Malaysia’s Refugee Registration Document framework, a programme for asylum seekers held in the country’s immigration detention centres, became operational on 1 June. So far, some 4,000 people have been registered, mostly Rohingya who fled Myanmar. The programme, the government stressed, is not aimed at granting citizenship.
On the eve of the anniversary of the 1989 massacre, local authorities have told families that Wanan Cemetery, the resting place of many victims of the 4 June massacre, is off-limits. This is one of the latest acts of cruelty to erase the memory of the events of 37 years ago. Zhang Xianling, 89, told Radio Free Asia that in an unprecedented move, police are at her home.
At the general audience, Leo XIV urged the faithful to become witnesses of his love on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Traditional processions are a “courageous testimony of faith" and a reminder that God is among his people. The pontiff also called on the faithful to pray for the Middle East. In his catechesis on the “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, he said that, “the rite interrupts our frenetic activities, leading us back to what is essential.”
With a fertility rate of 1.5 children per woman, the southern state has introduced new incentives for a third and fourth child. Experts warn that childcare and women's employment need improvement. Although a declining birthrate affects all of India, the southern states fear losing political influence as well.
The provincial government has postponed the decision to restore names from the colonial era following criticism on social media and from conservative circles. For some, it is merely an effort to preserve history; for others, it raises sensitive issues regarding national identity and the significance of Pakistan’s post-1947 narrative. Behind the controversy lies a broader clash over governance.
According to the State of the Global Islamic Economy report, Muslim consumer spending on clothing is expected to reach 3 billion by 2028. This growth is driven not only by the demographic expansion of Muslim populations but also by the emergence of a new generation of young, educated female consumers who are attuned to contemporary fashion trends.
