03 World

France to recognise Palestinian state in September– www.bbc.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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France will officially recognise a Palestinian state in September, President Emmanuel Macron has said, which will make it the first G7 nation to do so.

In a post on X, Macron said the formal announcement would be made at a session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“The urgent need today is for the war in Gaza to end and for the civilian population to be rescued. Peace is possible. We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” he wrote.

Palestinian officials welcomed Macron’s decision, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move “rewards terror” following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack in Israel.

The US “strongly rejects” Macron’s announcement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, calling the decision “reckless”.

The G7 is a group of major industrialised nations, which alongside France includes the US, the UK, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan.

In his Thursday post on X, Macron wrote: “True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine.

Former DR Congo president on trial for treason and murder in Kinshasa– www.bbc.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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The treason trial of the former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, has begun in a military court in the capital, Kinshasa.

He also faces other charges, such as murder, linked to his alleged support for M23 rebels – who control a large part of the mineral-rich east of the country. He denies the charges and has snubbed the hearing.

Kabila’s successor, President Félix Tshisekedi, has accused him of being the brains behind the rebels.

The former president has rejected the case as “arbitrary” and said the courts were being used as an “instrument of oppression”.

A ceasefire deal between the rebels and the government was agreed last week, but fighting has continued.

Kabila had been living outside the country for two years, but arrived in the rebel-held city of Goma, in eastern DR Congo, from self-imposed exile in South Africa in May.

What’s behind the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia? – National– globalnews.ca

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Armed clashes have broken out between Thailand and Cambodia in long-disputed border areas, rapidly escalating months-long tensions.

The fighting included gunfire exchanges, shelling and rocket fire, which have killed at least 14 people in Thailand and one in Cambodia and wounded dozens, while driving tens of thousands of people to flee homes near the border. Thailand also hit Cambodia with air strikes.

It was the second armed confrontation since a Cambodian soldier was shot dead in May and a major escalation that came hours after the two countries downgraded diplomatic relations following a land mine explosion that injured Thai soldiers.

The Thai military reported clashes at locations along the border near four Thai provinces on Friday.

Here’s what to know about the dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors.

Trump Admin Walks Away From Ceasefire Negotiations With ‘Selfish’ Hamas, Recalls Diplomats From Qatar– freebeacon.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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The United States recalled its diplomatic team from Qatar on Thursday, ending two weeks of intense ceasefire negotiations with Hamas after the terror group rejected the Trump administration’s latest offer.

“We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,” special envoy Steve Witkoff said in a statement. “While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.”

The Trump administration is now considering “alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.” Witkoff accused Hamas of acting in a “selfish way” and stressed that he and his team remain “resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza.”

The talks, which Egypt and Qatar have mediated, reportedly stretched into the early morning hours on Thursday but failed to adequately address “significant gaps,” according to Israeli officials. Hamas reportedly desires guarantees that Israel will not resume its war effort even without a final deal within a 60-day ceasefire period. The terror group also wants Israel to release 200 prisoners serving life sentences and around 2,000 others who were arrested since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, the Jerusalem Post reported.

UK, France and Germany demand ‘end’ to war in Gaza and aid to be allowed in immediately– www.independent.co.uk

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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“The humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now,” Sir Keir Starmer said in a joint statement with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron.

The three leaders held discussions on the crisis in Gaza amid growing fears of mass starvation in the area.

In their statement they said: “The most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay,”

“Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.

“We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work in order to take action against starvation. Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.”

UK, French and German leaders hold a call on Gaza after Macron backs a Palestinian state– japantoday.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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The leaders of Britain, France and Germany will hold an emergency call Friday about the growing hunger crisis in Gaza, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country will become the first major Western power to recognize a Palestinian state.

The surprise announcement exposes differences among the European allies, known as the E3, over how to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis and end the Israel-Hamas war.

All three support a Palestinian state in principle, but Germany said it has no immediate plans to follow France’s step, which Macron plans to formalize at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Britain has not followed suit either, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday came closer than ever before, saying “statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people.”

Starmer said he, Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz will speak Friday about “what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace.”

Russia’s lone aircraft carrier likely to be scrapped or sold, says shipbuilding chief– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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MOSCOW: Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the 40-year-old Admiral Kuznetsov, is likely to be sold or scrapped, the chairman of Russia’s state shipbuilding corporation told the Kommersant newspaper in comments published on Friday (Jul 25).

Andrei Kostin’s remarks follow a report in the daily Izvestia newspaper earlier this month, which cited unnamed sources as saying long-running refit and maintenance work on the warship had been suspended.

Launched in 1985 when the Soviet Union still existed, the Admiral Kuznetsov saw action in Russia’s military campaign in Syria in support of then-President Bashar al-Assad, with its planes carrying out airstrikes against rebel forces.

But it has played no role in the war in Ukraine and has been out of service since 2017, undergoing modernisation in the Murmansk area close to where Russia’s Northern Fleet is based.

Efforts to overhaul it have suffered repeated accidents and setbacks.

Asked about its fate on Thursday on the sidelines of a flag-raising ceremony for a new nuclear submarine in northwestern Russia, Kostin made it clear that a final decision had not yet been taken, but suggested that the Admiral Kuznetsov was no longer worth spending money on.

“We believe there is no point in repairing it anymore. It is over 40 years old, and it is extremely expensive … I think the issue will be resolved in such a way that it will either be sold or disposed of,” Kostin was quoted as saying by Kommersant.

Macron’s ‘Shameful’ Decision on Palestine Draws Widespread Condemnation– townhall.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state at the U.N. General Assembly in September.

“Consistent with its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” he wrote in a statement on X.

“The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population,” Macron continued. “Peace is possible. We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza. We must also ensure the demilitarization of Hamas, secure and rebuild Gaza. And finally, we must build the State of Palestine, guarantee its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the region.”

Thailand declares martial law in border districts as conflict with Cambodia worsens– www.euronews.com

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Thailand declared martial law in eight districts bordering Cambodia on Friday as a dispute between the two neighbours continues to worsen.

“Martial law is now in effect” in seven districts of Chanthaburi and one district of Trat, commander of the Border Defence Command, Apichart Sapprasert, said in a statement.

The declaration was made to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the lives and property of Thai citizens, the statement also said.

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have hit their lowest point in more than a decade, with both sides trading fire and air strikes since Thursday and tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border moving away from the conflict zone.

Freedom Convoy leaders seek ‘absolute discharge’ as trial continues– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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The defense is calling for an absolute discharge for Freedom Convoy leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber as their trial continues.

During a July 24 court session, defense lawyers argued that Lich and Barber should not serve additional jail time for their role in organizing and leading the 2022 Freedom Convoy which protested COVID mandates.

“This is an individual who came to this city with the best of intentions, as recognized by the judge. She has been under strict bail conditions for three-and-a-half years. She spent 49 days in jail for the offence of mischief,” Lich’s lawyer Lawrence Greenspon said.

“And if one looks at the positive impact that she’s had on the lives of many Canadians and the community service that she has continued to do, there’s absolutely no reason for her to not receive an absolute discharge,” he continued.

Currently, the Crown is seeking seven years for Lich on a single mischief conviction, and eight years for Barber and the forfeiture of Barber’s truck.

This sentencing, to be determined on October 7, has been roundly condemned by Canadians, including many prominent politicians.

Zelensky appoints new prime minister in major government shakeup – World Socialist Web Site

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Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky undertook the largest shakeup of top government officials since the NATO-backed proxy war between Ukraine and Russia began in February 2022. Zelensky has officially appointed a new prime minister along with reshuffling several other top cabinet positions. The primary aim of the government shakeup is to solidify Kiev’s ties with the US administration of Donald Trump. US imperialism is still Ukraine’s most important military backer.

Yulia Svyrydenko, 39, was confirmed as the country’s new prime minister on Thursday and will replace former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who has served as prime minister since 2020. Shmyhal will remain part of the Zelensky government as the newly appointed defense minister.

Svyrydenko previously served as first deputy prime minister and minister of economic development and trade. She played the leading role in negotiating the “critical minerals deal” this past spring between Ukraine and the Trump administration that saw Ukraine hand over vast sections of its economy to US imperialism in exchange for continued military aid in the war against Russia.

“She was the key and the only person leading these negotiations. She managed to prevent them from unraveling,” said Tymofiy Mylovanov, a former economy minister who previously worked with Svyrydenko.

Ukraine’s security service arrests anti-corruption agents over alleged Kremlin ties – MSN–

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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Ukraine’s SBU state security service launched a series of raids on the country’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) as part of an investigation into allegations that officials within the agency have been cooperating with Russia.

The SBU said on Monday that it had arrested two officials working for NABU, one a suspected Russian spy and the other over alleged business ties to Russia.

<b>Is Israel Losing American Christians? - The American Conservative</b>

Is Israel Losing American Christians? – The American Conservative

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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As Israel continues its assault on Gaza, enables settler violence in the West Bank, and launches strikes on Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, American conservatives are taking special note of one form of Israeli belligerence: attacks on Christians in the Holy Land.

An Israeli tank last week shelled the only Catholic church in Gaza, killing three and gravely wounding several. Over in the West Bank, settlers in recent weeks have intensified their attacks on Christian communities, including in the town of Taybeh, where they set cars aflame and erected a sign that read “there is no future for you here,” among other indignities.

Many American Christians, including high-profile MAGA influencers, have had enough—jeopardizing one of Israel’s most vital bases of Western support.

Christian Man Arrested in Lahore Over Blasphemy Allegation Amid Neighbourhood Dispute – Pakistan Christian Post

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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A Christian man has been arrested in Lahore under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, following what local rights groups allege is a fabricated accusation stemming from a neighbourhood dispute—not a religious offence.

Aamir Masih, a retired government education worker and father of two, was taken into custody by South Cantonment police after Sanwar Ali, a Muslim shopkeeper in Nishat Colony, lodged a complaint accusing Masih of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The FIR was registered under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, a section that carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment or death.

The complainant alleges that Masih made the remarks during a discussion in his shop about the country’s current political and economic challenges. According to the FIR, Masih fled the scene when confronted.

However, local residents and human rights defenders have strongly contested the allegations, saying the charge is being misused to settle a personal grudge related to a drainage dispute.

Poland’s Tusk reshuffles cabinet, promotes Sikorski to deputy PM – Reuters

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday in a bid to regain momentum amid falling approval ratings and potential clashes with the new, opposition-backed nationalist president.
Since Karol Nawrocki’s victory over Tusk’s liberal ally Rafal Trzaskowski in June’s presidential election, dissension within the ruling pro-European coalition has grown, raising doubt about its future under a veto-wielding head of state.

German court acquits satirist over social media post following Trump assassination attempt – MSN

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

German court acquits satirist over social media post following Trump assassination attempt – MSN
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A German court on Wednesday acquitted a satirist who was charged with having approved of an assassination attempt against Donald Trump during last year’s U.S. election campaign in a social media post and disturbed the public peace.

In a quickly deleted post under his alias “El Hotzo” on X in July last year, Sebastian Hotz drew a parallel between Trump and “the last bus” and wrote “unfortunately just missed.” In a follow-up post, he wrote: “I find it absolutely fantastic when fascists die.”

The UN’s highest court will decide Wednesday on the climate obligations of countries– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The UN’s highest court is handing down a historic opinion on climate change Wednesday, a decision that could set a legal benchmark for action around the globe to the climate crisis.

After years of lobbying by vulnerable island nations who fear they could disappear under rising sea waters, the U.N. General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice in 2023 for an advisory opinion, a non-binding but important basis for international obligations.

A panel of 15 judges was tasked with answering two questions. First, what are countries obliged to do under international law to protect the climate and environment from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? Second, what are the legal consequences for governments when their acts, or lack of action, have significantly harmed the climate and environment?

“The stakes could not be higher. The survival of my people and so many others is on the line,” Arnold Kiel Loughman, attorney general of the island nation of Vanuatu, told the court during a week of hearings in December.

In the decade up to 2023, sea levels have risen by a global average of around 4.3 centimeters (1.7 inches), with parts of the Pacific rising higher still. The world has also warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times because of the burning of fossil fuels.

Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba plans to resign after election debacle: Reports– economictimes.indiatimes.com

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Having done a trade deal with US President Donald Trump, Japan’s prime minister will soon announce his resignation, reports said Wednesday, after his latest election debacle left his coalition without a majority now in both houses of parliament.

The reports said Shigeru Ishiba had conveyed his intention to step down to those close to him, following the announcement Wednesday of a US-Japan trade deal.

Sunday’s upper house election was calamitous for Ishiba’s centre-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost continuously since 1955.

Voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the “Japanese first” Sanseito, whose “anti-globalist” drive echoes the agenda of populist movements elsewhere.

Australia politics live: Labor motion to express ‘extreme disapproval’ against Mehreen Faruqi over Gaza sign protest passes Senate | Australia news– www.theguardian.com

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Senate passes Labor motion expressing ‘extreme disapproval’ against Mehreen Faruqi for Gaza sign protest

While the Coalition amendment failed, Labor’s original motion to sanction Mehreen Faruqi passes the Senate.

The Greens opposed the motion along with independent senator Fatima Payman while One Nation and independent senator Tammy Tyrrell teamed up with the two major parties to sanction Faruqi.

While we have been calling it a censure motion, it’s technically a motion to express “profound disapproval” against the senator but also includes that the Senate voted it not “appropriate for Senator Faruqi to represent the Senate as a member of any delegation during the life of this parliament”.

Japan markets rally on the country’s 15% tariff rate– www.cnbc.com

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The anchoring effect is one of the sneakiest tools companies use to make us spend money.

Here’s how it works. Let’s say we’re shopping for a smartphone manufactured by Dapple, which has just released two new models: a $1,200 model with a big screen and a $900 one that is more compact. The more expensive smartphone will serve as the “anchor” by which we make comparisons, so the $900 model will appear to be value for money — even if it is costly in absolute terms. But we’re likely to feel good about choosing it because we’ve “saved” $300 on our purchase.

This scenario seems to be what’s happening with the U.S-Japan trade agreement freshly announced late Tuesday stateside. U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would gain access to Japan’s markets for rice and cars — which had been sticking points during negotiations — while the latter would see 15% tariffs on its exports to America.

At first glance, that doesn’t sound too positive for Japan. But investors celebrated the news — the Nikkei 225 jumped 3.8% at 1:45 a.m. ET. After all, a 15% tariff rate is a big improvement from the 25% tariff Trump slapped on Tokyo earlier this month. Furthermore, Japanese auto exports to the U.S. — which made up 28.3% of all shipments in 2024 — will face a tariff of 15%, lower than the universal 25% other countries are subject to.

As Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, said, “It’s a sign of the times that markets would cheer 15% tariffs. A year ago, that level of tariffs would be shocking. Today, we breathe a sigh of relief.” That, in essence, is the anchoring effect at play.

Slovak state gas firm eyes full Russian supply – Bloomberg — RT World News– www.rt.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0
<b>Mass starvation spreading across Gaza, aid agencies warn, as pressure on Israel grows – Middle East crisis live | Middle East and north Africa</b>- <i> www.theguardian.com</i>

Mass starvation spreading across Gaza, aid agencies warn, as pressure on Israel grows – Middle East crisis live | Middle East and north Africa– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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More than 100 aid organisations warned on Wednesday that “mass starvation“ was spreading in Gaza, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.

Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory, where more than 2 million people face severe shortages of food and other essentials after 21 months of conflict, triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel.

The UN said on Tuesday that Israeli forces had killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operations in late May – in effect sidelining the existing UN-led system.

A statement with 111 signatories, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that “our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away”.

Ukraine Russia war latest: Ukrainian military loses first French Mirage fighter jet in crash ahead of peace talks– www.independent.co.uk

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

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Russian soldiers needing medical care returned by Ukraine

Two Russian soldiers in need of medical care were handed over by Ukrainian authorities yesterday to be returned home, the Russian defence ministry said.

A ministry statement on Telegram said the two servicemen were handed over and taken to Belarus, one of Moscow’s closest allies, on Russia’s western border. They were receiving treatment in Belarus and would soon return to Russia, it said.

The statement said the action was undertaken on the basis of agreements reached at the second of two direct meetings aimed at ending the conflict last month between Russian and Ukrainian representatives.

The two meetings in Istanbul resulted in agreements to return prisoners of war and remains of fallen soldiers, but made little progress towards an end to the more than three-year-old conflict.