Japan’s elderly makes up record 29%, highest among nations with populations over 40 million

The population aged 65 or older totalled a record 36.24 million, up 20,000 from a year earlier.

Malaysian king has full discretion to decide on pardons, says PM Anwar

He stressed that the conditional pardon would not affect legal proceedings in Najib’s other cases.

Negeri Sembilan ruler sacks state exco members but chief minister says business as usual

The decision was made after the members were found to have violated their oath of office.

Jailed teacher convicted of sexual abuse secretly released early in Indonesia, BBC finds

Undercover footage recorded by the BBC reveals he has been released after serving less than half his sentence.

Watch: BBC tracks down abusive teacher secretly released early

BBC Eye has discovered a teacher who was imprisoned for sexually assaulting a student in Indonesia has been secretly released early.

Why a new Pakistan-China border pact has irked India

A China-Pakistan border pact challenges India's territorial claims and deepens strategic concerns over disputed Kashmir.

Workers came across human remains – and unearthed a mass grave of 572 people

Workers in northern Sri Lanka accidentally uncovered the country's largest mass grave – and reopened wounds from its civil war.

Commentary: BRICS found consensus in New Delhi but that also showed its limits

The watered-down language in the joint declaration showed less a resolution of differences than the narrowing ground on which consensus can be found, says RSIS’ Nazia Hussain.

Trump eyes busy week of meetings as UN General Assembly gathers

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 - US President Donald Trump's two days attending the United Nations General Assembly will include a series of bilateral meetings and events with notable political figures such as the leaders of Ukraine and the United Kingdom, and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Beyond Botox: S. Korea’s traditional medicine gains ground among tourists, including S’poreans

The numbers have increased more than tenfold, from more than 2,500 in 2021 to over 37,000 in 2025.

All eyes are on Nepal’s small forensic labs as they identify flood victims from 30 countries

They face a huge challenge in identifying thousands of flood victims including foreign tourists.

Russian exiles cast votes to voice dissent to Putin and Ukraine war

BERLIN/YEREVAN, Sept 20 - Russians living abroad cast their votes on Sunday, the final day of a parliamentary election, in what many described as a moral duty, if ultimately a futile act of protest against President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.

HK socialite Abby Choi’s murder: Trial of ex-hubby, in-laws opens on Sept 21

The grisly details of her murder attracted worldwide media attention.

Sri Lanka flies monks over drought-hit areas to seek divine help

The monks prayed and sprinkled holy water over drought-hit areas in an attempt to encourage rain.

Malaysia PM Anwar to meet transport minister Loke on return from Shanghai over resignation offer

Anwar said Loke had informed him of the matter but they had not discussed it in detail.

Police arrest Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan’s sister in Lahore ahead of party’s planned march

Aleema Khan has been arrested and sent to jail for 30 days.

Taiwan minister makes rare trip to China for APEC event

Taiwan Labour Minister Hung Sun-han will attend an APEC human resources ministerial meeting in Nanjing.

Indonesia rescue agency recovers another victim from capsized ship, will continue search

Ten people have been confirmed dead in the Java Sea incident, with 108 survivors and 125 missing.

Indonesia rescue agency recovers another victim from capsized ship, authorities say

The passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew members, when it capsized in bad weather early on Sep 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Former England footballer run over by pitch roller in Thailand

Former England winger Andros Townsend jokes that playing Stoke away "wasn't so bad after all" following a bizarre incident before a game in Thailand.

Myanmar win first Asian Games teqball gold as Spain great Puyol watches

Teqball was invented 14 years ago in a garage in Hungary and features players kicking a ball over a curved table, incorporating elements of the Southeast Asian sport sepak takraw.

Johor govt steps up preparations to safeguard water supply ahead of super El Nino

Among the moves are activating pontoons and transfer pumps as well as cloud seeding operations.

South Korea reopens military service alternative for AI talent

The plan sets aside 240 positions for master’s-level AI researchers in 2027.

Bangkok MRT track fire prompts evacuation from station building, causes 60-minute delay

Officials are investigating the cause of fire.

S-E Asia confronts a new wave of leaderless youth extremism: How parents, schools can spot it early

The authorities are rethinking how to spot and stop young people being drawn towards violence.

Najib says unable to pay US$12.26m fine for house arrest pardon; assets 'not within his sole control'

A statement released by the former Malaysian prime minister's legal team on Sunday (Sep 20) said a significant part of Najib Razak’s assets, bank accounts and properties remained subject to freezing orders and enforcement proceedings by the government.

North Korea fires two ballistic missiles off east coast in three hours

Pyongyang last week condemned a US-led naval drill which included South Korea and Japan.

Philippine tribe in limbo over US-led tech hub

About 1,000 people have already received letters regarding possible displacement.

Heavy rain disrupts trains in Japan as tropical storm approaches

The storm is forecast to come closest to Japan on Sept 21.

Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first leader under Chinese rule, laid to rest

Tung died on Sept 8 at the age of 89.

Why Europe really doesn’t want a war with Russia

On Monday, August 25, during a visit to Kyiv, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that the UK would give Ukraine classified blueprints to produce its SCALP cruise missile (a variant of the Storm Shadow), for the explicit purpose of long-range strikes deep into Russian

Asia • 1d

World leaders return to UN amid wars in Middle East and Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 - World leaders gather in New York this week for the UN General Assembly, bracing for President Donald Trump's return to the rostrum for a second year running, with talks centering on the widening conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and the risks of

Malaysia’s ex-PM Najib remains in prison pending $15.6m payment

He and his legal team are studying the conditions attached to his conditional pardon.

China pairs undersea drone mothership with multidomain war vision

China is constructing what may be the world’s first dedicated mothership for extra-extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs) at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, multiple outlets reported. Satellite photos show the roughly 200-meter hull features a large

Asia • 1d

‘Gone too far’: Thai PM Anutin slams foreign lawbreakers as backlash builds

Anutin says foreigners "should not come here and take advantage of us", as Thailand acts to close legal loopholes and deter transgressions.

‘Modern day slavery:’ Myanmar’s military swells ranks through corruption and deceit

RFA investigation showcases first-hand accounts of youth trafficked into military service.

Shark sighting leads to crowds at Busan port in South Korea

The shark, more than 3m long, was first spotted on Sept 18 and again on Sept 19.

China's 13-year-old Yu cruises as Asian Games swimming begins

Yu Zidi opened her Asian Games campaign at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre by breezing through her women's 200m butterfly heat.

13-year-old Yu helps China dominate in Asian Games swimming openers

Yu Zidi took gold in the women's 200m butterfly with a record time on Sunday as China won six of the day's seven finals.

Bear gets on fishing boat, dozes off before falling into sea in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture

Three crew members who were on the boat took refuge in a locked room and were unharmed.

Campus shooter who killed 3 in southern Philippines had planned attack, warned classmates: Mayor

The revelations raised questions about whether warning signs had been missed before the attack.

Japan triathlete Hojo wins first gold of Asian Games

Takumi Hojo finished the men's individual triathlon in Gamagori city in 52 minutes and 56 seconds, nine seconds clear of China's Zhang Xirui who took silver.

Australian PM seeks big tech backing for internet safety, AI rules

Anthony Albanese made the remarks after meeting former Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Japan to give up to $3.5 million in grants for Solomon Islands elections

It is looking to strengthen ties with Pacific island countries where China has been increasing its clout.