David Shadrach

UN convenes emergency meeting on US' Jerusalem decision NEWS / UN WATCH: Ashrawi - Trump is allowing Israel 'to annex Jerusalem' WATCH: Trump official discusses Jerusalem decision Jerusalem UN Palestine Middle East Israel SIGN UP UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov addresses the Security Council on the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital [Richard Drew/AP Photo] [The Associated Press] The UN Security Council has convened an emergency session to discuss Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move that has led to deadly clashes in Palestine and strong condemnation from world leaders. Eight countries called for the emergency meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday, as Palestinians protested across the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip against the US president's decision throughout the day. Several countries resoundly condemned the US' unilateral move to recognise...

Tillerson tells Saudis to temper their actions in Yemen NEWS / SAUDI ARABIA READ MORE Timeline: War, famine and failed talks in Yemen United States Saudi Arabia Yemen Middle East US & Canada SIGN UP The Trump administration is asking Saudi Arabia to temper its actions with regard to Yemen, Qatar and Lebanon amid reports of new civilian deaths in Yemen. Speaking in Paris on Friday, Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, called on Saudi Arabia to be "measured" in its military operations in Yemen. He declared strong American support for the kingdom's internal reforms, which include Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's purge of powerful princes, businessmen and military officers as part of a stated anti- corruption campaign. At the international level, however, Tillerson urged Saudi restraint. "With respect to Saudi Arabia's engagement with Qatar, how they're handling the Yemen war that they're engaged in, the Lebanon situation, we would encourage them t...

Facebook counterfeit sellers revealed in BBC investigation Counterfeit traders using luxury brand names are openly selling goods on Facebook, BBC South East has learned. They have been flooding the social network's Marketplace site with fake products on such a scale that some even offer home delivery. Trading Standards has criticised the social media giant for not doing enough to stamp out the practice, which costs the Treasury millions in tax evasion. The BBC contacted Facebook, which said it was investigating the claims. BBC undercover reporters found sellers in Sussex and Kent trading from the front rooms of their homes and from vans in pub car parks. All admitted they were advertising fake items, which included jackets, jumpers, tracksuits, boots, trainers, handbags and perfumes with brand names such as Gucci, Chanel, Ugg, Nike, Armani and Hugo Boss. Live: More news from across the South East Fake goods worth millions seized ahead of Christmas The BBC reported two of the seller...

Protests against Trump's Jerusalem decision turn deadly NEWS / JERUSALEM PROTESTS OVER US JERUSALEM DECISION Friday marks the third day of protests One person killed in Gaza: Health ministry More than 200 treated for injuries, 50 taken to hospital Palestinian schools declared strike over decision Hamas leader: US decision is a 'war declaration against Palestinians' US' Rex Tillerson: Embassy move 'won't happen for years' Battle for Jerusalem Jerusalem East Jerusalem Palestine Israel At least one Palestinian has been killed and hundreds injured as "Day of Rage" protests continue across the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip over the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. A 30-year-old Palestinian man was killed by Israeli fire during protests in Gaza on Friday, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, citing the Palestinian health ministry. According to WAFA, the health ministry retracted an earlier statement t...

How Israel occupies education in East Jerusalem NEWS / ISRAEL Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israel Palestine Middle East SIGN UP 'They can't shut us down legally, so they put pressure on us socially in order to force us to close. Occupied East Jerusalem - The Zahwat al- Quds kindergarten and primary school's walls are decorated with colourful cartoons, while its students are dressed in grey-and-red striped uniforms. The children's wide smiles and laughter echo through the hallways, belying their lingering anxiety after a recent Israeli raid on the school. At the start of the school year, Israel began targeting Zahwat al- Quds - which serves some 90 students between the ages of three and nine in the neighbourhood of Beit Hanina - because staff refused to teach the Israeli curriculum, according to parents and school staff. "Israel wants everything under their control," school cofounder Muna Ateeq , speaking under a pseudonym for fear of repercussions. "They ...

Snow and ice warnings amid power cuts and school closures Snow is continuing to fall in many parts of the UK, causing power cuts, school closures and travel disruption. The Met Office said "increasingly frequent" snow showers were affecting parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. Hundreds of homes and businesses are without power in Scotland and the West Midlands - where police have warned of "numerous collisions" on the roads. The Met Office has yellow "be aware" warnings in place for snow and ice. It comes after Storm Caroline brought winds gusting more than 90mph on Thursday, disrupting rail and ferry travel and shutting dozens of schools in Scotland. Meanwhile on Friday: Hundreds of homes in Shetland, Orkney and Caithness in Scotland are still without power and all schools are closed in Orkney and Shetland Passengers had to spend a night on board the Orkney ferry Hamnavoe after it was unable to berth in Stromness Schools are closed on...

Brexit: 'Breakthrough' deal paves way for future trade talks PM Theresa May has struck a last-minute deal with the EU in a bid to move Brexit talks on to the next phase. There will be no "hard border" with Ireland; and EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens in the EU, will see their rights protected. The so-called "divorce bill" will amount to between £35bn and £39bn, Downing Street says. The European Commission president said it was a "breakthrough" and he was confident EU leaders will approve it. LIVE: Latest updates from Brussels Full text of the EU-UK statement Reality Check: What key lines really mean Brexit: All you need to know They are due to meet next Thursday for a European Council summit and need to give their backing to the deal if post-Brexit trade talks are to begin. The UK will then have about a year to hammer out an agreement on future relations, which will have to be ratified by the EU nations and the UK Parliament, before the UK l...

Macron: Lebanon must be a stabilising regional force NEWS / FRANCE WATCH: Lebanon's PM Hariri withdraws resignation (2:14) Lebanon France Politics Middle East Europe French President Emmanuel Macron greets Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Paris [Philippe Wojazer/Reuters] Speaking at a joint news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri , French President Emmanuel Macron has said that Lebanon must stay out of regional conflicts and be a stabilising force. "It is essential that all parties, Lebanese and regional, respect the cardinal principle of non-interference," Macron said on Friday, noting that all parties in the Lebanese government, "including Hezbollah", had given commitments on that. Macron also hailed the premier's withdrawal of the resignation announcement he made from Saudi Arabia last month. "It is a positive development, one we consider essential, and I salute it," said Macron, who arranged Hariri's return to Beirut...

Palestinian official: Pence is not welcome in Palestine NEWS / ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONFLICT Jerusalem Israeli–Palestinian conflict Middle East US Vice President Mike Pence is expected to visit Israel later this month, with a stop in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem [Peter Parks-Pool/ Getty Images] A senior Palestinian official has said that US Vice President Mike Pence is not welcome in the occupied territories during his scheduled visit later this month. "We will not receive him in the Palestinian territories," Jibril Rajoub said on Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump formally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and said he would start the process of moving its embassy there. The controversial decision has sparked anger and protests throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, and drawn international condemnation from world leaders. The embassy move breaks with decades of US policy and risks igniting a "powder keg " in the Middle East reg...