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Australia to recognise Palestinian state in September
Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, following similar moves by the UK, France and Canada, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said.
Albanese said Australia received commitments from the Palestinian Authority (PA) including to demilitarise, hold general elections and continue to recognise Israel’s right to exist.
“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza,” he said on Monday.
Israel, under increasing pressure to end the war in Gaza, has said recognising a Palestinian state “rewards terrorism”.
Since Saturday, five people have died as a result of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza, bringing the total number to 217 deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
It also said that in total more than 61,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel’s military campaign since 2023.
Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on 7 October that year, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
The Palestinian Authority, which controls parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, earlier said recognition of statehood shows growing support for self-determination of its people.
Albanese said the decision was made after his government received commitments from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that Hamas would play no role in any future state.
The move also comes comes after conversations with his counterparts in the UK, France, New Zealand, and Japan over the past fortnight, Albanese said.
“There is a moment of opportunity here, and Australia will work with the international community to seize it,” he told the media.
Last Sunday, a pro-Palestinian protest drew tens of thousands of supporters who walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge, a day after a court ruling allowed the demonstration to happen.
The US has stated it will not follow suit and believes that recognising Palestinian statehood would be rewarding Hamas.
Over the weekend, US Vice-President JD Vance reiterated the US had no plans to recognise a Palestenian state, citing a lack of functional government.
At a press conference on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised countries planning to recognise Palestinian statehood.
“To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole… it is disappointing – and I think it’s actually shameful,” he said.
“They know what they would do if, right next to Melbourne or right next to Sydney, you had this horrific attack. I think you would do at least what we’re doing.”
Israel has come under fire in recent days over its plans to take over Gaza City, UN ambassadors condemning the move which Netanyahu says is the “best way” to end the war.
Last year, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognised Palestine as a state, in the hopes it would encourage a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
The state of Palestine is currently recognised by 147 of the UN’s 193 member states.
At the UN, it has the status of a “permanent observer state”, allowing participation but no voting rights.
[BBC]
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The National Building Research Institute [NBRI] has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura valid upto 0900 AM on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
LEVEL I [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Deraniyagala, Ruwanwella and Dehiowita in the Kegalle district and Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Horana, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya and Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Pelmadulla, Kiriella, Elapatha, Kalawana and Nivithigala in the Rathnapura district.
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Agalawatta and Mathugama in the Kalutara district, Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district and Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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