Xi to meet British PM in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Beijing on Thursday.

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Starmer is paying an official visit to China from Jan. 28 to 31.

His visit marks the first visit to China by a British prime minister in eight years.

Starmer is accompanied by a delegation of executives from over 50 major British companies and representatives from institutions in key sectors such as finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, culture, and creative industries, indicating the British side's anticipation of deepening bilateral economic and trade relations.

An official of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has condemned Israel for demolishing the buildings within the UN agency's East Jerusalem compound.

Israeli authorities stormed the Sheikh Jarrah compound of UNRWA last week. After a full day of demolition, all buildings inside the compound had been flattened or severely damaged. Israeli flags were seen raised at the site, while the United Nations (UN) flag had been taken down.

Olaf Becker, director of UNRWA affairs in Jordan, said the Israeli action gravely violates international law and poses challenges to the operations of UN agencies.

Expressing his deep concerns over Israel's unilateral action, Becker said UNRWA will continue its work in the region and make every effort to ensure that basic public services for Palestinian refugees are not interrupted.

"It's obviously in contravention to international law. It's in contravention to Israel's obligations under the UN Charter as well. While Sheikh Jarrah is highly symbolic, and of course it really impedes our ability for our leadership to operate and coordinate activities. We have offices around the West Bank as well, and we are still operational in those places," Becker said.

Following the demolition, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the compound "does not enjoy any immunity", and that the action complied with the law.

In response, Becker said Israel's denial of the privileges and immunity of UN agencies would directly undermine the legal foundation of the UN system, warning long-term impacts on UN agencies' ability to independently and effectively fulfill their duties within the framework of international law in the Middle East and globally, and worrying consequences for the UN and the multilateral system.

Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its capital, a claim not recognized internationally, while the UN regards East Jerusalem as occupied territory. Israeli officials have long accused UNRWA of employing Hamas members, which the agency denies.

In October 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning UNRWA, which provides desperately-needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and other areas, from operating in areas under Israeli jurisdiction, and prohibiting Israeli authorities from maintaining contact or cooperation with the agency, a move UNRWA and international bodies say violates international law. Israel then amended the law in December 2025 to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities.

Last month, Israeli authorities seized UNRWA's offices in East Jerusalem.