Mideast More than 20,000 opponents of Israel's historic Gaza Strip pullout held a mass protest in what has been billed as a bid to break into settlements and impede next month's withdrawal. Britain British Prime Minister Tony Blair came under fresh pressure for supporting the Iraq war after a respected think-tank linked the invasion to Britain's worst terror attack in which at least 55 people died. Germany A suspected Al-Qaeda financier was freed from jail in Germany after the country's highest court blocked his extradition to Spain, dealing a new blow to German anti-terror efforts. Serbia A former secret police commander accused of masterminding the murder of Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic was sentenced to 40 years jail for the assassination of a former president. Taiwan At least one person was killed and 34 injured as Typhoon Haitang pounded Taiwan, forcing airports and financial markets to shut while southeast China evacuated more than half a million people as it braced for the storm. Mexico Hurricane Emily lashed beach resorts on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where thousands of tourists were evacuated or took refuge in shelters while the storm toll across the Caribbean rose to eight dead. US Proceedings against two terrorist suspects will resume "as soon as possible" in the wake of a court ruling upholding the legality of trials by special military commissions, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. Australia Australian police launched an investigation into reports that Islamic bookstores in Sydney are selling books dealing with suicide bombings -- including one endorsed by terror mastermind Osama bin Laden. Philippines Two more senior aides to President Gloria Arroyo resigned as the embattled Philippine leader struggled to keep her government intact amid allegations of electoral fraud. US US President George W. Bush said that he and visiting India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had agreed to increase cooperation on civilian nuclear energy, space, and high-technology issues.