Headlines
UK, Australia, Canada Recognise Palestinian State, US, Israel Kick
Britain, Australia, and Canada have recognised a Palestinian State in a seismic shift in decades of Western foreign policy, triggering swift Israeli anger.
Portugal was also to recognise Palestinian statehood later Sunday, as Israel came under huge international pressure over the war in Gaza triggered almost two years ago by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a message on X.
Britain and Canada became the first G7 countries to take the step, with France and other nations expected to follow at the annual UN General Assembly, which opens Monday in New York.
“Canada recognises the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on X.
It is a watershed moment for Palestinians and their decades-long ambitions for statehood, with the most powerful Western nations having long argued it should only come as part of a negotiated peace deal with Israel.
But the move puts those countries at odds with the United States and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacting angrily and vowing to oppose it at the UN talks.
Calls for a Palestinian state “would endanger our existence and serve as an absurd reward for terrorism,” Netanyahu said Sunday.
A growing number of longtime allies have shifted positions, as Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive, vowing to eliminate the Hamas Palestinian militants.
The Gaza Strip has suffered vast destruction, a spiraling death toll, and a lack of food that has sparked a major humanitarian crisis since the start of the conflict, which has drawn an international outcry.
The UK government has come under increasing public pressure to act, with thousands rallying every month on the streets. A poll released by YouGov on Friday showed two-thirds of young Britons aged 18 to 25 supported Palestinian statehood.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy acknowledged at the UN in July that “Britain bears a special burden of responsibility to support the two-state solution”.
Over a century ago, the UK was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the creation of the state of Israel through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.
Three-quarters of UN members already recognise Palestinian statehood, with over 140 of the 193 having taken the step.
Starmer said in July that his Labour government intended to recognise a Palestinian State unless Israel took “substantive” steps, including reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, getting more aid into the territory, and confirming it would not annex the West Bank.
Starmer has also repeatedly called on Hamas to release the remaining hostages they captured in the 2023 attack, and is expected to set out new sanctions on the Palestinian militants.
Lammy told the BBC on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority — the civilian body that governs in areas of the West Bank — had been calling for the move for some time, “and I think a lot of that is wrapped up in hope”.
“Will this feed children? No, it won’t, that’s down to humanitarian aid. Will this free hostages? That must be down to a ceasefire,” he said.
But Lammy said it was an attempt to “hold out for” a two-state solution.
Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin told AFP last week: “Recognition is not symbolic.”
“It sends a very clear message to the Israelis on their illusions about continuing their occupation forever,” she added.
Hamas’s 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
Portugal said that it would also formally declare its recognition in New York on Sunday.
“By acting now, as the Portuguese government has decided, we’re keeping alive the possibility of having two states,” Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said.
AFP
President Donald Trump vowed on Sunday that the United States would take Greenland “one way or the other,” warning that Russia and China would “take over” if Washington fails to act.
Trump says controlling the mineral-rich Danish territory is crucial for US national security given increased Russian and Chinese military activity in the Arctic.
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I’m not letting that happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, despite neither country laying claim to the vast island.
Trump said he would be open to making a deal with the Danish self-governing territory “but one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland.”
Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump’s threats over the island, which plays a strategic role between North America and the Arctic, and where the United States has had a military base since World War II.
A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland gained home rule 26 years later and is contemplating eventually loosening its ties with Denmark.
The vast majority of its population and political parties have said they do not want to be under US control and insist Greenlanders must decide their own future — a viewpoint continuously challenged by Trump.
“Greenland should make the deal, because Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over,” Trump warned, as he mocked its defenses.
“You know what their defense is, two dog sleds,” he said, while Russia and China have “destroyers and submarines all over the place.”
Denmark’s prime minister warned last week that any US move to take Greenland by force would destroy 80 years of transatlantic security links.
Trump waved off the comment saying: “If it affects NATO, it affects NATO. But you know, (Greenland) need us much more than we need them.”
AFP
Iran has warned the United States against any military action, saying it would retaliate if the U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on threats to intervene as Tehran continues its crackdown on nationwide protests.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issued the warning during a parliamentary session broadcast live on Iranian State television.
Qalibaf praised the country’s military response to the protests and cautioned that both the U.S. military and Israel are considered “legitimate targets” in the event of an attack on Iran.
Referring to Israel as “the occupied territory,” Qalibaf said Iran would not rule out launching a preemptive strike against either country if it perceives a threat.
“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Qalibaf said.
“We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat,” he added.
The warning came amid scenes of heightened tension in the chamber, as hardline lawmakers rushed the dais and chanted, “Death to America!”
Iran has been rocked by widespread protests challenging the country’s theocratic system over the past few weeks, prompting a sustained security crackdown by authorities.
Activists estimated that at least 116 people have died in connection with the demonstrations, while about 2,600 others have been detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Right Activists News Agency. Exact figures remain unclear due to internet shutdowns and disrupted phone services across the country.
Trump has warned that the United States is prepared to act if Iranian authorities kill protesters.
“If Iran (shoots) and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump said earlier this month.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready tohelp!!!” he added on his Truth Social platform.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that Trump has been briefed on possible military strike options against Iran but has yet to make a final decision.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has publicly acknowledged Super Eagles striker Akor Adams following his goal celebration in Nigeria’s 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Adams scored Nigeria’s second goal against the Desert Foxes, making amends for earlier missed chances and helping the Super Eagles secure a place in the semifinals.
However, it was his celebration, rather than the finish itself, that drew widespread attention across the continent.
Tribute to DR Congo superfan
After finding the net, the Sevilla forward marked the moment with a gesture inspired by DR Congo superfan Mboladinga ‘Lumumba’.
The Congolese supporter has become a familiar figure at the tournament for standing throughout all DR Congo matches as a tribute to the legacy of former prime minister Patrice Lumumba.
Adams’ celebration mirrored Mboladinga’s stance, a move widely interpreted as a sign of respect and solidarity beyond national lines. The moment resonated with fans and officials alike, quickly gaining traction on social media.
CAF Reaction and fan response
CAF highlighted the gesture on its official X account, sharing an image of Adams’ celebration alongside a brief but pointed message. “Standing still. Akor.,” the continental body wrote.
The post prompted a wave of reactions from football fans across Africa. A user identified as @MrChirenga commented, “Love the fact that Africans are becoming more and more united fam … Love from Zimbabwe.”
Another fan, @abuagoody, praised Adams’ qualities, writing, “Such an impressive player. The last players that played like him for Nigeria are John Utaka, Brown Ideye and Uche.”
Others focused on Adams’ technical ability, with @MouxCaa adding, “Akor Adams is a type of player you see touching the ball and you automatically know it’s a professional footballer.”
