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

Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday kickstarted his programme to ease the cost of living for millions of Britons by planning to remove tax on household electricity bills.

New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a tax cut to ease cost-of-living pressures as he was set to convene his first cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis said Tuesday that group sales exceeded expectations in the second quarter of 2026, on the back of a range of new products.

China summoned the Philippine ambassador on Tuesday following a clash at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, which sparked condemnation of Beijing by Manila's allies.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is at a very high risk of extreme and widespread bleaching and "ecosystem collapse" linked to this year's El Nino weather phenomenon, top scientists warned Tuesday.

Panama announced on Monday an agreement with China to renew a maritime shipping treaty that grants advantages to Panamanian ships in Chinese ports.

India's "Cockroach" party movement vowed Tuesday to press ahead with their campaign until the education minister resigns, a day after at least 180 people were injured in protests in New Delhi.

A two-part biopic of French leader Charles de Gaulle has become a summer cinema hit in his homeland, delivering a strong dose of patriotism through one of the rare figures to unite the country.

South Korea's president urged financial watchdogs to take "necessary measures" over new highly speculative investment products tied to the fortunes of the nation's AI chipmakers after share price declines left investors nursing losses.

North Korea reaffirmed its support for Russia's war on Ukraine as the nations' foreign ministers met in Moscow, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday, increasing speculation Kim Jong Un may soon visit the Kremlin.

Iran targeted US radar and air defence installations in the Gulf on Tuesday, warning Washington of "more decisive and powerful" attacks to come as the conflict threatened to widen with a blockade of Saudi ports by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Some intercept drones attack Ukrainian cities, while others strike oil refineries hundreds of kilometres away in Russia. But Ukrainian drones are also known for their unconventional names, with humour becoming part of psychological warfare.

A clash in the South China Sea threatened to overshadow a meeting of Southeast Asian nations on Tuesday as the United States condemned "dangerous" Chinese actions in the contested waterway.

Lawmakers in France are scheduled to vote on Tuesday to ban social media for under-15s -- one of 20 countries worldwide to have proposed or introduced such measures.

Critics blasted Argentina for dirty tactics and poor sportsmanship during their 1-0 loss to Spain, cementing the country's status as World Cup villain that grew throughout the tournament.

Asian stocks mostly rebounded after days of losses on Tuesday led by technology shares, while oil prices eased slightly even as Iran said it had struck hit US military targets in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon fell to a historic low in 2025 after peaking the previous year, according to a report published Tuesday.

Rahela Begum survived the horrors of war in Myanmar and life in the world's largest refugee camp in Bangladesh -- only to end up drifting at sea, clinging to a wooden plank.

France's parliament is weighing a social media ban for under-15s, following in the footsteps of Australia and Indonesia, although enforcement authorities are facing a puzzle on how to manage age checks.

French lawmakers are expected to approve a bill banning social media access for children under 15 on Tuesday, putting France at the forefront of similar efforts in the European Union.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, as pressure builds for Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, Israel's key condition before withdrawing from south Lebanon.

Eight-year-old Ruba Saadeh spends her days confined to the tent she shares with her family in Gaza, her body dotted with inflamed red blisters as chickenpox sweeps through overcrowded camps like the one they live in.

Caleb Durbin smashed the deciding solo home run and the Boston Red Sox stretched their win streak to 14 games on Monday by edging Baltimore 6-5.

Australia's veteran bowling trio -- captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon have returned from injury and were all on Tuesday named in the Test squad to face Bangladesh next month.

Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham named ex-health minister Wes Streeting as his defence secretary late Monday, the government said, as ministerial appointments ran into the night.

The United States condemned "dangerous and aggressive actions" by China following a clash with the Philippine navy in the South China Sea, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Manila on Tuesday for a meeting of Southeast Asian nations.

Two hours from the tourist beaches of Bali, slavery is alive and well on the Indonesian island of Sumba, where people are still born into bondage.

When Remco Evenpoel announced in April that he would not race any more until July's Tour de France, eyebrows were raised.

Thousands of fans braved the cold and rain Monday to give a rapturous welcome to the Argentine football squad who landed back home without star Lionel Messi, after their World Cup final loss to Spain.

A top lawmaker from Australia's far-right One Nation party has grabbed headlines after exploding at a misbehaving dog as he was grilled on live TV.

Companies Will Integrate SPEAR Onto MQ-9B and Gambit 6

US President Donald Trump signed orders Monday to impose new 50-percent tariffs on many Canadian goods, claiming "discriminatory treatment" by Ottawa against American alcohol, automobile and dairy products.