Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.
S2E91: 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, host Li Xueying speaks with Indonesia correspondent Karina Tehusijarana about the growing popularity of shared, analogue and hands-on trends, such as a resurgence in cinema attendance to jump rope groups and custom mechanical keyboards.
As people seek ways to connect beyond their screens, these different pursuits point to a renewed interest in community and the tangible pleasures of an offline life.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:20 Post-Covid-19 cinema boom
6:30 Exploring traditional communal practices like arisan
10:40 The analogue lifestyle: A resurgence
16:50 Mechanical keyboards and diverse communities
19:50 Emerging analogue trends such as knitting and vinyl records
Read Karina Tehusijarana’s articles here: https://str.sg/dEAyW (https://str.sg/dEAyW)
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)
Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz (https://str.sg/sfpz)
Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg (mailto:xueying@sph.com.sg))
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider Podcast 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)
YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR (https://str.sg/rF3qR)
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg (mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg)
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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 (https://str.sg/wvz7)
Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts (http://str.sg/stpodcasts)
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The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB (https://str.sg/icyB)
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX (https://str.sg/icyX)
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8 Oct 2026
S2E90: 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 hosts two experts on geopolitics – Prof Tomohiko Taniguchi, former foreign policy adviser to the Shinzo Abe Cabinet in Japan, and Dr Sanjaya Baru, geoeconomist and media adviser to the late Indian PM Manmohan Singh.
They both explain what their respective countries make of the spectacular welcome President Donald Trump gave President Xi Jinping in the Sept 23-25 summit that took place in Washington DC.
They also discuss the evolving nature of Japan's and India’s bilateral relationships with the US, including talk of ‘derisking’ from Washington.
Highlights (click/tap above)
1:30 Was the carpet ‘red’ enough?
5:30 Key takeaways from the summit
9:30 Is Xi bending Trump’s ear on Asia?
14:00 ‘De-risking’ from the US is on
18:40 Free and open Indo-Pacific, Quad
22:30 Middle East conundrum
Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP (https://str.sg/3xRP)
Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor (https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor)
Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz (https://str.sg/sfpz)
Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg (mailto:velloor@sph.com.sg))
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani & Amirul Karim
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider Podcast 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)
YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR (https://str.sg/rF3qR)
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg (mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg)
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Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 (https://str.sg/wvz7)
Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts (http://str.sg/stpodcasts)
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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)
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29 Sept 2026
S2E89: US and China are trying to make nice, says Singapore diplomat
Trump and Xi are nudging the bilateral relationship from confrontation to stability, says Chan Heng Chee.
Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and geopolitical talking points.
In this episode, US Bureau Chief Bhagyashree Garekar chats with Singapore's Ambassador At-Large Chan Heng Chee about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the United States in more than a decade.
The pomp-filled visit included a rare sight; President Donald Trump and his wife Melania waited at the tarmac to greet President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan as they landed in Washington DC.
Critics have dismissed the September 23-25 summit as heavy on symbolism and lacking in substance.
Chan, who served as Singapore's envoy to the US for 16 years, says building a rapport counts as a worthy outcome. “When you have a relationship, you can make a deal, solve problems,” she said.
“The Chinese will miss Trump when he's gone,” she added, noting that the charismatic American leader, serving his last term in office, had taken risks in reaching out to a rival.
The stabilisation, which is still fragile, will benefit the region, she said. “We want to see the two great powers getting on because we do not want to be third-party collateral,” she said while spelling out the stakes for South-east Asia.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:50 What's noteworthy about the September summit?
8:00 How far can a good rapport take them?
11:20 What could two more meetings this year produce?
15:40 Why Pax Silica and Pax Waico will not be watertight
17.30: What can South-east Asia take away from the summit?
25:30 If Democrats win midterms, will Trump be constrained?
30:10 When everyone has a view on geopolitics, does diplomacy get harder?
35:50 Are Trump and Xi explaining themselves well?
Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo (https://str.sg/whNo)
Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gD6E (https://str.sg/gD6E)
Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz (https://str.sg/sfpz)
Host: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg (mailto:bhagya@sph.com.sg))
Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider Podcast 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)
YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR (https://str.sg/rF3qR)
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg (mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg)
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Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 (https://str.sg/wvz7)
Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts (http://str.sg/stpodcasts)
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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)
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Who has been a guest on Asian Insider
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Li Xueying
Ariel Tan
Tan Tam Mei
Manu Bhaskaran
Tan Dawn Wei
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
459,929,262
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 71 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
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