Australia will recognize the state of Palestine in September, says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Australian Prime Minister A. Albanese announced that Australia will recognize the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, following commitments by the Palestinian Authority to expel Hamas, demilitarize Gaza, and hold elections.
He said the two-state solution is the best hope for ending violence and suffering in the Middle East, criticizing Israel for violating international law and blocking aid.
New heat wave continues unabated in Southern Europe
Europe is facing extreme temperatures of up to over 40 degrees Celsius in France, Spain and Portugal, with multiple warnings of high risk until mid-week.
In France, over 40 departments are on orange alert, while Spain is also facing the hot Saharan Calima wind and fires near residential areas. Portugal has raised its alert level to the maximum for the risk of fires, although some of them have been brought under control.
Israel kills Al Jazeera journalist it calls Hamas leader
Israel killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif in an airstrike in Gaza, accusing him of leading a Hamas cell, while human rights organizations and the network itself called it an attempt to silence his reporting from the front.
Three other Al Jazeera journalists and two others were also killed, and the UN and press freedom groups said the charges against Al Sharif were unfounded. Al Jazeera described the attack as politically motivated and rejected Israeli military allegations that its journalists had links to militant groups.
Severe storms knock out power and force cancellation of major sporting events in the western US
Heavy rains and strong winds in the US Midwest caused flash flooding, leaving about 18,000 homes in Wisconsin without power and forcing the cancellation of major events, including the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair.
In Milwaukee and surrounding areas, rivers overflowed, roads were blocked by abandoned cars and dozens of rescue operations were carried out. Authorities warn that heavy rain, hail and strong winds could continue for the next few days.
