Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.
Five things you need to know
US President Donald Trump has said Mark Carney's pledge to recognize Palestinian statehood in September "will make it very hard" for his country to agree a new trade deal with Canada. The prime minister announced yesterday that the Liberal government will recognize Palestine at the UN as long as the Palestinian Authority, which rules the West Bank, holds elections in 2026. Carney also said Hamas, which rules Gaza, could play no part in the elections next year.
US President Donald Trump intensified his trade war with Canada a day ahead of his August 1 deadline for a tariff agreement, saying it would be 'very hard' to make a deal with Canada after it gave its support to Palestinian statehood https://t.co/nA9dpYCNfi 1/5 pic.twitter.com/IMt15BwBOo
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 31, 2025
Some of the UK's most distinguished lawyers have warned the country's government that recognizing a Palestinian state could breach international law. Writing in a letter sent to the UK's attorney general, the lawyers say Palestine does not meet the legal requirements for statehood as set out by the 1933 Montevideo Convention, which says a state must have a defined territory, effective government and the capacity to enter into relations with foreign states.
Excl: Some of Britain’s most prominent lawyers have warned Starmer that his pledge to recognise Palestine will break international law.
— Matt Dathan (@matt_dathan) July 30, 2025
Lord Pannick, who represented the government against claims the Rwanda scheme breached international law, is among 40 peers who have written to… pic.twitter.com/Wb58aee6bs
Researchers studying a 2,500-year-old "ice mummy" found in Siberia have revealed that the ancient woman was decorated with detailed tattoos. The woman, believed to be from the nomadic Pazyryk people, had tattoos showing leopards, a rooster, a griffin and a stag.
The #tattoos of the Pazyryk ice mummies, analyzed by high-resolution near-infrared techniques, reveal the ancient artist’s technique and tools.
— Manuela Casasoli (@manuelacasasoli) July 31, 2025
"Pazyryk were horse-riding nomads who roamed the steppes of Eurasia 2500 years ago. Their mummies, most of whom were first excavated in… pic.twitter.com/26slY4U9Sd
It's "tariffs-eve" today – the day before Donald Trump's Aug. 1 deadline for reaching trade agreements with foreign partners – and some Canadians remain as furious as ever with our erstwhile friends to the south. Speaking to the CBC, some enthusiastic boycotters said they check labels on everything they buy to make sure they dodge American goods, while another said: "We refuse to cross the border although we frequently did so in the pre-Trump era."
We asked Canadians to tell us more about how and why they are boycotting U.S. goods and travel. Here's what you told us. https://t.co/C6ZJDuatUE
— CBC News (@CBCNews) July 31, 2025
In yet more tariff news, the Trump White House will today face a significant legal test in the US as the country's Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit hears two lawsuits concerning the legality of the president's tariff regime. One case relates specifically to Trump's targeting of Canada and Mexico, while the other concerns his "Liberation Day" tariffs announced in April.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Oral Argument: V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. United States, a case brought on by importers and several states challenging the legality of President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs – LIVE online here: https://t.co/YhXuD5z3YV pic.twitter.com/KYdUK3jlyp
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 31, 2025
