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

World number one Jannik Sinner had a surprisingly straightforward 6-1, 6-4 victory over an injured Daniil Medvedev on Thursday to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, where he could face chief rival Carlos Alcaraz.

The owner of 7-Eleven announced a major restructuring on Thursday as it seeks to boost its share price and fend off what would be the biggest foreign takeover of a Japanese firm.

England's Harry Brook hit his maiden triple century on the fourth day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Multan on Thursday.

MG Motor, BYD and other Chinese electric car manufacturers say they will maintain their low sticker prices in Europe even after being hit with hefty tariffs this month.

President Volodymyr Zelensky met UK premier Keir Starmer in London Thursday, as the Ukrainian leader embarked on a whistle-stop tour of European capitals aimed at securing military aid before next month's crunch US election.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka's economy was recovering faster than expected, the World Bank said Thursday, doubling the island's growth forecast to 4.4 percent for 2024.

Chinese markets got back into winning ways Thursday after China's central bank unveiled a facility to boost liquidity for firms to buy stocks, while most other markets tracked another record day on Wall Street.

Record-breaking Joe Root and Harry Brook smashed career-best double centuries Thursday as relentless England piled up 658-3 against Pakistan by lunch on the fourth day of the opening Test in Multan.

Greek football was in shock Thursday at the death of Panathinaikos and Greece international George Baldock, with tributes uniting even the country's usually hostile rival fans.

Uniqlo's parent company Fast Retailing on Thursday announced "a record high performance in fiscal 2024" with domestic profits in Japan boosted by hot summer weather and a tourism boom.

Chinese markets get back into winning ways Thursday after China's central bank unveiled a facility to boost liquidity for firms to buy stocks, while most other markets tracked another record day on Wall Street.

Indonesia's push to add wood-burning to its energy mix and exports is driving deforestation, including in key habitats for endangered species such as orangutans, a report said Thursday.

When Madagascar host Gambia in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday they will play in Moroccan city Casablanca -- 8,250 kilometres (5,125 miles) from the Indian Ocean country.

Two months into Ukraine's offensive on Russian territory, questions are growing in Ukrainian ranks over the long-term strategy as Russian troops advance steadily in other areas.

Rugby Australia said Thursday it was preparing a counter-claim against axed Super Rugby club Melbourne Rebels, alleging misleading and deceptive conduct in an increasingly bitter legal dispute.

Crowds of mourners gathered in India's financial capital Mumbai on Thursday for the funeral of industrialist Ratan Tata, hailed as a "titan" who led one of the country's biggest conglomerates.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos challenged Chinese Premier Li Qiang over recent clashes in the South China Sea at regional summit talks on Thursday, as fears grow that conflict could erupt in the disputed waterway.

The New York Mets, fueled by Francisco Lindor's grand slam, beat Philadelphia to advance in the Major League Baseball playoffs on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers stayed alive with an 8-0 victory over San Diego.

Australian Open chief Craig Tiley expressed confidence Thursday that injury-ravaged Nick Kyrgios will be back on court at the season-opening Grand Slam.

Panathinaikos and Greece international footballer George Baldock has died, his family confirmed Thursday.

European countries are to discuss "innovative" ways to increase deportations of irregular migrants and rejected asylum seekers on Thursday, including controversial plans to set up dedicated return centres in non-EU nations.

Death, detention and dissolution have decimated Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, easing the way for groups backed by Myanmar's ruling military to claim victory at elections expected next year, analysts say.

The cold corridors of South Africa's once-mighty Komati coal-fired power plant have been quiet since its shutdown in 2022 in what was trumpeted as a pioneering project in the world's transition to green energy.

China's central bank boosted support for markets Thursday by opening up tens of billions of dollars in liquidity for firms to buy stocks as part of a raft of measures by Beijing to kickstart the country's flagging economy.

Francisco Lindor belted a grand slam in the sixth inning to propel the New York Mets to a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday and into Major League Baseball's National League Championship Series.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed Thursday to "resist annexation", as China exerts growing military and political pressure on the self-ruled island it claims as part of its territory.

Strong state support and huge private investment have made China's solar industry a global powerhouse, but it faces new headwinds, from punitive tariffs abroad to a brutal price war at home.

Asian markets tracked a record day on Wall Street Thursday, with Shanghai and Hong Kong supported by a Chinese central bank move to boost liquidity for major stock-buyers.

Chika Ezure faced gender bias from her own family when deciding to do a master's degree at Japan's top-ranked university. After arriving on campus, she realised the resistance she faced as a woman was commonplace.

China's central bank boosted support for markets on Thursday as it launched a "swap facility" offering firms access to $70.6 billion in liquidity as Beijing seeks to raise confidence in the country's flagging economy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit Britain, France and Italy on Thursday, part of a whirlwind tour of European leaders aimed at securing aid ahead of pivotal US elections next month.

Young people are facing an unprecedented wave of violence and sexual abuse driven by war, climate change, hunger, and displacement, the UN's special representative on violence against children has warned.