South East Asia

Former Education Minister Nadiem Makarim has been sentenced to ten years for corruption. Meanwhile, five people have died during military training imposed on new rural cooperative managers. The way the government is managing the economy is increasingly criticised, especially regarding the opaqueness surrounding the Danantara sovereign wealth fund, which is expanding its reach.

Thousands took part in the demonstration on EDSA, organised by the Council of Interfaith Leaders with the support of the Bishops’ Conference. The Bishop of Kidapawan, Monsignor Bagaforo, said: “Abuses of power, impunity and political dynasties must be tackled decisively in the interests of the common good.”

On 2 July, over 70,000 faithful are expected at the Tac Say shrine for the beatification of Fr Truong Buu Diep, who was killed in 1946 by militiamen recruited by the Viet Minh for refusing to abandon his community. Cardinal Tagle is expected to preside over the ceremony as Pope Leo’s special envoy.

According to Malaysia’s Prime Minister, measures to strengthen the system of Islamic courts will concern their organisation and not their jurisdiction over non-Muslims in a country where the balance with the civil courts remains a sensitive issue. The pitfall of possible differing interpretations depending on individual states

In March, TikTok and YouTube implemented the measure at the request of the Indonesian government deactivating accounts of users under 16. Meanwhile, in Australia, the country that pioneered this type of measure, Prime Minister Albanese is studying new measures to stop users from circumventing the law.

As the country marks Family Day on 28 June, questions are asked about the changes underway with concerns over the fate of local traditions. Divorce and gender imbalance are among the challenges. The party's rhetoric singles out four fundamental family values: prosperity, happiness, progress, and civilisation.

Job losses stem from weakening exports, rising costs, soaring gas prices, an influx of imported products, and uncertainty in the global economy. The central government is preparing mitigation measures. Observers and experts are calling for collaboration between the government, employers, and trade unions to safeguard sustainability.

In an extensive interview with TASS, Metropolitan Sergij of Singapore described the mission of his exarchate – which today stretches from Korea to Indonesia, across countries with Buddhist or Muslim majorities – as “difficult and stimulating”. “Dialogue on faith? Here it does not begin with dogma, but with the beauty and silence of an Orthodox church”

The government has singled out legal loopholes that allowed non-Thais to circumvent restrictions on foreign ownership. This has sent a chill through the sector, affecting mainly the most famous destinations like Phuket and Koh Samui. However, for experts, the crackdown should generate increased caution among buyers rather than dampen foreign demand.

A case that began after authorities rescued six newborns bound for the city-state has put the spotlight on a widespread practice. Criminal groups exploit the economic difficulties of many women to circumvent adoption regulations, increasingly using social media for recruitment.

According to the latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, transnational networks have built an economy capable of jointly making narcotics on an industrial scale, managing online fraud, laundering money, and infiltrating the lucrative markets of Japan and South Korea. Drug seizures reached an all-time high for the third consecutive year.

Even though the legal age of marriage is 18, cultural traditions and poverty continue to encourage early marriages. In tribal areas it is one in two, with brides as young as 13. The war with Thailand has exacerbated the practice, but some government pilot projects and the experience of the Christian NGO Chab Dai show that education can change things.