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
The 2025 Econometric Society World Congress (ESWC), dubbed the “Olympics of Economists,” opened on August 18 at COEX in Seoul. Organized every five years, it is Korea’s first time hosting. The event gathered 2,500 participants from 62 countries, featuring 1,800 papers and lectures. A special session on the opening day addressed family policy and gender gaps in the labor market. Seoul National University’s Hwang Ji-soo noted parenting pressures hinder childbirth, while international scholars emphasized structural causes and corporate roles. Nobel laureate James Robinson’s keynote follows on August 19.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
On August 18, the Sepang Magistrate’s Court sentenced Chinese national Fang Fuyuan, 31, to one month in jail and a RM2,000 fine for assaulting an immigration officer at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1. Magistrate Khairatul Animah Jelani delivered the sentence after Fang pleaded guilty through a court interpreter. Fang was charged with voluntarily injuring officer Nurdiana Atirah Shapinaz Abdul Rahman during her official duties. The assault occurred after Fang was asked to give way to a Bangladeshi tourist, leading her to shout, pull the officer’s scarf, and push her head against a pole.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen strongly rejected remarks attributed to Thailand’s acting Prime Minister, who reportedly said he would arrest Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet if found in Thailand. Hun Sen stated that if the report was accurate, it showed the acting Prime Minister’s ignorance of customary law and diplomatic protocol. He warned that if Thailand could arrest Cambodian leaders, Cambodia could in turn arrest Thai leaders responsible for killing Cambodian citizens. Hun Sen questioned whether this was an act of building trust or a provocation risking renewed conflict after the ceasefire agreement.
Pooneh Nedai, Shokaran Magazine, Iran
Professor Mohammad Mehdi Faghani, a senior journalism expert, called for reforming Iran’s Press Law through the Journalists’ Association rather than government bodies, criticizing the state’s tendency to control the media rather than grant freedom. He argued that no government welcomes a truly free press, yet journalists’ professional rights must be recognized. With new technologies and social media, he said newspapers no longer hold the same influence, often with smaller circulation than online pages. He urged for a comprehensive media system treating print, broadcast, and digital equally, noting current laws impose heavier accountability on newspapers compared to state media, which he deemed outdated discrimination.
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