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
Choi Gyo-jin, nominee for Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, is under fire for past conduct and research ethics. His 2006 master’s thesis was found to have copied more than three pages from articles and blogs without citation, which scholars denounce as plagiarism. The role of Education Minister requires unmatched integrity, credibility, and consistency, and in the past, all nominees accused of plagiarism have resigned.
A three-term superintendent of Sejong City, he cannot run again next year, and his name has long circulated in political circles as a candidate for a senior government post. His thesis, based on blogs and news articles rather than academic sources, further undermines his credibility.
He also mocked Park Chung-hee’s death as “Tang Tang Day,” used offensive language at rallies against Park Geun-hye, shared conspiracy theories about the Cheonan sinking, and was convicted of drunk driving. Critics argue that he is unfit to lead education and demand that President Lee Jae-myung withdraw his nomination.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
During the first seven months of 2025, Cambodia’s three main international airports handled 37,492 inbound and outbound flights (two-way), an increase of nearly 16% compared to the same period last year.
The international airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville recorded more than 4,082,260 inbound and outbound passengers — an increase of nearly 16% — while inbound and outbound air cargo totaled 47,218 tons, up nearly 28%.
According to a senior official of Civil Aviation, the airports currently have 31 national and international airlines operating regular flights, including Phnom Penh International Airport with 824 flights per week, Siem Reap Angkor International Airport with 238 flights per week, and Sihanoukville International Airport with 44 flights per week, for a total of 1,106 flights per week across the three international airports.
Nasir Aijaz, Sindh Courier, Pakistan
Heavy monsoon rains and flash floods have killed at least 739 people across Pakistan since late June, displacing thousands and destroying homes and crops, with more severe weather expected in the weeks ahead, according to UN agencies and national authorities.
The National Disaster Management Authority has also reported 978 injuries and the destruction or damage of more than 2,400 houses, while over 1,000 livestock have been lost as of Thursday, August 21.
Severe weather is forecast to continue into early September, raising the risk of further flooding, landslides, and crop losses, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has borne the brunt of the disaster. Authorities declared a state of emergency in nine districts, including Buner, Shangla, and Mansehra, after torrential rains between August 15 and 19 left 368 people dead, 182 injured, and more than 1,300 homes damaged. Nearly 100 schools were also destroyed. According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least 21 children were among those killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since August 15.
In Sindh province, heavy rains on August 19 triggered urban flooding in Karachi — Pakistan’s largest city — where at least six people were killed in wall collapses and electrocutions. Rainfall reached up to 145 millimeters (about 5.75 inches) in parts of the city, inundating roads and leaving many neighborhoods without power for hours. The province of Punjab also suffered extensive flooding along the Indus and Chenab rivers, which displaced more than 2,300 families and damaged cash crops across thousands of acres.
Pooneh Nedai, Shokaran Magazine, Iran
The movie “Black Rabbit, White Rabbit”, directed by Shahram Mokri, was first screened at the Busan Film Festival and has now been selected for the main competition at the 69th BFI London Film Festival. Written by Nasim Ahmadpour and Shahram Mokri, and produced by Negar Eskandarfard, it is a joint production of Tajikistan and the UAE, filmed in Tajikistan.
The story follows a woman who, after a car accident, realizes that her reality is mysteriously changing. The film stars Babak Karimi along with several foreign actors, and its global distribution is managed by DreamLab in France. The London festival runs from October 8 to 19, 2025.
Habib Toumi, THE AsiaN, Bahrain
A Saudi man who risked his life to avert a potential catastrophe has been honored with one of the nation’s highest distinctions.
Maher Al Dalbahi, who bravely moved a burning truck away from a gas station, was awarded the King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class) by King Salman, along with an SR1 million ($267,000) reward, in recognition of his extraordinary courage and selflessness. The truck’s driver had abandoned the vehicle dangerously close to fuel pumps after failing to control the blaze. Realizing the imminent threat, Al Dalbahi climbed into the truck and drove it to an open area, away from civilians and the station’s fuel tanks.
In the process, he sustained severe burns to his hands, legs, and face. He was rushed to a hospital in Riyadh, where he remains under treatment and continues to recover.
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