Podcast
What's the Focus
Hosted by BFM Media · EN
The Morning Run crew condenses the top conversations from the week, and keeps you clued in on the stories you might have missed.
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
When Systems Stop Behaving
2w ago00:12:18Tap to summarizeThis week on WTF, we look at three stories about institutions under pressure. OpenAI reveals an AI agent that escaped its testing environment and launched an autonomous cyberattack, India and Japan show how very different systems struggle to adapt to changing public expectations, and Sarawak's first onshore oil production in over 50 years raises bigger questions about state autonomy and the future of Malaysia's energy sector. Plus, our team's recommendations for the weekend.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →American "Strength", China's Soft Power & Money Traps
3w ago00:16:38Tap to summarizeThis week's WTF explores how the US military plans to make itself more manly, why people seem to look at China increasingly more favourably compared to America and the dangers of carelessly using BNPL. Plus, our weekly recommendations, from epic 3-hour movies to Harry Potter (again), and Madonna, the undisputed Queen of Pop (again).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Can Politics, Plants and Pop Culture Change Our World?
4w ago00:13:42Tap to summarizeThis week's WTF explores how unexpected stories can reveal much bigger shifts. We look at a catnip-based mosquito repellent that could transform malaria prevention, the IOC's move to bring Russia back into the Olympic fold and the debate over whether sport can ever be truly apolitical, and why more young Malaysians are delaying marriage as financial pressures reshape life choices. Plus, our weekly recommendations, from documentaries and books to Netflix, Instagram, Harry Potter, and one very expensive durian.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Can Social Media Make or Break a Country?
Jul 200:14:13Tap to summarizeThis week's WTF looks at the power of influence in shaping perceptions and behaviour. We examine Donald Trump's latest financial disclosures and fresh questions over the blurred lines between politics and personal business, explore how China's RedNote app is transforming the way tourists discover Malaysia, and ask whether the newly opened LRT3 can finally persuade Klang Valley residents to leave their cars at home. Plus, our weekly recommendations from the team.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →AI, Air Taxis, and the Five-Minute Fix
Jun 2500:13:47Tap to summarizeThis week's WTF explores how technology and changing habits are reshaping the way we live and work. We look at new research suggesting overreliance on AI could weaken critical thinking, why a simple five-minute walk every hour may be the best productivity boost for office workers, and Malaysia's plans to build a low-altitude economy powered by commercial drones and air taxis. Plus, our weekly recommendations from the team.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →WTF: From the Moon to the World Cup
Jun 1100:14:39Tap to summarizeThis week’s WTF spans everything from football and space exploration to technology and public policy. We look at the controversies surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including geopolitics, visas, ticket prices and the growing commercialisation of the game. We also examine NASA’s Artemis programme as delays raise questions about America’s return to the Moon and its race with China. Back home, we discuss Malaysia’s new AI-driven motor insurance scheme and whether lower premiums for safe drivers come with new concerns over transparency, fairness and data governance.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Trust, Technology and the Talent Shortage
Jun 400:14:54Tap to summarizeThis week on What’s the Focus, we explore three stories that highlight how trust is being tested in very different ways. First, intelligence agencies from the Five Eyes alliance are warning that professional networking platforms may be used to recruit individuals with access to sensitive information, raising fresh questions about digital security and espionage. Then we examine how YouTube has evolved from a video-sharing platform into a genuine challenger to traditional streaming giants, reshaping the battle for audiences, advertising, and attention. Finally, we look at Malaysia’s growing shortage of radiographers and why a lack of these highly trained healthcare professionals could have serious consequences for diagnostic capacity, patient care, and the future of the healthcare system.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →When Health, Technology and Aging Collide
May 2800:16:19Tap to summarizeThis week on What’s the Focus, we look at three very different stories tied together by one underlying theme: how societies adapt under pressure. First, a major global study warns that mental disorders have now become the leading cause of disability worldwide, raising urgent questions about whether healthcare systems, workplaces, and communities are equipped for the scale of the crisis. Then we turn to Ferrari’s controversial new electric vehicle, the Luce, and what the backlash says about technology, identity, and the uneasy transition into the EV era. And finally, with Malaysia rapidly becoming an aging society, we examine the growing debate over whether older drivers should undergo medical assessments before renewing their licences, and how to balance road safety with dignity and independence.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →When Technology and Tourism Start Going Too Far
May 2100:14:11Tap to summarizeThis week on What’s the Focus, we look at two very different stories connected by the same underlying question about excess. First, we examine the dangerous overcrowding on Mount Everest, where extreme tourism is turning one of the harshest environments on Earth into a high-altitude traffic jam. Then we explore how Google is transforming Search into an AI-driven conversational platform that could fundamentally change how people interact with information online. And later, a cautionary tale shows how easily digital tools, fake investment platforms, and the promise of easy money can blur the line between convenience and deception.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →When the Real Winners Aren’t Who You Expect
May 1400:14:43Tap to summarizeThis week on What’s the Focus, we look at two stories where the real story sits beneath the headline. In India, a cola war between billion-dollar beverage giants is unexpectedly fuelling a boom in commercial refrigerators, turning cold storage into the new battleground for market dominance. Meanwhile closer to home, a bizarre story about retaliatory crows opens up a surprisingly fascinating conversation about how urban wildlife is adapting to life alongside humans and what happens when animals stop behaving like animals and start behaving more like neighbours.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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