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UPI
31-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Lawyers warn British govenment over Palestnian state recognition plan
More than 40 members of the House of Lords wrote the attorney-general, urging him to advise the British government to ditch a plan to recognize a Palestinian state in September because it would break international law. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI. | License Photo July 31 (UPI) -- British lawmakers warned Thursday that proposed recognition of a Palestinian state by the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer would breach international law because Palestine does not meet the legal threshold for statehood. The 43 members of the House of Lords, Parliament's upper chamber, said in a letter that the plan to recognize Palestine unless Israel agreed to a cease-fire and resumed efforts toward a two-state solution violated the legal requirements of an Americas treaty from the 1930s. The 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, signed by the United States, Brazil, Peru and 17 other Americas nations, stipulates that to be recognized as a defined territory in international law, a state must have a permanent population, an effective government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. The bipartisan group of peers, among them some of Britain's top legal experts, wrote the attorney-general, Lord Hermer, urging him to advise Starmer against the move on the grounds that Palestine met only one of the criteria. They said the lack of certainty over borders was obvious as was the absence of a "functioning single government," given the bitter power struggle between the two Palestinian factions -- Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza. "The former has failed to hold elections for decades, and the latter is a terrorist organization, neither of which could enter into relations with other states," the group said. The lords called Hermer on a previous claim that government foreign policy was guided entirely by its commitment to international law, saying that if that were true, Hermer should "explain to the public and to the government that recognition of Palestine would be contrary to the principles governing recognition of states in international law." The government responded by pointing out that Britain was not a signatory to the Montevideo Convention and that the move was in line with the bulk of United Nations member-countries that had already taken the step to formally recognize a Palestinian state. "We haven't signed up to the Montevideo Convention, but is there a clear population in Palestine? Yes, there is in Gaza and the West Bank," business minister Gareth Thomas told a radio station. "We have made clear that we think you would recognize the state of Palestine, and that state of Palestine would be based on the 1967 borders. Of course, there would have to be land swaps and there would be a shared capital of Jerusalem. They are well-regarded international views. "As I say, 140 other countries have already recognised the state of Palestine. The prime minister was in talks this week with a series of countries, including Canada, and Canada have overnight, as you will have seen, taken the decision to recognise Palestine in September." However, Lady Deech, an academic lawyer and chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, said the Montevideo Convention was based on a pre-existing law and, since it had gone unchallenged for so long, was now considered customary law. "This country is definitely bound by it, as the prime minister must know," she said. Lady Deech also pointed out that Palestinians had rejected the offer of a Palestinian state no fewer than four times in the seven decades prior to 2008. In his first comments since doubts over the legality of his policy emerged, Starmer avoided the issue, instead addressing widely reported criticism from British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, held by Hamas for more than a year, who accused Starmer of "moral failure" and standing on the wrong side of history. Starmer insisted he listened to the hostages and their families and continued as he had always done to push for the release of those still held. But he said Britain also needed to do everything it could to "alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where we are seeing the children and babies starving for want of aid which could be delivered."
UPI
17-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Dozens killed in Iraqi shopping mall fire
Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City in September of 2024. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI. | License Photo July 17 (UPI) -- Several people are dead and an investigation is underway after a fire destroyed a five-story shopping mall in Iraq on Wednesday evening. In a press release, the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced Thursday that 61 people died in the blaze, which occurred in a mall located in the city of Kut, in the province of Wasit. The ministry reported that most of the victims "suffocated inside the bathrooms as a result of heavy smoke," and that 14 were so badly burned they remain unidentified. However, 45 people were also rescued from the fire by civil defense teams. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani announced Thursday that he has directed the Minister of the Interior, Abdul Amir al-Shammari, to form an investigation committee. The Iraqi Interior Ministry then announced Thursday the committee has been formed to "investigate the real causes of the fire, and identify the locations of the defect and the responsibility accurately and transparently." The head of the Wasit security committee, Habib al-Badri, told the New York Times that the fire was caused by an electric malfunction, and that the situation was worsened by subpar building construction and an overwhelmed rescue service. "There was a lack of emergency exits and emergency ladders and extinguishers," al-Badri said. "And unfortunately, the province was not prepared for such an incident." Wasit Province Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi said Thursday that "we will not show leniency toward those who were directly or indirectly responsible for this incident, which is surrounded by suspicious circumstances."
UPI
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: Aespa enters 'PUBG: Battlegrounds' video game in 'Dark Arts' film
Aespa released the "Dark Arts" music video Tuesday. The group recorded the song as a collaboration with video game "PUBG: Battlegrounds." File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo July 15 (UPI) -- South Korean girl group Aespa enters the video game PUBG: Battlegrounds in their music video for "Dark Arts," which dropped Tuesday. The song was originally featured in a "Dark Arts" film released July 9 to mark launch of the K-pop group's collaboration with the battle royale multiplayer game. The game includes an Aespa Emote Stage, Desert Dome, Rest Stop and Crop Field, and those updates will be reflected for console players Thursday. The full "Dark Arts" video released Tuesday shows Aespa evade cars and motorcycles swerving through the video game's desert landscape. As the video continues, viewers see guns with the word "Aespa" written on them. Aespa released "Dirty Work," their first single of 2025, in June. K-pop stars walk the red carpet Lisa, of Blackpink, arrives on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., on September 11, 2024. Lisa recently released a performance video for her solo single "Moonlit Floor." Photo by Derek C. French/UPI | License Photo
UPI
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- UPI
Ford recalls 850,000 vehicles over faulty fuel pumps
The Ford Motor Company pavilion at the New York International Auto Show in April. The company recalled 850,000 vehicles Thursday over faulty fuel pumps. File photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo July 11 (UPI) -- Ford Motor Co. has recalled 850,000 trucks, SUVs and cars, including the popular F-150 pickup and the S550 Mustang, due to issues with the vehicles' fuel pumps, the company announced. The recall covers models produced between 2021 and 2023 and includes truck models all the way up to the F-550 and various sport utility vehicles, such as the Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Expedition and Navigator produced for the U.S. market. The vehicles covered in the recall all have Phinia-supplied fuel pumps that could fail unexpectedly, which can cause the vehicle to stall while in operation and increase the risk for a crash, the company said. Ford began investigating the fuel pump issue in the fall of 2022 after an unusual number of warranty claims and customer complaints. The investigation determined that the fuel pump openings were becoming clogged and not providing enough fuel to the engine. The fuel pumps in question were installed in vehicles between July 2021 and December 2022. The company has said it is working on a replacement part, adding that owners and lessees would be notified of the recall by July 18. Ford has said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with the faulty fuel pumps.
UPI
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: Aespa performs 'Dark Arts' in 'PUBG' collab launch film
The members of Aespa appear in a "Dark Arts" launch film promoting their "PUBG" collaboration. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo July 9 (UPI) -- South Korean girl group Aespa is kicking off its PUBG: Battlegrounds collaboration with the "Dark Arts" launch film released Wednesday. The video features Aespa's song "Dark Arts" and shows the K-pop stars shooting guns and fighting opponents before ultimately taking off in a convertible. "The PUBG x Aespa collaboration drops with a bang -- channeling Aespa's aggressive beats, sharp aesthetics and signature metallic punch into the PUBG world," an official synopsis reads. PUBG now contains an Aespa Emote Stage, Desert Dome, Rest Stop and Crop Field, a press release states. Console players will have access to the collaboration July 17. The battle royale multiplayer game was released in 2017. Aespa, which includes Ningning, Karina, Giselle and Winter, will release the "Dark Arts" song in full July 15. They released their single "Dirty Work" in June. K-pop stars walk the red carpet Lisa, of Blackpink, arrives on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., on September 11, 2024. Lisa recently released a performance video for her solo single "Moonlit Floor." Photo by Derek C. French/UPI | License Photo
