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

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received the "full support" of senior directors on Wednesday but world football's governing body apologised for the controversy of the now-shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

Second seed Elena Rybakina, third seed Jessica Pegula and fourth-seeded Coco Gauff advanced to the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto on Wednesday.

Second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew on Wednesday from his home ATP Montreal Masters tournament due to a back injury sustained during practice.

The ATP Montreal Masters lost its top two seeds in the space of a few hours on Wednesday as Germany's Alexander Zverev and Canadian Felix Auger-Alliassime both exited the field.

A baby hippopotamus descended from creatures that belonged to Pablo Escobar died Wednesday after being rescued in northwestern Colombia, an environmental organization told AFP.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino held emergency talks with directors of world football's governing body in Morocco on Wednesday, a source told AFP, amid a wave of criticism over his now shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

The Preakness, the second leg of US horse racing's Triple Crown, will move eight days later in 2027 with hopes of enticing more entries from Kentucky Derby horses, organizers announced Wednesday.

Part of a SpaceX rocket approximately the size of a bus slammed into the Moon as predicted, scientists said Wednesday, after a telescope in Chile captured evidence of a stream of debris.

The eruption of Guatemala's Fuego volcano officially ended on Wednesday, the country's Institute of Volcanology reported.

Stock markets climbed but then stalled Wednesday as investors digested a wave of company earnings that broadly surpassed expectations, while assessing the chances of a US-Iran deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The head of the World Health Organization on Wednesday urged authorities to step up the Ebola response and better protect frontline health workers, during a visit to the DR Congo where a deadly outbreak is spreading fast.

Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday to complete his move to Turkish club Trabzonspor after leaving the Premier League giants at the end of his contract.

Newcastle have appointed Matthias Jaissle as their new head coach following Eddie Howe's departure, the English Premier League club announced Wednesday.

AFP journalist Christina Assi, who lost a leg in an Israeli strike while reporting from the Lebanese border, will be honored at the International Press Freedom Awards, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Swiss ski star Lara Gut-Behrami announced her retirement on Wednesday ending a glittering career that brought Olympic gold, two overall World Cup triumphs and two world titles.

A majority of Turkish MPs on Wednesday backed limited and conditional amnesty for PKK Kurdish militants, a first legislative step to end decades of deadly fighting.

The United States announced charges on Wednesday against several high-ranking members of one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels and increased reward money for the capture of its leaders to more than $100 million.

Noosha Aubel tillträdde med ett stort förtroende. I den avgörande omröstningen fick hon 72,9 procent av rösterna. För att få en fullständig bild måste man dock också beakta att endast 42,5 procent av de röstberättigade deltog. Detta berodde uppenbarligen på hennes föregångare Mike Schuberts (53, SPD / Tysklands socialdemokratiska parti) sätt att sköta sitt ämbete. Aubel själv ville inte ha någon hundradagars respitperiod efter sitt tillträde den 24 oktober 2025. Politik, så löd hennes högtflygande ambition, ska vara tillgänglig, transparent och effektiv, och förvaltningen modern och mänsklig. Den som väcker sådana förväntningar får inte klaga över att tidigt bli bedömd utifrån sina egna utfästelser.

Noosha Aubel rozpoczęła swoją kadencję, ciesząc się ogromnym zaufaniem wyborców. W drugiej turze wyborów uzyskała 72,9 procent głosów. Aby jednak w pełni ocenić tę sytuację, należy również uwzględnić fakt, że w wyborach wzięło udział zaledwie 42,5 procent uprawnionych do głosowania. Było to najwyraźniej spowodowane sposobem sprawowania urzędu przez jej poprzednika, Mike’a Schuberta (53 lata, SPD / Socjaldemokratyczna Partia Niemiec). Sama Aubel po objęciu urzędu 24 października 2025 roku nie chciała korzystać ze stu dni karencji. Polityka, zgodnie z jej ambitnym postulatem, powinna być przystępna, przejrzysta i skuteczna, a administracja – nowoczesna i ludzka. Kto budzi takie oczekiwania, nie może narzekać, że wcześnie jest oceniany na podstawie własnych zapowiedzi.

Η Noosha Aubel ανέλαβε τα καθήκοντά της με μεγάλη εμπιστοσύνη. Στον δεύτερο γύρο των εκλογών έλαβε το 72,9% των ψήφων. Για να κατανοήσουμε πλήρως το πλαίσιο, πρέπει όμως να σημειώσουμε ότι συμμετείχε μόνο το 42,5% των εκλογέων. Αυτό οφειλόταν προφανώς στη θητεία του προκατόχου της, Mike Schubert (53, SPD / Σοσιαλδημοκρατικό Κόμμα της Γερμανίας). Η ίδια η Aubel, μετά την ανάληψη των καθηκόντων της στις 24 Οκτωβρίου 2025, δεν ήθελε περίοδο χάριτος εκατό ημερών. Η πολιτική, σύμφωνα με τη μεγαλόστομη δήλωσή της, πρέπει να είναι προσιτή, διαφανής και αποτελεσματική, ενώ η διοίκηση πρέπει να είναι σύγχρονη και ανθρώπινη. Όποιος δημιουργεί τέτοιες προσδοκίες, δεν πρέπει να παραπονιέται που αξιολογείται νωρίς με βάση τις δικές του δηλώσεις.

Noosha Aubelová nastoupila do funkce s velkou důvěrou voličů. Ve druhém kole voleb získala 72,9 procenta hlasů. Pro úplný kontext je však třeba uvést, že se voleb zúčastnilo pouze 42,5 procenta oprávněných voličů. To bylo zjevně způsobeno působením jejího předchůdce Mikea Schuberta (53, SPD / Sociálnědemokratická strana Německa). Samotná Aubelová po svém nástupu do úřadu 24. října 2025 nechtěla žádnou stodenní lhůtu na rozběh. Politika by podle jejího velkolepého prohlášení měla být přístupná, transparentní a účinná, správa pak moderní a lidská. Kdo vzbuzuje takové očekávání, nesmí si stěžovat, že je brzy posuzován podle svých vlastních slibů.

تولت نوشا أوبيل منصبها مدعومة بثقة كبيرة. فقد حصلت في الجولة الثانية من الانتخابات على 72,9 في المائة من الأصوات. لكن لفهم الصورة الكاملة، لا بد من الإشارة إلى أن نسبة المشاركة لم تتجاوز 42,5 في المائة من الناخبين المؤهلين. ويبدو أن هذا يعزى إلى أداء سلفها مايك شوبرت (53 عامًا، الحزب الاشتراكي الديمقراطي) في منصبه. أما أوبل نفسها، فلم ترغب في الحصول على فترة سماح مدتها مائة يوم بعد توليها منصبها في 24 أكتوبر 2025. فقد أعلنت، في تصريح طموح، أن السياسة يجب أن تكون قريبة من الناس وشفافة وفعالة، وأن تكون الإدارة حديثة وإنسانية. ومن يثير مثل هذه التوقعات، لا يحق له أن يشكو من أنه يُقيَّم مبكرًا على أساس إعلاناته الخاصة.

Former England fly-half Freddie Burns announced his retirement from rugby union on Wednesday, bringing down the curtain on a globe-trotting career spanning nearly two decades.

Visas are being denied, insults are flying, and ambassadors are caught in the crossfire: Two months before Brazil's election, diplomatic tensions are flaring between President Lula's leftist administration and the right-wing governments of Argentina and the United States.

Pakistan beat the West Indies by eight wickets on the fourth day of the second and final Test at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on Wednesday to level the series.

Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has insisted he will be back in action soon after saying Wednesday that UK Anti-Doping has lifted his suspension from boxing.

Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least 17 people and wounded dozens more in Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight, authorities said Wednesday.

Race favourite Demi Vollering won a three-way sprint for stage five on the Tour de France Femmes on Wednesday as Marlen Reusser held a slender 12-second overall lead on the day's winner.

Disney reported better-than-expected profits Wednesday, citing a strong performance in its theme park business amid lingering worries about macroeconomic weakness.

Argentina's Tomas Albornoz will miss Tests against South Africa and Australia after being given a four-game suspension for confronting referee Angus Gardner following a Nations Championship defeat against England.

LIV Golf has reached a deal with a lead investor to keep the series playing beyond the end of the 2026 season, LIV chief executive officer Scott O'Neil said Wednesday.

Activity at Guatemala's Fuego volcano died down slightly on Wednesday, after a powerful eruption of lava and ash forced hundreds of people to flee their homes.