Egypt and Hamas are close to a deal for a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group in Gaza, where the death toll from the Israeli offensive exceeded 1,000, officials said.

Prospects for a peaceful deal between Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and his top opponent appeared to grow more distant despite efforts by African leaders at a summit in Egypt.

Egypt is set to receive the body of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat today and give him a military funeral a day later.

Proposals for a Muslim force for Iraq moved forward today with the news that Pakistan had talked to Saudi officials and Yemen and Bahrain had offered some military help.

THE US and Britain denounced the abuse of Iraqi detainees by US forces and vowed to punish those responsible as the Arab world reacted angrily to photographs from inside an Iraqi prison shown by CBS television in America.