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

Manchester City's second string eased past Crystal Palace 3-0 on Wednesday to climb just two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with two games remaining of a captivating title race.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to tackle thorny issues dividing the two superpowers when they meet in Beijing on Thursday, with Iran, trade and Taiwan on the cards.

Major Wall Street stock indices shrugged off a surprisingly big jump in US inflation Wednesday and pushed to fresh records on artificial intelligence bullishness and hopes for ths US-China summit.

Iran held a send-off ceremony Wednesday for the national football team as it prepared to play in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Rory McIlroy said his nagging right pinky toe injury was "totally fine" after playing a nine-hole practice round on Wednesday at Aronimink ahead of the PGA Championship.

"Ocean Dream," the largest blue-green diamond ever recorded, sold for $17 million Wednesday, Christie's auction house said.

California has contacted FIFA over possible legal violations in the sale of World Cup tickets following allegations that some fans purchased seats in categories that were later changed, the state's attorney general said Wednesday.

French authorities on Wednesday allowed asymptomatic passengers to leave a British cruise ship, saying a gastrointestinal virus was behind an outbreak of sickness that came after an elderly man died of a heart attack.

The United States is working hard to create a supply chain for rare earths -- metals needed to replenish its military arsenal amid the conflict in Iran -- that does not depend on China, the sector's global leader.

A middleman who helped provide "Friends" actor Matthew Perry with the drugs that killed him was jailed in California on Wednesday.

The US Senate on Wednesday confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve chairman to lead a central bank whose independence is under attack and with inflation at a three-year high.

Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 105 to lead defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the top of the IPL table with a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's co-leader and wife Rosario Murillo will lose power once her ageing husband dies, ex-guerrilla commander Monica Baltodano told AFP in an interview from exile in Costa Rica.

Four people were thrown out of the first Eurovision Song Contest semi-final, which saw attempts to disrupt Israel's performance, organisers said Wednesday.

One man's trash is another man's treasure and under a new scheme launched in Berlin on Wednesday, residents and visitors alike will be encouraged to collect rubbish in return for various rewards.

Former England women's wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor has been named as fielding coach for the men's team during next month's Test series against New Zealand in a landmark appointment.

The PGA Championship is not considering playing the event outside the United States or moving off its current May date, PGA of America officials said on Wednesday.

US senators on Wednesday narrowly rejected a resolution curbing President Donald Trump's power to wage war on Iran -- their first vote on the conflict since a 60-day deadline expired for the White House to seek formal authorization.

England cricket chief Rob Key highlighted Ollie Robinson's eye-catching statistics after recalling the seamer for the first Test against New Zealand following two years in the international wilderness.

A deadly outbreak on a cruise liner is just the latest in a long history of infectious diseases spreading rapidly in the cramped confines of ships, from the Black Death to Covid.

Jim Furyk said Wednesday he wants a long-term blueprint for United States success in the Ryder Cup, with the 2027 American captain also seeing a possible role next year for Tiger Woods.

Rory McIlroy was back on course at Aronimink on Wednesday, a day after a blister on his toe caused him to cut short a practice round for the PGA Championship.

French authorities on Wednesday confined more than 1,700 passengers and crew on a British cruise ship after an elderly passenger died and dozens suffered upset stomachs, health officials said.

Portuguese rider Afonso Eulalio claimed a sizeable lead in the Giro d'Italia's overall standings on Wednesday after a rain-lashed 203km stage five was won by his escape partner Igor Arrieta of UAE Team Emirates.

A US court on Wednesday overturned the conviction of a prominent lawyer serving a life sentence for killing his wife and son in a sensational case that drew national attention.

Stock markets drifted higher Wednesday as investors awaited a high-stakes summit between the United States and China, while oil prices diverged as Middle East peace talks stalled.

Wholesale prices in the United States rose sharply in April, lifted by a surge in energy costs related to the Iran war, registering their highest 12-month increase in more than three years.

Countries are tapping into oil inventories and strategic reserves at a "record pace" due to the "unprecedented" supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday.

Michael Carrick is expected to be recommended as Manchester United's permanent manager by club chiefs after overseeing a dramatic improvement in the club's fortunes, it was widely reported on Wednesday.

If you look at the numbers, the United States economy seems to be doing surprisingly well despite massive successive shocks from the pandemic, Ukraine war, tariffs, and now the Iran war energy crunch -- but economists warn that resilience is precarious.

The pomp of a speech by King Charles III to Britain's parliament Wednesday failed to quell speculation that a senior government minister is poised to launch a leadership challenge against embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Britain's Princess Catherine was greeted with cheers during a visit to Italy on Wednesday on her first official foreign trip since her 2024 cancer diagnosis.