By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -More than 150 companies are doing business in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that have been declared illegal by the United Nations' highest court, a report by the organisation's human rights office showed on Friday.

Israel, which cites biblical and historical ties to the West Bank, disputes the 2024 ruling by the U.N. court, arguing that the Palestinian territory is not occupied in legal terms because the land is disputed.

The United Nations on Friday released a long-awaited update of its database of companies with activities in Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, listing 158 firms from 11 countries.

UN rights chief Volker Turk has condemned as a war crime Israel's policy of settlements on Palestinian territory in the occupied West Bank.

While several companies including Alstom and Opodo had been removed from the non-exhaustive database, major firms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Motorola Solutions and TripAdvisor remained on the list.

Lebanon's former central bank governor Riad Salameh walked free from a year in custody over embezzlement allegations Friday after posting more than $14 million in bail, a judicial official told AFP.

"Salameh left the Bhannes Hospital (in north Beirut) where he was being held and treated under guard," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Salameh, 75, who headed the central bank for three decades, has faced numerous accusations including embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion in separate probes in Lebanon and abroad.

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -Arab and Muslim countries warned Donald Trump about the grave consequences of any Israeli annexation of the West Bank -- a message the U.S. president "understands very well," Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the White House later, Trump signaled he had received the message, saying: “I'm not allowing Israel to annex the West Bank.”

BERLIN (Reuters) -Switzerland plans to take in about 20 injured children from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment, the government said on Friday.

It is unclear when the evacuation of the children can be carried out due to the situation on the ground in Gaza, but coordination efforts are underway, it added in a statement.

The selection will be made in close coordination with the World Health Organization, which maintains lists of patients, and security checks will be conducted on the selected children and their accompanying family members, the government added.

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) -Six people appeared in a London court on Friday charged with some 50 offences for organising support for the proscribed pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action which prosecutors said was an attempt to make its ban unenforceable.

Britain banned Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws in July, making it a crime to be a member with a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

LONDON (Reuters) -A member of Irish rap group Kneecap was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a flag of Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah too late, a London court ruled on Friday, throwing out his prosecution.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who was initially charged under the Anglicised name Liam O'Hanna and whose stage name is Mo Chara, is alleged to have waved the flag of the banned militant group Hezbollah during a Kneecap gig in London in November 2024.

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his talks with President Donald Trump on Thursday yielded "meaningful progress" in many areas, with discussions on steps to improve defence cooperation and boost trade.

In comments to reporters during his return flight from Washington, Erdogan said the two leaders exchanged views on steps to boost trade including the revision of customs duties to achieve their target of a $100 billion trade volume.

"We are leaving Washington happy," Erdogan said, adding that the relationship was advancing with mutual respect.

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he reached an understanding with U.S. President Donald Trump on how to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace in Gaza and Palestine after talks at the White House on Thursday.

"Our meeting was very important in terms of putting forth the will to end the massacres in Gaza. Mr Trump stated during the meeting the need to end fighting in Gaza and reach lasting peace," Erdogan was cited as telling reporters according to a transcript shared by his office on Friday.

By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -Members of the European Broadcasting Union will vote in November on Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next year, according to media reports.

Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung and the Guardian reported on Thursday that EBU members were informed of the vote in a letter from the organisation's president.