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

Britain and Germany produced their cleanest electricity on record last year, with renewables reaching record highs, according to data released Thursday.

Oil from two ageing and damaged Russian tankers was detected Friday off the coast of Sevastopol, the largest city in Moscow-annexed Crimea, a local official said.

Argentine police on Friday arrested one of the two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne before he fell to his death from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.

The new US Congress was thrown into chaos on its first day Friday as rebel right-wing Republicans defied incoming president Donald Trump to block Mike Johnson from returning as speaker of the House of Representatives.

The French and German foreign ministers called for a peaceful, inclusive transition in Syria as they visited Damascus Friday for talks with new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Ryan Rickelton played a breakthrough innings as South Africa dominated the first day of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands on Friday.

Lebanon's interior minister on Friday told AFP that Beirut was working to find a solution with Syria, after two security officials said Damascus had imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens.

President Joe Biden's outgoing administration announced on Friday that it will allocate $306 million to bolster the nation's bird flu response before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Mohamed Salah says he is motivated to do "something special" in what he believes will be his last year at Liverpool.

The Israeli military reported three rockets targetinh its territory on Friday from the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian rescuers said Israeli air strikes killed at least 16 people, including children.

Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi has defended French football, saying Ligue 1 is stronger than it is given credit for abroad but has not been sold well as a product.

Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavuma hit centuries and batted South Africa into a strong position on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands on Friday.

With bunches of lettuce and bucketloads of nuts, London Zoo kicked off its annual animal count Friday, coaxing everything from goats to gorillas out of their enclosures for the celebrated stocktake.

Enzo Maresca said losing defender Wesley Fofana for the rest of the season would be a "huge loss" for Chelsea after scans revealed a serious hamstring injury.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson -- and incoming US president Donald Trump -- faced a test of political strength Friday as the party's hard right threatens to try to choose a new leader.

Ruben Amorim says Manchester United are "starving for leaders" during a turbulent period ahead of a daunting trip to runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

The United States' top government doctor on Friday called for health warnings on alcoholic drinks to highlight that they cause cancer and urged a reassessment of daily consumption limits due to the risks.

President Joe Biden on Friday blocked the controversial $14.9 billion sale of US Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel, citing a strategic need to protect domestic industry.

Wall Street stocks bounced higher at the start of trading on Friday, but European stock markets retreated as traders booked profits from a positive start to 2025.

Folk legend Neil Young has had a change of heart and will now headline at the Glastonbury music festival, the singer-songwriter and the organisers said Friday.

David Castera is of an age to have experienced the Dakar Rally in Africa and South America so who better than the Frenchman to be the race director, responsible for sketching out the race route in Saudi Arabia.

Paris Saint-Germain could lift their first silverware of the season when they play Monaco in the French Champions Trophy in Doha on Sunday, with the staging of the fixture in Qatar underlining the Gulf state's influence over football in France.

Lewis Hamilton said Friday he "could not be more excited for the year ahead" as the seven-times world champion prepares for his first Formula One season with Ferrari.

Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City have to "think" about the future of injury-hit midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

President Joe Biden on Friday announced he has blocked the controversial $14.9 billion sale of US Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel, citing a strategic need to protect domestic industry.

Three police officers will be tried in Paris for the involuntary homicide of a man who repeatedly said "I'm suffocating" during his arrest in January 2020, a source close to the case told AFP Friday.

British novelist David Lodge, who was shortlisted for the Booker Prize twice, has died at the age of 89, his publisher said on Friday.

Indonesia experienced its hottest year on record in 2024, the country's weather agency said Friday, matching several other nations which have reported similar rises in temperature.

South Africa's Henk Lategan won the Dakar Rally prologue in the cars category Friday, kicking off the sixth edition in Saudi Arabia that will stretch nearly 8,000 kilometres across 12 stages.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Friday he was unhappy about potentially losing key midfielder Dani Olmo because of the club's dire financial state, but optimistic the situation would be resolved successfully.

Former world number one Novak Djokovic's Australian Open preparations suffered a blow Friday as he was bundled out of the Brisbane International by towering American Reilly Opelka.

Two people in India set themselves on fire Friday to protest against the disposal of hazardous waste from the decades-old Bhopal industrial disaster, local government officials said.