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
South Korean authorities detected 1,132 foreign nationals working illegally as delivery riders between January and August 2026, nearly 17 times the 67 recorded throughout 2025. The jump partly reflects intensified nationwide inspections. Among 734 riders caught by May, 410 held D-2 student visas, which prohibit delivery work. Some reportedly used delivery-platform accounts registered under Korean names. The practice has raised concerns about unlicensed driving, inadequate insurance, and competition with legally employed riders. On October 29, authorities introduced a one-strike policy allowing immediate deportation or departure orders for foreign students caught in prohibited jobs. The government also plans tighter oversight of delivery companies and identity checks to curb the growing problem.
Norila Daud, Malaysia World News, Malaysia
Malaysia aims to enhance the use of local currencies in cross-border trade and investment transactions through BRICS cooperation, with the hope of reducing transaction costs and foreign exchange risks, said the Finance Ministry.
It said the move also aims to strengthen the country’s financial resilience against external shocks while providing businesses with more options for conducting international transactions. It added that wider use of local currencies could improve the efficiency of foreign exchange exposure management and support the development of regional foreign exchange markets.
“An increase in transactions using regional currencies, including those of BRICS member countries, could also enhance liquidity and support the development of regional foreign exchange markets, thereby providing businesses with more options,” the ministry said in the Dewan Rakyat, as reported by Bernama.
It was responding to Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang (PN-Marang) on reforms to the international financial system that Malaysia is pursuing through BRICS. The ministry said Malaysia had also implemented various initiatives with major trading partners, including cooperation with China to facilitate the use of the renminbi and ringgit in bilateral trade. Malaysia has also implemented the Local Currency Transaction Framework (LCTF) with Indonesia and Thailand.
The ministry said Malaysia would continue to strengthen and improve existing channels and mechanisms to facilitate and expand the use of local currencies in cross-border trade and investment.
Chhay Sophal, Cambodia News Online, Cambodia
Eighteen ancient Khmer artifacts and fragments discovered in London have been officially handed over to the Royal Embassy of Cambodia, marking another milestone in the nation’s cultural repatriation efforts.
The items were located by the Metropolitan Police Service’s Art and Antiques Unit, with assistance from the Heritage Crime Task Force and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and transferred to the embassy on October 30. Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts will coordinate logistics to transport the antiquities safely back to Cambodia.
This successful handover highlights ongoing international cooperation in recovering and safeguarding Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage assets scattered abroad.
Leo Nirosha Darshan, Express Newspapers, Sri Lanka
A historic five-party multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on November 2 at the Changwon Exhibition Convention Center, establishing a structured framework to expand higher education, vocational training, industrial workforce development, and permanent settlement opportunities in South Korea for Sri Lankan nationals.
The agreement unites Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Labour and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) with South Korea’s Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government, Changshin University, and the Sacheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe, alongside Labour Secretary S.M. Piyatissa and NIOSH Director General Duminda Jayalath. Korean signatories included Gyeongsangnam-do Education Bureau Director-General Kim Seong-gyu, Sacheon Chamber Chairman Hwang Tae-bu, and Changshin University ANCHOR Project Director Lee Jae-hak.
By connecting government, academia, and industry, the landmark pact creates direct education-to-employment pathways, bolstering bilateral ties and skilled human resource development.
Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty, Asia Journalist Association, Bangladesh
The World Bank has identified the shortage of employment opportunities as a major challenge for Bangladesh. The organization notes that despite a favorable demographic structure, Bangladesh has been unable to fully leverage its working-age population to boost employment and productivity. This is attributed to limitations in creating formal-sector jobs, low female participation in the labor market, and long-standing deficiencies in human capital development.
These findings are highlighted in the World Bank’s 2026 report, titled “Demographic Change in South Asia: From Tailwinds to Headwinds for Development.” The report was released in Dhaka on November 3. According to World Bank statistics, approximately 84 percent of the country’s working-age population — about 58 million people — are employed in the informal sector. Workers in this sector often lack job security and legal protections. Furthermore, the average number of employees in small enterprises has declined in recent times, making it difficult to integrate the working-age population into productive economic activities.
Shakil Yamin Kanga, APNEC, Pakistan
November 3 marks the darkest day in the history of Pakistan. On November 3, 2007, a dictator launched a midnight assault on democratic, journalistic, and constitutional institutions, imposed a state of emergency, imprisoned judges, and banned the media.
Speaking at the Karachi Press Club on the occasion of the anniversary, Tahir Hasan Khan, President of the Karachi Union of Journalists, General Secretary Sardar Liaquat, and Shakeel Yameen Kanga, Chairman of the All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation, stated that the situation in the country today is no different from that of November 3, 2007. Governor’s rule and an emergency have been imposed by removing the democratic government of a province, a media blackout is in effect in certain regions, and hearing and seeing the truth has become a crime.
The voice of truth is being suppressed through draconian laws like PECA, and there are calls for further legislation to control social media. Internet services have been suspended in Azad Kashmir for five months, and voices against the usurpation of basic human rights are being raised both domestically and internationally. The local media faces declared and undeclared censorship, while the harassment of journalists through the registration of cases and legal notices continues.
Kuban Abdymen, Centralasianlight, Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan resumed oil exports through the Atyrau–Samara pipeline on November 3, following a drone attack on a Russian transit facility that temporarily halted pumping.
The attack targeted facilities of Russia’s Samara Production and Dispatch Centre, stopping oil transportation at 6:09 a.m. Astana time on November 2. Pumping resumed after a technical inspection, with no injuries reported. The ministry confirmed that operations had returned to normal.
Atyrau–Samara is Kazakhstan’s second-largest oil export route after the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). It transported approximately 9.2 million tonnes in 2025 and 7.57 million tonnes during the first nine months of 2026.
The incident highlights continuing risks to Kazakh exports. The CPC, responsible for about 80 percent of exports in 2025, also faced drone attacks in July and September. Kazakhstan is developing alternative routes, including shipments through Azerbaijan and Türkiye, although these remain limited compared with CPC capacity.
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THE AsiaN Korean : 아자뉴스바이트 20261104 – 아시아엔 THE AsiaN
