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

Taylor Swift on Friday quickly set a streaming record with "The Life of a Showgirl," her new album of bouncy pop songs about love, sex, success -- and score-settling -- that had fans analyzing every word.

Japan's ruling party elects its fifth leader in as many years Saturday, charged with reviving its flagging fortunes as a new anti-immigration grouping snaps at its heels.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Friday that Kenya had made "significant and demonstrable progress" toward cleaning up its systems, delaying a threatened non-compliance order.

The US government shutdown is set to stretch into next week after senators voted Friday for a fourth time to reject a funding fix proposed by President Donald Trump's Republicans.

Prosecutors urged a judge to put music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs behind bars for more than a decade while his children pleaded for a lesser sentence at a court hearing Friday to decide his punishment for prostitution-related crimes.

Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina condemned on Friday what he said was an attempt to topple his government, as fresh protests flared against the political elite and years of misrule.

Czechs began voting on Friday in a two-day general election, which the party of self-described "Trumpist" Andrej Babis is expected to top, though without gaining an outright majority, spelling tricky negotiations ahead.

Local hero Robert MacIntyre overcame extreme conditions as the Ryder Cup golfer took the share of the clubhouse lead on Friday before the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship was suspended.

UK police said Friday they shot two victims, including one who died, as officers responded to an attack on worshippers at a Manchester synagogue marking a Jewish holiday.

Former England cricket head coach Andy Flower has left his role with Trent Rockets to become the coach of Hundred rivals London Spirit men, it was announced on Friday.

Artificial intelligence technology is in an "industrial bubble," Amazon founder Jeff Bezos told a tech conference in Italy on Friday, but the benefits to society will be "immense".

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Friday the temporary closure of Munich airport after drone sightings was a "wake-up call" on the threat from drones, which have caused a string of similar disruptions across Europe.

Jailed Cuban dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer, the longtime leader of the island's pro-democracy movement, announced Friday that he had chosen to go into exile after suffering "torture" and "humiliation" in prison.

Prosecutors urged a federal judge Friday to sentence Sean "Diddy" Combs to more than a decade behind bars for his conviction on two prostitution-related counts, saying the music mogul had shown a lack of remorse.

Hundreds of thousands of people protested across Italy on Friday during a large-scale strike over the treatment of the Gaza aid flotilla and far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cautious stance on the conflict.

Stock markets struck fresh records on Friday, driven by investor optimism over artificial intelligence and US rate-cut hopes, which overshadowed concerns about a government shutdown dragging on.

Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was in court on Friday facing a potential sentence of more than a decade behind bars for his conviction on two prostitution-related counts.

Taylor Swift is in a sparkling new era.

US President Donald Trump has given Hamas until 2200 GMT on Sunday to accept his 20-point plan for peace in Gaza, warning the Palestinian militant group faced "all hell" if it did not agree to the terms.

Lamine Yamal has been ruled out of Spain's World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria this month after suffering a recurrence of his groin injury, Barcelona said on Friday.

With a yellow straw hat and a wicked toothy grin, he bobs among crowds of protesting youngsters from Asia to Africa to Latin America and Europe -- a smirking reproach to governments everywhere.

A prominent Greek wildlife group on Friday said it had confirmed the first case of a wolf-dog hybrid in the north of the country.

Ange Postecoglou believes Nottingham Forest are close to turning a corner despite supporters' calls for him to be sacked after less than a month in charge.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have to find a new level to win major trophies as he prepares to take charge of the Gunners for the 300th time.

US President Donald Trump on Friday issued an ultimatum to Hamas of 2200 GMT Sunday to accept his Gaza peace deal or face "all hell."

UK police said Friday they may have shot two victims, including one who died, as officers responded to an attack on worshippers at a Manchester synagogue marking a Jewish holiday.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri went fastest Friday in a chaotic second practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix punctuated by two crashes, red flags and a bizarre pit lane shunt.

Britain's Prince William likes to zip about the grounds of Windsor Castle on an electric scooter, his children haven't been given phones and he's ready for "change", he reveals in a rare interview about his future role as king.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said only results can silence his critics ahead of a Premier League clash against Sunderland that could decide his future.

Years of criticism of an EU-backed migration pact between Italy and Libya are coming to a head as migrant rescuers say the Libyan coastguard has begun firing directly at them.

Former Manchester United winger Antony has said he felt a "lack of respect" from the club and complained of being treated with "rudeness" after he was frozen out of Ruben Amorim's plans.

Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner is calling "pretty much every team owner" looking for a return to Formula One, Aston Martin team principal Andy Cowell said at the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday.