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

A top US official on Sunday shrugged off a July Fourth parade by masked white supremacists in Washington as an example of "messy" democracy that fell under the banner of constitutionally protected free speech.

Thousands of ecstatic fans greeted Cape Verde's Blue Sharks Sunday, waving banners at the Praia airport as the team returned after its slim defeat to Argentina in one of the World Cup's most surprising matches.

At this World Cup, the host US team's stirring unofficial anthem is...a 1971 folk song?

Forest fires ravaging a region in southern France are threatening a stage of the Tour de France cycling race, with a decision to be taken later in the day over whether the stage goes ahead, a top local official said Sunday.

Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali says he wants to restore to this season's calendar at least one of the two races in the Middle East which were cancelled because of the war in the region.

Hard-right British politican Nigel Farage on Sunday faced fresh allegations over non-disclosure of gifts after a newspaper reported a convicted fraudster paid for his security and staff before he became an MP.

Real Madrid signed Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan on Sunday for a reported 20 million euros ($23 million).

Seven OPEC+ members decided on Sunday to again raise oil production quotas as Gulf countries reel from the Middle East war.

A man beats a drum while behind him women dressed in white slowly advance, holding torches and singing hymns to Zeus.

Pakistan on Sunday replaced struggling Test captain Shan Masood with Babar Azam, who will start a third stint as skipper on the tours of the West Indies and England starting later this month.

US President Donald Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO summit could help secure Turkey's acquisition of dozens of fighter jet engines, but won't resolve the F-35 dispute that has soured ties, analysts say.

Hopes are growing that a long-closed Greek Orthodox seminary on an island off Istanbul could reopen soon, with formulas for its new status under discussion, Bishop Aravissu Kassianos Nikolar told AFP.

England face Mexico in a World Cup blockbuster at the Estadio Azteca on Sunday while Erling Haaland and Norway bid to ambush Brazil as the battle for quarter-final places heats up.

US President Donald Trump hailed America on its 250th birthday Saturday as the "crowning achievement" of human history, even as he used the event to renew his attack on domestic opponents he branded communists.

People in Guam and the Northern Marianas moved to emergency evacuation centers and made last-minute preparations on Sunday, hours before a "super typhoon" was projected to bulldoze through the US Pacific territories.

In a dimly lit red-brick house in central Taiwan, film hunter Wang Wei and his team haul out ageing film reels, salvaging the fragile remnants of a cinema boom that nearly vanished from history.

Football Australia have thrown their support behind under-fire coach Tony Popovic despite some questionable decisions in their World Cup penalty shootout loss to Egypt that saw them again fail to clear a knockout round.

US President Donald Trump arrived hours late Saturday for his much-hyped speech on America's 250th birthday, after severe weather forced the temporary evacuation of thousands of spectators.

In Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province, a once-thriving business of trading car parts from far-flung places has screeched to a halt due to conflicts at the country's borders.

New Zealand's newest wing, Fehi Fineanganofo, admitted he was so nervous ahead of his debut against France on Saturday that he vomited in the changing room.

The headquarters of the Bangladesh Surf Girls and Boys Club is a weather-beaten white shack but, like the seemingly endless beach on which it sits, its members' ambitions stretch far.

Switzerland's World Cup captain Granit Xhaka says leadership is a role he learned aged four when he was handed the house keys as his Albanian parents worked overtime to make ends meet in their adopted country.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said the Three Lions can banish memories of World Cup pain at the Estadio Azteca by rising to the challenge of eliminating Mexico on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump said he would deliver a much-hyped speech in Washington on Saturday to mark America's 250th birthday "no matter what" after severe weather forced the temporary evacuation of huge crowds of spectators.

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said his side had "fought like lions" in their 1-0 World Cup defeat at the hands of France on Saturday.

Coach Joe Schmidt says Australia must be better at taking their opportunities as players rallied around Ben Donaldson after he missed a crucial late penalty against Ireland.

In the four years since her father was fatally stabbed near the entrance of their home in northern Israel, 10-year-old Shireen has carried the burden of grief on her tiny shoulders.

France coach Didier Deschamps hailed his side for keeping their cool against an aggressive Paraguay team in heatwave conditions Saturday as the favourites reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Severe weather disrupted the marquee celebration of America's 250th birthday Saturday, threatening a much-hyped rally and speech in Washington by President Donald Trump who has sought to stamp his mark on the anniversary.

Japan believe they have made "a big statement" by beating Italy in their Nations Championship opener and are confident they can take that momentum into next weekend's clash with Ireland.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Angeles star Mike Trout were among those named as starters on Saturday for the 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

France captain Kylian Mbappe said his side were happy to do whatever it takes to advance in the World Cup after they battled through a bad-tempered last-16 tie with Paraguay to win 1-0 on Saturday.