Israel said it withdrew the last of its ground forces from Gaza today as it and Hamas began a temporary ceasefire.

Villagers in Egypt briefly locked the country’s health minister and a provincial governor inside a hospital room today after allegedly contaminated water caused hundreds of residents to fall ill, officials said.

RESIDENTS of Beirut’s southern suburbs hit by Israeli air strikes vowed yesterday to stand by Hezbollah, despite rising casualties from attacks triggered by its capture of two Israeli soldiers.

The head of the Palestinians’ foreign investment trust said today that President Mahmoud Abbas has authorised the release of funds to pay debts owed to an Israeli fuel company to get gas flowing in West Bank and Gaza pumps within days.

A Northern Alliance helicopter has crashed in Afghanistan killing 18 people.