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
Political tensions in South Korea intensified on January 16 as a former president was sentenced, a lawmaker continued a hunger strike demanding special investigations, and the incumbent president met with party leaders. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison at first instance for obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant and infringing on cabinet deliberation rights. The court stated that he disregarded constitutional safeguards during the martial law process and unlawfully mobilized the presidential security service. On the same day, lawmaker Jang Dong-hyuk entered the second day of his hunger strike, calling for “twin special prosecutors” to investigate alleged political donations from the Unification Church and suspected nomination-related fundraising. Meanwhile, President Lee Jae-myung hosted a luncheon with leaders of ruling and minor parties at Cheong Wa Dae, urging political unity. The People Power Party did not attend.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
An attempt to smuggle 32 illegal immigrants out of Malaysia via sea routes was foiled early Friday morning when the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Selangor detained them, said Maritime Commander Mohd Fairusnizam Abdul Razak. According to Mohd Fairusnizam, his team detected a suspicious wooden boat with no registration number about 3.6 nautical miles southwest of Kuala Selangor at approximately 4:15 a.m. When ordered to stop for inspection, the skipper refused to comply and attempted to flee. “After about 15 minutes of pursuit, the boat was successfully intercepted and detained by our team. There were 32 illegal immigrants on board—23 men and nine women aged between 24 and 60—believed to have been attempting to leave the country illegally,” he said in a statement. Mohd Fairusnizam added that all 32 individuals were Indonesian nationals and failed to produce valid identification documents. The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM).
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Two officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) are set to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday to break the deadlock over security concerns surrounding Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup. Sources said the ICC representatives will land in Dhaka on Saturday night and will hold a meeting on Sunday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. According to individuals familiar with the matter, the visit is being viewed as a last-minute effort by the ICC to resolve the issue. A virtual discussion was held earlier on Wednesday, but it did not produce a breakthrough. The ICC later re-established contact and took the initiative to reach an agreement between both parties. The situation has grown increasingly complicated following calls to relocate Bangladesh’s matches — scheduled to be held in India from February 7 to March 8 — due to security concerns.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Alcohol consumption in Central Asia remains significantly lower than in most of the post-Soviet space, largely reflecting Islamic cultural and religious traditions. According to data from the World Population Review, cited by IslamNews, annual per capita consumption of pure alcohol stands at 5.4 liters in Kazakhstan, 3.9 liters in Kyrgyzstan, and 2.1 liters in Uzbekistan. The lowest levels were recorded in Tajikistan (0.7 liters) and Turkmenistan (0.3 liters). In contrast, Eastern and Central Europe continue to lead global consumption rankings. Romania tops the list with 17.1 liters per capita, followed by Georgia (15.5) and Latvia (14.7). Among CIS countries, Moldova (14.1), Belarus (11.4), and Russia (10.5) report the highest consumption levels. In July 2025, Turkmenistan approved a national program for 2025–2028 aimed at preventing the harmful effects of alcohol and improving public health.
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