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
Lee Chan-jin, the newly appointed head of South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service, proudly lists his roles as vice president of Minbyun (Lawyers for a Democratic Society) and executive director of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.
Ironically, during his time as a “public-interest lawyer,” he reportedly amassed nearly 40 billion won through mass lawsuits. While at the civic group, he criticized officials who owned multiple homes—once even declaring that he wanted to “ban second homes in the Constitution.”
Despite lacking expertise in finance, Lee’s appointment is widely believed to stem from his close ties to President Lee Jae-myung, a classmate from the Judicial Research and Training Institute and his attorney in the Ssangbangwool illegal remittance case. His perceived hypocrisy further fuels public distrust in the government.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan stated that Malaysia, along with the rest of the world, is watching in horror as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to carry out massacres and cause one of the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises in Sudan.
In a statement, Mohamad said Malaysia has called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the RSF to open humanitarian corridors to allow aid and essential supplies to reach the people of El Fasher and other affected areas in Sudan’s Darfur region.
“The brutalities on display are deplorable. As shown by satellite images of blood covering the city of El Fasher, it has become a literal bloodstain on all of humanity. It is absolutely unconscionable. These senseless acts of extreme violence must end now,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Sudan has been ravaged by civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF since April 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. According to the United Nations, Sudan is now facing the largest humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world, with about 14 million people displaced out of a total population of 51 million.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet has instructed the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to ban the consumption, distribution, display, and advertisement of all types of energy drinks within and around school premises.
The Prime Minister’s directive aims to strengthen measures that promote food safety and well-being in both public and private general education institutions. On the occasion of the 12th National Nutrition Day 2025, Hun Manet directed the Ministry to continue promoting nutrition education for students through school feeding programs that utilize community-based agricultural products, as well as by providing nutrition education services.
Hun Manet emphasized that the Ministry must pay close attention to children’s diets — particularly by strictly prohibiting the sale of sweetened beverages and energy drinks to students — in order to safeguard their health, as childhood diabetes has become a growing concern.
Bhanu Ranjan, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
There are about 1.4 million blind people in Bangladesh, and each year, around 40,000 more people lose their sight. According to the World Health Organization, one-third of Bangladesh’s blind population — about 526,000 people — are blind solely due to corneal defects.
Experts say that sight can be restored through corneal transplantation, with corneas being collected through posthumous eye donations. To raise awareness about this issue, National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day was observed on November 2.
Eye specialists explained that the main causes of corneal blindness include vitamin A deficiency, bacterial or viral infections, eye injuries, and corneal ulcers. The Sandhani National Eye Donation Association has urged the public to donate corneas after death to help restore sight to those who are blind.
Pooneh Nedai, Shokaran Magazine, Iran
The private lender Bank Ayandeh in Iran has been dissolved and merged into the state-owned Bank Melli Iran after regulators uncovered major financial losses and risky lending practices.
This merger adds to the government’s financial burden, as additional funds may be required to protect depositors and stabilize the banking system. Economists warn that printing more money to cover these costs could further fuel inflation. Rising inflation would drive up prices for goods and services, eroding the purchasing power of ordinary Iranians and placing greater strain on the country’s already fragile economy.
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