How about HMS Backpedal for the new Royal Navy submarine?
If the Royal Navy was minded to name a vessel Agincourt, perhaps it could restore the balance by calling another one Castillon, the 1453 Auld Alliance rout of a much larger English force that brought an end at last to the hundred years war. Curiously absent from the history syllabus in my English school.Rosalind MitchellEdinburgh
The Royal Navy could probably power HMS Agincourt with the furious backpedalling of anti-woke Tory MPs after it was revealed that King Charles, rather than the Labour government, had instigated the name change to Achilles.John Rushton Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire
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North Wales Chronicle
27 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
France calls on EU to pressure Israel to move on Palestinian two-state solution
Jean-Noel Barrot, the French foreign minister, told reporters at the United Nations that while there is international consensus that the time for a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now, world powers need to back up their words with actions. 'The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, has to express its expectations and show the means that we can incentivise the Israeli government to hear this appeal,' he said. Mr Barrot spoke on the first day of a high-level UN meeting on a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is being co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. The conference, which was postponed from June and downgraded to the ministerial level, is taking place in New York as international condemnation of Israel's handling of the war in Gaza reaches a fever pitch. Both Israel and its closest ally, the United States, refused to participate in the meeting, which Mr Barrot said is being attended by representatives of 125 countries, including 50 ministers. The aim of the conference, Mr Barrot said, is 'to reverse the trend of what is happening in the region – mainly the erasure of the two-state solution, which has been for a long time the only solution that can bring peace and security in the region.' He urged the European Commission to call on Israel to lift a financial blockade on two billion euros he says the Israeli government owes the Palestinian Authority; stop settlement building in the West Bank, which threatens the territorial integrity of a future Palestinian state; and end the 'militarised' food delivery system in Gaza by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has resulted in hundreds of killings. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the two-state solution on both nationalistic and security grounds. Ahead of the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise Palestine as a state at the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly in September. The bold but mostly symbolic move is aimed at adding diplomatic pressure on Israel. France is now the biggest Western power and the only member of the Group of Seven major industrialised nations to recognise the state of Palestine, and the move could pave the way for other countries to do the same. More than 140 countries recognise a Palestinian state, including more than a dozen in Europe. At the conference opening, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa called for all countries who have not yet recognised Palestine as a state to do so 'without delay'. 'The path to peace begins by recognising the state of Palestine and preserving it from destruction,' he said. The other issue being discussed at the conference is normalisation between Israel and the Arab states in the region. Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi foreign minister, stressed that normalisation of relations with Israel 'can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state'. With global anger rising over desperately hungry people in Gaza starting to die from starvation, US President Donald Trump on Monday called for increasing aid to Palestinians, a rare glimpse of daylight between him and Mr Netanyahu, who has said there is no starvation. Both Mr Barrot and Mr Farhan said on Monday that the US is an essential actor in the region and that it was the president in January who secured the only ceasefire in the 21-month war. 'I am firmly in the belief that Trump's engagement can be a catalyst for an end to the immediate crisis in Gaza and potentially a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the long term,' Mr Farhan said.
Western Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
France calls on EU to pressure Israel to move on Palestinian two-state solution
Jean-Noel Barrot, the French foreign minister, told reporters at the United Nations that while there is international consensus that the time for a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now, world powers need to back up their words with actions. 'The European Commission, on behalf of the EU, has to express its expectations and show the means that we can incentivise the Israeli government to hear this appeal,' he said. Mr Barrot spoke on the first day of a high-level UN meeting on a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is being co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. The unoccupied US delegation seat at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday (Richard Drew/AP) The conference, which was postponed from June and downgraded to the ministerial level, is taking place in New York as international condemnation of Israel's handling of the war in Gaza reaches a fever pitch. Both Israel and its closest ally, the United States, refused to participate in the meeting, which Mr Barrot said is being attended by representatives of 125 countries, including 50 ministers. The aim of the conference, Mr Barrot said, is 'to reverse the trend of what is happening in the region – mainly the erasure of the two-state solution, which has been for a long time the only solution that can bring peace and security in the region.' He urged the European Commission to call on Israel to lift a financial blockade on two billion euros he says the Israeli government owes the Palestinian Authority; stop settlement building in the West Bank, which threatens the territorial integrity of a future Palestinian state; and end the 'militarised' food delivery system in Gaza by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has resulted in hundreds of killings. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the two-state solution on both nationalistic and security grounds. Ahead of the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise Palestine as a state at the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly in September. The bold but mostly symbolic move is aimed at adding diplomatic pressure on Israel. The path to peace begins by recognising the state of Palestine and preserving it from destruction Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa France is now the biggest Western power and the only member of the Group of Seven major industrialised nations to recognise the state of Palestine, and the move could pave the way for other countries to do the same. More than 140 countries recognise a Palestinian state, including more than a dozen in Europe. At the conference opening, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa called for all countries who have not yet recognised Palestine as a state to do so 'without delay'. 'The path to peace begins by recognising the state of Palestine and preserving it from destruction,' he said. The other issue being discussed at the conference is normalisation between Israel and the Arab states in the region. Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi foreign minister, stressed that normalisation of relations with Israel 'can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state'. With global anger rising over desperately hungry people in Gaza starting to die from starvation, US President Donald Trump on Monday called for increasing aid to Palestinians, a rare glimpse of daylight between him and Mr Netanyahu, who has said there is no starvation. Both Mr Barrot and Mr Farhan said on Monday that the US is an essential actor in the region and that it was the president in January who secured the only ceasefire in the 21-month war. 'I am firmly in the belief that Trump's engagement can be a catalyst for an end to the immediate crisis in Gaza and potentially a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the long term,' Mr Farhan said.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Palestine protestors heckle Donald Trump's helicopter
Ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to the region, around 100 protestors assembled outside the White Horse Inn in bucolic Balmedie, surrounded by a sea of national and international press. Demonstrators gather outside the White Horse Inn. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) After a series of speeches, the group marched along leafy streets and woodland walks towards the town's park. Uniformed police blocked roads and diverted traffic as the group made their way through the small town, as curious locals looked on, snapping photos and rubbernecking from passing cars. Stopping for lunch at a nearby cafe prior to the protest, the police presence was easy to spot – a large van full of bored-looking officers sat prominently in the corner of the car park. 'I think he's done more for the local economy with all the negative publicity than he did during all his years building the golf course,' a friendly woman behind the counter said. Indeed, the cafe was nearly full, as fellow journalists and their photographer companions lunched on cheese toasties and cups of tea. Protestors waved Palestinian flags. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Later, at the White Horse, protestors were more than happy to chat. 'Trump doesn't deserve to be here,' the Loch Ness sign woman said. 'The people of Scotland don't deserve this to happen here.' 'I blame Alex Salmond,' her companion added. 'Aberdeenshire Council voted against him and Alex Salmond overturned their decision.' Indeed, the Scottish Government's decision to allow Mr Trump to build a golf course at the sprawling Menie Estate, which opened in 2012, came as a surprise to many, especially given the ecologically fragile sand dunes surrounding the area. Indeed, as Mr Trump returns to the region to open a second course, the sullen memory of his first remains. Nicola Seal, a former ecologist and mum of two, organised the event. Between directions issued from a loudspeaker, she told The Herald: 'As an ecologist, I know how very vulnerable and fragile those dune systems are. 'When I heard that he was building a golf course here, I was absolutely appalled. We don't need another golf course, and we certainly don't need one built by him. 'It's an extremely expensive golf course that makes a massive loss anyway.' I asked Seal what she thinks about Mr Trump's appeals to his Scottish roots. She said: 'I think he's the least Scottish person in the world. Scottish values are about inclusivity and tolerance. 'We are historically a very tolerant and inclusive and left leaning society. And he is as far away from that as you can possibly get.' Two people unfurled a banner asking Mr Trump a series of questions. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Seal added: 'It's an absolute joke that he goes on about his Scottish roots. I mean, I'm more Scottish than he is and I'm bloody English. 'He should sod off. The way he uses that as justification for coming and ruining our countryside and then making demands of our leaders and telling us what to do.' 'We need renewable energy and the world works on immigrants. We welcome immigrant labour into Scotland because we need it. 'He doesn't represent Scottish values, he's the antithesis of everything that is Scottish.' Finishing their march in a car park in Balmedie Country Park, protestors were in full view of uniformed police stationed in the dunes surrounding Mr Trump's golf course. There, demonstrators shouted slogans and waved flags as they awaited Mr Trump's arrival. However, an extensive press conference at Turnberry, in which the notoriously long-winded president spoke on a range of topics, from Scottish independence to whisky tariffs, resulted in the day's schedule being pushed back. Read more: Donald Trump responds to John Swinney's new plan for independence vote Donald Trump says he has 'alternative' plans for Gaza during visit to Scotland 'Awa wi ye': What I saw at Donald Trump's frosty welcome in Aberdeen An original arrival time of 4.30 pm was soon abandoned. While some of the protestors went home, grumbling about the president's lack of punctuality, others sat down to eat packed dinners and chat with friends, refusing to let Mr Trump off the hook. 'Why is his visit so expensive?' one woman, who travelled cross country from Glasgow, asked her companion. 'With all the poverty going on, surely that money could be put to better use.' Around 4.45 pm, the remaining protestors, perhaps a dozen or so, scaled one of the beach's dunes, unfurling a large Palestinian flag on top of the hillside. 'We couldn't let him turn up without anyone to greet him,' one demonstrator quipped. 'It would seem like no one cared.' There, they awaited the arrival of Mr Trump. As the minutes stretched to hours, they continued to wait. Finally, at half past 6, the rumble of helicopter blades echoed across the horizon. And the assembled roared in their disgust, high atop the highest dune.
