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

Two days before the United States' first World Cup game, coach Mauricio Pochettino only took questions from one intrepid reporter -- and it was Sesame Street's Grover.

Global stock markets mostly fell on Wednesday as fresh strikes in the Middle East, a jump in US inflation and a tech sell-off weighed on sentiment.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday blessed a giant new tower at Barcelona's famed Sagrada Familia Basilica after celebrating mass inside what is now the world's tallest church.

Cape Town has been added to the prestigious World Marathon Majors, the elite series said on Wednesday, making it the first African race in the circuit.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the US military base at Guantanamo Bay on Wednesday, warning the communist-led island of Cuba against acquiring weapons that could threaten the United States.

Climate change-fuelled landslides wiped out nearly one in ten of the world's rarest great ape species on Indonesia's Sumatra island, scientists said Wednesday.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Wednesday described as "unfortunate" the case of Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan, who was refused entry to the United States.

England's final World Cup warm-up friendly against Costa Rica was delayed on Wednesday after a heavy thunderstorm hit Orlando.

The moment Bosnia-Herzegovina eliminated Italy and sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup, emotions at a Toronto mosque turned from tense to euphoric, said Anes Dzumhur, program manager at the city's Bosnian Islamic Association.

Marcos Senesi has joined Tottenham Hotspur as Roberto De Zerbi looks to rebuild the Premier League strugglers' shaky defence.

President Donald Trump said the United States would launch fresh attacks on Iran on Wednesday, accusing Tehran's peace negotiators of "playing us for suckers."

Haiti have been forced to change their kit design just days before their World Cup opener against Scotland after FIFA banned a depiction of a war scene on the shirts.

British clothing group Frasers announced Wednesday a nearly two-billion-euro ($2.3 billion) offer to acquire outstanding shares in German men's premium apparel firm Hugo Boss.

Brazil players gave coach Carlo Ancelotti a guard of honour for his birthday at a pre-World Cup training session Wednesday attended by Spike Lee.

Haiti's achievement in qualifying for the World Cup amid ongoing turmoil in the Caribbean nation is one of the most inspiring stories of this year's tournament, and the team are now hoping to make a real impact in the United States as they prepare for their opening game.

President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that he would renew US attacks on Iran, saying Tehran had taken too long to agree a deal to end the Middle East war and accusing its negotiators of "playing us for suckers."

NASA's administrator Jared Isaacman on Wednesday defended the makeup of the space agency's latest Artemis crew, an all-male group.

The stock market debut of SpaceX -- Elon Musk's rocket, satellite and company -- expected Friday, could be the biggest in history. Here are the key numbers.

President Donald Trump said the United States will renew attacks on Iran on Wednesday, accusing Tehran's peace negotiators of "playing us for suckers."

Elon Musk's SpaceX is just days from a historic stock market debut set to break all norms, drawing feverish excitement from Wall Street's financial wizards even as skeptics question whether the rocket maker can ever turn a profit.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday said that he "never victimized anyone" as he faced questioning from US lawmakers over his ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service on Wednesday said global forecasters were increasingly confident that a very strong El Nino warming weather pattern could form later this year.

Olympic chief Kirsty Coventry said on Wednesday she was confident for the successful hosting of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles despite what she described as "challenges" for the World Cup.

American champion Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek won stage four of the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes on Wednesday when a breakaway group made it home just ahead of a charging peloton at the thermal spa resort village of Montrond-les-Bains.

England captain Ben Stokes and team-mate Gus Atkinson have been dropped from the squad for next week's second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Wednesday.

Belfast steeled itself Wednesday for a second night of violence directed at immigrants in Northern Ireland, unrest that authorities say is being stoked by far-right activists on social media.

Juve and Torino fans were on Wednesday slapped with a 10-match ban from travelling to away fixtures as punishment for trouble before last month's local derby which led to the game kicking off more than an hour late.

Stock markets mostly fell on Wednesday as fresh strikes in the Middle East, a jump in US inflation and a tech sell-off weighed on sentiment.

US consumer inflation surged to a fresh three-year high in May, with soaring energy prices caused by US President Donald Trump's Iran war posing a key challenge to Republicans ahead of midterm elections.

Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to retain the England captaincy despite being investigated for breaking the team's curfew.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates arrived on Capitol Hill Wednesday morning for questioning from US lawmakers over his relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whose network of wealthy and powerful associates has fueled years of scrutiny and conspiracy theories.

Amnesty International accused Israel on Wednesday of an "ethnic cleansing" campaign against Bedouin and herding communities in the occupied West Bank, saying the measures aimed to accelerate the annexation of the Palestinian territory.