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 Lee Jae-myung administration faces a growing dilemma over the ROK-U.S. joint military exercises. What appears to be a matter of scheduling is, in fact, a strategic question tied to Seoul’s broader foreign and security posture. Unlike in 2018, when President Donald Trump suspended the exercises following the Singapore summit as a diplomatic signal to Pyongyang, denuclearization has since slipped down Washington’s list of priorities, while the Indo-Pacific framework has intensified. In this context, scaling back the drills may no longer function as a bargaining chip, but could instead be interpreted as a weakening of readiness. At the same time, pursuing the transfer of wartime operational control while reducing combined training risks creating a gap between capability and symbolism. Caught between alliance credibility and domestic expectations, the government’s room for maneuver is narrowing.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia, through the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), is currently monitoring and reviewing the implications of a recent US Supreme Court ruling that struck down tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said MITI is coordinating with both Washington and ASEAN partners to determine the next course of action.
“Regarding the tariffs, the Minister, Datuk Seri Johari Ghani, has already provided an explanation, and we will receive a detailed briefing before issuing an official response,” he told reporters after a breaking-of-fast ceremony with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia and the launch of the Rakan Masjid x Rakan Muda Ramadan programme here on Saturday (Feb 22), as quoted by The Star. “We will wait for Friday’s Cabinet meeting. MITI is currently reviewing the matter and coordinating with Washington, as well as ASEAN partners, to determine the appropriate course of action,” he added.
On Feb. 20, the US Supreme Court, in a 6–3 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, upheld a lower court’s decision that Trump had exceeded his authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) when imposing the tariffs. The justices held that the law did not grant Trump the powers he claimed. Following the ruling, Trump said he would impose a uniform 10% tariff on all imports under a separate legal authority, adding that the decision left him “more powerful.”
Meanwhile, Malaysia and the United States signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) during Trump’s visit to Kuala Lumpur last October for the ASEAN Summit. The deal maintained tariffs at 19%, with certain products eligible for zero tariffs under agreed partner-trade lists.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
In the first month of 2026, Cambodia exported more than US$159 million worth of tires, an increase of nearly 71% compared to the same period in 2025, when exports totaled more than US$93 million.
According to a report by the Ministry of Commerce, the increase was driven by investment incentives provided by the Cambodian government, which encouraged tire manufacturers to invest in the country and expand tire exports. Currently, the Kingdom has seven tire factories operating across four provinces—Kratie, Preah Sihanouk, Svay Rieng, and Kampong Cham—according to the General Department of Rubber. Cambodia has a total rubber plantation area of 448,051 hectares, of which 346,842 hectares (77%) are mature and tapped for production, while 101,208 hectares (23%) are under cultivation.
In 2025, revenue from rubber and rubberwood exports amounted to US$832,484,926. Of this total, revenue from rubber exports reached US$223,041,259, revenue from domestic rubber sales stood at US$223,041,259, and revenue from rubberwood exports totaled US$6,199,073.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
Indonesia’s stock market has lost nearly 12% of its market capitalization—around US$80 billion—amid concerns related to MSCI, with foreign investors recording net sales of nearly IDR 14 trillion in 2025 and an additional US$783 million in January 2026.
Foreign ownership of government bonds has declined to around 13%, underscoring the importance of market credibility for sustaining capital inflows and currency stability. The IDX Composite Index fell 5.31% with transaction value reaching IDR 18.9 trillion, while total market capitalization dropped to IDR 14,171 trillion. Large-cap stocks led the sell-off, highlighting concentration risks in the market structure and their implications for portfolio liquidity and valuation volatility.
Nasir Aijaz, Sindh Courier, Pakistan
Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry has said that nearly 70 terrorists were killed after Pakistan struck terrorist targets along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border.
He stated that intelligence-based strikes were carried out against seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij (Indian-backed groups), its affiliates, and Daesh-Khorasan along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, in response to recent suicide attacks in Pakistan. Elaborating further, the state minister said that security forces were conducting operations inside Pakistan, with as many as 70,000 intelligence-based operations carried out so far. “Several individuals have also been arrested during these operations,” he added.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
It has been decided to release an amount of 2 billion rupees for the payment of outstanding dues to the media. The release of these funds will be made conditional upon the payment of media workers’ salaries to ensure that their wages are disbursed before Eid.
This was stated by the Principal Information Officer of the Government of Pakistan, Syed Mubashir Hassan, while speaking to a delegation led by Shakeel Yamin Kanga, Chairman of the All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC), which met him at his office.
On the occasion, Mr. Tariq Wirk, Nasir Chishti, Dara Zafar, Rana Yousaf, Sheikh Waheed, and Amjad Islam were also present. APNEC Chairman Shakeel Kanga informed the PIO that media employees are currently facing serious difficulties, with salaries not being paid on time in several organizations. He requested that directives be issued to ensure that salaries are paid before Eid. He also highlighted other issues confronting media workers.
The PIO stated that the government has decided to release 2 billion rupees to media owners, on the condition that all employees’ salaries are paid before Eid-ul-Fitr. He further shared that the Chairman of ITNE will be appointed very soon.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260223 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
