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
As South Korea prepares to end dog meat consumption, demand for black goat meat as an alternative health food is surging, exposing illegal slaughter practices and serious hygiene risks. In the first half of 2026, 66,015 goats and sheep were slaughtered nationwide, up 29.5 percent from a year earlier. Some slaughterhouses reportedly stunned goats with electric rods while they were still tied inside trucks, bypassing required holding procedures. Others skipped the cooling process and transported freshly slaughtered meat in vehicles without refrigeration. Veterinary experts warn that insufficient cooling can accelerate bacterial growth and increase the risk of food poisoning during handling. South Korea has only 17 goat slaughterhouses, far too few to meet rising demand. Meanwhile, cheaper duty-free Australian goat meat is pushing down domestic prices, increasing pressure on operators to cut costs. Chungcheongbuk-do has announced special inspections of slaughter and distribution systems.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, has urged that Cambodian civilians displaced by the border conflict must be allowed to return to their homes.
Speaking at a press conference in Phnom Penh on July 31, Andrews supported Cambodia’s position on resolving the border issue with Thailand based on international law. Andrews, who was on a 12-day mission in Cambodia that included visits to border areas, also urged Cambodia and Thailand to negotiate a peaceful solution so that displaced civilians can return home. “My first mission to Cambodia has left me with deep concerns: for displaced people along the border with Thailand, for those who have been trafficked, and for those who are behind bars having exercised basic freedoms,” Andrews said.
Andrews also expressed thanks to the Cambodian authorities for granting him access to prisons and border areas during his official visit.
Bishnu Prasad Gautam, Asia Journalist Association, Nepal
Nepal is mourning the deaths of six Nepali mountaineers, including Nirmal Purja and Purab Bahadur Gurung, in Pakistan. They perished in an avalanche on 8,047-metre Broad Peak in the Karakoram range on July 30. Four climbers from other countries also died in the avalanche.
According to The Rising Nepal, the official English daily of Nepal, the deceased include Nirmal Purja, Purab Bahadur Gurung, Nima Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa and Nawang Thindu Sherpa. Prime Minister Balendra Shah, Nepali Congress president Gagan Kumar Thapa, tourism experts and other leaders have expressed grief over the deaths.
Purja had conquered all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. Gurung, 37, reached the summit of Mt. Everest 10 times and had climbed 12 of the 14 eight-thousander peaks.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Sergio Gor, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office on the morning of August 1. The Prime Minister’s Press Wing said the meeting covered various issues of mutual interest, development of bilateral relations, US investment in Bangladesh and the Rohingya issue.
Gor arrived in Dhaka on July 30 on a three-day visit. On July 31, he met with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi in Dhaka. According to media reports, various issues of mutual interest were discussed, though no details of the specific content were disclosed.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260802 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
