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 a senior welfare center in Seoul’s Songpa District, Lee Young-seok, 90, becomes intensely focused the moment he picks up his cue. Lee represented Seoul in the senior billiards division for players aged 75 and over at the 2025 and 2026 Korea Sports Festival for All. He received the award for the oldest participant in both years after finishing first in Seoul’s qualifying competition. His secret is consistency. Every morning, Lee exercises his upper body with 0.5-kilogram dumbbells. More importantly, he values independence and tries to live without relying on others. “Billiards is a delicate sport where even a one-millimeter difference can send the ball off course,” Lee says. For him, billiards is more than a pastime. At 90, it keeps his body active, his mind focused and his independent spirit strong.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia will utilise Asean diplomatic channels to seek a solution to the transboundary haze affecting several areas in the region, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said Asean remains the most appropriate platform for addressing issues involving countries in the region, adding that through the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES), Malaysia would submit an official letter to the Asean Secretariat in due course.
“NRES Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup will also write to his counterpart in Indonesia. We believe Asean is the best mechanism for addressing issues and problems among Asean member states, and we view it as more effective for the Secretariat to manage this matter,” he told reporters when met at a hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on Friday.
Mohamad is currently on a three-day working visit to Brunei, which began on Thursday. The visit is being held in conjunction with the 27th Malaysia-Brunei Exchange of Letters (EOL-27) meeting on Aug 21 and the 27th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation (ALC-27) on Aug 22.
Yesterday, Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Datuk Mohd Aini Atan said the haze affecting several areas in the region was expected to be among the issues discussed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, during the Malaysia-Brunei ALC-27.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni has revealed that when the nation has been subjected to serious violations and threats from foreign countries, Senate President Hun Sen has led and stood in solidarity with the people, especially with the country’s heroes at all levels and at frontline command positions along the Cambodian border.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony of a new Senate building on Friday, the King expressed his deepest admiration for the heroism of all Cambodian heroes who fought bravely and courageously on every battlefield for the cause of national, territorial, and people defense.
The Cambodian people throughout the country have united as a strong and united national force under the wise and talented leadership of the Government, headed by Samdech Hun Manet, in fighting and persevering on every battlefield, including political, diplomatic, military, and legal battlefields, to defend the nation, protect national sovereignty, protect territorial integrity, and protect our Cambodian people, the King added.
Since late 2025, Cambodia has faced the Thai military’s invasion and legal occupation of its territory along the border, while tens of thousands of families have become refugees living deep inside the country.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Principal Information Officer (PIO) Raisa Adil has said that efforts are being made to resolve the problems of media workers on a priority basis. She said that the payment of outstanding advertising dues to media houses is being reviewed, while action will be taken regarding non-payment and delays in salaries at media houses. She added that steps are being taken to finalize the Media Health Card scheme.
She expressed these views while speaking to a delegation of the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC), led by its Chairman Shakil Yamin Kanga. The delegation included Nasir Chishti, Dara Zafar, Waheed Sheikh, Qalb Ali, and others. The delegation apprised the PIO of the difficulties being faced by media workers and stated that the Pakistan Information Department (PID) has withheld dues amounting to hundreds of millions of rupees, resulting in delays in the payment of salaries to media employees. Raisa Adil said that all institutions had been paid their outstanding dues up to September last year, while the remaining arrears are currently being calculated and would also be cleared soon. She said that newspapers and media organizations that fail to issue appointment letters or pay salaries would be reviewed, and a comprehensive mechanism would be developed to ensure that journalists and workers in the media industry receive appointment letters and their salaries are paid on time.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan’s metallurgical industry produced almost 183 trillion soums ($14.4 billion) worth of output in January–June 2026, up 1.3% year on year, the National Statistics Committee reported. Navoi region accounted for the largest share, with production worth 120.7 trillion soums ($9.5 billion), followed by Tashkent region at 44.9 trillion soums ($3.5 billion) and Tashkent city at 10.3 trillion soums ($810 million). Navoi alone generated around two-thirds of national metallurgical output, highlighting its importance as a major mining and metallurgical hub. Samarkand, Namangan and Syrdarya recorded considerably smaller volumes. The modest 1.3% growth suggests gradual expansion rather than a sharp increase in production. Future growth is likely to depend on investment in modernization, expanded metal processing and greater production of higher-value-added metallurgical products.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260822 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
