CNA Correspondent

America has voted, but will anything really change for the rest of the world? From the Iran war and Trump's tariffs to the AI race with China, the US midterm elections have consequences far beyond Washington DC. Can a Democratic Party-controlled Congress rein in Donald Trump and the Republicans? Or will he still have a free hand to act overseas? Host Genevieve Woo and Senior Correspondent Simon Ma...

Born and raised in South Korea, some children of transnational families have lived their entire lives believing they were Korean. But years after their parents sought official advice about dual citizenship, some are discovering they may have lost their Korean nationality. On the CNA Correspondent podcast, Senior Correspondent Lim Yun Suk talks about meeting families caught in anguish and unce...

Two decades ago, Japan killed more than 4,000 black bears in a single year and conservationists feared for the species. Last year, it culled more than 12,000 after bears killed 13 people. Our Senior Correspondent Michiyo Ishida explains why bears are turning up in cities such as Sendai and Utsunomiya, what a new minister-in-charge of bears can change and if a roadmap that cuts wild bear numbers by...

Drug-driving cases in Taiwan have surged more than 200-fold since 2021. But the accidents are only the visible part of a much bigger problem. Genevieve Woo speaks with CNA Senior Correspondent Victoria Jen, who investigated a drug market that is growing increasingly digital - from teenagers tumbling into addiction to drugs that can be ordered online and delivered within an hour. We examine how Tai...

China has a huge appetite for durian and Vietnam wants a bigger bite of the market. But getting the fruit across the border is only part of the challenge. From winning over Chinese consumers to improving quality and speeding up customs, CNA's Otelli Edwards speaks with Shenzhen Correspondent Deborah Wong and Hanoi Correspondent Leong Wai Kit about what Vietnam is up against and why this durian boo...

Malaysia is dealing with two very different groups of foreigners - Chinese and Korean players squeezing local businesses on price, and tens of thousands of stateless Rohingya refugees it never recruited but has hosted for years. Now, as local resentment rises, and talk of repatriations to Myanmar increases, Arnold Gay asks CNA Senior Correspondent Melissa Goh how and where Malaysia is drawing the...

Donald Trump gave Xi Jinping a lavish welcome for their summit in Washington, but expectations of a major breakthrough were low even before the Chinese leader arrived. With both presidents facing pressures at home, how much of this meeting was about changing the US-China relationship and how much was about showing their own audiences who's holding the cards? Genevieve Woo speaks to correspondents...

Deadly heatwaves in Europe. Floods, typhoons and scorching temperatures across Asia. Extreme weather is no longer just an environmental story. It's reshaping economies, disrupting livelihoods and exposing how prepared or lacking some countries really are. From Brussels to Bangkok, correspondents Will Denselow and Jack Board examine with Genevieve Woo why governments are still scrambling despite de...

Indonesia has warned that its wildfires may last until early November, with the haze expected to keep air quality in parts of the region in the unhealthy range. As the country combats stubborn peat fires that can smoulder underground and flare up again, Malaysia is battling blazes of its own, while Singapore and other nations cope with the fallout. After decades of transboundary haze, why is South...

Thailand is now looking at clamping down on firearms, following a spate of shootings, including a 14-year-old student who went on a killing spree in his school. But with millions of legal and illegal firearms circulating through the country and deeper problems around violence, will the new measures hold? Genevieve Woo speaks with Saksith Saiyasombut about Thailand's gun control challenge. See omny...

Thousands remain missing after catastrophic floods swept across the Nepal-Tibet border. Correspondents Jack Board and Rebecca Bundhun look beyond the devastation to the people living through the aftermath - families searching for loved ones, survivors returning to what is left of their homes and communities beginning the long process of rebuilding. What does recovery really mean when the search is...

In the remote fishing village of Lamalera, on Indonesia's Lembata Island, whale hunting isn't sport or industry - it's survival. This tradition has been practised the same way for hundreds of years and passed down the generations. CNA Senior Correspondent Saifulbahri Ismail spent part of the whaling season with the fishermen, the harpooners and the families who wait on the beach for them to return...

A fast-growing livestream industry is giving young people in China a new way to earn a living and pursue their dreams. But behind the polished performances are long hours, intense competition, emotional labour and an algorithm that can make or break careers. In this episode of the CNA Correspondent podcast, Otelli Edwards speaks with Correspondent Melody Chan, who followed one of Shenzhen's larges...

For centuries, Japan has defined matcha through ritual, craftsmanship and the legendary tea-growing town of Uji. But today, China has quietly become the world's biggest producer, supplying around 70 per cent of global output. As global demand soars, which country will shape the future of matcha? Genevieve Woo speaks to CNA Senior Correspondent Michiyo Ishida in Tokyo and Correspondent Tan Si Hui i...

Two state elections, three weeks apart, where Malaysia's own governing coalitions ended up as rivals rather than partners, each hoping to boost their power in Putrajaya. First came Barisan Nasional's sweep in Johor, its best result since 2008. Then came Negeri Sembilan, where Pakatan Harapan's caretaker chief minister Aminuddin Harun and Transport Minister Anthony Loke were defeated. Arnold Gay sp...

China is producing advanced technologies at lightning speed, from AI to electric vehicles. But can rapid innovation translate into stronger domestic consumer confidence? CNA Senior China Editor and Senior Correspondent Olivia Siong joins Robin Pomeroy, Podcast Editor at Radio Davos, on this special episode in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. Together, they interview Professor Yuen Yuen...

An education minister has resigned. India's Cockroach Janta Party is claiming victory. What began as an online satirical campaign has become one of India's most talked-about youth movements, tapping into frustrations over jobs, opportunity and political representation. Genevieve Woo speaks to Correspondent Neha Poonia about how a movement built around a cockroach forced its way onto India's politi...

Borders aren't just lines on a map, but clearly defined countries and territories with sometimes messy stories. From Greenland and Alberta to the South China Sea, Cyprus and Kaliningrad, their histories reveal why territorial disputes continue to shape politics and identity. Genevieve Woo joins Senior Editor Liling Tan and Correspondent Nick Harper to explore the deeper question of who actually ho...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup began amid fears of immigration raids, political hostility and a tournament defined by controversy rather than competition. But something else entirely played out when football lovers from across the globe showed up. Norway fans did Viking rows, Scotland fans drank cities dry and Americans fell in love with a sport they had barely noticed before. But the politics never went...

For years, China's presence in Africa was defined by railways, roads and mega infrastructure projects. But a quieter transformation is underway. Through the lens of South Africa, Genevieve Woo and Senior China Editor and Senior Correspondent Olivia Siong explore how Chinese companies are shifting from building projects to building businesses, manufacturing locally and putting down deeper roots.&nb...

From robot patrol dogs to AI doctors, Hangzhou is fast producing some of China's most talked-about tech companies. The city is best known as the home of Alibaba and, more recently, DeepSeek. But beyond the headlines, what makes Hangzhou such a powerful engine for innovation? CNA Senior Correspondent Tan Yew Guan speaks with Genevieve Woo about the talent, capital and government support behind one...

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, it stands as the world's largest economy and commands the most powerful military. Yet confidence in its institutions has eroded, political divisions run deep and many question the nation's trajectory. From symbolic shifts on the White House grounds to the rise of China and the heavy cost of global leadership, Genevieve Woo and Senior Correspondent...

China has a new buzzword: Emotional value. It is used to explain everything from blind box obsessions and AI companions to why young people are hiring strangers to climb mountains with them. In this episode of the CNA Correspondent podcast, Genevieve Woo and Correspondent Krystal Chia explore the rise of China’s emotional economy and examine what this growing search for comfort and connectio...

The FIFA World Cup 2026 was always going to be unprecedented. Three host nations, 16 cities and 48 teams across an entire continent. What nobody quite expected was how much drama would happen off the pitch. The tournament kicked off amid an ongoing US-Iran conflict, Africa's top referee was denied entry to America, fans have paid record prices for tickets and the three co-hosts - the US, Canada an...

Almost six months ago, two gunmen opened fire on hundreds of Jewish families celebrating Hanukkah near Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the December 14, 2025 attack - Australia's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years. In the aftermath, Parliament passed stricter hate crime and gun ownership laws, announced a national buyback scheme and launched a...