AJA Newsbites is a curated roundup of major news and developments from across Asia, brought to you by members of Asia Journalist Association (AJA)
Lee Sang-ki, THE AsiaN, Korea
At the 2025 Service Area Food Festa, the Seoul-bound Jukjeon Service Area’s “Yongin Seongsan Pork Bone Hangover Soup” took home the grand prize. This hearty soup—made with pork raised on ginseng and other medicinal herbs, and simmered with potatoes and greens—was praised for its deep flavor and lack of any unpleasant odor.
Excellence Awards went to the “Mama Tendon” from Iksan Mireuksaji Service Area and the “Waegwan Handmade Sausage Army Stew” from Chilgok Service Area. Merit Awards were given to Hampyeong Nabi Service Area’s “Muan Onion Octopus-Pork Rice” and Hongcheon Service Area’s “Corn Nutrition Meal Set.”
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will visit Myanmar on 19 September 2025, alongside his counterparts from Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The visit aims to gain a clearer understanding of the situation on the ground and to observe the workings of Myanmar’s new administration ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit in October. According to Mohamad, Myanmar has established the State Security and Peace Council, a body focused on national peace and security. However, the country’s highest authority remains the National Defense and Security Council.
Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar’s junta leader has been excluded from ASEAN summits due to the regime’s failure to implement the bloc’s peace roadmap. In response, ASEAN has continued to push for a diplomatic resolution to the country’s civil conflict. “Myanmar must fulfill its promise of an ‘extended and expanded ceasefire.’ They have also announced plans to hold elections, which is why they have ended—or chosen not to extend—their state of emergency. This, they say, is in accordance with their constitution,” Mohamad emphasized.
He added that he looks forward to discussing the nature of the planned elections—particularly whether they will be comprehensive—since 63 cities or regions remain under a state of emergency. Furthermore, Malaysia remains concerned about the lack of concrete progress in implementing the Five-Point Consensus on the ground.
Khatuna Chapichadze, Asia Journalist Association, Georgia
On August 8, 2025, two long-time South Caucasian rivals — Armenia and Azerbaijan — signed a landmark peace declaration at the White House, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The agreement marks a major step toward ending decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region long considered one of the most volatile and difficult to resolve among global territorial disputes.
At the heart of the deal is the creation of the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) — a strategic transit corridor running through southern Armenia, linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave and further to Turkey. Under Armenian law, the United States has been granted exclusive development rights to the corridor for up to 99 years.
The agreement also includes commitments to diplomatic normalization and security cooperation, along with expanded U.S. ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan in areas such as energy, trade, and technology — including artificial intelligence.
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