Podcasts about Southeast Asia

Feeling despair over the threats to democracy coming out of The Billionaire Age? Let alone the predictions we'll see 10 trillionaires within three years. Well, there are concrete solutions. Relatively straightforward ones. Thinkers from Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, to Dutch philosopher Ingrid Robyens to self-described oligarch and American venture capitalist Nick Hanauer say democracy can win over oligarchy.Listen to episodes in this five-part series, The Billionaire Age:Listen to Part One: How did we get here?Listen to Part Two: Disney heiress on the dangers of extreme wealthListen to Part Three: How oligarchs are taking over the worldGuests in this episode:Ingrid Robeyns is a philosopher and economist. She is the chair in Ethics of Intuitions at Utrecht University, and the author of Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth.Gabriel Zucman is an economist and the co-director of The World Inequality Lab. He's also a professor at the Paris School of Economics and the University of California, Berkeley.Nitin Bharti is an economist and lecturer at the University of Western Australia. He is also the South and South-East Asia coordinator at the World Inequality Lab.Lars Osberg is an economics professor at Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His latest book is The Scandalous Rise of Inequality in Canada.Paul Krugman is an economist and the winner of the 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.Tim Wu is a legal scholar and professor at Columbia Law School. He is also a contributing opinion writer at the New York Times. His latest book is The Age of Extraction: How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity.Nick Hanauer is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He co-authored the book, Corporate Bullsh*t: Exposing The Lies and Half-Truths that Protect Profit, Power and Wealth in America, with Joan Walsh and Donald Cohen. He also hosts the podcast Pitchfork Economics.

Six great Asian river systems have their origins in the Tibetan glacial region: the Brahmaputra, the Irrawaddy, the Salween, the Mekong, the Red and the Yangtse ('BISMRY'). Together they comprise the largest concentration of fresh water on the planet outside of the polar regions, and they support one third of humanity. In the age of imperialism, Western colonial powers dreamed of harnessing the economic potential of these great rivers, as if an ‘empire of men' challenged a much older ‘empire of rivers'. This is the theme of Iftekhar Iqbal's conceptually ambitious new book, The Range of the River: A Riverine History of Empire across China, India, and Southeast Asia, just published by Stanford University Press this year. This neo-Braudellian history of Asia's great rivers encourages us to re-examine our thinking about the impact of imperialism, historical agency, Cold War regional categories of ‘South Asia', ‘Southeast Asia', and ‘East Asia', into which the study of Asian history is usually divided, and even the humble mule, which played a crucial role in connecting this mountainous, watery region. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

THE NATURE WANDERERThanks for wandering through nature with me on another episode of The Nature Wanderer! Bears have always been part of the North American landscape, but these days we're hearing about them more often—on hiking trails, near homes, crossing roads, and sometimes wandering through communities.But how much do we really know about these remarkable animals?In this episode of The Nature Wanderer, we're getting to know the bear family—from the Arctic ice to tropical forests and, increasingly, the forests and fields of New York.There are eight living species of bears, and they are surprisingly different from one another. We'll take a look at some of the fascinating adaptations that allow bears to survive in environments ranging from the Arctic to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.And finally, we'll spend a few minutes talking about what to do if you happen to encounter a bear while hiking or exploring outdoors.Seeing a bear doesn't have to be a frightening experience. It can be an incredible reminder that we're sharing the landscape with wildlife that has been here long before us.The more we understand these animals, the better equipped we are to appreciate them—and live alongside them.So let's get to know our wild neighbors: the bears.Paul's Field Kit for Today's Episodehttps://a.co/d/09F3ABr8Episode notes and links:Bear facts: https://bearwithus.org/8-bears-of-the-world/Support the podcast and other Nature Wanderer projects: Donate here: ko-fi.com/thenaturewanderer Nature journals and books by The Nature Wanderer: Amazon Author Page Nature Wanderer merch: naturewanderer.org/merchNature Exploring storefront: Amazon StorefrontNature classes online: The Nature Wanderer ClassesLet's stay connected!  www.thenaturewanderer.com Instagram FacebookDon't forget to share, subscribe, review, and download to help others find the podcast. Got a topic idea or nature question? I'd love to hear from you!Join me on The Forest Connection podcast wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.Support our eco-friendly affiliates: Try Apple Valley Natural Soaps – a treat for your skin and the planet.  Shop Life Without Plastic for sustainable swaps that make a difference.Thank you for listening—and keep wandering through nature. I'll see you next episode!This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. I share observations, stories, and research about the natural world. Always explore nature safely and responsibly.

Six great Asian river systems have their origins in the Tibetan glacial region: the Brahmaputra, the Irrawaddy, the Salween, the Mekong, the Red and the Yangtse ('BISMRY'). Together they comprise the largest concentration of fresh water on the planet outside of the polar regions, and they support one third of humanity. In the age of imperialism, Western colonial powers dreamed of harnessing the economic potential of these great rivers, as if an ‘empire of men' challenged a much older ‘empire of rivers'. This is the theme of Iftekhar Iqbal's conceptually ambitious new book, The Range of the River: A Riverine History of Empire across China, India, and Southeast Asia, just published by Stanford University Press this year. This neo-Braudellian history of Asia's great rivers encourages us to re-examine our thinking about the impact of imperialism, historical agency, Cold War regional categories of ‘South Asia', ‘Southeast Asia', and ‘East Asia', into which the study of Asian history is usually divided, and even the humble mule, which played a crucial role in connecting this mountainous, watery region. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Damon Haley Co‑founder of Glow and Flow Beauty, discussing his transition from entertainment and sports marketing into the beauty-supply industry, his mission to elevate service for Black and Brown communities, and the franchising model he is rolling out nationwide. Hosted by Rushion McDonald on Money Making Conversations Masterclass, the conversation highlights Haley’s business philosophy, community-driven approach, and long-term vision to create ownership opportunities through franchising.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Damon Haley Co‑founder of Glow and Flow Beauty, discussing his transition from entertainment and sports marketing into the beauty-supply industry, his mission to elevate service for Black and Brown communities, and the franchising model he is rolling out nationwide. Hosted by Rushion McDonald on Money Making Conversations Masterclass, the conversation highlights Haley’s business philosophy, community-driven approach, and long-term vision to create ownership opportunities through franchising.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Damon Haley Co‑founder of Glow and Flow Beauty, discussing his transition from entertainment and sports marketing into the beauty-supply industry, his mission to elevate service for Black and Brown communities, and the franchising model he is rolling out nationwide. Hosted by Rushion McDonald on Money Making Conversations Masterclass, the conversation highlights Haley’s business philosophy, community-driven approach, and long-term vision to create ownership opportunities through franchising.

Send us a voice noteIn this conversation, Abram Bicksler shares insights into his work with ECHO, a Christian nonprofit focused on sustainable agriculture and food systems. He discusses the organization's core values, the importance of creation care, and his personal connection to nature. Abram elaborates on the concept of sustainable agriculture, the significance of agroecology, and how these principles are applied in real-world contexts, particularly in Southeast Asia. The discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness of food systems, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. Forrest and Abram discuss the transition from traditional agricultural practices to industrialized farming, highlighting the negative impacts on communities and the environment. Ab shares inspiring stories of communities that have returned to sustainable practices, emphasizing the importance of diversity and co-creation in agriculture. They also explore the concept of ecological community development, the significance of watersheds, and the interconnectedness of caring for creation and neighborly love. Bicksler advocates for a holistic approach to community development that includes both human and ecological needs, framing creation care as a vital aspect of the gospel. KeywordsAbram Bicksler, Echo, sustainable agriculture, agroecology, creation care, environmental science, Christian nonprofit, food systems, global impact, community engagement agriculture, sustainability, community development, agroecology, watershed management, creation care, food systems, environmental health, local farming, ecological community, A Rocha, Plant with PurposeFind us on our website: Earthkeepers Support the Earthkeepers podcast Check out the Ecological Disciple 

This podcast is about a collaboration. Bain & Company, DBS, and Vriens & Partners joined hands to prepare this report on Southeast Asia, with analysis of recent developments and scenarios about the next decade. I worked with Bain’s Ravi Vijayaraghavan, Senior Partner, and Hans Vriens, Founder and Managing Partner of Vriens & Partners on this report, with strong support from several analysts in the three firms. You can download the report here. In the podcast, I go over the salient points of the report, flagging the innovative scenario analysis tool deployed. Southeast Asian economies have held up remarkably well despite recent turbulence, but structural differences across countries are widening the quality and concentration of growth. Our base case forecast for 2026 to 2035 remains broadly intact at 4.8% in this updated edition, but with widened range of possible outcomes, amid shifting global conditions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family and rights advocates say an Australian activist was abducted, as Vietnam accuses him of terrorism.An Australian activist is among three people arrested by Vietnamese authorities on terrorism-related allegations. His family, human rights advocates and supporters dispute the claims, alleging he was abducted in Cambodia. As investigations continue, questions remain about what happened and what comes next.In this episode:Why Hiep Tran's wife believes he disappeared during a trip between Cambodia and Thailand.The terrorism and document-forgery allegations made by Vietnam's Security Investigation Agency.How Viet Tan and human rights advocates are challenging the official account.Claims that the case reflects a broader pattern of transnational repression in Southeast Asia.What support Australian officials say they are providing, and why the family wants more answers.

In 2016, Singapore declared a War on Diabetes. This BRAVE compilation looks at what the Singapore blueprint gets right on health and public policy, and what that stability may cost in entrepreneurial drive. Dr. Sue-Anne Toh of NOVI Health explains TOFI (thin outside, fat inside), why Asians develop diabetes at lower BMI, and how insulin resistance works. Adriel Yong of Clouted lays out the efficiency paradox: when public services work this well, fewer people grow up as problem solvers, and state ownership leaves few business families to build on. Dr. Joshua Wang of VerImmune covers why cancer is detected too late, why new therapies are tested on late-stage patients first, and how diabetes went from a death sentence to a chronic disease. Watch the full episodes: Navigating the Longevity Market | Dr. Sue-Anne Toh - E718 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP0L_qhSRJA  Singapore Works Too Well To Be A Great Startup Hub? | Adriel Yong - E705 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOimzcac29w  Joshua Wang: Reprogramming Cancer, Biotech's Funding Shift & Why AI Will Rewrite Biology – E628 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roXPyXASiRk  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/singapore-health-policy  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Singapore #Healthcare #SoutheastAsia #PublicHealth #Diabetes #WarOnDiabetes #HealthPolicy #Longevity #Biotech #Cancer #Immunotherapy #Startups #SingaporeStartups #VentureCapital #Founders #Entrepreneurship #SEAstartups #TechPodcast #BRAVEsea 00:00 Intro 01:02 Dr. Sue-Anne Toh: Singapore's War on Diabetes 01:47 TOFI: thin outside, fat inside 03:38 Insulin resistance and the pancreas "factory" 06:43 AI, manual labor and the WALL-E future 08:28 Adriel Yong: the Efficiency Paradox 10:04 Temasek, GLCs and the missing business families 11:39 Focus or numbing? HF0 and founder distraction 14:21 Why swing for a billion? 16:12 Dr. Joshua Wang: therapeutic, not preventative 18:36 Why cancer is detected too late 21:27 From death sentence to chronic disease 22:55 Outro

Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.comAsia has no shortage of climate ambition. What it still struggles with is turning that ambition into capital. Over the past eight years, Yvonne Huang of Earth & Life Symbio has watched this gap play out, and she's less interested in the ESG deck presented in the boardroom than in what actually changes on the factory floor on Monday morning. In this conversation she explains why green steel is no longer a technology question but a question of who will buy it and at what price, and why reaching net zero means little if we lose clean oceans and healthy soil along the way. For anyone working to make Asia's transition bankable, it's a refreshingly practical listen.Ref.: Earth & Life Symbio (E&L); Green electricity direct connection in China's steel industry—Policies, economics, and stakeholder incentives; Powering Taiwan's Future: Financing Energy Sovereignty in the AI Economy ABOUT YVONNE: Yvonne Huang is the Strategy Director & Co-Founder of Earth & Life Symbio (E&L). A seasoned board director, Yvonne sits on multiple charity boards from Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Formerly with CapitaLand, she later became the Lead Representative of GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) in Asia, where she champions the integration of ESG principles across infrastructure and real estate portfolios. Yvonne brings a wealth of multi-sectors, strategic insights and governance expertise to the sustainable investment landscape.RECOMENDATIONS:Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB): An investor-led organisation providing standardized sustainability performance scorecards for real estate and infrastructure portfolios worldwide. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist: A Netflix documentary exploring artificial general intelligence (AGI), its societal risks, and the urgent need for responsible technology governance. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: A historic landmark agreement signed by global governments establishing actionable targets to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli  |  MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi's La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.

"If you go back three of four years, you'd have expected Singapore to take the lead on such a regionally important project - but now it's Vietnam." That seems significant. With three quarters of 2026 completed, pan-Asian air travel networks look rather different from the start of the year. The 9th month of the year, September, featured a raft of intriguing developments across South East Asia, plus China, Australia and Canada. On this week's show, Gary and Hannah track back through a highly consequential month and the implications for the crucial end-of-year travel period and into 2027. En route, we assess Vietnam's app-based ID card integration pilot project with Singapore and Laos for air travellers at two airports, and Vietjet's ambitions in contrasting global markets: the US and Australia. Plus, we address the impacts of catastrophic flooding in Bangkok and throughout Thailand, the grim continuation of fire-smoke haze blighting Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, while typhoon season proves deadly in Japan. Plus, why is Air Canada opening up to Vietnam but closing down to Singapore? And will the accelerating race to open one of the world's largest new airports meet its end of year deadline?  

Join Justin Grooms, President of Hello Clever, for a forward-looking conversation on how agent-first architectures, real-time payins, and embedded consumer intelligence are transforming global payments. For decades, enterprise merchants have treated checkout infrastructure as a static cost center—burdened by slow multi-day settlements, opaque interchange fees, and disconnected third-party loyalty schemes. Drawing on his experience scaling Bolt's universal shopper network to over 85 million accounts, serving as CEO of Bolt, and leading high-growth initiatives at Leap Motion and Qualcomm, Justin breaks down why the future of commerce is shifting toward real-time account-to-account (A2A) rails and autonomous AI agents capable of negotiating, converting, and rewarding transactions dynamically at the moment of checkout.

This episode is a supplementary full interview with Dr Mike Joy and Dr Milena Bojovic from Episode 5 of the Edible Empire podcast series. Here, we explore how New Zealand's dairy industry links local landscapes to global extraction, ecological harm, and the wider machinery of food imperialism.New Zealand's image of clean, green pastures hides one of the world's most intensive dairy industries. Behind each glass of milk there is a hidden web of global extraction: phosphate mined from occupied Western Sahara, palm kernel imported from deforested Southeast Asia, and polluted rivers flowing through Māori ancestral lands. This episode traces how New Zealand's dairy boom reshapes both local ecosystems and distant economies, from illegally occupied territories in West Africa to political power in New Zealand. Through the story of “white gold”, we uncover how even the purest landscapes are bound into the machinery of food imperialism.We discuss the environmentally destructive and geopolitically fraught supply chains connecting intensive dairy production in Aotearoa New Zealand with phosphate mining in the illegally occupied territory of Western Sahara as well as palm kernel from South-East Asia in cattle feed. Freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy and Geographer Dr Milena Bojovic detail how New Zealand's export-driven commodity model creates intense global market pressures for corporate profit and high-yield volume. Mike exposes the catastrophic local consequences of this system, explaining how excessive synthetic nitrogen and fertiliser inputs poison rivers, disrupt aquatic ecosystems, and contaminate drinking water. Milena, meanwhile, unpacks the structural traps that force farmers into continual intensification, which in turn fuels dependence on rare, internationally contested mineral resources. Resources from this interview:https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/article/view/9629/8507https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/mike.joy To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.

Last time we spoke about the collapse of Johore. Trapped at Parit Sulong with 150 severely wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Anderson's Australians fought through Japanese roadblocks in a desperate bayonet charge singing "Waltzing Matilda." Unable to breach the bridge, Anderson was forced to abandon the injured, believing they'd receive decent treatment. Instead, they faced the Parit Sulong Massacre—tortured, executed, and incinerated by Nishimura's Imperial Guards. Few survived. Simultaneously, Endau fell after a costly RAF daylight raid. Brigadier Challen's brigade at Batu Pahat retreated through chaos, eventually evacuating by sampan. Most devastatingly, Brigadier Painter's 22nd Indian Brigade vanished into the jungle—a severed telephone line between brigades allowed Japanese infiltration, cutting them off completely. General Barstow died attempting to warn Painter. Only 63 of Painter's 2,000 men reached Singapore. The collapse of Johore was complete. The fortress awaited.   #221 The Malayan Campaign Part 3: The Fall of Singapore Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On January 31st, the last defenders—the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders—crossed the Causeway bridge into Singapore. The island was now under siege, though the military spokesman forbade use of the word "siege" to avoid demoralizing the population. Newspapers were permitted only "besieged," though the true situation was unmistakable to Winston Churchill, who had sent Wavell an unequivocal message two weeks prior: "I want to make it absolutely clear that I expect every inch of ground to be defended, every scrap of material or defenses to be blown to pieces to prevent capture by the enemy and no question of surrender to be entertained until after protracted fighting in the ruins of singapore city." This was Götterdämmerung in miniature—a fight to the bitter end. Wavell relayed Churchill's orders to Percival, who now faced two massive challenges: repelling a Japanese invasion of Singapore's northern coast while protecting the central island with its population and infrastructure. Following Churchill's directives, Percival ordered the destruction of the naval base in utmost secrecy. In a speech to his troops, Percival declared: "Our task has been both to impose losses on the enemy and to gain time to enable the forces of the Allies to be concentrated for this struggle in the Far East. Today we stand beleaguered in our island fortress. Our task is to hold this fortress until help can come – as assuredly it will come. This we are determined to do." Yamashita feared the British might use oil tanks in the naval base to ignite the Straits of Johore, creating a fiery barrier against his amphibious assault. He ordered his artillery and air force to bombard and bomb the tanks, creating a massive cloud of black smoke that enveloped the entire island. While Yamashita prevented the catastrophe he dreaded, the burning oil proved a double-edged sword—the smog made it extremely difficult for Japanese aircraft to locate targets and for artillery to maintain accuracy, wasting significant ammunition. Yamashita had positioned 200 artillery pieces and mortars within range, while Percival commanded 226 guns, including 29 large garrison guns and three massive 15-inch naval guns capable of rotating 360 degrees. However, the ammunition was armor-piercing, designed for ships rather than land targets. To conserve shells, Percival limited harassing fire to 20 rounds per gun daily. Yamashita envisioned firing 1,000 rounds from each gun to soften defenses. His heaviest artillery comprised 105mm guns firing 68-pound shells, but most were Krupp 1890 model 75mm guns firing lighter 11-pound shells compared to British 25-pounders. Yamashita faced an artillery shortfall. More critical was troop disparity: Yamashita had approximately 30,000 men for the assault, while Percival commanded nearly 90,000—though Percival believed the Japanese force was far larger. Singapore's 72-mile coastline meant defending everywhere simultaneously. Though the main thrust would obviously target the northern shore, Percival stationed units like the Manchesters—a regular machine gun battalion from Palestine—in southern pillboxes, never having fired in anger. Having been repeatedly outflanked during the Malayan campaign, Percival feared Yamashita might combine a northern attack with simultaneous southern amphibious landings or airborne drops. He preferred thin coverage across the entire coastline, drawing reserves only to address the most apparent threat. The logical invasion point was west of the Causeway, where the Straits narrowed to 600-2,000 yards and the Skudai River estuary provided concealment for small boats. Wavell believed this and recommended positioning the 18th Division—the freshest troops—there. But deployment decisions belonged to field commanders. Percival established two defensive lines: the Jurong Line, running from the Kranji River south to the Jurong River along the western side, and the Serangoon Line, extending from the Serangoon River southward on the eastern side. Both were mapped but entirely unprepared. The northern shore was similarly unfortified. Four defensive areas were designated: the Southern Area (from the Jurong River around to Changi) under Major-General Keith Simmons; the Northern Area (from Changi to Woodlands) defended by the 18th Division under Merton Beckwith Smith and the 11th Indian Division under Lewis Heath; the Western Area (from Woodlands westward) defended by the 8th Australian Division under Bennett and the semi-trained 44th Indian Brigade; and a Reserve Area centered on Bukit Timah and Paya Lebar, commanded by Brigadier Paris with the undermanned 12th and 15th Indian Brigades. Believing the western Causeway crossing too obvious, Percival decided the main landings would occur to the east. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Percival relied on secret sampan patrols to gather intelligence. Patrols east of the Causeway discovered Japanese equipment on Ubin Island in the strait, and artillery fire on the eastern sector seemed to confirm his suspicion of a northeastern invasion. However, two Australian patrols also reported significant Japanese troop concentrations in the western sector with large concentrations of enemy forces—but found very few landing craft on the Malaya River. Percival dismissed this intelligence as inconsequential, convinced the main attack would come northeast rather than northwest. The patrols had failed to locate where Yamashita had hidden his boats. Anyone understanding Japan should have anticipated that Yamashita would assault Singapore by February 11th—Kigensetsu, Shinto's most significant holiday celebrating Emperor Jimmu Tenno's birth. Yamashita was convinced Singapore lay within his grasp and knew how pleased his superiors would be with a conquest by that date. He had conquered all Malaya in just 55 days, suffering fewer than 2,000 deaths and under 3,000 wounded. His forces had advanced 700 miles, repaired over 250 bridges, killed an estimated 5,000 defenders, and captured 8,000, including senior officers like Painter and Challen. Soon Singapore would become a vast prison camp as the Imperial Japanese Navy tightened its blockade. Yet speed was essential; Yamashita's forces were needed for operations against Sumatra, Java, New Guinea, and many Pacific locations. The longer he delayed, the better prepared the 90,000-strong British force would become. Delay risked allowing the defenders to engage him decisively in the Straits of Johore. Yamashita promised Tokyo an attack within a week. Zero hour was set shortly after sunset on February 7th. Two divisional commanders requested an additional 24 hours to prepare, and Yamashita granted it without hesitation. He understood that if they needed more time, they needed it. Throughout February 7th, 52 guns supporting Nishimura's Imperial Guards Division bombarded the East Anglians near Changi, positioned where massive 15-inch guns stood. Under darkness, an Imperial Guards battalion boarded noisy-engined boats heading for Ubin Island. To their astonishment, the noise didn't alert defenders—the island lay undefended. Percival had decided against stationing troops there due to insufficient manpower, allowing only twice-daily patrols by the 4th Norfolks, who accidentally shot one another in the dark during one patrol. The unopposed capture raised Yamashita's concerns; this feint was designed to divert attention from the western sector, where he planned his full-scale assault. Had his deception failed? Were Percival's main forces hiding in the west? Yet there was consolation: British artillery was targeting the eastern side, not the western sector where Yamashita had positioned significant artillery. The concentrated eastern bombardment reinforced Percival's conviction that the Japanese would invade the northeast. Yamashita had successfully deceived his opponent. The trap was set. On February 8th at 10 a.m., the Japanese bombardment unleashed chaos along the entire northern coast. Over 88,000 shells rained down in 15 hours, destroying telephone lines and isolating forward units. By 7 p.m., the assault focused almost exclusively on the western shore. At 8:30, as the bombardment diminished, the men of D Company, 20th Battalion heard boat engines previously drowned out by the barrage. Yamashita's fleet—50 steel-hulled landing crafts and up to 300 collapsible assault boats—surged from the Skudai River, fanning across the straits as approximately 4,000 of his best troops made their first wave. Colonel Nicol of the 20th Battalion fired the first shots at roughly 300 yards. The forward defenders—about 3,000 Australian infantry exhausted from 15 hours of bombardment—faced Brigadier Harold Taylor's 22nd Brigade positioned across approximately 14.6 km of shoreline. Taylor's force was critically undermanned, with communication failures and minimal water obstacles leaving them devastatingly vulnerable. Yamashita had targeted Taylor's line at its weakest point—what the Germans called Schwerpunkt. Two critical failures compounded the disaster. Major Peacock's searchlight crews, meant to illuminate the landing craft, never received orders to activate. Commander Taylor mistakenly believed the generator was damaged; in reality, the lights simply never came on. Without illumination, artillery couldn't engage effectively. The forward infantry used 3-inch mortars and Vickers guns as landing craft made landfall on small islands like Sarimbun, 400 yards offshore, where Japanese troops established mortars and machine guns to return fire. Among the first ashore was Private Kiyoichi Yamamoto, who suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his stomach, chest, and right hand from a mortar explosion. Despite his injuries, he pressed through the darkness to the beach, reportedly collapsing and dying after helping comrades ashore while shouting "Tenno heika Banzai!" When retrieved, his right lung protruded through his shattered rib cage, his uniform nearly entirely drenched in blood. Taylor's Australians inflicted considerable casualties on the first waves. When Sergeant Arai Mitsuo of the 18th Division jumped from his boat at about 1 a.m. with the second wave, "a cold hand stroked his ankle." He found nine corpses floating in a line, heads upward. "A chill ran down Arai's spine. Were they shot while crossing, and then washed up, or after they had landed? But reflections be hanged! Quick! Cut off a wrist or a finger of each dead man. Chop, chop, chop. Into a box, there's no time to bury them. Just a quick prayer. Rest in peace. Then forward! He must fire the green 'success' rocket: Regimental Command has landed—the sign for 18th Division General Mutaguchi Renya to embark on the third wave across the straits." After four hours, Taylor's 22nd Brigade was overwhelmed. Though artillery eventually provided defensive fire, only 8 of 30 25-pounders were operational. Gun crews remained unaware of the situation until dispatch riders arrived with vague orders to "bring down fire everywhere." The absence of searchlights rendered fire inaccurate and chaotic. Yamashita's Schwerpunkt had worked perfectly. Machine gunner Ochi Harumi of the 5th noted, "For the defending Australians, it was kill or retreat; for the Japanese, it was kill or be killed." He observed that a rearguard armed with Thompsons attempted to slow them, but they moved like "rapid dogs" pursuing the Australians into the bush. Japanese officers carried compasses and instructions to disperse upon landing, heading south or southeast to regroup at the damaged Tengah airfield, situated between the coast and swamps. Both Taylor's forces and the Japanese converged there. Corporal Clarence Spackman and his men, armed with bayonets, encountered a Japanese group including an officer wielding a katana. Spackman charged, seized the sword, and engaged in brutal melee combat, killing several Japanese soldiers. Like many units, his company attempted to establish defensive positions, slowing the Japanese throughout the night. By February 9th, Taylor's brigade had descended into chaos. Men were caked in mud from swamp crossings, many having lost weapons while attempting to reform defensive lines north of Tengah. Bennett sent reinforcements, but the situation deteriorated. Some units reached the village of Bukit Timah on Singapore's outskirts. Duncan, commanding the 27th Infantry Brigade, made unusual personnel changes within hours: Lt Colonel Albert Boyes was succeeded by Lt Colonel Richard Oakes, and Black Jack Galleghan was replaced by Major Ramsay—Duncan disliked Galleghan, who had partially lost his hearing from a near-miss bomb blast. Duncan's forward units covered two miles between the causeway and Kranji River. With the Japanese bridgehead entirely west of the Kranji, Duncan repositioned away from the shoreline toward the river to confront invaders. He then defied Bennett's orders, instructing his men to destroy 2 million gallons of motor fuel at the Woodlands depot before withdrawing. This maneuver shifted his forces from a west-east axis to north-south, ensuring control over the Bukit Timah road for potential retreat into Singapore proper if the enemy gained the upper hand. Nishimura's Imperial Guards Division seethed after their diversionary role on Ubin Island. The humiliation proved unbearable, and his complaints convinced Yamashita to authorize an assault on the causeway itself. Given its narrow width, Nishimura committed only one battalion for the first wave. At 8:30 PM, boats ferried the 4th Guards Regiment across, but they faced identical obstacles to the Western landings—failed field telephones and inoperative searchlights. Around the Kranji River, Oakes' men mounted determined resistance, holding back the Guards. By morning, once communications resumed, Duncan learned his forces risked encirclement from Japanese crossings further south. He ordered immediate withdrawal after destroying the fuel tanks. At 4 AM, they ignited the depot. The Mandai Kechil blazed as the British successfully set portions of the sea ablaze. Corporal Tsuchikane Tominosuke, caught in the conflagration, recounted the nightmare: "Fire lashed out over the mangrove and set it ablaze. It spread quickly, feeding on oil poured into the straits. Mother! Mother! A voice could be heard moaning. It was a picture of hell—'Abiyokan,' Buddhism's worst of all hells. I stumbled along the edge of the beach, my gun felt slippery in my hands. Fire in all directions threatened to engulf me. Where to go? It seemed impossible to advance or retreat! Then I stumbled across Corporal Nemeto who said, 'We'll burn to death just standing here—let's attack!' Shouting out to the battalion and platoons, we advanced. One, then two comrades joined; soon we were five black figures looking all alike, with only the whites of our eyes glinting in the darkness. We were covered in heavy black oil." Nishimura learned that the Kobayashi regiment had last been seen swimming through flames. Many soldiers, covered in oil, returned to Johore. Convinced his division had been wronged, Nishimura raged that Yamashita had "recklessly forced a passage without adequate preparation, resulting in unnecessary casualties." Why did his guards face the toughest beach while the 5th and 18th divisions enjoyed relative ease? He suspected deliberate mockery of his "chocolate soldier" force. When he confronted Yamashita at his Johore headquarters, he discovered the commander had already crossed to his new HQ at north Tengah with Tsuji. Yamashita and Tsuji were having breakfast with dry bread when Nishimura's aide reported. Yamashita dismissed the account as panic from a few fleeing men. The guards division, he declared, could "do as it pleases in this battle," leaving victory to the 5th and 18th divisions alone. Despite this rebuff, the Imperial Guards pressed through the Abiyokan—the burning hell—seeking revenge. Tsuchikane engaged in grenade duels and led bayonet charges. After bayoneting an opponent, he observed defenders "having lost their nerve, with some soldiers cowering in terror, squatting down and avoiding hand-to-hand combat in a wait-and-see position. They, too, were bayoneted or shot without mercy." While the Guards fought, Wavell completed his final flight back to Singapore from Java HQ, arriving as the RAF evacuated. He went directly to Bennett's headquarters with Percival, the three generals barely escaping a Japanese air raid. Bennett revealed that Duncan had disobeyed orders and withdrawn, opening the floodgates for Yamashita to advance on Bukit Timah and the city. Bennett pledged to mount a counterattack within hours and seal the gaps. Before Wavell's early morning departure, he dined with Percival and Air Vice Marshal Pulford. Just as the meal began, a telegram from Churchill arrived: "There must at this stage be no thought of saving the troops or sparing the population. The battle must be fought to the bitter end at all costs. The 18th Division has its chance to make its name in history. Commanders and senior officers should die with their troops. The honour of the British Empire and of the British Army is at stake. I rely on you to show no weakness or mercy in any form. With the Russians fighting as they are and the Americans so stubborn at Luzon, the whole reputation of our country and our race is involved." Wavell added his own message for the troops: "The Chinese, with an almost complete lack of modern equipment, have held the greater part of their country against the full strength of the Japanese… It will be disgraceful if we yield our boasted Fortress of Singapore to inferior enemy forces… I look to you and to your men to fight to the end and to prove that the fighting spirit that won our Empire still exists to enable us to defend it." Percival issued his own directive: "It will be a lasting disgrace if we are defeated by an army of clever gangsters many times inferior in numbers… The spirit of aggression and determination to stick it out must be inculcated in all ranks. There must be no further withdrawals without orders. There are too many fighting men in the back areas. Every available man who is not doing essential work must be used to stop the invader." By 9 PM, Bennett's formations were positioned for a major counterattack at dawn. At Bukit Panjang, Brigadier Paris was settling in for dinner when a Japanese tankette appeared at his gates. Defenders mistook it for a Bren gun carrier; sentries grabbed revolvers and fired. The vehicle retreated. It was later discovered that Yamashita had transported armor across the straits using makeshift pontoons—three rafts lashed together. Over thirty T-95s had landed in the area Duncan vacated, now positioned three miles down the road in Bukit Timah. Alarmed, Paris sent Brigadier Major Angus MacDonald to establish a blockade, anticipating another night assault like Slim River. With no time for proper fortifications, the battalion—oriented westward toward friendly territory—could only park vehicles across the road. As men placed anti-tank mines, a T-95 silhouette appeared. The Japanese took twenty minutes to breach the obstacles, losing one tank to a mine. Boys anti-tank rifles blazed; two tanks exploded. The remaining armor halted. It was February 10th, the eve of Kigensetsu, the 2602nd anniversary of the Japanese Empire. On Kigensetsu morning, around 9 AM, Japanese aircraft dropped something unprecedented: eighteen-inch tubes adorned with colored ribbons containing Yamashita's surrender ultimatum to Percival, written in English: "Your Excellency, I, the High Command of the Nippon Army based on the spirit of Japanese chivalry, have the honour of presenting this note to Your Excellency advising you to surrender the whole force in Malaya… Many fierce fights have been fought by your gallant men and officers to the honour of British warriorship. But the development of the general war situation has already sealed the fate of Singapore… I expect that Your Excellency accepting my advice will give up this meaningless and desperate resistance and promptly order the entire front to cease hostilities… If on the contrary Your Excellency should neglect my advice and the present resistance be continued, I shall be obliged, though reluctantly from humanitarian considerations, to order my army to make annihilating attacks on Singapore… (signed) Tomoyuki Yamashita" By February 13th, Bennett's counterattack to reclaim the Kranji-Jurong line had largely failed. Australian, British, and Indian forces were retreating across the island, some in full rout. Bennett told Captain Frank Gaven of the 20th Battalion, "I don't think the men want to fight," to which Gaven replied: "The men are very tired; their rations have been irregular and insufficient. They have been in constant contact with the enemy and feel they have been let down. I feel that way too." When Wavell reported to Churchill on the situation, he admitted: "The Japanese, using their usual infiltration tactics, are advancing more swiftly than they should in the west of the island… The morale of some troops is low, and none is as high as I would like… Everything possible is being done to foster a more offensive spirit and an optimistic outlook." Percival, hampered by poor intelligence that grossly overestimated Japanese strength, attempted to reorganize his defenses. He created the Tom Force under Lionel Thomas to recapture Bukit Timah village and hill, which the Japanese had occupied that morning. Though composed largely of inexperienced soldiers, Tom Force made progress where most other disorganized units failed. However, they were halted at Bukit Timah by heavy bombardment from Japanese bombers that had shifted focus from Keppel Harbor. The 15-inch Johore batteries were firing on the invaders in the Bukit Timah area, but nearly all 250 rounds were armor-piercing shells—devastating to ships but ineffective against ground targets. Had they been high-explosive rounds, they might have decimated the enemy. Tsuji, driving through Bukit Panjang crossroads, experienced the terror firsthand: "…the blast jarred our spines. The flash seared my eyes, and I was thrown into the roadside ditch… one discharge – two discharges… I had no experience of such heavy projectiles, which tore holes in the ground 15 or 16 metres in diameter and 4 or 5 metres deep… Crouching like a crab inside the earthen pipe I imagined what would happen if a shell fell on me… I had landed on the island with the intention of dying but unconsciously I drew myself further into the pipe." With Tom Force's attack repelled, Percival consolidated his forces into a 28-square-mile perimeter stretching from Keppel Harbor to Kallang Airfield—an area containing approximately 1 million civilians and up to 90,000 military personnel. The loss of Bukit Timah made it impossible to include the island's two reservoirs. He retained only control of MacRitchie's southeastern shore and its underground pipes. By dawn on February 13th, morale was collapsing. Desertions were widespread, and soldiers had lost the will to fight. On February 14th, at 1 PM, the Changi Fire Command was ordered to prepare three 15-inch guns for demolition by 6:30 PM. The guns fired around 194 shells, using 80% of their ammunition before detonation charges destroyed them at 6:45 PM. All remaining ships began final evacuation. Out of approximately 5,000 people boarding 44 ships, around 40 vessels were sunk. Only 1,250 reached India or Australia. Many ships were targeted by Japanese aircraft and heavy shellfire in the Bangka Straits, though some fortunate survivors were rescued by select IJN vessels that permitted surrender. The worst horror came at Alexandra Hospital on Saturday, February 14th. Gunner Anckorn, severely injured and amputated, had received significant morphine. When Japanese soldiers entered, he spoke to the patient beside him: "aren't they Japanese soldiers?" When told yes, he asked what they were doing. "He said they're taking people on the front lawn and killing them… The next time I woke up the Japanese were back in the ward, going from bed to bed with fixed bayonets. As they came up my line of beds, I thought to myself I'm going to be dead in thirty seconds… I said out loud to myself two things: 'I'll never be twenty-four'. The other one was, 'Poor Mum'. They got close to my bed for my turn of bayoneting… I put my head under the pillow and when I came up for air they'd gone and there were four people left alive in the ward." Some theorize the Japanese mistook his blood-soaked hand and empty pillow for a corpse already bayoneted. The atrocity claimed 320 men and 1 woman, with 90 members of the Royal Australian Medical Corps killed while protecting their 800 patients. Meanwhile, Bennett gathered remaining Australian troops into a comprehensive defensive position, while many lingered around the docks seeking escape. Recognizing the dire situation, Bennett messaged Army HQ in Melbourne: "If the enemy enters the city behind us, we will take appropriate action to prevent unnecessary sacrifices." To the north, the 18th Division under Major General Beckwith-Smith fought intense house-to-house combat. The 1st Cambridgeshires identified a Japanese encampment on Peirce Reservoir's northwestern shore where enemy soldiers were swimming and performing calisthenics. They deployed a dozen Bren guns and 2-inch mortars, opening fire from 400 yards away with devastating effect. On February 15th, Percival received Wavell's telegram granting him discretion to surrender: "Time gained and damage to the enemy are of vital importance… When you are fully satisfied that this is no longer possible I give you discretion to cease resistance… Whatever happens I thank you and all your troops for your gallant efforts of last few days." Percival convened a commanders' conference at 9:30 AM. Only Beckwith-Smith was absent, reporting significant enemy infiltration along his 17,000-yard front. The 4th Suffolks and Foresters had been overwhelmed by Japanese tanks. Chief Engineer Brigadier Simson warned that Singapore City would run out of water within a day. Bennett and Heath had been advocating surrender for days. Suddenly, Bennett suggested a joint attack to reclaim Bukit Timah, but his proposal met with silence. A Japanese flag was raised from the Cathay Building for ten minutes—signaling Percival's agreement. He would meet Yamashita at the Ford Factory. Yamashita's forces were critically depleted: only 18 tanks remained, infantry were limited to 100 rounds each, and fuel supplies had run dry. Men survived on two bowls of rice daily. Percival arrived at 4:30 PM carrying a white flag himself. Inside the factory, photographers and reporters clamored. Yamashita appeared and declared: "The Japanese Army will consider nothing but surrender." Yamashita knew the British outnumbered him 3-to-1 and feared the British would discover this numerical inferiority, forcing disastrous street fighting. Percival stalled: "I fear we shall be unable to submit our final reply before 10:30 PM." Yamashita erupted: "Reply to us only whether our terms are acceptable or not, things must be settled swiftly. We are prepared to resume firing." When Percival continued stalling, Yamashita exploded: "Unless you do surrender, we will have to carry out our night attack as scheduled!" Percival requested: "Cannot the Japanese army remain in its present position? We can resume negotiations tomorrow at 5:30 AM?" "Nani!" Yamashita burst. "I want the hostilities to cease tonight and I want to remind you there can be no arguments." Percival stammered: "We shall discontinue firing by 8:30 PM. Had we better remain in our present positions tonight?" Yamashita grew suspicious of Percival's vagueness: "You have agreed to the terms but you have not yet made yourself clear as to whether you agree to surrender or not." Percival could not speak—facing history's worst moment for Britain. He cleared his throat and nodded. Yamashita shook his finger: "There's no need for all this talk. It is a simple question and I want a simple answer—yes or no! Surrender or fight!" "Yes," Percival said. "I have a request to make. Will the Imperial Army protect the women and children and British civilians?" "We shall see to it. Please sign this truce agreement." It was the greatest land victory in Japanese history. Yamashita took Malaya and Singapore for 3,506 killed and 6,150 wounded. Percival's casualties were approximately 7,500 killed and 10,000 wounded. About 120,000 prisoners were taken. During the Singapore Island campaign alone, Yamashita lost 1,713 killed and 2,772 wounded—nearly as many as the entire Malayan campaign. Yamashita later boasted about his greatest deception: "My attack on Singapore was a bluff—a bluff that worked. I had 30,000 men and was outnumbered more than three to one. I knew that if I had to fight for long for Singapore, I would be beaten. That is why the surrender had to be at once. I was very frightened all the time that the British would discover our numerical weakness and lack of supplies and force me into disastrous street fighting." On paper he was outnumbered 3-to-1, but his three first-class homogeneous divisions possessed air and naval superiority—advantages incomparable to Percival's heterogeneous, disorganized force. Had the British continued resisting, Yamashita would merely have waited for reinforcements and supplies. Winston Churchill called Singapore's fall "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history." His personal physician, Lord Moran, wrote: "The fall of Singapore on February 15 stupefied the Prime Minister. How came 100,000 men (half of them of our own race) to hold up their hands to inferior numbers of Japanese?… The surrender of the fortress stunned him. He felt it was a disgrace. It left a scar on his mind. One evening, months later, when he was sitting in his bathroom enveloped in a towel, he stopped drying himself and gloomily surveyed the floor: 'I cannot get over Singapore,' he said sadly."   But Singapore's fall meant far more to the Chinese population than simple military defeat. For them, the island's capture represented not just the loss of a fortress, but the arrival of an occupying force whose intentions toward the Chinese had already been made brutally clear across Malaya. Dalforce, the Chinese volunteer force hastily formed weeks earlier, had fought fiercely across the island during the campaign, sustaining heavy casualties in a desperate struggle alongside British and Commonwealth forces. Some members had managed to escape into the jungle; others would face a far darker fate than conventional prisoner-of-war detention. The Japanese military leadership had long regarded the Chinese population as potentially the greatest source of resistance to their territorial expansion throughout Asia-Pacific. The Second Sino-Japanese War, raging since 1937, had created deep mutual antagonism—Chinese communities across Southeast Asia had raised funds for Chinese nationalist forces and demonstrated unmistakable anti-Japanese sentiment. What awaited the Chinese of Singapore after the British surrender was not occupation in the conventional sense, but systematic persecution rooted in ideological vendetta. On February 18, 1942—just three days after the British surrender—the occupying Japanese military initiated an operation that would become one of World War II's lesser-known but devastating atrocities. The Kempeitai, the Imperial Japanese Army's secret police, began mass arrests and executions of Singapore's Chinese population. The operation was code-named "Sook Ching," a Chinese term meaning "purge through cleansing." The Japanese themselves referred to it as Kakyo Shukusei—"purging of Overseas Chinese." The massacre was systematic and premeditated. Japanese military planners had decided well before the invasion that the Chinese population of Singapore and Malaya required elimination or severe subjugation. According to captured Japanese records and postwar testimony, an order had been issued by senior staff officers on Yamashita's operations staff to kill 50,000 Chinese—approximately 20 percent of the total population. The purge was officially planned to last only two days, but it would be extended repeatedly until early March, consuming thousands of lives. The mechanism of the massacre was coldly bureaucratic. The Japanese established "screening centres" throughout Singapore where Chinese males aged 18 to 50 were required to report for "inspection." The Kempeitai, commanded by Major Masayuki Oishi from headquarters at the YMCA Building on Stamford Road, divided Singapore into sectors and administered the process with 200 regular Kempeitai officers and approximately 1,000 auxiliaries—many of them young conscripts from rural areas with no interrogation training or judicial framework to guide their decisions. In theory, the screening was meant to identify "anti-Japanese elements"—communists, volunteers who had fought with Allied forces, businessmen who had financed resistance to Japan's invasion of China, and organized crime members. The reality was far more brutal and arbitrary. At some screening centers, interrogators singled out men with glasses, assuming educated men posed a threat. Others were selected based on tattoos, considered a sign of triad membership. Hooded informants—often questionable in their knowledge—pointed fingers at supposed troublemakers. At one notorious center, all Chinese males who happened to walk through a particular entrance were simply loaded into trucks to be shot, while those who used another pathway were released. The system was designed less to identify genuine resistance threats and more to terrorize the Chinese community through indiscriminate slaughter. Those who "passed" the screening received a stamp or certificate marked "examined," allowing them to leave. Those who "failed" were separated, marked with triangular stamps indicating their death sentence, and packed into trucks. They were transported to remote killing sites around the island: Changi Beach, Punggol Point, Katong, Tanah Merah, Sentosa (then called Pulau Belakang Mati), and numerous other coastal areas. At these beaches and isolated locations, the condemned were executed by firing squads, bayoneted by soldiers, or simply shot and left to be washed into the sea. The scale was staggering. On February 20, 1942, 66 Chinese males were lined up at Changi Beach and shot. On February 28, approximately 300 to 400 Chinese were executed at Punggol Point by Kempeitai firing squads. At Tanah Merah Beach, 242 victims from the Jalan Besar screening center were massacred. At Katong, 20 trenches were dug to bury bodies. Some victims were transported from the docks at Tanjong Pagar and executed at sea, their bullet-riddled bodies later washing ashore on Sentosa, where surrendered British gunners awaiting internment were forced to bury them. The massacre extended throughout the island and into Malaya. At Kota Tinggi in Johor, 2,000 were killed on February 28. At Joo Loong Loong in Negeri Sembilan, an entire village of 1,474 Chinese was systematically exterminated by Major Yokokoji Kyomi and his troops on March 18. Across the southern states of Malaya, estimated to be as many as 25,000 Chinese were killed through similar indiscriminate mass executions. The bodies piled into mass graves, often remaining hidden until decades later when construction or farming uncovered them. In the immediate aftermath, families of victims had no opportunity to recover remains or conduct proper funerary rites according to Chinese tradition. The death toll remains contested. Japan's postwar government claimed no more than 6,000 had been killed. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, who himself narrowly escaped selection for execution during the screening process, stated the verifiable death toll was approximately 70,000, including Malaya. Historians examining mass grave discoveries and survivor testimony estimate the true figure at 25,000 to 50,000 in Singapore itself, with another 20,000 across Malaya. The variety of estimates stems partly from the Japanese destruction of all documentation related to the screening process and the indiscriminate nature of the killings—many victims were never recorded, their disappearances simply adding to the chaos of the occupation's early days. The psychological impact on Singapore's Chinese community was devastating. Survivors emerged from the screening process traumatized, many bearing visible marks of their passage through the system. Women and children, though theoretically not targeted, were sometimes sent for inspection as well, and some were victimized during the process. Entire families were separated, with some members executed while others survived by chance. The massacre destroyed the illusion that Singapore's position as a British fortress had provided security or protection. The rapid fall of Singapore and the subsequent slaughter of the Chinese population crystallized a profound realization among the local population: the colonial masters could not protect them, and their status as second-class inhabitants of their own territory had become abundantly clear. In the years after the war, perpetrators of the Sook Ching were identified and tried. Seven Japanese officers—Takuma Nishimura, Saburo Kawamura, Masayuki Oishi, Yoshitaka Yokata, Tomotatsu Jo, Satoru Onishi, and Haruji Hisamatsu—were charged in 1947. Kawamura and Oishi received death sentences and were hanged on June 26, 1947. However, the mastermind behind the operation—Major Masanobu Tsuji, Yamashita's Chief of Planning and Operations who personally planned and coordinated the massacre—escaped after the war, fled to China, and later became a politician in Japan before disappearing in Laos in 1961, presumably killed. The massacre's legacy became a catalyst for political awakening in Singapore. The British failure to demand reparations specifically for the Chinese, Malay, and Indian communities killed during the occupation (only securing compensation for European victims) became a point of bitter contention. It demonstrated to Singaporean Chinese that the colonial government did not truly represent their interests. When Singapore gained self-governance in 1959, waves of anti-Japanese sentiment emerged, with the Chinese community demanding official apologies and reparations. Not until 1966, after independence, did Japan agree to provide S$50 million in compensation—though notably refusing to make an official apology or accept legal responsibility for the massacre. The Japanese government classified the payment as a "gesture of atonement" rather than formal reparations, a linguistic evasion that did little to ease the lingering trauma. Mass graves were accidentally discovered in 1962 at Siglap, an area locals had called the "Valley of Tears." Exhumation work continued through the 1960s, with nearly 100 graves uncovered. In 1963, Singapore erected the Civilian War Memorial at Beach Road—a 67.4-meter monument consisting of four pillars symbolizing Singapore's four major ethnic groups. Beneath it lies a tomb containing remains of Sook Ching victims recovered from 1962 to 1966. The massacre sites at Changi Beach, Katong, Punggol Point, Tanah Merah, and Sentosa were designated as heritage sites in 1992 with commemorative plaques. Yet the numerical vagueness surrounding the death toll—a direct consequence of Japan's refusal to acknowledge full responsibility or conduct a proper investigation—remains a source of historical frustration and continuing emotional weight for the descendants of victims. The Sook Ching Massacre had an immediate and profound effect on organized Chinese resistance. Many Dalforce members who had escaped into the jungle were now hunted relentlessly by occupying forces. Some retreated further inland, eventually linking with the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA), the communist guerrilla force that had been organizing in Malaya. The massacre transformed what might have been localized resistance into a unified determination to survive and eventually drive out the occupiers. The brutality inflicted upon the Chinese population—ostensibly targeted at "anti-Japanese elements" but indiscriminate in practice—radicalized entire communities and gave the nascent guerrilla movements both moral justification and a steady stream of desperate recruits willing to fight. The very mechanism designed to crush Chinese resistance had, ironically, forged the conditions for sustained and effective guerrilla warfare throughout the occupation's three-and-a-half years.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.   Singapore fell on February 15, 1942, when Percival surrendered to Yamashita—who had bluffed with inferior numbers and dwindling supplies. Three days later, the Sook Ching Massacre began: the Kempeitai systematically slaughtered 25,000 to 50,000 Chinese civilians across Singapore and Malaya through "screening centers" and mass executions at beaches, eliminating perceived anti-Japanese resistance.      

O que um exilado brasileiro em Paris nos anos 1970 e um apoiador de Bolsonaro em Orlando têm em comum? Para Teresa Cristina Schneider Marques (PUCRS), pós-doutoranda na UERJ com apoio da Faperj, ambos ajudam a entender por que o exílio deixou de significar isolamento e passou a ser estratégia política. Neste episódio, produzido em parceria com o Observatório da Extrema-Direita, David Magalhães (UFU / OED) e Guilherme Casarões (FIU / OED) recebem Teresa para discutir a transnacionalização do bolsonarismo, tema de sua pesquisa de campo recente na Flórida e de trabalhos como “Migrantes internacionais na extrema direita e as frentes de transnacionalização do bolsonarismo nos EUA”. A conversa percorre o voto da diáspora brasileira nos Estados Unidos, o papel das igrejas e das organizações de migrantes, a ofensiva de Eduardo Bolsonaro e Paulo Figueiredo junto ao governo Trump e os limites de um ativismo que pode sair pela culatra. No boletim de notícias, David Magalhães analisa as vitórias da AfD na Saxônia-Anhalt e em Mecklemburgo-Pomerânia Ocidental, a largada da corrida presidencial francesa com Marine Le Pen e Éric Zemmour, o acordo migratório entre Jordan Bardella e Nigel Farage e o improvável encontro entre Steve Bannon e Bernie Sanders, sintoma das fissuras dentro do trumpismo. Na abertura, David apresenta o NETEX, novo núcleo da UFU dedicado ao estudo da transnacionalização e do extremismo. E na dica cultural, o documentário Anatomia do Caos, de Dandara Ferreira, sobre os bastidores da CPI da Covid. Aperte o play! Quer apoiar o Chutando a Escada? Acesse chutandoaescada.com.br/apoio Mande um café usando nossa chave PIX: perguntas@chutandoaescada.com.br Comentários, críticas, sugestões? Escreva pra gente em perguntas@chutandoaescada.com.br Participaram deste episódio: David Magalhães (UFU / OED), Guilherme Casarões (FIU / OED) e Teresa Cristina Schneider Marques (PUCRS). Inserção musical no final: Interpretação de Sarah Hester Ross de “The Day the Nazi Died” (Chumbawamba, 1993). Escute também no Spotify, no YouTube ou Apple Podcasts. Citados no episódio ANDERSON, Benedict. The Spectre of Comparisons: Nationalism, Southeast Asia and the World. London: Verso, 1998. FERREIRA, Dandara (dir.). Anatomia do Caos. Brasil, 2026. Documentário. MARQUES, Teresa Cristina Schneider. Migrantes internacionais na extrema direita e as frentes de transnacionalização do bolsonarismo nos EUA. Washington Brazil Office, 8 out. 2024. https://www.braziloffice.org/pt/artigos/migrantes-internacionais-na-extrema-direita-e-as-frentes-de-transnacionalizao-do-bolsonarismo-nos-eua MUDDE, Cas. The Far Right Today. Cambridge: Polity, 2019. Mencionado em entrevista. RAMOS, Paola. Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America. New York: Pantheon, 2024. ROLLEMBERG, Denise. Exílio: entre raízes e radares. Rio de Janeiro: Record, 1999. Mencionado em entrevista. SZNAJDER, Mario; RONIGER, Luis. The Politics of Exile in Latin America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. TARROW, Sidney. The New Transnational Activism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. TILLY, Charles; TARROW, Sidney. Contentious Politics. Boulder: Paradigm, 2007. Mencionado em entrevista. Capítulos: 00:00 — Introdução e apresentação do NETEX 03:40 — Do exílio na ditadura ao internacionalismo reacionário 27:40 — Por que a diáspora brasileira nos EUA vota em Bolsonaro? 36:55 — Flórida, Yes Brasil e as redes do bolsonarismo no exterior 46:50 — Eduardo Bolsonaro, Paulo Figueiredo e os limites do ativismo transnacional 53:50 — Futurologia: as redes transnacionais depois de 2026 01:03:30 — Boletim OED: AfD, Le Pen e Zemmour, Bardella e Farage, Bannon e Sanders 01:16:35 — Dica cultural: Anatomia do Caos The post O exílio como estratégia: as redes transnacionais do bolsonarismo appeared first on Chutando a Escada.

Matthew Campbell is an editor at Bloomberg Businessweek who spent a decade reporting out of Europe before relocating to Singapore, filing from more than twenty-five countries on crime, corruption, terrorism, economics, public health and the environment along the way. He co-broke the investigation into how Goldman Sachs made hundreds of millions of dollars on bond deals with Muammar Gaddafi's Libya while the country lost over a billion, dug into South Africa's Gupta "state capture" scandal, investigated the still-unsolved murder of Canadian pharmaceutical billionaire Barry Sherman, and exposed massive undisclosed methane emissions leaking out of Central Asia's oil and gas fields. He's a seven-time Loeb finalist with honors from the National Press Club, SOPA and SABEW. His new book, The Man Who Stole the Gods, follows the decades-long, industrial-scale looting of ancient Khmer treasures out of Cambodia, and the British art dealer at the centre of it all, Douglas Latchford, who spent fifty years selling stolen antiquities to the world's biggest museums and private collectors on forged provenance nobody bothered to check. We follow the story from Latchford's arrival in 1950s Bangkok, through the horror of the Khmer Rouge and the thirty-year civil war that followed, into the private homes of American billionaires, the boardroom of the Met and even the Jeffrey Epstein files.Link To 'The Man Who Stole the Gods'Link To 'Curious Worldview Substack'Leave a review on Apple or Spotify (nothing does more to help grow the show)It's an enormous pleasure to have spoken with Matt, we discussed...How the story landed on his radar — a stray 2019 headline about a British art dealer indicted for fraud, the detail that he was also the principal financial sponsor of bodybuilding in Southeast Asia, and the COVID delay before he was confident, from his first day reporting in Phnom Penh, that there was a book in itMeeting Brad Gordon, the American lawyer hired by the US Department of Justice who ended up working for the Cambodian government instead — and why Matt built the book around the people chasing the statues rather than the man who stole themWhether the book might push other nations to take looting more seriously, from the century-long fight over the Elgin Marbles to looting still happening today in Iraq, Syria, Sudan and UkraineThe closest historical analogue to Cambodia's scale of loss — Nazi-looted art — and why the Khmer Rouge were "sui generis," even among history's worst regimesLife under Pol Pot: "to keep you is no profit, to destroy you is no loss" — and a regime so absolute it abolished money itself, something not even Stalin or Mao attemptedWhy the Khmer Rouge's brand of communism was so viciously effective and yet, within four years, collapsed like "a house of cards" — at a cost of two million livesDouglas Latchford's arrival in 1950s Bangkok, the CIA-adjacent expat demimonde built around Cold War espionage, and his mentor Jim Thompson — the "Thai Silk King" who vanished without a trace on a walk in Malaysia in 1967The Khmer Empire itself: Angkor at its 12th–13th century peak housing something like 750,000 people against London's 30,000–40,000 — and how little historical record survives because looters don't take notesToek Tik — "Lion" — the Khmer Rouge child soldier turned reluctant executioner turned escapee turned the most prolific looter in Cambodia, and how Brad Gordon spent over a decade coaxing his memories into evidence that kept matching the groundHow Latchford faked provenance — a forged letter from "Ian Donaldson," a man who conveniently died in 2001 but kept "signing" documents into the 2010s — and why almost nobody who saw the paperwork actually believed itWhy Americans developed a taste for Southeast Asian art in the 1960s (the Beatles and the Maharishi, the Hare Krishna movement founded on the Lower East Side) and how that fed straight into 1980s Wall Street fortunesThomas Hoving, the Met director who invented the blockbuster exhibition and corporate sponsorship as we know them — and the Met's refusal to sit for an interview or meaningfully engage with the bookTracing the loot today — an anonymous Architectural Digest spread, and how Jeffrey Epstein's email archive surfaced financier Leon Black's roughly $30 million in Cambodian purchasesArt as a money-laundering vehicle: Latchford's Jersey trusts, the push to finally bring art dealers under the Bank Secrecy Act, and Oliver Bullough's estimate that up to 70% of the secondhand watch trade may be laundering in disguiseWhether large-scale looting still happens — Cambodia's temples are effectively "cleaned out," but Sudan's National Museum lost more than 60% of its collection when the RSF took Khartoum in 2023Closing questions: which empty ancient civilisation he'd walk through if he could (Cambodia, then Mexico) — and the role serendipity has played in every story he's ever chasedCurious Worldview (catalogue connections to this ep)The blurbs made flesh — Matt name-checks both journalists who blurbed his book in conversation: Oliver Bullough, on his new book Everybody Loves Our Dollars and the eye-watering share of the secondhand watch and handbag trade that's really laundering, and Zeke Faux, whose Number Go Up mapped the same "value is whatever somebody says it is" logic onto crypto.The most important crime in the world — Matt's line that no significant criminal enterprise works without laundering its proceeds sits right alongside Nathan Lynch on why Australia became a laundering haven almost by accident.The exploited periphery — the scam compounds in Cambodia and Myanmar that come up near the end are Matt Friedman's exact territory, and Toek Tik — paid a pittance to dig up gods worth millions abroad — is a museum-world version of the same economy.The lone crusader — Brad Gordon spending over a decade, likely the rest of his life, chasing looted statues with no real system built to do it, echoes Bill Browder turning Sergei Magnitsky's death into a one-man campaign.Timestamps... 00:00 — Intro 02:04 — How the story found him 04:42 — Could this book push other nations to take looting seriously? 07:21 — Nazi-looted art as the closest analogue; why the Khmer Rouge were unique 08:45 — "To keep you is no profit, to destroy you is no loss" 13:29 — Latchford's Bangkok arrival and Jim Thompson's 1967 disappearance 17:45 — The Khmer Empire at its peak 24:58 — Toek Tik's story 29:47 — Faking provenance: the dead man's letter 34:20 — Why Americans fell for Southeast Asian art in the 60s 35:49 — Thomas Hoving's Met, and its refusal to engage 41:37 — Tracing the loot: the magazine spread and the Epstein archive 43:13 — Art as money laundering 47:18 — Does the looting continue? 49:45 — Closing questions

At the beginning of the current decade, views of China were near historic lows in many countries. Recently, however, positive opinions of China have become more widespread, as measured in a recent Pew Research Center survey, and more people now have confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs. Still, in most of the 37 countries surveyed, and particularly in some of the wealthier ones, views of Xi remain more negative than positive. Views of China are also more positive in Latin America, Africa and parts of South and Southeast Asia than in wealthier European and East Asian countries. Anxieties about China persist, including concerns about its government's respect for personal freedoms, the possibility of territorial conflict with its neighbors, and interference in the affairs of other countries.  In an interview conducted on August 7, 2026, Pew Research Center Associate Director Laura Silver joins Steve Orlins to discuss changes in global perceptions of China over the past few years.  About the speaker

If you had to sell your business tomorrow, would you know what it is really worth?For many business owners, their business is a significant part of their retirement plan. Yet its value and transferability can be affected by risks they may not have considered. Having clarity on where the business stands today can make all the difference when preparing for what comes next.In this episode, Jerome, Business Exit Special at Providend, shares with Ray, Senior Client Adviser, how he uses a three-step framework to guide business owners in identifying and mitigating common risks that could affect the value and transferability of their business. By addressing these areas early, business owners can prepare for any potential outcome and make decisions from a position of strength.Music courtesy of ItsWatR.The host of this episode, Ray Zheng, is a Client Adviser at Providend, the first fee-only wealth advisory firm in Southeast Asia and a leading wealth advisory firm in Asia.The full list of Providend's Money Wisdom podcast episodes from Season 4 can be found here.Did you know that our Providend's Money Wisdom podcast is now available in video format on YouTube? Follow us on our YouTube channel for new episode on Thursday at 8pm.Mentioned in this episode:Get Our Money Wisdom II Book Today!Some long-time listeners might know that the inspiration behind this entire podcast was our CEO, Chris's book. We're proud to announce that we have launched our second edition of the book titled Money Wisdom II: More Simple Truths for Financial Wellness. If you are interested in getting your very own copy, please check out the link here: https://providend.com/publications/#order-form

Brazilian Critical Minerals Ltd (ASX:BCM) managing director Andrew Reid spoke with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the Ema rare earths project, its in-situ recovery (ISR) process, project economics and the key milestones ahead as the company advances development. Reid said Ema is distinctive because BCM plans to apply in-situ recovery, a technique widely used for rare earth extraction in Southeast Asia but not currently applied to comparable projects in the Western world. Discussing the project's economics, Reid highlighted the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of ISR, which removes the need for many conventional mining activities and infrastructure, including open-pit mining, large mining fleets, haul roads, waste dumps and tailings dams. "The key drivers of all those things is the actual in-situ recovery process itself. It's very simple, it's very streamlined, and it's extremely cost-effective," he said. He also discussed the use of magnesium sulfate, commonly known as Epsom salts, as the reagent in the project's leaching process, and what this could mean for Ema's environmental footprint. BCM is now progressing Ema into FEED, with detailed design work expected to feed into local engineering work in Brazil before packages can be awarded to vendors. Reid also discussed progress on land titles and environmental permitting following the public hearing in Apuí. Looking ahead, Reid identified environmental permitting, an offtake agreement, project financing, detailed design and the awarding of construction packages as key steps towards development and eventual first product from Ema. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and videos. Give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications so you don't miss future content. Read Proactive's Editorial Policy here: https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/pages/editorialPolicy #BrazilianCriticalMinerals #EmaProject #RareEarths #RareEarthElements #CriticalMinerals #InSituRecovery #ISR #Mining #MiningInvestment #RareEarthMining #ProjectDevelopment #FEED #Brazil #Apuí #CriticalMineralsMining #ProactiveInvestors.

Join host Ryan Walters as he goes into the tunnel with players in the ultimate 'what if' scenario: seconds away from walking onto the pitch for a World Cup Final. As their career flashes before their eyes, they discuss the matches, milestones, moments, mistakes, and people that shaped who they are.   This is football in full life, in full vision. This is Tunnel Vision.   In this episode, Ryan chats with Park Jungbin, the South Korean midfielder whose career has taken him from the Bundesliga, across Europe, back to South Korea, and eventually Southeast Asia. Now at Sabah FC, Park looks back on the successes, setbacks and experiences that have shaped a career he believes is only just entering its second half.   They dive into:   How Germany shaped him as both a player and professional Making his Bundesliga debut against Bayern Munich The setbacks, failures and sleepless nights behind football's so-called "dream job" Why his experiences in Europe and Korea have prepared him for the second half of his career   From leaving South Korea as a teenager to building a career across two continents, this is a story about resilience, perspective and why Park still believes he has plenty left to give.  

Edy Widjaja, former Senior Partner at Bain & Company and author of The Accidental Partner, joins Jeremy Au for a candid look back at a 16-year management consulting career. They cover what the job actually consists of once you take away the slides and the pitch, how performance reviews and feedback really work inside a top firm, how he handled clients and competing stakeholders, how he and his wife traded off two demanding careers around a young child, what a partner does day to day that nobody sees, and what happened after he retired at the end of 2025. Edy Widjaja spent fifteen years inside an elite global management consulting firm, rising from an overlooked research scientist with zero interviews to Senior Partner advising top executives across Southeast Asia.  He holds a BSc in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Indonesia and a PhD in Materials Science from Northwestern University — a path that was originally meant to end in a laboratory. Long before any of that, he learned to read a customer's needs from behind the counter of his parents' nine-square-meter provision shop in Chinatown, West Jakarta. That instinct, it turned out, mattered more than almost anything he learned in a classroom. He co-founded his firm's Jakarta office, led its Southeast Asia Financial Services practice, and spent a decade shaping the region's hiring and mentorship as its Recruiting and People Partner. In 2026, he closed the laptop for the last time to write, travel, and figure out who he is without a calendar telling him. The Accidental Partner is his first book. All net proceeds support education access, scholarship, and mental health initiatives in Indonesia. He lives in Singapore. Get the book at https://www.edywidjaja.com  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/the-accidental-partner  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Consulting #Leadership #SoutheastAsia #Bain #ManagementConsulting #Indonesia #Singapore #INSEAD #MBA #CareerAdvice #Feedback #PerformanceReview #WorkLifeBalance #DualCareer #Partnership #Mentorship #StakeholderManagement #Jakarta #TechPodcast #Founders #VentureCapital #SEAstartups #Vietnam #Malaysia #Philippines #Retirement #BRAVEsea 00:00 Introduction 02:37 From a provision shop in West Jakarta to Bain 10:21 The INSEAD MBA, and nearly not getting hired 14:21 What consulting actually is behind the slides 19:45 Performance reviews, feedback and the ego 26:58 Clients, stakeholders and the front line 37:23 Jakarta, travel and not being a weekend dad 42:08 Two careers, taking turns 44:19 What a partner really does all day 49:52 Why he retired at senior partner 53:45 Life after the calendar empties 56:57 Three takeaways

Stephanie Weaver, MPH: Turning Your Hardest Story Into a Powerful TEDx Talk My next guest is an experience curator and storytelling strategist. With a rich career spanning museum storytelling, public health, and speaker coaching, she has worked at a range of iconic institutions – from The San Diego Zoo to The White House. A world traveler who embarked on a solo journey through Southeast Asia at 28, Weaver has curated TEDxSanDiego, coached hundreds of speakers, and authored five books that illuminate the power of personal narrative. A survivor and advocate, she's transformed personal battles with childhood sexual abuse and chronic illness into a mission of helping others heal. From museum storytelling to TEDx coaching, from writing about migraine wellness to supporting listeners dealing with family estrangement, Stephanie embodies resilience, compassion, and the power of personal narrative. You'll want to connect with her @sweavermph on all social media platforms. Sign up for her free newsletter Bitter, Sweet at stephanieweaver.comAfter living in Cleveland, Connecticut, and Chicago, Stephanie has been a happy Southern Californian for thirty years, where she and her husband wait hand and foot on their golden retriever. Welcome… Stephanie Weaver, MPHLinkshttps://sweavermph.substack.com/https://www.instagram.com/sweavermph/Tagspodcast for creatives,creative podcast,podcast creator interviews,professional podcast,creative podcasts,podcast host interviews,creative podcast ideas,Body-Positive,Childhood Trauma,Chronic Illness,Chronic Pain,Disability,Estrangement,Generational Trauma,Mind-Body Connection,Trauma Recovery,Writing A BookSupport PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rssSubstackhttps://substack.com/@phantomelectricghost?utm_source=edit-profile-page

Episode 191 covers several timely points-and-miles updates, along with practical travel tips and trip-planning updates from Cameron and Mike. The hosts discuss strategies for staying healthy while flying, including wiping down seats, using hand sanitizer and masks, staying hydrated with electrolytes, and taking vitamins or supplements. In the news, they cover upcoming changes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, Qatar Airways easing restrictions on its friends-and-family booking lists, and new Chase Freedom Flex/ Freedom quarterly bonus categories. They also discuss Citi's 25% transfer bonus to Avianca LifeMiles, recent bonuses they received, and their upcoming travel plans, including Japan, Canada, Norway, and future SEC football trips.The main topic focuses on Citi adding Japan Airlines (JAL) as a 1:1 transfer partner and the current 30% transfer bonus, which can significantly reduce the number of Citi ThankYou points needed for a variety of awards. The hosts break down JAL sweet spots, including JAL business and first class to Japan, domestic Japanese flights, Air France/KLM and British Airways flights to Europe, LATAM flights to South America, Bangkok Airways flights around Southeast Asia, and Emirates business class. Examples include JAL business class to Japan for as little as 43,000 Citi points with the bonus and LATAM flights from the U.S. to Santiago for about 47,000 Citi points. They also discuss important restrictions, including JAL's seven-day account-age requirement, the ability to book only for eligible relatives or spouses, and JAL miles' 36-month hard expiration. The episode closes with a tip about using AI to create an engaging way to present an upcoming family trip.Episode Links:Sapphire Reserve Business changesQatar relaxed booking restrictionsFreedom Flex Q4 categoriesCiti to LifeMiles bonusCiti to JAL transfer bonusWhere to Find UsThe Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.You can also email us at 101@award.travelBuy your Award Travel 101 Merch hereReserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.  

In this episode Randel and Owen continue their talk with Derek Notman about training and teaching XinYi Liu He, Yang Style Taiji and the Guang Hua Zhe Zong Tong Yi Pai branch of the Gao Bagua style. From Island Physical Culture:"For over three decades, I have dedicated my life to  the study of physical culture and philosophy. This pursuit  has led me all over the world including time living in China and South East Asia, studying with traditional masters of martial, movement and healing arts.I have always sought to extract the essence of the traditions while connecting the common elements. Despite the uniqueness of each art and human form, there is a commonality to being in a body and so themes emerge. I have made it my life's work, to investigate and understand these themes and share them with others in a paradigm of traditional wisdom through embodied practice.The marriage of movement arts and healing skill leads to a more harmonious development and balanced expression of the individual.The beauty of a good practice is the continuity it provides despite the constancy of life's changes, rendering stable ground from which to observe the change.I have a strong passion for helping people discover their fullest potential to live healthier and happier lives, and I believe that movement and bodywork play a vital role in our ability to do so."Contact:⁠You Tube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Insta⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need More From Kung Fu Conversations (KFC)?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Email⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Buy-Me-A-Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KFC Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need Kung Fu Training?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Xingyi and Bagua in Colorado - Boulder Internal Arts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wing Chun in Colorado - Red Forest Chinese Boxing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#kungfupanda #taichi #kungfu #kungfuconversations #meditation #qigong #wingchun #baguazhang #gaobagua #xinyi

Episode #612: “You do create a dependency. You create a long-term relationship that also you can leverage into political influence as well.” Ian Storey, a principal fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, sees that dependency as the thread connecting Russia's military, energy, diplomatic and nuclear ties with Myanmar. The relationship is economically small, but it gives Moscow influence in precisely the sectors the military government has needed most since the 2021 coup. Myanmar began turning toward Russian weapons in the early 2000s after years of heavy dependence on China. Russian fighter aircraft, helicopters and training later became embedded in the military's capabilities, creating continuing requirements for spare parts, maintenance, munitions and technical expertise. Since the coup, Russia has also supplied oil and refined products, including aviation fuel, while the two governments developed ruble-kyat payment arrangements and other ways to conduct trade under sanctions. The political exchange is equally transactional. Myanmar's military government endorsed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while Moscow has provided diplomatic recognition and continued military support. Yet Russia will not sacrifice its wider ASEAN interests for Myanmar, and Storey stresses that the country remains a relatively minor Russian market. Nuclear cooperation could make the relationship much harder to unwind. After more than two decades of discussions and training, Russia has agreed to provide Myanmar with a small modular reactor, although construction has not begun. If built, the plant would tie Myanmar to Russian financing, operation, fuel and technical services for decades. Storey doubts Moscow would commit major resources to rescue the military if it faced collapse. Russia remains a secondary power in Southeast Asia, pursuing narrow advantages in arms, energy and nuclear technology. For now, however, those narrow advantages align closely with the military regime's needs, leaving Myanmar exposed to a partnership that can be deeply consequential without ever becoming deeply committed.

Tyler Engle, creator of BassForge, explores the mysteries ofancient civilizations through the lens of engineering, physics, sacred geometry, and consciousness.From the Great Pyramid and the temples of Egypt to themassive stonework of Peru and ancient sites across Southeast Asia, Tyler shares his theories on megalithic architecture, acoustics, resonance, and whether these structures may have served purposes far beyond what we currentlyunderstand.The conversation also dives into lost civilizations, ancienttechnology, consciousness, sacred geometry, and the recurring patterns Tyler sees connecting ancient sites around the world. Follow Matt Beall Podcast: https://twitter.com/MattBeallPodhttps://www.tiktok.com/@mattbeallpodhttps://www.instagram.com/mattbeallpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556879741320 Check out our Shorts & ClipsShorts Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MattBeallShortsClip Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MattBeallClips Listen Everywhere: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MattBeallPodcastApple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matt-beall-limitless/id1712917413  Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-6727221 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MattBeallPodcast Check out Tyler Engle:https://www.youtube.com/@BassForge_ushttps://www.instagram.com/static_inthe_attic/https://www.tiktok.com/@bassforge.ushttps://x.com/Bassforge_us Timeline:00:00:00              Introductions00:06:09              Your Worldview00:09:02              Geometry of the Ancients00:13:20              Dating of the Pyramid00:21:28              Peru00:34:56              Egypt00:43:45              Consciousness00:55:59              Ancient Temple Experience01:03:39              The Osirion01:10:27              Humans & Consciousness01:27:40              Bassforge Music01:29:30              Consciousness Development01:31:49              What's Needed?01:42:44              AI02:01:01              Not Documented?02:14:16              Bob Greenyer Interview02:24:39              Closing The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are notnecessarily the views of the host or of any business related to the host.

As China will soon enter one of its busiest travel periods during an ultra-long Golden Week holiday, destinations in Asia are gearing up to attract more tourists from the region's top outbound travel market.随着中国即将迎来最繁忙的出行高峰之一——超长黄金周假期，亚洲各旅游目的地正全力以赴，积极吸引这一区域内最大的出境游客源市场。"The extended Golden Week is particularly significant for Asian destinations because the potential for a long travel period creates greater opportunities for short-haul and multi-destination travel within Asia," said Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association.太平洋亚洲旅游协会（PATA）首席执行官努尔·阿哈迈德·哈米德（Noor Ahmad Hamid）表示：“延长的黄金周对亚洲各目的地而言意义非凡。更长的假期潜能为亚洲内部的短途游以及多目的地串联游创造了更大空间。”The upcoming National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7, which is also known as a Golden Week holiday, and the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from Sept 25 to 27 together yield a 10-day break, longer than the eight-day holiday last year. Many Chinese workers have chosen to extend the break to 13 days by taking leave during the three days between the two holidays.今年的十一国庆节假期（10月1日至7日）与中秋节假期（9月25日至27日）相连，形成了长达10天的假期，比去年的8天假期更长。不少中国打工者选择在两假之间的3个工作日请假，从而拼出了长达13天的“超级长假”。According to a report released on Sept 21 by Chinese online travel platform Trip.com, more than half of the outbound flight bookings made by Chinese travelers are for departures before the Golden Week officially begins on Oct 1.根据中国在线旅游平台携程（Trip.com）于9月21日发布的报告，中国游客预订的出境航班中，超过半数的起飞时间都在10月1日黄金周正式开始之前。Apart from traditional popular destinations in East Asia and Southeast Asia, long-haul destinations in Australia and New Zealand have also gained traction, according to the report.报告指出，除了东亚和东南亚等传统热门目的地外，澳大利亚和新西兰等长线游目的地今年也备受追捧。Destinations are preparing in different ways. For example, on Sept 14, Thailand unveiled the "Nihao Month 2026" campaign to deepen the country's engagement with the Chinese market, while a "Seoul Welcome Week: Autumn Edition" is being held in South Korea through Oct 11 to welcome international tourists, including those from China.各大旅游目的地正通过多种方式做足准备。例如，泰国于9月14日启动了“2026你好月”活动，以深化与中国市场的互动；韩国首尔则正在举办“首尔欢迎周·秋季篇”活动（持续至10月11日），热情迎包括中国游客在内的全球旅客。Businesses in the tourism sector in destinations such as the Maldives and Bali have also launched targeted campaigns for Golden Week.此外，马尔代夫和巴厘岛等地的旅游企业也纷纷面向黄金周推出了针对性强营销活动。The potential surge in outbound tourism during the ultra-long holiday is particularly important for Asian destinations this year as the tourism industry has experienced difficulties due to the Middle East conflict and rising oil prices, Gary Bowerman, managing director of the weekly industry newsletter Asia Travel Re: Set, told China Daily.每周产业通讯《Asia Travel Re:Set》的董事总经理加里·鲍尔曼（Gary Bowerman）在接受《中国日报》采访时表示，鉴于近期中东冲突以及油价上涨对旅游业造成的冲击，今年超长假期带来的出境游爆发潜能对亚洲各国而言显得尤为关键。Noting that Seoul was ranked as the top holiday destination during the Golden Week this year by flight bookings in the Trip.com report, followed by Tokyo and Bangkok, An Yong-ju, a former professor of global leisure and tourism at South Korea's Sun Moon University, said that improved bilateral relations have become a catalyst for rising tourism demand.携程报告显示，根据机票预订量排序，首尔位列今年黄金周热门目的地的榜首，东京和曼谷紧随其后。对此，韩国鲜文大学全球休闲与旅游学系前教授安庸注指出，双边关系的改善已成为推动旅游需求增长的强劲催化剂。【词汇提炼】gearing up /ɡɪərɪŋ ʌp/ phr.做好准备；蓄势待发outbound /ˈaʊtbaʊnd/ adj.出境的；往外地的short-haul /ˈʃɔːt hɔːl/ adj.短途的；近程的yield /jiːld/ v.产生；产出（假期/成果等）gain traction /ɡeɪn ˈtrækʃn/ phr.获得拉动力；受追捧；受欢迎unveil /ˌʌnˈveɪl/ v.揭幕；推出；首次公布targeted /ˈtɑːɡɪtɪd/ adj.有针对性的；定向的surge /sɜːdʒ/ n./v.激增；奔涌；爆发catalyst /ˈkætəlɪst/ n.催化剂；促进因素

On the sidelines of the Southeast Asia Program's second annual Manila Strategy Forum earlier this month, Greg sat down with Will Todman and Amb. John Negroponte to talk about the U.S.-Philippine alliance.

Jessica talks with Joy Khoo, a Master Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation. Since 2003, she has worked with leaders from all walks of life, helping them embrace their authentic selves and develop greater self-awareness in service of humanizing the workplace. Her coaching integrates nature, mindfulness, neuroscience, art, and embodied practices. A champion for women leaders, Joy serves as a Facilitator for Stanford University's Women in Management Group and has been a Founding Guide for Chief, a private network for senior women executives, since 2021. She teaches mindfulness at resorts in Southeast Asia, offers nature workshops for the Gates Foundation alumni program, and leads immersive self-discovery sessions exploring nature, mindfulness, and art at places like Rancho La Puerta in Mexico. She has recently published two books: Nature's Guide for Leaders and Nature's Guide for Coaches.Follow Joy Khoo on LinkedIn and at her website joykhoo.com.~About The Ampersand Manifesto:What happens when you refuse to choose just one path? On The Ampersand Manifesto, host Jessica Wan sits down with “the most interesting people at the dinner party” – those who have made their mark in two or more seemingly different worlds. Through candid conversations, we explore what it takes to navigate multiple callings, find the connection points between them, and redefine success on our own terms. Together, we're co-creating The Ampersand Manifesto: principles for leading a multi-passionate life.~About your host, Jessica Wan:Executive Coach | Classical Singer | Former Marketing Leader & Tech ExecutiveJessica helps founders and leaders make the invisible visible. With 20+ years of experience scaling brands like Apple, Smule, and the San Francisco Opera, and as an ICF-certified executive coach, she provides the clarity and strategy needed to lead bravely and find fulfillment in a multi-passionate life.Work with Jessica: Book a Free Intro CallJoin The Cohort: An Ampersand Community for Dual-Career ProfessionalsFollow the Journey: @ampersandmanifestoConnect: Jessica's LinkedInListen: Singing Excerpts~CreditsCo-produced and hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Get the basics right in school and everything else builds on it. Miss that window, and it is very hard to course correct. In this compilation from the BRAVE archive, Adam Huh Dam of Stick 'Em, Adriel Yong of Clouted, Henry Motte-de la Motte of Edge Tutor and host Jeremy Au break down what actually improves learning outcomes, and why so much of edtech does not. Why authenticity and real traction can beat a polished pitch, from the team that won the 2025 Hult Prize (Adam Huh Dam) Why more screens and gadgets in schools have made outcomes worse, and where AI can genuinely help students (Adam Huh Dam) How the US and Singapore education systems differ, and how gaps in public schooling create private markets like college counseling (Jeremy Au and Adriel Yong) Why time abroad and cross-border relationships matter more for young people as AI takes over routine work (Adriel Yong) Why selling into public school systems takes so long, from multi-stakeholder buying to risk aversion (Henry Motte-de la Motte) Why K-12 is the highest-ROI investment a government can make, and what the Asian Tiger economies got right (Henry Motte-de la Motte) Watch the full episodes: Adam Huh Dam, Co-Founder of Stick 'Em How To Win A $1M Prize And Fixing The Global Education Crisis | Adam Huh Dam of Stick ‘Em - EP682 https://youtu.be/jaeEyRF3doA  Adriel Yong, Co-Founder & COO of Clouted AI Has Changed The Way We Create, Consume And Value Content | Adriel Yong - E730 https://youtu.be/qqrkSe95nmY  Henry Motte-de la Motte, Founder & CEO of Edge Tutor Henry Motte-de la Motte: Education Tech Challenges - E372 https://youtu.be/oENqetfds_4  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/edtech-future-of-learning  BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Listen & Subscribe YouTube (English), YouTube (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (English), Spotify (Bahasa Indonesia), Spotify (Chinese), Spotify (Vietnamese), Apple Podcasts Follow BRAVE LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp Follow Jeremy Au LinkedIn, X / Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Twitch Resources Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com #Education #EdTech #SoutheastAsia #Singapore #Philippines #Indonesia #TechPodcast #STEAM #K12 #AIinEducation #EducationPolicy #Founders #SEAstartups  00:00 Intro 00:40 Adam Huh Dam: going to London knowing we wouldn't win 03:48 Why Stick 'Em won the Hult Prize 04:50 AI in classrooms: the low-hanging fruit 06:07 More screens, worse outcomes 07:36 Jeremy Au & Adriel Yong: Singapore versus America 09:57 College counseling and pay to play admissions 11:51 The moonshot: six months abroad for every student 13:22 Henry Motte-de la Motte: education's long sales cycles 14:23 The window closes at 18 15:04 What the Asian Tigers got right 15:50 Outro

Asia's private wealth industry continues to flourish. A Bloomberg Intelligence survey of 100 senior private bankers reveals widespread optimism for double-digit net new money growth, supported by mainland investors seeking diversification and emerging wealth from Southeast Asia and the Middle East. This comes despite new regulatory headwinds from Beijing, including tighter capital outflows and taxes on offshore trusts and insurance policies, which most surveyed expected will have only a mild impact on flows.Sharnie Wong, senior analyst covering Asia-Pacific diversified financials, and Sarah Jane Mahmud, senior analyst covering Southeast Asian and Indian banks at Bloomberg Intelligence, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WIRED's Andy Greenberg explains how a cybercrime operation in Southeast Asia trapped computer engineers into defrauding victims of billions of dollars. Plus he discusses the scam involving Fresh Air.Also, jazz historian Kevin Whitehead reflects on John Coltrane for the centennial of his birth. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out the Fresh Air ArchivesSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Everyone tells you that if you're not posting every day and dancing on TikTok, your business is dead. My guest has made multiple millions without any of it. We get into how you actually make money when you work for yourself, without living on social media: borrowed trust, email, and building your business around your real personality.Follow and Review Loving the show? Take a second to follow and leave a review. It's the easiest way to help the right people find this life.Free workshop: Find Your Freedom Lifestyle Chanti is living her own version of the freedom life, homesteading in Canada and testing Southeast Asia, no forever move required. If that's you, I made you a free workshop on designing a freedom life without committing to one country forever. https://moveabroadcourse.com/designConnect with Chanti Zak: → Growth Type assessment: https://chantizak.com/growthtype → Spill the Tea newsletter https://chantizak.com/signup → Authority Assessments: https://authorityassessments.com → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chantizak/Links & Resources: → Freedom Life Bootcamp Waitlist → Watch on YouTube → Follow on Instagram @moveabroadcoach Listen next: 170. What if You Could Just Make More Money? 171. Passive Income That's Actually Passive (Make It Once, Get Paid for Years) 177. 5 Things I Learned From a Room of Women Building Million-Dollar Businesses

In this episode, Chris and David speak with Franziska Zimmermann, Managing Director for Sustainability at Temasek, a global investment company headquartered in Singapore. Franziska takes us into how sustainability plays a key role in Temasek's investment strategy and shares her views on sustainability from a Southeast Asian perspective.

43 million. 15,000. 250. 154. 60%. 40%. 34%. Restating its statistical credentials is a vital part of AirAsia's battle to reclaim the media narrative that it was starting to lose last week, reassure passengers and investors and arrest its market cap rout. As it reiterates its importance to ASEAN's air travel landscape, the crucial number to watch is 70 million. During a combative press performance on Friday, AirAsia Co-Founder, Tony Fernandes, attacked media reporting, repeatedly stated that the KL-based, ASEAN-centric carrier group is financially viable and is seeking funding to recapitalise its debts at a lower borrowing cost not to stay afloat. He added that AirAsia had “carried more passengers than any other ASEAN carrier” in the first half of the year, and could exceed its own projection by carrying 70 million passengers in 2026. On this week's show, Gary revisits a dramatic week for AirAsia, as negative media reports proliferated and social media speculation skyrocketed, which ended with the airline's figurehead standing firmly on the front foot. AirAsia will close its Q3 books in a few days' time, and commence its most important quarter since Covid. The entire travel and tourism ecosystem of South East Asia and beyond will be watching closely. And so will we!

Wing Vasiksiri joins Jeremy Au to analyze a major wave of tech M&A deals and macro growth trends reshaping Southeast Asia. They dissect Grab's $1.5 billion acquisition of a 60% stake in Atome Financial, examining its unique performance-linked staged structure, offline-to-online retail synergies against Sea Group, and the strategic value of Atome's credit underwriting capabilities. They also break down Circle's $400 million purchase of Tazapay, exploring how cross-border B2B payment rails and all-stock deal structures de-risk regional expansion and align long-term founder incentives. Finally, they examine Singapore's $200M+ fintech fund injection, the double-digit surge in regional e-commerce activity, and why Thailand and Malaysia are emerging as primary data center hubs for Chinese hyperscalers and frontier AI initiatives. 00:00 SEA tech M&A takes off: Grab announces a $1.5B deal for Atome Financial while Circle acquires B2B payments firm Tazapay for $400M.  03:14 Grab and Atome synergies: Combining offline BNPL retail networks with food delivery to build an orthogonal vector against Sea Group.  04:38 Unique deal structures in regional tech: How staged buyouts and performance-linked mechanisms de-risk acquirers and align management teams.  06:36 Underwriting as a competitive moat: Grab taps into Atome's multi-country credit track record, institutional debt lines, and portfolio scale.  11:08 Strategic cash deployment: Grab utilizes balance sheet cash for high-growth strategic acquisitions rather than traditional public market buybacks.  12:51 Circle acquires Tazapay: Cross-border regulatory licenses and global payment infrastructure unlock a 6x payout for early VC backers.  18:02 Singapore's $200M+ fintech initiative: Public funding steps in during a VC deployment winter to support proven regional exit pathways.  19:50 E-commerce surge across SEA: Double-digit growth in app installs in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia creates secondary startup opportunities. 26:02 Frontier AI labs expand to APAC: OpenAI and neolabs establish Singapore headquarters and launch accelerator programs in Thailand.  27:18 The Thailand and Malaysia data center boom: Abundant power, cheap land, and a "bring-your-own-chip" model drive Chinese hyperscaler investments.

*Main Description*Music courtesy of ItsWatR.The host of this episode, Isaac Ong, is a Client Adviser at Providend, the first fee-only wealth advisory firm in Southeast Asia and a leading wealth advisory firm in Asia.The full list of Providend's Money Wisdom podcast episodes from Season 4 can be found here.Did you know that our Providend's Money Wisdom podcast is now available in video format on YouTube? Follow us on our YouTube channel for new episode on Thursday at 8pm.Mentioned in this episode:Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!If you're interested in getting more of our thought leadership contents, click this link to subscribe to our newsletter today: https://providend.com/#newsletter-subscribe

Joining us this week from Bangkok is gaming communications expert Kimmi Goh! Kimmi is the Communications Lead at Goldpact Goblins, working with dev teams across Southeast Asia to promote their work and build communities around them. We discuss successful social media campaigns, seeing your coworkers grow, and "friendslop" as a term of endearment! Plus, music from DDRKirby~LINKS:

Southeast Asia is seeking a greater role in shaping global cooperation, as countries across the region push for institutions that deliver tangible results while preserving ASEAN's centrality and strategic autonomy. A new report, Voices From the Region: Reimagining Global Cooperation From Southeast Asia, published by Verve Research, is the focus of this episode, which is divided into two parts.  Part 1 features Verve Research's Founder and Executive Director Natalie Sambhi and Deputy Director Blake Berger, who join Eric to talk about the report's findings on global governance, ASEAN, and great-power competition. Part 2 features Thammasat University's Prapimphan Chiengkul and Carnegie's Elina Noor, who contributed chapters on the environmental and social costs of critical-mineral mining and digital infrastructure.

Explore APSC's My Family Audio Series A story-driven 3-part audio project about Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian families doing everything possible to breathe with ease and live freely besides the people we love.  Created by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and APEX Express, and hosted by writer and activist Michelle MiJung Kim, My Family seeks to answer many of the questions countless families in our communities are grappling with today. Mass deportation and family separation are fueled by isolation and silence. With My Family, we aim to dismantle both with stories full of heart, compassion, and an honest look at the tangled paths many of us take to reckon with the past, rebuild our lives, and make a new place home.  Our deep gratitude extends to all the community members who shared their stories with us, even while painful to recount. Their commitment to creating stronger, more informed communities is unparalleled.    My Family Ep. 2: What happens in ICE detention? In our second episode, we take a closer look at what happens when people are forced into ICE detention, including after completing their sentence in state prison and transforming their lives. You'll hear from NC, Pam, and Tony, who endured ICE detention in California and other states, as well as Elijah Chhum, executive director of New Light Wellness.  Music from episode 2, as well as related resources, can be found below in the show notes. If you are an impacted community member in California or have a family member who is directly impacted by detention and deportation, we encourage you to contact APSC at info@asianprisonersupport.org or our partners at New Light Wellness and the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants.  Music: Original composition by Joe Sin and the Angkor Wat Band. Joe is a Khmer elder and community leader in Oakland Temple by Thao Resources: My Family Episode 2 discussion guide APSC Data Report on Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Asians and Pacific Islanders Asian Law Caucus legal resources and video explainers for Southeast Asians facing deportation threats USC Equity Research Institute analysis on ICE arrests of Asian and Pacific Islander Californians We Are California: Hmong History and Cultural Studies A special thanks to Hmong Innovating Politics for their guidance on Hmong communities' history and refugee experiences.   Transcript Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:00:00] Hello. Welcome to “My Family,” a project by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and APEX Express. I'm your host, Michelle Mijung Kim. If you haven't yet, I invite you to check out our first episode. We'll include a tag in the show notes, which you can find at kpfa.org/program/apex-express/. As as [00:01:00] listeners may know, many Southeast Asians are in the United States after their families found refuge here in the '70s and '80s, fleeing genocide and violence in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.   Most have loved ones who didn't survive. The ones who did make it out, around one point one million, are the largest refugee community ever resettled in the US. Today, after decades of building a home in the US, these families are targeted by mass detention and deportation. According to the latest data, forty-two percent of all Southeast Asian deportations to date happened between 2025 and 2026. There's been a twentyfold increase in the deportations of Southeast Asian elders. Amid the pain and fear, families are seeking answers. How did we get here? What can we do to keep our family safe and together?   That's why I'm partnering with the Asian [00:02:00] Prisoner Support Committee and APEX Express, to bring our communities and families honest recounts of what is happening so that we can be there for each other. In today's episode, we'll focus on what happens in ICE detention.   Welcome to “My Family.”    A content warning for our listeners that in today's episode, we'll be discussing incarceration, depression, and family separation.   We first met NC in our last episode. NC and his family are Hmong. Like many other ethnic groups in Laos, including Lahu and Mien, Hmong people's stories are unfa– Hmong people's stories are unfamiliar to many.   These ethnic groups and others have shared ancient roots in the central and southern– in the central and southern regions of China. About 300 years ago, they were forced to flee the Chinese government's oppression and persecution. Many sought safety in the highlands [00:03:00] of Southeast Asia. NC's family settled in N- N- NC's family settled in Laos.   During the Vietnam War, the CIA recruited tens of thousands of Hmong boys and men, including members of NC's family, to fight in a covert campaign in Laos known as the Secret War, which you can learn more about in the resources we'll share in the show notes. Hmong fighters served behind enemy lines, rescued US planes, and risked their lives for Americans.   The Hmong soldiers were told that they were– The Hmong soldiers were told they and their families would be protected, but when the war ended, the Americans left, and thousands of Hmong were left behind. Facing persecution for their work with the United States, the Hmong were once again forced to flee. One– Facing p- facing persecution for their work with the United States, the Hmong were once again forced to flee to survive, rendering them stateless.   Thousands of Hmong families and other ethnic minority groups hid in the jungles or escaped on foot. Many died on the journey from starvation, drowning, and disease. NC's parents, [00:04:00] his mom pregnant with him, finally crossed the Mekong River into Thailand. NC was born into a refugee camp there, and after some time, his family was brought to the US, first in Long Beach and later in Stockton, where his dad opened an auto body shop   As a young person, NC was convicted of a crime, which led him to being incarcerated for 24 years. On the day he was supposed to be released from prison last year, instead of finally, instead of finally being able to return home, he was picked up by ICE. He had planned to finish his college education and become a social worker, helping young people struggling with trauma and loss like he did.   ICE took him to Mesa Verde, a detention facility in Bakersfield, California. For years, people detained in Mesa Verde and other ICE facilities in California, and other facilities, and other f- and other ICE facilities in California have led hun– Oh my gosh. For years, people detained in Mesa Verde and other ICE facilities in California have led hunger and labor strikes to protest medical neglect, gruesome conditions, including a perpetual lack of food and clean water.   California Attorney [00:05:00] General Rob Bonta says the conditions are worse now, calling ICE's facilities in the state, quote, ” cruel, inhumane, and unacceptable.” As of this recording, at least 24 people have died in ICE custody nationwide this year. We'll hear from NC what happened after ICE agents brought him to the Mesa Verde ICE facility.   Here's NC   NC (pseudonym): Yeah, it's kinda… It's hard because when you hit detention, it's like you paroled, you're happy that you paroled because you've been incarcerated, 'cause I've been incarcerated for like like 24 years, and like, you know, it's the next step.   So it's the next step to freedom. And while I went to a detention facility, you know, you know, it's like the main thing is just try to get out, not, not to get into trouble, you know. um, so during that time, it was like you don't have like, like… If you don't have, like, money to hire an attorney, then basically it's kinda like you trying to ask for a pro bono attorney, somebody that's willing to help you and represent you, but they have a lot of people in the [00:06:00] detention facility as well.   So when they come, it's like they're just overwhelmed with a whole bunch of people, and you hardly even get to, to really sit down and talk with them. So if you see them, they come visit like, I think, once a month, and then they'll just take your A number down, and then they'll just talk to you, and then they'll just, you know…   If they come back to you, I guess they come back to you. But I haven't really seen any, anybody, you know, um, they ever got back to that I know of, so. so.    Niketa Kumar: Mm-hmm.   NC (pseudonym): all the people, all the de- detainees that was there, um, those that were fighting their case, you know, Either they have a private, uh, immigration attorney, um, fighting for them, uh, uh, or they're just doing paperwork themself.   one of the thing I wanna point out is while you're in detention, you don't have access to anything, you know. They give you like a tablet, and they give you like some cases on it, but you really don't have access to look up anything or research anything. You only have, you know, the access to whatever that they [00:07:00] gave you um, According to their tablet. And, And, and it's just like the tablet, they only have like… Like, for example, when I was there, um- We only had to, we had to share, like, four tablets, and there was a lot of us. And people sh- use it to, like, order canteen. Somebody would, like, use it to watch movie, listen to the radio.   Some people would use it to, um, talk with their family, Mm-hmm … like um, But, um, um, we don't have enough tablets and, um, we don't have enough, um, um, batteries on the tablet. And um, just getting a hold of the tablet is, is, um, is pretty hard to get. And, And, like, um…   They give you, like, a little pin for the, the computer, but it's hard to, um, access it because they don't really… There's, like, no… They don't really teach you how to access anything anyway. So you're just, like, going from one place to another, and if you have something, you don't know how to save it. So you would have to ask other people that's been there for a while, and then you would have to go to, like… like…   You know, all this is, all this is just, like, um, like, um, I learned after, you know? It's not like, like, like when I was [00:08:00] there-   NC (pseudonym): somebody was, was, you know, you know, showing me. So you have to sign up. You have to go to the library, and when they schedule… ‘Cause there's, like, it's overcrowded and there's so many people. And, and they schedule the library.   There's, like, one librarian and, and,  you know, you know, we have to share the library. And then if you go there, then you have to try to get it printed or, you know, stuff like that. And then, and then when you do that stuff, you have to be able to sign up. You gotta have it, and if the librarian's not there, then you just have to wait until another time.   So everything is just, um, hard. It's not like, um, like if you remember something, then you can do something. And it's, like, uh, even pencils and paper, if you don't have, like, money to buy it on your canteen, then you would just have to ask somebody for it because everything… ‘ Cause once you get there, they don't give you any property, you know?   So sometimes, um, if you talk to the, the, uh, detaining officers, if they let you take some of your, um, like hygiene items. Like if you come from prison, you take some of your hygiene items, they'll allow you to bring it with you. [00:09:00] But other than that, it's like you really don't have access to anything. ‘ Cause once you get there, you have to slip out of your clothes, and you gotta wear, you know, prison clothes and can't have any, um, any personal belongings on you.   So you're just, like, going from one… It's like one, one prison to another prison.   You just, you know, try to just be calm and, um, you know, try to just, you know, stay, don't get into trouble, uh, you know, await for your, um, immigration hearing. um, And the first time I was there, um, I waited for my immigration hearing and, um, um, they didn't even, um, um, get my paperwork because something happened, and I had to call, call, and had to write a bunch of letters and paper and that's how… That's why I didn't, like, go to, um, um, my immigration hearing, like, like, within, like, a couple of weeks when I got there.   I had to wait, like, a whole month, you know, before I got scheduled for one. So, 'cause they, they lost my paperwork. I don't know if they, they d- lost it or sent it because I was writing to the, the, ICE agent that, um, um, is in charge of my case, and they said they [00:10:00] don't have any paperwork on me, so they can't…   You know, You know, I was writing to the courts and I was, you know, dialing the phone number to the courts to see if they, um, um, uh, scheduled me for m- an immigration hearing. So it was, it it was, part of the process of sending the paperwork from the ICE place to the, uh, courts so they can schedule it, and they didn't, they didn't, they didn't do it.   So I had to wait. I had to stay, like, an extended like, period of time, much longer than I should have um, I was able to finish… I mean, they were able to schedule me and then, um, during that time, you know, I saw attorneys and they were just telling me, ” Oh, nothing's gonna happen to you. Um, the country's not gonna accept you.   Um, just go and, you know, you can fight it if you want, but you're probably gonna lose. So you're gonna be here, like, two, three, four, five years fighting it in, in detention. And then if you just, you know, s- agree to it, like, yes, yes, yes, and then, then, after you sign all the paperwork, you just, you know, you'll wait about, like, a month, and, and then you'll just be out of here.”   So that was just the, like, like, you know, Basically, like a protocol.   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:11:00] NC was eventually put on an Omni Air International plane. Many first learned about Omni's large contract with ICE in 2018 when it helped execute the then largest deportation flight of Southeast Asian refugees in the United States history.   Since 2025, Omni's work for ICE has quadrupled. As journalist Gillian Brockell has ex– as journalist Gillian Brockell explained, Omni has been the only large jet airline flying shackled passengers on long-haul ICE flights to Africa and Asia.   A former ICE official told NBC last year that each ICE flight costs taxpayers about $25,000 per hour. NC was deported last November.   NC (pseudonym): Well, like like when I came to Laos, I didn't have anybody. Um, I didn't know nobody, not a single relative or friend over here. But, um, um, uh, when I went to the detention [00:12:00] facility, I met a guy and we became friends, and he kinda like, like, he had relatives here in Laos.   So he told me that, um, um, you know, “Hey, if, um, um, if you don't have anybody, you know, you know, I'll tell my, um, my family to, to come and, um, um, sponsor you.” You know, like his, his, distant part of the family. And I say, sh- you know, “Thank you.” You know? um, when I got here, um, it was hard, too, because he had to try to like really, really try to convince them as well.   Um, it wasn't like something that they would want to, you know, just do, you know? you know? So, um, it was very, very hard to get them to trust me. So, So, uh, uh, when they came and see me and they talk with me, and then they say okay, they'll, they, they'll decided to sponsor me. So with that, uh, I had a, you know, a little bit of relief because um, when you get here, it's kinda like like if you don't have a sponsor, uh, you don't know how you gonna manage. You don't know how you gonna… You don't even, they won't even let you out of the camp. So it's like you're just going from one detention facility to another detention [00:13:00] facility, but the only difference is at the campground here is much better because you're not…   You know, You know, you wear your, your clothes and you're fr- you, you roam free, and then, um, you sleep in a place where, um, you know, you have mattresses. You sleep in a place and, um, they do, they give you like, uh, uh, three meals a day, too. So, but then the thing is that you're s- you're stuck in the camp if nobody comes to get you, and I don't know, I don't know about the people that's been there.   They can be there, They'll stay there for, like, like, two, three months, and if they don't have no sponsor, I don't know what happens after that, 'cause I didn't stay that long to, to see what happened to the people that, that don't have a sponsor to come get them. You know? So it's kinda scary, too, if you don't have a sponsor to come get you, ‘ cause you don't know where you're gonna end up    Niketa Kumar: Hmm.   NC (pseudonym): But once I got a sponsor and, and,  you know, you know, I came out, the thing is that the, it's hard because once they, they get you out, it's like, you know, you start to realize that, you know, they're not your family, and then they want you to, you know, keep paying them and all this other stuff. And then, and then you have to like, you know, you don't wanna like get into anything that's not good [00:14:00] with them, you know?    you know?   you know. Mm-hmm. So then you try to go and find a place. So you kinda like just move out, you know, because you only there, you only allow, you know, they, you know, like, um, what's the correct way? It's like you can stay with them, like, like, but you only stay with them like temporary. Yeah.   So then you gotta go find your own place. but the, but the messed up thing is that if you don't pay them, they don't really help you to go find a place of your own. So that's when, um, um, I was talking to some of my friends in America, and I was asking like, “Man, it's kinda messed up 'cause we don't have any programs here.   Like this country doesn't have any programs that will, will, will help you transition, you know, into –    Niketa Kumar: Hmm …   NC (pseudonym): you know, the way of life in, in Laos.” And basically, I, I, I had to just try to learn everything the best way I can, talk to people, be as cordial as I can, and, uh, uh, and respectful as I can, and, uh, talk and ask.   And, but I don't know Laos, so I don't talk to any of the Laos people. But fortunately there are some Hmong people here, so then I talk to some other Hmong people here, and   I was fortunate to meet some people who was, who was willing to help me.   Um, so I made some [00:15:00] friends. And although I don't know the Laos language, you know, sometimes I ask them to go help me translate, then they would, um, if they, you know, have time. But it's, it's, it's hard, like for a time, for a time in the beginning I was just like just staying out. Sometimes I stayed out all night.   Sometimes if I find a place to sleep, I would, you know, s- you know, sleep at a guest house. Um, but then like it would drain my funds really, really fast because I had to, you know, pay like per night. And then some nights I'd just stay up all night. like, um, you know, like, it's sad because for the first time like, um, felt, I felt, felt homeless, you know? you know?   That's, that's the, that's the correct term, I guess. I was just homeless, you know, just roaming the streets. And then I was thinking to myself like, “What?” I don't know how to go rent an apartment or a place here because, um, I don't have the connections. So you don't know how to talk to people, and you don't know who to talk to and ask.   And, and a lot of times they won't rent it to you unless they know that you can, you know, pay them. So, So, you know, you know, you have to, um, have [00:16:00] somebody talk to them. So when I have my friend and she went to talk to them and, um, find out that, um, um, the room was open, and I was able to, you know, rent it. then, then I started, um, um, talking to my grandma back in, um, the US, and then my grandma then found a, a distant cousin of ours.   um, kind of I kind of reached out to them, they don't live where I live. They live like really, really far up north. So I really talked to them, and then they started pointing directions like, “Oh yeah, you know, you know, we do have some distant cousins here in this, in this village. If you have time, you go visit them.”   So that's what I do. I, I would, you know, if I could and I have the funds, I would go visit them because they're not gonna come visit me. You know what I mean?    Niketa Kumar: Mm-hmm   NC (pseudonym): so yeah, I have to go visit them and show them that, “Hey, you know, this is me. Um, I'm here,” and, you know, um- basically like that, but, um, still like like transitioning is still hard because, you know, have to learn the language, you know, practice it, um, every single day and then learn the customs and, and learn how not to get in trouble and stay out of trouble.   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:17:00] It's time to come back to Pam, who you heard from in the first episode of My Family. Pam also grew up in California and was incarcerated for 16 years. When Pam first learned that she could be deported after serving her time, she said her parents were shocked. They told her, “There's nobody over there who can support you, take care of you.   You've been here in America all your life. Why does ICE want to send you over there since you already did your time?” She spent a lot of time in the prison law library trying to understand her options to come back home to her parents and her children. Once she paroled, like NC, like NC, ICE came and took her directly to a detention center.   Here's Pam. Here's Pam   Pam (pseudonym): It's pretty much worse than, um, in prison, because if in prison you could walk, you could program, you could [00:18:00] do other stuff.   But in the ICE ICE detainer, you get a yard, hour a day. It's like you, you're locked up in prison for, you know, when you get… Getting locked up again. You go, you go into that, the hole. You know, where us prison, we call it the hole, or jail is another way of, you you know, know, expressing it. in 24 hours, you only get a hour of yard time, and it was hard to be being in a dorm with all these people, over 100 people in the dorm.   It was hard. It was hard. But it's like you're against the world, and I never felt like that before.   I never felt like I'm against the world before. I have to fight for my life. So that was the first time. Even though I did my prison time, I didn't feel like I have to fight my life, because I know what I did wrong. But that's the first time I ever feel like I have to fight for my life just to be alive and [00:19:00] free, either with my family or without my family. So I'm going to another country that I, I never known since I was two years old. I left Cambodia when I was two, and now I'm almost 50. that's a big old gap, what I'm going to a whole new world. When I first, from ICE detainer, I was nervous, and then I thought they're gonna take me.   I thought they gonna not deport me at all. I thought they gonna move me to another ICE detainer. And I heard about another ICE detainer is worse, like Texas is worse. But also, even the officer in the detainer won't even treat you, they don't treat you like human. your personal property, your family send pictures, they copy your photo and they throw your original one away.   They say, “Oh, you got the copy.” What you mean? it's not like [00:20:00] person you can have your copy, but they would throw your original. They won't even save it for you. And then when you're about to get deported, you have to make sure, you have to, like, be on them about, “Hey, I don't have no clothes.   Can my family send money? I mean, send boxes for me so I can take my clothes?” Because I have my rights that I can ask for 40-pound box, before I leave. And it took them a long time to process your paper to get, to let your family send stuff like that. And about time you, that you got it, they're going through every little detail, and then, like, some of your stuff is missing or damaged.   Like, hey, why my, my, stuff is damaged? My son send me a watch, it almost got damaged. Good thing that he, he wrap it with a bunch of clothes, they don't care about your property. They don't. They really don't. So you have to ask them, what can you ha- can, what can your family send you? And sometimes they tell you, “Hey, I can't get you a box,” they [00:21:00] tell you you're about to leave, you And sometimes it's not even true. You end up leaving the next day. So- It's a lot of, it's a lot of stuff I was s- I was s- going through it. I never go through… I had never felt like I'm going through a war zone with them. They just not specific with everything. They, they really treat you like you're not… You never been in United States.   They really treat you like a great straight out prisoner. Even the prison don't treat you like that. So it's, it's hard. It's hard, tough, and, uh, hopefully, you know, the only thing that keep me going is strong bond with your family. Family, friend, loved ones, like, Any group that help with the deportation, what you have to go through, you know? So that's the only way that you feel like you don't have to battle with nothing. You ha- I nev- I never felt like I'm- Dead to the world. it was hard. It was hard. For a whole year sitting in detainer, it was hard.   Medical [00:22:00] was bad.   my brother and sister never seen me cry before on the phone and they're like, ” If they not gonna accept you, if they said, ‘ Okay, do you wanna appeal?'   we want you to be happy. We want you to be happy. We want you to… The sound, we hear you, you sound like tired, you're drained, and I think you're really going through it right now. You're really going through it, and we just want you to be happy. If you get deported, well, well, now we still love you. We still love you no matter what.”   I was like, “I know,” but I was expect to go home. My son bought a car for me. He bought a car. He bought a car. He's like, “Mama, you're not, you're not getting deported. I got you a Honda Civic already. I got you a car. I got a place for you.” You know how, how, that affect me when your family member bought you stuff, be thinking that you coming home?   It was, it was sad. it hit me hard towards the point that I'm never gonna go home ever again. I'm never gonna step in America [00:23:00] again. That was my part of my experience going through ICE detainer. But when my… when about time when I'm about to leave, I was a little bit excited, a little bit scared because I don't know what  going- gonna happen to me. I don't know how they're gonna escort me. Uh, you know, I heard so many bad things how they escort people and how the ICE officer don't care about you.   A lot of bad things. But I come to find out I was really lucky. I was really lucky. I got three wonderful ICE officer. They helped me. They said, ” Hey, ma'am,” because I got my 40-pound box of clothes. They say, “Ma'am, I need you to tell me what's really important for you to carry on a plane, and what's not that important, it's okay if you lose it because you can go…   We end up, uh, riding two flight. We're gonna make a stop, so we don't want nothing to be missing that is very important [00:24:00] to you.” So I got my paperwork in my backpack, and something that's, you know, so dear to me is my kids' pictures and letters, and other things. I, my clothes, for real, for real, I only have… I make sure I have one extra pair of clothes in my backpack, too.   And the rest of the stuff I was like, “Okay, as long as I got one pair of clothes, I'm fine.” So- The rest, and you know, you know, they was taking time. They were waiting for our pack or I pack my luggage how, the way I want it. they say, “Go ahead, finish packing your luggage. Put your watch on. Put, this, that on because, you know, as long as…   Then you know, you go through a me- metal detector, I need you to take it off. They say, “We're not gonna cuff you because you're gonna fly with us. You're the only one to fly with us, so make sure you have your socks on, your tennis shoes on. Go ahead, put your shoelace.”   They was like, “Whatever make you comfortable, go ahead. But we're gonna tell you this, if you cause a scene at the airport, we're [00:25:00] gonna show you. That's it. That's all we're asking. If you give us a smooth ride, we give you a smooth ride. If you get hungry, you get thirsty, let us know. That's all we can afford for you.   And if you get sick, we could get you meds. We could take you and get meds, but besides that, like anything you wanna buy or you wanna get, you have… It come out your pocket.” they pretty much make it clear for me, if you try to run, you know we're gonna catch and slam you down.   So I look at it as where, where, where I'm gonna go? Where am I gonna go? I'm on a whole different flight. Haven't seen the world for 16 years- So I was like, “Oh, whatever.” I was excited, when I first stepped outside, ICE came to pick me up. I'm not gonna lie, ICE came pick me up a day before I parole. a day before I parole. And then when I got shipped and deported, I was from Washington, Seattle, [00:26:00] and I fly a good… I don't know how long I fly. I sleep throughout the whole flight. Uh, they only wake me up for my meals. I ate my meal. I get three serving on a plane. Every, you know, it's not just peanut butter sandwich, I, I get to eat what the commercial people eat.   Uh, Uh, they always ask me what I want, roast chicken or something, rice and chicken. I can't remember, but the food was good. The food was good. The food was better than prison. And it's way better than, way better than, ICE detainer. I only woke, I only wake up to eat and use the bathroom, and I barely use the bathroom.   Michelle MiJung Kim: That was three years ago during the Biden administration. Since then, Congress and the Trump administration have supercharged ICE with a two hundred billion dollar budget. Pam reminded us many times [00:27:00] that her story is just one experience, that she's one of the lucky ones. She knows people who have been shackled the entire flight, blocked from using the bathroom.   News reports have shared how people have been forced to soil their seats because they can't get up. Others have been held in straitjacket-like devices or endured verbal and physical abuse from agents, from agents. Flights can last multiple days, stopping in four, five, or even seven countries.   When Pam was deported, the only thing she knew about Southeast Asia was a f– was a fruit shr– When Pam was deported, the only thing she knew about Southeast Asia was a fruit shr– was a fruit she remember– Uh. When Pam was deported, the only thing she knew about Southeast Asia was a fruit she remembered liking as a small child.   Since then, Pam has slowly rebuilt her life. She… Since then, sh… Since being deported, Pam has slowly rebuilt her life. She has a job and an apartment. We asked Pam about her home in Cambodia now and how she keeps in touch with her big family back in California.   Pam (pseudonym): Like, a little studio with a little sink, but you have to buy your own furniture. And it just a room. It's just, like, like, almost like a cell, [00:28:00] but you got windows you can open anytime.   You got doors you could go in and out, and it only cost me $50 a month. So that helps. And my food, oh, you know, you know, in a street vendor, if you go buy a street vendor, a bowl of rice, 1,000 riel. 1,000 riel 25 cent, you get a bowl of rice. the vegetable, I only spend, like, I, I mean, I, I mean, I fill up my whole refrigerator with vegetables and it cost me $20, but it last me for two weeks.   You know? not expensive, but if you don't have no income from your family, it is expensive. But if you have income from your family, support from the state, all the stuff like that, it's not that expensive. Because American money and the prices here, my paycheck, I only get 500 a month.   But my 500, I get to save 100 a month because I don't really [00:29:00] need nothing. All I need is food, some clothes, and pay my bills. That's it. Pay my phone bills, pay my electricity bill, my water bill, and my rent. So… I, And I, I get to save $100 a month. So for that, I say I see is the state, I work for 16 hours and I can't even save money.   Mm-hmm. But here, I work for from what? 7 to 5, 10 hours. About 10 hours. But I can save my money. So, and it, I'm not gonna lie, when I was over there at the state, I didn't get no sleep. I didn't really get no sleep. I usually get two hours sleep. So I came to Cambodia and I sleep, I never sleep this much in my life.   So I feel like, yeah, I gained some weight. I'm not gonna lie. I'm gonna g- I gain, I gained a few weights. But, but I'm okay. I'm okay. Because why? I got a good family, helps me. Mm-hmm. And my mom, she going through [00:30:00] her own little struggle, but she said… This is the thing about my mom. She would never come to step foot in Cambodia again because she lost, she still trigger from, she lost three daughters in Cambodia during that war.   So she said she love me, she care about me, she wish I was in United States, but as much as she love me, she would never willing to step back into Cambodia. So that hurts in a way, but I also I have to understand what she go through as a mother losing her own child, three of her child before I was b- even born.   I have to understand how she go, what she go through.   The only thing that's different is the time. I told my family, call me at 3:00 o'clock in the morning because I'll be up getting ready for work, this and that.   I can still put you… You know, I can still talk to you while I'm doing stuff [00:31:00] So that's what me, my family have a deal. from between 3:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the morning that I could talk to them before my class start, before I start working or whatever. And sometime, you know, when I first got here, I got my phone you know, uh, from Washington because they the one that has people fly over here, people from the group, they fly over here because my son send a phone with them to give it to me.   I still don't know how the mailing process. I still working on that, how people send stuff from United States to Cambodia. I still don't know that. I finally know how my family send money to me once in a while. Before, they didn't have Western Union, they only have MoneyGram. So now they finally have Western Union for us.   two months ago they just finally opened a Western Union, and I don't know how that works. I don't know if it works really good or not. I was scared to [00:32:00] try My family try and make everything a negative turn into a positive. You know, try to keep me company and keep me, like, we just wanna s- we just wanna see you free, you happy. they hook me up with, on the Facebook.   They said, ” You know, whenever you got time, wherever you go to do new places, I want you to take video. We wanna see where you at.”   Michelle MiJung Kim: Pam told us that she's learned to stay busy to take care of her mental health. When she first arrived in Cambodia, she thought to herself, “I need to start crocheting and get some yarn.” Crocheting helps her mental health and to stay strong. Before we continue, I invite you to take a deep breath with me Today, more and more people are sharing their outrage at the inhumane, at the inhumane and cruel conditions of ICE detention.   But this brutality didn't just start this year. But [00:33:00] this brutality didn't just start this year. People have been, people have been enduring and pushing for change in the community for a long time. People have been enduring and pushing for change in the community for a long… People have been enduring and pushing for change in the community for a long time.   To help share how, we spoke with Tony, who was first detained by ICE nearly 27 years ago in Los Angeles. He's still fight, he's still fighting to keep his family to– He's still fighting to keep his family together   Tony (pseudonym): Um, my first time I, you know, went to a immigration detention center was back in October of 1999. Went there, you know, you know, for doing a county lid in Los Angeles, California. You know, we call it a county lid because it's, you know, we took a plea bargain for one year of county time. And I did, like, eight month and 20 day.   From there like, before I got released, ICE came and interviewed me, told me that I got immigration hold, and they will, uh, you know, come and pick me up or detain me and, you know, take me to the processing and all kind, you know. Because, um, I got order to removal. So when I got to ICE in October of '99, two weeks later I went to court you know, we just [00:34:00] got a court hearing.   There's no lawyer, no nothing to represent you at all. You just in there solo bolo with the judge, and they ask you, you know, you know, um, how you plea or do you wanna fight your case, or you know, to sign the paperwork for final removal to get, you know, deported back to whatever country we from.   you know, that time it was my first experience going to ICE detention center, so first thing in my head is, like, “No, I'm not going back to my country without a fight.” So, you know, I called my family. They got me a lawyer, and I fought it for a good six month. That's when, you know, the court make the final decision that I still getting deported.   And it was tough, you know, for my family to come up with the lawyer fee money and stuff, because during that time when I was, uh, incarcerated at, um, at the ICE detention center, there's no pro bono lawyer, no orientation, any, i- any uh, uh, support group to help us at all. We just in there like a sitting duck, and everybody was going [00:35:00] through h- like, you know.   The feeling of that is more harder than, you know, being locked up in a, in a jail cell or, uh, or doing, you know, doing life, because there's no release date, and they just like, they drain you all of all your hope and everything. And then, you know. And throughout the whole time, you know, people At the detention center, they went from a normal person to, you know, people go there. At the detention center, they went from a normal to, need mental health issue.   That's how stressful it is. you know, from there, you know, I stayed there for a good 11 month until people start, like, you know, filing habeas corpus, and they slowly granted us, each one of us, a habeas corpus to go home   So, you know, you know, those are the worst experience I have ever had, and my family was like, you know, keep on asking me, you know, you know, “What's the next step? What's the w- what should they do?” I tell them, you know, you know, “Just save your money.” You know, since we lost the case already, “Save your money, you know, just in case I get deported, uh, you know, I have something to start a new life with back in Vietnam even though I don't have no family and I don't even have no family over [00:36:00] there, and I don't even know nothing about Vietnam because I left the country when I was 10 years old.”   it was just like, you know Hard for me to, you know, you know, be far away from my my f- my brother, my sister, and my dad, 'cause, you know, I grew up with a single parent. My mom passed away when I was five years old. My dad raised all four of them, my si- you know, you know, me and my sibling all by himself. So it just emotion and everything washed in, it's just like, you know, heartbreaking.   So every time, you know, when my dad come to visit me, he always break down and cry because he just like, you know, like, you know, feel sad that his oldest son is gonna get shipped back to his country. that's my experience from being in an ICE detention center   After I got out, it's like, you know, they make… They put me on ICE supervision. I started out with, you know, go and check, go check in once a month, from once a month to every three month.   But the feeling of going there to check in is like, you sitting there, each time you go check in, you sitting there, it's like, you know, you got like a weird [00:37:00] feeling, like a butterfly in your stomach, makes you stress, oh, it's like, “Oh, are they gonna detain me and ship me back?” And all kind of stuff washing in.   It's like, it's just like the mind game they're playing with you when you're on supervision. Even though, you know, back in the day, you know, my country, they still don't accept people to go back or, you know, or anything. But it's just a feeling that's like, hey, you know, the law could change. Anything could happen, and it just like, like, you know, slowly break you down inside and outside.   ‘   Tony (pseudonym): once you're in ICE detention center, they don't care you have any health issue at all.   Whatever medication they give you is not even, you know, What we call it is like, you know, genetic like, you know, medication, the dose or whatever treatment is not even there. uh, , you have to sign up on um, like a doctor waiting list for you to go see a doctor or s- to go get a checkup.   Because the only way that you g- you get any, um, you know, medical attention is when you drop, when you drop right there on the spot in front of them. [00:38:00] That's the fastest way for them to, you know, show you me- medical attention. Other than that, we just like, you know, animal locked in a cage, you know. That's why a lot of people, like, you know, you know, they go on there, they have health issues and stuff, and some, you know, end up, you know, being sick and, you know, die or,  you know, or their, you know, health condition get worse because we don't have the fair treatment  like, you know, to help us at all.   I have to fight for my, you know, my life every single day because, you know, you know, I got diagnostic with a heart failure back in June of 2018, a day after my son was born. And I went to the emergency room three, uh, three different time. The first time they didn't detect that I have a health issue or anything at all.   They just, you know, prescribed me some medication. ‘Cause I went there, I told them I have, uh, I got food poison. And, uh, you know, all they concentrates on are the food poison. But I told them I have this you know, like shortness of breath, my legs all, you know, swollen [00:39:00] up. I could not walk more than, you know, 20 step and stuff without, you know, have to take a break.   But I guess the, whatever, you know, the nurse and the doctor, they didn't d- you know, catch that symptom at all, so… so… they just send me home, prescribed me some medication. And then the second time I went back, same thing. Just give me more medication. Until the third time I went in, I I got, I didn't even get admitted.   I was still in the gurney waiting for them to do all the testing. Less than 30 minutes later, they came back and told me that I was diagnosed sick with a heart failure, and they have to drain out all the liquor from my body because my body was puffed up like a puffer fish. I was, uh, hospital life for two months fighting for my life because my, um, my heartbeat function, faction, function or faction went down to 12%.   So I have to, you know, breathe, you know, inhale, exhale, do a breathing machine like, you know, for at least a [00:40:00] month for me to get, you know, my strength back and everything.   After I got discharged from the hospital, they don't wanna be uh, like, liability for me to drive like an hour like and 20 minutes just to go check in. So they want me to do like, like, you know, call them every six months to check in, I've been doing that for the past three years already.   But each time I call them to check in, my heart, you know, it just like stop beeping. Like, you know, my heartbeat just stop just to wait for them to say, “Okay, call me back this, this and that date.” You know, and then ever since, you know, Trump became the president, he make everything more worse. And each time, you know, you know, I call just like, like, you know, I get more worry and scared and paranoid   Because it will be hard and everything 'cause you don't even know, we don't even know nothing about that country anymore because we get so adapted to the, you know, the environment over here in the United State.   And some of us, you know, you know, might get like, you know, emotional [00:41:00] breakdown and everything when, when, when that day come and, you know, 'cause there's so many uh, thing going through our head. all we have to do is just, you know, be, be sharp, strong-minded, and and, you know, just have faith And to our family, you know, we just have to pray for the best, and hopefully, you know, you know, the, you know, hopefully down the, down the road, you know, new law change and, you know, the bars that, you know, they deport us back, we could come back, you know, in future, maybe 5 or 10 years down.   You never know. you know, we just have to pray for the best and stick together. Don't- Don't give up all hopes and, you know, fight for your freedom   I think what have changed is that, you know, right now you know, people are fighting back and s- you know, 'cause they lost a lot. You know, we lost like, you know, loved one, family members, you know. Um, you know. Um, some lost their parents due to, you know, you know, ICE. And I'm happy, you know, all this you know, all the support group are, you [00:42:00] know, you know, coming out to support the, you know, their own people.   Even though, you know, is they're not a- you know, you know, like from Southeast Asia, but, you know, we all human being. We have to, you know, stick together and treat each other equally and fairly. Because, you know, when you in ICE detention center, they treat you like animal. They don't care, you know? Sometime when we got feed, you know, you know, in the middle…   Like outside section was fully cooked, but the middle section was still raw, and then we complained. It's “Hey, you know, that's all you have. You eat, either you eat it or you starve.” That's it. And I'm happy, you know, you know, a lot of have changed, and for us you know, to g- see the better future we all, every, each one of us and our community have to stick together and help each other, you know, as one and be u- you know, united and fight against, you know, whatever is wrong.   Michelle MiJung Kim: According to the latest analysis by the University of Southern California Equity Research Institute, ICE arrests of Asian [00:43:00] and Pacific Islander Californians increased by over 1,000% between 2024 and 2025. A link to this data is included in our show notes. When we talked to Tony, he emphasized the need for solidarity within and across communities as we grapple with immeasurable toll on families, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and on every thread in the fabric of what makes our lives.   Before we end this episode, I wanna bring in Elijah Chhum, who leads New Light Wellness, one of the community groups Tony mentioned. Who leads New Light Wellness, one of the community groups Tony mentioned. New Light Wellness works closely with the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and other California groups to serve Southeast Asian communities impacted by deportation.   Here's Elijah.   Elijah Chhum: in 2019, that is when Trump 1.0, um, the administration was really targeting our Cambodian families, um, and targeting them for detention and detainment and deportation, and that is when I joined the [00:44:00] movement.   And I really have to thank the leaders of Asian Prisoner Support Committee, the lawyers of Asian Law Caucus, the faith healers and interfaith healers of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and of course, the wives and mothers and children of the directly impacted folks, um, that came to CERI. And we all coalesced in this moment, um, in February and March, and particularly on March 6th of 2019 when we all came to CERI, which was this old Victorian house in East Oakland, um, by Clinton Park, and we all met in the living room 'cause it was, it was a, uh, community center that was basically in a three-bedroom apartment, um, on the second floor of a Victorian house in East Oakland.   And so 60 of us gathered together all in a circle, um, on the living room floor of CERI, and we were [00:45:00] doing political education. We were listening to elders talk about genocide and talk about resettlement, and then now fearing the worst, that, that this government, you know, this… in America, that they could also endure family separation.   Um, and so that was the moment that changed our lives and changed my life, and that began the seed of New Light Wellness, but at that moment, we were just, you know, um, healers and, and mental health practitioners, um, that tried to provide wraparound care and mutual aid, um, for families also impacted by deportation, um, and that felt isolated at that time.   New Light Wellness emerged as our own organization in the summer of July 2024. We were first a project that was, um, part of a seed grant from New Breath Foundation around the year 2020. And at that moment, um, after… And this was during the pandemic. A little bit before that, you know, in 2019 as I [00:46:00] mentioned, we were first just starting to give wraparound care for impacted families.   Um, during that time, while we were holding the, uh, four impacted individuals and their families in the Pardon Refugee campaign, um, in those three to four months of actions, our- those four community members were detained, um, and most likely were going to be deported. Um, through our advocacy with all the different organizations, as I mentioned, um, which was, you know, bilingual sessions in political education, art builds, uh, getting resolutions passed at city, city council meetings and board of supervisor meetings, um, signing petitions, creating support letter templates, uh, going to the capital and advocating at- with electeds, um,   um, so all of that built our confidence that we can continue to do this and be intentional about this, and focus on anti-deportation and give wraparound care. And so in some ways we felt like we were filling a gap, um, and a need in the movement. And so our work of New [00:47:00] Light Wellness, um, now going to 2020, this was during the pandemic.   We were all trying to scramble how to still give care to… and a community in, you know, in East and West Oakland, um, that so desperately needed us. Um, so we couldn't stop work. Um, we had to pivot and find ways to, to, um, actually adopt Zoom and give telehealth and connect folks and get our elders to, um- Learn how to use the app and y- learn how to unmute and mute and all the things that, uh, we're doing now.   Um, and during this moment, um, as we were learning and honing our skills in, you know, virtual telehealth, you know, spaces, um, we received this seed grant from New Breath Foundation just to start something, some virtual program to, um, to focus on folks that do end up getting deported and living in Cambodia.   And around 2020, um, you know, there's 18 years has passed since, uh, there was a s- uh, since the [00:48:00] Repatriation Act between Cambodia and the US was signed. So for 18 years, our community members have been deported and lived in Cambodia. Um, of course, there has been organizations, uh, on the ground that support folks, um, living in Cambodia, and there are, there have been movements that have come and gone to try to bring people back, um, and fighting their case or reopening their cases.   Um, and at the same time, um- There was a delegation called kites to Southeast Asia, um, composed of different Southeast Asian orgs based in the US that went and did a listening tour. And when they came back, um, their report back was really that they needed or they saw that mental health and wellness was something that was missing, um, as a resource in Cambodia.   And so with New Breath Foundation, the seed grant was please start some type of mental health or wellness support, uh, for folks in Cambodia. And, you know, mental [00:49:00] health is, is a word and, um, a service that is, is often used by licensed clinicians. Um, and, you know, traditional therapy can only be done, um, within the licensure of that licensed clinician within, you know, the state.   And, and so it was really hard for us to then see who, who could offer, offer this wellness support or healing support, and how do we not use mental health or the term mental health, and how do we… And if, if we're not using licensed or getting the support of licensed clinicians to hold wellness space, then, then what are we doing?   And, and so we really adopted a peer specialist model, a community health outreach worker model, and now it's evolving to a wellness coaching model. And, and so what are the kinds of things we can do and offer across the seas that is still accountable and responsible to the folks we're serving,   though we're not crossing the lines of what is traditional therapy?   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:50:00] New Light Wellness has grown so much since 2020. We'll hear even more about their work after a short break.   We'll hear even more about their work after a short break. You've been listening to music by Joe Sin and the Angkor Wat Band. Joe is an elder in Oakland and a leader in the Khmer community. Let's hear some more [00:51:00] Welcome back.   That was Joe Sin and the Angkor Wat Band.   In our next episode, Elijah will share more about New Light Wellness's work in California. For now, I asked him to tell us more about the organization's new community center in designed specifically for people who have been deported from the US   Elijah Chhum: when we hold spaces with our New Light Wellness support groups, and we hold spaces in person at events and in villas and, and, you know, and, you know, we close the door or shut the gate and, you know, our folks are safe inside, they feel at ease.   They feel like they can show off their tattoos or, you know, eat their burgers and fries or have their kids run around and speak English openly and without judgment. Um, so those, just for those few hours that they're accepted as who they are. Um, and so I know that in Cambodia there needs to be some kind of narrative change and narrative shift so that the local community can understand what [00:52:00] our impacted community went through, what our 1.5 generation went through.   Because in the eyes of the local community in Cambodia, they believe the US is so just and so fair. And so to be deported, they believe and judge our community members for doing something so egregious, um, that they deserved to be deported. And so it's, it's a hard conversation, and it's a hard conversation that our local community has to either be prepared to have or to avoid or, um…   And then sometimes, um- You know, it could be very risky, um, and it could be very negative to have these conversations, especially at, at a place like a workplace. And we've heard s- situations where students Google the, um, you know, a lot of our folks get teaching jobs, and, um, the students are very curious about the teacher, of course, 'cause that's how youth are.   Um, and now we live in an internet age, and, you know, deportation isn't this, um, you know, marginalized story any longer. It's very much in the [00:53:00] open, especially in Trump 2.0. So the youth in Cambodia are, are savvy enough to Google folks' names or, you know, look people up by their images, and they may even out our, our community members, even in the classroom in front of their, in front of the other students.   So, you know, there's, there's a lot of different experiences when it, when it comes to our folks facing society in Cambodia. And, you know, some folks may say just to assimilate, that is the best way. You know, be as Cambodian as possible. Cover up your tattoos. Speak Khmer. Marry a Khmer partner. Have Khmer children.   You know, try to let go of all your tastes. Um, and that can help, and that can and has worked for some, but not for everyone. And the road to acceptance of, you know, their fate or the road to acceptance that they are there, the road to healing and even being held a space for grief, the grief of their identity, a grief of loss of, you know, family [00:54:00] relationships, um, is also part of this.   Um, so it's not a one-size-fits-all, um, for any community member. I think it's just offering space for folks to hear many stories, actually, um, and different experiences, and it may not be your experience that you have when you arrive in Cambodia. Um, but to honor that, you know, previously, since 2002, some p- some people did not have any resources, so it's really honoring those that have really survived and lived in Cambodia, some of them for over 20 years now.   And so in some ways, folks that have been deported more recently, um, gets the benefit from, um, the lived experiences and the traumas of those that, that came before them. And so I think it's learning and relearning together, um, from all the different experiences and honoring those stories of survival, um, and honoring the leadership of those that came before us.   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:55:00] [00:56:00] Thank you for joining us for this episode of “My Family,” a project by APEX Express and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee. I invite you to move into the rest of your day by taking a moment to honor the stories of survival and the resilience of those fighting the oppressive systems today. The music in today's program is by Joe Sin, a Khmer elder in California, and the Angkor Wat Band, and the Angkor Wat Band, and one of our favorite songs by Thao.   We'll include links to these songs and additional resources at kpfa.org/program/APEX-express and asianprisonersupport.com. We hope you'll join us for the final episode of “My Family” where we'll deep dive into what happens when people are [00:57:00] forced to move to a country they've never known.   Thank you for listening, and we'll see you next time on “My Family.” I'm your host, Michelle MiJung Kim, and this podcast is brought to you by APEX Express and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee. APEX Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam.   Have a great night, and see you next time         The post APEX Express – 9.17.26- My Family Ep 2: What happens in ICE detention? appeared first on KPFA.

Today on the Invest In Her podcast, host Catherine Gray talks with Gabby Gabriel, Founder and CEO of GAB Inc., a cultural strategy studio that shapes narrative, identity, and cultural relevance for entertainment families, luxury founders, and global leaders. Named one of USA Today's Top Entrepreneurs of 2024 and recognized by Northeastern University's Women Who Empower Innovator Awards, Gabby brings extensive international experience to her work. After living in China for ten years and Southeast Asia for two, she developed a rare understanding of both American and Asian markets that helps brands connect with audiences across cultures. In this episode, Gabby shares how she went from teaching English in China to building a successful global marketing agency. She discusses growing an LGBTQ+ community from a small monthly gathering into a network of thousands, learning from an unsuccessful app venture, and turning those experiences into a new entrepreneurial path. Gabby also offers a look at her work advising culutural figures, entertainment families, and high-profile founders on personal branding, business launches, strategic partnerships, and cultural positioning. She explores the differences between relationship-driven and transactional business cultures, what companies should consider before entering the Chinese market, and her vision for expanding GAB INC. through media, cultural intelligence, and AI-powered tools. https://thegabinc.com Show Her The Money – https://showherthemoneymovie.com She Angel Investors – https://www.sheangelinvestors.com   Follow Us On Social Facebook @sheangelinvestors Twitter (X) @sheangelsinvest Instagram @sheangelinvestors & @catherinegray_investinher LinkedIn @catherinelgray & @sheangels    

Indonesia is in the middle of a climate emergency, experiencing what Nasa calls the ‘apex predator' of wildfires. It's burning an area three times the size of Singapore and choking millions across south-east Asia with toxic haze. But while Europe's catastrophic summer made headlines in Australia, the climate emergency happening to one of our closest neighbours is less well known. Kate Lamb joins Matilda Boseley to talk about just how consequential these fires could become

(00:00-36:49) Joined right off the bat by Cardinal starter and Chargers fan Michael McGreevy. His assessment of rookie Quinn Mathews. Leo Bernal and his emergence since being called up. Fun with logistics. When should we expect the invites for his wedding? Maybe Jackson will be an usher. Not sure where the honeymoon will be. Tim's got him shooting a 76 today. Thanks, Mike. Where would you go on a honeymoon if you could go anywhere? Sports talk radio in Southeast Asia. Bored with the Chiefs game last night. A Producer Joe special prize for EMOTD. Plans for the Cardinals going forward. Rainiel Rodriguez.(36:57-57:46) No theme Tuesday. It's Tuesday, how you doin'? Mr. Beast dropped a rap song. Chronically online. Martin has watched some Mr. Beast. Audio of Giants manager Tony Vitello talking about coming back to St. Louis. The central is buns. Expansion to Orlando, Salt Lake City, or Nashville. What's in Geneva, Illinois? Can this Papers guy stop bragging all the time?(57:56-1:34:09) Can you tell this is the New York sound? Honesty in updates. Mt. Rushmore of players missing games stories. George Brett's broken pinkie toe. They're not happy in Fayetteville. Audio of Ms. Lisa calling into the Chuck & Bo show to voice her displeasure with the Razorbacks. Audio of Dan Lanning getting a little heated when asked why Dante Moore didn't show for his post game presser. His father in law was the bull? Why aren't we talking about the Emmy's? Audio of Virginia Tech James Franklin with an interesting interaction with "Michael" from the Baltimore Sun. Why are these coaches so angry? Pat Forde's six coaches on the hot seat. Doug wants to abolish the chain gang. Love scorned lover.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joined right off the bat by Cardinal starter and Chargers fan Michael McGreevy. His assessment of rookie Quinn Mathews. Leo Bernal and his emergence since being called up. Fun with logistics. When should we expect the invites for his wedding? Maybe Jackson will be an usher. Not sure where the honeymoon will be. Tim's got him shooting a 76 today. Thanks, Mike. Where would you go on a honeymoon if you could go anywhere? Sports talk radio in Southeast Asia. Bored with the Chiefs game last night. A Producer Joe special prize for EMOTD. Plans for the Cardinals going forward. Rainiel Rodriguez.No theme Tuesday. It's Tuesday, how you doin'? Mr. Beast dropped a rap song. Chronically online. Martin has watched some Mr. Beast. Audio of Giants manager Tony Vitello talking about coming back to St. Louis. The central is buns. Expansion to Orlando, Salt Lake City, or Nashville. What's in Geneva, Illinois? Can this Papers guy stop bragging all the time?Can you tell this is the New York sound? Honesty in updates. Mt. Rushmore of players missing games stories. George Brett's broken pinkie toe. They're not happy in Fayetteville. Audio of Ms. Lisa calling into the Chuck & Bo show to voice her displeasure with the Razorbacks. Audio of Dan Lanning getting a little heated when asked why Dante Moore didn't show for his post game presser. His father in law was the bull? Why aren't we talking about the Emmy's? Audio of Virginia Tech James Franklin with an interesting interaction with "Michael" from the Baltimore Sun. Why are these coaches so angry? Pat Forde's six coaches on the hot seat. Doug wants to abolish the chain gang. Love scorned lover.What started the beef between Nas and Hov? Audio of Marshall Faulk talking about the financial challenges Southern faces after its loss to No. 22 Houston. Talkin' soccer. Are City motivated because the trophy is named after the Chiefs owner?No Doubt or Gwen Stefani? Trying not to get too excited about Austin Simmons. Kelly Bryant. Doesn't sound like Chairman Steve was on board with the TKO. Taking your TKO suggestions. TMA remote from The Grove. Audio of disgruntled kU fans after the loss to Mizzou. So far the emails are a step below mid.Are you guys ready for some Texican Rock? Derek Goold's article talking the Cardinals rebuild going forward and the CBA and a potential lockout for next season. Bring back the St. Louis Vipers. Trying to follow along with all of Doug's excuses.Brody time. Brody feels like Jim Mora. He just wants a winning record. An abundance of catching. A veteran outfielder. The Mizzou Rewind with Martin and former Tiger Will Franklin. Mizzou football. Now we gotta get to the Blues. Brody's reeling from the Minnesota loss to Mississippi State.Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTDWalkin' in Memphis. Five guys, one room, one bed. Doug's all-time quarterback. Audio of Sark saying he doesn't want Ohio State's loss to be held against them. Doug completely agrees. Debating CFB scheduling. Conference Championship games.There's always gonna be somebody sad and left out. Joe Lunardi's latest bracketology. Apparently Doug didn't ready Tim's teasing substack. A Mizzou basketball and football National Championship parlay pays half a schmill. Jackson's so fired up for this basketball season. Scoring the basketball. Insulted by the 8 seed. Direct objects are so hot right now.Do people hold Barenaked Ladies in high esteem? Mumble rappers. Joe Rexrode says Kansas needs an adult in the room after the hype video. Who needs the win more this weekend, LSU or Ole Miss?The winner of the EMOTD is...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

International development reporter Adva Saldinger joins host Katie Auth for the first episode of season 5 to discuss how the Trump administration is reshaping the world of development finance for energy and climate. Adva explains the rising prominence (and shifting mandate) of the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) – and the questions being raised about its speed, credibility, and accountability. She and Katie also dig into how the World Bank is navigating pressure from the US, including a compromise over its climate strategy.About the Guest:Adva Saldinger is a Senior Reporter at Devex where she covers development finance and U.S. foreign aid policy. Adva authors the weekly Devex Invested newsletter that focuses on the role of business and finance in addressing global challenges. A journalist with nearly two decades of experience, she has worked at several newspapers in the U.S. and lived in both Ghana and South Africa."I think if you want a deal to get through, you need to pretty clearly be able to link it to a benefit to the US economy and be able to articulate that pretty well."- Adva Saldinger, Season 5 of High Energy PlanetCovered in This EpisodeA Reshuffled Landscape: Katie asks Adva how her beat has changed since the start of the second Trump administration, and Adva explains that with USAID gone, the Development Finance Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation have become the central players in US development policy — though a clear, unified policy vision still hasn't emerged.DFC's Pivot to Fewer, Bigger Deals: Katie and Adva dig into why DFC, following a congressional reauthorization that more than tripled its investment cap to over $200 billion, is now chasing fewer, larger, more strategic deals in energy, infrastructure, and critical minerals.Congress, the Board, and the Cost of Speed: Katie and Adva unpack Congressional pushback on transparency and accountability, reports of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick blocking deals at the board level, and whether DFC's faster timelines means cutting corners on due diligence.The I Squared Capital Blueprint: Adva walks Katie through DFC's $1.5 billion natural gas deal in South and Southeast Asia, and what it reveals about what it now takes to get a deal approved: a clear, articulable benefit to the US economy.Treasury's World Bank Wish List: Katie and Adva talk through Secretary Bessent's asks of the World Bank and how World Bank President Ajay Banga has managed the pressure from the Bank's largest shareholder.The Climate Compromise, and What's Next: Adva and Katie discuss how the World Bank kept its Climate Action Plan but dropped its 45% climate target, and consider a possible future where DFC drives US strategy while the World Bank is responsible for the traditional development mission.ResourcesFollow Adva Saldinger's reporting at DevexRead more about DFC's congressional reauthorization: DFC gets a long-awaited glow-upRead about DFC's $1.5 billion energy platform with I Squared Capital, the largest project the agency has undertakenAdva mentioned an op-ed from four World Bank executive directors. Read it here: The World Bank is moving to climate action that counts, focusing on resultsFind more information at EnergyForGrowth.org.If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share it with a colleague. 

Last time we spoke about the fall of Hong Kong. As dawn broke on December 20, 1941, Japanese battalions tightened their grip on Hong Kong Island. While the defenders fought desperately at Repulse Bay Hotel, Wongneichong Gap, and the heights around Mount Nicholson and Mount Cameron, piecemeal counter-attacks by exhausted Canadians, Royal Scots, Rajputs, and Hong Kong Volunteers were shattered by rain, darkness, and poor coordination.Resistance stiffened at Stanley Peninsula, but ammunition ran low and hope faded. On Christmas Eve, the Japanese stormed St Stephen's College hospital. They bayoneted wounded soldiers in their beds, murdered doctors, and raped nurses in an orgy of horror that became known as the St Stephen's Massacre.On Christmas morning—forever "Black Christmas"—Governor Young surrendered the colony after seventeen days of fighting. As white flags rose, Rear-Admiral Chan Chak and a small party made a daring escape by sea under fire, eventually rescued by Chinese Communist guerrillas of the East River Column who would save hundreds more lives in the months ahead.   #219 The Malayan Campaign Part 1: Bicycle Blitzkrieg   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Now in the last episode we spoke about the battle of Hong Kong, which of course was fought on Chinese territory and did involve Chinese participation. I took some time to think about what aspects of the early Pacific War should be covered in depth here, ie: what pertains the most to the Chinese experience. We are not going to talk about the Philippines or Dutch East Indies, but the Malayan campaign and fall of Singapore I would argue need to be dived into. There was a lot of ethnic Chinese participation in this campaign. No worries after this brief series on the Malayan Campaign we will be jumping back to China. Following World War One, Britain sought to counter growing Japanese ambitions by establishing a major naval base in Singapore during the 1920s. The location offered strategic advantages, particularly its exemption from the Washington Naval Treaty's non-fortification clause, making it ideal for housing a powerful deterrent fleet. The plan was straightforward: maintain overwhelming naval superiority to discourage Japanese expansion. Yet this calculation proved dangerously optimistic. Japanese aggression accelerated throughout the 1930s, while the European war's outbreak in 1939 drained Britain's resources, leaving its Far Eastern colonies—Malaya, Burma, and Hong Kong—dangerously exposed. Churchill remained convinced that Japan would not strike in 1941, prompting him to channel reinforcements toward the Mediterranean theater. The defensive strategy hinged on buying time; should Japan attack, British forces would delay the enemy while holding Singapore as a fortress until relief arrived. This plan contained a fatal flaw: Britain lacked the capacity to actually send reinforcements to the region. Commander-in-Chief Robert Brooke-Popham led Britain's Far Eastern Command from Malaysia, acutely aware of the challenge ahead. Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival commanded ground forces comprising 31 poorly trained infantry battalions—approximately 88,600 personnel total—largely untrained for jungle warfare. These troops were distributed across three divisions. Air defense proved equally problematic. With only fourteen squadrons flying outdated aircraft, the RAF faced a critical shortfall. Squadrons were scattered across multiple airfields: Vickers Vildebeest and PBY Catalina aircraft at Seletar; Bristol Blenheims at Tengah; Brewster Buffalos at Sembawang and Kallang; further Buffalos and Blenheims at Sungei Patani; Lockheed Hudsons at Kota Bharu; and additional Blenheims at Kuantan and Alor Setar. Allied units occupied three strategic zones. The Indian 11th Infantry Division under Major General David Murray-Lyon held northern Malaya, defending airfields and the Thai frontier from positions near Kota Bharu, Jitra, and Alor Setar. These installations remained lightly garrisoned and vulnerable. The Indian 9th Infantry Division occupied central Malaya, tasked with holding delaying positions at Jitra and Gurun—positions themselves poorly constructed and uncoordinated. Australia's 8th Division under Gordon Bennett anchored the south near Mersing and Johor, forming the last line before Singapore's fortress. Singapore itself bristled with coastal defenses and commanded a substantial naval garrison, expected to repel any Japanese approach. A week before Japan's offensive erupted, Churchill sent Force Z to Singapore—the battleship Prince of Wales, battlecruiser Repulse, and four destroyers. Despite vigorous objections from admirals, particularly Captain William Davis, who warned the Prince of Wales without air cover would be "a hostage to fortune," Churchill overruled them, seeking to project confidence and maintain American goodwill. Admiral Sir Tom Phillips commanded Force Z. Known as "Tom Thumb" for his diminutive stature, Phillips sparked controversy—critics labeled him a "desk admiral"—yet Field Marshal Smuts called him "an admirable choice" and American Admiral Thomas Hart praised his administrative acumen. Phillips' record was mixed. He advocated astutely for tank deployment in Malaya and correctly questioned the Brewster Buffalo's effectiveness, urging Hurricanes instead. Yet he fatally underestimated the threat aircraft posed to capital ships, believing the Prince of Wales' anti-aircraft batteries could defend a maneuvering vessel. An unnoticed handicap compounded this: tropical humidity had disabled the Prince of Wales' fire-control computer before she ever fired. Force Z reached Singapore on December 2, 1941, amid misplaced confidence. Nineteen-year-old Richard Smith recalled: "Everyone believed the Japanese fleet was made of rice paper and string. We assumed we would crush them effortlessly." Churchill's public declaration seemed to goad Japan into action. Admiral Yamamoto responded decisively, dispatching thirty-six Mitsubishi bombers to reinforce existing aircraft and ordering intensive training for "ship-killing"—specialized torpedo and bombing attacks. Three air groups, led by Miyauchi, Nakanishi, and Shoji, trained relentlessly in low-level runs and ocean navigation. Phillips, stripped of air cover, commanded only aging destroyers alongside his capital ships. The stage was set for disaster. In November 1940, the German raider Atlantis captured the British steamer Automedon in the Indian Ocean, seizing documents destined for Air Marshal Brooke-Popham that exposed Singapore's vulnerabilities. The Germans shared this intelligence with Japan in December. By January 1941, the Japanese had also broken British Army codes, revealing the weakness of Singapore's defenses and enabling them to plan an invasion accordingly. The invasion of Malaya followed an audacious strategy devised by Colonel Tsuji Masanobu. Japanese forces would conduct amphibious landings in southern Thailand and northern Malaya, then push 400 miles through jungle terrain toward Singapore. The 25th Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Yamashita Tomoyuki and initially comprising two divisions, led this operation, supported by Admiral Kondō Nobutake's 2nd Fleet, which provided convoy escort. Thailand's strategic position was crucial; the British could not defend it, offering Japan a favorable staging ground. Marshal Plaek Phibun, Thailand's leader, had informally agreed to allow Japanese passage but simultaneously negotiated with British and American diplomats, creating uncertainty. A second force, the 15th Army under Lieutenant-General Iida Shōjirō, was preparing to invade Burma through Thailand. If the Thai withheld passage by December 7, these forces would advance directly from Indochina. Brooke-Popham devised Operation Matador to counter the Japanese threat. This ambitious plan called for the 11th Indian Division to preemptively seize Singora and Patani—critical Thai ports essential to Japanese invasion plans. The operation's centerpiece was capturing the Ledge, a key terrain feature south of Patani. Control of the Ledge would allow British forces to block roads from Patani, securing retreat routes for the 11th Division and denying the Japanese access to rear areas. Failure would expose the British to encirclement and force withdrawal from Perak and Kedah. However, Matador faced insurmountable obstacles. Britain was uncertain whether Thailand would resist or accommodate Japan, and invading neutral Thai territory risked driving the Thai government into Japanese arms. Command hesitation, combined with poor intelligence, created fatal delays. Matador was never approved. Instead, authorities authorized Operation Krohcol, a scaled-down alternative named after the town of Kroh. This operation tasked a small British-Indian force with advancing into southern Thailand to capture the Ledge, destroy bridges and roads, and delay Japanese movements. Though far less ambitious than Matador, Krohcol represented Britain's final attempt at preemptive action. It would be activated only after Japan opened hostilities, but by then, opportunity had already slipped away.   On December 4, Japanese transport ships escorted by Admiral Kondō's fleet departed Hainan Island toward their objectives. Two days later, British reconnaissance spotted the fleet, but Brooke-Popham lacked authorization to intervene—he could only alert his forces. At 23:00 on December 7, Japan issued an ultimatum to Thailand, demanding passage and giving a two-hour response window. Unable to locate Prime Minister Phibun until late morning, Thailand was invaded hours later. From Indochina, Japanese Imperial Guards and the 55th Division landed at Phra Tabong and pushed northwest toward Aranyaprathet. The 5th Division's regiment landed at Patani while the division's main force seized Singora, quickly overwhelming Thai defenders. From Saigon, elements of the 15th Army conducted additional naval landings across Thailand but encountered unexpectedly fierce Thai resistance that stalled their progress. Just before Pearl Harbor came under attack, the Japanese 18th Division landed at Kota Bharu. The defenders—the 8th Indian Infantry Brigade under Brigadier B.W. Key, supported by artillery from the 21st Mountain Battery and the 73rd Field Battery—faced a daunting task. The 3/17th Dogra Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Preston, held a 10-mile coastal stretch fortified with mines, barbed wire, and pillboxes overlooking the narrow beaches of Badang and Sabak, separated by estuaries and surrounded by creeks, lagoons, and swamp islands. The Dogras unleashed devastating fire as Japanese landing craft approached at midnight. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji observed that enemy pillboxes "responded with such overwhelming force that our men lying on the beach, partially submerged in water, could not lift their heads." The first waves were pinned down, with casualties mounting from artillery, machine gun fire, and Allied aircraft from nearby airfields. British Hudsons bombed the invasion fleet and stranded soldiers, sinking one Japanese transport and destroying seven of their own aircraft in the process. The defenders inflicted heavy casualties, but intense hand-to-hand combat eventually breached the line's center by 03:45, threatening the nearby airfield. Simultaneously, 17 Japanese bombers attacked Singapore with minimal damage and 61 casualties, surprising the British with evidence of enemy long-range aircraft. Japanese fighters and bombers dominated the skies over Kota Bharu and northern Malaysian airfields, demonstrating clear air superiority. Amid the chaos, counterattacks by Malayan battalions failed, forcing the British to destroy northern airfields to prevent capture. The defenders retreated from the beaches to Kota Bharu itself that night. As confusion engulfed British headquarters, Operation Krohcol commenced at 15:00. This scaled-down preemptive operation aimed to delay the Japanese invasion by securing and destroying the Ledge—a six-mile road carved through steep hillside with a sheer drop into a river. Blowing this section would severely impede enemy advance. The force consisted primarily of the 3/16th Punjab Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Moorhead, supplemented by engineers, traveling in Marmon-Herrington trucks provided by the Australian Motor Transport Company. Krohcol was undermanned from the start; the 5/14th Punjab Regiment and artillery battery failed to arrive on schedule, forcing the column to proceed without them. Crossing the border at Kroh, Indian troops encountered determined resistance from Thai police under Major Prayoon Rattanakit in Betong. These roadblocks delayed the Indian advance for two full days while Prayoon's officers simultaneously engaged Japanese forces at Patani. After several hours of combat, Japan and Thailand reached an armistice by midday, with Phibun granting Japan passage, though Thai forces remained neutral. Japanese forces at Patani, navigating poor roads but facing no opposition, began their advance toward the Ledge—approximately 60 miles distant—initiating a critical race against Krohcol to determine who would occupy this vital position first. Meanwhile, renewed fighting erupted at Kota Bharu as Japanese forces infiltrated around British strongpoints, causing alarm among commanders. By December 10, with the situation deteriorating, defenders received authorization to abandon Kota Bharu and withdraw south to Machang.   Just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack, Admiral Phillips ordered Force Z to intercept Japanese invasion forces in the South China Sea without air support. Phillips believed he could "finish quickly and escape to the east before the Japanese could organize a significant attack." Ten Brewster Buffaloes were assigned to support the fleet, but he departed without requesting their cover. Force Z failed to locate the Japanese fleet, which had moved northwest into the Gulf of Siam. By afternoon on December 9, Japanese submarine I-65 detected Force Z, followed by reconnaissance aircraft. When Phillips altered course toward Kuantan, crews grew complacent. Bert Wynn recalled shipboard conversation centered on sinking Japanese warships. A flag officer remarked to CBS correspondent Cecil Brown, "Oh, but they are Japanese. There's nothing to worry about." That evening, Brown questioned whether the British were overconfident given Pearl Harbor. Officers conceded theoretically but remained dismissive. One replied, "We just don't think the enemy is much good. They could not beat China for five years." At 11:00 AM on December 10, Japanese aircraft struck. Three waves of Nell and Betty bombers from Indochina, after more than five hours aloft, approached from the horizon. With no air support—Phillips had maintained radio silence—defense rested entirely on anti-aircraft batteries. Nells attacked at 12,000 feet, dropping 250 kg bombs. Repulse twisted violently, evading most, but one struck her seaplane deck, killing two dozen men instantly. At 11:30, seventeen Nells attacked at wave-top level, focusing on Prince of Wales. Nine aircraft divided their approach, flying below 100 feet from both bows. The ship's inexperienced anti-aircraft crews, hampered by inoperable radar from tropical humidity, struggled to track targets. Once torpedoes were released, the planes sped away, losing only one aircraft.   A single torpedo struck Prince of Wales near the outer propeller shaft. When restarted, water flooded engine room B. Auxiliary power failed, halting drainage and causing an 11.5-degree list to port. Her 5-inch guns became powerless; she slowed to 15 knots, severely crippled. At 12:20, twenty-six Bettys attacked in coordinated "anvil" assaults with simultaneous torpedo drops on both bows. Repulse evaded initially but two or three torpedoes found their mark. One crew member recalled, "Suddenly there was a massive explosion. I immediately knew we'd lost Repulse, for within seconds she took on a frightening list to port, so rapid no amount of counter flooding would save her." Captain's last order: "You've put up a good show, now save yourselves." At 12:23 PM, Repulse rolled over and sank stern-first, her enormous hull protruding vertically from the water. Men jumped into oil-blackened water; many drowned during hours of waiting while destroyer escorts frantically retrieved survivors. Cecil Brown described it as "a confusing, macabre game"—orange flames, white tracers, and gray aircraft "astonishingly close, like butterflies pinned on blue cardboard." With Repulse gone, bombers concentrated on the damaged Prince of Wales. At 12:44, a 500 kg bomb struck between her stacks where wounded crew sheltered, causing devastating casualties. Men ordered to abandon ship faced drowning if trapped below deck. Destroyers rushed in to save swimmers, though HMS Express nearly capsized in rescue efforts. Ten Buffaloes arrived as Prince of Wales sank—too late. One pilot recalled, "After an hour, lack of petrol forced me to leave, but during that hour I had seen many men in dire danger waving, cheering and joking, as if they were holiday-makers waving at a low-flying aircraft. It shook me, for here was something above human nature." In just over an hour, the battleship era ended: 47 British officers and 793 men perished, including Admiral Phillips. Repulse's captain later acknowledged, "The enemy's attacks were undoubtedly carried out magnificently and pressed home effectively. The high-level bombers maintained tight formation and did not veer off course." By December 10, Krohcol reached Betong, just 26 miles from the Ledge. However, a Japanese ambush caught them off-guard near the target, forcing retreat when they were only a mile away. The 5th Division's regiment reached the Ledge by midday, dealing the Indians significant casualties. By December 13, Krohcol was pushed back to Kroh, the operation failed. Meanwhile, the 5th Division advanced south from Singora toward Jitra. Major-General David Murray-Lyon commanded the 11th Indian Division's weak defensive positions at Jitra's road junction, unaware that the critical Alor Setar airfield had already been abandoned. His forces—6th Indian Brigade holding a 10-mile coastal sector, 15th Brigade covering the road, and 28th Brigade in reserve—had sent two delaying detachments on December 9. On December 11, Japanese tanks overwhelmed these covering battalions, inflicting heavy casualties. Murray-Lyon committed his reserves prematurely, leaving Alor Setar lightly defended. That night, Japanese tanks reached the main position north of Jitra, with the 5th Division following. Heavy fighting ensued between Japanese armor and demoralized Indian troops. British defenses penetrated around 06:00, forcing successive Indian units to be overrun. Murray-Lyon repeatedly requested withdrawal permission. At 19:30 on December 12, General Percival finally approved. Due to poor communication and confusion, the 11th Indian Division suffered heavy casualties but disengaged by December 13, withdrawing to Gurun. The primary British defenses in northern Malaya had been breached, the 11th Division severely weakened, and the Japanese advance down the peninsula had begun unstoppably. Percival's first significant defense occurred at Jitra on December 11th, intended to push the Japanese as far north as possible and protect remaining Allied airfields. The Japanese quickly overwhelmed the Indian defenders, and Colonel Tsuji observed the engagement firsthand: "Our tanks were ready on the road, and the twenty or so enemy armored cars ahead were literally trampled underfoot. The enemy armored cars could not escape by running away, and were sandwiched between our medium tanks. It was speed and weight of armor that decided the issue." Major General Murray-Lyon commanded the 11th Indian Division. A World War I veteran, he had served with distinction in the Highland Light Infantry, earning the Military Cross for bravery in Flanders and the Distinguished Service Order for his actions at Moeuvres. The citation stated: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy attacked and penetrated the line after intense fighting and continual bombing attacks, by his courage and personal example he succeeded in driving them out and held his position against further heavy attacks with splendid coolness and determination." This was no desk officer, but a frontline commander faced with an impossible task. Murray-Lyon's division appeared formidable on paper but was severely compromised. It contained only two regular British battalions—the Leicestershire and East Surrey Regiments—with the remainder consisting of four newly raised Indian Army battalions and three inexperienced Gurkha battalions. The Gurkhas, though renowned as elite soldiers, were primarily composed of 18-year-old recruits fresh from deployment. Like all Allied forces in Malaya, the division lacked tanks while facing an enemy flush with armor. After only days of intense combat, Murray-Lyon sought permission to withdraw, convinced the Japanese forces greatly outnumbered him. Ironically, Yamashita's army was outnumbered two to one. The Japanese commander employed Blitzkrieg tactics inspired by his time as a military attaché in Berlin, coordinating air and ground forces with remarkable precision. His approach involved fast-moving tanks, bomber aircraft deployed as mobile artillery, and—most unusually—bicycle-mounted infantry. Prior to the invasion, Japanese planners decided bicycles were ideal for the tropical jungle terrain. Rather than shipping thousands, they seized bicycles from the local population. The offensive typically began with bombing raids on Allied defensive positions, followed by tanks smashing through. As defenders retreated, bicycle infantry continuously harassed and attacked, while coastal amphibious assaults flanked positions along the shore. Colonel Alfred Harrison of the 11th Indian Division reflected on the psychological toll: "Fatigue had stretched the men's mind to the limit and the moral ascendancy which the Japanese achieved in these few weeks included a psychic side. The troops were beginning to attribute almost supernatural powers to the Japanese." Yamashita had rehearsed these tactics extensively on Hainan Island, conducting exercises in amphibious landings, bridge destruction and repair, and jungle operations. The bicycle innovation proved revolutionary—troops covered greater distances more quickly with less fatigue, repeatedly outflanking British forces who found themselves pushed off roads and encircled. The rapid movements created a psychological multiplier effect; British commanders, mistaken about enemy numbers, believed they faced far larger forces than actually present. This "Bicycle Blitzkrieg," as it became known, echoed Mongol tactics—a single swift force striking multiple targets so quickly that enemies believed they faced several armies. Tanks were crucial to this success. The British had deployed no tanks to Malaya before the war, a fatal omission. Combined with bicycle infantry, Japanese armor allowed them to engage British forces before defensive positions could be established. Percival authorized withdrawal from Jitra, directing troops south to Gurun, but those defenses remained unfinished and the Japanese advance was too rapid. Percival later reflected in his memoir, War in Malaya: "This withdrawal would have been difficult under the most favorable conditions. With the troops tired, units mixed as the result of the fighting, communications broken and the night dark, it was inevitable that orders should be delayed and that in some cases they should never reach the addressees. This is what in fact occurred. The withdrawal, necessary as it may have been, was too fast and too complicated for disorganized and exhausted troops, whose disorganization and exhaustion it only increased." From the start, British forces stretched too thinly across a 14-mile front in challenging terrain—dense jungle on the right flank, monsoon-soaked rice fields and rubber plantations in the center, mangrove swamps to the left. Yamashita's concentrated attacks breached the line. Repeated retreats cost both personnel and equipment, as overrun positions offered no opportunity for evacuation and bicycle infantry prevented orderly withdrawal. The Jitra defeat exposed a fundamental strategic error: deploying under-resourced troops across Malaya's entire breadth rather than establishing a shorter, more defensible line further south, which could have shortened British supply lines while lengthening Japan's—a disadvantage the Japanese could not exploit. The Allied retreat continued southward to the Gurun area, though the chaotic withdrawal from Jitra itself inflicted more casualties than the fighting had—many frontline units never received withdrawal orders, while others became lost crossing the Bata River. Murray eventually fell back to the Muda River, establishing defensive positions along the Krian River some thirty miles south. Percival, increasingly desperate, realized his entire strategy had depended on holding the Japanese as far north as possible to minimize air threats to Singapore. The rapid Japanese advance made this impossible. Reluctantly, he ordered a general withdrawal south of the Perak River, while his field commanders pleaded for reinforcements they would never receive. Though Percival had an Australian division in Johor, he refused to commit them north, fearing a Japanese naval invasion further south could threaten Singapore itself.   As Yamashita's 25th Army advanced westward toward Penang, Japanese bombers subjected the island to daily raids. British command, recognizing the island as indefensible, evacuated European residents on December 17th—leaving the local Malay population to face the Japanese. Mrs Muriel Reilly's recollection captures the moment's bitter legacy: "it still hurts to think how the white race 'let down hundreds of similarly faithful servants who trusted in us, and looked to us for protection from the hated Japanese." The abandonment had strategic consequences. In their haste, the British left massive stockpiles of arms and supplies in Penang that fell directly into Yamashita's hands. More profoundly, local Malays turned against their former colonial rulers. Some historians now argue "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia occurred not at Singapore, but at Penang." Under subsequent Japanese occupation, Penang endured three years and eight months of hardship—food shortages, rampant hyperinflation from the "banana dollar," and systematic repression including comfort women camps and the Sook Ching massacres targeting Chinese communities the Japanese feared might become guerrillas.  The Japanese occupiers' fears about Chinese resistance were prescient. Among the Chinese communities of Malaya and Singapore, anti-Japanese sentiment had been building for over a decade. Since Japan's 1937 invasion of China, ethnic Chinese populations had viewed Tokyo with deep hostility. The Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, followed by the escalating horrors of the Second Sino-Japanese War, had created a reservoir of determination to resist Japanese expansion wherever it might emerge. As British colonial authority crumbled, this sentiment transformed from passive resentment into active organization. The Battle of Jitra exposed a fundamental miscalculation: attempting to defend all of Malaya with an undersized army. A more strategic withdrawal to Johore would have shortened British supply lines while extending Japan's. As December ended, Murray-Lyon was dismissed from command—a casualty of circumstance. He had spent weeks preparing for the cancelled Operation Matador while neglecting proper defenses at Jitra and Gurun. At fifty-one, this decorated soldier, who had earned the Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order in the Great War, became a civilian during Britain's darkest hour. He was replaced by Brigadier Archibald Paris, equally inexperienced in jungle warfare, who paradoxically proved more effective by facilitating the retreat of Murray's division while inflicting unexpected casualties on overconfident Japanese units. By December 26th, the Japanese 5th Division and 4th Guards Regiment crossed the Perak River, preparing an assault on Kampar. This position was crucial—located halfway between Penang and Kuala Lumpur, its terrain was unsuitable for tanks and difficult to outflank, offering a rare opportunity to make a stand. Paris gathered infantry battalions, many composed of Jitra and Gurun survivors: British battalions from the Leicesters and East Surreys, along with Jat and Punjabi units including Sikhs. The 12th Brigade hastily dug trenches, strung wire, and cleared fields around Kampar's ridges to improve visibility. After three weeks of continuous fighting and retreat, the defenders' morale had collapsed. Colonel Alfred Harrison observed on Christmas Day: "fatigue had stretched the men's mind to the limit and the moral ascendancy which the Japanese had achieved in these few weeks included a 'psychic' side. The troops were beginning to attribute almost supernatural powers to the Japanese." The Japanese, by contrast, had grown accustomed to victory and approached each engagement with unshakeable confidence. Yamashita employed German-inspired tactics using aircraft as mobile artillery—vital in terrain where conventional gun placement was impossible. Engagements began with bombing raids on Allied positions, followed by frontal assaults to establish a line, then flanking maneuvers through jungle to encircle defenders. When the assault came from the western coastal roads, Japanese tanks struck the 12th Brigade along a three-mile rural stretch near Gopeng. Small arms and heavy machine gun fire erupted as infantry dismounted from trucks and spread into the brush. Some tanks advanced alone onto a bridge near Dipang, where they encountered defenders with Lanchester submachine guns and Bren gun carriers equipped with anti-tank rifles. Lt Colonel Ian Stewart noted the grim reality: "the anti-tank rifle made no impression against the Jap mediums, while their 37 mm guns went through our armour like paper." The Japanese tankers, closing their hatches in the oppressive subtropical heat—what they described as a "Turkish bath"—approached cautiously, aware of potential counterattacks. British defenders fired desperately at vision slits, their bullets ricocheting uselessly. A 2-pounder anti-tank gun destroyed a single tank, prompting Japanese armor to withdraw and wait for infantry support. Meanwhile, two hundred defenders on the opposite side prepared to destroy the bridge. Fortunately, Kampar's shallow water allowed most to wade across a mile downstream. Stewart's 12th Brigade had purchased time. The British established a strong perimeter around Kampar Hill, resembling a "goose egg" on the map. Their artillery, better supplied than the Japanese equivalent, was concealed in the jungle with two hundred rounds stacked beside each gun. The 15th/6th Brigades occupied the low ground where the road and railway ran through town. Unlike earlier battles where Japanese forces kept defenders pinned with close contact, Kampar's expansive fields of fire and terrain offered space to maneuver—a rare advantage the British would finally exploit. Major General Saburo Kawamura led the attack on Kampar with his 9th Brigade. On December 31st, he probed the 28th Gurkha Brigade entrenched on the hill. Japanese howitzer fire drew return artillery that effectively repelled their advances. At midnight on New Year's Eve, Lt. Colonel Augustus Murdoch ordered a 12-gun salute fired at the Japanese—perhaps a cheeky gesture. Seven hours later, Kawamura launched his main assault on the western side targeting the trunk road. The brunt fell on a newly formed British battalion, the Leicesters and East Surreys, under Lt. Colonel Esmond Morrison. The 48-year-old, though some dismissed him as a "polo-playing playboy," proved a serious soldier despite his peacetime reputation, frequently sharing front-line dangers with his men. Japanese infantry emerged from the mist carrying mortars. Mortar fire became intense—one casualty was a company commander whose jaw was shattered by a splinter. However, observation officers from the 88th Field Regiment pinpointed Japanese advances, unleashing devastating artillery fire. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji observed "a continuous stream of casualties coming back down the hill to safety, either carried on stretchers or supported on the shoulders of comrades who were themselves wounded." Japanese artillery pieces were covertly moved through secondary jungle to hide their positions. During the fighting, one of Morrison's lieutenants encountered Japanese soldiers in a trench, fired his revolver, and retreated. A gunnery driver named Walker, noticing a nearby Bren position overrun, exited his vehicle armed with a Thompson submachine gun and launched a surprise attack, forcing the Japanese to retreat—earning him a medal. Troop Sergeant Major Hugill, commanding an outlying observation post connected by field telephone, received a distinguished conduct medal for calmly calling in protective artillery fire while cut off. When the attack subsided, he encountered isolated Japanese soldiers who had captured a Vickers-Berthier machine gun. Hugill gathered five infantrymen and led a bayonet charge to reclaim it. Emergency commissioned officer Lt. Edgar Newland commanded a platoon of 30 men in one of the most forward positions. His platoon was surrounded for much of the battle yet successfully repelled numerous assaults over two consecutive days. General Percival specifically praised Newland and his men. Newland received a Military Cross; his platoon sergeant, Euan McDonald, received a distinguished conduct medal. After two days, Japanese forces captured part of Thompson's Ridge. Morrison ordered two platoons of Sikhs and Gujars to bayonet charge under mortar fire. Tragically, 34 soldiers died, including their 21-year-old commander, Charles Lamb, killed in the initial charge. Captain John Graham lost both legs to a grenade but continued encouraging his men, throwing grenades at Japanese trenches before bleeding to death—but they had retaken the position. Courage, artillery, and terrain proved insufficient. Yamashita decided to outflank Percival with seaborne landings on the Malayan west coast. He transported 40 small craft by rail to Alor Star and ordered landings near Telok Anson, 30 miles southeast of Kampar. If successful, he would cut off Percival's 11th Indian Division defending Kampar. Yamashita devised a three-pronged attack: the Imperial Guards Division would paddle down the Perak River into town; another force would approach from the west on landing craft entering from the opposite direction; a third would move up the Bernam River and march north toward Telok Anson. Lt. General Takuro Matsui commanded the landings. While Kampar held, 1,500 of Matsui's men crowded onto landing craft. One steamer towing ten craft went too far south, attempting the Selangor River defended by a Jat battalion with artillery. The Japanese were repelled, losing one to three craft before moving north. In Perak, four landing rafts ran aground on a sandbar and required rescue. A British patrol boat spotted them but left to report—no action followed. Percival later remarked: "unfortunately neither the navy nor the air force were able to take advantage of this unique opportunity." Despite setbacks, Japanese forces landed and advanced on Telok Anson. On January 2nd, they encountered the 3rd Indian Cavalry and 1st Independent Company under Stewart, equipped with armored cars and Thompson and Bren guns. They inflicted significant casualties but with only 250 men couldn't hold. Stewart ordered delaying actions instead. Telok Anson fell, leaving Kampar defenders at risk of encirclement. Although Kawamura's forces showed no signs of breaking after four days of fighting, Paris feared his main supply route had been cut. He requested permission from Percival to withdraw to the Slim River defensive line. Paris prioritized preserving troops over territory: "With no reserves in hand, we were still in a position of being unable to accept major losses." The 12th Brigade held while Paris organized the division's withdrawal. An unusual discovery emerged during delaying actions: Brigadier Stewart found the body of a dead European cyclist in British uniform. Earlier, a Punjabi sentry had shot a man on a bridge attempting to grab his Thompson. Both were likely German deserters from Vichy Indo-China's Foreign Legion, in contact with the Nazi embassy. The British Legation in Bangkok had warned of such infiltrators offering sabotage and espionage assistance. Percival was particularly struck by the German who tried single-handedly to disarm a sentry and seize a bridge. The 12th Brigade discovered another European body—a German political refugee and former mining engineer who had disappeared weeks earlier. Exhausted after three weeks of near-constant combat, the 12th Brigade continued delaying actions. Japanese air forces wreaked havoc on vehicles; Stewart estimated half his casualties—around 90 killed and wounded from 4,000 troops—resulted from aerial attacks. Stewart expressed satisfaction: "It had been an eminently successful battle," though it was more a series of brief skirmishes than traditional battle. Kampar fell when Telok Anson was captured. Percival might have committed Australian brigades from Johore or garrison battalions from Singapore, but concentrating forces at Kampar risked prompting Yamashita to attack elsewhere. The Kampar defenders retreated 30 miles to the Slim River. Tsuji reluctantly acknowledged Yamashita's breakthrough was impressive, if risky. On the east coast, defenders faced more resistance at Kuantan. Percival clung to the airfield, determined to deny the Japanese RAF facilities and limit their ability to strike at reinforcement convoys approaching Singapore. The first convoy from Bombay, carrying the half-trained 45th Brigade under Brigadier Horatio Duncan, was 24 hours away. The 22nd Indian Brigade, led by Brigadier George Painter, defended Kuantan against the Takumi detachment of the 18th Division. One battalion, commanded by a veteran of Kota Bharu, fortified the airfield with barbed wire and trenches. When Takumi's forces approached, the Japanese encountered 4.5-inch howitzer fire inflicting significant casualties. The defenders fought fiercely, each equipped with six grenades instead of two, creating deadly chaos. Tsuji noted the airfield "was obstinately defended," particularly at night when grenades rolled into confined trenches with devastating effect. Word reached the defenders that General Barstow's entire 9th Indian Division was retreating through Kuala Lipis-Jerantut-Raub. The 22nd Brigade demolished installations and prepared to withdraw, though their rearguard risked encirclement. One night, investigating his southern flank with Captain Ian Grimwood, battalion commander Cumming spotted Japanese soldiers climbing barbed wire meters away. Armed with a .455 Webley revolver, Cumming and Grimwood faced seven Japanese soldiers charging with bayonets. They fired as they were knocked down, killing all attackers, but Cumming suffered two bayonet wounds to his stomach. Grimwood dragged him to battalion HQ for first aid. As the airfield was overrun, Cumming ordered withdrawal. A grenade or mortar round knocked him unconscious. He regained consciousness in a vehicle where Private Albel Singh reported a Japanese roadblock ahead. Spotting a fallen tree creating passage, Cumming ordered Singh to charge through. Machine gun fire rained down; Cumming was hit again with a shattered arm, possibly from an anti-personnel mine, while Singh endured a .256 armor-piercing bullet through both thighs yet maintained control, driving 30 miles per hour. The vehicle arrived at brigade HQ covered in blood from six occupants. Cumming would receive the Victoria Cross for his heroism. Painter held the airfield long enough for reinforcements to approach, though it cost much of one of the best Indian battalions. Painter, fixated on flanking fears, believed it "better to lose half a battalion than an entire brigade." The 22nd Indian Brigade lost a third of its strength but retreated by January 3rd. While this unfolded eastward, Yamashita's forces advanced south. Defenders prepared a new defensive line at Trolak, five miles north of Slim River. Reinforcements had arrived; the 45th Brigade was immediately dispatched to repel the enemy's advance on Kuala Selangor, which held another crucial airfield. Whether defenders could withstand Yamashita's onslaught remained to be seen.   While British forces retreated in disarray toward Singapore, another chapter was quietly beginning in the shadows of the collapsing colonial order. On December 25, 1941—Christmas morning, even as Governor Young raised the white flag over Hong Kong—Chinese volunteers in Singapore formalized their resistance. That day, the Singapore Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army, officially known as Dalforce, was established under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Dalley. Dalforce emerged from urgent necessity. As the Japanese invasion accelerated and British defenses crumbled, recruitment of local Chinese volunteers escalated dramatically. What had begun as an informal volunteer effort in 1939 now crystallized into organized military structure. The initial cadre of 200 volunteers swelled to 4,000 members as the invasion reached Singapore's doorstep. These were not professional soldiers—Dalforce members came from the Chinese civilian population, motivated by the knowledge that Japanese occupation would target them specifically. Many lacked military training; some were armed only with sporting firearms due to critical shortages of military weapons. Supply ships intended for Dalforce, such as the SS Empress of Asia, were sunk before their cargo could reach Singapore. Yet the volunteers pressed forward, organizing themselves despite severe handicaps: makeshift uniforms, inadequate equipment, and internal divisions between Communist and Kuomintang factions, each trained separately by British officers. Dalforce would soon earn the nickname "Dalley's Desperadoes" from British forces—a name reflecting both affection for their fierce combat effectiveness and incredulity that such a hastily assembled, poorly equipped force could fight with such determination. Unlike the demoralized British and Indian troops retreating southward, these Chinese volunteers were not defending a colonial order they had experienced as oppressive. They were fighting for their homes, their families, and their survival against an enemy they had every reason to fear and oppose. As the Malayan Campaign entered its final phase and the focus shifted to Singapore itself, Dalforce would play a role that British military historians had largely overlooked but that Chinese participants would never forget. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.   In December 1941, Japan invaded Malaya. British commanders placed their faith in "impregnable" Singapore, but disaster struck immediately. On December 10, Japanese bombers sank Force Z—battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse—in a stunning air attack.Using tanks and bicycles in a lightning "Bicycle Blitzkrieg," Japanese troops shattered Allied lines at Kota Bharu and Jitra, sending exhausted British, Indian, and Australian forces reeling southward in chaos.  

For centuries, one of Asia's most powerful empires controlled the vital sea lanes connecting China, India, and the Middle East.  It grew fabulously wealthy from trade, became a major center of Buddhism, and dominated much of maritime Southeast Asia.  Then its power faded, its cities declined, and eventually the empire itself was almost completely forgotten.  Centuries later, historians pieced together scattered inscriptions and foreign records and realized what had been lost. Learn more about the rise, fall, and rediscovery of the Srivijaya Empire on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. ⁠Shop the store at ⁠⁠Shop.Everything-Everywhere.com⁠ Sponsors Hexclad Get 10% off your order at ⁠hexclad.com/DAILY⁠ Mint Mobile Save 50% on Unlimited premium wireless plans starting at $15/month at ⁠MintMobile.com/EED⁠ Quince Go to ⁠quince.com/daily⁠ for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! DripDrop Go to ⁠dripdrop.com⁠ and use promo code EVERYTHING for 20% off your first order! Square Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at ⁠square.com/go/daily⁠ Babbel Go to ⁠babbel.com/daily⁠ for up to 60% off Subscribe to the podcast!  ⁠https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/⁠ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere⁠ Discord Server: ⁠https://discord.gg/Ds7Rx7jvPJ⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/⁠ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/everywheretrip⁠ Website: ⁠https://everything-everywhere.com/⁠  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcus Young grows up in a family that hunts werewolves. This is not folklore, and it is not a campfire story. His great-uncle Harold empties both barrels of buckshot into a creature swaying on a log, and it screams, bleeds a river, and vanishes without a trace a mile and a half into the jungle. His grandfather keeps a matchbox of the hair as proof. Then one night the creatures come for Marcus. Two of them materialize in his bedroom, red eyes and long claws, and one turns to the other and asks whether they should take him now or wait. The monsters are only the doorway. Marcus carries one of the most remarkable missionary lines in modern history, running four generations deep into the borderlands of Burma and China. A white pony leads twelve men through weeks of jungle to a well. A tribe waits three hundred years for a white man with a white book. A great-grandfather makes a promise that reaches across a century and lands on Marcus himself. And the same bloodline that hunts monsters now pulls children out of cartels and trafficking rings, where the evil is not blurry at all. Today, Marcus runs InFire, the nonprofit he founded to rescue children from trafficking, cartels, and extreme poverty across Southeast Asia and Latin America, and you can check out and support the work at in-fire.org. This episode is sponsored by: https://shopremi.com/blurry - Get 50% OFF your new night guard with code BLURRY https://brooklynbedding.com - Get 30% off sitewide during the Labor Day Sale when you use promo code BLURRY at checkout! http://blurrygold.com/ - Get a FREE Gold & Silver Kit while supplies last! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices