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

South Koreans joined long queues on Friday to cast their ballots early in a snap election triggered by the former president's disastrous bid to declare martial law.

A leading face of Hong Kong's quashed democracy movement told reporters he would have to figure out "where the red lines are" following his release from prison on Friday, after more than four years behind bars.

European countries, aiming for deeper economic sanctions to push Russia into a ceasefire in Ukraine, struggle with US President Donald Trump's ambivalent attitude on the issue, analysts say.

Real Madrid have signed defender Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool on a deal until 2031, the Spanish giants said on Friday.

Turkey on Friday proposed hosting a summit with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and the United States as it strives to broker an elusive deal to end Russia's three-year invasion -- an invitation swiftly dismissed by the Kremlin.

At least eight people were killed and a dozen injured Friday in a rockfall at a limestone quarry on Indonesia's Java island, police said.

US President Donald Trump celebrated a temporary reprieve for his aggressive tariff strategy on Thursday, with an appeals court preserving his sweeping import duties on China and other trading partners -- for now.

An Israeli far-right minister said on Friday it was time to use "full force" in Gaza, after Hamas said a new US-backed truce proposal failed to meet its demands.

British comedian and actor Russell Brand arrived at a London court on Friday where he was due to enter pleas on five charges of sexual offences including rape and sexual assault.

Most Asian shares fell Friday after a US appeal court gave Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs a temporary reprieve, fanning uncertainty a day after judges had ruled the controversial measures were unconstitutional.

Turkey's foreign minister said Friday that both Russia and Ukraine wanted a ceasefire, as he visited Kyiv ahead of a potential second round of direct negotiations between the sides next week in Istanbul.

Asian shares fell Friday after a US appeal court gave Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs a temporary reprieve, fanning uncertainty a day after judges had ruled the controversial measures were unconstitutional.

With its rugged coastline, pristine waters and more than a thousand inlets and islands, Croatia has seen a tourist boom in recent years. Last year alone, more than 20 million visited the Balkan nation, much of which stretches along the Adriatic Sea.

Crowds cheer as muscular men in tight loincloths slap sacred scented soil on their bulging thighs and arms for a mud wrestling bout in India.

China signed a convention on Friday setting up a global mediation body in Hong Kong, which aims to be comparable to organisations such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Australia's Josh Hazlewood said it was perfect preparation for the World Test Championship final after delivering a match-winning performance on his return to the IPL.

Paramilitary forces fighting Sudan's military have said they captured two strategic towns in the war-ravaged nation, which has been hit by a cholera outbreak that killed 70 people in the capital this week.

Favourites Paris Saint-Germain have their sights fixed on finally winning the Champions League trophy but a rugged and battle-hardened Inter Milan side stand in their way in Saturday's final in Munich.

Bordeaux-Begles' Australia No 8 Pete Samu said he hopes to face Northampton's "awesome" Henry Pollock again this summer during the British and Irish Lions tour, but only after he ends his time with the French Top 14 club.

Carlos Alcaraz bids to book his place in the French Open last 16 on Friday, with defending women's champion Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka also in third-round action at Roland Garros.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday dropped its civil lawsuit against the cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its majority shareholder, Changpeng Zhao.

Airline bosses meet from Sunday in New Delhi at their annual industry conference, battling to mitigate the impact of Donald Trump's policies that have hit travel to the United States and potentially raised costs for aviation.

For decades, civil servant Zayed al-Ghamdi's social circles in Saudi Arabia were more than predictable, bound by routine and kinship in a country where societal divisions have rarely been challenged. Then came the metro.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin hosted the widow of assassinated former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, the Kremlin said, five months after then US president-elect Donald Trump welcomed her at Mar-a-Lago.

Their village is just a stone's throw from North Korea. So whatever their political leanings, Tongilchon residents all want one thing: a South Korean president who doesn't stoke tensions with Pyongyang.

South Koreans lined up in record numbers to pick their president on Friday, joining lengthy queues to vote early in a poll triggered by the ex-leader's disastrous martial law declaration.

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 56 points as the New York Knicks kept their NBA playoff campaign alive with a 111-94 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

Asian shares fell Friday after a US appeal court gave Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs a temporary reprieve, fanning uncertainty a day after judges had ruled the controversial measures were unconstitutional.

Twenty people were arrested and three officers were injured in Bolivia Thursday after supporters of former president Evo Morales, who has been barred from running for office again, clashed with law enforcement, police said.

Carlo Ancelotti's track record of getting the most out of Brazilian players makes him the best man to take the national team back to the top, football legend Zico told AFP.

On the campaign trail last year, then-candidate Donald Trump proposed handing US residency cards automatically to international students when they earn diplomas, bemoaning that they were leaving to form successful companies in China and India.

Former champion Kim A-lim fired six birdies in a four-under-par 68 to headline a group of six players tied atop a log-jammed leaderboard after the first round of the 80th US Women's Open on Thursday.