In a remarkable turnaround in bilateral relations, India has extended a warm welcome to the Taliban's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his week-long trip. The first visit in years by a senior Taliban official sparked controversy, including the exclusion of female journalists from a press conference which he later reorganised. Yuka Royer speaks with Subir Sinha, director of SOAS's South Asia Institute, about the significance of this visit and its regional implications. 

On the show this week, we ask what message Kim Jong-un is trying to send to the West, and the US in particular, as he marks 80 years since the founding of the North Korean Workers' Party. We also explore how India's stance in the Middle East has shifted, as it tilts closer to Israel. Plus, an HPV vaccine drive faces road bumps in Pakistan over claims of misinformation.

Chinese lawmakers are reviewing a new law that tells parents to teach their children to love the Communist Party and criminalises any activity deemed to be damaging "ethnic unity". Yuka Royer speaks with Human Rights Watch's Asia director, who says the bill is a part of a broader effort under President Xi Jinping to try to erase individual ethnic and cultural identities, and that if passed, it would entrench repression of minorities and expand Beijing's ideological control beyond its borders. 

Is India being forced to reconsider its relationship with the United States? In Access Asia, we explore how the aftershocks of the US's new H-1B visa policy are being felt in New Delhi. We also bring you the latest on Indonesia making overtures towards Israel after recognising Palestine back in 1988. Plus, we tell you why the Disney+ K-drama "Tempest" is stirring up a storm in China.

"Evil Unbound", a new film depicting the horrors of the Imperial Japanese Army’s Unit 731 and its germ warfare programme, has hit cinemas across China and beyond. As the latest in a wave of patriotic films to find success at home, it sheds light on one of WWII’s darkest chapters – Unit 731, the covert military unit that conducted inhumane human experiments during the war. We take a deep dive into the historical reality behind the film, featuring testimonies from former Unit 731 members – never before seen in Europe – and expert insight from Dr. Andres Rodriguez of the University of Sydney.

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.