Sawt Falasteen - News from Ramallah, the political, economic and cultural centre of Palestine, as well as the West Bank and the whole world

Days of devastating flooding across Southeast Asia have killed more than 250 people across Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, authorities said on Friday.

Sweeping legal reforms and regional conflict have consolidated the Pakistani military's grip on power in the past year, diluting the role of the civilian government while offering an unprecedented legal shield to the army chief, experts say.

Most markets squeezed out gains Friday at the end of a strong week for equities fuelled by growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again next month.

The world's top wildlife trade organisation increased protections on Friday for more than 70 species of sharks and rays, in a move conservationists hailed as a "historical win".

The toll from days of flooding in Southeast Asia rose on Friday, with at least 111 dead in Indonesia, and a hospital in southern Thailand announcing its morgue was full.

Pope Leo XIV will join the leader of the world's Orthodox Christians Friday to celebrate 1,700 years since one of the early Church's most important gatherings, on the second day of his visit to Turkey.

Most markets squeezed out gains Friday at the end of a strong week for equities fuelled by growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again next month.

Muslim-majority Turkey, which is hosting Pope Leo XIV on his first overseas trip as pontiff, is not "a hostile environment" for Christians, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople told AFP in an interview.

Donald Trump said Thursday he would suspend migration from what the US leader called "third world countries", a day after an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard soldiers in Washington, killing one.

The toll from days of flooding in Southeast Asia rose on Friday, with at least 90 dead in Indonesia, and a hospital in southern Thailand announcing its morgue was full.

Sri Lankan authorities deployed the military for relief and rescue operations Friday as the death toll from floods and landslides rose to 56, with another 21 people listed as missing.

A worker accused of "stealing" snacks worth less than a dollar in South Korea has finally been acquitted after a legal battle lasting nearly two years.

Skipper Pat Cummins was missing Friday from Australia's squad for the second day-night Ashes Test against England in Brisbane as he battles back from injury, but under-pressure opener Usman Khawaja retained his place.

After a stuttering start to the season, Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping to keep imperious midfield trio Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz fit enough to help them recapture last term's scintillating form.

Roma are surprise leaders of Serie A heading into Sunday's clash with Napoli, a fixture which will go some way to showing whether Gian Piero Gasperini's side are the real deal.

A man who attacked Pope John Paul II in 1981 was escorted from the Turkish town of Iznik on Thursday ahead of Pope Leo XIV's visit there, Turkish media reported.

More than 150 Chinese companies are making humanoid robots but a market bubble risks forming in the rapidly growing futuristic industry, a Beijing official has warned.

Markets fluctuated Friday at the end of a strong week for equities fuelled by growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again next month.

Charming Donald Trump one week, angering China the next, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has had a busy start and is riding high in the polls, all on a few hours of sleep a night.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand has the 2023-24 double winners firing in what looked certain to be a rebuilding year after a turbulent summer and a brief, ill-fated spell with Erik ten Hag.

South Africa take on Wales in the season-ending international Test on Saturday at a time when the gulf between the two rugby nations has never been more apparent.

Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has left the country for Senegal after being detained during a military coup, the government in Dakar said Thursday, as a lead opponent accused him of arranging the uprising.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that efforts to halt Venezuelan drug trafficking "by land" would begin "very soon," further ratcheting up tensions with Caracas, which claims the anti-drug campaign aims at regime change.

New Yorkers struggling to afford food in the country's biggest city -- and often exorbitantly expensive financial capital -- may finally get a break if the incoming socialist mayor's daring new plan succeeds.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a much-needed 31-28 NFL victory over Kansas City on Thursday that further dented the Chiefs' fading playoff hopes.

Pope Leo XIV joins the leader of the world's Orthodox Christians Friday to celebrate 1,700 years since one of the early Church's most important gatherings, on the second day of his visit to Turkey.

Spanish champions Barcelona and current league leaders Real Madrid are looking to build confidence this weekend in La Liga after chastening nights in the Champions League.

Have Liverpool reached rock bottom or do they have further to fall as they prepare for a tricky-looking match at West Ham this weekend?

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday the death of one of two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House, as his government said it would respond by reviewing the permanent residency status of immigrants from 19 countries, including Afghanistan.

The Trump administration on Thursday said it was reviewing permanent residency status of immigrants from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, in its latest response to the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House.

Hong Kong authorities said on Friday the death toll from the city's worst fire in decades had risen to at least 94, with the blaze almost entirely extinguished and rescuers scouring torched high-rise buildings for scores of people still listed as missing.

The Israeli army and police said Thursday they were investigating the circumstances in which two Palestinians were shot dead in the occupied West Bank while seemingly surrendering to Israeli forces.