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

England's starting lineup will feature only seven Women's Rugby World Cup winners when they begin their Six Nations title defence against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.

China's top diplomat told his North Korean counterpart on Thursday that Beijing was willing to step up exchanges and cooperation, Chinese state media reported, following their meeting in Pyongyang.

Jannik Sinner overcame evident discomfort to advance to the last eight of the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday, beating the wildly erratic Tomas Machac, 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3.

The International Monetary Fund expects to have to provide up to $50 billion in immediate financial assistance to countries affected by the Middle East war, its managing director said on Thursday, with the crisis likely to have lasting economic effects.

Oil prices jumped and most stock markets fell Thursday as investors weighed the prospects of a shaky Middle East ceasefire and a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, crucial to restoring oil and gas shipments.

Israel vowed to continue its campaign against Hezbollah on Thursday, dismissing mounting international concern that its strikes on Lebanon threaten a fragile US-Iran truce that could lead to peace negotiations.

Golf legend Gary Player, speaking at the Masters on Thursday, called on Tiger Woods to "get a chauffeur" after his DUI arrest last month.

Just before 5 am at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a Muslim worshipper prayed in tears. A few hours later, similar emotion overcame Christians and Jews as the city's holy sites reopened following the truce with Iran.

EU lawmakers on Thursday demanded a European Union-wide tax on the world's biggest tech companies and online gambling sites to help fund the 27-country bloc's next seven-year budget.

The long-awaited 'Battle of Britain' between former world heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could take place outside the country at Dublin's Croke Park, according to the stadium's chief executive.

The Cannes Film Festival unveiled its roster of films for this year's edition on Thursday packed with historical dramas, "gentleness" and even football, with the absence of major Hollywood studios set to dial down the American razzle-dazzle of previous editions.

Alana Anisio Rosa, 20, politely turned down the man from her gym who kept sending her flowers and chocolates. A month later, he burst into her home and stabbed her around 50 times with a pocket knife.

Israel vowed more strikes against Hezbollah on Thursday, dismissing mounting international demands that the fragile truce between the United States and Iran in the Gulf be expanded to cover the war in Lebanon.

Russia's Supreme Court labelled the Nobel Prize-winning human rights group Memorial "extremist" on Thursday, making it easier to prosecute supporters and those who work with it.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy was set for an early start on Thursday as golf legends Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson made ceremonial tee shots to begin the 90th Masters.

Nineteen-year-old Joao Fonseca reached the quarter-finals of a Masters 1000 event for the first time when he strode to a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo on Thursday.

Oil prices jumped and most stock markets fell Thursday on investor concerns over the Middle East ceasefire holding and as the key Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked to traffic.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen's future in Formula One was again cast in doubt on Thursday after reports emerged that his long-time race engineer is set to leave Red Bull.

Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, Spain's Pedro Almodovar and Russia's Andrey Zvyagintsev will be among 21 directors vying for the coveted Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival next month, organisers said on Thursday.

South Korean K-pop megastars BTS kicked off their world tour on Thursday, riding the momentum of a chart-topping comeback album and a landmark performance in the heart of Seoul.

Como's bid to reach the Champions League faces a key test on Sunday when Serie A leaders Inter Milan arrive lakeside trying to take another step towards a 21st league title.

The emperor penguin has been declared an endangered species as climate change pushes the icon of Antarctica a step closer to extinction, the global authority on threatened wildlife announced on Thursday.

France will begin their women's Six Nations campaign against Italy with six new caps in their matchday 23 after new coach Francois Ratier announced wholesale changes to the squad on Thursday.

Calls were mounting on Thursday for the ceasefire between the US and Iran to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, after a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people.

Nepal's ex-prime minister KP Sharma Oli offered a defiant message on Thursday after he was released from custody following questioning over his alleged role in a deadly 2025 crackdown on protesters.

Buffeted by six weeks of war in the Middle East, airlines have scrambled to trim routes and costs as fuel bills explode and wary clients think twice about their travel plans, a situation that could persist even if a fragile truce holds.

Russia is expected to label the Nobel Prize-winning human rights group Memorial "extremist" on Thursday, a designation that will make it easier to prosecute the group's supporters and those who work with it.

Lebanon declared a national day of mourning on Thursday after Israeli strikes pummelled the country, killing nearly 200 people and calling into question the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

A week after astronaut Jeremy Hansen blasted off on the historic Artemis II mission to the Moon, his wife Catherine recalled the anxiety and thrill of witnessing the journey from afar.

Toulouse hooker Peato Mauvaka is eyeing revenge on Sunday as the six-time Champions Cup winners head to Bordeaux-Begles in the quarter-finals after last season's "heartbreaking" loss to their French rivals in the last four.

A shallow 4.9-magitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia overnight, damaging dozens of homes and injuring multiple people, an official said Thursday.

Argentine MPs approved a bill early Thursday promoted by President Javier Milei that authorizes mining in ecologically sensitive areas of glaciers and permafrost, and has outraged environmentalists.