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

Leftist candidate Jeannette Jara and far-right leader Jose Antonio Kast will go head-to-head in Chile's presidential run-off after topping the first round of voting in an election dominated by fears of violent crime.

Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina, whose autocratic rule was ended by a mass uprising she tried to crush, had her downfall sealed on Monday when she was sentenced to be hanged for crimes against humanity.

Rugby chiefs on Monday officially launched the Nations Championship, a global competition featuring 12 of the strongest teams that will crown a winning nation and decide the sport's dominant hemisphere.

The EU on Monday cut its eurozone growth forecast for 2026 as risks from international trade and geopolitical tensions weigh on Europe's economy.

Switzerland's economy contracted in the third quarter of the year, suffering from high US tariffs which abruptly curtailed exports across the Atlantic, the economy ministry said on Monday.

A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, with cheers breaking out in the packed court as the judge read out the verdict.

A Singapore court sentenced an Australian man to nine days in jail on Monday for rushing film star Ariana Grande at the Asian premiere of "Wicked: For Good" last week.

US actor Tom Cruise received an honorary Oscar on Sunday evening, the first golden statue of his decades-long career, to a standing ovation from Hollywood's elite.

Chinese media and ordinary citizens expressed outrage Monday towards Japan, as an escalating diplomatic spat threatens to wreck relations strained by historical grievances and strategic rivalry.

Companies and groups backing carbon-capture technology, which critics slam as an excuse to keep burning fossil fuels, have deployed more than 500 participants to the COP30 climate talks, according to a list compiled by an NGO and shared exclusively with AFP.

Japanese tourism and retail shares dived on Monday after China warned its citizens to avoid the tourist hotspot in a spat over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan.

With Victor Wembanyama out and Stephon Castle lost to a hip injury, the San Antonio Spurs still managed to cruise past Sacramento 123-110 in the NBA on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he backed lawmakers' efforts to release more files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, despite previous opposition to the measure.

Top seeds and two-time champions the United States, spearheaded by Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz, were drawn Monday alongside Spain and Argentina for their defence of the mixed-teams United Cup in Australia.

Ecuadoran voters roundly rejected the return of US military bases to the country in a referendum Sunday, a major political blow to Trump-friendly President Daniel Noboa.

England and Australia begin the latest edition of the Ashes in Perth on Friday with the visitors looking to wrestle back the urn for the first time since 2015.

As the referee's whistle signalled the start of the match, two five-year-old Iranian girls faced off, delivering a closely watched karate bout to a captivated audience -- a sign of the changing attitude toward martial arts in the Islamic Republic in recent years.

Asian markets struggled Monday on simmering concerns that the Federal Reserve will not cut interest rates as hoped next month, while fears of a bubble continue to weigh on sentiment.

Australia head into the Ashes with an ageing "Dad's Army" group of players and concerns about a lack of depth to follow in their footsteps, but chief selector George Bailey is adamant the team's veteran core still has what it takes.

The UN Security Council is set to vote Monday on a US-drafted resolution bolstering Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, especially the deployment of an international force, as Washington warns that a failure to act could lead to renewed fighting.

Japanese tourism and retail shares fell sharply on Monday after China warned its citizens to avoid travelling to the East Asian country in a spat over comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan.

Ecuadoran voters appeared poised Sunday to reject the return of US military bases, according to early referendum results, a damaging blow to Trump-friendly President Daniel Noboa.

Donald Trump suggested Sunday that future talks with Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro could be on the table, as a regional US military buildup has whipped up tensions between the nations.

Australian Paralympics gold medal-winning cyclist Paige Greco has died aged 28 after a "sudden medical episode", her family said Monday.

Chile's leftist former labor minister Jeannette Jara and far-right leader Jose Antonio Kast will go head-to-head in a presidential run-off after topping Sunday's first round of voting in an election dominated by violent crime.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Paris on Monday in a new bid to secure weaponry to defend his country against increasingly lethal Russian missile and drone attacks.

Bangladeshi judges will deliver their verdict on Monday in the crimes against humanity trial of fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a highly anticipated ruling before the first polls since her overthrow.

A consensus-driven communist and a far-right law-and-order candidate vowing mass migrant deportations will duel for president of Chile after topping a first round of voting on Sunday.

England wrapped up their flawless World Cup qualifying campaign with a record-setting 2-0 win against Albania on Sunday.

A three-year campaign to bring vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) to low-income countries has prevented 1.4 million cervical cancer deaths, the vaccine alliance Gavi said Monday.

World leaders must choose children, not oil profits. COP30 President: kick lobbyists out & end subsidies - https://act4icarus.org #EveryHeartbeatMatters #COP30

"This agreement represents an exciting new chapter for Graid Technology and for the global ecosystem that relies on Intel® VROC," said Leander Yu, CEO of Graid Technology. "Finalizing the deal allows us to ensure long term continuity for existing customers while also accelerating innovation and value creation across the enterprise storage market."