Today
At least 28 dead after tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay
Pacific Asia • 2:50 PM
1 min
A tourist boat carrying over 50 people capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay amid heavy rain, killing at least 28 and leaving dozens missing. Most passengers onboard were families from Hanoi, including many children, according to local media. Rescue efforts
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Singapore facing 'serious' cyberattack by espionage group with alleged China ties
Pacific Asia • 11:37 AM
1 min
Singapore said Friday it was responding to a major cyberattack on its critical infrastructure carried out by an espionage group that security experts allege is linked to China. The Chinese embassy in Singapore described the allegations as "unwarranted sm
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India's monsoon season grows increasingly unpredictable and devastating
Pacific Asia • 8:00 AM
1 min
India has witnessed its wettest May in 125 years, with torrential rains arriving well ahead of the usual monsoon season. Typically expected in early June, the monsoon arrived early this year, flooding cities across the country. Driven by a temperature co
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Yesterday
Indigenous Indian village dismantled in the name of tiger protection
Pacific Asia • 5:36 PM
1 min
Police and park rangers in Nagarhole National Park in southwestern India tore down an Indigenous village on June 18. They claim that the presence of the Jenu Kuruba people is harmful to the park’s tigers, even though they worship tigers as part of their
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'No regrets': Writer Aatish Taseer stripped of Indian 'overseas citizen' status after Modi criticism
Pacific Asia • 1:55 PM
1 min
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 rep
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Frenchman Serge Atlaoui released after years on Indonesia death row
Pacific Asia • 11:02 AM
1 min
Serge Atlaoui, a 61-year-old Frenchman who returned to France earlier this year after spending almost two decades on death row in Indonesia for drug offences, was released from jail on Friday. Atlaoui was granted a reprieve from execution in 2015 after P
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Afghan refugees in Pakistan live in fear amid mass expulsions
Pacific Asia • 10:31 AM
1 min
Every day, hundreds of Afghan refugee families in Pakistan are being deported back to their country. Since April 1, Islamabad has stepped up its deportations of migrants and refugees from Afghanistan. This wave of expulsions is part of the "Plan for the
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Europeans warn Iran of UN sanctions if no progress on nuclear deal
Pacific Asia • 12:30 AM
1 min
Top European diplomats have warned Iran they are prepared to trigger the UN "snapback" mechanism — reimposing international sanctions — if Tehran fails to make concrete progress on reviving the nuclear deal by the end of summer. In talks with Iran’s fore
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Thursday, july 17, 2025
Wednesday, july 16, 2025
Inside India's ignored conflict: Where is Manipur's path to reconciliation?
Pacific Asia • 6:19 PM
1 min
Call it India's ignored conflict: it’s been two years since violence erupted in Manipur state, yet 60,000 people remain displaced by intercommunal tensions between the majority Meitei and the Kuki-Zo communities. We ask why mediation efforts have stalled
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Two years on, ethnic conflict still grips India's state of Manipur
Pacific Asia • 9:20 AM
1 min
It has been two years since violence erupted in India's northeastern state of Manipur between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Since then, more than 200 people have been killed and over 60,000 displaced. Despite the imposition of martial law and a heavy
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Tuesday, july 15, 2025
India orders airlines to inspect certain Boeing models after Air India crash
Pacific Asia • 7:43 PM
1 min
India and Singapore ordered their airlines to examine fuel switches on several Boeing models with South Korea set to do the same after the devices came under scrutiny following last month's crash of an Air India jet killed 260 people. FRANCE 24's Mark Ow
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Indigenous islanders lose high-profile climate case against Australian government
Pacific Asia • 6:21 AM
1 min
Indigenous Australians residing on a string of climate-vulnerable islands on Tuesday suffered a major legal defeat in their attempt to hold the government accountable for its weak emissions targets. The Torres Strait Islands, located amid the warm waters
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Speculation and blame follow first official report on deadly Air India crash
Pacific Asia • 5:29 AM
1 min
A preliminary report released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau a month after the fatal June 12 Air India crash has not yet provided a conclusive assessment as to why the tragedy occurred – and speculation has run rife in the absence of a
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Sunday, july 13, 2025
Taiwan tightens security after spy scandals, prompting rights concerns
Pacific Asia • 9:22 AM
1 min
Rights groups in Taiwan are voicing concerns over discrimination against former Chinese citizens living in the country, as Taiwan intensifies efforts to root out spies. The island has recently been rocked by scandals involving high-ranking officials, aid
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Kim Jong-un reaffirms North Korean support for Russia in its war with Ukraine
Pacific Asia • 9:09 AM
1 min
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offered Moscow his full support for its war in Ukraine during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Pyongyang state media said Sunday. The talks were the latest in a series of high-profile trips by top Moscow
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Saturday, july 12, 2025
German backpacker found alive after 12 days missing in Western Australian
Pacific Asia • 10:31 AM
1 min
Australian authorities said they found a 26-year-old German backpacker "safe and well" after she had been missing in a remote part of the country's northwest for almost two weeks.
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Fuel to Air India jet engines cut off before crash, says report
Pacific Asia • 5:11 AM
1 min
A preliminary investigation report issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau on Saturday said fuel control switches to the engines of the Air India flight that crashed on June 12, killing 260 people, were moved from the "run" to the "cutof
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Investigation into Air India crash finds engines starved of fuel
Pacific Asia • 12:38 AM
1 min
A preliminary finding into last month’s Air India plane crash has suggested the aircraft’s fuel control switches were turned off, starving the engines of fuel and causing a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff.
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Friday, july 11, 2025
Historian retraces 5,000 years of Indian history
Pacific Asia • 2:40 PM
1 min
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 pressu
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Rubio meets China's foreign minister, sees ‘areas of potential cooperation’ amid trade tensions
Pacific Asia • 1:44 PM
1 min
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a "positive" meeting in Malaysia on Friday, both sides said, in an apparent bid to ease tensions between the rival powers.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Chinese FM at Asia summit
Pacific Asia • 1:08 PM
1 min
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday he had "positive and constructive" talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as the two major powers vied to push their agendas in Asia at a time of tension over Washington's tariff offensive.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at ASEAN summit in Malaysia
Pacific Asia • 10:25 AM
1 min
Listen to the full speech.
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Marco Rubio met with Russian & Chinese counterparts during ASEAN summit
Pacific Asia • 10:22 AM
1 min
Philip Turle, our International Affairs Editor, gives us his take.
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Nobel laureate Mohammadi says Iranian regime has issued death threats against her
Pacific Asia • 9:53 AM
1 min
Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Narges Mohammadi, has recieved death threats from the Iranian regime, the Nobel Committee said Friday. Mohammadi was threatened with "physical elimination" if she failed to stop her advocac
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PKK fighters destroy weapons at key ceremony in Iraqi Kurdistan
Pacific Asia • 3:27 AM
1 min
Some 30 PKK fighters destroyed their weapons at a ceremony in Iraqi Kurdistan on Friday in a move to end long-term conflict in the region that has cost more than 40,000 lives. Tensions rose ahead of the ceremony as two drones were shot down overnight nea
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Thursday, july 10, 2025
From North Korea to Afghanistan: Leading international tourists down the path less travelled
Pacific Asia • 4:20 PM
1 min
North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un is trying to claim his country's stake in the multibillion-dollar global tourism industry by opening a brand-new beach resort. But not many foreign tourists will be able to take advantage of the new facilities, as the c
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South Korean court issues new arrest warrant for ex-president Yoon
Pacific Asia • 1:13 AM
1 min
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested early Thursday after a court greenlit a new arrest warrant for the impeached ex-leader, who faces a host of charges including corruption, abuse of power, and obstruction of official duties.
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French nuclear tests in Polynesia: Decades later, victims seek justice
Pacific Asia • 12:19 AM
1 min
Exactly 40 years ago, a Greenpeace ship called the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in New Zealand, killing a photographer on board. It later emerged that the attack was carried out by France's foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE. Its aim was to stop the boa
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Wednesday, july 9, 2025
Tuesday, july 8, 2025
ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of Afghan women
Pacific Asia • 2:10 PM
1 min
The International Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for the top brass of the Taliban in Afghanistan, accusing them of persecuting girls and women purely based on their gender, “depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms”. A Taliban
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The real-world impacts of the Dalai Lama’s remarks on his succession
Pacific Asia • 12:48 AM
1 min
The political and spiritual leader of the Tibetan community living in exile in India announced the plan for his succession during his week-long 90th birthday celebrations on Sunday. The announcement has sparked a ruthless battle for control between the D
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Monday, july 7, 2025
'I'm not a lackey allowing Israel to continue in Gaza with impunity,' Malaysian PM says
Pacific Asia • 11:01 AM
1 min
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended his contact with Hamas's leadership, saying he urged Hamas towards ceasefire talks with the Qataris, Egyptians and Americans. Anwar said he was "not a lackey of some other co
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Nearly half a million Afghans forced out of Iran since June, UN agency says
Pacific Asia • 7:15 AM
1 min
Nearly 450,000 Afghans have returned from Iran since early June, UN officials said Monday, after Tehran ordered undocumented migrants to leave by July 6. The sudden influx has strained aid groups and raised warnings of instability in Afghanistan, where p
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Australian woman convicted of triple murder over toxic mushroom lunch
Pacific Asia • 4:53 AM
1 min
An Australian woman was found guilty Monday of murdering her ex-husband’s parents and aunt by lacing their beef Wellington lunch with deadly mushrooms. Erin Patterson, 50, claimed it was a tragic accident, but a jury convicted her of triple murder in a c
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Sunday, july 6, 2025
China retaliates against Brussels with restrictions on EU medical equipment
Pacific Asia • 11:41 AM
1 min
China said on Sunday it was restricting major government purchases of medical devices from the European Union, in retaliation to Brussels' own curbs last month. The ban is likely to have an impact on a wide range of products, from prosthetic devices and
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Dalai Lama marks landmark 90th birthday, prays for peace
Pacific Asia • 3:59 AM
1 min
Calling himself a "simple Buddhist monk", the Dalai Lama turned 90 on Sunday in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, where the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile since fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959. The spiritual leader s
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Saturday, july 5, 2025
Friday, july 4, 2025
Dalai Lama set to face off with Beijing over succession
Pacific Asia • 2:29 PM
1 min
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 lead
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Chinese media sphere wages smear campaign against France's Rafale jet
Pacific Asia • 1:58 PM
1 min
The clashes between India and Pakistan on May 6 gave rise to a wave of anti-Rafale smears from China, following the news of the alleged destruction of at least one French fighter jet. An entire Chinese media and digital ecosystem was mobilised to attack
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In the Philippines, Communist guerrillas make a last stand
Pacific Asia • 11:31 AM
1 min
It's the oldest Communist guerrilla group in the world. The New People’s Army (NPA) has waged a violent campaign against the Philippine government since 1969. The conflict has killed an estimated 40,000 people. But today, the rebel group is struggling. S
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Pakistan troops kill 30 militants attempting to cross from Afghanistan
Pacific Asia • 6:42 AM
1 min
Pakistan security forces killed 30 militants who attempted to cross the border from Afghanistan over the last three days, the military said Friday, adding that the militants belonged to the Pakistan Taliban or its affiliated groups.
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Thursday, july 3, 2025
Russia becomes first country to recognise Afghanistan's Taliban government
Pacific Asia • 10:06 PM
1 min
Afghanistan said on Thursday Russia had become the first country to officially recognise its Taliban-led government, calling it a "brave decision". The Taliban regained power in 2021 after toppling the Western-backed administration and have since enforce
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At least five dead, 30 missing after ferry sinks on way to Bali
Pacific Asia • 4:07 AM
1 min
A ferry headed for Indonesia's Bali sank on Thursday, leaving at least five people dead and 30 missing, the second such accident in the island resort's waters, where maritime travel is repeatedly impacted by lax safety standards and harsh weather.
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France demands immediate release of couple held in Iran, warns of sanctions
Pacific Asia • 12:46 AM
1 min
France on Thursday demanded the immediate release of two of its citizens held in Iran for more than three years, warning that a decision on whether to impose sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme would be "conditional on resolving this issue". The news
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Wednesday, july 2, 2025
Thailand-Cambodia border conflict 'instrumentalised, weaponised' for internal political purposes
Pacific Asia • 8:00 PM
1 min
Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra pending an ethics probe over a leaked diplomatic call with Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen. Paetongtarn has faced growing dissatisfaction over her handling of the latest border dispu
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Turkey detains satirical magazine staff over cartoon accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed
Pacific Asia • 5:35 PM
1 min
A Turkish court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan and three of his colleagues on charges of inciting "public hatred" after a drawing in their satirical magazine stirred outrage among religious conservatives and condemnation by
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The anguish of parental child abduction: Japan moves towards granting joint custody
Pacific Asia • 11:58 AM
1 min
Every year in Japan, thousands of fathers fall victim to parental child abduction. It very often follows the same pattern: the Japanese mother leaves suddenly with the child and then forbids the father from seeing them again. These are abductions that fa
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Thailand’s political chaos: what happens now?
Pacific Asia • 8:57 AM
1 min
Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday as it considers a petition filed by 36 senators seeking her removal. The senators have accused the 38-year-old premier of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards in violati
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'Thailand is an autocracy: The system is loaded against progressive parties'
Pacific Asia • 5:46 AM
1 min
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pending an ethics probe over claims she was overly deferential during a leaked call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen amid a tense border dispute. Critics say her h
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China says Dalai Lama successor must be approved by Beijing
Pacific Asia • 5:30 AM
1 min
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday affirmed that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death. China, which considers the current Dalai Lama as a separatist, countered that Beijing has the final say on w
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North Korea opens massive beach resort, eyes Russian tourists
Pacific Asia • 4:13 AM
1 min
North Korea unveiled a sprawling east coast resort, state media said Wednesday, a pet project of leader Kim Jong Un set to host Russian visitors this month. Dubbed "North Korea’s Waikiki" by South Korean media, the Wonsan Kalma area can hold 20,000 peopl
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Tuesday, july 1, 2025
Turkey arrests more than 120 city hall members in opposition stronghold Izmir
Pacific Asia • 7:52 AM
1 min
Turkish police on Tuesday arrested more than 120 city hall members in the western city of Izmir, a known stronghold for opposition to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The detainees arrested on corruption charges include a former mayor and the reg
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Turkish journalists arrested over alleged 'Prophet Mohammed' cartoon that inspired angry mob
Pacific Asia • 1:19 AM
1 min
Istanbul police on Monday fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up a mob of protesters who attacked a bar frequented by staffers from LeMan satirical magazine following its publication of a cartoon believed to be of the Prophet Mohammed. Authorities
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China's love for jade: Coveted gemstones smuggled out of Myanmar
Pacific Asia • 12:06 AM
1 min
Myanmar is the world's leading producer of jade. Up to 90 percent of global supply of the precious stone is mined in the country's northern Kachin state, despite a decades-long armed rebellion raging there. According to the NGO Global Witness, some 90 pe
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Monday, june 30, 2025
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call with Cambodia's ex-leader
Pacific Asia • 9:05 PM
1 min
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended on Tuesday as the Constitutional Court deliberates whether she breached ministerial ethics. A leaked recording revealed Paetongtarn describing Thailand's military leader as her "opponent" as she di
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The Bright Side: Celebrations mark Dalai Lama's 90th birthday
Pacific Asia • 1:58 PM
1 min
Celebrations marking the Dalai Lama’s up-coming 90th birthday kicked-off on Monday in Dharamshala, the Indian Himalayan town where he has lived in exile. Wearing his traditional maroon and yellow robes, the revered Tibetan leader listened as monks, nuns
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Seaweed becomes booming business in India's 'blue economy'
Pacific Asia • 11:42 AM
1 min
As global demand for sustainable solutions rises, India is emerging as a significant player in the booming seaweed industry. With over 7,500 kilometres of coastline and more than 800 native seaweed species, the country is turning to this climate-friendly
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Sunday, june 29, 2025
Friday, june 27, 2025
