Mideast The Israeli army lifted its blockade of settlements in the Gaza Strip, imposed the previous day for the first time ever, a military spokesman said. Afghanistan US forces have recovered all 16 bodies of troops, including some Special Forces, who died when a US military helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, a top US general said. Israel Israel carried out fresh air strikes targetting Hezbollah fighters who were feared to still be in a disputed border area the day after a deadly flare-up. US US President George W. Bush said that the charge that Iran's hardline president-elect was a key player in the dramatic 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran "raises many questions." Iraq US marines and Iraqi soldiers pressed on with an anti-insurgency sweep west of Baghdad dubbed Operation Sword, as Islamic states pledged more aid for Iraq while defending what they called the right of "legitimate resistance against occupation." DRCongo Several people were reported killed as police fired on hundreds of opposition supporters in the Democratic Republic of Congo protesting delays in moving the country towards democracy. Germany The German parliament is expected to pass a no-confidence vote against Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at his request, in a move aimed at triggering early elections this autumn. Lebanon Lebanon's anti-Syrian former finance minister Fuad Siniora, named to head the first government of the post-Syria era, pledged to try to reunite the country and embark on across-the-board reforms. US The US space shuttle is set to launch July 13 for the first time in nearly two and a half years, after being grounded following the 2003 Columbia disaster, NASA said. Climate British Prime Minister Tony Blair is considering leaving US President George W. Bush isolated over climate change at next week's summit of Group of Eight (G8) rich nations in Scotland, a newspaper said.