In his Independence Day speech, Htin Kyaw called for reform of a military-drafted constitution and for justice for all recognised minorities under a federal system, but made no mention of the Rohingya.

Pope Francis described migrants and refugees as the world’s “weakest and most needy” on Monday, using his traditional New Year’s address to “give voice” to people he has urged leaders to do more to help.

India has mobilised around 60,000 police and paramilitary troops in a sensitive border state ahead of the publication of a list of citizens it says will be used to detect and deport illegal immigrants, mainly Muslims, from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The Union Election Commission rejects a proposal by Burmese nationalists seeking to establish a political party with an explicit goal of furthering their agenda, with the electoral gatekeeper saying its decision was made based on the country’s Political Parties Registration Law.

Pope Francis defends his strategy of avoiding the term “Rohingya” in Burma, saying he believes he got his message across to both the civilian and military leadership without shutting down dialogue.

Pope Francis ended a diplomatically tricky trip to Asia on Saturday, seeking the forgiveness of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh after his controversial decision to not directly refer to their plight when he visited their homeland, Burma.