KINI ROUNDUP | Here are key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. As the country celebrates its 62nd national day, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged the people regardless of their religion, race and culture to reflect on how the spirit of goodwill and nationhood had helped Malaysia achieve independence and develop into a successful country.

2. In conjunction with this year's celebration of Merdeka, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Malaysian cabinet recorded a unique version of the Francissca Peter song, Setia.

3. Responding to criticism, Mahathir said the police had basis to detain and deport Turkish chemistry teacher Arif Komis and his family members.

4. In what appeared to be a light-hearted reminder, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail referred to Mahathir's promise to hand over the leadership reins to her husband, Anwar Ibrahim.

She said this when quizzed on the prime minister's statement that there are no vacancies in his cabinet for the PKR president at present.

5. The government is looking to build community-appropriate affordable housing, not brick houses, for the Orang Asli and plans for a pilot project to begin at the end of the year.

6. First prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj passed away a sad man due to the deregistration of Umno around the time of his death in 1990, said his grandchild Tunku Muinuddin Putra Ahmad Nerang in an interview with Malaysiakini.

7. Sarawak has reduced the rate of absolute poverty among its people, including those who live in the rural areas, said Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg, responding to a UN report which said the percentage of low-income earners in Sarawak is higher than the national figure.

8. Former Felda chairperson Isa Abdul Samad will file a letter of representation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers in relation to his RM3 million case of corruption and criminal breach of trust. 

9. Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman courted flak after he dismissed a Form 1 student's online petition to allow schoolboys to keep long hair.

10. Malaysian schoolchildren are growing up in separate bubbles as primary schools become less diverse. Read the Malaysiakini's special report on what ails our education system.