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

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called for Cubans to make "discreet" contact with the American intelligence services as Washington seeks to force an end to the island's communist government.

The first clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine in the outbreak gripping the Democratic Republic of Congo began Friday, the head of the World Health Organization said.

Charles Leclerc completed a double top for Ferrari on Friday when he led the times ahead of Mercedes' championship leader Kimi Antonelli in second practice for this weekend's United States Grand Prix.

Christian Wade enjoyed another landmark moment in an extraordinary multi-sport career when he equalled Chris Ashton's all-time English Prem record of 101 tries as Newcastle beat Sale 17-9 on Friday for their first league win of the season.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will clash with right-winger Flavio Bolsonaro in a second and final election debate on Friday, in a last-ditch effort to lure undecided voters.

Rescuers were searching for seven people feared trapped after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed in Kenya's capital on Friday, the interior minister said.

England's Ian Poulter and Tyrrell Hatton both announced Friday they had become the latest players to leave LIV Golf as the struggling breakaway league attempts a relaunch after filing for bankruptcy protection.

With "Ali G: Who Iz I?" Sacha Baron Cohen has returned to the guerrilla-style comedy that catapulted him to global fame -- but this time, the character has faced criticsm.

American Skye Blakely kept her nerve on her closing routine on Friday to take her first solo gold in the individual all-around competition at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam.

IndyCar will stage a race next year in Barcelona, the hometown of five-time series champion Alex Palou, as part of a 17-event campaign in 2027, officials announced on Friday.

Oil prices rose to their highest levels since late April on Friday, with benchmark crude contract Brent North Sea climbing above $116 a barrel as the Middle East conflict raged on.

Brazilian football star Neymar on Friday threw his support behind right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of a tight runoff election against leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday.

President Donald Trump on Friday said he ordered a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to prevent certification of Alaska's Senate election result if the Republican incumbent loses -- ramping up questions over whether he will accept midterms defeat.

US First Lady Melania Trump said in a surprise announcement Friday she had brokered a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the ravaged city of Oleshky, where citizens are trapped and running out of food.

The Ebola patient in Nigeria is a Swiss woman, and the wife of a staff member at Switzerland's embassy in Abuja, Bern said Friday.

Charles Leclerc topped the times for Ferrari ahead of Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, as Mercedes’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, in Friday’s opening practice at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

Lionel Messi received Spain's most prestigious sports award on Friday in recognition of his glittering career and his work for disadvantaged children's access to health and education.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany was taken to hospital by an emergency medical team on Friday after collapsing during training, the club said.

France will deploy some 70,000 police nationwide as it braces for new protests this weekend after some of the worst urban violence in years erupted on the sidelines of demonstrations a week ago, the government said Friday.

A gunman firing from his car killed one person and wounded five -- including a 12-year-old girl shot eight times -- in the Paris suburbs Friday, in what the French presidency condemned as a "racist terrorist attack".

The United States appears to be preparing to resume large-scale strikes against Iran, but there is unlikely to be a military solution for either side in the devastating conflict, experts say.

Mikaela Shiffrin headlines the line-up that kicks off the alpine skiing World Cup season in the Austrian resort of Soelden this weekend, the US star explaining she was ready to explore her strengths beyond slalom.

Foreign ministers from eight European and Middle Eastern countries met in Istanbul on Friday in an unprecedented format, urging diplomacy and peaceful solutions to prevail across the Middle East as well as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany was taken to hospital by an emergency medical team on Friday after collapsing during training, the club said.

Former New Zealand centre Sonny Bill Williams said in a video published on Friday his heart "was about to pop" before undergoing life-saving surgery.

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso sees similarities to Thibaut Courtois in Mike Penders as he backed the goalkeeper to step into the void left by Emi Martinez's injury.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a major military operation in the occupied West Bank on Friday after Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers in an attack near Hebron, days ahead of Israeli elections in which security has been a central focus.

US First Lady Melania Trump said in a surprise announcement Friday she had brokered a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the ravaged city of Oleshky, where citizens are trapped and running out of food.

An AFP photographer on Friday found himself witnessing a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers while on his way to an assignment in the occupied West Bank, managing to capture the grisly scene as the crossfire unfolded around him.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Friday he will have to manage Bukayo Saka's workload carefully after the England international's latest injury setback.

Oil prices traded at five-month highs on Friday, with benchmark crude contract Brent North Sea rising above $116 a barrel, as the Middle East conflict raged on.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he believes the sport has a long-term future in France ahead of Sunday's first regular-season game in the country.