogue, buying CDs

Wired earphones and film cameras: Is retro tech back, or another performative trend? In this episode, we look at how retro analogue items such as wired earphones, film cameras, and Walkmans are making a comeback. Is this here to stay or is it just another performative trend? Join hosts Kai Wen an…

Was the carpet red enough? How Japan, India view Xi-Trump summit

Trump's stroking of Xi and talk of a G-2 with China is vexing Asian middle powers Japan and India. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, Ravi ho…

Will LTA’s proposed changes fix the COE system?

Will COE prices for cars fall if there is just one COE category for cars, with a tiered surcharge or rebate depending on the vehicle’s open market value? These are some changes that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) proposed on Oct 8, as part of a review of the COE system. This comes as the gap …

ADHD is not an attention deficit problem: clinical psychologist Ong Mian Li

Classic ADHD stereotypes, like physical hyperactivity, can cause many to be overlooked and turn to maladaptive coping. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and th…

Singaporeans arguing over land use is good, but ugly extremes must be avoided

Conservationists must make their pro-nature arguments to the mainstream, says ST’s Bhavan Jaipagras.  Synopsis: Every Tuesday, we discuss how environmental issues intersect with business, politics and society. Recent announcements about new developments coming at the expense of nature areas in Si…