In this edition of Access Asia, we meet the founder of New Delhi-based Kartik Research, which has just shown at Paris Fashion Week. Its 25-year-old founder, Kartik Kumra, who highlights "forgotten Indian crafts" in his work, is positioning the brand as an Indian fashion label aiming to break through on the global stage.

In this week's edition of Access Asia, we explore how India and the EU are edging closer, as reports swirl that the two sides are in the final stages of securing a free trade deal. This shift in the relationship comes as both powers grapple with an unpredictable Donald Trump. Plus, we find out how K-pop is thriving abroad but facing a slump at home, as "KPop Demon Hunters" goes home with two Golden Globes.

China has strongly condemned the US attack on Venezuela and capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Beijing had built a strategic partnership with the South American country, and been trying to expand its diplomatic and economic clout in the region. Steve Tsang, Director of the SOAS China Institute, tells FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer that China has a lot to lose but also to gain from the ongoing situation.

Read moreHow Maduro's capture in Venezuela weakens China in Latin America

Also in this edition:

South Korean car giant Hyundai says it will roll out humanoid robots in its factories from 2028. Powered by artificial intelligence, lifelike robots are no longer just a trade show novelty but are set to reshape the workforce and industries, with China dominating the market.

Finally, what are the mysterious green lights glowing in the Gulf of Thailand, so bright they're visible from space? We look at traditional squid fishing in the Southeast Asian nation, which is among the world's largest exporters of calamari.

Police in Australia are investigating a trip made by the suspects of the Bondi Beach anti-Semitic terrorist attack to the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, just weeks before they shot and killed 15 people and wounded dozens more. The region has long grappled with Islamist militancy, but President Marcos's government has fired back at reports suggesting the country was a training hotspot for terrorists.

Read more‘Low-cost’ terror: Bondi Beach investigators examine IS group link, Philippines trip

Also on the show:

The death toll from last month's devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia has topped 1,000. Survivors and volunteers are growing frustrated at the slow pace of aid deliveries and are calling on the government to bring in international help.

Staying in Southeast Asia, Myanmar's military rulers are ramping up pressure on voters to boost turnout in upcoming general elections, the first to be held since the 2021 coup. International observers including the United Nations have called the vote a "sham". FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer speaks with Phil Robertson, Director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates, about the junta's aims amid an ongoing civil war.

It's a story of art, rivalry and bloodlines. Japan's megahit and Oscar hopeful "Kokuho" is coming to the French box office at Christmas. It follows the life of a man born the son of a yakuza boss who goes on to become a "living national treasure" in the hereditary world of kabuki, a centuries-old stage art performed only by men. Ahead of its French release, FRANCE 24's Yuka Royer sits down with director Sang-il Lee.

But first, as fierce conflict returns to the Thai-Cambodian border, we take a look at the plight of civilians caught in the crossfire. Hundreds of thousands of people from both sides have fled their homes and are facing an uncertain future.

Also on the show, China is more determined than ever to assert its territorial dominance at sea. Close encounters with the Philippine coast guard highlight rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea.

The Indian government has scrapped an order which gave manufacturers 90 days to pre-install a state-backed security app on all new smartphones. The move came following a huge public outcry and resistance from tech firms. Yuka Royer speaks with Nikhil Pahwa, a digital policy analyst in New Delhi, about what the app – which is still available albeit no longer mandatory – is intended for and why there was so much concern about what it could potentially do.

Also on the show, we look at the runaway success of "Zootopia 2" in China. Despite the declining popularity of foreign films in the country, and ongoing US-China trade tensions adding more headwinds to Hollywood producers, Disney's animal police comedy broke box office records, accounting for 95 percent of all cinema tickets sold over the opening weekend.

People in Hong Kong are searching for answers after the worst fire there in decades. The blaze that ripped through seven high-rise apartment blocks took more than 24 hours to bring under control, and put the spotlight on the continued use of bamboo scaffolding in the city.

Read moreHong Kong police arrest 8 people as fire death toll rises to 128

Meanwhile, large parts of Southeast Asia remain underwater after cyclone-fuelled torrential rain battered Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia for days, triggering severe floods and landslides. Suffering the worsening effects of climate change, low-lying countries in the region are being hit with extreme weather events more and more frequently, and severely.

Read moreDeath toll in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia floods tops 250

Plus, Australia is going ahead with a world-first ban on social media for children under 16, despite a last-minute legal challenge. Although there has been some pushback from Big Tech, the legislation has received broad support from the public and is set to take effect on December 10.

Read moreWhy is Australia banning children under 16 from social media – and can they enforce it?

We analyse the renewed tensions between China and Japan, who have been locked in an escalating diplomatic row. The spat was set off by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion earlier this month that Japan could respond militarily in the scenario that China attacks Taiwan. The dispute has led Beijing to cancel Japan-bound flights, suspend concerts and ban imports of Japanese seafood.

Next, toxic air pollution in India’s capital has forced schools to shut and brought hundreds of protesters onto the streets for weeks. Angry residents say the government has not done enough to address the crisis. Finally, in China, we go inside a military-style boot camp for children to keep them away from phones and computer screens amid rising concerns around the amount of time the youth spend online.