Since our last show, the US election happened and Cop29 kicked off, with a whole lot of other news in between. In the US, the recriminations and post-election analysis consumes our feeds, while Cop29 starts with the US threatening to leave the Paris Climate Agreement (again), Argentina ordering its representatives to leave after three days, all while reports state fossil fuel emissions have hit new highs, devastating storms continue across the world, and the cost of food continues to rise as extreme weather events destroy essential crops everywhere. To add to that, global media have been called out for reporting stories that are completely different to what people are seeing with their own eyes. How can we trust the media?

So where do we go from here? What will be the global fall-out from the US election? Which country will move to the far right next? Germany is on the line here! But trust is another massive crisis we’ve faced for decades, and the media seems intent on making it worse – so where do we go for the truth? Or has our information system become so corrupted it’s not even possible anymore? And while all this chaos escalates across our societies, scientists are continually issuing red alerts on the planetary risks – a growing food crisis, destruction from extreme weather events, ecosystems collapsing, ocean heat and its impacts, the earth’s energy imbalance and on it goes. Does it feel like we’re heading in the right direction?

To join us this week, we are delighted to welcome Dr. Damini Chawla, an award-winning professional speaker with a unique multi-cultural background and personal story fuelled by courage. Dr Damini has spent 13 years wielding drills and curing cavities, but dentistry was just the foundation for a deeper calling - human connection and behaviour. A provocateur, author, facilitator and emcee, we are looking forward to hearing her thoughts on where do we go from here?

The Livestream kicks off at 3pm Singapore time, Friday 15th November. Come and join us.

The Know Show is a Livestream held every fortnight on Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Tim Wade and Joe Augustin, and at least one special guest, review the news that’s getting everyone’s attention, as well as perhaps what requires our attention. We’ll talk about what it means to us, the world and we hope to inspire great conversations on the news that matters in the world today.

The Know Show is based on Andrea T Edwards Weekend Reads, which are published every Saturday on andreatedwards.com, and covers the planetary crisis, topical moments in the world, global politics and war, business and technology, social issues, and passion/humour/history. Join us.

#TheKnowShow #UncommonCourage

To get in touch with me, all of my contact details are here https://linktr.ee/andreatedwards

My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage

My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

New Delhi had an air pollution watch leading up to this year’s Diwali celebrations, with its air quality remaining ‘very poor’ for the 7th consecutive day. Meanwhile, across the border, the Pakistani city of Lahore had to close all primary schools for a week, with the air quality index (which measures a range of pollutants) exceeding 1,000 on Saturday. This is WELL above the benchmark of 300, which is considered "dangerous" by the World Health Organization.

Right across Southeast Asia, a health crisis is unfolding due to coal-fired power plants releasing fine particle pollution, causing millions of premature deaths annually. But it’s deforestation too. In Singapore, Malaysia, and many other neighbouring countries (depending on which way the wind is blowing), the region experiences an annual “haze” season. This happens because tropical forests in Indonesia’s peatlands are intentionally burned, so palm oil plantations can replace them. It causes havoc in the region, including driving many local animals close to extinction – like the Sumatran Tiger and the Orangutan. While not over, stronger action has been taken, and the region hasn’t seen a haze like its worst, which happened in 2015!

Moving up North to Thailand, it also has an annual burning season in the northern regions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, resulting in haze sweeping across the country, and for those living in the smoke, it’s deadly. Until you’ve experienced living in this type of pollution, it’s very challenging to describe how terrible it is, but of course, it is also very easy to sit back and say “someone else will sort it out.” Well, our amazing guest this week – Khun Weenarin Lulitanonda aka Weena - is leading from the front and established the Thailand Clean Air Network nearly six years ago, and is fighting with all of her power to get this act passed.

A Senior Consultant for the World Bank, please join us is welcoming Weena to the show, where she will share the work she is doing, what drove her to act, the challenges she faces and what she hopes to achieve. Weena is an inspiration, but also an example of what can be done when someone cares enough. We can all be like Weena.

The air we breathe is vital for all life and we need to prioritize it, so please do join us Friday, 6th November – 2pm Bangkok time, 3pm Singapore time, and 7am UK time.

Climate Courage is a livestream, held every two weeks and is co-hosted by Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko and Richard Busellato. On the show, we cover critical topics across the full spectrum of the polycrisis, in everyday language, and we go big picture on the climate crisis, while also drilling down and focusing on the actions we can all take to be part of the solution. Whether individual action, community action, or national/global action - every single one of us can be part of ensuring a live-able future for our children and grandchildren. We owe them that!

#ClimateCourage #RethinkingChoices #UncommonCourage

To get in touch with me, all of my contact details are here https://linktr.ee/andreatedwards

My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage

My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar

We worked together nearly 30 years ago and have been crossing each other’s paths around the world ever since. However, it was our recent catch up where I saw a deep level of growth in John Kerr, so I wanted to talk to him about the journey.

John has been in professional communications his entire career, working in senior leadership roles for the last 20 years or so. But perhaps those days are over, as John embarks on journey’s around the world, with a huge African journey ahead. What will he discover within himself as he gives himself the space for silence?

Travel for me was the eye-opener from a self-development perspective. I got to go deep within myself and work out what I thought, versus other people’s ideas I’ve been told to believe or I had been programmed with. That means I’m always delighted to speak with other’s who have gone through this growth experience, because there’s nothing quite like it.

Our conversation goes wide, from his story as a young man growing up with a Samoan single mum, growing into a man in New Zealand, and the evolution to today, which includes healing the soul scars. We finish up discussing the manosphere – how can we help men be their best today?

Thanks so much for talking to me John and I hope you have the most amazing experiences in Africa, including the painful moments that will test and grow your resilience!

You can find John on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkerrnz/

#Manosphere #UncommonCourage #Growth #Resilience

To get in touch with me, all of my contact details are here https://linktr.ee/andreatedwards

My book Uncommon Courage, an invitation, is here https://mybook.to/UncommonCourage

My book 18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile, is here https://mybook.to/18stepstoanallstar