*Off Beat*

Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation discusses the trial of Jimmy Lai, the media mogul charged with sedition and collusion in violation of Hong Kong's National Security Law, and what the trial means for press freedom in the former British colony.

*Podcast Free Asia*

RFA Multimedia's very own Lauren Kim discusses a kimchi taste test video that she created, and the Insiders participated in, on the occasion of Kimchi Day, which falls on Nov. 22 each year.

*The Rundown*

Western backpackers in Laos die from ingesting drinks made with methanol

A North Korea-backed faction of the International Taekwondo Federation will change the name of its 'tongil' pattern to more closely align with North Korea's shift away from South Korea.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*Off Beat*

RFA English's State Dept. correspondent Alex Willemyns discusses possible changes in U.S. foreign policy in Asia after Trump's election victory.

*The Rundown*

The Myanmar junta jailed a citizen for criticizing the title of a movie as being discriminatory to religious minorities.

Vietnam builds a new airstrip on an artificial island built atop a reef in the disputed Spratley archipelago.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

RFA Insider #18

DOUBLE LENGTH EPISODE!

*SPECIAL REPORT*

Amy and Eugene visited the Smithsonian National Zoo in late September to get to the bottom of Panda diplomacy and to try to figure out when the new pandas would arrive. While there, they went *Off Beat* by talking to the zoo's director Brandie Smith, who stressed that conservation was the panda program's goal.

*Podcast Free Asia*

North Korea sent troops to Russia, and RFA Korean hosted a conversation about the latest developments. Eugene and Amy provide context, and discuss further.

*The Rundown*

A Chinese milk powder company got into trouble with the "Little Pink" nationalists because it collaborated with a Japanese company to produce infant formula, but this story isn't really about milk, is it? Next, Find out why the city of Shanghai is banning Halloween celebrations and decorations this year.

Please take a moment to like, follow, and subscribe.

Special thanks to Jack Davies for voiceovers in the special report.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.