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

Draft beer, peanuts and big-screen sports... the scene is reminiscent of pubs worldwide, but in Saudi Arabia's capital, customers in white robes or black veils sip alcohol-free pints with no expectation of a hangover.

A portrait by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt fetched $236.4 million in New York on Tuesday, becoming the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction.

A US district court, in a setback for President Donald Trump, struck down a congressional map on Tuesday redrawn by Republicans in Texas that was intended to give the party five more likely seats in the House of Representatives.

Researchers warned Wednesday that rising global consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) poses a major threat to health, calling for countries to subject some products made by huge food companies to marketing restrictions and taxes.

Donald Trump ripped into a reporter from the US network ABC News on Tuesday, just days after calling another woman journalist "piggy" after she asked a question related to the convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein.

US President Donald Trump defended Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Tuesday over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting the kingdom's de facto ruler "knew nothing" about the murder as he wooed him at White House.

Injury-time wonder-goals by Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean handed Scotland a stunning 4-2 win over Denmark on Tuesday to qualify them for the 2026 World Cup, while Spain also booked their ticket with a 2-2 draw against Turkey.

Top-ranked defending champion Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand seeks her third title of the season and the richest payday in women's golf at this week's season-ending LPGA Tour Championship.

Scotland scored two dramatic stoppage-time goals to beat 10-man Denmark 4-2 on a night of twists and turns on Tuesday, booking their place at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

US lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for releasing government files on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after President Donald Trump dropped his opposition to opening the books on a scandal that has roiled politics, law enforcement and the country's elite.

Scotland scored two dramatic stoppage-time goals to beat 10-man Denmark 4-2 on Tuesday, booking their place at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

Scotland scored two dramatic stoppage-time goals to beat 10-man Denmark 4-2 on Tuesday and reach the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Spain booked their ticket to the 2026 World Cup with a 2-2 draw against Turkey in their final qualifier on Tuesday to top Group E.

The "Epstein Files," sealed for years and the object of frenzied speculation, are one step closer to being released to the public.

Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil were held to a disappointing 1-1 friendly draw by Tunisia in Lille on Tuesday as their stuttering build-up to the 2026 World Cup continued.

Five foreign tourists: two Mexicans, two Germans and a Brit, died when a blizzard hit the Patagonian Torres del Paine nature reserve, Chile's most visited foreign tourist spot, authorities said Tuesday.

Rap icon Nicki Minaj praised Donald Trump's stand on the persecution of religious minorities on Tuesday, calling for an end to faith-based persecution in Nigeria, which the government there denies.

LeBron James has ruled out playing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and USA teammate Stephen Curry says he is highly unlikely to feature in the Games.

An infuriated Donald Trump threatened a US network's broadcast license Tuesday after its reporter asked questions about his family's business and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal at a high-profile White House event.

US President Donald Trump defended Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Tuesday over the 2018 killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi as he wooed the key ally with a lavish welcome to the White House.

COP30 host Brazil pushed Tuesday for an early breakthrough at UN climate talks, with nations weighing a proposed deal that seeks to bridge major differences on fossil fuels, finance and trade barriers.

Nvidia and Microsoft announced Tuesday investments totaling $15 billion in AI startup Anthropic, creator of the Claude chatbot, amid frenzied spending on the technology and growing fears of a bubble.

US lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for releasing government files on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after President Donald Trump dropped his opposition to opening the books on a scandal that has roiled politics, law enforcement and the country's elite.

Belgium reached the semi-finals of the Davis Cup after winning both singles matches against France in Bologna, where fans have been denied star power following injured Carlos Alcaraz's late withdrawal.

A US judge dismissed the federal government's antitrust lawsuit against Meta on Tuesday, ruling that the tech giant's acquisition of Instagram and Whatsapp did not constitute an illegal monopoly in social media.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz should have gone out dancing and enjoyed Belem more, in response to his criticism of the COP30 host city.

Two Mexicans died and seven people went missing when a blizzard hit the Patagonian Torres del Paine nature reserve, Chile's most visited foreign tourist spot, authorities said Tuesday.

A new mega data centre is slated to rise in a rural stretch of eastern Germany in what backers hope is a starting point for a European AI sector that can compete with the United States and China.

Donald Trump defended Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of a journalist and hailed a $1 trillion investment pledge Tuesday as the US president laid on a lavish welcome at the White House.

A French court on Tuesday said Perrier can keep selling its famed sparkling beverage as "natural mineral water", rejecting a case brought by a consumer rights group that said the label was misleading and urged the suspension of sales.

An Argentine judge was removed from her post Tuesday after causing a mistrial in the negligence case against the medical team in whose care football legend Diego Maradona died in 2020.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Tuesday for Sahel nations to put aside their differences to tackle mounting attacks by armed groups in a region beset by humanitarian crisis.