Access Asia

Episodes

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  Indonesia's forest fires spark public health crisis across Southeast Asia 16.10.2026 12m

  Massive wildfires in Indonesia show no sign of letting up. The environmental disaster is turning into a pollution crisis across Southeast Asia, as toxic haze from the blazes spread to neighbouring countries.   
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  India protests grow over Election Commission mistrust 09.10.2026 13m

  In this edition of Access Asia, we find out why multiple protests have broken out in India after an investigation by The Indian Express raised concerns about the integrity of the country's Election Commission. Journalist Faye D'Souza joins us to unpack how Narendra Modi's government is facing mounting pressure from the political opposition and the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party. She also discusses the wider sense of discontent in India.
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  'Make our streets safer!' Mass women's protests sweep India over sexual violence 02.10.2026 12m

  In India, thousands of women have been taking to the streets calling for better protection of female students, following the suspected gang rape of a 17-year-old girl. The alleged incident in an upscale neighbourhood of New Delhi prompted authorities to beef up protective measures, but the women say limiting their access to public spaces is not the answer. 
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  AI safety: No, China will not hit the brakes 18.09.2026 12m

  A spate of warnings in recent days about the dangers of AI have sparked mixed reactions: from Donald Trump dismissing the fears as a hoax, to Beijing criticising calls for the US to block its advancement as fearmongering. As President Xi Jinping heads to Washington for talks, FRANCE 24's technology correspondent Peter O'Brien explains why the two superpowers are unlikely to forge binding agreements on AI regulation. 
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  'My Feed My Way': Australia takes on the algorithm 11.09.2026 13m

  Australia, which became the first country to ban social media for minors, is planning to crack down on Big Tech further. The government introduced new legislation to force social media firms to allow users to opt out of algorithms. The proposed laws also aim to strengthen online child protection. Opposition lawmakers say such measures would amount to government censorship.  
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  Himalayan hydropower buildout: Expert says risk management is key 04.09.2026 12m

  Following devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet, Access Asia takes a closer look at the fragile state of the Himalayan mountains. Dr Arun Bhakta Shrestha, an expert on the environment and risk management in the Himalayas, explains why it's so difficult to detect glacier movements in advance and says that the tragedy could serve as an opportunity to improve the way nations develop infrastructure in the resource-rich region. 
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  Family of detained US scientist breaks silence after quiet diplomacy stalls 17.07.2026 12m

  On this edition of Access Asia, we speak to a former FBI official helping Youlin Chen's family. The 54-year-old American scientist has been detained on espionage charges in China since November 2024, when he was visiting relatives in Beijing. His family has chosen to speak out after quiet diplomacy failed to secure his release.
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  Foreign workers feel the heat as Japan hardens nationalist stance 10.07.2026 12m

  On this week's edition of Access Asia, we bring you a report from Japan, where visa fees have been increased for foreign nationals applying for permanent residency. The government is also considering introducing a language requirement. While Japan needs foreign workers to help offset an ageing population and a declining birth rate, the nationalist government has continued to tighten its immigration policies.
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  Seoul soul-searching after World Cup exit 03.07.2026 12m

  On this edition of Access Asia, we find out why anger is brewing in South Korea after the country's national team was eliminated from the World Cup. We also ask our Sports Editor why China hasn't managed to make it to football's top tier despite massive investment. Plus, Japan's prime minister heads to India as both countries seek to strengthen ties.
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  How far will Japan go to preserve the 2,600-year-old male imperial bloodline? 26.06.2026 11m

  Japan's imperial family is running out of male heirs, and a debate over how to preserve the hereditary lineage that has continued unbroken for centuries is dividing the nation. Meanwhile, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako wrapped up their two-week trip to Europe, and Japan took note that their royal Dutch and Belgian hosts both have women in line for the throne. FRANCE 24's Aurore Dupuis breaks down the looming succession crisis in the world's oldest monarchy. 
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  India goes football crazy: Is politics holding the country back? 19.06.2026 12m

  In this edition of Access Asia, we explore why the world's most populous country struggles to qualify for the World Cup, despite a growing appetite for the sport. We also explore how artificial intelligence could be about to revolutionise medicine and blue-collar work.
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  Japan's love-hate relationship with bears 12.06.2026 13m

  This week, a town north of Tokyo shut down nearly 100 schools following a spate of bear sightings. In another Japanese town last week, a bear attacked four people, opened a water tap and unlatched a window to escape a building it had been trapped in. So are bears becoming a bigger threat? FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer speaks with Kazuhiko Maita from the Institute for Asian Black Bear Research and Preservation, who has survived nine bear attacks himself, about what's behind the recent crisis in Japan.  
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  India’s Cockroach Party fights attempts to discredit the movement 05.06.2026 12m

  On this edition of Access Asia, we explore how India’s nascent Cockroach Janta Party has tapped into the frustrations of the country’s youth. We speak with the party’s spokesperson, Saurav Das, who tells us that the movement is demanding accountability from the government. Political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot also weighs in on why young people in India are disillusioned and what the country’s opposition parties can learn from the viral movement.
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  ‘Scamdemic’: Inside Southeast Asia's cyber fraud industry 29.05.2026 12m

  It is one of the world's fastest-growing industries. Cyber fraud operated out of scam centres scattered across the Mekong region generates tens of billions of euros every year -- by some estimates, equivalent to 40 percent of the region's combined GDP. This edition of Access Asia takes a deep look inside the scam industry with analysis from Jason G. Tower, senior expert at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
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  'The world has let this happen': Wu'er Kaixi on Hong Kong's loss of freedoms 22.05.2026 13m

  As a trial of former organisers of Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigils has concluded, FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer speaks with Wu'er Kaixi, one of the student leaders who led mass protests leading up to the brutal 1989 crackdown. Nearly 37 years since the tragedy, the exiled campaigner laments China's continued oppression of dissident voices and ethnic minorities. 
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  Trump's silence on Taiwan during summit with Xi comes as relief for island nation 15.05.2026 12m

  Donald Trump has wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China. While host Xi Jinping warned that the Taiwan issue, if mishandled, could lead to conflict between the two superpowers, the US president took a muted approach and remained silent on the question. Lev Nachman, political science professor at National Taiwan University, tells FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer that the silence was welcomed by the Taiwanese as a sign the US would not change its longstanding policy. 
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  Iran war hangs over Trump's Beijing visit 08.05.2026 12m

  In this edition of Access Asia, we look ahead to the US president's upcoming visit to China. While both sides will be seeking to reset ties, the war in Iran is set to cloud the trip. We also speak to an Australian artist of Indian descent who is currently in residence in Paris. We explore how Sid Pattni's work examines issues of identity and belonging through a post-colonial framework.
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  From life in North Korea to pink hair dye: K-pop band 1VERSE spills all 01.05.2026 13m

  From North Korea to Japan to the United States, the members of K-pop band 1VERSE are from diverse backgrounds. Yuka Royer sat down with Seok, Aito, Kenny and Nathan, as they made a stop in Paris during their world tour. 
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  India-Pakistan ties 'not good', a year after Kashmir attack 24.04.2026 12m

  A year after the deadly terror attack in Kashmir, relations between India and Pakistan remain at an all-time low. Since then, Islamabad has emerged as a key mediator seeking to end the war in Iran. On Access Asia, we're joined by Indian MP Dr Shashi Tharoor to find out what India makes of Pakistan's push for peace.
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  China steps out of the shadows in Iran war 17.04.2026 13m

  China's President Xi Jinping has broken a six-week silence about the war in Iran, vowing to take a "constructive" role in efforts to end the conflict. Beijing is wary of being drawn into a war it took no part in, and faces a delicate balancing act between its long-term partnership with Iran and its strategic interests in the Middle East and beyond. Yuka Royer speaks with Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, about what's behind Beijing's calculations.