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
Korean-American director Maggie Kang won two awards at the 98th Academy Awards as the animated film K‑Pop Demon Hunters took home both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.
During her acceptance speech, Kang dedicated the award to Koreans around the world, drawing strong applause from the audience. The fantasy musical animation, which tells the story of a K-pop group fighting evil spirits, became a global hit on Netflix and recorded one of the highest viewing totals in the platform’s history.
Its theme song Golden topped the Billboard Hot 100 and also won major honors at the Golden Globe Awards and the Grammy Awards. The Oscar victory is seen as another milestone showing that the global influence of Korean content now extends across film, music, and animation.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
The Foreign Ministry has assured that all Malaysians contacted by Malaysian diplomatic missions across the Middle East have been confirmed safe and accounted for amid the region’s volatile security situation.
In a statement on Monday, the ministry said Malaysians residing in Lebanon, including Malaysian Armed Forces personnel serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), also remain safe despite the ongoing security situation in the country.
“Malaysians in the region are strongly urged to remain vigilant and to stay in contact with the nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission should consular assistance be required,” the statement said. It added that the travel advisory issued on March 5, advising Malaysians to defer travel to countries affected by the current conflict, remains in effect.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the latest updates from Malaysian diplomatic missions indicate that no Malaysians remain stranded by air in Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia. “In Jordan and Syria, the remaining Malaysians departed Amman for Kuala Lumpur at around 3.40 am (local time) on March 16,” the statement added.
However, in the United Arab Emirates, the ministry said only a few Malaysians remain on the stranded list, with most already holding confirmed return tickets and expected to depart on upcoming commercial flights. A small number are being assisted in arranging suitable travel options.
In Kuwait, two Malaysians remain in the country. One has secured a return flight scheduled to depart on March 31 via Madinah, while the other is currently exploring available options and has sought advice from the Embassy of Malaysia in Kuwait, it added.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
In the first two months of 2026, a total of 105 investment projects worth more than US$966 million were approved by the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and the Subcommittee on Capital and Provincial Investment (SCPI), creating about 39,000 additional jobs.
According to a CDC press release issued on Wednesday, 42 projects were registered in February alone, with a combined investment capital of approximately US$166 million and the potential to create around 24,000 jobs.
Of the 42 projects, 18 were registered by the CDC — including nine projects located outside special economic zones and nine within special economic zones — while the remaining 24 projects were registered by the SCPI.
The projects registered in February include plans to establish factories producing clothing, footwear and bags, as well as facilities manufacturing cardboard boxes and paper products, home furniture, and camping equipment. Other projects involve processing tin, plywood and wood chips, as well as metals and plastic products, chemicals, Christmas trees, faucets, solar panel assemblies, and the assembly of electrical equipment.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan held a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution, with voter turnout reaching 73.24%. According to official results, 86.7% of voters supported the proposal. The outcome was confirmed by the Central Election Commission and observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The new Constitution reshapes the political system by establishing a unicameral parliament, the Kurultai, expanding presidential appointment powers, and creating the post of Vice President. The reform was presented as a response to the unrest of January 2022 and as part of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s “Listening State” agenda.
The document also introduces a number of social and legal changes. These include defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, strengthening oversight of non-governmental organizations, widening restrictions on propaganda, and expanding the grounds for limiting certain rights. At the same time, it clarifies guarantees related to detention and strengthens protections for personal data.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) welcomed the high voter turnout but expressed concerns about the state of freedom of assembly and expression. Analysts say the reform marks Kazakhstan’s transition toward a new political model.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260315 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
