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

The German government on Wednesday halved its growth forecast for this year as the energy shock triggered by the Middle East war hammers Europe's biggest economy.

The world's biggest auto show opens in Beijing on Friday, as Chinese manufacturers solidify their status as industry innovators and foreign brands face ferocious competition in the country's giant car market.

Germany has learned that Russia plans to halt the flow of Kazakh oil through the Druzhba pipeline to a refinery in eastern Germany starting May 1, the energy ministry in Berlin told AFP on Wednesday.

Vietnam's top leader To Lam hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Hanoi on Wednesday, announcing a dozen cooperative agreements including on tech innovation and development of nuclear power plants.

The EU on Wednesday gave a preliminary green light to unblocking a 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) for Kyiv, after a months-long row between Ukraine and Hungary over a damaged pipeline.

International Criminal Court judges Wednesday threw out a challenge against the court's jurisdiction by Rodrigo Duterte, meaning the former Philippines president could still stand trial over his war on drugs.

Iranian forces targeted three container ships on Wednesday, seizing two and firing on a third, global security monitors and the country's Revolutionary Guards said, the latest incidents to threaten a crucial trade route in the Middle East war.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for "greater room for freedom" in Equatorial Guinea and delivered a rare criticism of living conditions for prisoners before visiting inmates in a jail known for its squalor and ill-treatment of detainees.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday their naval forces had seized two container ships seeking to cross the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump announcing he was extending a ceasefire to allow more time for peace talks.

Since the outbreak of war between Iran, Israel and the United States, colourful murals have sprung up across capital Tehran and other major cities, rich in symbolism and themes of resistance and defiance.

Oil prices edged higher Wednesday while Europe's main stock markets eased on uncertainty surrounding the prospect of resumed Mideast peace talks following an extension to the US-Iran ceasefire.

Iranian gunboats attacked at least one container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, maritime agencies said, despite US President Donald Trump announcing he was extending a ceasefire to allow more time for peace talks.

The German government on Wednesday is expected to cut its growth forecast for this year as the energy shock triggered by the Middle East war hammers Europe's biggest economy.

Pakistan's capital was still locked in gear on Wednesday to host high-stakes US-Iran talks that were pushed back at the last minute overnight, but many residents began to tire of the heavy personal and economic toll of tight security restrictions.

Iranian player Hossein Vafaei begins his campaign at the snooker world championship later Wednesday but he admits it has been hard to focus because of the bombardment of his country by the United States and Israel.

Sakib Hussain's father is a labourer from India's poorest state and his mother sold her jewellery to buy him bowling boots.

Saffron-robed Buddhist monks began a week-long peace walk across Sri Lanka on Wednesday, accompanied by a rescued stray dog that has become a celebrity in its own right.

NASA unveiled a new telescope on Tuesday to scan vast swathes of the universe for planets outside our solar system and probe the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.

US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran to allow more time for talks, claiming the Islamic republic was "collapsing financially" because of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

For nearly two years, Al-Shubbak watched through ancient grey eyes as Tuti, the crescent-shaped island in the heart of the Sudanese capital she calls home, emptied of its inhabitants under a punishing paramilitary siege.

Britain's annual inflation rate jumped to 3.3 percent in March as the Middle East war sent oil and gas prices surging, official data showed Wednesday.

Oil prices fell and stocks were mixed Wednesday as investors assess the chances of US-Iran peace talks after Donald Trump extended his ceasefire at the eleventh hour but kept his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in place.

Oil prices fell and stocks were mixed Wednesday as investors assess the chances of US-Iran peace talks after Donald Trump extended his ceasefire at the eleventh hour but kept his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in place.

American AI developer Anthropic said Tuesday it was investigating unauthorized access to Mythos, its powerful model which the company itself worries could be a boon for hackers.

A new $400 million stadium that was a symbol of Christchurch's struggle to rebuild after a deadly earthquake struck the New Zealand city will host its first match Friday in front of a sellout rugby crowd.

The Portland Trail Blazers exploited an injury to Victor Wembanyama to score an upset 106-103 victory over the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs in their NBA Western Conference playoff series on Tuesday.

Chinese carmakers have quickly built up their presence in the lucrative European auto market, buoyed by technological advances their competitors are trying to copy, and analysts say their next step is to begin producing locally.

India's blood-soaked six-decade Maoist insurgency may be over, but a lethal legacy remains: hundreds of crude landmines planted by the rebels along forest tracks.

An Australian billionaire's plan to burn rubbish for energy in Fiji amounts to "waste colonialism" and risks spoiling a "beach paradise", villagers and the Pacific nation's UN ambassador said.

Schools in India's capital must ring regular bells to remind schoolchildren to drink water as the megacity gears up to face heatwave conditions, a new city order has said.

Japanese minnows Machida Zelvia have vowed to keep their cool in Saturday's final on hostile soil as they attempt to pull off a major shock by winning a fairytale Asian Champions League crown.

Rugby Australia announced a record surplus Wednesday on the back of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour, saying it would enable a sustainable future for the sport after years of losses.