UN Chief Warns Of 'Dangerous Drift' As War, Mistrust, Disinformation Rise
"War continues to rage on the European continent, and trust between states is fraying," Antonio Guterres said in his video message to the Helsinki+50 Conference.
Saying that human rights are "under assault" and democratic space is "shrinking," the UN chief also expressed concern over disinformation that is fueling division and fear.
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New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia's stance on Palestine's right to exist remains unchanged
MEMBAKUT: Malaysia has not changed its long-standing position that Palestine has the right to exist as an independent state, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He said this position reflects Malaysia's desire to support the Palestinian people's right to self-governance. Mohamad said this while his ministry studies a declaration from a recent United Nations (UN) special meeting, which calls for Hamas to lay down its arms and surrender governance of Gaza. "The recent debate was presented by two countries, Saudi Arabia and France, which discussed a two-state solution to ensure Palestine has an independent state," Mohamad said. "The outcome document has an appendix with other conditions that must be studied carefully," he said, adding that Malaysia did not want to be "trapped in the political games of interested parties." Mohamad said the Foreign Ministry had been asked to sign the document next month. "The ministry will bring this matter to the cabinet for a decision," he said. "Whether we sign the document or not, it needs to be discussed and scrutinised in greater detail." The foreign minister said this on the sidelines of the Membakut Umno divisional meeting. Earlier today, Mohamad said in a statement that Malaysia welcomed the growing international consensus to condemn Israel and support the push for Palestinian statehood. The declaration calling for Hamas to disarm and relinquish power was signed by several countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada. The UK and France are among the latest countries preparing to formally recognise the State of Palestine. To date, more than 145 countries have extended formal recognition to Palestine. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, over 150,000 have been injured, and 1.9 million people have been displaced in Gaza since the conflict started in 2023.
Borneo Post
an hour ago
- Borneo Post
13MP: Pan Borneo, SSLR, Trans Borneo Highway completion top priority, says Works Minister
In a statement today, Nanta says this aligns with the federal government's push for equitable development across all regions. – Bernama photo KUCHING (Aug 2): The Works Ministry is prioritising the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway, Sarawak–Sabah Link Road (SSLR), and Trans Borneo Highway as key infrastructure projects under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), assures Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. In a statement today, Nanta said this aligns with the federal government's push for equitable development across all regions. 'The ministry is committed to completing the Pan Borneo Highway Project in Sabah and Sarawak within the 13MP period, in addition to continuing the construction of the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) and the Trans Borneo Highway as the main drivers of Borneo integration,' he said in response to the 13MP tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Parliament on July 31. The SSLR will provide a direct land connection between Sarawak and Sabah without passing through Brunei, while the Trans Borneo Highway will link Malaysia to Kalimantan, boosting cross-border trade and tourism. Nanta also revealed plans to expand rural road networks nationwide, targeting 2,800km of roads by 2030 – up from 2,436km in 2024. These include road upgrades in Felda and Felcra settlements, along with improvements in drainage, utilities, and other rural infrastructure. In Peninsular Malaysia, the ministry will continue upgrading the North–South Expressway (PLUS), including widening sections from Juru to Sungai Dua in Penang, and from Senai Utara to Machap in Johor, to support the Northern and Southern Corridors. Nanta added that completing the Lingkaran Tengah Utama (LTU) from Bentong to Kuala Krai remains a priority to drive development in the East Coast. To strengthen border connectivity, the ministry will upgrade the Rantau Panjang–Sungai Golok Bridge linking Kelantan and Thailand, and the Kalabakan–Simanggaris route connecting Sabah with Indonesia, he added. Nanta said the Works Ministry is embracing modern construction technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the Industrialised Building System (IBS) to boost project efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Road safety will also be enhanced through smart infrastructure solutions, he said, including traffic lights, street lighting, and speed monitoring systems. In line with Malaysia's target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Nanta said his ministry will promote the use of eco-friendly building materials and low-carbon infrastructure solutions. 'The 13MP is not just about building roads, bridges and buildings. It is actually building the people's hope and confidence in the country's future. 'This is infrastructure for all that is fair, equitable and brings long-term benefits to all Malaysians, both in urban and rural areas,' he said. alexander nanta linggi Pan Borneo SSLR trans borneo highway
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
UN reports mounting toll among aid seekers as US envoy due in Gaza
Piles of humanitarian aid packages from GHF wait to be picked in the Gaza Strip. (AP pic) GAZA CITY : Israeli forces have killed hundreds of hungry Palestinians waiting for aid outside US-backed food distribution points, the UN's rights office said Friday, as a special envoy from Washington was due to inspect the sites. The visit by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff also coincided with a report from global advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) that accused Israeli forces of presiding over 'regular bloodbaths' around the US-backed centres, which have become magnets for criticism since their inception in late May. The UN's rights office in the Palestinian territories said at least 1,373 people had been killed seeking aid in Gaza since May 27 – 105 of them in the past two days. 'Most of these killings were committed by the Israeli military,' the office said, breaking down the death toll into 859 killed near the US-backed food sites and 514 along routes used by UN and aid agency convoys. 'These victims, the majority of whom appear to be young men and boys, are not just numbers,' the office said. 'Each person killed or injured had been desperately struggling for survival, not only for themselves but also for their families and dependants.' Gaza's civil defence agency said 11 people were killed by Israeli fire and air strikes on Friday, including two who were waiting near an aid distribution site run by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). GHF largely sidelined the longstanding UN-led humanitarian system just as Israel was beginning to ease a more than two-month aid blockade that exacerbated existing shortages of food and other essentials. 'Beyond imagination' In its report on the GHF centres on Friday, Human Rights Watch accused the Israeli military of illegally using starvation as a weapon of war. 'Israeli forces are not only deliberately starving Palestinian civilians, but they are now gunning them down almost every day as they desperately seek food for their families,' said Belkis Wille, associate crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch. 'US-backed Israeli forces and private contractors have put in place a flawed, militarised aid distribution system that has turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths.' Responding to the report, the military said GHF worked independently but that Israeli soldiers operated 'in proximity to the new distribution areas in order to enable the orderly delivery of food'. It accused Hamas of trying to prevent food distribution and said that it was conducting a review of the reported deaths, adding it worked to 'minimise, as much as possible, any friction between the civilian population' and its forces. After arriving in Israel on Thursday, Witkoff held talks with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how to resolve the almost 22-month-old war, feed desperate civilians and free the remaining hostages held by Palestinian militants. Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas and free the captives but is under international pressure to end the bloodshed that has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians and threatened many more with famine. Following his discussions with Witkoff, Netanyahu met foreign minister Johann Wadephul of Germany, another staunch Israeli ally, who nonetheless delivered a blunt message. 'The humanitarian disaster in Gaza is beyond imagination,' Wadephul told reporters after the meeting, urging the government 'to provide humanitarian and medical aid to prevent mass starvation from becoming a reality'. 'I have the impression that this has been understood today,' he added. Hostage video On Thursday, the armed wing of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad released a video showing German-Israeli hostage Rom Braslavski, 21, watching recent news footage of the crisis in Gaza and pleading with the Israeli government to secure his release. 'Even the strongest person has a breaking point,' his family said in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel. 'Rom is an example of all the hostages. They must all be brought home now.' On Friday, Wadephul also met relatives of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip. According to the German foreign office, among the 49 hostages still held, a 'single-digit' number are German-Israeli dual nationals 'Germany continues to do everything in our power to achieve the release of the hostages,' Wadephul said, expressing outrage at the video release. This 'horrible' footage reveals 'once again the utter depravity of the kidnappers', he said. The Hamas-led Oct 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. Of the 251 people seized, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 declared dead by the Israeli military. The Israeli offensive, nearing its 23rd month, has killed at least 60,249 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry. This week UN aid agencies said deaths from starvation had begun. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence and other parties.
