Politics
Palestinian embassy in UK officially inaugurated
- Ambassador hails event as ‘profound milestone’ in UK-Palestine ties.
- Hopes embassy opening is a step toward Palestinian Statehood.
- Palestinian Mission upgrades to embassy with full diplomatic status.
The embassy of Palestine was officially inaugurated in London in a short ceremony on Monday, hailed by its ambassador as a “profound milestone” in British-Palestinian relations.
“We gather today to mark a historic moment — the inauguration of the embassy of the State of Palestine to the United Kingdom, with full diplomatic status and privileges,” said ambassador Husam Zomlot in a speech outside what was previously known as the Palestinian Mission to the UK in west London.
The official upgrading of the mission to embassy status came after the UK announced it would recognise the State of Palestine in September 2025, along with several other countries, including Australia and Canada, at a time of major international concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Sporting a traditional black and white keffiyeh scarf, Zomlot told the ceremony this is “not merely a change of name”, but a “change of direction” towards Palestinian statehood.
“What a way to begin a new year together, marking a profound milestone in the British-Palestinian relations, and in the Palestinian people’s long journey to freedom and self-determination,” Zomlot said, before unveiling the embassy’s new plaque.
“This is a day of hope, a day of steadfastness, and a day that reminds the world that peace is not only possible, it is inevitable… when rooted in justice, dignity, equality and mutual recognition.”
The UK’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to an AFP query on whether the UK planned to follow suit by opening a British embassy in the Palestinian territories.
Speaking just after Zomlot at a lectern flanked by Palestinian and British national flags, UK diplomatic representative Alistair Harrison said the occasion represented a “moment of hope”.
“This is the beginning of a step change in our bilateral relationship,” he said.
“I wish you ambassador, and your team, a very happy stay in what is now your embassy, and congratulations.”
A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October in Gaza, following a devastating war waged by Israel in response to Hamas’s unprecedented deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
CAMBRIDGE: Two Pakistani Muslims have been elected to top city positions in Cambridge, a city in the US state, Massachusetts.
Sumbul Siddiqui, a lawyer originally from Karachi, has been elected mayor by the Cambridge City Council for the 2026-27 term, marking her third tenure in the role. She is the first Muslim and Asian woman to serve as mayor of Cambridge.
Burhan Azim, an MIT-trained engineer from Burewala, has been elected deputy mayor of Cambridge, becoming the city’s youngest councillor in history.
Siddiqui first won a city council seat in 2017 and served as mayor twice between 2020 and 2024, making her a prominent figure in local politics.
- Donald Trump says Modi “not that happy” due to US tariffs on India
- Tariffs could rise if India doesn’t curb Russian oil imports: US president.
- US imposed 50% tariffs on India, including 25% linked to Russian oil.
United States President Donald Trump has recounted a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Modi had sought permission to meet him.
Delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump was speaking on the demand for the US-made Apache helicopters and said India has been waiting for five years for the Apache helicopters.
Trump said that India ordered 68 Apaches and “Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’. Yes.”
The US president said that Modi was “not that happy with me” because of the tariffs imposed by Washington on Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil.
“I have a very good relationship with him. He’s not that happy with me because you know they’re paying a lot of tariffs now because they’re not doing the oil, but they are, they’ve now reduced it very substantially, as you know, from Russia,” Trump said.
Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on India, including 25% for its purchases of Russian oil.
On Sunday, the US president said that Washington could raise tariffs on India if New Delhi doesn’t meet its demand to curb purchases of Russian oil.
“Modi […] knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy,” Trump added.
“They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said in response to a question on India’s Russian oil purchases.
The US doubled import tariffs on Indian goods to 50% last year as punishment for its heavy buying of Russian oil. Despite the hefty tariffs, India’s exports to the US leapt in November.
- STC leader Zubaidi skips flight to Riyadh, flees unknown.
- Presidential council strips Zubaidi of membership over treason.
- STC and Yemen government feud deepens amid armed clashes.
The leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidarous al-Zubaidi, failed to board a plane set to take him to Riyadh and fled instead to an unknown destination, the Saudi-backed coalition in the country said on Wednesday.
The remarks came amid efforts to end fighting that erupted last month between the STC and Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Zubaidi was set to travel to Saudi Arabia days after Yemen’s government said it had asked Riyadh to host a forum on the southern issue.
In a statement, coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said a flight carrying a large number of senior leaders of the separatist group departed after a delay of more than three hours without Zubaidi, and with no information on his whereabouts.
During the delay, “information became available indicating that he had moved large forces,” Maliki added, citing “calls for mobilisation and the movement and arming of factions with light and medium weapons”.
The Houthis seized the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in 2014 and Gulf countries intervened the following year in support of the internationally recognised government, splitting Yemen into rival zones of control.
The coalition also said it carried out limited pre-emptive airstrikes in Yemen’s southern province of al-Dhalea after monitoring the movements of armed forces that had left their camps.
Domestic sources and sources within the STC reported more than 15 strikes in the province, the birthplace of Zubaidi.
Following the developments, the presidential council stripped Zubaidi of his membership and referred him to the public prosecutor on charges including high treason, state news agency SABA said.
The decision, issued by council chairman Rashad al-Alimi, accused Zubaidi of inciting armed rebellion, attacking constitutional authorities and committing abuses against civilians in southern Yemen.
For years, the STC has been part of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
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