In the indigenous communities of Sabah and Sarawak, Gawai and Kaamatan are currently being celebrated. Many local Catholics today see these festivals as examples of Christian inculturation. And although some ancient rituals have faded over time, the spirit of gratitude, brotherhood and homecoming remains central.
From Vladivostok to Vilnius, priests are being reduced to the lay state. In a book published in Paris, where he has been reinstated by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Father Aleksej Uminskij recounts receiving confused letters every week from former colleagues across the country. Many Orthodox priests find it impossible to pray for the war, but fear denunciations and ecclesiastical judgement.
An unprecedented mobilisation among the Malayali community in support of Abdul Rahim raised the huge sum requested as "diyah" (blood money) from the family of the disabled boy he cared for, who died in an accident. Despite the 15 million riyals paid, the Saudi court still required him to serve his prison sentence to the end. He arrived in India on Eid.
The penalty was levied under the Digital Services Act, which seeks to protect European consumers from online platforms. Investigators discovered through direct purchases that some toys were toxic and several electronic devices did not comply with safety standards. Other platforms are now under the EU Commission's scrutiny.
With advance polling open today and tomorrow, the 3 June elections are already underway, the first test for the incumbent president elected a year ago after his predecessor’s attempt to impose martial law. In the capital, conservative incumbent Mayor Oh is seeking a fifth term, but is feeling the heat from his challenger Chong. Housing is the hot issue in this election campaign.
His son issued an appeal trying to mobilise the international community. Zhenghis Reskhan is a prominent figure in Xinjiang's literary circles. For now, neither Kazakhstan’s embassy in China nor Chinese authorities have made any official statement about the case.
