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

Brazil's president this week amped up pressure for a major oil project to go ahead at the mouth of the Amazon River, despite criticism from environmentalists as the country prepares to host UN climate talks in November.

Belinda Bencic secured her first title since returning from maternity leave with a come-from-behind victory over American Ashlyn Krueger at the Abu Dhabi Open on Saturday.

Australia's Alex de Minaur eased into the Rotterdam Open final on Saturday, bringing to an end the extraordinary giant-killing run of Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci with an entertaining straight-sets win.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and France's Marine Le Pen headlined a rally in Madrid on Saturday by Europe's biggest far-right bloc, buoyed by Donald Trump's return to power and calling for "a 180-degree pivot".

A summit of African leaders meeting to address the crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday called for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" within five days.

South Africa on Saturday condemned a "campaign of misinformation" after US President Donald Trump issued an order freezing aid to the country over a law he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers.

Ester Ledecka's bid to get Olympic chiefs to reschedule the programme for next year's Winter Games to allow her to compete in both alpine skiing and snowboarding races received a massive boost when she took downhill bronze in the World Ski Championships on Saturday.

Manchester City needed a late winner from substitute Kevin De Bruyne to beat Leyton Orient 2-1 and reach the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday after the third-tier side threatened to shock the Premier League champions.

Ismaili Muslims said a last goodbye on Saturday to their late spiritual leader, Aga Khan IV, at a private funeral ceremony in Lisbon attended by dignitaries and foreign leaders.

US star Lindsey Vonn said her 15th-placed finish in the women's downhill at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach would not silence critics of her return to action at the age of 40.

Glenn Phillips cracked a maiden century to lift New Zealand to 330-6 against Pakistan in the tri-series opener in Lahore on Saturday.

Israel and Hamas completed their fifth hostage-prisoner swap under a fragile Gaza ceasefire deal on Saturday, with the frail, disoriented appearance of the three freed Israelis sparking dismay among their relatives.

Australia are two wickets away from ending Sri Lanka's second innings in the second Test Saturday, with the hosts reeling at 211-8 at stumps on day three in Galle.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, joined a summit in Tanzania on Saturday where regional leaders called for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

American Breezy Johnson turned on the afterburners to scorch to a shock gold in the women's downhill at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach on Saturday, while returning veteran teammate Lindsey Vonn finished 15th.

The three Baltic states on Saturday cut ties with Russia's power grid to join the European Union's network, the culmination of a years-long process that gained urgency with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Saturday, the fifth group freed under a fragile Gaza ceasefire, with Israel condemning their "cruel" handover and worrying physical appearance.

Sri Lanka were reeling at 98-4 at tea on day three in Galle on Saturday and staring at their second loss in the two-Test series against a dominant Australia.

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt will have his eyes fixed on a speed double when he takes to the start hut for the men's downhill at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach on Sunday.

Hamas militants handed over three Israeli hostages on Saturday as part of the fifth exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire, with 183 prisoners held by Israel due to be released later in the day.

Three Baltic states on Saturday cut ties with Russia's power grid to join the European Union's network, the culmination of a years-long process that gained urgency with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi joined a summit in Tanzania on Saturday where regional leaders called for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Steve Smith and Alex Carey powered Australia to a formidable 414 all out Saturday in their first innings of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

In a workshop outside Paris, Celine Lallement stitched hairs into a silicone baby's skull -- the latest creation from a studio specialised in making ultra-realistic infants for the film and TV industries.

The Baltic states on Saturday began cutting ties with Russia's power grid in order to integrate with Europe's system, a years-long process that gained urgency with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Demi Moore won best actress at the Critics Choice Awards on Friday, confirming her status as favorite for the Oscars in a week that saw scandal envelop her "Emilia Perez" rival Karla Sofia Gascon.

The pace-setting Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to victories to maintain their grip on the NBA conference standings on Friday.

Air traffic is booming in India, even though only a tiny fraction of its people fly each year, and manufacturers are seeking lucrative deals at the flagship Aero India exhibition from Monday.

Mehdi al-Shayesh thought he would quickly resettle in his central Syrian home town after Bashar al-Assad was ousted, but like many others stuck in camps, he found his home uninhabitable.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and France's Marine Le Pen headline a rally in Madrid on Saturday by Europe's biggest far-right bloc, buoyed by electoral gains and Donald Trump's return to power.

In the throes of a bloody drug war, a shrinking economy and an acute energy crisis, Ecuadorans are remarkably optimistic about their country's future as they prepare to vote in Sunday election.

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame was due to meet his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi in Tanzania on Saturday as regional leaders convene in a bid to defuse the conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo.