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
President Lee Jae-myung held summit talks on February 23 with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Seoul, agreeing on the urgent need to resume negotiations for a trade agreement between South Korea and MERCOSUR. The South American bloc — Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay — began talks with Seoul in 2018, but discussions have remained stalled since 2021.
The two leaders elevated bilateral ties to a “strategic partnership” and signed 10 MOUs covering minerals, finance, science, agriculture, and health. Lula invited greater Korean investment in Brazil’s rare earth and critical minerals sectors and called for swift sanitary clearance for Brazilian beef exports.
Following the state banquet, the leaders shared fried chicken made from Brazilian poultry and Korean draft beer — a symbolic “chimaek diplomacy” underscoring momentum for deeper economic cooperation.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia, and Donald Trump, President of the United States, signed an agreement toward a new “Golden Age” Indo–US alliance on 19 February 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Under the agreement, Indonesia will eliminate tariffs on more than 99 percent of US products and ease non-tariff barriers, including relaxing local content requirements and exempting certain US-manufactured products from halal certification and labeling requirements. Indonesia also committed to purchasing US goods and services worth US$33 billion, comprising US$15 billion in energy, US$13.5 billion in aviation, and US$4.5 billion in agriculture.
Nasir Aijaz, Sindh Courier, Pakistan
At least three Federal Constabulary (FC) personnel were martyred when an ambulance carrying injured officers came under a terrorist attack in the Badrakhail area of Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, police said on Monday.
The personnel had been wounded earlier in a quadcopter attack on an FC post in the Dargah (Shrine) Shaheedan area that morning. They were being transported to a hospital for treatment when the ambulance was targeted, according to the district police officer. At least five FC personnel were injured in the quadcopter strike, while two rescue workers were also wounded in the subsequent ambulance attack, he added.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has experienced a rise in cross-border militant activity, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, both of which border Afghanistan.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
India has expressed its hope to further strengthen the Dhaka–Delhi people-centric relationship with the newly elected government of Bangladesh, with a focus on mutual interests and the welfare of the people.
Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, Pranay Verma, made the remarks to the media on Sunday evening after a courtesy call on the new Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman. He said, “We are eager to engage with the new government of Bangladesh. We want to work together with a positive, constructive, and forward-looking vision.” Pranay Verma added, “We have reiterated our commitment to building a democratic, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh.”
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Ala-Too Resort OJSC and representatives of the Office of Sheikh Mansour discussed investment prospects for Kyrgyzstan’s planned all-season ski resort cluster during an online meeting. UAE investors stated that they intend to prepare and submit proposals in the near future.
Board Chairman of the Kyrgyz OJSC, Zharkynbek Maksutov, presented the project concept, which is under the personal supervision of President Sadyr Japarov. He highlighted the site’s strategic location and strong potential for international tourism. The Ala-Too Resort cluster, formerly known as “Three Peaks,” has been granted national project status. The Kyrgyz government has allocated land in the Issyk-Kul Region and offered tax incentives to support the initiative.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a senior UAE leader and member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, has served as UAE Vice President since March 2023. He also holds the positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and is associated with major investment funds and global assets.
ⓒ THE AsiaN | All rights reserved
This content is copyrighted by THE AsiaN. If you wish to share it, please do so without modifying the original text and always include the source link. Unauthorized editing or sharing without proper attribution may result in legal consequences.
THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20260224 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
