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

Wealthy countries met their target of providing $100 billion in annual climate aid to poorer countries for the first time in 2022 though two years later than promised, the OECD said Wednesday.

Asian and European stock markets slid Wednesday on worries over the global interest-rate outlook, while oil extended gains after an attack on a ship in the Red Sea stoked worries about crude supplies.

Street fighting and Israeli bombardment rocked Gaza's far-southern Rafah on Wednesday, Palestinian residents and officials said, a day after Israeli tanks rolled into the centre of the city near the Egyptian border.

A major union representing tens of thousands of people at South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics said Wednesday that workers will go on strike for the first time, potentially threatening key global semiconductor supply chains.

Temperatures in India's capital soared to a record-high 50.5 degrees Celsius (122.9 Fahrenheit) Wednesday, as authorities warn of water shortages in the sprawling mega-city.

The European Union on Wednesday announced the creation of an "AI Office" of tech experts, lawyers and economists to regulate artificial intelligence under a sweeping new law.

The arrests of six people under Hong Kong's new national security law for posting online messages "seem to confirm" the European Union's concerns about the legislation, an EU spokesperson said Wednesday.

South Africa's ruling ANC was fighting Wednesday to defy expectations that it could lose its three-decade-long exclusive grip on power as voters turned out for a watershed general election.

Temperatures in India's capital have soared to a record-high 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 degrees Fahrenheit) as authorities warn of water shortages in the sprawling mega-city.

Belgium's David Goffin claimed he was spat at by a French Open spectator and warned tennis is in danger of falling into the firm grip of "hooligans".

To study semiconductors at Japan's top university, first you need the right clothes -- protective overalls, shoe covers, plastic gloves and a lightweight balaclava to keep your hair out of the way.

The first transgender woman to be awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday filed a legal complaint over a "sexist insult" from a far-right politician after her win.

The US and Chinese defence chiefs are set to hold rare direct talks in Singapore this weekend, offering hopes of further military dialogue aimed at preventing flashpoint disputes from spinning out of control.

Equities fell Wednesday on lingering worries about the outlook for US interest rates, while oil prices extended their gains after an attack on a ship in the Red Sea stoked fresh worries about supplies from the Middle East.

The owner of Britain's struggling Royal Mail said Wednesday it had accepted a takeover proposal from Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky worth £3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).

Mining behemoth BHP on Wednesday sought a deadline extension in its takeover pursuit of Anglo American, outlining a suite of measures to soothe shareholder concerns that have derailed previous offers.

Equities fell Wednesday on lingering worries about the outlook for US interest rates, while oil prices extended their rally after an attack on a ship in the Red Sea stoked fresh worries about supplies from the Middle East.

AC Milan captain Davide Calabria said on Wednesday that the departure of Olivier Giroud to Major League Soccer will leave a leadership hole at the seven-time European champions.

South African voters turned out for a landmark general election on Wednesday, with the ruling ANC's exclusive grip on power in doubt three decades after the advent of democracy.

North Korea has sent balloons full of trash, toilet paper and suspected animal faeces into the South, local media reports said Wednesday, with Seoul's military slamming Pyongyang for their "low class" actions.

Jorn Andersen, the Norwegian who took Hong Kong to their first Asian Cup finals in 56 years, quit as coach on Wednesday to take up an offer elsewhere.

Temperatures in India's capital have soared to a record-high 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 Fahrenheit) as authorities warn of water shortages in the sprawling mega-city.

The world's first wooden satellite has been built by Japanese researchers who said their tiny cuboid craft will be blasted off on a SpaceX rocket in September.

A major union representing tens of thousands of people at South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics said Wednesday that workers will go on strike for the first time ever, potentially threatening key global semiconductor supply chains.

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be prosecuted for insulting the monarchy, the attorney general's office said Wednesday, over comments he made almost a decade ago.

Anthony Edwards scored 29 points and Karl-Anthony Towns produced a crucial late burst of long-range shooting as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Dallas Mavericks 105-100 On Tuesday to keep their NBA Western Conference finals series alive.

Young amateur golfer Hiroshi Tai will be the first Singaporean to play in the US Masters after he won the prestigious national college championship in the United States.

Israel carried out fresh strikes on Wednesday in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where its forces are battling Hamas militants, after the UN Security Council met to discuss a deadly attack that sparked global outcry.

For the 80th D-Day landings anniversary, AFP travelled the coastlines from northern Norway to southern France to find out what became of the German-built Atlantic Wall defences aimed at keeping the Allies at bay.

Real Madrid's superstars usually grab the headlines but quietly steering the ship in the direction of Champions League success yet again is coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Saturday's clash with Real Madrid will not be coach Edin Terzic's first Champions League final experience with Borussia Dortmund -- but this time around he will be closer to the action.

Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee is a 24-year-old policeman dubbed "The Tiger", who hopes to use his record-breaking batting skills to boost his nation at the T20 World Cup.