David Shadrach

Jerusalem status: Saudis condemn Trump's announcement Saudi Arabia has condemned the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, amid growing international criticism of the move. In a statement, the Gulf kingdom said President Donald Trump's announcement was "unjustified and irresponsible". But Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hailed it as "a historic day". President Trump's move reversed decades of US policy. The fate of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians. Eight of the 15 nations who are currently members of the United Nations Security Council have called for the body to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision by the end of the week. Why is this significant? Mr Trump's Wednesday announcement puts the US at odds with the rest of the international community's view on Jerusalem's status. The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to the 1993 Isra...

Australian parliament approves same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage will become legal in Australia after a historic bill was passed in the House of Representatives. An overwhelming majority of MPs voted to change the Marriage Act, eight days after a similarly decisive result in the Senate. The vote set off immediate celebrations in parliament, prompting cheers, applause and even a song. The result brings an end to more than a decade of robust and often bitter debate on the issue. Many same-sex marriage supporters travelled to Canberra to witness the outcome in the lower house. The legislation sailed through parliament without amendments after Australians overwhelmingly supported the reform in a voluntary national poll. Australia's governor-general is expected to approve the bill in the coming days, marking its official passage into law. Australians decisively back gay marriage How the campaign became heated 'Too old for all the fuss' Emotional MPs hugged each other before su...

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Jerusalem: Trump recogniti on 'kiss of death' for peace An expected announcement by President Donald Trump that the US will become the first country to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital has been dubbed a "kiss of death" for the Middle East peace process by the Palestinians. But an Israeli minister urged other countries to follow the US lead. Mr Trump, expected to confirm the decision later on Wednesday, described the announcement as "long overdue". "Many presidents have said they want to do something and they didn't do it." The president's remarks came ahead of his planned speech in Washington. Mr Trump will also start the process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The two decisions - which would fulfil a campaign promise and appeal to Mr Trump's right-wing base - risk a heated reaction from US allies in the Muslim world and, potentially, protests and unrest. They also make it difficult for the US to be seen ...

World reacts to US Israel embassy relocation plan NEWS / EAST JERUSALEM Reactions in short Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish president: A red line for Muslims King Abdullah II, Jordan: Dangerous repercussions Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian president: Dangerous consequences Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas chief: Igniting the sparks of rage Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egyptian president: Undermining chances of peace Saudi Arabia, statement: Grave and deep concern Syrian government: Culmination of the crime of usurping Palestine Iran's Supreme Leader: Result of US failure Sigmar Gabriel, German FM: Fuelling conflict Haider al-Abadi, Iraqi prime minister: Utmost concern Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Arab League chief: Dangerous measure Antonio Guterres, UN chief: Opposed to unilateral action Frederica Mogherini, EU diplomatic chief: Resolve Jerusalem status through negotiations Pope Francis: Status quo should be respected Jerusalem East Jerusalem Donald Trump Israeli–Palestinian conflict Jordan US President Donald Trump...

Person of the Year: Time honours abuse 'silence breakers' Time magazine has named "the Silence Breakers" - women who spoke out against sexual abuse and harassment - as its "Person of the Year". The movement is most closely associated with the #MeToo hashtag which sprung up as allegations emerged against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. But Time says the hashtag is "part of the picture, but not all of it". "This is the fastest-moving social change we've seen in decades," editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said. He told NBC's Today programme that it "began with individual acts of courage by hundreds of women - and some men, too - who came forward to tell their own stories". The magazine illustrates the ubiquitous nature of sexual harassment by showcasing women from markedly different backgrounds on its cover. Two celebrities are featured - Ashley Judd, one of the first to speak out against Mr Weinstein, and pop singer T...

What is next for Yemen's Houthis? NEWS / YEMEN What is next for Yemen Houthis: Saleh was 'conspiring' with Saudi- led coalition Houthis Yemen Middle East Politics SIGN UP The death of Yemen's former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the capital at the hands of the rebel Shia-backed Houthi group, his former allies-turned- adversaries, has plunged the war-torn country into further disarray, analysts said. The Houthis, who protested against Saleh during the country's 2011 uprisings, formed a shaky alliance with the long-time leader and his General People's Congress party (GPC) against the government of the internationally recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in 2014. This unusual cooperation, termed as a "partnership of convenience" broke last week as Houthi fighters and Saleh loyalists clashed. Two days before he was killed, Saleh publicly stated his willingness to engage in talks with Saudi Arabia, who has been leading a military coalition against ...

Egyptian mummy's secrets revealed at hi- tech laboratory By Sean Coughlan BBC News education and family correspondent Scientists at a leading laboratory in the United States are using a cutting-edge form of X-ray to scan inside an Egyptian mummy that has never been unwrapped since its excavation a century ago. This is the first time that such a high intensity synchrotron X-ray will have been used on a mummy, with the aim of producing an extremely detailed three-dimensional analysis of the body and any other objects hidden below the linen bindings. This is also an unusual mummy, because not only has the body been preserved, but so too has a portrait of the child's face. This mummy, from a collection on the campus of Northwestern University in Chicago, is believed to contain the body of a five-year-old girl, who died about 1,900 years ago. 'Mummy portraits' Not only was her body mummified, her portrait was painted and placed on top of the cloths wrapped tightly around her...