The Straits Times Podcasts

How can young people build up their mental health and cope with societal pressures while adulting? Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. We all know that adulting is not easy, but why is adulting hitting the mental health of young people so much these days? ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo explores this with two guests in this episode.  They are:  Ms Lee Yi Ping, the programme lead and principal Case Manager at Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health in Singapore. This service by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) serves as a first-stop touchpoint for young people seeking mental health support.  Mr Delane Lim, the founder and executive director of the charity Character & Leadership Academy, which runs youth development, mental wellness, and suicide prevention programmes for young people. Mr Lim himself contemplated suicide at 25 and he knows just how tough adulting can be.  They discuss what one can do to manage the challenges that adulting brings, whether it is related to identity, work or relationships. Ms Lee and Mr Lim also share their own experiences.  This episode was recorded live - and filmed in front of a live audience - at The Projector at Golden Mile Tower, as part of the ST Podcast Live! Sessions celebrating 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:35 Is adulting harder today than it was in the past?  5:45 Managing the pressure of "having it all" by a certain age 10:55 Delane’s brush with suicide at 25 16:28 Yi Ping on feeling burnout  19:13 Navigating social media safely 22:20 Advice to their younger selves Check out ST's new series No Health Without Mental Health: https://str.sg/mentalhealthmatters [https://str.sg/mentalhealthmatters] Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN [https://str.sg/JbxN] Host: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg [joyceteo@sph.com.sg]) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong Follow Health Check Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN [https://str.sg/JWaN] Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX [https://str.sg/JWRX] Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ [https://str.sg/JWaQ] Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg [podcast@sph.com.sg] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 [https://str.sg/wvz7] ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts [http://str.sg/stpodcasts] ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa [https://str.sg/4Vwsa] --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB [https://str.sg/icyB] Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX [https://str.sg/icyX] --- #healthcheck See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Three students in their early 20s tell us how they're approaching this. Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, get a headstart in your personal finance and career with The Straits Times. Retirement used to be a word for middle-aged workers, perhaps as they started to think of how to lay up enough savings to enjoy their twilight years.  But with movements like Fire - also known as financial independence, retire early - younger workers are starting to talk about retirement and prepare for the time they can kick their feet back and stop working.  And for university students in their early 20s, preparing for retirement is already underway, to hit their goals of retiring early and to fund their ideal retirement lifestyles.   So how early should you think of retirement and how can you plan for it? In this episode, ST business correspondent Sue-Ann Tan looks at retirement planning even when you're in your 20s and if Fire can really work.  Her guests are three NTU students in their early 20s - Tina Aw, Charmaine Chia and Aurene Graciella. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:51 How old were you when you first thought about retirement? 5:33 Hustling from the age of 12 to achieve Fire 8:20 The mental and social costs of Fire 9:15 What is your ideal retirement age? 11:58 How are you preparing for retirement? 24:56 How much will you need per month in retirement? 27:44 Will you consider micro-retirement?  Listen to "Should we play with FIRE?": https://str.sg/5mHc [https://str.sg/5mHc] Read Sue-Ann Tan's articles: https://str.sg/mvSa [https://str.sg/mvSa] Follow Sue-Ann Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/A86X [https://str.sg/A86X] Host: Sue-Ann Tan (suetan@sph.com.sg [suetan@sph.com.sg]) Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong & Joanna Seow Follow Headstart On Record Podcast channel here: Channel: https://str.sg/wB2m [https://str.sg/wB2m] Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wuN3 [https://str.sg/wuN3] Spotify: https://str.sg/wBr9 [https://str.sg/wBr9] Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg [podcast@sph.com.sg] Get business/career tips in ST's Headstart newsletter: https://str.sg/headstart-nl [http://str.sg/headstart-nl] --- Follow more podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 [https://str.sg/wvz7] ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts [http://str.sg/stpodcasts] ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa [https://str.sg/4Vwsa] --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB [https://str.sg/icyB] Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX [https://str.sg/icyX] --- #headstart See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

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 head of government and leader of the PAP. Narrated by: Ernest Luis (ernest@sph.com.sg [ernest@sph.com.sg]) Produced & edited by: Hadyu Rahim, Teo Tong Kai & Amirul Karim Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg [podcast@sph.com.sg] --- Follow more podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 [https://str.sg/wvz7] ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts [http://str.sg/stpodcasts] ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa [https://str.sg/4Vwsa] --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB [https://str.sg/icyB] Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX [https://str.sg/icyX] #asianinsider #tuptrs See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

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. The Straits Times’ Indonesia bureau chief Arlina Arshad has lived in Jakarta for 16 years - and moved five times. What are the lessons that she’s picked up in searching for the right apartment in Indonesia’s capital city? In this city of contrasts, private-sector developers are on a tearing streak to build high-end condominiums for an expanding middle class. At the same time, graveyards and slums are just round the block from these homes.  And for decades now, the government has strove to resolve the housing and urban development challenge in Jakarta. What plans does the Prabowo administration now have?  Highlights (click/tap above): 0:58 Every move an exciting and chaotic journey 4:03 Drawing the curtains on a graveyard 5:57 Indonesians’ attitudes towards the dead 8:31 Why Jakarta is so crowded 10:48 Fixing the housing challenge Read Arlina Arshad’s article here: https://str.sg/b9qb [https://str.sg/b9qb]  Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR [https://str.sg/iqmR]  Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x [https://str.sg/ip4x]  Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters [https://str.sg/stnewsletters]  Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg [xueying@sph.com.sg])  Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 [https://str.sg/JWa7]  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 [https://str.sg/JWa8]  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX [https://str.sg/JWaX]  Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg [podcast@sph.com.sg]  --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 [https://str.sg/wvz7]    ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts [http://str.sg/stpodcasts]  ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa [https://str.sg/4Vwsa]  — Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB [https://str.sg/icyB]  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX [https://str.sg/icyX]  --- #STAsianInsider See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Christie Chiu, Wong Yang and Isabelle Kumar - young journalists with The Straits Times -  reflect on their experiences and insights. Synopsis: Every noon from April 24 till May 1 - a day before Cooling-off Day - The Usual Place moves to a half-hour daily livestream - with Singapore's general election on May 3. Host and ST correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah invites candidates, analysts and hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter.  Joining her on the couch are young reporters Wong Yang and Christie Chiu, along with their video colleague Isabelle Kumar.  Beyond witnessing the election unfold up close through their work, Wong Yang and Christie Chiu, along with their video colleague Isabelle Kumar, are also experiencing it from a personal angle – as first-time voters. What have their own Gen Z friends been saying to them about similar experiences that helped shape their approach to content ideas? Highlights (click/tap above): 3:26 Christie and Yang’s response to being labelled the ‘Gen Z version’ of TV presenters Glenda Chong and Steven Chia 7:53 Did being reporters help them learn anything for themselves as young first-time voters? 8:54 Their rally experiences  13:50 “They are also human” - Isabelle on her observations while filming candidates like PAP’s Foo Cexiang and WP’s Alexis Dang 19:14 “Be kind” to one another - the trio’s key personal takeaways from GE2025 Today’s shirt worn by Natasha was sponsored by Good Addition. Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg [natashaz@sph.com.sg]) Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm [https://str.sg/iSXm] Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this episode: https://str.sg/8Wav [https://str.sg/8Wav] Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN [https://str.sg/v6DN] Filmed by: Studio+65  ST Podcast producers: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh Shorts edited by: ST Video Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm [https://str.sg/5nfm] Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX [https://str.sg/9ijX] Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P [https://str.sg/cd2P] YouTube: https://str.sg/wEr7u [https://str.sg/wEr7u] Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg [podcast@sph.com.sg] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 [https://str.sg/wvz7] ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts [http://str.sg/stpodcasts] ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa [https://str.sg/4Vwsa] --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB [https://str.sg/icyB] Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX [https://str.sg/icyX] #tup #tuptr See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.