CNA Correspondent

After three years of COVID-19 lockdowns, the Year of the Rabbit is being ushered in largely unrestricted in Asia. Our Taiwan correspondent Victoria Jen and Hong Kong correspondent Deborah Wong sit down with Teresa Tang to share what the return of festivities looks like, how businesses are doing, and what their personal wishes are.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early hours of Dec 16 last year, a landslide buried 31 campers on a hillside near Malaysia’s Genting Highlands. CNA’s Afifah Ariffin and Pamella Lim tell Steve Lai how the team covered the story and explore the bigger question about the ramifications for Malaysia’s outdoor tourism industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For three years, China doubled down on its zero-COVID policy. But now that its borders are opened, Chinese travellers are celebrating while the rest of the world are holding their breath. Teresa Tang speaks to CNA’s Low Minmin and Olivia Siong about Beijing's abrupt turnaround, its impact on President Xi Jinping's image and what this means for global tourism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is a symbol of cultural pride and identity and now, Thailand’s national sport is generating huge interest internationally. But with it comes the fear that it will lose its ancient traditions. With dreams of the sport making its Olympic debut growing bigger, Teresa Tang talks to correspondent Saksith Saiyasombut about how Muay Thai could change, and what is being done to preserve it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2021, Japan recorded its lowest number of births in more than a century. The declining population is now coming home to roost – with severe labour shortages. Enter foreign workers. Host Teresa Tang speaks to correspondent Michiyo Ishida who spent time with some of them who are now calling Japan home.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After more than a two-decade wait, Anwar Ibrahim takes the reins of power as Malaysia's prime minister at a time of economic uncertainty and a fractured political landscape. Steve Lai speaks to CNA correspondents Melissa Goh and Afifah Ariffin about his GE15 victory and the bumps that lie ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when your country is resource poor? You import. A lot. South Korea imports an astounding 94 per cent of its energy sources. And that has posed a challenge - figuring out what the best energy mix is to get to zero emissions. Teresa Tang speaks to Lim Yun Suk who headed to the bowels of a coal mine to look for some answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History, the polls, an unpopular president and inflation at a 40-year high all pointed to the Republicans sweeping back into power in the House of Representatives and the Senate. It didn’t happen, as Trump-backed candidates failed to deliver on the expected ‘Red Wave’. Steve Lai and Washington Correspondent Nick Harper discuss what the results mean for President Joe Biden and the Democrats, and where the Republican party goes from here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hours before anyone was dead in Itaewon, panicked calls were made by people worried something catastrophic could happen. Now authorities are apologising for the tragedy and admit they mishandled the situation. South Korea correspondent Lim Yun Suk tells Teresa Tang that if she hadn’t been in Singapore, she too could have been in the nightlife district that evening.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes were on the CPC’s Party Congress – it is the most important date in China’s political calendar as it sets the stage for political renewal. Teresa Tang speaks to Beijing Correspondent Olivia Siong, who gives a behind the scenes look, including the moment she realised CNA captured exclusive footage of the drama surrounding former President Hu Jintao. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

135 lives were lost when a football match in Malang, Indonesia ended in chaos and confusion. Some of the dead included children as young as three years old. Digital journalist Kiki Siregar speaks to Steve Lai about the tragic event and what measures the Indonesian government is taking to reform the Indonesian football system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The murder of 22 children while they slept in a Thai preschool triggered shock and grief. CNA’s Indochina correspondent May Wong had to come face to face with families who lost their children. She pulls back the curtain with Teresa Tang to talk about the emotional and ethical considerations journalists face.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two decades ago, a deadly attack at one of Bali’s major tourist districts killed more than 200 and left many others scarred for life. CNA’s Saifulbahri Ismail talks to Teresa Tang about the survivors’ frustrations – and forgiveness. We explore too how the tragedy has shaped the Indonesian government’s fight against terror.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elderly suicide rates in Hong Kong hit a record-high in 2021, accounting for almost half of the city's cases. Hear why 73-year-old Pun Sum Wing contemplated ending both his and his wife’s lives, as he struggled under the weight of caring for his wheelchair-bound spouse. Deborah Wong tells Steve Lai how Mr Pun’s story represents a growing concern across Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When 23-year-old Goi Zhen Feng met a girl online, he had no idea that looking for love would lead him into the clutches of a transnational crime syndicate and ultimately to his death. Steve Lai and CNA’s Malaysia Correspondent Melissa Goh go behind the heart-breaking story that shines a light on a growing regional problem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some orphans in Cambodia are not orphans. They are children taken from poor families and exploited by orphanage directors who earn profits off the pity of unwitting foreigners. Teresa Tang sits down with CNA correspondent Leong Wai Kit to find out how the country is cracking down on orphanage tourism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, a team of young footballers and their coach ventured into a cave in Northern Thailand. Steve Lai and correspondent Saksith Saiyasombut were on air day after day as the dramatic events unfolded. On this episode of CNA Correspondent, they recount their experience, as the latest Hollywood version of this captivating story is released.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s worst heatwave in six decades wreaked havoc on lives and livelihoods across large swathes of the country. Low Minmin tells Steve Lai about the wildfires in Chongqing she witnessed and her interviews with farmers devastated by the lack of rain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, begins his 12-year jail sentence after failing to overturn his first corruption conviction related to the 1MDB scandal. Melissa Goh and Afifah Ariffin talk to Steve Lai about the twists and turns in covering this story, plus what’s next for Najib and Malaysian politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Indonesia, a lot of food ends up in the trash. By some estimates, 40 per cent of total waste generated in some communities is actually food waste. Teresa Tang talks to correspondent Chandni Vatvani about landfill scavengers, leftovers, and lessons to be learned.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In July, China’s financial hub Shanghai experienced a record heatwave. Three red alerts were issued over five days - a jolt for many, unaccustomed to such high heat. Teresa Tang talks to correspondent Low Min Min about the ways people kept cool in the face of potentially more heatwaves to come. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is it like to live and work under constant lockdowns and ever-changing rules? Low Min Min talks about the twists, turns and life-hacks she learnt while reporting on the seemingly endless story of China’s “zero-COVID” strategy which is being pushed to its limits by the Omicron strain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan has sparked angry reactions in China which has said it seriously damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Why did she make the trip? Why is China angry and how will it affect Taiwan? Steve Lai speaks to CNA's correspondents Olivia Siong, Victoria Jen and Nick Harper to get behind-the-scenes reactions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After China, Indonesia is the world’s top consumer of instant noodles. Thailand regularly makes it to the top 10 list too. Teresa Tang asks our correspondents in Jakarta and Bangkok how hard inflation has hit the convenient carb, and explores what governments are doing to keep the pantry favourite affordable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fatal shooting of the well-known ex-Prime Minister shocked Japan – a nation where gun crime is rare. In this first episode of the CNA Correspondent podcast, Steve Lai speaks to CNA’s Japan correspondent, Michiyo Ishida, on her personal experience of covering the news as it broke and the days after.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.