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

A Maltese businessman behind bars for five years for alleged involvement in the murder of the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was granted bail Friday, even as he continues to await trial.

The DR Congo army and M23 on Friday clashed near the main city in the country's volatile east as the UN warned the raging conflict had displaced over 400,000 people this year and could spark a regional war.

Novak Djokovic retired injured from his Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev on Friday and left the court to boos, with defending champion Jannik Sinner to face the German for the title.

Japan's unbeaten Naoya Inoue retained his undisputed world super-bantamweight titles on Friday in style by knocking out South Korean rank outsider Kim Ye-joon in the fourth round in Tokyo.

The publication of the black box data from an Azerbaijani plane that crashed in Kazakhstan last month has been delayed, a Kazakh official said Friday, after Azerbaijan accused Russia of shooting the airliner.

A French mother accused of starving to death her daughter who died of a heart attack aged 13 should be given a life sentence, the prosecutor told her trial Friday.

Mikel Arteta said Friday he is consulting his Arsenal players over new signings as the club scramble to bring in a striker before the January transfer window closes.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso on Friday backed Jurgen Klopp to make an impact in his new job at Red Bull, but said the former Liverpool manager "needs time".

Belgium's football federation on Friday announced Frenchman Rudi Garcia as the new national team coach, after the sacking of Domenico Tedesco.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to talk to US counterpart Donald Trump but is waiting for signals from Washington first, the Kremlin said on Friday, fuelling expectations the two would be in contact.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner blew past Ben Shelton 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 in the Australian Open semi-finals on Friday to set up a showdown with Alexander Zverev for the title.

Global stock markets rose Friday after a record day on Wall Street in response to US President Donald Trump's tax-cut pledge and his more friendly comments with regard to China.

France on Friday asked the European Union to suspend "indefinitely" landmark new rules on environmental and human rights supply chain standards, saying they were too burdensome for businesses.

Mikel Arteta reiterated Friday that Arsenal are actively looking to sign a striker, admitting they "lack options" as the clock ticks down towards the end of the January transfer window.

The Philippine government launched a comic book Friday asserting its claims in the disputed South China Sea, amid rising tensions with Beijing over the strategic waterway.

The Louvre in Paris opened its first-ever fashion exhibition on Friday, seeking to draw new, younger audiences to the world's most popular museum.

Novak Djokovic's injury retirement from his Australian Open semi-final after a gruelling first set on Friday, and his subsequent comments, have left question marks about how the last chapter of his great career might unfold.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot joked Friday that his father sometimes complains that his football is not "exciting" enough.

British fashion house Burberry announced Friday a further decline in sales, hit by weak demand in China, but the troubled group is showing signs of recovery under new leadership.

Julian Nagelsmann has signed a contract extension to remain Germany coach until the end of Euro 2028, the German FA (DFB) announced Friday.

Europe should take greater risks and plough more money into artificial intelligence, Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun told AFP at the World Economic Forum.

Head coach Aaqib Javed brushed aside criticism of Pakistan's reliance on spin bowling as they seek a clean sweep against the West Indies in the second Test starting on Saturday.

Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena said Friday that it was launching a bid for its larger rival Mediobanca in a potential 13.3 billion euro ($13.9 billion) deal that could help reshape the country's banking sector.

Hundreds of migrants in the United States were arrested Thursday and others flown out of the country on military aircraft as President Donald Trump's promised mass deportation operation got underway, the White House said.

With painted faces and vivid costumes, 40 young dancers leap through the streets of Shantou in southern China to the sound of gongs and drums as hundreds of spectators watch.

The Taliban authorities that rule Afghanistan have imposed a severe interpretation of Islamic law on the population, heavily restricting all aspects of women's lives.

A Frenchman on death row in Indonesia since 2007 for drug offences will be sent back to his home country, an Indonesian minister said Friday.

Markets rose Friday after a record day on Wall Street in response to Donald Trump's tax-cut pledge, while the yen strengthened after a widely expected interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan.

Alexander Zverev defended Novak Djokovic for pulling out of their Australian Open semi-final with injury Friday, after the 24-time Grand Slam champion was booed by some spectators as he left court.

The Bank of Japan increased interest rates on Friday to their highest in 17 years and signalled more hikes to come, sending the yen higher against the dollar.

Aryna Sabalenka, who can write her name into the tennis record books with a third consecutive Australian Open title on Saturday, has become the complete player.

Former teenage prodigy Madison Keys arrived in Australia with the goal of seeing how well she could perform with her 30th birthday approaching next month.