Paolo Fossati

The shipment of 200,000 doses of anti-flu drug has been held up. Since last September, US humanitarian workers are not allowed to treat North Korean patients. For Fr Gerard Hammond, "The situation is sad and disappointing.” The missionary now has hopes for the second Kim-Trump summit.

He replaces Muhammad V, the sultan of Kelantan who abdicated on 6 January. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, in which the sovereign plays a largely ceremonial function. The throne passes on a five-year rotational basis between the rulers of the country's nine states headed by Islamic royalty.

Jews represent Myanmar’s smallest religious group. The first were mainly merchants who came to the then Burma after the British conquest. At the end of the twentieth century, the community had less than 50 people.

The event opens tomorrow until Saturday. The three days in Manila are part of the celebrations for the Year of Youth organised by the Bishops’ Conference. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio, will preside over the opening mass.

The military overthrew the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra in May 2014. The decree establishes the official start of the election campaign. Challenging parties linked to the junta or the still influential Shinawatra family.

The abbot of Wat Rattananuparb Temple and his deputy die and two other monks were wounded in attack. Muslim leaders are worried about tensions between Buddhists and Muslims. Since 2004, about 7,000 civilians have died, including about 23 monks.

Voters go the polls today to cast their ballots on the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Turnout is expected to reach 75 per cent with final results available in four days. Some 20,000 soldiers and police officers are ensuring security. For PIME Missionary, in many Muslim-majority areas, many are against the proposal.

The refugees are from far away Indian Kashmir. To reach south-east Bangladesh, refugees cross the Indian states of Assam, Tripura or West Bengal. On January 3, New Delhi arrested and repatriated five Rohingya.

Malaysia bans Israeli athletes from next July’s Paralympic Swimming World Championships. The Muslim majority nations does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Kuala Lumpur claims it is "Fighting on behalf of the oppressed" Palestinians.

A referendum is scheduled over the new few weeks in Mindanao to ratify a new autonomy law. The Mindanao Catholic Church Leaders for Peace (MCCLP) believe it will remedy “historic injustices” suffered by the Muslim community. For PIME missionary, “Fear and promises tend to influence the various positions.”

Fr John’s vocation for the missionary life began with an encounter with a PIME priest. From distant Loikaw, he arrived in Africa "ready and willing to accept any destination". His modus operandi is "listen, see, learn" to overcome the impact with such a different reality.

Kim Yong-chol already visited the United States last year. Two weeks later, on June 12, historic summit between the two leaders took place in Singapore. For Seoul, the future of inter-Korean programs depends on the meetings.