Japan is offering incentives for single women to move out of Tokyo
Japan is planning to launch a new initiative to support single women moving from Tokyo to rural areas to get married, a move aimed at addressing the shrinking female population in the countryside.
The government believes it would also counter the trend of young women remaining in Tokyo for education or work, which has led to fewer single women in rural areas compared to single men, worsening depopulation challenges.
The government will also cover travel costs for matchmaking events and provide additional financial incentives for those who move, The Japan Times reported.
According to the 2020 national census, the total number of single women aged 15 to 49 in 46 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, excluding Tokyo, was about 9.1 million. This is approximately 20 per cent less than the 11.1 million single men in the same age group, with the gap reaching around 30 per cent in some prefectures.
In recent years, more women than men have moved to the greater Tokyo area and tend not to return to rural areas after moving for education or work – resulting in fewer single women compared to single men in the countryside.
The initiative will expand an existing subsidy program, offering up to $7,000 to women relocating from Tokyo’s 23 wards.
Japan is grappling with a significant demographic challenge as its birth rate hit an all-time low, with only 727,277 births recorded last year and a fertility rate of 1.20, far below the 2.1 needed for a stable population.
To address the declining population and its impact on the workforce and economy, the government has launched various initiatives, including financial incentives for couples to have children, expanded childcare facilities, and even a state-backed dating app in Tokyo that uses AI to match singles.
“If there are many individuals interested in marriage but unable to find a partner, we want to provide support,” a Tokyo official was quoted by The Asahi Shimbun as saying.
“We hope that this app, with its association with the government, will provide a sense of security and encourage those who have been hesitant to use traditional apps to take the first step in their search for a partner.”
While some experts warn against drastic fears of societal collapse, Japan is actively working to encourage marriage and family growth to counterbalance the demographic decline.
Prime minister Fumio Kishida has called the drop in birth rates the “gravest crisis our country faces”.
Australian man sentenced for sexual abuse of more than 280 victims
A 29-year-old Australian man, who pretended to be a teen YouTube celebrity to prey on children and young adults online, has been sentenced to 17 years in jail.
The Perth man, identified as Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, coerced 286 victims, including 180 children, from 20 different countries into performing sexually explicit acts on camera or video, the Australian federal police said.
Rasheed pleaded guilty to 119 charges in December last year and was first charged in 2021 when the Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported that he had posed as a teenage social media celebrity to befriend girls both in Australia and abroad.
Australian federal police’s assistant commissioner, David McLean, stated that the man’s “abhorrent actions” and complete lack of concern for his victims’ distress, humiliation, and fear rendered it “one of the most horrific sextortion cases prosecuted in Australia”.
“This type of online exploitation and abuse is devastating and causes life-long trauma,” he said.
“The predator, through his façade of being a social media celebrity, manipulated and exploited 286 children and young adults for his own sadistic pleasure. Most of these victims were in their own homes, a place where they should feel safe,” he said.
On Tuesday, the judge in the district court of Western Australia, Amanda Burrows said the volume of offences was of such magnitude there was “no comparable case … I can find in Australia”.
The man allegedly approached children online pretending to be a teen celebrity with a massive following and asked innocuous questions initially to gain their trust. The court heard that this would then escalate as he would ask them for pictures of themselves he could “rate”.
He then threatened to share screenshots of their responses with friends and family unless they carried out increasingly extreme sexual acts, which sometimes involved family pets and younger siblings or children in their home.
The judge said those offences were “of a degrading, humiliating nature [and] the conduct involving a family pet was particularly abhorrent”.
Mr McLean said there was collaboration between international law enforcement authorities which helped in nabbing the culprit.
“As a result of information provided by Interpol and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) about an Australian sexually exploiting girls in other countries, the AFP was able to identify this man and stop him from hurting anyone else.
“During the investigation, AFP officers liaised with police in multiple countries to help identify victims and check on their welfare, and passed on intelligence about other offenders who had been in contact with this man.”
Rasheed was sentenced for 665 offences which occurred over 11 months and involved 286 victims.
“The victims will forever live with the fear that the recordings you made of them will be [further] disseminated,” Judge Burrows said.
He is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for a separate crime involving the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old child on two occasions in his car at a Perth park. The judge noted that these offences occurred during the same period as his online crimes.
Rasheed moved to Australia from Pakistan at a young age and his parents were “traditional, conservative and strict”, according to psychiatrists who spoke with him.
He reportedly began accessing child exploitation material online in 2018 which then led to him directly exploiting children in 2019 after the online material “lost its effect”.
If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331
Malaysian authorities deploy water jets in search of missing tourist
Malaysian authorities are using powerful water jets to remove debris from underground sewers as they race against time to find an Indian tourist who vanished into a sinkhole a week ago.
Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, the 48-year-old tourist, fell into the 8m-deep sinkhole at 8.22am on 23 August as she was walking to a nearby temple in Kuala Lumpur’s Masjid India district.
The police official in charge, Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman, said: “We feel there is something behind the heavy debris” and said that they are employing a “technique of blasting and disintegrating the objects” to clear the obstruction.
“On viewing the sewer line with trawl cameras, we found heavy objects and debris blocking the flow underground,” he was quoted as saying by The Star.
“Using the technique of blasting and disintegrating the objects, we can dislodge the blockage and have everything, including any remains, drained out.
“So far, we have yet to uncover any clues to the whereabouts of the victim,” he said.
The Kuala Lumpur City Hall has placed over 100 sandbags around the exposed sewer lines to protect them from the disruptive flow of rainwater. Earlier, heavy rains had added to the difficulty of the search, posing dangers to the lives of the divers themselves.
“In that hole, there is a sewage drain and other drains; it’s really deep,” fire operation officer Alimaddia Bukri was quoted as saying by The Straits Times. He added that the rescuers had been diving deep into the sewer amid strong currents and zero visibility.
Meanwhile, the victim’s family has been granted a visa extension and provided with counselling. The family members “do not expect anything and would only want to ‘see her face’”.
“I have also expressed to them (the victim’s family) that the government is committed to the search,” senior government officer Arvend Applasamy said.
Kuala Lumpur’s mayor has, meanwhile, reassured the public of the city’s safety, stating that daily routines should continue unless evidence suggests otherwise. A task force has been established to assess the safety of structures around the sinkhole area.
“In my view, Kuala Lumpur remains safe,” the mayor said. Maimunah Mohd Sharif was speaking in defence of the city’s safety after a 2015 social media post went viral calling it “the most unsafe place” in Malaysia with a possibility of a “giant sinkhole” opening at any time.
“We will only consider it unsafe if there are studies that provide evidence to the contrary, especially given the alarming media reports.”
The Malay Mail reported on Wednesday that a new sinkhole has appeared on Jalan Masjid India, about 50m from where the tourist vanished.
Dalai Lama returns to India amid fanfare after knee surgery in US
The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, returned to the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in northern India on Wednesday after undergoing a knee replacement surgery in New York.
Hundreds of followers in colorful, flowing robes, waving scarves and flowers, cheered the Dalai Lama at the airport and his residence. Several of them beat drums and performed traditional dances. Tibetan and Buddhist flags adorned poles and railings.
The Dalai Lama, 89, flew to Dharamshala after weeks of recovery at the Nappi Farmhouse in Syracuse, New York, following the surgery on June 28.
Dr David Mayman, chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said after the surgery that the Dalai Lama was recovering well and was expected to continue improving over the next six to 12 months.
Dr Tsetan D Sadutshang and Dr Tsewang Tamdin, physicians to the Dalai Lama, said last month that the surgical incision had completely healed without any complications. The physiotherapists said they were happy with the speed of his improvement.
The Dalai Lama has made Dharamshala, the hillside town in northern India, his headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Representatives of a Tibetan government-in-exile also reside there.
The Dalai Lama formally relinquished his political and administrative powers in 2011 and handed his political responsibilities to the community’s elected leadership. But he has remained the spiritual leader of the Tibetan community.
His followers see him as capable of uniting and mobilizing Tibetans inside and outside China.
Over 100,000 Tibetan refugees live in India, Nepal and Bhutan, according to Tibetan organizations. Their number in India is estimated at around 85,000, while many have also moved to countries such as the US, Canada, Germany and Switzerland.
China exercises rigid control over all religions and, in recent years, has stepped up a campaign of cultural assimilation targeting Tibetans, Turkic Muslim Uyghurs and other minority groups.
China castigates the Dalai Lama as an advocate for Tibetan independence and has not had direct contact with his representatives for more than a decade.
The Dalai Lama says he merely advocates for Tibet’s substantial autonomy and protection of its native Buddhist culture.
New Zealand tenants awarded £5,600 over massive cockroach infestation
A group of tenants in New Zealand who faced a severe cockroach infestation that disrupted their sleep and damaged appliances have been awarded £5,600 in compensation.
According to a recently released Tenancy Tribunal decision report, the cockroach infestation also caused two dishwashers to fail and led to other issues at the rental property.
The landlord had failed to address these problems adequately and tried to pass repair costs onto the six tenants of the apartment – the location of which has not been made public – including a stove replacement and a cracked toilet, according to the report.
Tribunal adjudicator Michelle Pollak noted that the landlord failed to take any further action to resolve the issue during the tenancy. However, a receipt indicated that pest control services treated the property for cockroaches two weeks after the tenants had moved out.
“The tenants endured a severe cockroach infestation for the duration of their tenancy that interrupted their sleep at night from the sounds of them scuttling across the ceilings and caused issues with the dishwasher appliances,” Ms Pollak said.
“This ongoing infestation has also led to them having to have all their belongings decontaminated after their tenancy ended and before they could safely move their belongings into a new premise.”
When the tenants vacated the property in February 2024, they were required to decontaminate all their belongings.
The tribunal also found that the landlord raised the rent before the legal minimum period had elapsed. The tenants moved into the property on 9 January last year.
The property was rented through PR Property Management Limited, acting as the agent for Bhavika Enterprises Ltd. The Auckland agent mentioned in the decision, Ram Narayanaraja, criticised the tribunal’s decision and was quoted as saying by NZME: “Everything was wrong, the decision was wrong.”
The landlord claimed that the tenants did not leave the premises clean and tidy, failed to remove all rubbish, and left the property “contaminated with cockroaches” that were not present at the start of the tenancy.
Protesters seize iconic Indian bridge in march after doctor’s death
Protests brought an eastern Indian city to a standstill on Tuesday as police used teargas and water cannons to disperse thousands of people demanding the chief minister’s resignation.
The protest march was the latest in a series of ongoing demonstrations in West Bengal following the rape and murder of a resident doctor at a state-run hospital in the state’s capital.
The doctor, 31, was found dead with visible marks of abuse in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata city on 9 August. An autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.
Police arrested a civil volunteer associated with the city’s police, Sanjay Roy, before the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, a federal agency, amid calls for an unbiased probe.
In the course of Tuesday’s demonstration, called by a student group, the protesters broke through barricades set up by police to stop their march to the state secretariat.
“We were protesting peacefully and, without provocation, police fired teargas canisters directly at us and used water cannons,” Sayan Lahiri, one of the organisers, told The Independent.
Police had denied permission for the march and blocked the roads leading to chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s office as her ruling Trinamool Congress party accused the opposition of stirring unrest.
The organisers claimed the protest was led by students despite supporters of prime minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party taking part in the rally.
The protesters said they were seeking justice for didi, referring to the victim as elder sister, and action against corruption and political killings in the state.
One of India’s iconic tourist attractions – the Howrah Bridge – turned into a battleground as police in riot gear pushed back the protesters, using batons and teargas.
“There were no party flags. Some were carrying the national flag, which the police snatched and threw on the streets,” Mr Lahiri, 30, said.
“This movement will continue and grow till she steps down,” he added, referring to the chief minister. “People in the state are in distress. This cannot continue.”
More than 6,000 police personnel were deployed in Kolkata and its neighbouring city, Howrah, turning the areas around the secretariat into a fortress.
Four student activists were arrested ahead of the rally, police said, accusing them of trying to orchestrate widespread violence.
“Police used unnecessary brute force against us today. The people of West Bengal will not take this lightly,” said a 35-year-old proteste, who didn’t want to be named.
Police officers suffered injuries as well.
In the days since the doctor’s killing, public anger has boiled over into nationwide outrage and stirred protests.
Junior doctors have refused to see non-emergency patients in many parts of the country and launched protests demanding justice for the victim and greater safety for women at hospitals.
The Supreme Court of India has created a hospital safety task force and requested protesting doctors return to work, but some have refused to budge.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front claimed that Tuesday’s protest did not involve “protesting doctors in any way”.
Mr Modi’s party has extended support to the protesting students, while senior state member Suvendu Adhikari claiming that Ms Banerjee’s administration was trying to suppress the rape and murder incident — a charge the state government has denied.
The party has called a 12-hour statewide strike on Wednesday to protest police action against Tuesday’s demonstration.
Pakistan strike: Why traders have called for a nationwide shutdown
Traders in Pakistan went on strike Wednesday, shutting down their businesses in all major cities and urban areas to protest a rise in electricity costs and new taxes imposed on shop owners.
The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has steadily raised electricity prices since Pakistan last month struck a deal with the International Monetary Fund for a new $7 billion loan. The higher cost of living and price hikes have triggered widespread discontent and drawn protests.
Most of the public markets across Pakistan were closed on Wednesday, though pharmacies and grocery stores selling basic food items remained open. Kashif Chaudhry, a strike leader, said those were not closed so as not to inconvenience the general public.
Stores were shuttered in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi, as well as in the city of Lahore, the country’s culture capital, and the main economic hub of Karachi.
The strike was called by Naeem-ur-Rehman who heads the religious Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan party and endorsed by most of the various traders’ unions and associations.
However, traders in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southwestern Balochistan provinces observed a partial strike, keeping some stores open while closing others.
The strike is aimed at forcing the government to reverse the recent hikes in power bills and the controversial tax that followed the recent talks with the IMF, which wants to see Pakistan broaden its tax base.
The July deal was Pakistan’s latest turn to the global lender for help in propping up its economy and dealing with its debts through big bailouts. Earlier this year, the IMF approved the immediate release of the final $1.1 billion tranche of a $3 billion bailout to Pakistan.
Anger and alarm over ‘dystopian’ Taliban ban on women speaking
The Taliban’s “dystopian” new laws that forbid women from speaking or showing any part of their bodies in public have sparked anger among human rights activists, who say they will worsen the gender apartheid enforced by the country’s hardline Islamist rulers.
Last week the Taliban introduced the country’s first set of official rules aimed at “preventing vice and promoting virtue” since their takeover of the country in 2021. The rules are presented in a 114-page, 35-article document.
The regulations, approved by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, require women to cover their bodies and faces fully with thick clothing in public.
Under the new rules, women are not allowed to let their voices be heard in public, even from within their own homes, including by singing or reading aloud. Women are also forbidden from looking directly at men who are not direct members of their family, and taxi drivers can be punished for transporting women without a male escort.
Roza Otunbayeva, who heads the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said on Sunday the laws provided a “distressing vision” for Afghanistan’s future.
“It extends the already intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women and girls, with even the sound of a female voice outside the home apparently deemed a moral violation.”
Penalties for violating these rules include “advice, warnings of divine punishment, verbal threats, confiscation of property, detention for one hour to three days in public jails, and any other punishment deemed appropriate”.
Heather Bar and Sahar Fetrat from Human Rights Watch wrote in Zan Times: “This isn’t a dystopian novel. This isn’t a story from history, either. It’s Afghanistan right now, and the Taliban’s crackdown on women and girls is steadily deepening.”
“Afghanistan is setting the bar for how bad – how dystopian – things can be for women and girls. Politicians around the world seem appalled by the Taliban, but not so much as to do something about it,” they wrote.
A former journalist from Afghanistan, who goes by the name Elaha on Twitter/X, wrote: “I will reach freedom again. We, the women and girls of Afghanistan, will fight for freedom against the Taliban as long as we live.”
The Taliban has reacted dismissively to the global criticism of their new rules, claiming it displays “arrogance”.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban’s government, said in a statement: “We urge a thorough understanding of these laws and a respectful acknowledgement of Islamic values. To reject these laws without such understanding is, in our view, an expression of arrogance.
“We must stress that the concerns raised by various parties will not sway the Islamic Emirate from its commitment to upholding and enforcing Islamic sharia law,” Mr Mujahid added.
Ms Otunbayeva noted: “After decades of war and in the midst of a terrible humanitarian crisis, the Afghan people deserve much better than being threatened or jailed if they happen to be late for prayers, glance at a member of the opposite sex who is not a family member, or possess a photo of a loved one.”
The Taliban’s rules, based on their interpretation of Islamic law, now include barring girls over 11 from education, restricting women’s access to public spaces and jobs, and enforcing dress codes and male guardianship.
Women are excluded from almost all aspects of public life, and the group has reintroduced punishments like flogging and stoning for adultery. Women have also been barred from secondary education, employment, public parks, gyms, and beauty salons.
“Day by day, they are trying to erase women from society,” an unnamed woman from Kabul was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“The Taliban government does not have any sort of legitimacy and these new edicts designed to further erase and suppress women are an indication of their hatred towards women,” Fawzia Koofi, an Afghan human rights activist was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
“When they say women cannot speak in public as they regard women’s voices as a form of intimacy it is incredibly frightening yet the whole world acts like this is normal.”
Elica Le Bon, an activist wrote on Twitter/X: “… The Taliban passed a law that bans women from showing their faces and having their voices heard in public. Their burqas must now entirely cover their faces and they are not permitted to speak in public or to look at any males that are not relatives.
“Perhaps it’s been an emotional year, or maybe it’s because I’m triggered, but I once again cried when I heard the news. I’m still trying to piece myself together. Not even animals are treated with such cruelty, such dehumanisation, such indignity, and such little value for human life.”
Her post was viewed by about 2.9 million people and garnered more than 30,000 likes.