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Bhagyashree Garekar

US Bureau Chief

Bhagya is US bureau chief at The Straits Times. She was foreign editor at the newspaper from 2020 to 2023 and served as its US correspondent during the Bush and Obama administrations. She produced ST’s first e-book, Myanmar Sunrise, which won an award in 2013 from the Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association. In 2015, she wrote Living History, an e-book marking the 170th anniversary of ST and Singapore’s 50th anniversary. Bhagya began her career at India’s top financial daily, The Economic Times, with positions in New Delhi and Mumbai. She is a Jefferson Fellow. 

Latest articles

The US helped with the S’pore ‘miracle’. Now, it’s calling in the favour, says Trump’s new envoy Anjani Sinha

Newly arrived US ambassador to Singapore Dr Anjani Sinha pictured on Nov 26, 2025.

How to read Trump right and why he and Xi get along

In this episode, Harvard Prof Graham Allison explains the Trump ‘phenomenon’ and predicts that he will seek a good vibe with Xi in 2026

Xi may want Trump to rein in Japan in spat with China, say analysts

Beijing may, however, be leaning on Mr Donald Trump to be more accommodating of its Taiwan interests.

Epstein vote shatters Trump’s aura of invincibility 

A protester holds a sign related to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein case files outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, Nov 12, 2025. PHOTO: AFP

Shutdown’s over but new showdowns loom for Trump

While Congress has passed the funding bill, US President Donald Trump faces other challenges in the weeks ahead.

Tesla shareholders grant Musk US$1 trillion pay deal, the world’s largest

Mr Elon Musk has secured the largest compensation package in history - approaching US$1,000,000,000,000 i.e. a whopping one trillion dollars.

Are Trump tariffs legal? Sceptical US Supreme Court hears case with implications for Singapore

Activists rally outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on Nov 5.

Young, Muslim, Asian and socialist: Zohran Mamdani’s New York win challenges both Trump and Democrats

Mr Zohran Mamdani will become New York’s first Asian-American and first Muslim mayor.

Will 2026 be the year of G-2?

President Donald Trump is promoting the G2, a partnership between the US and China that can address the world’s great economic, security and political problems. PHOTO: HAIYUN JIANG, NYTIMES

The woman who sued Trump and other tales from America’s factory floor

Mr Brian Riley's company, Guardian Bikes, has an annual revenue of US$100 million (S$130.1 million) and is nearing a milestone of being fully made in the US.