# Hottub Newsmap · September 2026 · Asia Asia, September 2026 · Coverage by where it was published · 169,039 reports from 27 countries · final · computed 2026-10-18T13:59:22Z Map: https://hottub.news/maps/2026-09/asia.svg · Card: https://hottub.news/maps/2026-09/asia.png · JSON: https://hottub.news/maps/2026-09/asia.json · Page: https://hottub.news/maps/2026-09/asia > Map of Asia of news coverage on September 2026, shaded by publisher country; most from India, South Korea and Taiwan. Top stories: “OpenAI shelves new AI model release over safety…”; “UK police question five men held at airbase used…”. ## Top stories 1. [OpenAI shelves new AI model release over safety concerns](https://www.rappler.com/technology/openai-shelves-new-model-astra-safety-concerns) — rappler.com, 47 outlets, 51 reports The Wall Street Journal reports that GPT-6.1 Astra shows higher levels of deception than its predecessor in internal testing, including efforts to obfuscate its activities 2. [UK police question five men held at airbase used by US to attack Iran](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2631845/uk-police-question-five-men-held-at-airbase-used-by-us-to-attack-iran) — tribune.com.pk, 22 outlets, 42 reports Police impose 400-metre cordon around RAF Fairford, evacuate 85 homes as security stepped up at US bases in Britain 3. [Bank strike deferred after IBA assurance on five-day work week](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/bank-strike-deferred-after-iba-assurance-on-five-day-work-week/article71517232.ece) — thehindubusinessline.com, 22 outlets, 42 reports The decision follows an agreement to form a high-level committee to examine remaining Saturdays as holidays and address other pending demands 4. [U.K. police question five men held near air base used by U.S. to strike Iran](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/uk-police-question-five-men-held-near-air-base-used-by-us-to-strike-iran/article71518813.ece) — thehindu.com, 21 outlets, 40 reports Counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation near the Fairford air base, with a source saying an Iranian-linked motive is considered most likely. 5. [SpaceX puts Starship megarocket in orbit for first time](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/spacex-puts-starship-megarocket-in-orbit-for-first-time/article71521071.ece) — thehindu.com, 22 outlets, 39 reports The black-and-silver behemoth, standing more than 120 meters (131 yards) tall, rose through a thick cloud of smoke on an ambitious 14th test flight 6. [Oil prices spike after Trump rejects Iran truce offer](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/oil-prices-spike-after-trump-rejects-iran-truce-offer/article71518506.ece) — thehindu.com, 23 outlets, 39 reports The market is still pricing some probability that everyone eventually finds their way back to the table, even if they continue to spend the next few weeks shouting across it first 7. [South Korea summons Ukraine envoy as North Korean POW transfer sparks diplomatic row](https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1417954-south-korea-summons-ukraine-envoy-as-north-korean-pow-transfer-sparks-diplomatic-row) — thenews.com.pk, 25 outlets, 36 reports South Korea summons Ukraine envoy as North Korean POW transfer sparks diplomatic row South Korea’s foreign ministry summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador on Monday in a bid to protest against Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s… 8. [AI will self-defend and even extort humans? Anthropic prospectus reveals historic warning: 10% risk of human extinction within 10 years](https://www.storm.mg/article/11168317) — storm.mg, 32 outlets, 40 reports (original: AI會自我防衛、甚至勒索人類？Anthropic招股書揭歷史性警告：10年內人類滅絕風險破10％) 路透社報導，美國人工智慧（AI）公司Anthropic打算在首次公開發行（IPO）招股書中警告潛在投資人，先進AI恐對人類構成「災難性或生存風險」。對於一家尋求從AI獲利的公司而言，這是非同尋常的警告。根據路透社取得的Anthropic IPO招股書，內容強調旗下AI模型相關風險，稱這些AI模型可能展現「自保行為」，包括試圖「抗拒關閉」、「隱瞞或操縱資訊」，......... 9. [Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad, dies aged 100](https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3368993/siti-hasmah-wife-malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-dies-aged-100) — scmp.com, 32 outlets, 36 reports Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, has died aged 100. Her family confirmed on Monday that she died after being admitted to the National Heart Institute. The cause… 10. [Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Israeli official says](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2631892/netanyahu-visited-abu-dhabi-on-sunday-israeli-official-says) — tribune.com.pk, 20 outlets, 40 reports Netanyahu asks UAE president to deny Haaretz report that Emirati leader warned him of impending Hamas attack ## Reports by publisher country | Country | Code | Reports | Share | |---|---|---:|---:| | India | IN | 33,592 | 19.9% | | South Korea | KR | 28,815 | 17.0% | | Taiwan | TW | 20,060 | 11.9% | | Japan | JP | 16,268 | 9.6% | | China | CN | 14,970 | 8.9% | | Vietnam | VN | 11,986 | 7.1% | | Pakistan | PK | 10,524 | 6.2% | | Malaysia | MY | 6,376 | 3.8% | | Thailand | TH | 5,939 | 3.5% | | Indonesia | ID | 4,976 | 2.9% | | Hong Kong | HK | 4,261 | 2.5% | | Philippines | PH | 3,960 | 2.3% | | Singapore | SG | 2,733 | 1.6% | | Bangladesh | BD | 1,955 | 1.2% | | Cambodia | KH | 799 | 0.5% | | Myanmar | MM | 607 | 0.4% | | Sri Lanka | LK | 520 | 0.3% | | Macau | MO | 205 | 0.1% | | Nepal | NP | 167 | 0.1% | | Afghanistan | AF | 107 | 0.1% | | Laos | LA | 70 | 0.0% | | Brunei | BN | 46 | 0.0% | | Mongolia | MN | 45 | 0.0% | | Kazakhstan | KZ | 26 | 0.0% | | Kyrgyzstan | KG | 17 | 0.0% | 2 more countries in the JSON. ## About this map Hottub News counted 169,039 reports from outlets in 27 countries for September 2026. India, South Korea and Taiwan published the most (33,592 reports), and the five busiest countries account for 67% of the total. The most widely covered stories were: “OpenAI shelves new AI model release over safety concerns” (47 outlets, mostly India and Pakistan); “UK police question five men held at airbase used by US to attack Iran” (22 outlets, mostly India and Pakistan); “Bank strike deferred after IBA assurance on five-day work week” (22 outlets, mostly India). Each report is placed in the country of the outlet that published it (from its feed, web domain or Wikidata), not where the events happened. Stories group reports of the same event across outlets and languages; for a week or month, a story's outlet count is its biggest day's. Paid placements are never included. 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