New Delhi, Jan. 18 : A bicycle rally to promote the eco-friendly vehicle was organised in New Delhi, one of the most polluted capitals in the world, on Sunday.

The 20-km-long rally was organised by the Delhi Cycling Club and a non-government organisation, IDP India.

The rally was flagged off at the historical Humayun''s tomb and concluded at the same venue after circuiting the city.

Naren Singh, an organiser, urged people to use the eco-friendly cycle to make Delhi a less-polluted city.

Beirut  - Angry Lebanese and Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip clashed with Lebanese security forces near the US embassy north of Beirut on Sunday, as the Palestinian group Hamas confirmed a one-week truce in Gaza.

The Lebanese police used tear gas and water cannons when the demonstrators broke through barbed wire placed just a few meters from the US embassy located in Awkar, 15 kilometres north of Beirut.

At least six demonstrators were wounded in the clashes.

The police initially managed to disperse the crowd, but the demonstrators regrouped and continued their protest near the embassy.

London, Jan. 18 : England players could be forced to choose between the Indian Premier League and their country - and Australia''s might have to do the same - after IPL boss Lalit Modi decided the players'' two-week availability for the tournament is not long enough.

England play the West Indies in their first Test starting on May 6, giving the players about 15 days to play IPL.

Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt  - French President Nicolas Sarkozy Sunday called on Israel to withdraw from Gaza, a day after it issued a unilateral truce which took effect early Sunday.

"There is no need to stay in Gaza. It will offer nothing for Israel's security but will shake the power of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas," Sarkozy told world leaders who are meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm-al-Sheikh to discuss means of establishing a lasting peace in Gaza.

Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and Sarkozy were jointly chairing Sunday's summit.

Sarkozy extended support to the Palestinian President who was also attending the summit.

Gaza City - Palestinian militant factions in the Gaza Strip, including Hamas, said Sunday they agreed to a ceasefire with Israel, but gave the Jewish state one week to withdraw its forces from the

Berlin  - German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck on Sunday ruled out the creation of a "bad bank" to take toxic assets from the nation's major financial institutions.

Such a bank would need to be funded by at least 150-200 billion euros (198-260 billion dollars) of taxpayers' money, the minister told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

"How could I take such a proposal to the federal parliament," he asked. "The nation would think we've gone crazy."