The withdrawal is part of Israel&s commitments under a tenuous ceasefire deal with Hamas that is moving ahead but faces a major test over whether the sides can negotiate its planned extension.

The risk of an asteroid hitting Earth has doubled in a week & but there are no plans yet to build a spacecraft to ­deflect the football pitch-sized rock.

US president Donald Trump said he has spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin by phone about ending the war in Ukraine, the New York Post reported, the first officially acknowledged conversation between Putin and a US president since early 2022.

An Israel delegation arrived in Qatar yesterday for more Gaza truce talks, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu&s spokesperson said, as its military withdrew from an important crossing point in the enclave, as agreed under the truce with Hamas.