Indonesian TikToker jailed for ‘telling Jesus to cut his hair’
A court in Indonesia has sentenced a trans woman to almost three years in prison for an online comment on Jesus Christ’s haircut.
Ratu Thalisa, a Muslim woman with over 442,000 TikTok followers, was found guilty by a court in Medan city, Sumatra, on Monday for spreading hatred under the online hate-speech law.
Ms Thalisa, known online as Ratu Entok, was livestreaming on 2 October 2024 on TikTok, when a viewer asked her to cut her hair like a man. She responded by holding up a picture of Jesus Christ and addressing it: “You should not look like a woman. You should cut your hair so that you will look like his father”.
She was arrested in October after five Christian groups filed a complaint to the police for blasphemy. Ms Thalisa was charged and indicted with blasphemy and hate speech against a particular religion.
The district court said her comments could disrupt “public order” and “religious harmony” as the judges sentenced her to two years and 10 months in prison and ordered her to pay 100,000,000 IDR (£4,711) in fine for the offence.
Rights groups have condemned the sentence for an attack on Ms Thalisa’s “freedom of expression” and the misuse of Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) law.
“While Indonesia should prohibit the advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, Ratu Thalisa’s speech act does not reach that threshold,” Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said in a statement.
“This sentence highlights the increasingly arbitrary and repressive application of Indonesia’s EIT law to violate freedom of expression,” he said, urging the government to quash Ms Thalisa’s conviction.
Prosecutors immediately appealed Monday’s verdict, which was less than their demand for a sentence for more than four years, BBC reported.
Mr Hamid urged the authorities to repeal or make revisions to “problematic provisions” in the EIT law, which was amended in 2016 to address online defamation. Critics of the law have raised concerns about the possible abuse of the law “to suppress human rights defenders and opposition figures”.
At least 421 people were charged and convicted with alleged violations under the law while exercising their freedom of expression between 2019 and 2024, Amnesty International said.
Social media influencers have been targeted for blasphemy, including a Muslim woman, who was jailed for two years in September 2023 after posting a TikTok video of her saying an Islamic prayer before eating pork.
Why Modi’s plan to redraw India’s political map has sparked a backlash
India is set for a major political upheaval in 2026, redrawing parliamentary constituencies to reflect changes in population.
While proponents claim this will ensure fair representation based on demographic realities, critics argue it will punish southern states that have followed national guidelines to control their populations and reward provinces – mostly in the north – that haven’t.
They also point out the move will be electorally advantageous to Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP party, which draws its core support from the Hindi-speaking heartland in the north.
By increasing the number of seats in this region, the critics say, the prime minister is looking to strengthen the ruling party’s grip on power for the foreseeable future.
Delimitation is the exercise of redrawing parliamentary and state assembly constituencies to reflect changes in population.
It is conducted periodically by the Delimitation Commission, an independent body established by an act of Parliament. The goal is to ensure more populous states get more seats in the legislature.
The exercise was previously undertaken in 1951, 1961 and 1971.
In 1976, when the population was at around 550 million, the number of seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament, was capped at 543 so as not to penalise states that had reduced their population growth rates, The Hindu reported.
The freeze was meant to encourage all states to adopt population control measures without fearing a loss of parliamentary representation.
In 2002, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, led by the BJP, extended the freeze until at least 2026.
Mr Modi is in no mood to keep the status quo.
There is now concern that his government will revert to using the most recent census figures for the exercise, giving more seats to northern states with higher population growth like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and few, if any, to southern states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Tamil Nadu is at the forefront of the political opposition to delimitation, fearing an unfair reduction in its political influence.
State chief minister MK Stalin convened an all-party meeting last week to discuss strategies to counter the potential impact of the exercise.
The consensus among the parties attending the meeting, which the state chapter of the BJP notably skipped, was clear: states that have successfully controlled their populations should not be penalised with reduced political representation.
“I thank all the parties that attended the meeting and unanimously supported the proposal brought by the chief minister regarding the delimitation process,” state finance minister Thangam Thennarasu said afterwards. “Except for a few, most political parties have aligned with the state government to protect their rights.”
A key reason why delimitation is controversial is its potential political impact. The BJP has struggled to gain traction in southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana, where regional parties and the Congress hold sway.
In contrast, the party enjoys wide support in the north, especially in Hindi-speaking states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
If parliamentary seats are allocated based on the latest population figures, the BJP stands to gain significantly from the additional representation that the Hindi heartland is set to land.
The main beneficiary states of delimitation — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan — are already BJP strongholds. Increasing their parliamentary representation will likely give the party an even bigger share of Lok Sabha seats, making it harder for opposition alliances to challenge Mr Modi’s dominance in future elections.
Uttar Pradesh, for example, could see its share of Lok Sabha constituencies jump from 80 to 128 and Bihar from 40 to 70.
In contrast, Tamil Nadu with 39 seats, Karnataka with 28 and Andhra with 25 may not see significant changes, limiting the ability of opposition parties to balance out the BJP’s widening numerical advantage in the north.
Political analysts argue that delimitation could entrench the BJP’s electoral supremacy for the next several decades. If the number of seats in northern states rises significantly, the party could win elections even with a lower overall vote share.
This could make it virtually impossible for opposition parties to unseat Mr Modi’s government, even if they perform well in southern India and other non-BJP strongholds.
“The states that scrupulously followed population control measures are now at a disadvantage versus states that did not,” A Saravanan, a spokesperson for Tamil Nadu’s governing DMK party, said.
“The population control measures contributed to the economy of this country; we contributed to its growth; we listened to you. But now you want to penalise us.”
Federal home minister Amit Shah, Mr Modi’s chief lieutenant, has sought to reassure critics saying “not a single seat” will be lost due to delimitation.
But critics point out that while southern states may not lose seats, the significant increase for northern states will effectively dilute their political power.
“He has not mentioned how many seats he is going to increase in the northern states,” Anbumani Ramadoss, leader of Pattali Makkal Katchi, a regional party in Tamil Nadu, said. “So, our question is: why are you penalising us when we have done well in the government of India’s programmes of population stabilisation?”
Modi lands in Mauritius to back sovereignty claim over Chagos islands
Narendra Modi was set to support Mauritius in its dispute with Britain over the Chagos archipelago as India’s prime minister arrived in the Indian Ocean nation to a grand welcome on Tuesday.
Mr Modi was received in the strategically located maritime neighbour by prime minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam and was scheduled to meet president Dharam Gokhool.
The Indian leader was expected to attend National Day celebrations in the capital Port Louis on 12 March as the chief guest. A contingent of the Indian military and a naval ship were set to participate in the event as well.
India’s foreign ministry said the prime minister would discuss the Chagos dispute and reaffirm Delhi’s longstanding support for Mauritius‘ sovereignty over the islands.
“We have continued to support Mauritius and will continue to do so,” foreign secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi. “I would imagine that during the visit there will be an opportunity perhaps for the Mauritius side to update us on any issues that might still be outstanding if there are any issues by that time.”
The Chagos archipelago, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, is a group of seven atolls comprising over 60 islands. One of the atolls, Diego Garcia, is operated by the US as a forward operating base for its forces in the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific, making it a key strategic hub.
Mauritius gained independence in 1968, but the UK kept control of the Chagos islands and forcibly displaced an estimated 2,000 native people to establish the Diego Garcia base, which was leased to the US.
India sees Mauritius as a key ally in countering China’s ever-growing influence in the Indian Ocean and enhancing regional security.
The UK last year reached a landmark deal with Mauritius on returning sovereignty over the Chagos islands after years of negotiations. The agreement would guarantee a lease on the base for 99 years, at a reported cost of £18bn to the British taxpayer.
Last month, US president Donald Trump confirmed that he would support an agreement between Mauritius and the UK.
In the course of Mr Modi’s visit, India and Mauritius could sign several agreements on capacity building, bilateral trade and tackling cross-border financial crime. They were also set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to boost cooperation in maritime zone management and ocean observation and research.
“This visit is a wonderful opportunity to engage with a valued friend and explore new avenues for collaboration in various sectors,” Mr Modi said on X. “Mauritius is a close maritime neighbour and key Indian Ocean partner. We are connected by shared values and deep-rooted cultural ties. My visit will further strengthen the foundations of our friendship and build a brighter chapter in India-Mauritius ties.”
Samuel Bashfield, an expert on Indo-Pacific security at the Australia India Institute, said it was in India’s interest to retain the US presence on Diego Garcia as a counterweight to China.
“Diego Garcia could be a useful runway for Indian surveillance aircraft in the Indian Ocean to use periodically,” Mr Bashfield explained.
India, in a bid to expand its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, previously helped Mauritius develop sea and air links on the remote Agalega islands.
Only 17% of global cities had safe air in 2024, air report says
Less than one-fifth of the cities worldwide met the international criteria for clean air in 2024, a global study has found.
The IQAir World Air Quality Report, which analysed data from over 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 8,954 locations in 138 countries, found that only 17 per cent of cities met the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³).
The vast majority of the world’s population continues to breathe unsafe air, with pollution levels far exceeding recommended limits in most regions.
The study found that 126 of the 138 countries analysed – 91.3 per cent – exceeded the WHO guideline, with several recording pollution levels more than ten times the safe limit.
The most polluted country was Chad, which had an annual PM2.5 concentration of 91.8 µg/m³, 18 times higher than the WHO threshold. Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and India also topped the list of countries with the worst air pollution.
India, in particular, saw extreme levels of pollution, with six of the world’s nine most polluted cities. The country’s capital, Delhi, remained the world’s most polluted capital, with an annual PM2.5 average of 91.8 µg/m³.
The most polluted metropolitan area globally was Byrnihat, India, which recorded an alarming PM2.5 level of 128.2 µg/m³ – more than 25 times the WHO guideline.
By contrast, just seven countries met the WHO’s air quality standard. Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Estonia, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand all maintained average PM2.5 levels at or below 5 µg/m³, making them the cleanest places to live in 2024.
The least polluted metropolitan area in the study was Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, which had an annual PM2.5 concentration of just 1.1 µg/m³.
In the US, Los Angeles was the most polluted major city, while Seattle had the cleanest air among large American cities. Ontario, California recorded the highest pollution levels in the country.
In Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina remained the most polluted nation, with PM2.5 levels averaging 25.3 µg/m³, five times the WHO limit.
The study also highlighted regional pollution trends, with some areas seeing slight improvements. In Southeast Asia, PM2.5 concentrations declined across all countries, though transboundary haze from wildfires and agricultural burning continues to affect air quality.
In Africa, where pollution levels are among the highest in the world, monitoring remains a major challenge. The report found that the continent has only one air quality monitoring station for every 3.7 million people, making it difficult to track pollution accurately or implement effective solutions.
“Air pollution remains a critical threat to both human health and environmental stability, yet vast populations remain unaware of their exposure levels,” said Frank Hammes, Global CEO of IQAir.
“Air quality data saves lives. It creates much-needed awareness, informs policy decisions, guides public health interventions, and empowers communities to take action to reduce air pollution and protect future generations.”
In Latin America, wildfires in the Amazon rainforest had a severe impact on air quality. PM2.5 levels in some cities across Brazil’s Rondônia and Acre states quadrupled in September, driving pollution to hazardous levels. Oceania remained the cleanest region globally, with more than half of its cities meeting the WHO air quality guideline.
Health pollution is the second leading risk factor for deaths globally, responsible for 8.1 million deaths in 2021, a 2024 report by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) found.
Another study found that air pollution caused around 135 million premature deaths worldwide in the past four decades.
Apart from respiratory threats, a study published in Nature Communications also found that even brief exposure to air pollution can affect our brain’s ability to make decisions and focus on work.
Environmental groups are calling for stronger air quality regulations and urgent action to curb emissions.
“The World Air Quality Report, which compiles measurements of air pollution from around the globe, should be a rallying call for urgent and concerted international efforts to cut pollutant emissions,” said Aidan Farrow, Senior Air Quality Scientist at Greenpeace International.
“By highlighting the disproportionate risk posed to young people by air pollution, the report reminds us that a failure to act today will be felt by future generations, while frequent references to human activities like coal burning and deforestation are a reminder that air quality, climate change, and the world that will be inherited by our children are inextricably linked.”
Dalai Lama says successor to be born in ‘free world’ outside China
The Dalai Lama’s successor will be born outside China, the spiritual leader said in his new book.
This is the first time the 89-year-old Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader has explicitly said that his reincarnation will take place in the “free world” to ensure the continuation of the Tibetan cause.
China has previously insisted that it will choose his successor, but the Dalai Lama rejects this, warning that any Beijing-appointed figure will not be respected.
He stated in his book “Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle with China for My Land and My People” – an account of his dealings with Chinese leaders – that Tibet remained “in the grip of repressive Communist Chinese rule” and that the struggle for its freedom will persist “no matter what”, even after his death.
“Since the purpose of a reincarnation is to carry on the work of the predecessor, the new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world so that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama — that is, to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet embodying the aspirations of the Tibetan people — will continue,” the Dalai Lama wrote in his book, which was released on Tuesday in the US.
China sees Tibet as an integral part of its territory and views calls for autonomy or independence as threats to its sovereignty.
The Dalai Lama, who resigned as the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile in 2011 to prioritise his spiritual role, has denied seeking Tibetan independence. Instead, he advocates the “Middle Way” approach, which calls for greater autonomy for the predominantly Buddhist region.
In 1959, at the age of 23, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, escaped to India with thousands of Tibetans following a failed revolt against Communist rule under Mao Zedong and set up a government in exile.
Beijing regards the Dalai Lama as a “separatist” despite his 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for his nonviolent advocacy of the Tibetan cause.
At a press briefing on Monday, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry dismissed the Dalai Lama as “a political exile who is engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion.
“On the Tibet issue, China’s position is consistent and clear. What the Dalai Lama says and does cannot change the objective fact of Tibet’s prosperity and development.”
According to Tibetan beliefs, the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reborn as a child after his death. The current Dalai Lama was enthroned when he was four and a half years old and renamed Tenzin Gyatso.
He had earlier suggested that the lineage of spiritual leaders could end with him. In his book, however, the Dalai Lama states that for over a decade, he has received numerous petitions from a diverse range of Tibetans, including senior monks and those living both within Tibet and abroad, “uniformly asking me to ensure that the Dalai Lama lineage be continued”.
The Dalai Lama has announced plans to share details about his succession around his 90th birthday in July.
Observers note that China seeks to control Tibetans by interfering in the selection of the Dalai Lama. In response to China’s threat, the 14th Dalai Lama has made several statements over the years which were aimed at undermining the legitimacy of any 15th Dalai Lama appointed by Beijing.
In April 2019, US Senator Cory Gardner said during a Senate Foreign Relations Asia Subcommittee hearing that Congress would not recognise any Dalai Lama appointed by the Chinese government.
Set for release on Tuesday, the 14th Dalai Lama’s book will be published in the US by William Morrow and in Britain by HarperNonFiction, with HarperCollins editions to follow in India and other countries.
“Almost seventy-five years after China’s initial invasion of Tibet, the Dalai Lama reminds the world of Tibet’s unresolved struggle for freedom and the hardship his people continue to face in their own homeland,” Harper Collins says on its website about the book.
“He offers his thoughts on the geopolitics of the region and shares how he personally was able to preserve his own humanity through the profound losses and challenges that threaten the very survival of the Tibetan people.”
UN migration agency suspends aid cut to Rohingya refugees in Indonesia
The UN’s migration agency reinstated its largest programme to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees in Indonesia, following massive funding cuts which were a fallout of Donald Trump’s suspension of the USAID programme.
The chief of the International Organization for Migration confirmed on Wednesday that there will be no planned cuts in their aid work for Rohingya refugees in the city of Pekanbaru, on the western island of Sumatra.
“Our largest programme to provide humanitarian assistance has been reinstated. I can confirm there is no current planned reduction in services,” Jeff Labovitz told Reuters.
IOM said it “explored various options in response to potential funding challenges” and that they will be able to continue its humanitarian work as the necessary resources remain available.
Many Rohingya – mostly Muslim and originally from Myanmar – make up the world’s largest stateless population which has been fleeing persecution in Myanmar. Thousands of men and women have escaped into Bangladesh, which hosts the largest population of Rohingya Muslims.
Each year, hundreds of people escape out of these overcrowded camps in Bangladesh risking dangerous boat journeys to Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
There are about 2,800 Rohingya in Indonesia, the UN says.
Last week, the UN agency IOM said it slashed its aid to the refugees in Indonesia, according to a letter dated 28 February. The cut directly affected healthcare and cash assistance to 925 Rohingya refugees sheltering in Pekanbaru “due to resource constraints”.
The move was one of the latest impact of Trump administration’s decision to cut most foreign assistance and dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The cut by Washington had an impact globally on US-funded programmes and abruptly ended many lifesaving care programmes for Rohingya refugees, as the US had been the top donor to the refugee response since 2017.
In a similar development, the UN’s food was on its way to slash food rations for Rohingya refugees by more than half from April in Cox’s Bazar camps in Bangladesh, causing an alarm among charities.
Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh’s chair for the agency overseeing the refugee camps, told The Independent that the World Food Program (WFP) confirmed they would cut the monthly food ration funding to the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar by half, which will lead to “grave consequences for the community”.
South Korea braces for unrest ahead of Yoon impeachment ruling
Police in South Korea are making elaborate security arrangements to deal with what they say could be the “worst-case” scenario on the day of the final verdict in president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial.
Mr Yoon is awaiting a Constitutional Court ruling on whether his impeachment by the National Assembly for imposing martial law on 3 December is valid.
If the court upholds the parliamentary decision, Mr Yoon will be formally removed as president.
The ruling is expected as soon as this week. Mr Yoon gave his final statement last month, closing the trial that began in January.
Police say heightened security is needed as both supporters and opponents of Mr Yoon are expected to turn out in large numbers on the day of the ruling, in keeping with the trend of thousands of people coming out on days of significant developments in the saga involving Mr Yoon and causing chaos.
Acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency won’t rule out the use of pepper spray and batons in case of violence. “We are setting up plans considering the worst-case scenarios,” Lee Ho Young said.
Park Hyun Soo, acting chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, plans to “mobilise all available equipment” such as barricades and “designate the area within 100 metres of the Constitutional Court as a protest-free zone, effectively creating a ‘vacuum’ in that space”.
“Clashes in and around the Constitutional Court must be prevented,” he said. “We must protect the Constitutional Court justices while also preventing conflicts between opposing groups on the impeachment issue.”
He is also considering deploying police special forces to “respond to bomb threats”.
The subway station near the Constitutional Court will be closed and trains may not stop at other stations where rallies are expected, the Seoul Metro announced.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, meanwhile, is advising six schools near the court to take extra safety measures.
Kim Eun Mi, an official at the education office told Reuters that at least one school will remain closed on the day of the ruling.
“Security has to be tighter than ever, as you can imagine how precarious this situation can get,” a police official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The alert will be “at the highest level”, the official said, similar to when the Constitutional Court handed down the verdict in the case of former president Park Geun Hye, who was impeached over corruption charges and removed from office in 2017. At least three people were killed and dozens hurt during demonstrations after that ruling.
Mr Yoon was detained on 15 January but freed on Saturday after prosecutors decided not to appeal the Seoul Central District Court’s decision canceling his arrest on Friday.
The court cancelled the president’s arrest warrant citing the timing of his indictment and “questions about the legality” of the investigation process.
TV footage showed Mr Yoon coming out of a prison in Seoul, waving his hand and bowing to his supporters.
The president declared martial law in December, throwing South Korea into turmoil. He banned political activity and sent armed soldiers inside the parliament, which nonetheless reversed his decision within six hours.
If Mr Yoon is removed with the Constitutional Court’s ruling, a new presidential election will be held within 60 days.
Mr Yoon is separately facing a criminal trial on charges of insurrection, one of the few criminal offences the South Korean president does not enjoy immunity from. He is the country’s first sitting to stand trial in a criminal case.