The College General celebrated the anniversary of the founding of the historic priestly formation institution with a three-day celebration entitled ‘Discerning Gratitude, Fidelity and Hope’. Through homilies, testimonies and reflections, bishops and seminarians recalled the mission of the seminary, founded in 1665 in Siam, which continues to be a beacon of grace, fidelity and hope for the Asian Church in Malaysia.
After more than 40 years in camps, thousands of refugees see the prospect of long-awaited change. Karen refugee: ‘I have never seen my homeland’ and ‘if Thailand allowed us to work legally, everything would change’. A workforce that could also help fill the gap left by Cambodians following clashes on the border. New air raids by the junta in Shan State.
The prime minister spoke at the launch of the Asatizah Professionals and Volunteers Network (APVN) whose aim is to boost the role of Islamic religious teachers in society. He stressed the need to find a balance between tradition and modernity, one example of which was the decision to allow lab-grown meat. Wong confirmed that more investments will be made in Islamic education.
Thailand’s National Security Council laid down the principles to manage the border crisis with Cambodia. Concerns remain over Chinese military support for Phnom Penh, even though Beijing downplays the issue. The murderer of Lim Kimya, a former Cambodian lawmaker who opposed Hun Sen, has been sentenced to life in prison. The reasons for the act are still unknown.
Hailed as a "great success" by the president, the US$ 10-billion programme has become the centre of controversy because of 103 incidents of poisoning in 16 provinces. Often run by the military, the kitchens and the programme’s long distribution chains facilitate bacterial contamination. In some cases, shark meat is included in the menu. Experts note that the programme suffers from “systemic failure”, while discontent is also growing over its confidentiality clauses.
China marks the founding of the People's Republic in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, promising to “stand guard” over the atoll. The Philippines has long claimed that China’s presence is illegal. Chinese authorities recently announced plans to turn the area into a nature reserve.
