FO Podcasts

In this podcast episode, Atul Singh and Gary Grappo examine the repercussions of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's death. They analyze potential causes, including challenging flight conditions and political motives, and discuss the impact on Iran's political landscape. Grappo offers insights into the country's autocratic structure, the IRGC's role, and religious councils' influence on governance....

In this episode of the Fair Observer podcast, Anton Schauble and Nick Henninger discuss the significant economic repercussions of a bridge collapse in Baltimore. They cover the city's historical and industrial importance, the immediate effects on local communities, and the logistical challenges posed by the disruption of traffic. Nick also touches on bipartisan efforts to secure federal funding fo...

In this episode of FO Podcasts, Atul Singh and FO contributor Nasir Khiliji discuss remittances. They focus on Pakistan and Israel to explore the positive and negative effects of remittances on economies that rely heavily on them.

In this episode of FO Podcasts, Atul Singh sits down with Flavius Milhaes, who recently got back from Ukraine. They delve into a critical but often overlooked aspect of the war: the religious conflict. Flavius offers his firsthand observations on how the war is impacting religious communities, public attitudes, and the relationship between faith and society in Ukraine.

Josep Colomer explains why political polarization and infighting are so rampant in the United States. The framers of the Constitution designed it with more "checks" than "balances," making it far easier to stop rather than pass legislation. The framers did not anticipate how the two-party system would emerge and weaponize the mechanisms they created. Yet a few simple measures can go a long way in...

French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a surprisingly aggressive stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. His recent pronouncements, including hinting at NATO intervention and calling Putin "evil," have sparked criticism.   You can follow Fair Observer on social media: LinkedIn:  https://in.linkedin.com/company/fair-observer YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/FairObserver Twitter:  https://twitter.c...

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is the last woman standing against Donald Trump in the Republican primary elections. While most look at the race as a foregone conclusion, Trump’s legal headaches, including both civil suits and criminal charges, may catch up to him yet. The world is bracing for the possibility of another protectionist Trump presidency, which could destabilize the interna...

Martin Plaut went from a part-time South African labor activist to the full-time Africa secretary for the British Labour Party. There, he got the inside scoop on the action between the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, the Labour Party in Britain, and the Communist Party in the USSR. From its days as the vanguard of a coming revolution, the ANC has now become a corrupt ruling party...

Glenn Ojeda and Atul Singh discuss the recent referendum in Venezuela on the incorporation of the Essequibo territory in neighboring Guyana. Venezuela eyes Essequibo because it is oil-rich. Despite past agreements to settle the border dispute, Venezuela is testing the waters for the use of military force.   You can follow Fair Observer on social media: LinkedIn:  https://in.linkedin.com/company/fa...

  Africa has had over 100 coups in the last 50 years. Ancient ethnic conflicts and post-colonial hangovers make African governments unstable. Now, Russia is exploiting the instability to expand its influence.   You can follow Fair Observer on social media: LinkedIn:  https://in.linkedin.com/company/fair-observer YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/FairObserver Twitter:  https://twitter.com/myfairo...

Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, shares his insights on the Israel–Hamas war, the Russia–Ukraine war and a rising but economically troubled China with Fair Observer. In all three theaters, unpredictability reigns. The predictions that have become orthodoxy today may be reversed tomorrow.   You can follow Fair Observer on social media: LinkedIn:  https://in.linkedin....

Republicans have elected a new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson — a name unknown to many before this moment. Who is he, what does he believe and how will he behave? We ask our Contributing Editor, Washington-based policy wonk Christopher Roper Schell, to explain. Washington-based policy wonk and former Republican Congressional candidate Christopher Roper Schell shares his thoughts on the new Spe...

In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh speaks to retired US Treasury economist Nasir Khilji about controversial Pakistani leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. They discuss Bhutto’s rise to power, his role in creating Bangladesh, and the events leading to his eventual downfall. They answer an abiding question: was Bhutto a hero or a villain, or a bit of both? Zulfikar Al...

In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh speaks to Afghan journalist and intellectual Bilal Rahmani. They discuss hunger, displacement, ethnic strife, and gender-based violence, painting a picture of Afghanistan in turmoil and examining potential consequences for the country and the region. Afghanistan under the Taliban’s leadership is a place of incredible confu...

Hoshang Billimoria reminisces about J. R. D. Tata, the senior managers he chose for the Tata Group and what made them special. He explains how business was extremely difficult in the days of socialism and how private equity can destroy a successful business.   Author Bio Hoshang Billimoria Hoshang Billimoria is an accomplished professional with a background in commerce and accountancy. After worki...

India’s top economic adviser argues that the government has created one common national market, facilitated creative destruction through IBC, helped SMEs survive COVID, built infrastructure at record speed, and stimulated fast growth. He candidly admits that the Indian state machinery is designed to control thanks to its colonial origins and socialist path, and administrative and judicial reforms...

  In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh is joined by Sharad Kumar Saraf, a legend in Indian manufacturing. Saraf braved the license-permit-quota raj of Indian socialism to take on an American giant and emerged as a world leader in his field. He explains how he got started and how India can achieve manufacturing success. Sharad Kumar Saraf graduated from the In...

In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh speaks to Kartik Kilachand who has returned to give back to India after much entrepreneurial success in the US. Kartik shines the light on business climate and entrepreneurship over the years and many other aspects of life in India. Kartik Kilachand's years of entrepreneurship and business acumen are now being put to good...

  Since 1954, the internal borders have changed more in India than in the rest of the world. The retired director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, which trains Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, explains the story of the formation of new states and India’s changing internal borders.   Even before independence, linguistic identity mattered to Indians. In fac...

Over 90% of start-ups fail. To say they are a risky business is an understatement. For the first time, G20 has put startups on the agenda. India has led that move and Chintan Vaishnav of NITI Aayog—the Indian government’s public policy think tank—discusses startups in India and the G20.   This edition of FO° Podcasts examines start-ups. Historically, the US has given birth to this strange beast. S...

To most people, cryptocurrencies are an abstract and complicated financial system. So what exactly are they, who uses them, and why? Former British MP Oonagh McDonald, awarded the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to financial regulation and business, makes sense of cryptocurrencies in 2023.   This edition of FO° Podcasts examines the rise of cryptocurrencies and their pl...

  As Pakistan’s inflation rate soars, retired US Treasury economist Nasir Khilji discusses the country's dire economic crisis with editor-in-chief Atul Singh. The two dive deep into history and envisage what lies around the corner for this deeply troubled nation.   This edition of FO° Podcasts examines Pakistan’s turbulent past and current economic crisis. Nasir Khilji has five decades of experien...

In this not-so-new series for FO° Podcasts—The Hot Mic—Atul Singh and Christopher Roper Schell examine the US debt ceiling, the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine War, and the new great game over the melting Arctic.   The two hosts are back after a hiatus to dive into things that matter.   US Debt Ceiling   The debt ceiling is in the news again. Fundamentally, the US has a legal mechanism t...

In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh is joined by Jean AbiNader, a veteran expert on the Middle East and a Lebanese American who is closely connected to his ancestral land to analyze Lebanon’s endangered economy and political instability.  Jean AbiNader was born in Lebanon and has spent the last 40 years traveling and working in the Middle East and North Afri...