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

Benin voudon religious dignitary Oscar Kptenon is still in shock, ten days after the fall of a centuries-old giant tree on a historic square in Ouidah, once at the heart of the slave trade.

Rafael Nadal confirmed on Thursday he will miss Wimbledon to focus on the Paris Olympics, which will be played on the clay courts at Roland Garros.

Rafael Nadal confirmed on Thursday he will miss Wimbledon to focus on the Paris Olympics.

The US pushed back hard Thursday against a reported attempt by Italy to water down a G7 leaders' declaration on abortion by removing a reference to "safe and legal" terminations.

Tiger Woods was among a host of contenders chasing sixth-ranked Ludvig Aberg, who grabbed the early US Open lead with two morning birdies on Thursday at Pinehurst.

A massive fire at an oil refinery in Iraqi Kurdistan injured at least 13 people including firefighters battling to control the blaze, which was ongoing Thursday, an official said.

To house the thousands of soldiers tasked with keeping the Paris Olympics safe, France is building the largest army camp its mainland has seen since World War II, at breakneck pace.

From misting systems to heat-reflective road coverings, Saudi officials are trying to aid hajj pilgrims in coping with heat, but scientists caution that climate change may outpace these efforts.

Gianluca Scamacca said Thursday that he wants to make history with Italy as the in-form striker prepares for his major tournament debut against Albania in Euro 2024.

A year after one of the Mediterranean's worst migrant shipwrecks killed more than 600 people, lawyers for survivors pursuing a criminal case against the Greek coastguard gave fresh details on the case Thursday.

Britain's Labour party launched a "manifesto for wealth creation" Thursday, pledging to get the economy firing again if it wins power in next month's election after 14 years in opposition.

The European Union on Thursday told three pornographic websites to explain what steps they have taken to protect children online and prevent the spread of illegal content.

Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has confirmed in an interview with US broadcaster ESPN that he will not attempt to win a second gold medal with Argentina at the Paris Olympics this summer.

Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said on Thursday he was leaving the Bundesliga club less than two weeks after they lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Ukrainian football great Andriy Shevchenko has told AFP his country's presence at Euro 2024 that kicks off on Friday has been a triumph over adversity and will "remind the world of what we are going through".

A judge in Moscow ruled Thursday that the trial of a director and writer charged with "justifying terrorism" in an award-winning play will continue behind closed doors after the prosecution said witnesses were being threatened on social media.

European stock markets faltered Thursday following mixed showings by Asia and on Wall Street, as traders reacted to US Federal Reserve signals that it plans only one interest-rate cut this year.

The iconic UGC Normandie cinema on the Champs-Elysees in Paris closed its doors Thursday after 90 years -- with critics seeing another sign of tourism and fashion sucking the life from one of the world's most famous shopping boulevards.

Former Roma coach Paulo Fonseca is to return to Italy as the new boss of AC Milan, the Serie A runners-up announced on Thursday.

Russia's main stock exchange halted dollar and euro trades on Thursday after the United States hit Moscow with a new package of sanctions over its military offensive in Ukraine.

G7 leaders were set to agree on a new $50-billion loan for Ukraine as they gathered Thursday for a summit in southern Italy, using the profits from frozen Russian assets.

Tiger Woods, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka and Sweden's sixth-ranked Ludvig Aberg were among those set for a morning charge as the 124th US Open began Thursday at treacherous Pinehurst.

The Athens Acropolis, Greece's most visited tourist attraction, was closed to the public during the hottest hours on Thursday for the second day running, as the country's earliest-ever heatwave neared its peak.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka has been given the green light to compete for Japan at next month's Paris Olympics, the country's tennis association said Thursday.

Taylor Swift fans literally made the earth move as the US singer-songwriter began her UK tour, the British Geological Survey said on Thursday, with seismic activity recorded six kilometres (nearly four miles) away.

Chelsea forward Sam Kerr has signed a new two-year contract keeping her at the club until 2026, the Women's Super League champions announced on Thursday.

A massive fire at an oil refinery in Iraqi Kurdistan injured at least 10 people including firefighters battling to control the blaze, which was ongoing Thursday, the civil defence agency reported.

French right-wing parties were mired by infighting Thursday as campaigning intensified for snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron, but his government faces a more unified challenge from the left.

Israeli helicopters struck Gaza's Rafah on Thursday, residents said, with Hamas militants reporting street battles in the southern city after top US diplomat Antony Blinken said a truce was still possible.

A Malaysian international badly hurt in an acid attack in May broke down in tears on Thursday as he pledged to return to football in "one to two months".

Kenya's finance minister is due to present Thursday the East African economic powerhouse's biggest ever budget, alongside a contentious finance bill that contains a raft of new or increased taxes.

The European Union said this week it would slap additional tariffs of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric cars from next month after an anti-subsidy probe.