The Straits Times Podcasts The Straits Times

Diving into women’s football in Singapore

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 

In this episode of Hard Tackle, we look at the state of women’s football in Singapore and what the Republic needs to do to improve its standards. 

In the Lionesses’ most recent international friendlies, they suffered 3-0 and 8-0 defeats by Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the Deloitte Women’s Premier League (WPL) kicked off on March 9 but lacklustre field conditions at the Choa Chua Kang stadium caused much frustration and anger to players, coaches and fans.

Join ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan, current women’s footballer Sara Merican, former national captain Charmaine Lim and former national footballer Chris Yip-Au who is now with Seychelles Football Federation as its head of women’s football and women’s national team coach.

They explore the current issues in women’s football and what the future holds for the ladies. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:45 How Yip-Au, Sara and Lim were introduced to football in the early days

9:55 Has access to information on women’s football increased in recent years?  

18:50 What is needed for countries including Singapore to progress up the rankings in women’s football? 

19:55 How do national team players balance work or school with playing football and get that aspect be improved or helped?

30:15 Discussion on the facilities in the WPL 

Read: https://str.sg/d3CE

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg) & Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow Hard Tackle every month here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on X: https://str.sg/wtra

Read his articles: https://str.sg/ip4G

Catch visual snippets of the podcast from ST's sports Instagram page: https://str.sg/vn2F

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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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

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The promise of it transforming our work lives is happening, but maybe not in the way we expected it to.

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.

It has been 18 months since ChatGPT's public debut. Has the technology touted to change our work lives been helpful, but underwhelming? Or is it us?

Of course, we had to ask gen AI Claude to produce our synopsis: This podcast goes beyond AI hype to explore surprising realities. Executives anticipate huge productivity gains, but the real disruption may lie in automating mundane tasks. Lawyers and students face skill shifts as research becomes effortless. Most intriguingly, could AI enable Singapore to "insource" outsourced work affordably? Uncover fresh perspectives on AI's quiet revolution reshaping jobs.

Join me and my special co-host Davidson Chua, a second-year student of business analytics at NUS, in our conversation with Messrs Laurence Liew and Lewis Garrad. 

Laurence is the director for AI innovation at AI Singapore, and Lewis is a partner and the Asia career practice partner at consultancy Mercer.

We hope you'd enjoy this 29th episode of Work Talk, our podcast series to help you work smarter, think deeper and get ahead in your work life.

Highlights (click/tap above):

02:22: Has gen AI underwhelmed?

04:29: Are companies really using it?

05:17: Let's generate more content, because we can

07:56: Forget the old ways of learning

14:16: How Laurence wrote a book, with Gemini as his biographer

Produced by: Krist Boo (kristb@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow ST's Your Money & Career Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3

Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Krist Boo's articles: https://str.sg/wB2P

Follow Krist Boo on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/shcB

Get business/career tips in ST's HeadSTart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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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

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Migratory species are broadly in decline, disrupted by alteration of field and forest habitats, and by hunting in the case of South-east Asia.

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 East Asian migratory bird flyway is perhaps the most diverse of the world's nine north-south migratory bird flyways, with millions migrating north to south, from freezing latitudes to warmer climates - some shorebirds even fly down to as far as Australia. 

But migratory species are in deep trouble; a recent UN report revealed that nearly half of the world's migratory species are declining in population. Habitat loss has been affecting up to 75 per cent of them. 

The state of birds is one indicator of how humans have altered the environment, largely due to infrastructure developments transforming landscapes. Fragmentation and loss of habitats are key issues for migratory shorebirds as their coastal feeding areas on mud flats along the East Asian seaboard are being reclaimed. 

In this episode of Green Pulse, Thailand-based Philip Round, regional representative of the Wetland Trust and associate professor at the Department of Biology at Mahidol University, and Singapore-based Yong Ding Li, regional coordinator at BirdLife International, join co-host Nirmal Ghosh to talk about what birds are up against. 

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

6:06 Why rice growing is making it difficult for birds to thrive

14:58 Hunting happens on a large scale for the pet bird industry in various parts of Southeast Asia  

20:12 How the use of netting to protect crops, particularly aquaculture ponds, becomes accidentally fatal to birds

24:04 Many government agencies in Southeast Asia are inadequately resourced to enforce conservation measures. 

26:02 Bright spots on conservation for migratory birds 

Listen to related podcasts on birds: 

A visit to Sungei Buloh: How Singapore can better host migratory birds: https://omny.fm/shows/green-pulse-1/a-visit-to-sungei-buloh-how-singapore-can-play-a-b

Produced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong, Fa'izah Sani and Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read ST's Climate Change microsite: https://www.straitstimes.com/climate-change

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

---

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

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

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#greenpulse
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The rise of home bars in cities across China shows how young Chinese are craving for companionship but without having to invest in relationships.

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. 

#family-style bars is now a search term for listings of home bars, not just for first-tier cities Beijing and Shanghai, but also Zhengzhou in central China, Chengdu in the south-west and Hangzhou on the eastern coast. 

Instead of going to commercial nightspots, young Chinese are looking to spend their free time in the living rooms of strangers’ homes, where they pay for drinks, conversations and games. 

In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei on why the trend is taking off, and what it says about the Chinese wanting to make connections in a safe and casual environment. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:48 How are home bars different from regular bars?

5:08 Home bars are not meant to make money for some owners

7:00 How home bars are part of China’s “da zi” or companion culture 

11:50 Chinese youths need for a deeper connection 

Read Cheng Wei’s article here: https://str.sg/iAyf

Produced by: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg) and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR 

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x

Read Aw Cheng Wei's articles: https://str.sg/wzce

Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u 

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt 

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE 

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN 

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf 

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m 

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE 

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad 

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX 

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn 

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB 

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa 

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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 

#STAsianInsider
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Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong becomes Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15, 2024, when he succeeds current PM Lee Hsien Loong. 

Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives and digs deeper into issues of the day.

The upcoming leadership transition - when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong becomes Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15 - has ignited discussions about where Singapore goes from here.In particular, what issues are youths most concerned about before they go to the ballot box in the next General Election?

In this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha hosts three guests:


Joel Lim, 31, host of Political Prude: The Podcast
Gautham Vijayan Kumaran, 26, a final-year student at the National University of Singapore
Carissa Cheow, 28, the chief strategy officer for a tech firm and a career counsellor

From expectations of DPM Wong when he takes over as prime minister, to their thoughts of how the impending general election will play out, these three guests candidly share their views and shed some insight on what youths might want to see from their future political leaders.

Highlights (Click/tap above):

4:18 Qualities youth are looking for in Singapore's next PM

12:19 What youth are looking for when the next election comes around

19:31 Is there a dichotomy between traditional bread-and-butter concerns and wider, all-encompassing issues such as climate change and civil liberties?

21:58: Are younger voters harder to convince?

31:51: How will scandals of politicians in 2023 factor into the next election?

34:28: Will social media be the dominant platform among voters at the next GE?

Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong

Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX 

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Natasha Zachariah's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

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

#tup #tuptr
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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 Princess, best known for its first two seasons aired in 1998 and 1999.

The story is about a case of mistaken identity. An orphaned street urchin named Xiaoyanzi accidentally becomes a princess in place of her friend, the Qing emperor Qianlong’s illegitimate daughter Ziwei. 

The series broke viewership records, became extremely popular across Asia and was an unprecedented hit that turned its main cast members into household names - Vicki Zhao, Ruby Lin, Alec Su, Zhou Jie, Fan Bingbing and Julian Chen.

Now, 26 years since the drama first aired - a lot has happened to the main cast. Two have been effectively cancelled by the Chinese government, one has apparently become a successful farmer, one is widely disliked by Chinese netizens and one quite literally got "burnt". 

#PopVultures host Jan Lee discusses How Did We Get Here.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:20 Introduction about My Fair Princess

4:11 How the series got cast and its impact on Asian entertainment

11:57 What happened to Julian Chen?

14:16 What happened to Alec Su?

17:16 Is there a feud between Ruby Lin and Zhou Jie?

28:03 The cancellation of Fan Bingbing

35:12 The many troubles of Vicki Zhao and her eventual downfall

Produced by: Jan Lee (janlee@sph.com.sg) Amirul Karim

Edited by: Amirul Karim

Follow #PopVultures Podcast here every month: 

Channel: https://str.sg/JWad

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaA

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaP 

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Jan Lee on Instagram: https://str.sg/Jbxc

Read Jan Lee's articles: https://str.sg/Jbxp

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

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

#PV #HDWGH
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.