Vietnamese real estate tycoon Truong My Lan was convicted in April of orchestrating a $12.3 billion fraud. She was sentenced to death by lethal injection, which she is appealing. And this week, the court is expected to hand down another verdict on additional charges.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks to Bloomberg’s John Boudreau about how Lan was able to embezzle so much money for so long, how she went from riches to death row and what her multibillion fraud case means for one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

Vietnamese real estate tycoon Truong My Lan was convicted in April of orchestrating a $12.3 billion fraud. She was sentenced to death by lethal injection, which she is appealing. And this week, the court is expected to hand down another verdict on additional charges.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks to Bloomberg’s John Boudreau about how Lan was able to embezzle so much money for so long, how she went from riches to death row and what her multibillion fraud case means for one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

How an Infamous Vietnamese Businesswoman Engineered a $12 Billion Fraud

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Adrian Cheng, the third-generation scion of property dynasty New World Development, seemed poised to take over his family’s $20 billion empire. But last month, in a surprising twist, he was replaced as CEO by someone outside of his family.  

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Shawna Kwan about the succession drama at New World, the possible ripple effects on other family dynasties in the region, and what it all could mean for the future of one of Hong Kong’s major property developers.

Read more: New World Scion’s Fall Upends Succession at $23 Billion Dynasty

Further listening: $200 Billion, Four Heirs and One Might Indian Empire

Adrian Cheng, the third-generation scion of property dynasty New World Development, seemed poised to take over his family’s $20 billion empire. But last month, in a surprising twist, he was replaced as CEO by someone outside of his family.  
On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Shawna Kwan about the succession drama at New World, the possible ripple effects on other family dynasties in the region, and what it all could mean for the future of one of Hong Kong’s major property developers.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-27/new-world-scion-s-fall-upends-succession-at-23-billion-dynasty">New World Scion’s Fall Upends Succession at $23 Billion Dynasty </a>Further listening: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/%24200-billion-four-heirs-and-one-mighty-indian-empire/id1746141911?i=1000664307126">$200 Billion, Four Heirs and One Might Indian Empire</a>

Inside the Succession Drama at a Hong Kong Property Dynasty

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With relations between Washington and Beijing at a critical point, US Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz’s time in China has come under scrutiny from Republicans. Walz first went to China as a teacher in 1989 after the Tiananmen Square military crackdown. Over the years, he continued to return to China, even spending his honeymoon there.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Daniel Ten Kate and Professor Li Cheng from the University of Hong Kong about what Walz’s track record on China could mean should the Democrats win the election – and whether Walz’s ties with the country would be an asset or liability.

Update: During the vice presidential debate on October 1st, Democratic candidate Tim Walz said he misspoke about being in Hong Kong on June 4, 1989. That’s when the Tiananmen Square protests turned deadly. He didn’t clarify his whereabouts at the time and said that he was in Hong Kong and China in the summer of that year.

Walz has also said he’s traveled to China about 30 times. A Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson said the number of trips Walz took to China is “likely closer to 15.”

We’ve updated the episode to reflect these updates. 

With relations between Washington and Beijing at a critical point, US Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz’s time in China has come under scrutiny from Republicans. Walz first went to China as a teacher in 1989 after the Tiananmen Square military crackdown. Over the years, he continued to return to China, even spending his honeymoon there.
On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Daniel Ten Kate and Professor Li Cheng from the University of Hong Kong about what Walz’s track record on China could mean should the Democrats win the election – and whether Walz’s ties with the country would be an asset or liability.
Update: During the vice presidential debate on October 1st, Democratic candidate Tim Walz said he misspoke about being in Hong Kong on June 4, 1989. That’s when the Tiananmen Square protests turned deadly. He didn’t clarify his whereabouts at the time and said that he was in Hong Kong and China in the summer of that year.
Walz has also said he’s traveled to China about 30 times. A Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson said the number of trips Walz took to China is “likely closer to 15.”
We’ve updated the episode to reflect these updates.

Tim Walz’s Deep China Ties Could Spell Trouble for Democrats

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Talk of de-dollarization has been gaining momentum among China, India, Brazil, Russia and South Africa in the wake of significant US led sanctions on Russia. Former US President and candidate Donald Trump has said the currency is under attack — and that any country that shuns it would face new tariffs on imports if he is elected.

On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Saleha Mohsin about the unique role the dollar plays in the world economy — and what, if anything, could replace it.

Read more: The Dollar’s Dominance, Explained

Further listening: Odd Lots Podcast – How the US Dollar Became an International Weapon of War

Talk of de-dollarization has been gaining momentum among China, India, Brazil, Russia and South Africa in the wake of significant US led sanctions on Russia. Former US President and candidate Donald Trump has said the currency is under attack — and that any country that shuns it would face new tariffs on imports if he is elected.
On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Saleha Mohsin about the unique role the dollar plays in the world economy — and what, if anything, could replace it.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/usd-strong-dollar-dominance/">The Dollar’s Dominance, Explained </a>Further listening: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-18/saleha-mohsin-on-how-the-us-dollar-usd-became-a-weapon-of-war">Odd Lots Podcast – How the US Dollar Became an International Weapon of War</a>

Could the Chinese Yuan Ever Replace the US Dollar?

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China’s drive to upgrade its struggling economy has left millions of people facing job losses or pay cuts, fueling an existential crisis among some of its best and brightest workers. 



On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Lulu Chen about the impact Xi Jinping’s push is having on professionals, from banking to tech, and what this anxiety could mean for the outlook of the world’s second-largest economy. 



Read more: 
China’s CICC Demotes Senior Bankers, Cuts Pay to Slash Costs

Further listening:

Why China’s Investment Bankers Are Breaking Up With Capitalism

What Does China’s Economic Slowdown Mean For the Communist Party?

China’s drive to upgrade its struggling economy has left millions of people facing job losses or pay cuts, fueling an existential crisis among some of its best and brightest workers. 
On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Lulu Chen about the impact Xi Jinping’s push is having on professionals, from banking to tech, and what this anxiety could mean for the outlook of the world’s second-largest economy. 
Read more:  <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-06/china-s-cicc-demotes-senior-bankers-cuts-pay-to-slash-costs">China’s CICC Demotes Senior Bankers, Cuts Pay to Slash Costs </a>Further listening:
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-chinas-investment-bankers-are-breaking-up-with/id1746141911?i=1000660955069">Why China’s Investment Bankers Are Breaking Up With Capitalism</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-does-chinas-economic-slowdown-mean-for-the/id1746141911?i=1000656325543">What Does China’s Economic Slowdown Mean For the Communist Party?</a>

China’s Crackdowns Are Crushing the Dreams of a Generation

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Indonesia has embarked on an ambitious project to build a new capital city from scratch because Jakarta is overcrowded, polluted and sinking, fast.

But the multibillion dollar new city, Nusantara, was plagued with problems from the very start. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Faris Mokhtar about what went wrong, and what’s at stake for Southeast Asia’s largest economy if it fails.

Indonesia has embarked on an ambitious project to build a new capital city from scratch because Jakarta is overcrowded, polluted and sinking, fast.
But the multibillion dollar new city, Nusantara, was plagued with problems from the very start. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Faris Mokhtar about what went wrong, and what’s at stake for Southeast Asia’s largest economy if it fails.

Indonesia Is Building a New Capital. It’s Not Going Well

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They caused global markets to seize up – and raised serious questions about just how much money was at stake. No, we’re not talking about Nvidia’s earnings. Or the US jobs report. We’re talking about carry trades – an obscure part of international markets that’s suddenly less obscure.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, the Bloomberg Explains series continues with Bloomberg Opinion columnist Shuli Ren. She tells hosts K. Oanh Ha and David Gura about how the yen carry trade became so popular with big banks to small-time investors, what went wrong during the August markets rout and how soup dumplings are key to understanding why carry trades shouldn’t work … but do.

Read more: How Big Is the Yen Carry Trade, Really?

Further listening: Odd Lots Podcast - Bloomberg

Watch, from Bloomberg Originals: Why Japan’s Yen is So Volatile

They caused global markets to seize up – and raised serious questions about just how much money was at stake. No, we’re not talking about Nvidia’s earnings. Or the US jobs report. We’re talking about carry trades – an obscure part of international markets that’s suddenly less obscure.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, the Bloomberg Explains series continues with Bloomberg Opinion columnist Shuli Ren. She tells hosts K. Oanh Ha and David Gura about how the yen carry trade became so popular with big banks to small-time investors, what went wrong during the August markets rout and how soup dumplings are key to understanding why carry trades shouldn’t work … but do.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-08-06/how-big-is-the-yen-carry-trade-really">How Big Is the Yen Carry Trade, Really? </a>Further listening: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/oddlots">Odd Lots Podcast - Bloomberg</a> Watch, from Bloomberg Originals: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI4qhULFG2o&amp;list=PLqq4LnWs3olXOhUOv4O6r-9OdWTQN83se&amp;index=2" data-component="link">Why Japan’s Yen is So Volatile</a>

Carry Trades, Explained

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Call centers in the Philippines, the world’s second-biggest outsourcing center after India, are embracing artificial intelligence - and it’s radically changing what it looks and sounds like to work there. 


On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins demos the Sanas AI app and talks to Bloomberg's Saritha Rai about the industry's rapid transition and what it might mean for workers around the world.


Read more: The World's Call Center Capital Is Gripped by AI Fever — and Fear

Call centers in the Philippines, the world’s second-biggest outsourcing center after India, are embracing artificial intelligence - and it’s radically changing what it looks and sounds like to work there. 
 On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins demos the Sanas AI app and talks to Bloomberg's Saritha Rai about the industry's rapid transition and what it might mean for workers around the world. 
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-08-27/philippines-call-centers-navigate-ai-impact-on-jobs">The World's Call Center Capital Is Gripped by AI Fever — and Fear</a>

Humans and AI Bots Blur in the World's Call Center Capital

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A Chinese businessman persuaded officials to establish a special economic zone in a remote part of Laos. The gamblers arrived first. Then came the drug runners, human traffickers and scammers.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Matt Campbell about his investigation into the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and how it became a criminal’s paradise.

Read more: Dodge City

Watch, from Bloomberg Originals: How One Man Rules in Asia's Golden Triangle

A Chinese businessman persuaded officials to establish a special economic zone in a remote part of Laos. The gamblers arrived first. Then came the drug runners, human traffickers and scammers. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Matt Campbell about his investigation into the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and how it became a criminal’s paradise.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-golden-triangle-special-economic-zone/?srnd=phx-businessweek">Dodge City</a> Watch, from Bloomberg Originals: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO29RHhlS6g">How One Man Rules in Asia's Golden Triangle</a>

Inside Southeast Asia’s Most Notorious Crime Hub

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After weeks of protests and a brutal crackdown that led to several hundred deaths, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to step down and flee the country, putting an abrupt end to her more than 15 years in power. Stepping into the leadership vacuum is Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who we spoke to last month -- when he was facing charges that his supporters said were trumped up by Hasina. 

Today on The Big Take Asia, host K. Oanh Ha speaks to Bloomberg’s Kai Schultz about what drove the student-led uprising and Hasina’s downfall, Yunus’s surprising turn to politics, and what’s at stake for one of Asia’s most promising economies.

Read more: 

Yunus Cleared in Graft Case After Becoming Bangladesh Leader

Further listening: 

Why This Nobel Prize Winner Faces Life Imprisonment in Bangladesh

After weeks of protests and a brutal crackdown that led to several hundred deaths, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to step down and flee the country, putting an abrupt end to her more than 15 years in power. Stepping into the leadership vacuum is Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who we spoke to last month -- when he was facing charges that his supporters said were trumped up by Hasina. 
Today on The Big Take Asia, host K. Oanh Ha speaks to Bloomberg’s Kai Schultz about what drove the student-led uprising and Hasina’s downfall, Yunus’s surprising turn to politics, and what’s at stake for one of Asia’s most promising economies.
Read more: 
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-12/yunus-acquitted-in-graft-case-after-becoming-bangladesh-leader">Yunus Cleared in Graft Case After Becoming Bangladesh Leader</a>
Further listening: 
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-this-nobel-prize-winner-faces-life-imprisonment/id1746141911?i=1000662444214">Why This Nobel Prize Winner Faces Life Imprisonment in Bangladesh</a>

After a Deadly Student Uprising, Bangladesh Starts Over, Again

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We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

Big Take Asia

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