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
On September 21, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un addressed the Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang, recalling his “good memories” with former U.S. President Donald Trump and stating that he would be open to talks—if Washington abandons its denuclearization demands.
“If the U.S. drops its obsession with denuclearization and accepts reality, there is no reason we cannot face each other,” Kim said.
However, he made clear that Pyongyang would “never lay down” its nuclear weapons and rejected any discussions tied to sanctions relief. In his speech, Kim also labeled South Korea a “U.S.-colonized crippled state” and declared that “reunification is unnecessary.”
With Trump scheduled to visit South Korea for the APEC Summit in Gyeongju this October, speculation is growing over the possibility of a surprise meeting between the two.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia firmly rejects any malicious attempt to distort its long-standing political support and humanitarian efforts for the Palestinian people.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that since gaining independence, Malaysia’s foreign policy has been rooted in principles of peace, justice, respect for the United Nations Charter and international law, and peaceful coexistence among nations. The statement further underscored that guided by these principles, Malaysia has consistently opposed colonization, foreign occupation, gross violations of international law, apartheid, and other forms of injustice.
“Malaysia’s unwavering support for Palestine’s peace, freedom, and independence—as well as its strong opposition to Israel’s occupation and acts of genocide—is grounded in these universally recognized principles,” the statement reaffirmed.
Bhanu Ranjan, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Twelve more people have died from dengue fever in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours (from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday), marking the highest single-day death toll this year.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), an additional 740 people have been hospitalized with dengue during this period. This brings the total number of dengue-related deaths this year to 179, while the number of hospitalizations has reached 41,831.
Health experts note that the dengue virus, transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, has already spread to various parts of Bangladesh. However, they believe that controlling the Aedes mosquito is still possible—provided that science-based measures are properly implemented.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan’s musical trio Nomad — composed of musicians Azat Raimberdiev, Bek Israilov, and Minzhashar Murzaev — secured second place at the Intervision Song Contest with a total of 373 points. “For us, second place in this competition is tantamount to victory. We congratulate our colleague from Vietnam on their win,” Nomad told the press.
The contest, which brought together representatives from 22 countries, was held in Moscow at the Ostankino Concert Studio. The winner was Vietnam’s Duc Phuc, who received 422 points from the jury.
The Intervision Song Contest is an international music competition that has been hosted in various countries over the years.
Pooneh Nedai, Shokaran Magazine, Iran
The performance Delav, written and directed by Jafar Mehyari, won three major awards at the 27th Sele Theater Festival in Italy.
Held every September, this international festival saw Delav representing Iran this year. Following its performance, the international jury awarded the production Best Performance, Best Director, and Best Stage Design. Both the Best Director and Best Stage Design awards went to Mehyari himself, while Best Performance was awarded to Zendegi, an Iranian theater and film company.
Delav tells the story of a man trapped in the confines of routine and invisible limitations, whose life is transformed by love. The performance is body-based and accompanied by live music. The creative team included Hamideh Barmokhshad (assistant and planner), Armin Rostegari (daf player), and Mehdi Raygani (poster designer). Supported by the Barmokh Institute, Delav has previously been staged in Germany (2017), France (2019), and Tehran (2022).
ⓒ THE AsiaN | All rights reserved
This content is copyrighted by THE AsiaN. If you wish to share it, please do so without modifying the original text and always include the source link. Unauthorized editing or sharing without proper attribution may result in legal consequences.
