The Age

An international NGOs conference is taking place with climate risks, violence against women and social rights on its agenda. The gathering brings together civil society organisations to discuss pressing global challenges, from the impact of climate change to protecting women from violence and defending social rights. The Council of Europe's conference of international non-governmental organisations is hosting the discussions.

Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has died at the age of 100. A doctor by training and a prominent public figure in her own right, she was known for her decades alongside Mahathir, who served as Malaysia's leader for over 20 years. Details on the circumstances of her death have not yet been released, and tributes are expected from across Malaysian political life.

The rapidly growing longevity industry is expanding faster than the scientific evidence supporting its anti-ageing claims, Al Jazeera reports. Consumption of supplements, therapies and interventions marketed as life-extending is accelerating, while researchers caution that proven methods remain limited to established basics like exercise, diet and sleep. The report raises concerns about hype, cost and unproven treatments.

Defence Secretary John Healey is set to promise a 'new age of industrialisation' for the UK in a speech at the Labour Party conference. The address is expected to set out plans to boost British manufacturing and defence industry as part of the government's economic strategy, drawing attention from political and business commentators during the conference season.

Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has died at the age of 100. The South China Morning Post reported the death as a developing story. Siti Hasmah was a prominent figure in Malaysia in her own right, long seen at Mahathir's side during his decades dominating Malaysian politics. Tributes and condolences are flowing from Malaysians and regional figures.

British professional wrestler Benjamin Satterley, best known by the ring name 'Pac', has died at the age of 40, according to BBC News. Satterley gained an international following during a career that spanned major wrestling promotions. Fans and fellow wrestlers have been responding to the news, with many paying tribute to his in-ring ability and influence on the sport.

A new Norwegian science study reports that children and teenagers aged 9 to 18 are increasingly turning to AI chatbots instead of Google for information and everyday questions. Researchers say the shift is happening fast, but its consequences for how young people learn, judge sources and handle misinformation are still largely unknown, prompting calls for closer attention from educators and parents.

Baby boomers are increasingly choosing to stay in their own homes as they age rather than move to retirement facilities, and many are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars renovating their houses to make that possible. The trend toward 'aging in place' is driving a wave of home improvement spending, with renovations aimed at accessibility and long-term comfort.

Justin Verlander, the three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion, is retiring from Major League Baseball after a 20-year career with the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and New York Mets. Fans and fellow players are paying tribute to one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, following a season in which he returned to the Giants at age 42.

Bob Pettit, the Hall of Fame forward who became the NBA's first Most Valuable Player in the 1955-56 season, has died at the age of 93. Pettit starred for the St. Louis Hawks, winning a championship in 1958 and dominating an era before NBA games were regularly televised. Tributes are honoring him as one of the game's pioneering greats.

Barclays analysts say labor-market pressures are set to persist as immigration slows and populations age, tightening the supply of workers in many economies. The bank's analysis points to structural worker shortages rather than a temporary squeeze. The report has been picked up by financial outlets including Investing.com and Yahoo Finance UK, feeding into ongoing debate about immigration policy and demographic decline.

A former United Nations cyber negotiator has warned that Australia's government and critical infrastructure still run on outdated legacy computer systems that AI-powered agents could easily exploit. The warning highlights growing concern that artificial intelligence tools are advancing faster than the security of ageing public-sector technology, leaving national systems exposed to new forms of automated cyber attack.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued guidance answering how age 'under 21 years' is determined for immigration purposes. The question matters because age thresholds govern eligibility for certain statuses, including protections that allow children to remain eligible after long processing delays. The guidance addresses how birthdays and filing dates are counted, a detail that has produced inconsistent outcomes for applicants.

New Jersey education outlet NJ Spotlight News examines how colleges facing enrollment declines may find new students among older adults and those who previously dropped out. The Q&A discusses whether re-engaging these groups could offset the shortfall in traditional college-age enrollment and what policies or support would be needed to bring them back.

Ontario is rolling out its fall Covid-19 and influenza vaccination campaign beginning September 28, with priority access for higher-risk groups. Those eligible first include hospitalized patients, hospital staff, people aged 65 and older, and residents and staff of long-term care homes, retirement homes and similar settings. Broader eligibility is expected to follow as the campaign expands in the weeks ahead.

Researchers suggest participants' age could account for why psychedelic studies produce differing conclusions about safety and effectiveness. Older adults may respond differently to substances like psilocybin or MDMA, meaning trials skewed toward younger or older volunteers could reach inconsistent findings. The claim highlights a gap in how psychedelic research is designed and interpreted.

IntelliNews reports, in its Datacrunch analysis, that Europe's average car fleet is growing older while Ukraine, despite the war, is shifting rapidly to electric cars, many of them Chinese-made. The piece contrasts the EU's ageing stock of combustion vehicles with Ukraine's fast EV adoption, highlighting a widening split in Europe's car markets and growing Chinese influence in EV supply.

Australian opposition frontbencher Angus Taylor is being positioned as a potential contender for the Liberal Party leadership, with commentary suggesting he may be ready to seize what could be his final opportunity. The coverage, appearing across major outlets including The Age and Brisbane Times, frames the question within broader doubts about who is actually in charge of the opposition and its direction.

Slinger Francisco, the Grenada-born calypso legend known worldwide as the Mighty Sparrow, has died at the age of 91, according to his family. The singer was widely regarded as one of the greatest calypsonians of all time, with a career spanning decades of Trinidadian and Caribbean music.

Amazon Web Services has introduced CloudWatch Omni, an observability tool aimed at answering why AI agents took the actions they did. The product targets explainability and auditability in agentic AI systems, one of the hardest open problems for enterprises deploying autonomous agents, and is drawing attention as a step toward making agent behavior traceable.

The Straits Times examines what happens when AI chatbots give harmful or inappropriate advice to children. The piece highlights the risks young users face when relying on chatbots for guidance, adding to a growing global debate about child safety in the age of generative AI and the need for stronger safeguards.

New Zealand's Accident Compensation Corporation has successfully defended its policy of cutting off weekly compensation at age 65. A legal challenge argued the rule amounted to unlawful age discrimination, but the courts have upheld the long-standing boundary. The ruling preserves the existing entitlement framework for injured workers, while reigniting debate about whether retirees injured before 65 should continue receiving support.