42+ min ago (456+ words) Wednesday, 03 Dec 2025 Pope Leo XIV walks to preside over the Holy Mass at the Waterfront, during his first apostolic journey, in Beirut, Lebanon. REUTERS/Yara Nardi ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Pope Leo revealed on Tuesday that at the moment of his election as leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, he turned to God with a simple message: "You're in charge and you lead the way". In a press conference as he flew home from Lebanon, Leo, the first U.S. pope, spoke publicly for the first time about what it was like being given the duty to lead the global Church. Leo said that while the world's cardinals were meeting in a secret conclave in May to choose the successor to the late Pope Francis, who led the global Church for 12 years, he began to realize he might be chosen....

2+ day, 18+ hour ago (352+ words) KUALA LUMPUR: The Youth and Sports Ministry will waive the registration fee for new youth organisations and amendments to constitutions from Jan 1 next year until Dec 31, 2027, to improve compliance and encourage greater youth participation in registered bodies. The initiative follows the amendment to the Youth Organisations and Youth Development Act 2007 (Act 668), which requires all organisations under the Office of the Registrar of Youth Organisations (ROY) to comply with the new age limit for youth, which is under 30 years old, effective Jan 1, 2026. "To date, a total of 979 youth organisations have amended their constitutions. "ROY data also shows that 53,307 youth leaders and 546,651 members aged under 30 are now active in organisations, demonstrating the readiness of young people to take on leadership roles," KBS said in a statement on Sunday (Nov 30). KBS, through ROY, on Sunday, organised the national-level Youth Organisation Engagement Session 2025 as…...

2+ day, 18+ hour ago (175+ words) Sunday, 30 Nov 2025 State Mufti Dr Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz Juned during the courtesy call. - STATE MUFTI'S OFFICE via BB/ANN BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: State Mufti Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz Juned received a courtesy call from members of the Consultative Council of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) at the State Mufti Office at Darul "Ifta Brunei Darussalam, State Mufti's Department yesterday. The meeting discussed matters relating to Islamic education and research, as well as regional humanitarian and community development projects. The delegation, led by MAPIM President Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, included member of MAPIM's Shura Council and Chairman of the Secretariat for the Assembly of Ulama of the Asia Region (SHURA) Datuk Wira Syeikh Abdul Ghani Samsudin; Chairman of First Care Cambodia Sop Sen; and members of the First Care Cambodia Committee Rarfiyas Sen, Yusof Abdul…...

3+ day, 17+ hour ago (554+ words) BUKIT MERTAJAM: In addition to being places of worship, mosques can be unifying centres for the wider community, says national Imam Mithali Award 2025 recipient Agus Lokman Sulam. He said that it is important for imams to have soft skills while leading their respective mosques. "Throughout my time serving the community, I faced many challenges and gained valuable experience," he said when met after the award ceremony here on Saturday (Nov 29). "Even though the mosque is a sacred place, it is also where we encounter real issues. "As imams, we must understand our congregation, and this is reflected even in how we lead prayers. "For example, the Prophet Muhammad shortened his recitation when he heard a child crying at the back, showing that an imam must be aware of the needs of his followers," he said. According to Agus, such awareness…...

3+ day, 19+ hour ago (170+ words) PETALING JAYA: The Church of Immaculate Conception Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan has been temporarily closed due to safety concerns as a result of damage caused by tropical storm Senyar. Read full story Church of Immaculate in Conception Port Dickson closed after storm damage Saturday, 29 Nov 2025 PETALING JAYA: The Church of Immaculate Conception Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan has been temporarily closed due to safety concerns as a result of damage caused by tropical storm Senyar. The church's Rev Father Edwin Peter said the storm, which made landfall in the Peninsula on Friday (Nov 28), had damaged a portion of the church's roof heavily, making it unsafe for anyone to enter. "We are doing all we can to handle the situation but the present state of the church's roof remains too risky to allow anyone to enter the church. "Therefore, the…...

4+ day, 6+ hour ago (285+ words) SEREMBAN: Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department's Islamic Marriage Management System 2.0 can complete most marriage registration applications in just one hour. The department's director, Mohd Asri Abdullah, said the system, developed by Islamic Development Department (Jakim), in collaboration with the state department, allows applicants to submit forms, upload supporting documents and make payments without visiting the office. "The previous method was largely manual. Through the system, the office can verify and approve applications online. Applicants only need to visit the office to collect official marriage, divorce and ruju' documents at a scheduled time," he told Bernama on Friday (Nov 28). Mohd Asri said the initiative has boosted productivity, reduced bureaucracy and provided a more convenient experience for the public. "Counter waiting times have dropped from two hours to just one hour," he added. The system also provides real-time records of staff…...

5+ day, 4+ hour ago (242+ words) KUALA LUMPUR: All mosques and Friday surau under the purview of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) have been asked to hold Solat Hajat (prayer of need) after Friday prayers on Nov 8. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said the solat hajat is intended to seek Allah SWT's protection so that the country and its people are spared from disasters, including floods, storms, property damage and other trials affecting the community. "May this serve as a platform for us to pray for the ease of all matters involving our security forces, government agencies, and volunteers who are working tirelessly to assist the affected victims. "May the community be granted strength, patience and sustained protection," he said. "May Allah SWT, through our prayers and efforts,…...

5+ day, 20+ hour ago (153+ words) JOHOR BAHRU: More than 400 former followers of deviant teachings, the majority of whom are from GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH), are set to participate in the "Pemantapan Akidah dan Istitabahah" programme this Sunday (Nov 29). Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said former followers of the Ahmadi Religion would also take part in the programme, which will be held at a mosque in Bandar Penawar, Kota Tinggi. He said the participants are attending voluntarily, having undergone a series of counselling sessions and awareness programmes beforehand. "We are pleased that they are coming of their own accord. Many of them are individuals who have previously faced legal action and other measures," he told a press conference here on Thursday (Nov 27). Meanwhile, he said the state government continues to strengthen enforcement to curb deviant teachings, including their spread through…...

6+ day, 11+ hour ago (491+ words) Tourists queue to enter Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, January 26, 2024. REUTERS/Claudia Greco VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -The Vatican closed 2024 with a budget surplus of 1.6 million euros ($1.85 million), it said on Wednesday, signalling a turnaround after years of deficits that had frustrated Church leaders, including the late Pope Francis. In its first budget report since 2022, the Vatican said it had seen a "significant recovery" in its accounts last year, thanks mainly to higher donations and strong investment gains. It said it had managed to cut the structural deficit -- the gap between ordinary revenues and ordinary expenses -- by 50%, but acknowledged that this still amounted to 44 million euros, underscoring the long-term financial challenges facing Pope Leo. "The report highlights a clear improvement and, while prudently recognising that full financial sustainability is a long'term goal, a clearly positive direction can be observed," a…...

1+ week, 14+ hour ago (341+ words) VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Happily ever after doesn't require any complicated maths, the Vatican said on Tuesday -- for Catholics, one spouse is enough. In a new decree approved byPope Leo, the Vatican's top doctrinal office told the world's 1.4 billion Catholics they should seek to marry one spouse for life and should not have multiple sexual relationships. Criticizing the practice of polygamy in Africa, including among members of the Church, the Vatican reiterated that it believes marriage is a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman. The decree, which did not discuss same-sex relationships, focused on what it called the "richness and fruitfulness" of traditional marriage. It encouraged Catholics to find one spouse and become committed to them. "Every authentic marriage is a unity composed of two individuals, which requires such an intimate and totalising relationship that it cannot be shared…...