Podcasts about Malaysia

On 8 December 1941, Japanese troops landed in northern Malaya marking the start of the second world war in the Pacific.Invasion forces moved quickly down the British colony – which is now called Malaysia - capturing Singapore in just 55 days. Their occupation ended on 15 August 1945, when Japan surrendered to the allies after the US had dropped two atomic bombs.Dorothy Variyan, who lived under Japanese rule for more than three years in south west Malaya, speaks to Jacqueline Paine.This programme contains archive which uses outdated and offensive language.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines' life and Omar Sharif's legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives' ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: Members of an Australian anti-tank gun crew fire weapons at a Type-95 Japanese tank on a road temporarily blocked by a felled tree, outside Singapore, British Malaya, April 1942. Credit: Office of War Information/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)

What does it take to grow a business while setting high standard and holding your values close? Malaysia Speaks, owner of Paw Time Favorite Pet Sitting in San Antonio, shares her journey from working in the veterinary field to building a family-run business rooted in professionalism and heart. She and her husband intentionally structured their business from day one with strong policies, team support, and faith at the center. Malaysia discusses hiring early, trusting her team, maintaining client relationships, and ensuring quality care for every pet. Her story is one of perseverance, balance, and doing business the right way — for her family, her employees, and her clients. Main topics: Building a family-run business From vet tech to owner Hiring early and trusting team Establishing professional standards Client connection and community care Main takeaway: "I wanted to do it the right way from the beginning." That mindset set the foundation for Malaysia Speaks' success. Instead of rushing into business, she focused on structure, education, and integrity—making sure every system reflected professionalism and care. From hiring her first team member to building strong client relationships, her focus on doing things right created long-term stability and trust. For Malaysia, excellence isn't about perfection—it's about intentionality, faith, and consistency. Her journey reminds us that when you start with purpose, growth naturally follows. About our guest: Malaysia Speaks is the founder and co-owner of Paw Time Favorite Pet Sitting, based in San Antonio, Texas. A former veterinary professional with over eight years in the field, Malaysia turned her passion for animal care into a thriving family business alongside her husband, Jonathan. Together, they lead a ten-person team providing dog walking, pet sitting, overnights, and pet taxi services. Malaysia is a UTSA graduate, a proud mom of two, and a strong advocate for professional standards and family balance in the pet care industry. Links: Website: https://pawtimefavoritepetsitting.com Email: pawtimefavoritepetsittingllc@gmail.com Phone: 443-561-5466 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pawtimefavoritepetsittingllc Check out our Starter Packs See all of our discounts! Check out ProTrainings Code: CPR-petsitterconfessional for 10% off

In this era of "permacrisis" and constant disruption, adaptability and resilience are vital traits that require collaboration and an increasing focus on human-centric skills. That's the messaging to come out of the 2025 Global Talent Competitive Index (GTCI), an annual report that highlights the latest talent trends and offers insights into the current global talent landscape.For this episode of “The INSEAD Perspective: Spotlight on Asia” podcast series, Sameer Hasija, Dean of Asia at INSEAD, analyses the results and implications of the 11th edition of the GTCI through an APAC lens alongside two of its authors: L. Felipe Monteiro, Academic Director of the GTCI and Senior Affiliate Professor of Strategy, and Paul Evans, Emeritus Professor of Organisational Behaviour.   Perhaps the most notable theme from the 2025 report is the shifting value of human capabilities, where soft human-centric skills are becoming just as vital as hard digital or technical skills. As AI handles increasingly complex technical tasks, Monteiro and Evans suggest that "generalist adaptive skills" – including leadership, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship – will increasingly take centre stage.Reflecting on the high ranking of certain countries such as Singapore, Switzerland and the Nordic nations, Evans points to the strength of their integrated ecosystems, where government, business, educational institutions and labour organisations work together to solve problems using a forward-looking approach. He warns that without this deep ecosystem collaboration and a long-term vision, even technologically advanced nations may struggle to implement the systemic changes required to thrive in today's disrupted global economy.That potential danger is highlighted in a concerning trend identified in the report, where several upper-middle-income countries, such as Malaysia, Brazil and Mexico, appear to have reached a "talent plateau" or “trap". Despite making good headway in the earlier stages of their development, these countries have seen their progress stall as they find themselves squeezed between high-innovating top-tier countries and lower-income countries with cost advantages.   Levels of optimism for the future were mixed among the three speakers.However, they agreed that greater collaboration, an increased emphasis on lifelong education and the ability of individuals to learn and adjust on the job will be vital if countries and companies hope to successfully navigate the uncertain waters of the next five years – and beyond.  

China has urged the United States to rescind its unilateral tariff measures imposed on trading partners, and said it would keep a close eye on any "alternative measures" adopted by Washington to sustain hefty duties, the Ministry of Commerce said on Monday.中国商务部周一表示，中方敦促美方立即取消对贸易伙伴的单边关税措施，并将密切关注美方为维持高额关税而采取的任何"替代措施"。While China remains committed to working with the US for mutual benefit and the stability of the global economy, officials and analysts said that Beijing will take firm countermeasures should Washington take any action that infringes upon its interests.尽管中国致力于与美国合作，实现互利共赢，维护全球经济稳定，但商务部和业内专家表示，如果美国采取任何侵犯中国利益的行动，中方将采取坚定的反制措施。Their comments came after the US Supreme Court scrambled the trade landscape on Friday by striking down sweeping tariffs proposed by US President Donald Trump.上周五，美国最高法院驳回了美国总统特朗普提出的全球关税政策，令贸易格局变得扑朔迷离。However, hours after the ruling, Trump vowed the tariffs would quickly be reimposed in other forms, announcing plans for a new 10 percent "global tariff" under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which he later raised to 15 percent.然而，在裁决出台数小时后，特朗普誓言将以其他形式迅速重新征收关税，并宣布计划根据《1974年贸易法》第122条征收新的10%的"全球关税"，之后他又将这一税率提高至15%。Prior to the US Supreme Court's decision, US tariffs on Chinese imports comprised five layers — 2.5 percent most-favored-nation tariffs, 8.4 percent Section 301 tariffs, 11 percent Section 232 tariffs, 10 percent fentanyl tariffs and 5.1 percent "reciprocal" tariffs — totaling 37 percent, according to calculations by Guosheng Securities, a State-owned enterprise headquartered in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi province.据总部位于江西省南昌市的国企国盛证券估算，在美国最高法院做出裁决之前，美国对华关税由五层组成——2.5%的最惠国关税、8.4%的301关税、11%的232关税、10%的芬太尼关税和5.1%的"对等"关税——共计37%。The Supreme Court ruling invalidates the fentanyl tariffs and the "reciprocal" tariffs on China, cutting the baseline rate to 21.9 percent. But the addition of the new 15 percent "global tariff" again pushes up the composite rate to about 28.6 percent, Guosheng Securities noted.国盛证券指出，最高法院的裁决使针对中国的芬太尼关税和"对等"关税失效，基准税率降至21.9%。但新增的15%的"全球关税"再次将综合税率推高至28.6%左右。China is conducting "a comprehensive assessment" of the content and implications of the court ruling, a spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Monday, stressing that China has consistently opposed all forms of unilateral tariff measures.中国商务部新闻发言人周一表示，中方正在对美国最高法院的判决内容及影响进行全面评估，并强调中方一贯反对各种形式的单边加征关税措施。The spokesperson noted that the US' unilateral actions, including the so-called "reciprocal" tariffs and fentanyl tariffs, not only violate international trade rules but also contravene US domestic law and serve the interests of no party.发言人指出，美方对等关税、芬太尼关税等单边措施既违反国际经贸规则，也违反美国内法，不符合各方利益。"We have also noted that the US is reportedly preparing alternative measures, such as trade investigations, to maintain tariffs on trading partners," the spokesperson said. "China will closely monitor the situation and take firm actions to safeguard its legitimate interests.发言人表示："我们也注意到，美方正在准备采取贸易调查等替代措施，以期维持对贸易伙伴加征的关税，中方将对此保持密切关注并坚定维护中方利益。""Facts have shown that both China and the US stand to benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation," the spokesperson added.发言人还表示："事实反复证明，中美双方合则两利，斗则俱伤。"Relations between China and the US, after experiencing several ups and downs and multiple rounds of trade talks over the past year, achieved an "overall dynamic stability", as described by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Following the latest trade consultations in Malaysia in October, the two countries agreed to extend their tariff truce for one year.中国外交部长王毅表示，中美关系在过去一年经历波折、展开多轮磋商后，实现了"总体稳定"。今年十月在马来西亚举行的最新一轮贸易磋商后，两国同意将贸易休战期延长一年。Luo Zhiheng, chief economist and head of the research institute at Yuekai Securities, said, "The US still retains relatively high tariffs on China, and its efforts to contain China in high-tech sectors remain unabated."粤开证券首席经济学家、研究院院长罗志恒表示："美国仍然对中国保留了较高的关税，而且遏制中国高科技发展的步伐并未放缓。"Ultimately, the upper hand in future negotiations between China and the US depends on each side's core leverage points — their respective economic resilience and technological strength, Luo added.罗志恒补充道，中美未来博弈的上风，根本上取决于各自的"压舱石"，即经济基本盘和科技实力的较量。For China, the key to mitigating the impact of external uncertainties and securing the initiative in the long-term China-US trade dynamics lies in strengthening its economic fundamentals, enhancing its capacity for independent technological innovation and maintaining strategic resolve amid a complex and evolving international landscape, added Luo, Yuekai Securities' chief economist.罗志恒补充道，对中国来说，应对长期外部不确定性、立于不败之地的关键在于立足国内，夯实经济基本盘、加强科技自立自强，保持战略定力。Xiong Yuan, chief economist at Guosheng Securities, pointed to fundamental constraints that render Section 122 unsuitable as a long-term tariff mechanism. The statute imposes a hard 150-day time limit on any duties imposed, expiring in late July unless extended by an act of the US Congress.国盛证券首席经济学家熊园指出，由于存在根本性的制约因素，第122条不适合作为长期关税机制。根据该法规，任何关税都有严格的150天期限，除非美国国会通过法案延长，否则将于明年7月底到期。The Trump administration's invocation of Section 122 is likely to serve as only an interim measure, with Xiong anticipating a midterm pivot back to the more durable legal frameworks of Sections 301 and 232.熊园认为，特朗普政府援引第122条可能只是一个过渡性举措，预计中期将重新转向更持久的301和232条款的法律框架。Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, said he hopes that future trade talks can move beyond tariffs, tax rates and export controls to explore how the two economies can cooperate more effectively, enabling companies from both countries to better compete and operate in each other's markets.美中贸易全国委员会会长克雷格·艾伦表示，他希望未来的贸易谈判能够超越关税、税率和出口管制，探讨两国经济如何更有效地合作，使两国企业能够在对方市场更好地竞争和运营。"The US and China are the world's two largest, most technologically advanced and most dynamic economies. There are a lot of things that we need to get right on the economic front," Stein said.艾伦说："美国和中国是世界上规模最大、技术最先进、最具活力的两个经济体。在经济方面，我们有很多事情需要处理好。"rescind /rɪˈsɪnd/废除；撤销sustain hefty duties /səˈsteɪn ˈhefti ˈdjuːtiz/维持高额关税infringes upon /ɪnˈfrɪndʒɪz əˈpɒn/侵犯；违背most-favored-nation tariffs /moʊst ˈfeɪvərd ˈneɪʃən ˈtærɪfs/最惠国关税fentanyl tariffs /ˈfentənəl ˈtærɪfs/芬太尼关税reciprocal tariffs /rɪˈsɪprəkəl ˈtærɪfs/对等关税contravene /ˌkɒntrəˈviːn/违反；抵触tariff truce /ˈtærɪf truːs/关税休战interim measure /ˈɪntərɪm ˈmeʒər/ 临时措施

Henri Kretschmer ist 18 Jahre alt, als er beschließt eine große Reise zu machen. Er will von Singapur bis nach Hause, nach Bochum fahren, mit einem alten Motorrad, einer XT600. Vor seinen Eltern hält er es geheim und lässt die Bombe erst platzen, als er tausende Kilometer weit weg, in Malaysia ist. Was dann beginnt, ist keine Postkartenreise, sondern ein verrücktes Abenteuer. Im Interview erzählt Henri von einem Unfall mit einem Bus in Malaysia erzählt, einem Kaffeebauern in Thailand und wie ihn das Militär in den Bergen von Pakistan suchte.

Dalam kunjungan ini, Ketua Komisi Empat, Siti Hediati Hariyadi atau Titi Soeharto, mengapresiasi keberhasilan petani lokal yang mampu menembus pasar ekspor melalui produk olahan turunan bawang merah.Perusahaan ini tidak hanya menjual bawang mentah, namun telah berhasil melakukan uji coba produksi tepung bawang hingga pasta bawang yang kini merambah pasar internasional. Saat ini, bawang merah Brebes tercatat rutin memenuhi pasar Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, hingga Singapura.Kunjungan ini turut didampingi oleh Wakil Direktur Utama Perum Bulog dan Bupati Brebes sebagai bentuk sinergi antara legislatif dan eksekutif dalam menjaga stabilitas harga bawang merah di tingkat petani.

Joan Low's journey is a testament to the power of breaking past limiting beliefs. Growing up in an average, middle-class Malaysian family as the child of a factory overseer and a government servant, Joan became a first-generation graduate. Encouraged by her parents to dream big, she left Malaysia at age 17 after securing a life-changing scholarship to a boarding school in Canada, followed by another full scholarship to a top-five liberal arts college in the US where she majored in political science. She eventually built a highly successful corporate career, which included working at J.P. Morgan and spending six years in Hong Kong. Despite her success in finance, Joan's true calling was shaped by a deeply personal struggle back home. She had a family member who had been living with severe mental health challenges for more than 25 years. Returning to Malaysia at age 30, she began conducting grassroots community workshops and quickly realized that many high-functioning corporate professionals were secretly operating under severe stress and anxiety. Recognizing that the traditional mental healthcare system was fragmented and entirely reactive, she founded ThoughtFull, a Temasek-backed digital mental health company designed to make daily, preventative mental hygiene as accessible as text messaging. Building a health-tech platform from the ground up to partner with major insurers like AIA and Great Eastern came with massive systemic challenges. Operating as a solo female founder, Joan faced a fundraising landscape that is still remarkably biased against women starting families. After hearing firsthand stories of fellow founders getting ghosted by investors upon revealing they were pregnant, Joan made the difficult decision to keep her own pregnancy a complete secret during her last capital raise. Proving her sheer grit, she successfully navigated this scale-up phase and ultimately signed the final investment contract while two centimeters dilated on a gym ball, closing her funding round and delivering her baby in the exact same week.

Tony Tan's parents pinned their hopes on him when they sent him from home in Malaysia to Melbourne to become a white collar professional in the 1970s. There he found “funny smelling cigarettes”, a lovely man called Terry and a destiny he couldn't escape.Tony was exposed to deep, rich flavour and the precision of cooking from a young age.His mother was a chef in Malaysian colonial kitchens and Tony would often accompany her to work, where he would sometimes receive a single golden, dripping roasted potato, or pinch the meat from a leftover kitchen carcass.He was a precocious child — known as Little Chilli — always wanting to know how certain cooking techniques worked. His parents didn't want him to follow them into the world of food, so they sent him to study at university in Melbourne, with hopes that he would ascend to the world of white collar work on behalf of the family.He had his first introduction to Lygon Street in the 1970s, and university couldn't keep him away from the world of food.Further informationTony Tan's most recent cook book, Tony Tan's Asian Cooking Class is published by Murdoch Books.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.This episode covers food tours, Kuantan, SBS, Shakahari, Stephanie Alexander, char siu, Tatler's, cooking school, Asian cooking class, roast chicken with soy sauce, recipes, sexual awakening, gay marriage, Trentham, regional Victoria.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Anya Cheng, Founder and CEO of Taelor, is making personal styling accessible to everyday professionals with an AI-powered clothing-on-demand service built for busy men and influencers. After 15 years leading product teams at companies like Meta, eBay, McDonald's, and Target, Anya turned her own frustration with shopping and laundry into a mission-driven business that helps people look great, feel confident, and save time—while also supporting sustainability by keeping more clothing out of landfills. We explore Anya's Product Management Framework, the structured approach she uses to build and scale products. Instead of starting with technology, she begins by Identifying the Right Problem, then Looking at the Persona, Validating the Buying Journey, and Identifying Pain Points. From there, she Selects Decision Criteria to prioritize what matters most, Brainstorms Solutions, and finally Identifies the Right Solution based on impact, feasibility, and business value. She explains how this framework guides everything from launching Taelor to deciding which AI features to build next. — 7-Steps to Winning Products with Anya Cheng Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here, Founder of the Summit OS Group. And my guest today is Anya Cheng, the Founder and CEO of Taelor, an AI-powered clothing on-demand service for men and social media influencers. Anya, welcome to the show.  Hello, this is Anya from San Francisco. I’m the founder of Taelor. We use AI to pick clothes for busy men. In the old days, only celebrities had their own human stylists. Now everyone can have their own AI stylist, and we send people real clothes to rent. Before starting the company, I spent 15 years in big tech companies. Most recently at Meta, where I helped build Facebook and Instagram Shopping. I was Head of Product at eBay and helped them launch new businesses in the US, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. I was also a Senior Director at McDonald’s, where I helped build their food delivery business globally when Uber Eats just started, and I helped Target build a tech office here in Silicon Valley. I’m excited to share more.  Okay, well we already got a lot out of you, so thank you for giving this quick bio. What I’m very interested in is what drives you. So you worked for Target. I think you worked for Amazon, at least with Amazon. You worked for other big tech.  EBay, McDonald’s, and Facebook.  Yes, so big tech companies like Meta. What makes someone who is a successful leader in big tech break out start as an entrepreneur? What is your personal “Why” that drives you and that you want to manifest in your business?  Yeah, it actually start with my personal problems that I had. When I was working for Meta, I was a few female leaders there leading large technology team. So I felt a little bit of imposter syndrome. I wanted to look great, but I don’t want people to find out that I’m freaking out every day. So I tried some subscription boxes like Stitch Fix, which is similar to the old Trunk Club. It's good that someone styles you. But once you receive those boxes, you have to decide right away: how many times am I going to wear these clothes? And you have to buy before you can wear them. So can I find something even cheaper somewhere else? How do I pair these items? And once I buy them, I have to do laundry, ironing, and folding. It's just a lot of work. So I started using rental companies. I rented from companies like Nuuly, which is a $500 million revenue company, or companies like Rent the Runway, which is a public company. They are all great—you can rent, you don’t have to buy. But they require people to pick from hundreds of thousands of garments. You spend two hours picking, picking, picking, browsing, browsing, browsing. And I’m not into fashion. I don’t like fashion. I don’t have time to do shopping. I'm not fashion-forward, so I don't even know how to pick. That was the “aha” moment for me— I realized most fashion companies are designed for people who are into fashion, not for people like me who just want to get ready for the day and be successful.Share on X So I started doing research. Are there other people like me—who hate shopping and laundry but need to look good, be socially active, go to meetings, close deals, get jobs? It turns out there are a lot of people like me: busy men, single guys, salespeople, consultants, pastors, recruiters, professors. There are 15 million single men, 14 million sales professionals in the U.S., and it turns out we started Taelor to help people like me look great without having to think about fashion.  Well, I don't know—if you look at my shirt, I probably could also use some Taelor treatment, an AI telling me how to dress better. So what drives you? I understand this is a great idea and definitely necessary, but what makes you excited about it?  I think I've personally always been passionate about helping people achieve their goals. I started as a blue-collar kid—my mom is a housewife, my dad is a factory worker, originally from Taiwan, and they've been in the U.S. for 20 years. As an immigrant, I came to the U.S. and was very lucky to have a lot of people help me. I got a student long ago, went to Northwestern University, got my MBA from the University of Chicago. I came to the U.S. without knowing anyone here, but many people helped me achieve the American dream. So it has always been in my heart to help more people achieve their dreams. What I realized was that dressing well really helped me—almost like a student who buys a textbook and feels ready for the exam even though they haven't read it yet.Share on X People using amazing software or tools will buy books or start learning and already feel smarter than before. It's really a peace of mind that helped me. So I've always been passionate about how I can help more people achieve their goals, their dreams, and their full potential. I realized this business helps me do that. I've tried to do that in other ways before: I've published books, created online courses, and taught at Northwestern University. But this business is an additional way to help people achieve their goals. At the same time, my co-founder, Phoebe, who is originally from Malaysia, she has been in the U.S. for 20 years. Growing up, she wanted to be a fashion designer, but in an Asian family, she became an accountant and finance professional, eventually a CFO. She always had a little spark in her heart to do something related to fashion, and she is very passionate about sustainability. She constantly talks about how today, 30% of clothes go directly from factories to landfills, generating 10% of carbon emissions and polluting 20% of the world's water. Sustainability is really close to her heart. By the time she had worked for 15 years, she felt ready for a change, and we both shared the same vision. That's how we started the business together.  Love it. It's really a mission-driven company. I didn't realize this when we first talked, but a lot of people are held back by not being well-dressed. Again, I don’t want to be the example here. I also like the idea because my daughter talks a lot about throwing away clothes and how much damage it does to the environment. I really like that you help people wear and buy only the clothes they actually need and send back the ones they don't. This is awesome. So let's switch gears here. I'm really curious about how you develop your products because this is a very creative business. You have to develop a new, revolutionary concept and product. Do you have a framework for developing these products?  Yeah, absolutely. We always start with the problem we are solving. I teach product management at Northwestern University, and most people, when they think about building a product, their first thought is, “Hey, what product am I building? How do I build it? What technology should I use?” We use AI to build this—we build AI agents—but in fact, you should take a step back. There are two equally important questions you need to ask: what problem should I solve, and what solution should I pick?  Most people spend 95% of their time thinking about what solution to pick. But first, you need to figure out what problem you should solve. The problem you solve is actually the most important thing, because if you're solving the wrong problem—one that people don't care about, or one that won't help your business, or one that you can't actually solve—then no matter how great your solution is, it's going to be a waste of time. For example, what we found is that we are totally different from women's rental companies. The problem we are solving is for guys who are busy but socially active. They have dreams. As a realtor, I want to sell one more house. As a small business owner, I want to grow my business to open a second restaurant. So they have a dream. Dressing well and looking good is something that helps increase their chances of success—getting a job, closing a deal, showing up confidently.Share on X What we are really selling is a concierge service, an executive assistant, a fairy godmother, a gadget guy behind the superhero—it's peace of mind. If you look at women's counterparts, like Nuuly or Rent the Runway, they have hundreds of millions in revenue each, but they are solving a problem for women like me. So we want to look great every single day and want to wear different things. So wearing different thing versus, I don’t want to think about it, is actually totally different problem. So if you think of our business model financially is different. For example, in women's rental businesses, margins are very low because people rent clothes and don't buy. On top of typical e-commerce costs like shipping, there are additional costs like laundry, so margins remain low. But in our business, customers use the service as “try before you buy.”. They want to save time and save space. So a lot of our revenue actually also come from people actually buying the secondhand clothes. And those people are people who would never buy secondhand before because they don’t have time. So those are white-collar, busy men renting clothes and also buying them. In addition, they ask me where to buy shoes or accessories, Valentine's Day gifts, where to get haircuts, even where to go on vacation. They treat us more like an executive assistant service. They give us lots of feedback, and we monetize that feedback back to fashion brands to help them predict what's going to sell.  Okay. That’s fascinating. So it's a two-way business because you are also selling the data that you’re collecting from people. Customer feedback, like “the sleeve is too long,” “the fabric is too tight,” “this isn't flexible,” and also insights like, “This is an amazing brand, but it's too expensive compared to 90% of our other brands on the platform, so you should lower your price.” We give that feedback to brands so they can improve. Yeah, which is basically data they don't have—and it's very valuable. That’s fascinating. So, going back to the framework—because we're a podcast about frameworks—I want to make sure we have a clear framework. You identify the right problem first, and then you reverse-engineer from there. What are the steps to get from the right problem to the right solution?  Yeah, so going from the right problem to the right solution—that's step number one. To solve the right problem, you first need to understand your personas. For example, a simple persona for us is a busy man who isn't into fashion, such as a single guy, a busy dad, a sales professional, a consultant, or a pastor. Then you map out their journey. For example, they might need to go on a business trip, attend a meeting, go to a birthday party, or go on playdates with their kids. Along that journey, they realize their clothes are old or out of style, and they need different outfits. But when they look at what they have from last year, the clothes are already too small or too big. So you identify the journey. So for example, they realize they need new clothes, and there’s a moment they say, “Okay, I can either buy exactly the same thing as last year, or… hey, I heard people are actually renting through women’s counterpart—maybe there's something like that for me.” It's like when you're bored and deciding whether to stick with Comcast or try Hulu, Disney+, or Netflix. So identify the journey. After mapping the journey, the third step is identifying the pain points. A simple feature, for example—Facebook. We all use Facebook, and one feature is the birthday feature. The personas are people who have a birthday and people who want to wish their friends a happy birthday. The pain point for the birthday person is: “I'm not sure if I should tell people, but I also don't want everyone to forget my birthday.” For friends who are close to the birthday person, their pain point is: “I forgot my friend's birthday.” So you have a lot of different pain points. Once you have your persona, their journey, and their pain points, the fourth step is to define your selection criteria. For example, you want to pick the biggest problem to solve. What should your selection criteria be? How many people are impacted, how painful it is for those people, and how likely you are to be able to solve the problem effectively. Then you choose one pain point to focus on. For example, for Taelor, we pick that we want to help busy men who are not into fashion to dress well. The pain point we addressed is helping them save time and look great.Share on X We didn't try to solve other problems. For example, a luxury menswear company might offer Louis Vuitton or Burberry for rent. The pain point they address is helping people who want luxury clothes but can't afford them, which is very different from our focus. The key is to use your selection criteria to pick the right pain point to solve first.  Now you have the pain point. For example, for me, it is helping people have peace of mind and achieve their goals. Now you start using exactly the same framework for your solution. You pick your selection criteria and identify different solutions. Take Facebook birthday as an example. Oh, the problem I want to solve is that for people who are birthday boys or girl’s friend, they want to host a party. Now you can come out with plenty of solution. For example, the solution one could be AI generating party locations. The solution two is AI generate invitations. The third could be AI suggesting a party game or activity. Then you do the same thing—you identify your criteria. There are so many solutions, so what’s my criteria? The criteria are: which solution solves the pain point better? Which one requires fewer engineering hours? Which one can drive more engagement, traffic, or revenue for the company? Then you use the framework to pick the solution.  Yeah. Love it. Okay. That’s fascinating. So you find the right problem. Then you look at the persona that has that problem. Then you identify the pain points that really bother these people.  You find those persona and journey. That’s how you find a problem.   The journey as well. So the persona. Okay. And these are busy men, so you map their journeys. They need to go to church, they need to go to meetings. Then you use your criteria to select the solution.  That’s right.  And then you basically stress test. Is this the right solution? Does it fit the criteria? Does it handle the pain points? Fascinating.  Yeah. So you’re selecting criteria for your problem. And after you pick the problem, you have the same different selecting criteria to pick your solutions.  Yeah. Got it. So how do you decide what features to develop? You have your product—you've got the clothes. People can order them, try them out, and send them back. You take care of the laundry. They don't have to worry. AI gives advice. How do you know what features to develop to define your product further?  Yeah. So the features to develop use the same framework. We start with the problem. Then we ask, what feature—or solution—solves that problem? For example, our customers say, “I hate shopping.” The solution is our AI shops for them. But they also say, I have a little bit points of views. So then we offer them a chance, they have a style quiz. They can upload a picture, say “I don't wear pink, blue, or green,” And they can say, “I never wear turtlenecks.” And then they show a few pictures of the style that they like, if they have any, or we show them pictures to like or dislike. This way, we understand their preferences and pain points. And then when they decide a feature, we're thinking about the solutions to address their pain points.Share on X So for this example, and in terms of getting into the Product Management framework: If you are really going into product management, how do you find out the solution using quant and qual? For example, you interview your customers, run focus groups, check Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Shopify data, QuickBooks—your data points. Then you have qualitative and quantitative numbers. From there, you see the opportunity for a feature. You might identify a pain point: everyone comes to our homepage, but they drop off on the second page. Why? The homepage isn't very clear. There's no clear call-to-action button; the button was hidden. It was below the fold. Users have to scroll three times before they see the button. So, okay, I have a hypothesis. The hypothesis is that people drop off because they don't see the call-to-action button. So I'm going to come up with a solution. Solution one: move the button to the top. Solution two: have a floating button that is always visible. Solution three: show a pop-out button. And then using the same framework, like, okay, these are three great solutions. Which one take less engineering hours? Which one will potentially solve the problem better? Which one do we think will be more effective or generate more revenue? And then you decide. That's how we decide on the features.  Yeah, that’s great. Then the AI keeps learning your criteria, keeps refining, and keeps suggesting better and better-fitting clothes. It gets faster from there, I presume.  Yeah, because the customer provides feedback. Your Netflix shows—when you start, you might watch all the true crime. But after a few weeks, you start watching other things, like romcoms or Korean dramas. They see what you watch, and you start seeing those suggestions too. At the same time, what's different at Taelor is that we know the problem we're solving: helping people try something a little out of their comfort zone, because that's why they want a stylist.Share on X So we also tend to recommend something new. We work with over a hundred different brands, so we might suggest something they haven't tried before. “Oh, you've never tried purple? Why not try these light purple shirts? They look really good, similar to blue.” “Oh, you've never tried pink? How about this spring pink t-shirt? It's really nice.” It's a rental, so they don't have to commit, and they're willing to try something new—just like with Netflix. “I'm not sure if I'll like the show… watch five minutes, we'll see.”  And then, is this a global business, Taelor, or is it focused on the U.S.?  It's focused on the U.S. We serve nationwide—anywhere the post office can reach. After people sign up, shipping takes one to three days. They wear the clothes for a couple of weeks. After that, they return the clothes in a prepaid envelope. They can go to the post office, or use a post office app with one click to schedule a free pickup. You can also drop it in blue collection boxes on the street. If you're traveling—say, to New York for business—you can just return it at the hotel lobby. It's prepaid, just like any package. You ask, “Can I mail it back?” It’s prepaid. They always say yes, and then you go home, and new clothes has arrived. You don't have to do any laundry when you get home.  And you don’t have to check in your luggage.  Exactly. You don’t have to.  And to get on and off the plane quickly. I love it. That’s great. So if people would like to learn more, or they’d like to check this service out, or want to connect with you personally, where should they go? Where can they find you?  Yeah, go on https://taelor.style. Use the code PODCAST25 to get 25% off your first month or use the code PODCASTGIFT to buy a gift card with 10% off. And if you are great suppliers or business owners, you also want to tap on and work with your product, perfect for man who are busy. We love to partner with you. We work with dating sites, fitness centers, career coaches, and executive coaching companies. We also do holiday gifting, employee gifting, and new hire gifting to help your employees look great and save time. For investors, we are now backed by some of the largest consumer investors in the U.S., such as Goodwater Capital, the investors behind Lyft and Socar, Facebook, Twitter, and Spotify. Reach out to me at anya@taelor.ai.  That’s perfect. So, just so we don't forget, you're an AI-driven company. That's amazing. So, if those of you listening to this enjoyed this conversation and learned something, you learned how to build a product: starting from identifying the right problem, looking at the personas, determining the persona, the journey, the pain points, selecting the criteria, and then picking the right solution. So, if you want to learn more about that and similar frameworks that accelerate your business, make sure you stay tuned, because every week I bring an exciting entrepreneur or thought leader who's going to help you fast-track your business. Anya, thank you for coming, and thank you for listening. Important Links: Anya's LinkedIn: Anya's website: Anya's email: anya@taelor.ai

In this episode, Liv sits down with Malaysia Harrell, a powerhouse psychotherapist, transformation coach, and military veteran. Malaysia shares her powerful journey through a near-death experience, embracing radical transformation, the art of surrender, and how faith-filled manifestation can create miracles and lead to authentic success.EPISODE TAKEAWAYSThe importance of surrender and alignment in healing and entrepreneurshipFaith-filled manifestation and the power of trusting the divine planOvercoming insecurities and showing up authentically despite imperfectionsHow radical transformation often involves letting go of what no longer servesThe impact of small miracles and signs in manifesting big dreamsCONNECT WITH MALAYSIAMalaysia Harrell is a board-certified psychotherapist, a spiritual transformation coach, award-winning entrepreneur, veteran, keynote speaker, and author who helps women find freedom and fulfillment. But really, she is a healer, an unleasher, and a light that leads women back to their true selves so they can live fully and finally. As a licensed psychotherapist and board-certified clinical social worker, Malaysia blends clinical expertise, spiritual wisdom and intuitive guidance to help women overcome their past trauma, heal their hurts and define their vision for their lives. Her incomparable coaching guides clients on an intimate, insightful journey to break free from limiting beliefs and expectations and discover lives of authenticity, purpose and bliss. Extraordinary at walking women through radical transformation, Malaysia is more than her client's coach; she's their champion.Malaysia is not just a brilliant therapist and coach, but a woman with her own “against all odds” success story. From overcoming a childhood trauma to a life-threatening illness that could have crippled her, she's built her career brick by brick, fighting fears, failures, and setbacks to have the life she's always known was hers to claim. Through it all, Malaysia has mastered the art of faith-filled manifestation, proving that whatever a woman believes, she becomes. And today she personifies what it means to ascend over adversity while inspiring countless women to do the same. Whether she's in front of an audience of one or one thousand, Malaysia's life-shifting energy propels women towards transformation and empowerment; she awakens women to the possibility of more.Simply put, it is impossible to be in Malaysia's presence and leave unchanged. Malaysia is here for the women who need to trade their perception of perfection for true freedom and authenticity. She is here for the women who need to reimagine who they can be and what they can have; she is here for the women who are here for more than coaching; she is seeking a powerful partnership with women who are equipped to help her expand and elevate herself to a life that she could only dream about until now.Drawing from her personal experiences and deep commitment to mental health advocacy, Malaysia founded Blissful Life Consulting LLC. Her vision is to empower individuals and communities through transformative mindset coaching and holistic wellness practices.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malaysiahharrell/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15YFYAy18u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malaysia-h-harrell-a322b19b/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@malaysiahharrellYouTube: www.youtube.com/@DreamlifemanifestedJoin Mailing List: https://peaceful-mode-50551.myflodesk.com/bxyyg0wd9aCONNECT WITH INA WELLNESS COLLECTIVEWebsite: https://www.inawellnesscollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inawellnesscollectiveWATCH FULL EPISODES ON YOUTUBEhttps://www.youtube.com/@inawellnessWAYS TO WORK TOGETHERWell Within Membershiphttps://www.inawellnesscollective.com/wellwithinRise & Align Group Programhttps://www.inawellnesscollective.com/riseandalign

From hotels on petrol (gas) station forecourts in Thailand to Singapore's ingenious tourism match-making scheme... On our fast-paced Start The Week show, Gary and Hannah stop over in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines and India in search of the answers to travel's big questions. We begin by discussing ASEAN representation on the Gaza Board of Peace, aircraft orders tied to tariff negotiations and whether the Indonesia-US trade deals still stands. Plus, can Malaysia become "Asia Pacific's most connected nation" by 2030? Why is Farm Tourism sowing collaborative seeds in the Philippines? And Why is Vietnam emerging as a hot vegetarian destination for Indian tourists? Plus, why are we talking about Aunties Not Algorithms? And will more South East Asian countries convert petrol (gas) stations into hotels as the region transitions to EVs?

- Tổng Bí thư Tô Lâm chúc tết cán bộ công chức, viên chức người lao động Văn phòng Trung ương Đảng, yêu cầu bắt tay ngay vào công việc, nhanh chóng trở lại nhịp độ công tác bình thường.- Chủ tịch nước Lương Cường dự Lễ phát động “Tết trồng cây đời đời nhớ ơn Bác Hồ” Xuân Bính Ngọ 2026 tại tỉnh Lào Cai.- Thủ tướng Phạm Minh Chính gặp mặt, chúc Tết các nhà văn hoá, trí thức, văn nghệ sĩ, nhà báo, phóng viên, vận động viên, huấn luyện viên, đại diện các doanh nghệp văn hoá du dịch, doanh nhân tiêu biểu trong lĩnh vực Văn hoá Thể thao và Du lịch. - Tỷ lệ doanh nghiệp và người lao động quay lại làm việc ngay sau kỳ nghỉ Tết đạt trên 90%.- Nhiều địa phương trên cả nước rộn ràng các hoạt động lễ hội đầu Xuân, gìn giữ và phát huy những giá trị văn hóa truyền thống tốt đẹp của dân tộc.- Mỹ dừng thu một số khoản thuế nhập khẩu từ ngày mai 24/2 theo phán quyết của Tòa án Tối cao.- Đại hội đại biểu lần thứ IX của Đảng Lao động Triều Tiên tái bầu ông Kim Jong un làm Tổng Bí thư. - Động đất ngoài khơi Malaysia mạnh nhất trong 11 năm qua.

Ekco, one of Europe's leading security-first managed security service providers (MSSP), has announced the acquisition of Cork-based Datalogix. Ekco, founded and headquartered in Dublin, is continuing its ambitious acquisition trail, following a busy year in 2025 with three strategic acquisitions. Datalogix is a Cork-headquartered operational technology (OT) business with over 20 years' experience delivering proactive OT services to enterprise customers across Ireland, the UK, and the US. It provides secure OT infrastructure design, implementation, and support services that automate industrial processes for companies in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, general manufacturing, and critical national infrastructure sectors. The company's team will join Ekco's workforce of more than 1,000 people globally across Ireland, UK, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and South Africa. Datalogix will form part of Ekco's security division, bringing the division's revenues to a €100 million share of Ekco's overall group revenues of €200 million. The acquisition will significantly expand Ekco's OT capabilities in the Irish, UK, and US markets, under the leadership of Ekco Ireland CEO Steve MacNicholas. It will enable Ekco to increasingly secure IT and OT convergence for customers amidst a growing OT threat landscape and a complex regulatory backdrop. As part of Ekco's rapid growth strategy, Datalogix marks the eighth company to be acquired by Ekco in the last two years. The acquisition follows the 2025 purchases of cybersecurity consultancy Predatech, and managed service providers (MSP) Solsoft and Adapt IT. It signifies another milestone in Ekco's ambition to build a security-first unified MSP platform across Europe. Datalogix is led by Managing Director Der Cremen and Chief Technical Officer Damian White, who will bring over 50 years' combined industry experience to Ekco. Steve MacNicholas, CEO of Ekco Ireland, said: "Having known Datalogix well for many years, we have always admired their highly specialised and client focused capabilities as trusted OT advisors in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and critical national infrastructure markets. With Ekco's world class expertise in security-first managed services and cutting-edge technology, this partnership is a perfect match – and we are looking forward to growing and learning together." Der Cremen, Managing Director of Datalogix, added: "Joining Ekco enables us to increasingly invest in and develop our OT capabilities to bring enhanced resources and resilience to our customers, backed by Ekco's scale—while maintaining the responsiveness they value." Ronan Murray, EY M&A Partner, said: "EY were delighted to provide sell side M&A lead advisory and tax services to the shareholders of Datalogix on the company's sale to Ekco. Congratulations to the combined team." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

The Death of the Middleman: How AI and Data are Revolutionizing Global Supply ChainsFor years, the world of global manufacturing has been an "old boys' club"—an opaque, relationship-driven industry where finding a reliable supplier outside of China required expensive consultants, plane tickets to trade shows, and endless cold calls. If you were a small business owner, you were often priced out or left in the dark. But the landscape of international trade is shifting rapidly due to rising tariffs and the need for supply chain diversification.In this episode, R. Kenner French sits down with Ricky Ho, the 27-year-old founder of Source Ready. Ricky shares his journey from a manufacturing family to dropping out of UC Berkeley to digitize the global supply chain. He explains how his platform leverages massive datasets—including US Customs records—and specialized AI to help small businesses find alternative suppliers in minutes rather than months. If you've ever felt held hostage by high tariffs or a single-source supplier, this conversation is a blueprint for building a more resilient, data-driven business.What You'll Learn

James Chai, Visiting Fellow at ISEAS and former policy advisor to Malaysia's Ministry of Economy, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how Malaysia is repositioning itself in an era defined by AI, semiconductors, and geopolitical rivalry. They explore the country's shift from oil, gas, and plantations toward advanced manufacturing, examine how decades of semiconductor clustering built a quiet but durable export engine, and discuss why Malaysia is now doubling down on data centers and rare earths. The conversation covers US China competition over chip supply chains, the strategic importance of fabrication and GPU ecosystems, and how rare earth processing may represent the most underappreciated leverage point in the global tech stack. James also explains why execution, not ambition, will determine whether Malaysia can capture long term value from these emerging industries. 02:30 Malaysia balances growth with redistribution: The strategy is to raise high value industries like semiconductors and rare earths while lifting the bottom 40 percent through social protection. 05:42 Semiconductor strength came from decades of compounding: Intel and other multinationals anchored early manufacturing, and local engineers accumulated expertise that later spun into globally competitive firms. 10:18 Clusters beat subsidies alone: Tight networks of engineers, spin offs, and long term continuity allowed Malaysia's chip ecosystem to survive volatility and keep upgrading. 21:05 China uses constraint as strategy: By limiting access to high end Nvidia GPUs, Beijing forces domestic firms to innovate faster and close critical design gaps. 29:45 Chips are not oil: Frontier GPUs power model training, but most real world AI use relies on inference, meaning older chips retain value longer than markets assume. 37:22 Data centers create investment headlines but unclear spillovers: Billions flow into Malaysia, yet long term value depends on whether local firms capture supply chain and technology capabilities. 44:10 Rare earth processing is the real choke point: Deposits are global, but China controls the complex multi step processing chain, making chemistry and technology control more strategic than mining alone. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/james-chai-rare-earth-power Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Vietnamese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #MalaysiaEconomy #Semiconductors #RareEarths #DataCenters #USChinaTech #Geopolitics #AIStrategy #SupplyChains #IndustrialPolicy #BRAVEpodcast

Delivered by Thia Santos from Church of Divine Mercy Shah Alam, in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Isaiah 58: 9b-14; Rs psalm 86: 1-2.3-4.5-6; Luke 5: 27-32.FASTING FOR RENEWAL The title for ourmeditation today is: Fasting for Renewal. Yesterday we were illuminated inmeditation that our fasting in Lent is done through charity and prayer. Theseare the ways we fast. Then the next thing that is very important is the fruitor result of fasting. What do you get after fasting? Today we contemplate thatby fasting people will experience a renewal of life. The prophet Isaiahsaid that those who stop distressing and hurting their fellows, then turn to dogood and do charity for their fellowmen, the renewal that they eventually getis that God pleases them. God will guide them always. God will satisfy all theirinterests that they may find happiness and peace in their lives. This renewalrelates to the growth of their spiritual life, where their relationship withGod is in unity and love. The basis is that they do all of God's own works.Their deeds are the expression of the Lord's deeds.  What Isaiah haddescribed really illustrates the experiences of those who were the first eyewitnesses, who were living and working with Jesus Christ. All of us as membersof the Church today in our different situations, have this experience,especially during Lent. We want to strengthen and bind ever stronger ourrelationship with God, that we may become more united with Him. The conditionis to persevere in faith and being good disciples of the Lord like theapostles. Repentance is a kindof renewal of life that has a strong impact on a person or community. This isshown in those who leave their old life in darkness of sin and choose a newlife in God. Through fasting, which is the experience of meeting and livingtogether with God, the power of the Lord can change one's path of life. Thisexperience was shown by Levi, the tax collector who met Jesus and then invitedJesus to eat at his house. The tax collector later became one of the 12apostles of Jesus. If fast during Lenthas not shown signs of repentance within you and your family or community,entering the first week of Lent can be a good opportunity for you to plan wellyour Lenten observances and implement them personally or together. That planmust be concrete which eventually brings you to conversion and again unitedwith Jesus. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O God of mercy, enlighten the way of our personal and common journey inthis Lent, so that we walk in Your marvelous light for our repentance. Glory tothe Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father...

Scott and Isaac join this episode to talk about their time in China and Malaysia! Check out Main Street Roasters and use code GRKC at check out for a 10% discount! https://mainstreetroasters.com Ghostrunners merch: https://bit.ly/399MXFu Become a Patron and get exclusive content from Jake & Brad: https://bit.ly/2XJ1h3y Follow us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/33WAq4P Leave us a voice memo and ask a question: https://anchor.fm/jake-triplett/message Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you longed to integrate your Christian faith into your patient care—on the mission field abroad, in your work in the US, and during your training? Are you not sure how to do this in a caring, ethical, sensitive, and relevant manner? This “working” session will explore the ethical basis for spiritual care and provide you with professional, timely, and proven practical methods to care for the whole person in the clinical setting. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qpah9kh1lttg6cm1jjop9/Bob-Mason-Ethics-of-Spiritual-Care-revised.pptx?rlkey=0emve2ja8282nv8xc4uinq1hg&st=9033htwx&dl=0

The Lunar New Year has begun with vibrant celebrations welcoming the Year of the Horse, from fireworks in Vietnam and bustling Hong Kong markets to festive streets in Malaysia and Peru. Families gather for symbolic meals, travellers embrace cultural traditions, and global leaders send messages of unity, marking a holiday that connects communities across Asia and around the world. - เทศกาลตรุษจีนได้เริ่มต้นขึ้นแล้ว เพื่อต้อนรับปีม้า เทศกาลแห่งการเริ่มต้นใหม่ที่มีการเฉลิมฉลองกันทั่วเอเชียและอีกหลายประเทศทั่วโลก แม้ธรรมเนียมจะแตกต่างกันในแต่ละประเทศ แต่สารสำคัญที่ส่งต่อกันเหมือนกัน คือ ความสามัคคี การรักษารากเหง้า และความมองโลกในแง่ดีสำหรับปีที่กำลังจะมาถึง

Sadhu Dah is a world-traveling exorcist, spiritual consultant, and master of multiple ancient sorcery lineages. His work takes him across the globe assisting individuals facing possession, paranormal disturbances, and deep spiritual afflictions. He documents his journeys through cultural and esoteric travel documentaries for a major international TV network.Initiated into old-world traditions, Sadhu trained in Khmer and Lanna Thai sorcery under Master Thanaphol Pakdee and Master Pong Sak, and with revered Thai masters such as Ajarn Aung (Wat Choeng Wai), Master San Kengwet (Wat Bangchak), Ajarn Khaw Saksit (Chiang Mai), and Luang Phor Khaek (Wat Sunthorn Pradit Ongprathan). He was initiated as a Lersi (Thai forest shaman) in Nonthaburi by Lersi Lek Pakdee.His training extends through the Bonpo Tibetan lineage (as a Lama), Mao Shan Taoism under High Priest Wilson Yong in Malaysia, plus initiations in Wicca, Sechem Reiki, and hypnosis through the Shambala Institute.Sadhu Dah blends ancient occult knowledge with hands-on exorcism experience, offering powerful rituals, protective magic, healing, and deep spiritual clarity.Website: TheSadhuDah.comYouTube: YouTube.com/@sadhudah

The Lunar New Year has begun with vibrant celebrations welcoming the Year of the Horse, from fireworks in Vietnam and bustling Hong Kong markets to festive streets in Malaysia and Peru. Families gather for symbolic meals, travellers embrace cultural traditions, and global leaders send messages of unity, marking a holiday that connects communities across Asia and around the world.

The Lunar New Year has begun with vibrant celebrations welcoming the Year of the Horse, from fireworks in Vietnam and bustling Hong Kong markets to festive streets in Malaysia and Peru. - Tahun Baru Imlek telah dimulai dengan perayaan meriah menyambut Tahun Kuda, mulai dari kembang api di Vietnam dan pasar Hong Kong yang ramai hingga jalanan meriah di Malaysia dan Peru.

As-Salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.Tonight on One Ummah News Hour:From Southeast Asia to West Africa, from Gaza to Detroit — we examine the stories shaping the Ummah and beyond.• Malaysia investigates a cryptocurrency platform over Shariah compliance concerns.• Nigeria moves to regulate Islamic schools nationwide.• A U.S. housing probe involving a Muslim development project in Texas.• Palestinians work to restore Gaza's historic Great Omari Mosque.• Detroit volunteers unite to feed families amid rising need.• And in sports — rising Moroccan talent in Europe and leadership legacy in MMA.The Ummah is tested — but present.Challenged — but resilient.Global — yet connected.We report with accountability.We report with dignity.We report with truth.As-Salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the humid jungles of Southeast Asia, where frangipani flowers perfume the night air and the cries of infants echo through kampong villages, she waits—a woman of impossible beauty in flowing white, eternally searching for the baby she lost, ready to drag any soul unlucky enough to cross her path into an endless nightmare of maternal vengeance. freakyfolklore.com #Pontianak #MalaysianFolklore #FreakyFolklore #AsianHorror #GhostStories #SoutheastAsianLegends

This program is the third part in a series that started with the April 2025 broadcast to spotlight the genocide of Rohingya people of Myanmar. In 2017, a violent military offensive forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee across the border to refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. More than 1.1 million people – 75% of them women and children – live there as of June 2025. There are also tens of thousands in refugee camps in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. This past week, on January 22, 2026, International Court of Justice began hearings on the genocide case brought by The Gambia against Myanmar, Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar). I will interview feminist advocates and activists Noor Azizah and human rights attorney Nuraisha Mohd Hanif to gather updates for listeners about the court case and the current conditions in the refugee camps where thousands of people continue to suffer beyond most people's imaginations. This was first broadcast on January 26, 2026 edition of Women's Magazine The post The Gambia vs Myanmar: Feminist Analysis of Rohingya Genocide Case at the ICJ appeared first on KPFA.

Where will Chinese tourists head for the longest Spring Festival holiday in history? How will regional travel hold up for the Lunar New Year break? And will the close proximity of the LNY and the Eid holiday seasons influence travel patterns in parts of South East Asia? On our fast-paced Start The Week show, Gary and Hannah stop over in,Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Bahrain, London & Amsterdam in search of the answers to travel's big questions. En route, we discuss short-term rental sector challenges in the Philippines, and European flight expansions by Air Asia X, Vietnam Airlines & Thai Airways. Plus, we find out how much travellers would be prepared to pay to drive across the planned bridge connecting eastern Thailand with Koh Samui - and how would this affect the popular ferry routes?

Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic and diverse regions in the world with 11 countries, each with its own culture, behaviours, and consumer preferences. From Singapore’s love of premium experiences to Malaysia's obsession with freebies and the Philippines' emotional marketing hooks, there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. In this episode, we're diving into what it really takes to thrive in Southeast Asia and how to find renewed joy and purpose in business through the lens of the Ikigai framework. In this episode, you'll discover… ✅ Why Southeast Asia is such a powerful and complex region for marketers. ✅ How brands like Grab have successfully localised their campaigns. ✅ The importance of understanding country-specific consumer behaviours. ✅ How to revise and understand your purpose in the new year using a simplified Ikigai framework. ✅ Rediscovering passion in business by asking the deeper questions: “Who are you really?” Connect with Derrick Tai via LinkedIn. Happy listening! To discover more marketing strategies, make sure you join us at the next Marketing Ecosystem™ workshop to map out your one-page marketing plan. Here's the link to register (no cost!): http://basicbananas.com/virtualsummit Or apply to join the popular Clever Bunch program to accelerate your business growth: https://www.basicbananas.com/cleverbunch Here's to creating ripple effects of brilliance everywhere we go! The Basic Bananas TeamThe post S16 EPISODE 04: Understanding the SEA Market & Rediscovering Purpose with Ikigai with Derrick Tai first appeared on Basic Bananas.

MM2H approved 9,511 participants in 18 months after managing just 1,900 in the three years prior; 2,637 property transactions remain pending.View the full article here.Subscribe to the IMI Daily newsletter here. 

With hyperscalers pouring billions into AI data centre campuses worldwide, constraints around water, power, and land are reshaping location strategy. Five prime plots at Sungai Samak Estate illustrate how integrated AI infrastructure, renewable energy, and EV manufacturing can converge into a resilient, long-term industrial platform. Sungai Samak Estate City: Kuala Lumpur Address: 2 Jalan Sempurna off Jalan Gombak Website: https://sgsamak.com

Help us expand our Muslim media project here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/member...Donate to our charity partner Baitulmaal here: http://btml.us/thinkingmuslim This week on The Thinking Muslim, we have a candid interview with Nurul Izzah Anwar, president of a leading party in Malaysia, daughter of the prime minister, and a long-term politician. We openly discuss the fate of the world order after Gaza.Find Nurul Izzah Anwar here: X: https://x.com/n_izzahIG: https://www.instagram.com/n_izzahOr give your one-off donation here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/donateSubscribe to our Dubbed ChannelsArabic: https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkingMuslimArabicFrench: https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkingMuslimFrançaisSpanish: https://www.youtube.com/@TheThinkingMuslimEspañolListen to the audio version of the podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vXiAjVFnhNI3T9Gkw636aApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-thinking-muslim/id1471798762Purchase our Thinking Muslim mug: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/merchFind us on:X: https://x.com/thinking_muslimLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thinking-muslim/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslimBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkingmuslim.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.com/@thinkingmuslimpodcastFind Muhammad Jalal here:X: https://twitter.com/jalalaynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalalayns/Sign up to Muhammad Jalal's newsletter: https://jalalayn.substack.comWebsite Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.comDisclaimer:The views expressed in this video are those of the individual speaker(s) and do not represent the views of the host, producers, platform, or any affiliated organisation. This content is provided for lawful, informational, and analytical purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"If you say something over and over often and enough, it becomes true because perception is reality."  Paul O'Callaghan has built a career at the intersection of water science, wastewater realities, and the practical question every operator and executive eventually faces; what actually moves innovation from idea to adoption.  As Founder and CEO of BlueTech Research, Paul explains how his team helps decision-makers put capital to work more efficiently in water by reducing uncertainty and separating signal from noise. He describes patterns he's watched repeat across water entrepreneurs, pilots, and product market fit, and why "innovation" often breaks down simply because utilities, investors, and founders are using the same word to mean different things.    Capital, fit, and the language gap Paul unpacks what it takes to align an investor's expectations with a technology's true pathway to scale. He contrasts different "types" of innovation and why matching the right investor, entrepreneur, market, and timeline matters as much as the technology itself. The conversation also highlights why solving a problem someone has today is often a safer starting point than betting everything on a problem that might arrive tomorrow.  Regulations as a driver and a risk  Regulation matters in water and wastewater, but Paul cautions against building an entire business on the hope that rules will create a market on schedule. He walks through timing risk, enforcement uncertainty, and why tracking policy momentum matters as much as tracking the text of the regulation itself. He also notes a shift toward more "aspirational" regulation focused on reuse, regeneration, and systems-level outcomes.  Storytelling that changes adoption  From Brave Blue World to Our Blue World, Paul shares what he learned about making water personal and compelling without reducing it to doom-and-gloom narratives. The stories he tells connect to a core professional challenge: technologies enable outcomes, but adoption accelerates when people can see and want the "better" future those outcomes create.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps    02:33 - Trace's message on finding "your next love" through learning  09:25 - Words of Water with James McDonald  11:25 - AWT connection and the importance of being challenged by community  13:06 - Industrial Water Week dates for "this year" (Oct 5–9)  14:02 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals   19:15 - Interview with Founder & CEO of BlueTech Research, author of The Dynamics of Water Innovation, Executive Producer of Brave Blue World and Our Blue World  22:20 - Pivot moment into water as a career (Malaysia, Edinburgh course, "living machines")  25:15 - What BlueTech Research does (reducing uncertainty, helping capital work efficiently)  27:50 - How startups connect with BlueTech and why storytelling matters  30:09 - Matching investors, entrepreneurs, and markets (alignment and "different languages")  33:00 - The role of regulations (timing risk and market realities)  35:15 - How BlueTech keeps up (themes, emerging areas, and using AI for tracking legislation)  36:30 - Paul's book: The Dynamics of Water Innovation (why he wrote it and who it's for)  40:49 - Documentary storytelling origin and Discovery Channel experience  44:22 - How celebrities got involved and why the outreach worked  45:30 - Why they made a second film and the goal of making water personal  48:03 - Viewer feedback, education impact, and grassroots screening stories  50:08 - "Water 2050" video game inspired by the films  51:21 - Additional ripple effects and "halo" projects (curriculum, photography competition, water walks)  53:06 - Where water innovation is going (desirability, storytelling, and "leaving water")  56:07- Advice for people with ideas (talk to people, generosity of the sector, ikigai, long-term view)  58:08 - Ostara / Crystal Green story (finding the operator's "today problem")  59:54 - One point Paul wants to leave: "It's a journey, enjoy it."    Quotes "We do our best to help people put capital to work more efficiently to solve water challenges."  "Try and find a problem that someone has today, ideally."    Connect with Paul O'Callaghan Email: paul.ocallaghan@bluetechresearch.com   Website: BlueTech Research – Actionable Water Technology Market Intelligence   braveblueworldstudios | Instagram | Linktree   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/o2environmental/     Guest Resources Mentioned   The Dynamics of Water Innovation: A Guide to Water Technology Commercialization by Lakshmi M. Adapa (Author), Paul O'Callaghan (Author), Cees Buisman (Author)   Watch Brave Blue World: Racing to Solve Our Water Crisis | Netflix   Braveblueworldstudios | Instagram | Linktree   "Dynamics of water innovation: Insights into the rate of adoption, diffusion and success of emerging water technologies globally" – Wageningen University & Research  "Wastewater Technology Fact Sheet: The Living Machine" – U.S. EPA  "Brave Blue World" film – Science on Screen synopsis  "Our Blue World: A Water Odyssey" – IMDb overview  "Water Reuse for Industrial Applications Resources" – U.S. EPA  "ANSI/AAMI ST108:2023—Water for the Processing of Medical Devices" – ANSI Blog   "Key EPA Actions to Address PFAS" – U.S. EPA  "The Philosophy of Ikigai: 3 Examples About Finding Purpose" – PositivePsychology.com   Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters Paperback by Brian Klaas   Rivers of Power: How a Natural Force Raised Kingdoms, Destroyed Civilizations, and Shapes Our World Paperback by Laurence C. Smith    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind 415 Green Building Updates: What You Need to Know  004 It's Not Easy Being Green!  032.5 The One That Takes You to AWT's 2018 Technical Training]  022 The One with Tim Fulton  280 The One About Retaining Top Talent  368 Adapting to the New Workforce: Attracting Top Talent 413 Charting the Future: Mastering the Art of Strategic Planning    Words of Water with James McDonald  Today's definition is a single, reactive molecule, usually an organic compound, having the ability to join with a number of similarly defined molecules to form a polymer.    2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE. 

In today's episode we will be talking about a Russian arrested for assault in Pattaya, a stolen pickup tracked by GPS, an illegal doctor exposed, a bizarre fermented-fish protest in Bangkok, Krabi's Valentine traffic lights, and a US$2.8 billion corporate shake-up in Malaysia.

In this episode, our market experts examine how shifting trade flows, growing shipping uncertainty and evolving supply dynamics are reshaping the global bitumen landscape in 2026. Importers across Asia are navigating longer voyage times, tighter vessel availability and escalating freight costs, all of which are creating greater unpredictability in securing prompt cargoes. The discussion also delves into Asia‑Pacific's rapidly changing supply picture, driven in part by a sharp rise in Chinese exports. Competitive pricing from China is increasingly redefining traditional trade relationships across Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. The episode further explores how infrastructure spending trends are diverging across major regional markets. China faces slowing growth, while India, Southeast Asia and Australia continue to benefit from stronger project pipelines. These contrasting demand trajectories highlight how broader economic conditions, government investment and market maturity are influencing consumption patterns. Collectively, these factors illustrate a bitumen market in transition, shaped by new trade routes, shifting competitiveness and evolving regional demand.

They said “no”, she said “why not?” In this #WomenInSports episode, kita #jomsembang dengan Puteri Rania, a Muay Thai fighter dari Malaysia who's not afraid to enter the ring or chase her dreams. Rania cerita tentang how she got into fighting, the ups and downs she's faced, and how she keeps moving forward. Whether it's in sport, social media, or building her own business. For anyone who's been told “no” this is one to listen to.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comWhy Belief Must Come Before Practice: Introduction to Imam Al-Ghazali's 40 PrinciplesUnderstanding the foundations of Islamic knowledge requires more than memorizing rulings or performing rituals. It demands a systematic approach to learning that begins with certainty in belief before moving to practice. This article explores the framework laid out in Imam Al-Ghazali's The 40 Principles of Our Religion, examining why aqidah (creed) forms the essential foundation upon which all other religious knowledge is built.The Three Dimensions of Islamic PracticeThe Islamic tradition recognises three fundamental dimensions of religious life: Islam, Iman, and Ihsan. This framework, derived from Hadith Jibreel (known as Umm al-Sunnah), provides the organisational structure for understanding our religion.Islam: The Science of PracticeIslam encompasses the ritualistic and practical aspects of religion, which later developed into the science of fiqh (jurisprudence). While four major schools of Islamic law are widely recognised today, the historical reality reveals far greater diversity. Scholars document more than 80 madhabs during the early period of Islamic intellectual development.The survival of a legal school depends not on the Imam's knowledge alone, but on the continuity of transmission. Consider the madhab of Imam Al-Layth ibn Sa'd: despite Imam Al-Shafi'i's assertion that he was “afqahu min Malik” (more knowledgeable in fiqh than Imam Malik), his school did not survive because his students failed to continue the work.The Importance of Unbroken TransmissionContemporary practitioners receive their understanding of Islamic law through an unbroken chain of transmission (isnad) extending back to the founding Imams. For Shafi'i scholars, this means a documented chain of teachers and students from the present day all the way to Imam Al-Shafi'i himself.This chain preserves not just the rulings, but the contextual understanding and technical terminology. Without this living transmission, legal texts become increasingly difficult to interpret accurately. Imam Al-Shafi'i's magnum opus, Al-Umm, illustrates this challenge. Despite its importance, this foundational text is rarely taught in traditional Islamic circles today because the specific terminological framework has not been preserved in the same way as later works.Legal terminology evolves across generations. Early scholars often used cautious language when discussing prohibitions, preferring phrases like “I dislike this” rather than definitively declaring something haram. This reflected both their taqwa (God-consciousness) and their reluctance to claim authority over matters of divine law. In communities with high levels of religious commitment, such subtle expressions were sufficient to guide behavior.As communities changed, scholars adapted their pedagogical approach. The terminology became more explicit and categorical, even as the underlying rulings often became more accommodating. Imam Al-Nawawi's strict position on Fatiha recitation—invalidating prayer for mispronouncing even a single letter—was later moderated by scholars like Imam Al-Haythami, who recognised that people from certain linguistic backgrounds might be physically unable to produce specific Arabic phonemes.This adaptation reflects not inconsistency, but the dynamic nature of fiqh as a living discipline that must address the reality of Muslim communities. A contemporary example: visiting a remote fishing village in Malaysia, one encounters Imams who are part-time dive masters or boat captains, leading congregations where the recitation quality varies significantly. The fiqh tradition accommodates this reality while maintaining standards appropriate to each context.Iman: The Science of BeliefIman addresses matters of belief, formalized into the science of Aqidah. Within this domain, several schools of thought emerged:Athari (textual): This approach relies primarily on scriptural authority. The Quran commands belief, therefore one believes. This circular reasoning functions effectively in majority-Muslim contexts where baseline assumptions about God's existence and the Quran's authority are shared cultural knowledge.Ash'ari and Maturidi: These schools, founded by Imam Abu Hassan Al-Ash'ari and Imam Mansur Al-Maturidi respectively, integrate revelation with rational argumentation. This synthesis became necessary as Muslims encountered diverse philosophical traditions and needed to defend their beliefs through reasoned discourse.Ihsan: The Science of Spiritual ExcellenceIhsan developed into the science of tasawuf (Islamic spirituality), which also encompasses multiple approaches:The Salaf approach emphasizes wara' (scrupulousness) and zuhud (asceticism). Note that “Salaf” refers to a historical period—the first three centuries of Islamic history—rather than the modern movement called “Salafism,” which emerged several centuries later.Imam Al-Ghazali championed tazkiyah (purification of the soul), focusing on removing spiritual diseases from the heart and cultivating praiseworthy character traits.The Falsafah (philosophical) school, represented most prominently by Ibn Arabi, engaged with metaphysical questions and influenced Islamic mystical thought, particularly in Ottoman territories.This study focuses primarily on the tazkiyah tradition, as it addresses the practical work of spiritual development most directly applicable to contemporary Muslims.

Guest: Charles Ortel. Ortel highlights strong private sector growth in Malaysia and Indonesia, contrasting it with China's economic struggles and the state's "national team" intervening to prop up markets.1889 BOUGAINVILLE

SHOW SCHEDULE 2-11-2026NEVSKY PROSPECT Guest: Mark Clifford. Clifford details the sentencing of British citizen Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison, arguing China is using the case to signal it will crush any dissent regardless of international prestige. Guest: Mark Clifford. Clifford condemns UK PM Starmer for failing to demand Jimmy Lai's release during his China visit, accusing the leader of prioritizing trade over the safety of British citizens. Guest: Ivana Stradner. Russia employs "TV BRICS" and information warfare to control narratives in the Global South, aiming to undermine Western influence and establish a multipolar world order without using kinetic force. Guest: Simon Constable. As Storm Nills approaches France, Constable reports on rising copper prices and volatile gold, while noting UK PM Starmer faces severe political pressure from opposition parties. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Persistent hydrogen leaks delay the Artemis 2 mission; Zimmerman questions Administrator Isaacman's move to reduce reliance on private contractors, fearing it may stifle efficiency and innovation. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Musk announces SpaceX will prioritize the Moon before Mars; regulatory approvals for Starship launches are pending, while Voyager Space secures a management contract for ISS operations. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Starfish Space wins Pentagon contracts for satellite servicing; a new constellation, Logos, enters the market, while India plans an ambitious lunar sample return mission. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Scientists link Enceladus to Saturn's aurora; radar data suggests a lava tube exists on Venus, and archives reveal Pluto retains an atmosphere despite its distance from the sun. Guest: Captain James Fanell (Ret.). With carrier groups near Iran and Venezuela, Fanell discusses the threat of anti-ship missiles in choke points and the necessity of naval power to deter adversaries. Guest: Charles Ortel. Ortel highlights strong private sector growth in Malaysia and Indonesia, contrasting it with China's economic struggles and the state's "national team" intervening to prop up markets. Guest: Charles Burton. A mass shooting shocks British Columbia; tensions rise over the Gordie Howe Bridgeownership as Canada seeks to diversify trade away from the U.S. amid protectionist threats. Guest: Charles Burton. Canada lowers tariffs on Chinese EVs to court Beijing; Burton warns this "strategic partnership" ignores security risks regarding data collection and Chinese influence operations. Guest: Craig Unger. Unger explains how Trump's 1980 Commodore Hotel deal involved purchasing TVs from a KGB front. This transaction reportedly initiated contact with Russian intelligence, who identified Trump's vanity and greed as ideal traits for recruitment. Guest: Craig Unger. Trump's 1987 Moscow trip, arranged by the KGB, was followed by newspaper ads criticizing U.S. alliances. Unger claims these ads, echoing Soviet talking points, combined with real estate dangles to seal the recruitment deal. Guest: Craig Unger. Unger highlights two women with Russian intelligence ties who worked for Jeffrey Epstein. He suggests Epstein's operation gathered "kompromat" on elites and questions why the FBI failed to investigate these foreign intelligence connections. Guest: Craig Unger. An interview by a Russian diplomat's daughter released post-election served as a reminder of Trump's recruitment. Unger discusses missing Epstein tapes, potential disinformation, and Putin's continued influence over Trump's foreign policy decisions.

GuestDarren Wang, Founder & Chairman at OwlTing GroupCompany: OwlTing GroupTicker: OWLSWebsite:https://www.owlting.com/portal/?lang=enBioWith a background in cryptography with prior experience at tech companies in Silicon Valley, Darren founded OwlTing in 2010 to leverage blockchain technology to connect the world and drive industry transformation; today, OwlTing's core focus is building compliant stablecoin infrastructure for the future through OwlPay, advancing global payment and settlement capabilities for enterprises and platforms. The group also operates broader enterprise and consumer businesses, including blockchain services, hospitality and e-commerce platform.Darren holds a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Boston University, completed the Owner/President Management Program (OPM 63) at Harvard Business School.Company Bio OBOOK Holdings Inc. is a global fintech company operating as the OwlTing Group (NASDAQ: OWLS). The Company was founded and is headquartered in Taiwan, with subsidiaries in the United States, Japan, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Malaysia. The Company operates a diversified ecosystem across payments, hospitality, and e-commerce. In 2025, according to CB Insights' Stablecoin Market Map, OwlTing was ranked among the top 2 global players in the “Enterprise & B2B” category. The Company's mission is to use blockchain technology to provide businesses with more reliable and transparent data management, to reinvent global flow of funds for businesses and consumers and to lead the digital transformation of business operations. To this end, the Company introduced OwlPay, a Web2 and Web3 hybrid payment solution, to empower global businesses to operate confidently in the expanding stablecoin economy. For more information, visit https://www.owlting.com/portal/?lang=en.

India's new trade pacts with the EU and US, and the big question: Will Delhi revisit its decision to abandon RCEP? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. A flurry of trade agreements announced by India – first, a “mother of all trade deals” FTA with the European Union, and days later, a framework deal with the US that saw Washington slashing its punitive tariffs on Indian exports to levels just below that of Vietnam and Malaysia, involves wider strategic calculations on every side. In this wide-ranging conversation, host Ravi Velloor speaks with Ambassador Jawed Ashraf, Chairman of India Trade Promotion Organisation and former foreign policy aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Having served as envoy to Singapore and France, he weighs in on the thinking behind the deals, India’s newfound confidence to sign on to market-opening agreements, and the chances of India revisiting its decision to abandon the Asean-backed RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. They both discuss India’s trade imperatives, the tighter embrace by India of the European Union which is itself adjusting to a multipolar world, and how quality trade agreements help set the stage for foreign direct investment flows and stronger strategic ties. They also chat about the calibrated opening that India is making with China, even as it is not yet ready to revisit entering RCEP. Highlights (click/tap above) 1:08 India withdrawal from RCEP and focus on bilateral relations 5:15 A greater alignment of trade with geopolitics 8:46 Roots of India’s “self-confidence” to sign trade deals 11:07 What the trade deals mean for ordinary Indians 14:11 EU looks to India, Taiwan in the AI age 18:14 EU-India, and a message to the US 20:53 Did Trump negotiate with a “gun to India’s head”? 24:18 Why stress on defence in US-India trade deal 27:01 RCEP: A calibrated opening is ongoing with China Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@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 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India's new trade pacts with the EU and US, and the big question: Will Delhi revisit its decision to abandon RCEP? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. A flurry of trade agreements announced by India – first, a “mother of all trade deals” FTA with the European Union, and days later, a framework deal with the US that saw Washington slashing its punitive tariffs on Indian exports to levels just below that of Vietnam and Malaysia, involves wider strategic calculations on every side. In this wide-ranging conversation, host Ravi Velloor speaks with Ambassador Jawed Ashraf, Chairman of India Trade Promotion Organisation and former foreign policy aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Having served as envoy to Singapore and France, he weighs in on the thinking behind the deals, India’s newfound confidence to sign on to market-opening agreements, and the chances of India revisiting its decision to abandon the Asean-backed RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. They both discuss India’s trade imperatives, the tighter embrace by India of the European Union which is itself adjusting to a multipolar world, and how quality trade agreements help set the stage for foreign direct investment flows and stronger strategic ties. They also chat about the calibrated opening that India is making with China, even as it is not yet ready to revisit entering RCEP. Highlights (click/tap above) 1:08 India withdrawal from RCEP and focus on bilateral relations 5:15 A greater alignment of trade with geopolitics 8:46 Roots of India’s “self-confidence” to sign trade deals 11:07 What the trade deals mean for ordinary Indians 14:11 EU looks to India, Taiwan in the AI age 18:14 EU-India, and a message to the US 20:53 Did Trump negotiate with a “gun to India’s head”? 24:18 Why stress on defence in US-India trade deal 27:01 RCEP: A calibrated opening is ongoing with China Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@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 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matilde G is a 20-year-old Italian-born recording artist & songwriter based in Singapore. She has generated more than 50 million views across 180 countries.Her live performance was in Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, United Arab Emirates. She has appeared at the Formula 1 Grand Prix Singapore, & Amerigo Vespucci World Tour.She has won a World Entertainment Award for Best Song of the Year, The Hollywood Independent Music Award, & the Apollo Global Music Award for Best Song 2025Movie Reviews and More is broadcast live Tuesdays at 5PM PT on K4HD Radio - Hollywood Talk Radio (www.k4hd.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Movie Reviews and More TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).Movie Reviews and More Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.

Those who hope to honor God and advance Jesus' Kingdom face powerful opposition from spiritual, physical, and psychological enemies. Successful launching and long term fruitfulness depends on recognizing and, in dependence on the Holy Spirit, waging war against those enemies.

Here's Part 3 of the message from the 2026 Crossover Service in Malaysia with Prophet Shyju.Catch the complete message in the Word section on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shyju Mathew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ app, titled "2026 - Sceptre of Power".Check out “Let's Talk with Shyju Mathew” - new, deep insights, and life-changing conversations: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Prophetess Tiny Mathew's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel for prophetic teachings from His heart to yours.Sign up to join the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSM Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to ensure you don't miss the latest posts.Our Prayer Journal App '⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pray Now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠' is now available for download on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Android⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ devices that has tools you need for a consistent and fruitful prayer life.Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revive Nations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details on the upcoming meetings.Visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jesus Lovers Creation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Store to grab merchandise of products that inspire your journey with Jesus!Subscribe to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revive Nations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to access blogs and many more resources.Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revive Nations Kids⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for videos and resources to help you keep your little ones engaged and growing in God!To partner with us, visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revive Nations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.FOLLOW US ON:Revive Nations: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Telegram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shyju Mathew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Telegram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiny Mathew:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads

Kah Kit Yip has spent his career turning bold ideas about the future of money into working infrastructure.After nearly two decades at Malaysia's central bank and leading breakthrough initiatives at the Bank for International Settlements, he helped pioneer new models for instant cross-border payments, programmable compliance, and faster, safer FX settlement. Now, as Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets at UOB, he's bringing those concepts out of policy sandboxes and into production across Southeast Asia.In this conversation, Ari and Kah Kit explore how interoperable payment rails, wholesale CBDCs, and tokenized assets can move value across borders in real time — while meeting the highest standards for compliance and risk management. They discuss why legal clarity and shared standards are essential for adoption, how institutions can match the speed of digital payments with equally fast safeguards, and what it takes for regulators and industry to build global financial infrastructure together.Along the way, Kah Kit reflects on marathon running, crime novels, and the grit required to solve complex, long-horizon challenges in finance and technology.

This week we talk about OpenAI, nudify apps, and CSAM.We also discuss Elon Musk, SpaceX, and humanistic technology.Recommended Book: Who's Afraid of Gender? by Judith ButlerTranscriptxAI is an American corporation that was founded in mid-2023 by Elon Musk, ostensibly in response to several things happening in the world and in the technology industry in particular.According to Musk, a “politically correct” artificial intelligence, especially a truly powerful, even generally intelligent one, which would be human or super-human-scale capable, would be dangerous, leading to systems like HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. He intended, in contrast, to create what he called a “maximally truth-seeking” AI that would be better at everything, including math and reasoning, than existing, competing models from the likes of OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.The development of xAI was also seemingly a response to the direction of OpenAI in particular, as OpenAI was originally founded in 2015 as a non-profit by many of the people who now run OpenAI and competing models by competing companies, and current OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk were the co-chairs of the non-profit.Back then, Musk and Altman both said that their AI priorities revolved around the many safety issues associated with artificial general intelligence, including potentially existential ones. They wanted the development of AI to take a humanistic trajectory, and were keen to ensure that these systems aren't hoarded by just a few elites and don't make the continued development and existence of human civilization impossible.Many of those highfalutin ambitions seemed to either be backburnered or removed from OpenAI's guiding tenets wholesale when the company experienced surprising success from its first publicly deployed ChatGPT model back in late-2022.That was the moment that most people first experienced large-language model-based AI tools, and it completely upended the tech industry in relatively short order. OpenAI had already started the process of shifting from a vanilla non-profit into a capped for-profit company in 2019, which limited profits to 100-times any investments it received, partly in order to attract more talent that would otherwise be unlikely to leave their comparably cushy jobs at the likes of Google and Facebook for the compensation a non-profit would be able to offer.OpenAI began partnering with Microsoft that same year, 2019, and that seemed to set them up for the staggering growth they experienced post-ChatGPT release.Part of Musk's stated rationale for investing so heavily in xAI is that he provided tens of millions of dollars in seed funding to the still non-profit OpenAI between 2015 and 2018. He filed a lawsuits against the company after its transition, and when it started to become successful, post-ChatGPT, especially between 2024 and 2026, and has demanded more than $100 billion in compensation for that early investment. He also attempted to take over OpenAI in early 2025, launching a hostile bid with other investors to nab OpenAI for just under $100 billion. xAI, in other words, is meant to counter OpenAI and what it's become.All of which could be seen as a genuine desire to keep OpenAI functioning as a non-profit arbiter of AGI development, serving as a lab and thinktank that would develop the guardrails necessary to keep these increasingly powerful and ubiquitous tools under control and working for the benefit of humanity, rather than against it.What's happened since, within Musk's own companies, would seem to call that assertion into question, though. And that's what I'd like to talk about today: xAI, its chatbot Grok, and a tidal wave of abusive content it has created that's led to lawsuits and bans from government entities around the world.—In November of 2023, an LLM-based chatbot called Grok, which is comparable in many ways to OpenAI's LLM-based chabot, ChatGPT, was launched by Musk's company xAI.Similar to ChatGPT, Grok is accessible by apps on Apple and Android devices, and can also be accessed on the web. Part of what makes its distinct, though, is that it's also built into X, the social network formerly called Twitter which Musk purchased in late-2022. On X, Grok operates similar to a normal account, but one that other users can interact with, asking Grok about the legitimacy of things posted on the service, asking it normal chat-botty questions, and asking it to produce AI-generated media.Grok's specific stances and biases have varied quite a lot since it was released, and in many cases it has defaulted to the data- and fact-based leanings of other chatbots: it will generally tell you what the Mayo clinic and other authorities say about vaccines and diseases, for instance, and will generally reference well-regarded news entities like the Associated Press when asked about international military conflicts.Musk's increasingly strong political stances, which have trended more and more far right over the past decade, have come to influence many of Grok's responses, however, at times causing it to go full Nazi, calling itself Mechahitler and saying all the horrible and offensive things you would expect a proud Nazi to say. At other times it has clearly been programmed to celebrate Elon Musk whenever possible, and in still others it has become immensely conspiratorial or anti-liberal or anti-other group of people.The conflicting personality types of this bot seems to be the result of Musk wanting to have a maximally truth-seeking AI, but then not liking the data- and fact-based truths that were provided, as they often conflicted with his own opinions and biases. He would then tell the programmers to force Grok to not care about antisemitism or skin color or whatever else, and it would overcorrect in the opposite direction, leading to several news cycles worth of scandal.This changes week by week and sometimes day by day, but Grok often calls out Musk as being authoritarian, a conspiracy theorist, and even a pedophile, and that has placed the Grok chatbot in an usual space amongst other, similar chatbots—sometimes serving as a useful check on misinformation and disinformation on the X social network, but sometimes becoming the most prominent producer of the same.Musk has also pushed for xAI to produce countervailing sources of truth from which Grok can find seeming data, the most prominent of which is Grokipedia, which Musk intended to be a less-woke version of Wikipedia, and which, perhaps expectedly, means that it's a far-right rip off of Wikipedia that copies most articles verbatim, but then changes anything Musk doesn't like, including anything that might support liberal political arguments, or anything that supports vaccines or trans people. In contrast, pseudoscience and scientific racism get a lot of positive coverage, as does the white genocide conspiracy theory, all of which are backed by either highly biased or completely made up sources—in both cases sources that Wikipedia editors would not accept.Given all that, what's happened over the past few months maybe isn't that surprising.In late 2025 and early 2026, it was announced that Grok had some new image-related features, including the ability for users to request that it modify images. Among other issues, this new tool allowed users to instruct Grok to place people, which for this audience especially meant women and children, in bikinis and in sexually explicit positions and scenarios.Grok isn't the first LLM-based app to provide this sort of functionality: so called “nudify” apps have existed for ages, even before AI tools made that functionality simpler and cheaper to apply, and there have been a wave of new entrants in this field since the dawn of the ChatGPT era a few years ago.Grok is easily the biggest and most public example of this type of app, however, and despite the torrent of criticism and concern that rolled in following this feature's deployment, Musk immediately came out in favor of said features, saying that his chatbot is edgier and better than others because it doesn't have all the woke, pearl-clutching safeguards of other chatbots.After several governments weighed in on the matter, however, Grok started responding to requests to do these sorts of image edits with a message saying: “Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features.”Which means users could still access these tools, but they would have to pay $8 per month and become a premium user in order to do so. That said, the AP was able to confirm that as of mid-January, free X users could still accomplish the same by using an Edit Image button that appears on all images posted to the site, instead of asking Grok directly.When asked about this issue by the press, xAI has auto-responded with the message “Legacy Media Lies.” The company has previously said it will remove illegal content and permanently suspend users who post and ask for such content, but these efforts have apparently not been fast or complete, and more governments have said they plan to take action on the matter, themselves, since this tool became widespread.Again, this sort of nonconsensual image manipulation has been a problem for a long, long time, made easier by the availability of digital tools like Photoshop, but not uncommon even before the personal computer and digital graphics revolution. These tools have made the production of such images a lot simpler and faster, though, and that's put said tools in more hands, including those of teenagers, who have in worryingly large numbers taken to creating photorealistic naked and sexually explicit images of their mostly female classmates.Allowing all X users, or even just the subset that pays for the service to do the same at the click of a button or by asking a Chatbot to do it for them has increased the number manyfold, and allowed even more people to created explicit images of neighbors, celebrities, and yes, even children. An early estimate indicates that over the course of just nine days, Grok created and posted 4.4 million images, at least 41% of which, about 1.8 million, were sexualized images of women. Another estimated using a broader analysis says that 65% of those images, or just over 3 million, contained sexualized images of men, women, and children.CSAM is an acronym that means ‘child sexual abuse material,' sometimes just called child porn, and the specific definition varies depending on where you are, but almost every legal jurisdiction frowns, or worse, on its production and distribution.Multiple governments have announced that they'll be taking legal action against the company since January of 2026, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Britain, France, India, Brazil, and the central governance of the European Union.The French investigation into xAI and Grok led to a raid on the company's local office as part of a preliminary investigation into allegations that the company is knowingly spreading child sexual abuse materials and other illegal deepfake content. Musk has been summoned for questioning in that investigation.Some of the governments looking into xAI for these issues conditionally lifted their bans in late-January, but this issues has percolated back into the news with the release of 16 emails between Musk and the notorious sex traffic and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, with Musk seemingly angling for an invite to one of Epstein's island parties, which were often populated with underage girls who were offered as, let's say companions, for attendees.And this is all happening at a moment in which xAI, which already merged with social network X, is meant to be itself merged with another Musk-owned company, SpaceX, which is best known for its inexpensive rocket launches.Musk says the merger is intended to allow for the creation of space-based data centers that can be used to power AI systems like Grok, but many analysts are seeing this as a means of pumping more money into an expensive, unprofitable portion of his portfolio: SpaceX, which is profitable, is likely going to have an IPO this year and will probably have a valuation of more than a trillion dollars. By folding very unprofitable xAI into profitable SpaceX, these AI-related efforts could be funded well into the future, till a moment when, possibly, many of today's AI companies will have gone under, leaving just a few competitors for xAI's Grok and associated offerings.Show Noteshttps://www.wired.com/story/deepfake-nudify-technology-is-getting-darker-and-more-dangerous/https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/867874/stripe-visa-mastercard-amex-csam-grokhttps://www.ft.com/content/f5ed0160-7098-4e63-88e5-8b3f70499b02https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/29/millions-creating-deepfake-nudes-telegram-ai-digital-abusehttps://apnews.com/article/france-x-investigation-seach-elon-musk-1116be84d84201011219086ecfd4e0bchttps://apnews.com/article/grok-x-musk-ai-nudification-abuse-2021bbdb508d080d46e3ae7b8f297d36https://apnews.com/article/grok-elon-musk-deepfake-x-social-media-2bfa06805b323b1d7e5ea7bb01c9da77https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/technology/elon-musk-spacex-xai.htmlhttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3ex92557johttps://techcrunch.com/2026/02/01/indonesia-conditionally-lifts-ban-on-grok/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr58dlnne5ohttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/technology/grok-x-ai-elon-musk-deepfakes.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XAI_(company)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenAIhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChatGPThttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok_(chatbot)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grokipediahttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/10/musk-and-investors-offering-97point4-billion-for-control-of-openai-wsj.html This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

https://theprint.in/diplomacy/agenda-for-modis-malaysia-visit-upi-potential-dornier-order-asean-india-trade-pact-review/2847827/

Will the Cleveland Cavaliers win the East? Also, is the Spotify AI DJ terrible? We talk about a Gen Z retirement home opens in Malaysia, Kpop Demon Hunters cereal, and lots more!

On this week’s China Compass, we take a more in-depth look at all of the cities to pray for this coming week, focusing on Anhui (Beheading of the Stam’s + Watchman Nee’s Imprisonment), Lintan (Coal Fired Tuk Tuks, Circular Roads), and Tangshan (Deadliest Earthquake Ever). Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast network! I'm your China travel guide in exile, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I share a new Chinese city or county to pray for every single day. Feel free to write anytime: chinacompass@privacyport.com. All my books, substack, patreon, and everything else can be easily found at PrayGiveGo.us! I’m about to fly back to Malaysia this weekend after a whirlwind trip to LA, Houston, and OKC. And we’ll be joined in Malaysia in the coming few weeks by our two oldest children (as well as another missionary friend). And don’t forget, my kids will be taking their first solo trip into China next week. Exciting times! I wish I could say more, but probably best to wait until everything shakes out and there are stories to tell on the back end. Oh, in case I haven’t said so already, I did NOT make it into China last weekend, but I did talk to a new friend in China just this evening. The Millionaire Missionary (BordenofYale.com) - Available on Kindle/Amazon (free PDF) Now let's take a look at this coming week's Pray for China (PrayforChina.us) cities… https://open.substack.com/pub/chinacall/p/pray-for-china-feb-1-7-2026 Tangshan Earthquake https://disasterhistory.org/tangshan-earthquake-1976 https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-dives/the-great-tangshan-earthquake-one-of-the-worst-earthquakes-in-modern-history-destroys-chinese-city/ Thank you for listening! Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! There’s also a Paypal link at PrayforChina.us if you’d like to give to our China ministry. Last but not least, for (almost) everything else we’re doing visit PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, vs 2: the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, therefore ask the Lord for more. Talk again soon!

00:00:00 – Revolution chatter meets AI obsession 00:04:50 – A bot-only social network boots up 00:08:50 – AI agents trade automation flexes 00:18:04 – "Soul.md" turns into machine angst 00:23:02 – Your AI assistant calls you first 00:32:38 – The anti-hype rant on fake AI "magic" 00:37:32 – Joe Rogan says UFOs need receipts 00:46:33 – CNN Death Star "fact-check" parody clip 00:51:14 – Epstein "list" hype meets an empty vault 00:56:14 – Epstein email dump goes full grotesque 01:09:53 – Podesta audio rabbit hole reopens 01:19:32 – Call-in lines open for the obedient family 01:29:14 – Shatner's cereal campaign hits peak cringe 01:34:03 – Alex Jones teddy bear becomes merch destiny 01:39:01 – Malaysia blames overwork for "turning gay" 01:44:01 – Netherlands toilet shortage sparks a backlash 01:53:21 – Bear-poop beer becomes a product launch 01:57:57 – "Name a roach after your ex" fundraiser returns 02:00:01 – Final riffing and sign-off Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: http://obdmpod.com ► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/obdmpod ► Full Videos at Odysee: https://odysee.com/@obdm:0 ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/obdmpod ► Instagram: obdmpod ► Email: ourbigdumbmouth at gmail ► RSS: http://ourbigdumbmouth.libsyn.com/rss ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-big-dumb-mouth/id261189509?mt=2