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

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday denied any political link to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov as the tech tycoon spent a second day in French custody following his surprise arrest at a Paris airport.

A much-anticipated US presidential debate next month appeared in doubt Monday as Republican candidate Donald Trump questioned whether he would participate, and both camps sparred over the use of live mics.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday the government would tighten weapons controls and speed up deportations after a suspected Islamist knife attack in the western city of Solingen.

Russia fired hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday, killing at least four people and battering the country's already weakened energy grid, officials said.

US computer giant IBM confirmed Monday it would close its research and development arm in China.

Oil prices jumped Monday after an escalation of hostilities between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah raised fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday 100 percent tariffs on Chinese electric car imports, matching US measures seeking to fend off a flood of Chinese state-subsidized cars into North America.

Close US ally Japan said it scrambled fighter jets on Monday after a Chinese military aircraft "violated" its airspace in a further escalation of regional tensions.

Rayo Vallecano signed Colombia and former Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez as a free agent on Monday.

Yulia Voloshyna sheltered in the Kyiv metro on Monday as Ukrainians were warned to hunker down for another massive wave of Russian attacks.

A Chinese hospital ship has docked in Cape Town to bring much-needed free medical care to South African patients as part of a joint exercise between the two nations, the army said Monday.

Separatist militants killed at least 39 people in "coordinated" attacks in southwestern Pakistan on Monday that largely targeted ethnic Punjabis, government officials said.

China said it took "control measures" on Monday against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that had entered waters near the disputed Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.

Prince William hailed Sven-Goran Eriksson as a "true gentleman" as tributes poured in following the former England manager's death on Monday.

Swedish football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who coached England from 2001 to 2006, died Monday at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his agent said.

Sven-Goran Eriksson became England's first foreign manager during a colourful career marked by title-winning glory, World Cup angst and a heart-warming refusal to be cowed by life's vicissitudes.

European and Asian stock markets were mixed on Monday after Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell gave investors a boost last week by signalling that a US interest rate cut was on the way.

Russia fired hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday, killing at least four people and battering the country's already weakened energy grid, triggering blackouts, officials said.

A friend of French rapper SCH was shot dead early Monday after leaving a club in the south of the country where the musician had just performed, a source close to the case told AFP.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday called last week's deadly knife attack an act "terrorism against us all" and pledged swift action to tighten weapons controls.

Barcelona loaned striker Vitor Roque to fellow La Liga side Real Betis on Monday after he failed to make an impact in his first few months at the club.

The boss of social media platform Telegram has been arrested in France, accused of allowing the sharing of illegal content.

Israel's military struck the Gaza Strip on Monday a day after truce talks in Cairo coincided with a major but brief cross-border escalation involving Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

France held the Russian-born founder of Telegram Pavel Durov in custody for a second day of questioning on Monday over alleged offences related to the popular but controversial messaging app, which insisted he had "nothing to hide".

The Dutch data protection watchdog said Monday it hit ride-hailing app Uber with a 290-million-euro ($324 million) fine over the transfer of personal data of European drivers to US servers.

Fans of British rock band Oasis buzzed with anticipation Monday as Liam and Noel Gallagher teased that they could be returning to the stage together, 15 years after the band's last performance.

Japan's space agency said on Monday it had ended its Moon lander operation after losing communication with the uncrewed spaceship last week.

Russian missile and drone strikes battered Ukraine's power grid on Monday, killing at least four people and forcing authorities to introduce emergency blackouts.

Sri Lanka's main Marxist leader and a key presidential hopeful in elections next month pledged on Monday to selectively welcome foreign investors, especially in green energy, if he wins.

The Dutch data protection watchdog said Monday it hit ride-hailing app Uber with a 290-million-euro ($324 million) fine over the transfer of personal data of European drivers to US servers.

Thousands of military personnel from Indonesia, the US, and eight other countries began two weeks of exercises Monday, focused on joint capabilities in the Asia-Pacific.

A Thai court will sentence Thursday a famed Spanish actor's son charged with murdering and dismembering a Colombian plastic surgeon he met online.