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France to recognise Palestinian state in September

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.
“We must also guarantee the demilitarisation of Hamas, and secure and rebuild Gaza.
“Finally, we must build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and ensure that by accepting its demilitarisation and fully recognising Israel, it contributes to the security of all in the Middle East. There is no alternative.”
Macron also attached a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming his decision.
Responding to Macron’s announcement, Abbas’ deputy Hussein al-Sheikh said, “This position reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state”, according to the AFP news agency.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu wrote in a post on X: “We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the 7 October massacre.
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” Netanyahu added.
Hamas said France’s decision was a “positive step in the right direction” and urged all countries of the world “to follow France’s lead”.
Currently, the State of Palestine is recognised by more than 140 of the 193 member states of the UN.
A few European Union countries, including Spain and Ireland, are among them.
But Israel’s main supporter, the US, and its allies including the UK have not recognised a Palestinian state.
In a statement on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he will hold an “emergency call” with French and German leaders on Friday to discuss “what we can do urgently to stop the killing”.
Statehood is an “inalienable right of the Palestinian people”, Starmer said, adding that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution”.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry praised France’s decision, saying it “reaffirms the international community’s consensus on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state”.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 59,106 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble since then.
Earlier on Thursday, the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) said that one in five children in Gaza City was now malnourished and cases were increasing every day.
More than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups have also warned of mass starvation in the Gaza Strip – pressing for governments to take action.
Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies into the Palestinian territory, has repeatedly said that there is no siege, blaming Hamas for any cases of malnutrition.
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A record supply load won’t reach the International Space Station as scheduled

The damage occurred during the shipment of the spacecraft’s pressurized cargo module from its manufacturer in Italy. While Northrop Grumman hopes to repair the module and launch it on a future flight, officials decided it would be quicker to move forward with the next spacecraft in line for launch this month.
This is the first flight of a larger model of the Cygnus spacecraft known as the Cygnus XL, measuring 5.2 feet (1.6 meters) longer, with the ability to carry 33 percent more cargo than the previous Cygnus spacecraft design. With this upgrade, this mission is carrying the heaviest load of supplies ever delivered to the ISS by a commercial cargo vehicle.
The main engine on the Cygnus spacecraft burns a mixture of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide propellants. This mixture is hypergolic, meaning the propellants ignite upon contact with one another, a design heralded for its reliability. The spacecraft has a separate set of less powerful reaction control system thrusters normally used for small maneuvers, and for pointing the ship in the right direction as it makes its way to the ISS.
If the main engine is declared unusable, one possible option for getting around the main engine problem might be using these smaller thrusters to more gradually adjust the Cygnus spacecraft’s orbit to line up the final approach with the ISS. However, it wasn’t immediately clear if this was a viable option.
Unlike SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon spacecraft, the Cygnus is not designed to return to Earth intact. Astronauts fill it with trash before departure from the ISS, and then the spacecraft heads for a destructive reentry over the remote Pacific Ocean. Therefore, a problem preventing the spacecraft from reaching the ISS would result in the loss of all of the cargo onboard.
The supplies on this mission, designated NG-23, include fresh food, hardware for numerous biological and tech demo experiments, and spare parts for things like the space station’s urine processor and toilet to replenish the space station’s dwindling stocks of those items.
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Vikings will put Aaron Jones on injured reserve

Vikings running back Aaron Jones is going to miss more than one game as a result of his hamstring injury.
According to multiple reports, Jones will be placed on injured reserve. That move will keep him out of at least the next four games.
The Vikings are signing running back Cam Akers to bolster their backfield options. Jordan Mason has been splitting time with Jones over the first two weeks and will move into the lead role in the Minnesota ground game.
Jones had 13 carries for 46 yards and three catches for 44 yards in the first two games of the season. He will miss this Sunday’s game against the Bengals as well as matchups with the Steelers, Browns, and Eagles. The Vikings have a bye in Week 6, so he will be eligible to return for the Vikings’ Week 8 Thursday night game against the Rams.
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See if your iPhone is eligible for the free update

Did you know you can officially download iOS 26 on your iPhone? The update became available yesterday, along with iPadOS 26 and Apple’s other operating system updates. But that’s assuming you have an eligible device.
If your phone is compatible with the latest OS, you’ll notice substantial changes when you install the new update. You may have already heard about “Liquid Glass,” which (intentional or not) is sort of like Apple’s take on the old Windows Vista design language. That’s the most notable change, but we spent two weeks test-driving many of the other features included in the update — you can check out our hands-on iOS 26 preview for more impressions.
Not sure if you have an eligible smartphone or tablet but also don’t want to upgrade? No worries, we’ll help you find out if your devices will be able to run iOS 26.
While Apple didn’t nix any iPhones from its eligibility list last year, that’s not the case for 2025, as a few models are getting the axe this time around. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to receive the boot in 2023, and this year, iPhones released in 2018 will be left behind.
You can find a full list of iPhones and iPads that support iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 below. To see everything you get with the latest OS updates, you can check out our big rundown of what to expect from iOS 26. Additionally, here’s everything Apple revealed at the iPhone 17 launch event, including the all-new iPhone Air. (Check out Engadget’s liveblog of the event for full details.)
These three iOS 18 iPhones aren’t compatible with iOS 26
Unlike last year, a trio of iPhones won’t be eligible to download the newest iOS. These three models that were first released in 2018 won’t be coming to the iOS 26 party:
iPhones compatible with iOS 26
Per Apple’s site, the devices listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. In short, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you’re in the clear:
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iPhone SE (second generation or later)
iPads compatible with iPadOS 26
Meanwhile, the iPads listed below are eligible to download iPadOS 26:
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iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (3rd generation and later)
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iPad Pro 11‑inch (1st generation and later)
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iPad Air (3rd generation and later, including M2 and M3)
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iPad (8th generation and later, including A16)
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iPad mini (5th generation and later, including A17 Pro)
What if I don’t want to buy a new iPhone?
If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn’t supported by iOS 26, that’s fine. However, you’ll eventually miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And, of course, you won’t be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.
Should I upgrade to iOS 18.7 or iOS 26?
When you first open Software Update in Settings, you’ll notice two different upgrade options: iOS 18.7 and iOS 26. Apple released the former to address security issues, so you can at least download that one if you’re unsure about all the big changes on iOS 26. It also gives you more time to wait for Apple to take care of any bugs on the new OS.
However, if you’re excited to finally have the Liquid Glass aesthetic on your phone and use all the new features iOS 26 has to offer, go ahead and install that one. After all, Apple had all summer to weed through the most problematic bugs during its beta phase and usually releases a new update shortly after the initial launch.
iOS 26 features to try out first
Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass, in Apple’s terms, was designed to make all of the company’s operating systems more visually cohesive.
Phone app redesign: You can finally scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.
Live Translate: iOS 26 brings the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.
Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members can now create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you’re meeting at this weekend.
New lock screen options: More customizable iPhone lock screen options are available with iOS 26, including a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.
Snooze longer (or shorter): Say goodbye to the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms (if you want). You now have the option to change your snooze time from one to 15 minutes.
Fresh Camera app design: You’ll find the Camera app is simpler to navigate in iOS 26, with all the buttons and menus located in convenient spots. That means less swiping, more photo taking. Plus, there’s a new feature that tells you if your lens is too dirty.
Screenshot revamps: When you take a screenshot, you now have the option to search for the image on Google (maybe you’re looking for a sweater you saw on a celeb) and you can ask ChatGPT questions about the photo — all from the edit screen. It’s like a reverse image search but without all the hard work.
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