UN Security Council demands Gaza aid deliveries 'at scale' - CNA

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council approved on Friday (Dec 22) a watered-down resolution that demands all sides in the Israel-Hamas conflict allow the "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale".

After days of delays, the resolution also called for the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities" but did not call for an immediate end to fighting.

Russia and the United States, which both could have vetoed the measure as permanent members of the council, abstained, meaning it passed with 13 votes in favour.

Nonetheless, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called the resolution "a strong step forward".

"This council provided a glimmer of hope among a sea of suffering," she said.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said in the wake of the vote that Israel's offensive was the "real problem" and that the country is "creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid" as he reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. 

Palestinian militant group Hamas said the resolution was "insufficient" and "does not respond to the catastrophic situation created by the Zionist (Israeli) war machine".

The Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said using humanitarian aid "as a method of war has to end now".

"You need to stop the killer to save the patient," he said, calling the resolution a "step in the right direction".

Diplomatic wrangling at United Nations headquarters in Manhattan - causing the vote to be postponed several times this week - has come against the backdrop of deteriorating conditions in Gaza and a mounting death toll.

Russian ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya condemned the United States for "blocking an extremely weak call for cessation of hostilities."

"If this document weren't supported by a number of Arab states we would of course have vetoed it," he said.

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2023-12-22 21:19:16Z
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Malaysian anti-corruption agency seizes ex-finance minister Daim Zainuddin’s 60-storey building - South China Morning Post

According to a notice by the MACC, the anti-corruption agency seized the tower after it found an offence under the MACC Act 2009.

“Take notice that according to Section 38(5) of the MACC Act 2009, whereby anyone that goes against this notice or carry out any actions that is against this notice, has committed an offence that can be fined no more than twice the amount of the said value, or 50,000 ringgit (US$10,789), or whichever higher amount, and can be jailed for a period no longer than two years,” the notice read.

The agency placed the notice in a local media advertisement dated December 18.

Malaysia’s corruption rating stagnates with many accused leaders still in power

A staff member in Menara Ilham said that despite the MACC seizure notice, it was still “business as usual”.

“No comments. But it was business as usual,” the unnamed staff member said briefly.

A receptionist at Element Hotel, which operates out of the building, also said the hotel was operating as usual with rooms available.

Attempts to get Daim’s comments on the matter is ongoing.

Meanwhile, Singapore-based Channel News Asia (CNA) quoted financial executives close to Daim as saying that the seizure was effected on Thursday after Daim’s refusal to submit to MACC’s petition to declare his and his family’s financial holdings.

CNA claimed that Daim told MACC officials that he had nothing to do with the Renong-UEM deal and in early December, the former finance minister was told by MACC that he would no longer receive any extension.

It was reported that Daim maintained that the deal which involved UEM acquiring a 33 per cent interest in Renong was purely a corporate transaction between companies that were governed by their respective managements, board of directors and shareholders.

Former Malaysian finance minister Daim Zainuddin. File photo: AP

As at press time, The Star was trying to reach out to MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki.

Menara Ilham, built at an estimated cost of US$580 million, is located in the prime commercial and high-rise residential property area around the Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

In May this year, MACC had said it was gathering information involving alleged misappropriation of 2.3 billion ringgit (US$496 million) by a former minister and a businessman.

Malaysia’s Anwar vows no let-up on anti-graft drive after key ally walks free

Sources said the probe was a continuation to the disclosure of confidential documents by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICJ), also known as the Pandora Papers, over transactions carried out at offshore financial centres.

The Pandora Papers refer to millions of leaked documents made public in 2021, which allegedly revealed offshore accounts of present and past leaders from around the world, including presidents, prime ministers, billionaires, and prominent businesspeople.

This article was first published by The Star

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2023-12-22 05:11:41Z
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Red Sea attacks disrupt world trade, more ships vow to avoid waters - CNA

A crisis at a single point in the supply chain can cause ships to bunch up, upending arrival and departure schedules at seaports and cascading delays throughout the system, said Christian Sur, executive vice president of ocean freight at Unique Logistics.

The cost to ship a container from China to the Mediterranean was up 44 per cent in December alone to reach US$2,413, due to the Red Sea disruptions, Freightos said earlier this week.

If the conflict persists or intensifies those so-called "spot" prices for cargo that isn't under contract "could double or triple from current levels," Sur said.

Global furniture seller IKEA is among the shippers warning of potential cargo delays and product shortages. Elsewhere, Finnish elevator maker Kone estimated that some shipments could be delayed by two to three weeks.

While goods that travel by container, including apparel, toys and food, are most at risk - other products are being affected.

US soybean exporters, who were already switching shipments from the drought-stricken Panama Canal to the Suez Canal, are weighing whether to start putting crops on trains to the West Coast to access ships that go directly to China and other Asian markets to avoid significantly longer alternate voyages around South America or Africa.

"You've got all these imperfect options available," Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition.

Analysts warned that some retailers could start running low on some goods by February, though after the COVID-19 pandemic more companies have sought resilience in supply chains by buying from exporters in different regions.

"We are more experienced having gone thru COVID," said Sur, whose firm counts retailers among its clients.

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2023-12-21 22:34:00Z
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Explainer: How serious is JN.1, WHO's latest COVID-19 variant of concern that is dominating Singapore cases? - CNA

WHY IS JN.1 SO EASILY SPREAD?

Dr Tambyah said that Singapore's COVID-19 case spike is most likely fuelled by the evolution of the coronavirus.

"This is known to happen with influenza and common cold (rhinovirus) viruses," he added.

"The reality is that these viruses are well adapted to avoiding the human immune system ... Most viruses that have adapted well to humans are constantly evolving to avoid the immune response generated by infection or vaccination."

Inertia in keeping up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and the growing time since a previous infection have also resulted in the increasing number of cases, the experts said.

Dr Leong said: "In both these cases, the longer it has been, the more likely they will fall sick (because of) the relative lack of immunity.

"Even though there is hybrid immunity, it is not sufficient for this strain because of the multiple mutations since."

Hybrid immunity is a combination of the effects of past infections and vaccination, which provides stronger immunity against subsequent infections.

Dr Tambyah said that it is not clear if the current COVID-19 vaccines are effective against JN.1, but WHO has said that protection from vaccines that fight the Omicron XBB variant "are likely to be effective".

WHO said in its Tuesday statement that its technical advisory groups are monitoring this.

"Certainly if the vaccine uptake was much better - like in earlier vaccination rounds - we would see much fewer cases and less hospital admissions," Dr Leong said.

MOH considers the minimum protection for persons five years and older as three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna-Spikevax or Novavax (Nuvaxovid) vaccines, or four doses of Sinovac.

On its website, the ministry recommends an added dose of the updated vaccine a year after the last dose for people aged 60 years old and above, those who are medically vulnerable and residents of aged care facilities.

WHAT OTHER FACTORS ARE BEHIND THE RISE IN COVID-19 CASES?

Experts told TODAY that besides the new variant, winter conditions in the northern hemisphere and more people choosing not to wear masks have fuelled the increase in COVID-19 cases.

Dr Leong said that more cases are recorded also because people are getting more than one viral infection at once.

"People are more symptomatic because they may be positive for COVID-19, but have another viral infection in the background that is not diagnosed," he explained.

With a more severe illness, people are more likely to see a doctor or be admitted to hospital. This would cause the recorded number of cases to rise.

Increased travel is another factor, Dr Tambyah said, since travel helps mix and spread different virus strains that have developed in different locations.

On this point, Dr Leong said that this is like any epidemic, where cities and countries better connected with the rest of the world will be the earliest to be hit with an upswing of COVID-19 cases.

This article was originally published in TODAY. 

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2023-12-21 03:26:28Z
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China warns Philippines against South China Sea 'miscalculation' - CNA

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told the Philippines to address through dialogue serious difficulties in their relations over the South China Sea, warning that any miscalculation would prompt Beijing to defend itself and "respond resolutely".

Beijing and Manila have traded sharp accusations in recent months over a succession of run-ins in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has accused China's coastguard of intentionally colliding with its vessels and using water cannon and a military-grade laser against them, while China has accused the Philippines of trespassing in its territory.

The souring of ties this year coincides with Manila's moves to boost military ties with Japan and the United States, its former colonial power and defence ally of seven decades.

"China-Philippines relations are at a crossroads," Wang told his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo in a call on Wednesday (Dec 20), according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement.

"The top priority is to properly handle and control the current maritime situation."

If the Philippines misjudges or colludes with "ill-intentioned" external forces, China would defend its rights and respond resolutely, Wang was quoted saying, without elaborating. It was not immediately clear who initiated the phone call.

His remarks could intensify a dispute that has simmered for years, with the Philippines pushing back at what it sees as a Chinese campaign to prevent it from accessing fossil fuel and fisheries resources in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

An escalation towards an armed confrontation, while unlikely, would be a significant raising of the stakes, with the United States bound by a 1951 treaty to defend the Philippines should it come under attack, including in the South China Sea.

Manalo said in a statement that he had a frank and candid exchange with Wang, adding both "noted the importance of dialogue".

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2023-12-21 04:39:00Z
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'Fat Leonard', a fugitive now facing extradition, was behind one of US military's biggest scandals - CNA

WASHINGTON: The extradition of convicted defence contractor Leonard “Fat Leonard” Francis to the United States as part of the Venezuelan prisoner swap on Wednesday (Dec 20) is the latest twist in a decade-long salacious saga and bribery scheme that swept up dozens of American Navy officers.

One of the biggest bribery investigations in US military history led to the conviction and sentencing of nearly two dozen Navy officials, defence contractors and others on various fraud and corruption charges. It was punctuated by Francis' daring escape last year, when he fled from house arrest at his San Diego home to South America.

An enigmatic figure, Francis owned and operated his family’s ship servicing business, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia or GDMA, which supplied food, water and fuel to vessels.

The Malaysian defence contractor was a key contact for US Navy ships at ports across Asia for more than two decades. During that time he wooed naval officers with Kobe beef, expensive cigars, concert tickets and wild sex parties at luxury hotels from Thailand to the Philippines.

In exchange, the officers, including the first active-duty admiral to be convicted of a federal crime, concealed the scheme in which Francis would overcharge for supplying ships or charge for fake services at ports he controlled in Southeast Asia.

The officers passed him classified information and even went so far as redirecting military vessels to ports that were lucrative for his Singapore-based ship servicing company.

In a federal sting, Francis was lured to San Diego on false pretenses and arrested at a hotel in September 2013.

He pleaded guilty in 2015, admitting that he had offered more than US$500,000 in cash bribes to Navy officials, defence contractors and others. Prosecutors say he bilked the Navy out of at least US$35 million.

As part of his plea deal, he cooperated with the investigation leading to the Navy convictions. He faced up to 25 years in prison.

While awaiting sentencing, Francis was hospitalised and treated for renal cancer and other medical issues. After leaving the hospital, he was allowed to stay out of jail at a rental home, on house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor and security guards.

But three weeks before his scheduled sentencing in September 2022, he snipped off his monitor and made a brazen escape, setting off an international search. Officials said he fled to Mexico, made his way to Cuba and eventually got to Venezuela.

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2023-12-21 02:49:00Z
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Commentary: Better COVID-19 booster vaccines are needed if we want people to take them - CNA

BETTER BOOSTER VACCINES ARE POSSIBLE

The 2023 boosters don’t have the original strain – they are monovalent and aimed at the Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.5, which was dominant earlier in the year. Many scientists say this is a big improvement.

A study published last month in Nature showed that repeat exposures to Omicron through infection or Omicron-only booster shots can start to override the immune imprinting that has our immune systems stuck on the extinct original version of this virus.

Peking University researcher Yunlong (Richard) Cao, who headed the study, said exposure to Omicron generates what are called naive B cells, and over time these become tuned to fight Omicron. After two exposures, the body is better able to fight off future exposures to Omicron. 

As a caveat, he said, this study involved subjects in China who were very rarely exposed to the virus before Omicron, and who got a different kind of vaccine called an inactivated virus. Similar studies that followed people who got mRNA shots saw no overriding of the imprinting. 

Cao said the mRNA vaccines are more immunogenic than the ones used in China, which can make them more powerful but might render the imprinting effect stronger too. It might take people in the US and elsewhere more exposures to Omicron-only boosters or infections to retune their immune systems toward the new version of the virus – though the virus will continue to evolve as well.

The take-home message, he said, is that booster shots can have long-term impacts – and that we need to start thinking about how to battle this disease in the long term. We have multiple approved vaccines to explore and new ideas are coming from research labs all the time. We’re not ready to settle into a yearly boosting schedule with mRNA shots.

If people are sick and tired of anything, it’s getting COVID-19. If we had a new shot that kept us COVID-19-free for at least a year, more people would be willing to get it. 

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2023-12-20 22:00:00Z
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