Israeli aircraft have fired two missiles at a 12-storey apartment block in Gaza City, collapsing the building, sending a huge fireball into the sky and wounding at least 22 people, including 11 children, witnesses and Palestinian officials said.

At least two people have been killed in fresh clashes between Tibetan protesters and Chinese police.

Israeli politicians today debated whether to grant temporary leave to embattled President Moshe Katsav, who called impending rape and other sexual assault charges the product of “poisonous, horrible lies”.

China has executed at least 43 people for drug crimes and staged mass rallies nationwide to mark a UN anti-drug day.