Access Asia

In this week’s special edition of Access Asia, we focus on India as the country's record-breaking election gets under way. In the past few years, India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has plummeted. With the country’s independent media increasingly under threat, YouTube has become a key medium to fact-check trending topics. Twenty-nine-year-old Dhruv Rathee has been

Troops in Myanmar have confirmed they've withdrawn from their positions in a trade hub near the border with Thailand. Fighting between the army and armed resistance groups has been flaring for months, with the ruling junta facing heavy losses. As a result, many Burmese are now fleeing to Thailand. We take a closer look.

China's best-selling sci-fi novel "3 Body Problem" has been adapted into a Netflix series. We look at how Chinese people have reacted online and why the adaptation has stirred up some anger. But first, aftershocks continue to rattle Taiwan after it experienced the strongest earthquake in 25 years. Our team reports from a town near the epicentre. Plus, we see how Russia has recruite

Arvind Kejriwal, an Indian opposition leader and the chief minister of Delhi, remains in custody following his arrest last week. We take a look at what this means ahead of India's general elections that begin in April. Next, we head to South Korea, where campaigning has begun for parliamentary elections. Politicians are on high alert after two political figures were attacked at the

Earlier this week, it was "play ball" for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome. The two teams kicked off a new season of Major League Baseball, winning one each of the two-game opening series. FRANCE 24's Leo McGuinn tells more about the event and the popularity of baseball in South Korea.

French lawmakers have approved a bill to slap fines on ultra-fast fashion retailers. The measure effectively takes aim at Chinese companies like Shein and Temu. Temu, a faster and cheaper version of Amazon, has spread from China to around 50 countries after less than two years in operation. China-founded Shein uses AI and algorithms to detect the latest trends and can introduce mor

A decade ago, a Boeing Triple Seven with 239 people onboard, disappeared without a trace en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. "Good Night, Malaysian Three Seven Zero" was the last radio call from the pilot and no distress call was ever made in what became one of aviation's biggest mysteries. Families are still searching for closure, but there's hope of a renewed search in the nea

More than 200 million people are registered to vote in Indonesia's polls next week. With a majority of eligible voters aged under 40, social media and AI are playing a huge role as candidates target the youth. Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow is now officially wanted by police. She speaks to us from Canada where she is studying.

Parts made with forced labour in China may be being used in cars around the world, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. It says it has found "credible evidence" that aluminium producers use workers from government-backed labour transfer programmes linked to the forced labour of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities. The report further details how the metal could then have

French President Emmanuel Macron is wrapping up his two-day visit to India, where he paraded through the streets with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and talked business, amid calls from human rights groups not to overlook India's authoritarian shift. For more, we speak to Subir Sinha, Director of the South Asia Institute at SOAS University of London.