Troubled e-commerce platform Qoo10 has told some merchants that it is confirming a schedule to transfer them their money owed. As of Sep 25 evening, 19 claims have been filed with the Small Claims Tribunal against Qoo10. The majority are for non-payment, while the others include complaints about online shopping credits that cannot be used.

China will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic next week. As the wealth of Chinese people has grown over the past few decades, the way they spend their "money" has also been closely watched for its impact on the world. CNA's Tan Si Hui takes a look at the latest trend in the outbound travel industry to find out what makes Chinese travellers tick.

Malaysian police apply and get remand extensions for several individuals, including top management at GISB, which is implicated in a case involving the alleged abuse of hundreds of children. Afifah Ariffin reports from Kuala Lumpur.

The race to replace Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is shaping up to be a close one. Three candidates are dominating the polls and one of them is former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba. The 67-year-old is making his fifth attempt at the top job. CNA's Michiyo Ishida explains the chances of a breakthrough for the veteran politician.

California is considering a new law to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), which seeks to rein in potentially "catastrophic" consequences of the powerful technology. The bill's supporters say it will mitigate the risks of AI, but opponents believe it will slow down one of the state's most dynamic industries. Ira Spitzer reports.

US President Joe Biden's speech to the UN General Assembly faced criticism as the annual summit gets underway. He backed Israel's right to defence but also warned against a full-scale war in Lebanon. The Lebanese foreign minister labelled the message "not strong, not promising", saying the US, which is Israel's closest ally, is the only country that can make a difference. The US president was among a slew of world leaders focusing on Middle East conflicts. Mitch McCann brings us more from the UN Headquarters.

Chinese outbound tourist numbers are expected to exceed 130 million this year, up by half from last year. As travel picks up again, many Chinese travellers are abandoning Western destinations and heading instead to Middle Eastern countries - such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia - for their rich heritage, dedicated hospitality and exotic attractions. CNA’s Tan Si Hui reports. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

⚠️ Heads up: There will be no MRT services between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations for at least the rest of Wednesday (Sep 25), after an earlier power trip caused trains to stall. Commuters are advised to take the free regular and bridging bus services between the affected stations.

From Oct 17, Shake Shack will have a new menu inspired by zi char restaurant KEK Seafood’s popular coffee pork ribs and white pepper crab dishes. Read more: https://cna.asia/47BF8ql

Pope Francis recently wrapped a historic 11-day trip, making stops in four nations in Asia and Oceania for the first time. CNA's Leong Wai Kit covered the Pope’s entire trip and shares with Teresa Tang his firsthand account of what it's like to witness the leader of the Catholic Church at work. 0:00 Intro 3:33 Flying with the Pope 6:00 People’s reactions to Pope Francis 11:18 Security concerns 14:10 The Pope's message 18:36 Pulling off a press conference on a plane Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

From stinky tofu to being the entertainment capital of China, the city of Changsha in the central Hunan province has shot to 'internet famous'-status in recent years. It's not just drawing tourists, but many who are choosing to relocate from around the country. CNA’s Olivia Siong finds out how the nation’s central regions have gone from “forgotten child” to key players.

Singapore's total population has hit a record six million as of June this year, a 2 per cent rise from 2023. The authorities attribute the increase mainly to the growth in the number of non-residents, such as work permit holders and migrant domestic workers. Of the 6.04 million population, 3.64 million are citizens. This is a rise of 0.7 per cent. Permanent resident numbers also rose, by 1.2 per cent to about 545,000. CNA speaks to Professor Paulin Straughan, Professor of Sociology (Practice) at the SMU School of Social Sciences.

Eighty-nine people and organisations have been honoured for donating S$11.6 million worth of cash, artefacts and in-kind support towards preserving Singapore's heritage. At a ceremony to celebrate them, Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong says everyone can do their part for the benefit of future generations. Charlotte Lim with more.

Fewer workers in Singapore faced discrimination last year, continuing a downward trend since 2018. But the Manpower Ministry's latest workplace fairness report also shows that around seven in 10 of those who faced unfair treatment did not seek help, an increase from 2022. Richa Mathew with this report.

Twelve Singapore Armed Forces servicemen were injured after a collision between two Hunter armoured vehicles in the Australian city of Rockhampton on Sep 24. They were air-lifted to Rockhampton Hospital. The Defence Ministry says their injuries are non-serious and they are recovering well. It has called for a safety pause for Exercise Wallaby. Nicolas Ng reports from Rockhampton.

In the High Court on Sep 24, former transport minister S Iswaran was convicted on charges of receiving gifts while in office. At the start of the trial, the prosecutors had decided to replace two corruption charges with two lesser charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code. The prosecution stressed that the corruption charges were not withdrawn but amended and there was good basis for those charges. It saw the trial proceed with only five charges, including four offences related to public servants obtaining valuable things and one charge of obstruction of justice. The 62-year-old admitted to all five. The court judge said the remaining 30 charges Iswaran faces will be taken into consideration in deciding how he will be punished. Sentencing has been set for Oct 3. Jeraldine Yap reports.

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will pick a new leader on Sep 27. A record nine candidates are running to replace Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as LDP president and leader of Asia’s second-largest economy. A front-runner in recent polls is 43-year-old Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former premier Junichiro Koizumi, and a one-time environment minister. If he wins, he would be the youngest prime minister in post-war Japan. CNA's Michiyo Ishida reports.

The 79th session of the UN General Assembly will be Joe Biden's final appearance before the world body as US president. His final speeches are expected to lay the foundation for US alliances ahead of the November election. Mitch McCann reports from New York.

Voters across 26 constituencies in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir region will head to the polls in the second phase of the regional election on Sep 25. It is the province's first local election in a decade and among the highlights are demands to make the region a state once again. Ishan Garg is in the region's summer capital Srinagar and he tells us more about the mood on the ground.

Also on East Asia Tonight (Sep 24), Japan protests a Russian patrol plane flying into its airspace; Beijing asks Tokyo to handle schoolboy’s stabbing calmly; and a look at how China’s central hub Changsha went from "forgotten child" to first-tier city.