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

Asian markets largely rose on Wednesday as speculation about a snap election in Japan pushed up Tokyo shares, and oil prices dipped after a surge fuelled by instability in Iran.

Iran on Wednesday vowed fast-track trials for people arrested over a massive wave of protests, after US President Donald Trump threatened "very strong action" if the Islamic republic goes ahead with hangings.

China reported strong trade numbers for 2025 on Wednesday, as its surplus rose year-on-year to a record $1.2 trillion despite a slump in exports to the United States after President Donald Trump hiked tariffs.

Two years after a newborn baby was found abandoned on a freezing winter's night, London police look set to shelve their investigation despite having discovered that she is the sibling of two other foundlings.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will inform senior party officials Wednesday of her plan to call a general election to capitalise on strong public support for her government, media reports said.

Beneath the surface of forests, grasslands and farms across the world, vast fungal webs form underground trading systems to exchange nutrients with plant roots, acting as critical climate regulators as they draw down 13 billion tons of carbon annually.

Brentford striker Igor Thiago has already made Premier League history: now the Brazilian hopes to take his unlikely success story to the World Cup.

Defending Australian Open champion Madison Keys overcame some first-set serve wobbles to win her latest warm-up match for the opening Grand Slam of the year on Wednesday.

Indian writer Amitav Ghosh has long chronicled the entangled histories of empire, trade and migration.

Actor Kiefer Sutherland, who starred in the television series "24" and vampire flick "The Lost Boys," was arrested Monday on suspicion of assaulting a ride-share driver, according to Los Angeles police.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a three-game losing streak against the San Antonio Spurs with a 119-98 victory over their Western Conference rivals on Tuesday.

With heavy hearts, Bedouins in a West Bank village dismantle their sheep pens and load belongings onto trucks, forced from their homes in the Israeli-occupied territory by rising settler violence.

Asian markets were mixed Wednesday, with Japan election speculation pushing Tokyo shares to a record high, while oil steadied after a surge fuelled by instability in Iran.

Venezuela on Tuesday started freeing jailed Americans, said a US official, who hailed the move by the country's interim leadership following Washington's ouster of ex-president Nicolas Maduro.

The planet logged its third hottest year on record in 2025, extending a run of unprecedented heat, with no relief expected in 2026, US researchers and EU climate monitors said Wednesday.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi played two K-pop songs during a post-summit drumming session with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who joked he felt "a little awkward" in front of the former heavy metal band member.

Los Angeles 2028 Olympics chiefs promised an "affordable and inclusive" Games on Tuesday as they prepared to open registration for a lottery to buy tickets.

K-pop megastars BTS will kick off their first world tour in four years in April, their label said on Wednesday, part of a hotly-anticipated comeback following a hiatus for the South Koreans whose music has become a global phenomenon.

Denmark's top diplomat visits the White House on Wednesday in a high-stakes attempt to lower the temperature on Greenland, which US President Donald Trump has vowed to seize from the longtime ally.

The US Commerce Department on Tuesday opened the door for Nvidia to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips in China with restrictions, following through on a policy shift announced last month by President Donald Trump.

Carlos Alcaraz is targeting a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open but winning the only major to elude him will be no easy feat with great rival Jannik Sinner standing in his way.

Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all committed to stay with LIV Golf in 2026 on Tuesday, turning down the chance to follow Brooks Koepka back to the US PGA Tour.

K-pop megastars BTS will launch a comeback world tour from April, the band's label said on Wednesday.

Boeing secured orders for nearly 1,200 commercial planes last year, topping European rival Airbus for the first time since 2018, according to figures released Tuesday.

Armenia will give the United States a nearly three-quarters stake in a corridor of its land connecting parts of rival Azerbaijan, Washington announced Tuesday, as it said it expected to benefit financially from the arrangement but promised to respect sovereignty.

Antoine Semenyo made himself an instant Manchester City hero as Pep Guardiola's men took a giant stride towards the League Cup final with a 2-0 win at Newcastle.

US President Donald Trump warned Tuesday of unspecified "very strong action" against Iran if its authorities go ahead with the threatened hanging of some protesters, as international outrage grew over a crackdown that one rights group said has likely killed thousands.

Marseille progressed to the last 16 of the French Cup on Tuesday with an emphatic 9-0 win over amateur side Bayeux.

Wall Street stocks retreated from records on Tuesday as markets weighed muted US inflation data, mixed bank earnings and a jump in oil prices.

Serhou Guirassy scored his first league goal since October as Borussia Dortmund beat Werder Bremen 3-0 at home on Tuesday and restore their four-point buffer in second spot.

Mikaela Shiffrin bounced back under floodlights in Flachau, Austria, on Tuesday when she won the slalom for the sixth time this season barely a month before the Olympic race in the event.

Fear mixed with sorrow at the funeral of Edilson Torres, a policeman and government critic who died in custody just before Venezuela began releasing political prisoners following the toppling of strongman Nicolas Maduro.