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

Markets will be wanting much -- but expecting little -- from US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh as he kicks off the Jackson Hole central banking conference in Wyoming on Friday.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has uncovered evidence suggesting that Rutuja Patil, the sole candidate accused of benefiting from a leaked Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Drug Inspector exam paper, deliberately answered ten questions incorrectly to mask her advantage. Investigators allege she paid Rs 50 lakh for the material and were aided by her boyfriend before their relationship soured.

ONE App, the digital banking platform operated by Al Salam Bank, has launched the ONE AI Agent alongside a custom ChatGPT model named "ONE Marketplace." This initiative aims to provide users with immediate, conversational access to product information and support, reducing reliance on traditional service channels while signaling the bank's commitment to integrating artificial intelligence into its core customer experience.

Japan spent 15.4 trillion yen ($96 billion) to boost the yen between late July and late August, the finance ministry said Friday, the largest monthly intervention on record.

Indonesia has intensified efforts to fight wildfires with cloud seeding and water bombing as thousands of people countrywide battle to breathe in the smoke and haze, officials said on Friday.

More than 1,400 people are missing and at least 552 have been killed after a devastating, tsunami-like wall of water gouged a path through the border region between Nepal and Tibet, sweeping away entire villages.

Germany risks missing an annual climate target in 2026 for the first time unless cuts to greenhouse gas emissions sharply accelerate, a think tank warned Friday.

Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis may have won in Zurich to keep his chokehold on world pole vaulting, but the Swede acknowledged he would have to continue giving his A-game to fight off Greek rival Emmanouil Karalis.

Rescuers ploughed on with their search Friday for survivors of deadly floods and landslides that struck Nepal and Tibet, with the threat of new torrents complicating their gargantuan task.

Architect Minenhle Makhanya has been ordered by a special tribunal to personally repay R147.2 million to the South African National Treasury. The ruling addresses his role in overseeing controversial security upgrades at former President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead, which saw costs balloon from an approved R27.8 million to R216 million through unlawful procurement and unauthorized construction.

Wing Cheslin Kolbe and fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have been drafted into the South Africa team for the second Test against arch rivals New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday.

Iran left the door open to diplomacy on Friday, six months into a war with the United States that has upended the Middle East, but only if Washington abandons its pressure campaign.

European monarchs and world leaders paid tribute Friday to Norway's King Harald, after the royal palace announced his death at the age of 89.

More than 20,000 fall-run chinook salmon have migrated up the Klamath River in the two years since the removal of four major dams, marking a rapid biological response. Despite this success, experts warn that remaining infrastructure, complex water allocation disputes, and persistent drought conditions continue to pose significant hurdles for the river's full ecological recovery.

كشف متحف التاريخ الطبيعي في لندن عن القائمة المختصرة لمسابقة مصور الحياة البرية لعام 2026، والتي تضم صوراً نادرة تصور لحظات حاسمة في حياة الكائنات. وتشمل الصور لقطة فريدة لدب قطبي ينظر من تحت الماء، وصورة مؤثرة لحوت قاتل يحمل جثة صغيره، بالإضافة إلى مشاهد أخرى تبرز تكيف الحياة البرية مع التحديات البيئية والمناخية.

Former England and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has signed a deal to broadcast German Bundesliga games on his YouTube channel, the league announced on Friday.

Norway's King Harald has died aged 89, the palace said on Friday, his 53-year-old son Crown Prince Haakon automatically succeeding him on the throne.

The renovated court at Communal Elementary School opens a dedicated space for learning, sport, and community life in Buhangin.

As comfortable in a duffel coat as in ceremonial dress, Norway's King Haakon is the new face of a monarchy long praised for its modernity and modesty, but now beset by woe and scandal.

The life of Norway's new Queen Mette-Marit was once considered a fairytale, but a lung transplant, her son's rape conviction and her friendship with convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have made it anything but that in recent years.

Stocks mostly rose Friday ahead of a closely watched speech by Federal Reserve boss Kevin Warsh that investors will be parsing for clues about the outlook for interest rates amid elevated inflation and no sign of an end to the Middle East crisis.

Nepal ordered rescuers searching for survivors of deadly floods to get to safety as it reported a debris dam had burst in Tibet on Friday, bringing risks of new torrents.

Japan's top club rugby competition said Friday it had watered down plans for an eligibility rule that prompted foreign-born Japan internationals to launch a legal challenge claiming discrimination.

King Harald V of Norway, who died on Friday aged 89, remained a unifying figure in his country until the very end, a pillar of stability amid a string of family scandals that tarnished the final years of his reign.

Norway's King Harald has died aged 89, the palace said on Friday, his 53-year-old son Crown Prince Haakon automatically succeeding him on the throne.

Five-time Olympic swimming champion Kaylee McKeown vowed Friday to reclaim her 50m and 100m backstroke world records while also setting her sights on staying in the pool until the 2032 Brisbane Games.

A fly fisherman cast his line into the crystal-clear waters of the Itchen, a chalk stream in Hampshire in southern England, home to salmon and trout hit by climate change.

Boston Legacy FC has confirmed that its long-awaited move to the renovated White Stadium in Franklin Park will take place in 2028, pushing back the original timeline by one year. The delay follows a recent state Supreme Judicial Court decision that resolved legal disputes surrounding the construction project, allowing work to proceed without further litigation.

Škoda Auto is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the modern Škoda Octavia, a model that has become central to the brand’s identity and growth. Since series production began in September 1996, nearly 7.9 million units have been manufactured globally across four distinct generations.

In the small town of Obilic, overshadowed by the smokestacks of Kosovo's largest coal-fired power plants, locals say it is hard to find a family untouched by cancer.

Nepali soldiers battled Friday to reach 100 people trapped in a tunnel two days after deadly floods, as the risk of new torrents forced China to halt rescue efforts at its hardest-hit zone in Tibet.

Gladys Knight is reducing her touring schedule after concerns mounted over her health during recent performances. The Motown legend’s husband, William McDowell, confirmed that while she wishes to continue singing, the physical demands of travel are becoming unsustainable, prompting a shift toward fewer shows and a new living arrangement near their home.