More than 300 South Koreans detained in the US after a massive immigration raid on a Hyundai-LG factory have returned home, despite the Trump administration's offer to let them stay. As he marked 100 days since he took over a country in crisis, President Lee Jae Myung warned that the incident could make companies hesitate to invest in the US. Jay Song, honorary associate professor at The Australian National University, speaks to FRANCE 24 about the possible wider consequences of the raid.
This week, China showed off its military and diplomatic prowess at a giant Victory Day parade, with dozens of world leaders – but few from the West – in attendance. President Xi Jinping stood shoulder to shoulder with Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, declaring that China was "never intimidated by bullies". But does Beijing really want to create a new world order?
In this edition of Access Asia, we explore how New Delhi is grappling with new 50 percent US tariffs taking effect. Will the souring relations between Narendra Modi and Donald Trump force India to rethink its ties with the United States and look further east? Meanwhile, South Korea scores another pop-culture win as its animated musical "KPop Demon Hunters" smashes Netflix records.
On this week's show, we speak with author Aatish Taseer about his new book, "A Return to Self: Excursions in Exile". He shares why he has no regrets for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "India's Divider in Chief" in his 2019 Time article. We also report on how Bangladesh remains on edge as the country approaches the one-year anniversary of Sheikh Hasina's ouster. Plus, two North Korean defectors make their K-pop debut.
On Access Asia this week, we speak to historian Audrey Truschke, whose new book covers 5,000 years of history on the Subcontinent. She tells us how she remains committed to historical truth, saying: "I will not be swayed by modern politics, modern pressures, no matter how extreme they are." We also cover how Afghans have been left in limbo, with the latest deportation drive from Iran underway.
The last remaining active pro-democracy party in Hong Kong has disbanded, citing pressure from Beijing. It's the latest casualty in a years-long crackdown that's already extinguished much of the city's opposition. Meanwhile, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has confirmed he will have a successor after his death, ruffling some feathers in China ahead of his ninetieth birthday. Finally, the most successful series ever streamed on Netflix, "Squid Game", is coming to an end. The third and final season of the South Korean show has set a new record for the streaming platform in the first three days.
Recent conflicts have brought the threat of nuclear war to the forefront of many minds. Experts warn that the current geopolitical tensions have likely hardened North Korea's resolve to retain its nuclear capabilities. Against this backdrop, Yuka Royer speaks with Seiichiro Mise, who survived the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki at the age of 10. He shares his story and urges the world to take action towards eliminating nuclear weapons and to "spread the seeds of peace".
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran is testing old alliances. Asian heavyweights China and India have taken different positions. This week we take a closer look at what’s behind the posturing from Beijing and New Delhi. Plus, where does Asia’s other nuclear-armed state, Pakistan, stand on the issue?
South Korea has suspended its propaganda broadcasts across the border to North Korea, following the election of new president Lee Jae-myung, who wants to improve relationships with Seoul's Communist neighbour. According to the South's military, Pyongyang has followed suit by switching off its loudspeakers near the Demilitarised Zone. It comes as a relief to local residents, who have had to contend with blaring sounds 24/7.
Recent student visa pauses by the US have left thousands of Indian and Chinese students in the lurch. On this week's show we bring you a report on how students in New Delhi are being forced to look for alternatives. Plus, we speak to the first Chinese woman commencement speaker in Harvard's history, as US President Donald Trump's feud with America's oldest university intensifies. Luanna Jiang tells us she's surprised her viral speech got politicised.
Superstitious tourists from Hong Kong and China have been cancelling their trips to Japan, partly due to a manga – first published in the 1990s – predicting that a major catastrophe will hit the country in July. We take a closer look.
Before “Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical” hits the stage in Manchester, we catch up with one of the stars to talk about bringing this iconic love story – and Bollywood’s longest-running film, starring Shah Rukh Khan – to life on stage. We also reveal which Indian restaurant has earned its first three Michelin stars. Plus, we explore the potential impact on Chinese e-commerce businesses as the EU considers a €2 fee on small parcels.
A 90-day truce in the US-China trade war has officially begun, with both sides temporarily lowering sky-high tariffs on each other's goods. But there's still a lot of uncertainty facing global trade. Yuka Royer speaks with Louise Loo, China lead at Oxford Economics, about what came out of the recent tit-for-tat tariff tussle and what to expect next.
As the tit-for-tat continues between India and Pakistan following New Delhi’s response to April’s terror attack on civilians in Kashmir, we speak to Christopher Clary, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University at Albany, to discuss whether diplomacy can help ease the tensions between the nuclear powers. We also find out how Islamabad has managed to sustain its influence on the global stage, as India inches closer to the West.
China has instrumentalised the UN, Interpol and Western law enforcement to hunt down and intimidate government critics living abroad, according to a new worldwide investigation led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. In a series of reports, the ICIJ sheds new light on China's long-running "transnational repression". One of its lead authors speaks to FRANCE 24 about their findings.
In the aftermath of this week's deadly terror attack in Kashmir, relations between India and Pakistan have worsened. In this edition of Access Asia, the spokesperson for the opposition National Congress Party in India calls for unity, while acknowledging that the intent of the attack was to divide along religious lines. We also report on how the staunchly Catholic Philippines is grappling with the loss of Pope Francis.
On April 17,1975, a hardline Communist command led by Pol Pot swept into Phnom Penh and overthrew the US-backed military government of General Lon Nol. The Khmer Rouge went on to write the darkest chapter in Cambodia's history, committing one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. More than two million people were killed during their four-year rule, as they carried out mass killings and forced labour in their pursuit of radical ideologies.
How far can reality TV go to engage viewers? Back in the 1990s, a hugely popular variety show in Japan featured a 22-year-old aspiring comedian having to survive solely on magazine sweepstakes, alone and naked in a small room for 15 months. His ordeal was recently revived in the British documentary film "The Contestant". In this edition, Nasubi reflects on the disturbing TV show and shares his thoughts on today's social media craze, with FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer.
The US president's "Liberation Day" tariffs have hit Asian nations particularly hard, including America's closest partners like Japan and South Korea. Six Southeast Asian economies were slapped with much higher tariffs than they had expected, of up to 49 percent. Yuka Royer asks the Asia Centre's Jean-François Di Meglio about their implications and what Donald Trump is trying to achieve in his attempt to reshape the global trading order.
On this week's Access Asia, we focus on how Elon Musk is targeting sweet spots in Asia with Tesla sales taking a hit in Europe and the United States. However, bad news for Tesla is good news for China's electric vehicle maker BYD. Meanwhile, questions continue to swirl over what conflicts of interest exist for billionaire Musk, who is advising US President Donald Trump during his second term in office.