Today I Learned

Women-only spaces have a long and complex history. From grassroots support groups and domestic violence shelters to professional networks, gyms, book clubs, and online communities. In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we sit down with Zara Riza, owner of the first gentlewomen’s club in KL. We also learn about the importance of women’s safe spaces with the folks at Women’s March Malaysia. 

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Wang Kelian, located in the north western corner of Perlis and bordering Thailand, is a valley where limestone hills, rare plants, wildlife and stories are waiting to be told. In 2024, a team of conservationists and storytellers embarked on a journey to document its hidden beauty through a project. One of those individuals, Peter Ong, joins us to talk about the project and why Wang Kelian should be on our list of travel destinations. 

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Early this year, the US Department of Justice released 3.5 million files related to financier, human trafficker and sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, drawing more of us into the Wild West of conspiracy theories. The files confirm what we already know about his crimes, and much of it references high‑profile figures, but often without context or evidence. Raw, redacted, and sprawling, the files are enough to spark rumours, questions, and deeper confusion – which is exactly what we’ll be diving into with our guest, who had to reckon with the fact that he himself is mentioned 25 times in the files.

*Note: Toward the end of the podcast, Sharaad refers to Koo Stark as Prince William’s ex. This is incorrect — Koo Stark is Prince Andrew’s former partner.

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Cyberwarfare is in the spotlight after the US attack on Venezuela. We explore this with Benjamin Ang, comparing it to earlier cases like Stuxnet, and examining what cyber conflict means for both superpowers and small states.

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Money doesn’t grow on trees, and we’re taught from a young age that we must always be prudent about how we spend our money. But how many of us are taught how to do that and do it well? Capping off the month where Today I Learned has been focusing on different areas of personal improvement, we speak to Nirmala Supramaniam, Head of Household Financial Education Department at Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) on how we can be better at money.

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They say the best way to smoke your last cigarette is to not have one at all, but we know it is easier said than done. In this first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. In this episode, we explore one of the most common health goals people have when they kick off the new yeat: Quitting smoking.

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In the first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. For this episode, the question is: how can I sleep better? We sit down with sleep psychologist Julian Lim to understand how sleep really works - from its biological necessity to its changing value in society. 

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In the first month of 2026, Today I Learned will be focusing on different areas of personal improvement. For this episode, the question is: how do I make friends? We’ve heard about the Friendship Recession - and while most research is based on the US and European countries, there’s anecdotal evidence that the feeling of being disconnected and having fewer close friends is becoming a common experience for more people. We speak to Daren Despois, Counseling Psychologist & Certified ICF Coach about the art and skill of cultivating friendships.

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As we near the end of the year, it’s a busy time for family get-togethers, especially as children are on school break and adults are taking time off work. Whether you’re having dinner together with the extended family or going on a break with your partner (with or without children), it’s almost inevitable for some of us that there will be some minor disagreements. So how do we avoid them or at least prevent them from blowing up into major arguments? Here to guide us through that is licensed and registered counsellor Esther Chu. 

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We explore how Western Christianity and colonialism have shaped the political and religious landscape of Palestine, and how Palestinians have responded through traditions of ecumenism, solidarity, and resistance. Paul Catafago joins us to talk about the spirit of religious tolerance in Palestinian society, the historic roles of Christian intellectuals and leaders alongside their Muslim counterparts, the abandonment of Palestinian Christians by Western churches through Christian Zionism, and how these dynamics have deepened cooperation across faiths in the struggle for sovereignty.

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