Access Asia

2026 is set to be one of the hottest years on record, with El Niño worsening the impact of extreme weather events. With COP31 underway in Turkey, FRANCE 24 speaks with the UNDP's climate boss about the cost of waiting in a warmer world, and with one of the student activists from Pacific Island nations who took their climate fight to the UN's highest court, and won.  Also on the show:  Indonesia's wildfires rage on as El Niño amplifies the impacts of climate change and deforestation. This natural phenomenon is shifting already warmer seawaters eastwards, fuelling extreme weather events such as typhoons and flash floods.  Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at the United Nations Development Programme, says the world is at a fork in the road. "We can invest now to protect ourselves from the impact, or we pay the price later. Either way, the bill is coming," she says. Meanwhile, Francine Elisaia, Narratives and Communications Lead at the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change movement, talks about the importance of incorporating human rights into the fight against climate change, while sharing her love of the ocean.

The US midterm elections have resulted in the Democratic Party taking control of both chambers of the US Congress, leaving Donald Trump as a lame duck president for the remainder of his term. Professor Steve Tsang of the SOAS China Institute tells FRANCE 24 that, while a weakened Trump could strengthen Beijing's negotiating position, the Chinese leadership is aware that Congress has relatively little sway over foreign policy and is keen to maintain warm personal ties between the two presidents. Also on the show:  Joshua Wong, one of the best-known faces of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, has been sentenced to a further 10 years in prison under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law for "colluding with foreign forces". He is the only person to have been prosecuted twice under the controversial law, and the ruling has drawn criticism from human rights groups and Western governments. Meanwhile, the Indian film "Ramayana" has hit cinemas worldwide. Based on a beloved ancient Hindu epic, it has been described as Bollywood's answer to "Star Wars". With a mega-budget of more than €400 million, the film is the biggest production in Indian cinema history and has been dubbed into nearly 40 languages. Finally, Japan's Hiroshima Prefecture has appointed two cats as its tourism ambassadors. Siblings Yamato and Chidori have been serving as stationmasters at Shiwaguchi Station, one of many unmanned stations on a railway line facing possible partial closure due to declining passenger numbers.

In this edition of Access Asia, we explore why anti-Indian sentiment is rising in the United States in the wake of the foiled plot targeting a Hindu temple in Illinois. We ask the executive director of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate what's behind the trend, and whether the rhetoric coming from the Trump White House is to blame. Plus, Beijing acknowledges Kylian Mbappé's apology, but the French footballer is set to learn the hard way not to cross China's red lines after a joke about a meme depicting Mao Zedong.

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.    Also on the show:  The much delayed Yalu River Bridge linking China and North Korea has finally opened after 12 years of delay. It's the latest sign of thawing relations between the two neighbours, strained for years due to Pyongyang's aggressive nuclear development. The four-lane bridge can significantly boost bilateral trade, but observers say North Korea's growing ties with Russia may have been a motive for Beijing.  Meanwhile, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt maritime trade, South Korea has opened a new shipping route through the Arctic, made possible thanks to melting sea ice. Yuka Royer speaks with Jae Hyeok Lee, associate researcher at the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy, about the geopolitical, economic and environmental implications of the exploitation.  Finally, in an effort to reduce pedestrian accidents, some Asian countries have taken innovative steps to curb smartphone use while walking. But not all of them have been successful. 

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.

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.  Also on the show:  From China dominating the medal count to an 11-year-old Japanese boy clinching gold in e-sport, the Asian Games have been full of remarkable highlights. But there have also been some very public lows as organisers in Japan struggled with logistical issues. FRANCE 24's Charlotte Lam tells us more.  Also, South Korea is preparing to close the curtain on a centuries-old culinary tradition as a landmark nationwide ban on dog meat is set to take full effect in February. The government has provided financial support to phase out the dwindling industry, as animal rights groups continue to rescue dogs from farms.  Plus, Japanese convenience stores have tapped into the creative side of artificial intelligence to create new desserts. We check out the technology's answer to "the weirdest combinations of ingredients that still taste great". 

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.  In the middle of the AI rivalry between China and the US is Taiwan, the world's largest producer of advanced memory chips that power the technology. Geopolitical tensions are testing its prized industry, though.  Also on the show: the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games kick off in Japan, bringing in more than 11,000 athletes and thousands of officials.  The quadrennial sporting event, also known as Asiad, is bigger than the Olympics in terms of the number of participants and sports. Organisers came under pressure even before competition began as they struggled to accommodate an influx of visitors. 

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.   The devastating flood in the Himalayas has served as a stark reminder of climate injustice, where smaller, poorer nations and marginalised communities are disproportionately hit by the consequences of climate change despite their low emissions. Our reporters went to meet the Hmong people in northern Vietnam, who are on the frontlines of climate risks.  Also on the show:  Soaring rents in big cities in China are forcing young workers and students to share increasingly small spaces– even their their beds. 

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.  Read moreWhy early warning signs of glacier collapse in Nepal were difficult to detect Amid a race to build hydropower in the Himalayas, FRANCE 24's Leela Jacinto talks about how some countries are starting to weaponise water, and how geopolitical tensions in the region can constrain transparency.  But first, rescue efforts continue in Nepal, with some survivors found more than a week after the disaster. The death toll has risen to over 1,200 with thousands still unaccounted for. FRANCE 24's reporters have been speaking with victims and families desperately waiting for news about their loved ones. 

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. We also find out how businesses in Herat, Afghanistan, are suffering as women become increasingly reluctant to venture out following the Taliban's latest crackdown on its strict dress code. Plus, we look at Japanese Gen Z workers embracing an office culture some are calling 'corporate machismo’.