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
Learning has no retirement age, says 71-year-old Tsutsumi Yasujirō, the oldest international student at Korea University’s Korean Language Center. A former senior Japanese police official, he attends four hours of Korean classes five days a week and spends evenings reviewing lessons in the library.
After undergoing pancreatic cancer surgery in 2015, he decided it was never too late to pursue a long-held dream. Having studied in Korea once before, he returned this year to improve his language skills. Inspired by Korean dramas and culture, he hopes to become a Korean language instructor for senior citizens in Japan after earning a higher TOPIK score.
“I don’t want to lock myself inside the limits of age,” he says. His journey shows that lifelong learning can restore purpose, confidence, and hope at any stage of life.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia’s passport has retained its position as the world’s seventh most powerful in the Henley Passport Index 2026, providing visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 183 destinations. Malaysia shares seventh place with Australia, Canada, Czechia, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Within Southeast Asia, Malaysia remains the region’s second most powerful passport behind Singapore, which topped the global ranking with visa-free access to 192 destinations. Brunei ranked 19th with access to 163 destinations.
Globally, Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates shared second place, followed by Sweden in third. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain jointly ranked fourth, while Austria, Greece, Malta, Portugal, and Switzerland shared fifth. Hungary, Poland, and the United Kingdom ranked sixth, ahead of Croatia and Estonia in eighth, and Liechtenstein and Lithuania in ninth.
Malaysia also ranked ahead of several advanced economies, including the United States and Iceland (joint 10th) and Hong Kong (14th). Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand ranked 63rd with access to 77 destinations, followed by Indonesia (68th, 70 destinations), the Philippines (72nd, 65 destinations), Vietnam (87th), Cambodia (88th), Laos (89th), and Myanmar (91st).
The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations accessible without a prior visa, assessing 199 passports across 227 travel destinations. It is compiled by Henley & Partners using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and updated regularly.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Cambodia exported more than 1 million tonnes of raw cashew nuts worth over US$1.7 billion in the first half of 2026, according to unofficial data from the Cambodian Cashew Association.
Approximately 1,030,000 tonnes were exported to Vietnam, earning around US$1,751 million — a 28.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Cambodian Cashew Association President Uon Siloth told reporters that while export volumes have been rising, prices have also improved. Fresh cashew nuts currently fetch 8,200 riel (about US$2) per kilogram, up from 7,500 riel in 2025.
Uon said the higher prices have incentivised traders to sell raw nuts abroad, leaving only a small quantity available for domestic processing. He noted that the capacity for local processing remains limited.
Bob Iskandar, Indonesia Global News, Indonesia
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that priority mining business permits (WIUP) granted to religious organisations, cooperatives, and universities must be awarded through an objective and transparent evaluation process rather than direct appointment. The Court also reaffirmed that domestic market obligations (DMO) must be fulfilled before mineral resources can be exported.
The ruling is expected to strengthen legal certainty and improve governance across Indonesia’s mining sector. Companies and organisations holding or seeking priority mining permits are encouraged to review their compliance with the revised legal framework, as failure to meet the new requirements could increase the risk of permit suspension or revocation. The decision also reinforces Indonesia’s commitment to transparency and responsible management of its natural resources.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the BRICS summit to be held in New Delhi on September 12–13.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam announced the invitation at her office in Dhaka on Thursday, July 23, saying the invitation had been received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from India and forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office. The 18th BRICS summit, to be hosted by India, allows the host country to invite non-member nations as special guests. BRICS currently has 11 members: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the launch of the SPARK & Elevate programme for the development of robotics and autonomous systems, alongside the establishment of a $20 million Pakistan Venture Fund, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to leveraging modern technology for national defence and sovereignty.
Sharif made the announcement on Wednesday, July 23, while addressing the Indus-RAS Robotics and Autonomous Systems Expo, which was also attended by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, and other dignitaries.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan has achieved remarkable progress in defence and security capabilities. He noted that under Field Marshal Munir’s leadership, the armed forces have embraced modern technology — simulators are now 100% locally manufactured, and over 60% of drone production has been localised. “Pakistan is no longer dependent on other countries for technology,” he said.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
FIFA has recognised Uzbekistan’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a historic milestone for the country’s football, even as the team’s campaign ended at the group stage.
In its review, FIFA praised the achievements of Uzbekistan’s players, with special recognition for Abbosbek Fayzullaev, who scored the nation’s first-ever goal at a World Cup. Eldor Shomurodov’s goal against the Democratic Republic of the Congo was voted the best goal of the group stage by fans.
FIFA noted that Fabio Cannavaro’s team demonstrated attractive technical football and strong commitment throughout the tournament. The federation said the World Cup experience would help young players, including 18-year-old Behruz Karimov, continue their development and prepare for future international challenges.
ⓒ 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 20260724 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
