Foreign Tit Bits Today
By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
United Kingdom
Palestine Opens Full Embassy In UK
Palestine, today, officially opened its full status embassy in the United Kingdom.
The event which held at the country’s mission in London, featured the unveiling of the Palestinian plaque and the hoisting of its flag.
The occasion attracted envoys from more than 60 countries.
At the historic event, the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, Husham Zomlot, said Palestine had, and would always, be.
He hailed the move by the UK which, he said, had been long over due .
Zomlot added that Britain had a solemn responsibility to go beyond the symbolism of the formal recognition by taking the necessary steps, including a full arms embargo against Israel, to restore the full rights and dignity of Palestinians.
Homlot stressed that the recognition, desirable as it was, needed to be augmented with other potent strategic actions that could influence events and end decades of what he termed historic injustices to the Palestinian people.
By the development, Palestine can now do business and conduct activities within the purview of independent states.
Israel
PM Netanyahu Says No To Palestinian State
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed that there would be Palestinian State.
He said , in reaction to the global upsurge in the recognition of Palestine, that Israel would not allow that to happen.
Netanyahu spoke shortly after several Western countries, including Britain, France, Canada, Portugal and Australia either formally announced their recognition of Palestine or their intention to do do.
The move has split the otherwise uniform position of the political West in their support of Israel .
Both American President, Donald Trump, and leaders of Hungary, Italy, Austria and Germany had advised against the recognition.
More than 150 countries have formally recognized Palestine
Phillipines
Thousands Evacuated As Super Typhoon Ragasa Nears Landfall
Thousands of persons living around the Philippines coastline have been evacuated as Super Typhoon Ragasa approaches.
The high velocity typhoon is expected to make landfall in the coming hours.
It is packing winds of up to 210 kilometres hour and it is the strongest winds to reach the Asian country in decades.
In nearby China, where it is expected to make landfall by Wednesday, authorities have begun a mass evacuation of residents of low- lying coastal areas ,
particularly in Shenzhen.
About 400,000 persons are to be evacuated under the evacuation plan drawn up by Beijing.
Local air travel operator, Cathay Pacific, says it is cancelling around 500 flights on account of Ragasa.
Lebanon
Y
Dispute Persists Over Identities of Fatal Victims of Israeli Strike in Lebanon
Doubts persist over the actual nationalities of some fatal victims of Israel’ s military strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday.
Lebanese authorities said on Sunday that at least four of those killed were Americans.
The four included three children and an adult.
Israel, in its initial response, denied that Americans were involved.
However, it later clarified that some ” uninvolved’ persons might have been killed in the strike.
Israel, in spite of its ceasefire deal with Hezbollah( the Party of God) has consistently attacked Lebanon , claiming that it is targeting Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure.
America
Erika, Charlie Kirk ‘s Widow, Forgives Husband ‘s Suspected Killer
Erika, the widow of America’s conservative political activist, Charlie Kirk, says she has forgiven him.
Charlie, 31,was fatally shot by a sniper as he gave a speech at Utah Valley University, Utah.
At a funeral ceremony for him in Arizona, Erika, citing the Biblical story of Jesus praying for his killers on the cross, said she had forgiven the killer.
The police in Utah have charged 22- year old Tyler Robinson for the alleged murder of Kirk , whom President Donald Trump , on Sunday,labelled an ‘American hero’
Trump’s Deputy, J. D. Vance, just as many other American dignitaries, attended the funeral.
France
France To Formally Recognize Palestine Today.
France, a major ally of Israel and America, is set to recognize the State of Palestine later today..
The development comes strong ong on the heel of a similar move by Britain, which, yesterday, chorused a recognition theme with Portugal, Canada and Australia.
French President, Emmanuel Macron , has been at the head of a global push for the recognition of the Palestinian state.
In pushing the issue of the Palestinian state , Macron resisted immense pressure from President Trump who is a die hard promoted if the Israeli cause.
Like Britain, France is a major Western.power, a member of the UN Security Council and a lead figure in global diplomacy.
