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

Asian equities were mixed on Wednesday with gains driven by soaring tech stocks and guarded optimism the United States and Iran will reach a peace deal.

Moises Caicedo lifted his first trophy, a golden plastic cup, among the tightly packed little houses of a working-class neighbourhood in Ecuador. This summer he is heading to his second World Cup.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the initial news regarding superstar Lionel Messi's fitness "is not that bad" and hopes further examinations will confirm that diagnosis with the World Cup just a fortnight away.

Muslim faithful took part in the climactic ritual of the annual hajj pilgrimage on Wednesday, symbolically stoning the devil near Mecca.

When Beijinger Jacqueline Li first heard one of her favourite luxury department stores in the city was closing, she was shocked -- until she considered how Chinese spending habits have changed in recent years.

Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama prayed as the leader of the elected goverment of Tibetans in exile was sworn in for a second term on Wednesday.

Nvidia will increase investment in Taiwan to $150 billion a year, the US chip giant's boss said Wednesday, describing the export-driven island as the "epicentre of the AI revolution".

New Zealand rugby captain Scott Barrett was on Wednesday ruled out for up to five months because of a back injury that will require surgery, meaning he will miss the historic tour of South Africa.

The market value of South Korean memory chip maker SK hynix soared past $1 trillion on Wednesday thanks to frenzied global demand for the computing hardware that powers artificial intelligence tools.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 to move within one win of a return to the NBA Finals on Tuesday.

One of the world's rarest parakeets has seen its numbers surge thanks to a pair of super breeders now responsible for more than 10 percent of the total population.

Three-time runners-up the Netherlands head into another World Cup with reasons to be hopeful of a long-awaited first global title, but not among the favourites to lift the trophy.

Sweden are hoping a strikeforce featuring Premier League stars Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres can fire them through a tricky World Cup Group F, after they scraped into the tournament without winning a single group game in qualifying.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell last year to its lowest level since 2019, according to a report published Wednesday that will be seen as good news for leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Asian equities were mixed on Wednesday with gains driven by tech stocks and guarded optimism the United States and Iran will reach a peace deal.

As temperatures continue to soar at the French Open, the competition starts to heat up for Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev when they face tough Czech tests in the second round on Wednesday.

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny kicks off a series of 10 concerts on Saturday in Madrid, a city with a booming Latino population now emerging as a new hub of the Latin music industry.

Son Heung-min said he was "feeling great" ahead of the World Cup and backed himself to perform despite suggestions that South Korea's talismanic captain's powers are on the wane.

When a client asked her a year ago to design a glossary to train an artificial intelligence system, translator Jessica Spengler realised she was going to train her own replacement.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the one-day international series in Pakistan after picking up an ankle injury while playing in the Indian Premier League.

Samsung Electronics union members on Wednesday approved a deal with management securing massive annual bonuses, averting a major strike as the South Korean chip giant's profits soar due to booming demand for artificial intelligence tools.

New clothes for children, sacrificial sheep and Eid biscuits, the hallmarks of the Muslim holiday, are all either unaffordable or unavailable in Gaza, casting a shadow over what is usually a time of celebration and joy.

As soon as he put on his glasses, Indian vegetable seller Tofan Jena knew daily life would never be the same.

Moises Caicedo lifted his first trophy, a golden plastic cup, among the tightly packed little houses of a working-class neighbourhood in Ecuador. This summer he is heading to his second World Cup.

Four-time champions Germany head to North America seeking to break their more recent World Cup hoodoo after failing to make it out of the group stage at the last two editions.

If Paris Saint-Germain's maiden triumph last year allowed the French club to break their Champions League hoodoo, winning the title again this season would allow them to be remembered as one of Europe's all-time great teams.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu believes his team can win the World Cup after historic friendly wins over Brazil and England, despite the loss of Kaoru Mitoma dampening the mood.

Bolivia's congress voted Tuesday to let President Rodrigo Paz deploy soldiers and declare a state of emergency to counter huge street protests seeking his resignation over economic hardship.

An exhausted TJ James has just stepped off an 18-hour flight at Los Angeles international airport where he is getting a taste of the chaos that awaits tens of thousands of people expected for the World Cup, which starts on June 11.

A Canadian man accused of shipping poison to people contemplating suicide around the globe is expected to plead guilty to several counts on Friday, ending a case that has shocked the public.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was named the NBA's coach of the year on Tuesday after leading the team to a fourth straight 50-win season despite a depleted roster.

Thousands of Georgians staged a pro-Europe rally in the capital Tbilisi on the country's Independence Day on Tuesday, to protest what critics say is the government's democratic backsliding and anti-Western tilt.