The Palestinian flag was raised outside what is now Palestine's embassy in central London, marking Britain's formal recognition of a Palestinian state. The ceremony followed Prime Minister Keir Starmer's landmark announcement of the UK's decision to recognize Palestinian statehood, with Canada and Australia taking similar coordinated steps.

Palestine's Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, addressed a crowd gathered outside the building that previously served as the Palestine Mission to the UK. "We are gathered today in front of the Palestinian Mission to the UK here in London to mark a historic moment," said Zomlot, noting that the recognition comes "in the same capital of the Balfour Declaration, after more than a century of ongoing denial, dispossession and erasure."

The ambassador held up a plaque reading 'The Embassy of the State of Palestine' that will soon be mounted on the building pending legal and bureaucratic work. Zomlot described the moment as "not only about Palestine, it is also about Britain and the British government's solemn responsibility" and "an acknowledgement of a historic injustice." The small team at the mission erupted in cheers upon hearing the announcement.

Zomlot, who was born in a refugee camp in Rafah in the Gaza Strip, reflected on the significance of the moment, calling it "a South Africa moment for Palestine" in reference to the end of South Africa's apartheid government. He stated that recognition represents "an act of assurances to the Palestinian people that they hope for a better future and ... peace is possible," emphasizing that "Palestine exists, it has always existed and it always will."

Families of the 29 victims killed in the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash are escalating their decades-long fight for answers, preparing to deliver a petition with more than 47,000 signatures to Downing Street demanding a public inquiry. The Chinook Justice Campaign has published 110 "critical questions" they want answered about the tragedy that claimed the lives of 25 intelligence experts and four special forces crew members when the aircraft crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994.

The campaign comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls for a judge-led inquiry into the incident, prompting families to declare they will "see the UK government in court." Among those delivering the petition on Tuesday are brothers Andy and Matt Tobias from Watford, whose father John Tobias was killed in the crash. The petition delivery will be accompanied by an attempt to deliver a letter directly to the Ministry of Defence.

Central to the families' concerns are questions about mission authorization, aircraft selection, and whether those on board were properly warned of risks. The campaign has gained momentum amid revelations that key documents related to the crash have been sealed until 2094—a century after the incident occurred. David Hill, technical expert for the Chinook Justice Campaign, characterized the government's position as "a betrayal by the state of them and their loved ones."

The crash investigation has followed a contentious path over the past three decades. Initial findings blamed pilot error for the tragedy, but this conclusion was overturned in 2011. The continuing secrecy surrounding the incident has drawn criticism from campaigners who argue it "undermines trust not only in the MoD but in the government itself." As families prepare to confront the government directly, the case represents one of Britain's longest-running military accountability battles.