Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Synopsis: In a special series called Tales from the Belt and Road, The Straits Times' Indochina bureau chief Tan Hui Yee takes you to places in the region where China’s infrastructure drive is creating the most impact. For this episode, she travels along the Laos-China Railway, newly-opened in December 2021. Highlights (click/tap above): (Headphones recommended) 1:30 No shops open at train station, but street food saves the day 2:26 Checks, checks and more checks 3:31 The railway song 4:38 Departure from Vientiane, on the dot 5:18 Jagged peaks and banana chips 6:58 Ticket brokers infuriate passengers   9:15 Arrival at Boten, a special economic zone under construction by the Laos-China border View the sights in this video version: https://str.sg/wDxq Produced by: Tan Hui Yee (tanhy@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Eden Soh Edited by: Eden Soh Follow our Asian Insider Podcast channel every week and rate us: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Tan Hui Yee's stories: https://str.sg/wDqT Follow Hui Yee on Twitter: https://str.sg/wDqq Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsider

In today's Breakfast Brief,  we discuss with Azeem Sheriff, Markets Analyst, CMC Markets APAC & Canada aboutUS home sales which fell to a fresh 2-year low in July and US jobless claims which showed signs of softening in the labour market. How much will the latest data points move expectations for Fed policy and what are the key things investors need to watch out for.

Shopee has just taken over the first place of e-commerce platform from Alibaba. to both maintain the current service quality and celebrate the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, Shopee has committed to empowering the local brand via promoting special local mooncakes products.  Jemie Then, Shopee Mall Lead, Category Lead of Food & Beverage at Shopee shares more.

Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times examines various facets of the US-China rivalry and its implications for Asia. Join Charissa Yong and Danson Cheong - ST’s US and China correspondents respectively based in Washington DC and Beijing - as they chat about the impact of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. How will it affect tensions across the Taiwan Strait? And what mark will it leave on relations between the US and China? Highlights (click/tap above): 1:03 Breaking down China’s reaction to the visit in two main ways 6:13 The US’ hardening resolve to support Taiwan 8:16 China unconvinced by US’ separation of powers 10:00 US-China ties seriously damaged; what else affected besides military talks? Produced by: Charissa Yong (charyong@sph.com.sg), Danson Cheong (dansonc@sph.com.sg), Eden Soh and Teo Tong Kai Edited by: Eden Soh Follow our Asian Insider Podcast channel Mondays to Fridays and rate us: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Charissa Yong's stories: https://str.sg/3xRa Read Danson Cheong's stories: https://str.sg/3xR2 Follow Danson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dansoncj Read ST's Power Play articles: https://str.sg/3xRE Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover ST's special edition podcasts: Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2 Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn --- Discover more ST podcast series: Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsider

The APAC region contributes disproportionately to the global burden of vision impairment and eye disease, from myopia to cataracts. In light of this, Johnson & Johnson Vision (JJV) and A*STAR has recently established APAC’s first-of-its-kind Eye Health Digital Innovation Consortium. Vaibhav Saran, Area Vice President, APAC, Vision Care, Johnson & Johnson Vision tells us about the consortium and more.

The hospitality sector is responsible for offering unique experiences to guests. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has shown how vulnerable this industry can be. And as we move into an endemic work, the industry is now face with issues such as manpower crunch.  Lim Boon Kwee, Chief Executive Officer, SHATEC tell us more about how SHATEC's new hospitality talent development programme can help mitigate this particular issue. 

In today's Breakfast Brief, we discuss with Kelvin Wong, Analyst, CMC Markets onhis view on the latest FOMC minutes, UK inflation hitting a new 40-year high and new OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais latest inflation comment. 

As entrepreneurs juggle various responsibilities, they often overlook the cornerstones of growth which is to innovate and stay relevant. This is where StartupX comes in, guiding startups and enabling them to scale and see greater success in regional and global markets. Durwin Ho, CEO, StartupX tells us more about how the company assists startups in their growth journey.

As the world transitions to Web 3.0, blockchain and bitcoin, we might know of the high risks associated with these digital assets. However, how many of us know the difference between blockchain and bitcoin. Kai Shin Aw, Blockchain Trainer, Smartcademy helps understand these differences and more. 

Malaysia's in focus with former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak final appeal to overturn his conviction of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. We analyse more headlines from the region with Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs.