FO° Podcasts

The Hot Mic: US Debt Ceiling, Ukraine and Trouble in the Arctic

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 that caps the total amount of debt that the US Treasury can issue. Congress has to approve spending beyond the debt ceiling and this sometimes causes friction with the president.
 
Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives. They want the government to cut costs. Democrats in the White House want the House to raise revenues by raising taxes. If the two cannot agree, the government can grind to a halt and it has in the past.
 
This podcast examines the hullabaloo about the debt ceiling and makes sense of it all.
 
Russia-Ukraine War
 
The Russia-Ukraine War has been in a stalemate for a while. In the early phases of the war, the Russians got a beating. Then, they regrouped and made some advances. For months, there has been a stalemate.
 
With spring thawing the snow, a Ukrainian offensive seems to be in the offing. Some believe that Ukraine has the advantage. After all, the country will be getting F-16 fighter jets. The US is still pouring in aid and arms. Others argue that there are too many different weapons needing different types of ammunition. The Russians are using prisoners as cannon fodder and killing the flower of Ukrainian youth.
 
The next few weeks might be a critical period of this war. 
 
The Arctic Great Game 
 
Once, great powers played the great game over Afghanistan. Now, it has shifted to the Arctic. As Atul Singh wrote in an earlier piece, “The melting of polar ice caps opens up new opportunities for resource extraction and sea routes. This has sharpened rivalries between the US-led West and a China-backed Russia. Tensions are increasing and so are the possibilities of conflict.”
 
Russia has used the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) astutely to claim the continental shelf. Note that the US does not recognize UNCLOS. Other Arctic powers such as Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland have been late to the party. So, Russia has the legal lead.
 
At the same time, Russia is building military bases in this region. As Singh wrote, “Russia has seven nuclear-powered icebreakers and around 30 diesel-powered ones. The US and China have just two diesel-powered icebreakers each in operation. The US is the global superpower but Russia is the Arctic superpower.”
 
China claims to be a near-Arctic power and is funding Russian military development. China is looking to bypass two choke points that could cut off its energy supplies, block its exports and bring its economy to a standstill. These choke points are the Suez Canal and the Straits of Malacca. China desperately wants another sea route.
 
The melting of the Arctic is opening up new trans-Arctic routes that China desperately craves. In the past, a Russian tanker sailed from Norway to South Korea in 19 days. A passage through the Suez Canal would have taken over 50 days. As the factory of the world with an insatiable appetite for commodities, the oil, gas, and minerals along with a shorter sea route is China’s wet dream. No wonder the stage is set for yet another great game.
 
Learn more about Atul and Christopher, and read their work on the two links below:
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/atul-singh/
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/christopher-schell/ 
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 

Paint it Black: Lebanon’s Failures and How to Save it

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 Africa (MENA) region. He has worked in marketing, public affairs, and project management. AbiNader has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the MENA region.
AbiNader paints a dire picture of Lebanon’s current problems. He makes sense of Lebanon’s gutted and struggling economy, entrenched government corruption, identity politics and instability.
For nearly three years, Lebanon has suffered the most devastating, multi-pronged crisis in its modern history. The unfolding economic and financial crisis started in October 2019. COVID-19 and the 2022 explosion in the Beirut port exacerbated this crisis.
The World Bank’s Spring 2021 Lebanon Economic Monitor found that Lebanon’s crisis ranks among the worst economic crises since the mid-19th century. Nominal GDP plummeted from $52 billion in 2019 to $23.1 billion in 2021. The GDP per capita fell by 36.5%. Incomes fell and jobs vanished.
Lebanon was an upper middle-income country despite the ethnic conflict and the refugee burden. In July 2022, the World Bank reclassified it as a lower-middle income country.  Such a brutal contraction is usually associated with conflicts or wars.
AbiNader makes sense of Lebanon’s crisis, examines why things have come to such a pass and posits solutions for the future.
 
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/myfairobserver
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

A Canadian Perspective on Ukraine, Iraq and Afghanistan

In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Canadian Defense Attaché Major-General Michel-Henri (Mike) St-Louis speaks to Fair Observer’s Editor-in-Chief Atul Singh about conflicts in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq, the changing nature of war, and more.
 
Major-General Michel-Henri St-Louis is an experienced soldier. He has deployed on missions in Bosnia, Croatia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In this podcast, Major General St-Louis shares his insights from his distinguished military career to analyze the Russia-Ukraine War. He talks about the lessons of this war from proper training and sensible doctrines to empowering field commanders and maintaining morale.
 
The eloquent general goes on to share his insights on the complex political and military situation in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. He served twice in the country and shares his rich insights here. The Canadian Defence Attaché also speaks about Iraq, the rise of ISIS, the Syrian civil war, and Qasem Soleimani of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He shares many lessons relevant for military members, diplomats, and all students of history, geopolitics, and international relations.
 
 
Author Bio
 
Major-General Michel-Henri (Mike) St-Louis currently serves as Canada’s Defence Attaché to the United States. His career highlights include serving as the Acting Commander of the Canadian Army, Commander of Canada’s Joint Task Force—IMPACT—in the Middle East, Deputy Commanding General for Operations of America’s First Corps, command of 5e Groupe Brigade Mécanisé du Canada, and the last Canadian Battle Group overseeing combat operations in Afghanistan. Maj Gen St-Louis is a graduate of the National War College (US), Canadian Forces College, Canada’s Collège Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean, Royal Military College in Kingston, and the Canadian Army Command and Staff College. He is an officer within the Legion of Merit (US) and Canada’s Order of Military Merit and also received the Meritorious Service Cross and Medal.
 
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 
 

The Hot Mic: Trump’s Fraud Charges, Taiwan’s Defiance, and OPEC’s New World Order

In a new series for FO° Podcasts—The Hot Mic—Atul Singh and Christopher Roper Schell examine Donald Trump's falsifying business records, Taiwan's precarious relationship with the U.S., and how the Russia-Ukraine war is causing OPEC to reevaluate its relationship with the West. 
 
Learn more about Atul and Christopher, and read their work on the two links below:
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/atul-singh/
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/christopher-schell/ 
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 

An Outstanding Deep Dive Into the American Economy with Nasir Khilji

In the second of this two-part series, retired US Treasury economist Nasir Khilji discusses the American economy with editor-in-chief Atul Singh.
 
In a wide-ranging conversation, this edition of FO° Podcasts examines the American economy. Nasir Khilji has five decades of experience as an economist. He worked in many departments for the US government before retiring as a senior economist from the Treasury.
 
Khilji speaks about both the challenges and the prospects of the American economy. He speaks about inflation, debt, healthcare, and more in this podcast. Khilji discusses oil prices, inflation, growth prospects, and more with editor-in-chief Atul Singh, the host of FO° Podcasts.
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 

An Excellent Deep Dive Into the Global Economy with Nasir Khilji

In the first of this two-part series, retired US Treasury economist Nasir Khilji discusses the global economy with editor-in-chief Atul Singh.
In a wide-ranging conversation, this edition of FO° Podcasts examines the global economy. Nasir Khilji has five decades of experience as an economist. He worked in many departments for the US government before retiring as a senior economist from the Treasury.
 
Khilji speaks about the US, Europe, and emerging markets in this podcast. He discusses oil prices, inflation, growth prospects, and more with editor-in-chief Atul Singh, the host of FO° Podcasts.
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

The Hot Mic: Analyzing Biden’s 2nd Term, Chinese Spy Balloons, and Unstable Energy Markets

In a new series for FO° Podcasts—The Hot Mic—Atul Singh and Christopher Roper Schell examine US President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, US-China tensions over the Chinese spy balloon, and the ramifications of Russian oil production cuts for the global economy.
 
Learn more about Atul and Christopher, and read their work on the two links below:
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/atul-singh/
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/christopher-schell/ 
 
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 

Antoine van Agtmael: The Future of Emerging Markets, India and Inequality

In this third entry of a three-part series, investor, philanthropist, and author Antoine van Agtmael and editor-in-chief Atul Singh discuss the future of emerging markets. They also analyze India’s rise as an economic powerhouse as well as the causes and consequences of inequality.
 
Agtmael is a legendary investor who came up with the term “emerging markets” and was the chair of the board of trustees of National Public Radio (NPR). Agtmael’s distinguished track record as an investor and his rich professional career make him uniquely suited to read the tea leaves for the global economy and the future of clean tech. 
 
With Fred Bakker, Agtmael is the author of The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts Are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation. Earlier in his career, Agtmael authored The Emerging Markets Century: How a New Breed of World-Class Companies Is Overtaking the World. Few understand the big trends shaping the world better than Agtmael. Given his track record, his views on the future of our planet are immensely important.
 
Learn more about Atul and Antoine, and read their work on the two links below:
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/atul-singh/
https://foreignpolicy.com/author/antoine-van-agtmael/ 
 
You can follow Fair Observer on social media:
Newsletter: https://www.fairobserver.com/newsletter/ 
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/fair-observer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FairObserver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 

Antoine van Agtmael: New Perspective on Europe, China and Demography

 
In this second of a three-part series, investor, philanthropist, and author Antoine van Agtmael and editor-in-chief Atul Singh discuss the troubled European economy, the challenge of demography, and China’s economic and technological future. 
Agtmael is a legendary investor who came up with the term “emerging markets” and was the chair of the board of trustees of National Public Radio (NPR). Agtmael’s distinguished track record as an investor and his rich professional career make him uniquely suited to read the tea leaves for the global economy and the future of clean tech. 
With Fred Bakker, Agtmael is the author of The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts Are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation. Earlier in his career, Agtmael authored The Emerging Markets Century: How a New Breed of World-Class Companies Is Overtaking the World. Few understand the big trends shaping the world better than Agtmael. Given his track record, his views on the future of our planet are immensely important.
 
Learn more about Atul and Antoine, and read their work on the two links below:
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/atul-singh/
https://foreignpolicy.com/author/antoine-van-agtmael/ 
 
You can follow Fair Observer on social media:
Newsletter: https://www.fairobserver.com/newsletter/ 
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/fair-observer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FairObserver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
 
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
 

The Hot Mic: Divided US Congress, German Tanks and China’s COVID Catastrophe

In a new series for FO° Podcasts—The Hot Mic—Atul Singh and Christopher Roper Schell examine a divided US Congress, German tanks and China’s COVID catastrophe.
 
Learn more about Atul and Christopher, and read their work on the two links below:
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/atul-singh/
https://www.fairobserver.com/author/christopher-schell/ 
 
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/myfairobserver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairobserver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairobserver
Credits: 
"Loopster" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/