Ahead of Xi’s US visit, Jimmy Lai’s son urges release of media mogul

Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison for foreign collusion and seditious publication.

Australia to target family visas to curb migration, says report

The plan will target those who move from one visa class to another to stay in the country, students and temporary workers.

Super El Nino could reshape daily life, threaten livelihoods in Southeast Asia with lingering heat

The chance of a “very strong” El Nino from next month to December is forecast to be 98 per cent now. CNA’s Insight looks at how living costs could rise and how ready the region is for the disruptions ahead.

Commentary: Why is UMNO calling for an 'immediate' GE? Look at the maths

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim can buy time if he can resist his deputy’s push for an immediate general election. But he still needs a solution, says Asian studies professor James Chin.

Commentary: The main Trump-Xi summit achievement will be it happening at all

The US and China are in a stand-off rather than a state of agreement, says Alan Beattie for the Financial Times.

AI rivalry hangs over Trump-Xi talks

WASHINGTON, Sept 16 - The race for AI supremacy is set to hang over next week's meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington.

Myanmar frees US businessman, Trump officials credited

WASHINGTON, Sept 16 - Myanmar's military-backed government on Wednesday freed U.S. citizen Adam Castillo, who had been detained since June following a business dispute, after what a group involved in securing his release said were efforts by the Trump administration.

India, Pakistan trade blame and protests over navy collision

Both countries said they had summoned each other’s charge d’affaires.

Fed, battling persistent inflation, ups rates 1st time in 3 years

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve raised interest rates Wednesday for the first time in three years as inflation continues to dog the economy, largely driven by soaring gas and fuel oil prices while the war in Iran drags on. The central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee voted

US drops Venezuela from drug list, may remove Colombia, Trump says

BOGOTA, Sept 16 - The United States has removed Venezuela from its list of countries which have failed to demonstrably combat illegal drug trafficking for the first time in more than 20 years, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement on Wednesday, adding he may consider

French seeks lifting of EU sanctions on billionaire after pressure by Azerbaijan, diplomats say

PARIS, Sept 15 - France has been urging the EU to lift sanctions on Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov after coming under what it says is pressure from Azerbaijan as Baku holds two French nationals, three European diplomats familiar with the matter said.

Nepal raises flood missing toll by nearly 1,000 people to 6,150

The combined toll from the deadly glacial mountain collapse on the Nepal-China border from both nations now stands at 1,446 people dead and at least 6,669 missing.

Malaysian PM Anwar announces increased $466 million interim payment to Sarawak

He also announced several improvements to the Budi Diesel initiative.

Malaysia PM to offer to host Myanmar's Min Aung Hlaing in deal for Rohingya return

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday he would invite Myanmar's junta chief-turned-President Min Aung Hlaing for an official visit in return for his government accepting the return of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees.

China's top diplomat urges Iran, US to show restraint, revive talks

"We urge all parties to take effective measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz at an early date", said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Malaysia to invite Myanmar leader for official visit to spur Rohingya repatriation push

He says diplomatic move is aimed at finding solution to issue many Malaysians are concerned about.

Malaysia to invite Myanmar leader over Rohingya repatriation push

"I invited him because I want to tell him that we can be friends and trade. We can accept Myanmar, but they must accept (its refugees) back," Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.

Bucking the trend? HK leader pledges bigger homes for its people in new mega hub

Northern Metropolis flats will offer higher living standards, John Lee vows in city’s first five-year plan.

SK Hynix in talks with Intel about deal to make memory chips in the US for the first time, sources say

Details about how a SK Hynix-Intel deal might be structured are being reported for the first time.

Russia says there is still time to stop an arms race in space after US orbital weapons admission

MOSCOW, Sept 16 - Russia believes there is still time to prevent an arms race in space by drawing up a legally-binding international treaty to outlaw the deployment of offensive weapons there and called on the United States and other nations to set aside their scepticism about

Weeks after Nepal flood, thousands still missing and most recovered bodies unidentified

NEW DELHI, Sept 16 - Nepali authorities said on Wednesday that only about 7% of the bodies recovered after the devastating flood have been identified, underscoring the scale of the work involved in helping thousands of families find out the fate of loved ones.

Philippines' Duterte seen in person at International Criminal Court for first time

He is due to be tried for crimes against humanity over thousands of deaths linked to his war on drugs.

Myanmar’s resistance finally takes the fight to junta’s air power

For more than five years, Myanmar’s military has treated the sky as its safest battlefield. Ground troops lost bases, towns and strategic roads to resistance forces, but aircraft could fly over those losses, bomb the other side and return to heavily guarded airfields. That

South Korean retail investors lost $318 million from scams during stock swing

The amount of money involved is up 19.8 per cent from January to June 2025, according to the data.

Tall athletes can't stretch their legs in container beds at Asian Games, official says

South Korea's delegation slams the wooden containers housing its athletes at the Asian Games in Nagoya city.

Philippine ex-leader Duterte makes first appearance at ICC

Indonesia’s wildfires may last until early November, says minister

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni urged people to stop using fire to clear land during an extended drought.

Malaysia to study relief measures after haze, weather push households above power subsidy threshold

PM Anwar says public concern over spike in bills needed quick attention.

South Korea to allow abortion pills for pregnancies of up to nine weeks

The medication will not become available immediately, as it must first receive regulatory approval.

Former Philippines leader Duterte appears in ICC courtroom

THE HAGUE, Sept 16 - Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte appeared in public for the first time on Wednesday since being transferred to the International Criminal Court 18 months ago to face murder charges related to his war on drugs.

Former Philippines leader Duterte appears before ICC judges for first time in 18 months

Judges heard arguments about his health and ability to stand trial.

Indonesia's wildfires may last until early November, minister says

AI is not a ‘monopoly of great powers’, China’s top newspaper says

The US and China are the two major driving forces of frontier AI development.

China opens major canal linking landlocked regions to sea

Four years in the making, the Pinglu Canal cuts the journey to the sea for goods from southwestern China by more than 560km, generating annual transport savings of more than five billion yuan (US$745 million), according to state news agency Xinhua.

What led to Purbaya’s sacking as Indonesia’s finance minister – and the challenges facing successor Suahasil

Analysts say the appointment of Suahasil Nazara signals that President Prabowo Subianto wants to achieve ambitious economic growth targets in a more careful and prudent way, adding that the new minister will have to balance this goal with fiscal discipline.

Pickle-flavoured tart? AI inspires Japan’s convenience stores

Major chains are turning to AI to develop products with unexpected flavours.

Australian ‘bodies in the barrels’ killer granted parole

The murders came to light in 1999 when eight dismembered bodies were discovered in plastic barrels.

Inside the governance breakdown that rocked Malaysia’s Muslim pilgrimage fund Tabung Haji

An RCI report urged banning politicians from Tabung Haji’s board to prevent future losses.

Anthropic signs deal for Australia data centre: Government

The Claude large-language model would set up in a new digital park expected to open in 2027.

India protests to Pakistan over collision of naval ships at sea

The collision on Sept 15 occurred in international waters.

Japan tapping quantum sensor drones to hunt China’s hidden subs

An undersea technological arms race is quietly reshaping the Western Pacific, as Japan prepares to deploy drone-swarmed quantum magnetic sensors to hunt China’s rapidly growing, stealthier submarine fleet. This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Japan

The small fee raising big questions for India's payments revolution

Since its launch in 2016, UPI has become a central part of India's digital payments economy.

Pickle-flavoured tart? AI inspires Japan's convenience stores

Great powers should shoulder higher expectations from smaller countries: Chan Chun Sing

Chan said overcoming the “security dilemma” requires countries to rethink what “winning” means.

South Korea’s top diplomat to meet Rubio amid US investment, Hormuz discussions

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Washington from Sept 17 to 19.

Sumatran elephants run out of room as fires spread

About 382,778ha of elephant habitat was affected by fires throughout August.