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

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that eight US military vessels with 1,200 missiles were targeting his country, which he declared to be in a state of "maximum readiness to defend" itself.

Iga Swiatek booked her place in the US Open quarter-finals on Monday as Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka prepared to face off in a blockbuster clash of former champions.

Ace spinner Rashid Khan became the highest wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals as he helped Afghanistan beat United Arab Emirates by 38 runs in Sharjah on Monday.

Real Betis announced the signing of Brazil international winger Antony on loan from Manchester United on Monday on a five-year deal, which follows his successful loan spell in Seville in the second half of last season.

Iga Swiatek swept aside Russian 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets to sail into the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday.

Napoli on Monday announced the signing of Rasmus Hojlund on loan from Manchester United with an obligation to buy, bringing an end to the striker's difficult spell at Old Trafford.

Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Marco Asensio has joined Turkish side Fenerbahce on transfer deadline day, both clubs announced Monday.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, at the centre of a row at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has turned to sport's top court to attempt to overturn the introduction of a gender test, the court said on Monday.

Guyana voted Monday in elections to decide who will manage the South American nation's new oil riches, as tensions rose in a territorial dispute with neighbor Venezuela.

The UK, Japan and South Korea sweltered this year through the hottest summers since each country began keeping records, their weather agencies said Monday.

Georgian international striker Georges Mikautadze has joined Spanish side Villarreal from Lyon for a fee of up to 36 million euros ($41m), the French club announced just before Monday's transfer deadline.

Gennaro Gattuso insisted Monday he had no fear despite feeling "wound up like a spring" before his first games as Italy head coach in upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Israel.

Europe's main stock markets held broadly steady on Monday after strong gains for Chinese indices, as trading entered a traditionally weak month for Wall Street.

British fintech company Revolut has been valued at $75 billion in a secondary share sale, placing it in the leagues of Europe's biggest traditional banks, a source told AFP Monday.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, at the centre of a row at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has turned to sport's top court to attempt to overturn the introduction of a gender test, the court said on Monday.

Spinner Nasum Ahmed returned figures of 3-21 to help Bangladesh thrash the Netherlands by nine wickets in the second T20 international on Monday as the hosts clinched the three-match series.

The only candidate to take over the stewardship of motorsport has called for a change of culture after several high-profile clashes between Formula One drivers and incumbent boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Former British heavyweight boxer Joe Bugner, who took Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier the distance in the 1970s, has died at the age of 75.

The Venice Film Festival celebrated Hollywood actress Kim Novak on Monday, bestowing a lifetime achievement award to the reluctant star and platinum blonde heroine of Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo", now 92.

French Top 14 president Yann Roubert said on Monday the reported rebel club rugby league, R360, would be an "abomination" to the sport.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said Monday he had turned his heavily muscled back on action movie roles to be able to express himself as an actor in his latest film "The Smashing Machine", set to premiere later in Venice.

A massive rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday, after a strong earthquake collapsed homes onto sleeping families in a remote, mountainous region, killing more than 800 people with the toll expected to rise, Taliban authorities said.

Europe captain Luke Donald selected major winners Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm among his six captain's picks for the upcoming Ryder Cup on Monday.

Italian international goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will undergo a medical and sign for Manchester City on transfer deadline day, his national coach Gennaro Gattuso said Monday.

France striker Randal Kolo Muani is on the brink of completing a loan move to Tottenham Hotspur from Paris Saint-Germain, a source close to the deal told AFP on Monday.

No household was spared death or injury in the village of Wadir when a powerful earthquake shook eastern Afghanistan, reducing homes to piles of rubble.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson said Monday a "burning desire" to express himself as an actor led him to accept a role in "The Smashing Machine", which was to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Nine former leaders of the top US health body sounded the alarm Monday about the Trump administration's evisceration of the agency and warned that vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr is "endangering every American's health."

Alexander Isak is on the brink of a British-record £125 million ($169 million) move to Liverpool from Newcastle on a frantic final day of the Premier League transfer window.

Bayern Munich and Canada left-back Alphonso Davies has returned to training with the ball, five months after tearing his ACL while on international duty, his club announced Monday.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday said Spain's preparation for this summer's deadly wildfires, which burned a record amount of territory, was "clearly insufficient".

Mauritania's former economy minister Sidi Ould Tah took office Monday as head of the African Development Bank, vowing to build a "robust and prosperous" continent despite US aid cuts.