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

US consumer confidence languished at a multi-month low in December as a slowing job market offset better sentiment after the government shutdown ended, according to a survey released Tuesday.

Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken, 27, has been found dead in his hotel room in Lavaze, Italy, the Norwegian Biathlon Association said Tuesday, adding that the cause of death was unknown.

UK police said two new charges, of rape and sexual assault, had been issued on Tuesday against British comedian and actor Russell Brand.

Venezuela's parliament is set to debate a law Tuesday that envisages lengthy prison terms for any national supporting a United States' oil tanker blockade Caracas has termed piracy.

Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken, 27, has been found dead in his hotel room in Lavaze, Italy, the Norwegian Biathlon Association said Tuesday, adding that the cause of death was unknown.

Wall Street's main indices edged higher Tuesday despite stronger-than-expected US growth figures dampening hopes for further interest rate cuts, while gold and silver struck fresh records.

Vietnam's Communist Party on Tuesday endorsed General Secretary To Lam to remain in the top job for the next five years, according to two sources briefed on a meeting where senior officials agreed a slate of candidates to be announced at the party congress in January.

US economic growth in the third quarter came in at 4.3 percent on an annualized basis, easily topping expectations, according to Commerce Department data released Tuesday.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has hit back at Arne Slot after the Liverpool boss criticised Micky van de Ven for a "reckless" tackle that left Alexander Isak with a broken leg.

Russian private military contractors in the Central African Republic told AFP they took any threats to the upcoming elections in the volatile country "extremely seriously" and were ready to "repel any provocations".

The newest US document dump on Jeffrey Epstein is sprawling, uneven and heavily redacted -- but tucked inside are moments that have sharpened scrutiny on President Donald Trump's long-acknowledged past association with the notorious sex offender.

The UK government said Tuesday it will raise inheritance tax thresholds for farmers' estates from £1 million to £2.5 million, signalling a major climbdown of a policy that triggered months of protests.

A Pakistani firm won an auction Tuesday with a $482 million bid for a majority stake in the embattled national carrier PIA, a deal seen as a litmus test of the government's pledge to sell off loss-making state companies.

Wall Street's main stock indices briefly slid lower on Tuesday as much stronger-than-expected US growth figures befuddled hopes for further interest rate cuts, while gold and silver struck fresh records.

The Democratic Republic of Congo edged out Benin 1-0 in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, with Theo Bongonda scoring the only goal of the Group D clash.

A new batch of files released Tuesday by the US government in relation to the notorious late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contains numerous references to Donald Trump, including documents detailing flights he took on his then close friend's private jet.

A Russian strike could collapse the internal radiation shelter at the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine, the plant's director has told AFP.

South Africa's two-time World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi will return to the Stormers in July 2026, the Cape Town-based franchise announced on Tuesday.

Italy's competition authority said on Tuesday it had fined low-cost airline Ryanair more than 255 million euros ($300 million) for allegedly abusing its dominant position to block travel agencies' access to its services.

Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez is confident his side can make up for poor showings at the last two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations as the 2019 champions prepare to begin their campaign in Morocco on Wednesday.

A Croatian court sentenced a 20-year-old to the maximum 50 years in prison for stabbing a seven-year-old pupil to death at a school in December last year and wounding four other people.

Thousands of new documents linked to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were made available Tuesday by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), amid mounting criticism over the pace of the publication and heavy redactions.

Stock markets steadied on Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for US rate cuts helped investors ease into the festive break.

Bangladesh on Tuesday summoned the top Indian envoy as fresh protests erupted outside its high commission in New Delhi over the mob lynching of a Hindu worker in Dhaka.

Alexander Isak is expected to be out of action for two months after fracturing his leg against Tottenham, with Liverpool manager Arne Slot accusing Tottenham's Micky van de Ven of making a "reckless challenge".

Thailand on Tuesday rejected a request by Cambodia to hold bilateral talks in a neutral country, leaving a planned meeting to negotiate an end to deadly border clashes in doubt.

Pulling out the stops in a high-octane promotional campaign, Timothee Chalamet has fully immersed himself in the role of "Marty Supreme", a 1950s table tennis player consumed by grand ambitions, says director Josh Safdie.

Vlada Ovchinnikova stood posing for her boyfriend at a stall offering mugs of steaming wine, as children rode horses on a brightly-lit merry-go-round in front of a giant Christmas tree.

When her children, trembling with fear, ask where the family can go to escape Israel's continued bombardment in southern Gaza's Khan Yunis area, Umm Ahmed has no answer.

Turquoise waves splash against the white sand beaches of the Bijagos archipelago, where locals fear rising sea levels will swallow their islands whole.

Most markets rose Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for more US interest rate cuts and an easing of AI fears helped investors prepare for the festive break on a positive note.

Cambodia has asked Thailand to hold bilateral talks in the neutral venue of Kuala Lumpur, according to a letter seen by AFP on Tuesday, with the nations set to negotiate truce terms after two weeks of deadly border clashes.