On this special bonus episode of China Rising, we’ll investigate how the biggest story in Canada-China relations finally came to a head. On Sept. 24th, a nearly three-year geopolitical stand-off over the arrest of Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver ended after the Huawei executive struck a deal with U.S. authorities. Just hours after she was released, the Canadian Prime Minister announced the ‘Two Michaels’ – Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor – were also freed and on their way home to Canada. That...

On Episode 10 of China Rising, we’ll discuss the dramatic rise in anti-Asian racism in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fuelled by misinformation about the virus and political rhetoric on both sides of the border, Canada saw a spike in reported hate crimes. Last year, anti-Asian hate crimes in Vancouver soared by more than 700%. We’ll hear from Canadians who’ve been targeted, including prominent figures in Canada’s political, arts and journalism communities, to shine a spotlight on the...

On Episode 9 of China Rising, we’ll update the story that has cast a shadow over Canada-China relations for nearly three years. September 5th, 2021 marks 1,000 days since Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained in China. Their arrests are widely seen as retaliation for the arrest of Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver at the request of the United States. As Meng’s extradition hearing finally draws to a close and the ‘Two Michaels’ prepare to learn their fate,...

On Episode 8 of China Rising, we'll explore the growing tensions between China and Taiwan, which are fueling fears of a possible Chinese military invasion and an armed conflict that risks spilling far beyond the island's borders. Taiwan is widely considered by security analysts to be a flashpoint for a confrontation between China and the United States. Beijing considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province, which it has long wanted to bring under its rule. But public opinion polls show the vast...

On Episode 7 of China Rising, we'll take a trip to Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protesters are fighting back against a government crackdown. Since Beijing introduced a new national security law for Hong Kong in July 2020, more than 100 pro-democracy activists, lawmakers and journalists have been arrested. Hong Kong is home to 300,000 Canadians -- the largest Canuck community in any city outside of Canada. We'll meet the Canadian expats on the frontlines of the fight for Hong...

On Episode 6 of China Rising, we'll hear from Canadians who say they and their families have faced threats, harassment, intimidation and surveillance in Canada for speaking out against the Chinese Communist Party. And we’ll investigate claims that the Chinese government is responsible for the alleged abuse, launching a state-sponsored campaign to crack down on dissent both at home and abroad. Contact: Twitter: @JeffSempleGN Email: [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for...

On episode five of China Rising, we'll investigate the mysterious murder of a 41-year-old Chinese woman, Bo Fan, who was found brutally beaten to death in Surrey, B.C on June 17, 2020, not far from where her company had just hosted an event. The murder is raising questions about Fan's employer, a secretive self-improvement organisation from China called Create Abundance International, also known as Golden Touch. We'll also explore how British Columbia has become a hotbed for organised crime...

In January 2020, a mysterious new virus broke out in Wuhan, China. The Western world watched in horror as China cut-off the city of 11 million people, which scrambled to contain the spread. Within weeks, COVID-19 was everywhere. But before long, Beijing was declaring victory over the pandemic. We'll investigate how Beijing capitalised on the crisis, becoming a top exporter of Personal Protective Equipment and COVID-19 vaccines. The Chinese government is also challenging the narrative around...

On the third episode of China Rising, we’ll explore the Chinese government’s so-called ‘Wolf Warrior Diplomacy’. That term, inspired by the 2017 Chinese action movie ‘Wolf Warrior 2’,’ has recently been used to describe the shift to a much more aggressive and combative style of Chinese diplomacy, cracking-down on descent at home and abroad. How should Western allies respond to an increasingly bold and brazen Beijing? As part of our examination, we’ll investigate the head ‘Wolf Warrior’:...

Huseyin Celil is a married father of four and Chinese-Canadian who has been imprisoned in China for 15 years. Celil was arrested while on vacation with his family in Uzbekistan 2006. His lawyer says his only crime was speaking out for the rights of China’s Uyghur Muslims. Canada’s Parliament recently called China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority a “genocide” and the Canadian government is fighting to free two other Canadian prisoners in China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. But there’s...

On the first episode of China Rising, we'll examine  the Chinese government's practice of detaining political prisoners, by hearing directly from Canadians who've become caught in the crossfire. Christian aid workers Julia and Kevin Garratt lived in China for 30 years before their arrest in 2014, when they were suddenly cast as pawns in a geopolitical chess match. The Garratts’ traumatic experience is eerily similar to the case of the 'Two Michaels,' Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael...

The Chinese government is accused of aggressively targeting Western democracies… with disinformation and ‘hostage diplomacy.’ From Global News, I’m Jeff Semple and on my new Podcast CHINA RISING, we’ll separate fact from fiction, and hear from accused spies, whistle-blowers, and others caught in the political crossfire;  As the pandemic rages across the world…and incidents of anti-Asian racism are on rise.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wait, There’s More is a daily Global News podcast released every afternoon just in time for your commute home. On this episode, protests have erupted in Hong Kong as tens of thousands of people speak out against legislation that would allow the territory’s citizens to be extradited to Mainland China. Demonstrators tried to storm government buildings and police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Host Tamara Khandaker explores Hong Kong’s precarious relationship with China since the...

In this special episode, Niki Reitmayer, host of "This Is Why", and producer of "When Life Gives You Parkinson's" speaks with Jeff Semple about the making of Russia Rising, and gets a few updates on the stories covered this season.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Crime Beat” is a new investigative podcast series hosted by Crime Reporter Nancy Hixt. She's been covering cases for over the past 20 years and knows her hometown by the crime scenes she's been to. Journey deep inside some of Canada’s most high-profile criminal cases. Each bi-weekly episode will take you inside the story to give you details you didn't hear on the news.   Here’s a sneak peek from episode 2 of the series…. and while you’re listening, search and subscribe to “Crime Beat” for...

An estimated 28 million Russian young people who were born after Putin first rose to power two decades ago. Russia’s 66-year-old strongman was first sworn-in back on May 7, 2000, and he has remained in the Kremlin’s seat of power, either as President or Prime Minister, ever since. This week we talk to those young people to find out what the future holds for Russia. Contact: Twitter: @JeffSempleGN Email: [email protected] Guests: Anton Fedyashin - Associate Professor and...

On the sixth episode of Russia Rising, we’ll boldly go where no podcast has gone before. The International Space Station has long been heralded as a beacon of geopolitical cooperation, where representatives from 18 countries have lived and worked together, trusting each other with their lives. And all of them, including Canada and the United States, rely on Russia to hitch a ride to the stars. But that close, interconnected relationship is now being tested, as space becomes increasingly...

On the fifth episode of Russia Rising, we’ll explore the growing information war between Russia and the West. Whether it's a chemical weapons attack in Syria, the poisoning of a former Russian spy in England or the war in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin often promotes a much different version of events from the one being presented by Western governments. And in an age of fake news, social media and countless alternative online news sources, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction and...

On this episode of Russia Rising, we’ll visit Salisbury, England — the historic cathedral city that became the site of the first chemical nerve agent attack on European soil since the Second World War. The poisoning of former Russian double-agent Sergey Skripal in March 2018 prompted one of the most explosive and controversial allegations facing the Kremlin today: Were Russian secret intelligence agents responsible for the botched assassination? And if so, how could trained Russian spies...

On this episode of Russia Rising, we’ll visit the front-lines of a growing cyber-war, where hackers from Russia, Iran, China and other countries are battling for control of everything from your online bank account to your city’s hydro grid. To understand how these hackers operate, we’ll speak with a guy who used to be one: Alexandr Varskoy is a former Russian hacker. We’ll also explore the underworld of financial crime cyber, by speaking with Nicholas Palmer, the Director of International...

On this episode of Russia Rising, we’ll take a closer look at the man who has ruled over the world’s largest country for nearly two decades: Vladimir Putin was a poor kid from a tough neighbourhood who became a Russian KGB agent, a billionaire and the country’s longest-serving leader since Stalin. Along the way, he’s also been accused of committing a laundry list of atrocities. To truly understand what motivates Putin — why he does what he does — we need to know where he came from. To that...

On the first episode of Russia Rising podcast, we’ll visit the former home of the notorious Russian troll factory in St. Petersburg, which the United States accuses of meddling in its 2016 presidential election. We’ll investigate how those Russian internet trolls operate and whether other countries, specifically Canada, are targeted too. If you enjoy Russia Rising, please take a minute to rate it on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, tell us what you think and share the show with your...

Russia Rising is an investigative limited series premiering this Monday January 28th. Hosted by Jeff Semple, the Europe Bureau Chief for Global News, this series will look at Russian Trolls, Cyberwarfare, Hacking, KGB agents, and The Putin Generation. Jeff is on the ground gathering stories to form pieces of a puzzle, to separate fact from fiction, and unravel the mystery of Russia’s rise.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.