Moscow/Tbilisi  - Russian gas deliveries to Armenia broke off Friday when a pipeline ruptured in southern Georgia, Georgia's energy minister said.

"The gas pipeline has been damaged and the gas leak is significant so this morning we fully suspended gas transit to Armenia," Alexandre Khetaguri was quoted by local media as saying.

In a televised statement, he said it would take at least five days to complete repair work and resume supplies, adding Armenia should pull from its gas reserves.

Maputo - Mozambican police announced Friday the killing, in a shootout, of Custodio Luis de Jesus, also known as "Todinho", who recently escaped from a maximum security jail with the convicted killer of investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso.

Todinho was believed to have been one of those responsible for a recent series of attacks on police, including the killing of the head of police in Maputo Feliciano Juvane last December.

Ramallah, West Bank  - "With our souls, with our blood, we will sacrifice for Gaza" and "God is great," chant the protesters, as they march after completing Friday's prayers from the mosque at Ramallah's vegetable market to the West Bank city's central Manara circus.

"One people, united against the Israeli aggression," say several signs they hold up.

Riyadh  - Somali pirates have released the Sirius Star tanker seized off the Kenyan coast in mid-November, an official at the Saudi Oil Ministry confirmed Friday.

The supertanker carrying 100 million dollars-worth of crude oil was seized some 830 kilometres off the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa.

A Saudi ministry spokesman made no mention of any ransom having been paid. Media reports had said the pirates had demanded between 2 million and 25 million dollars for the return of the supertanker.

Wellington  - Two Australian brothers died when they were crushed under an estimated 100 tons of falling ice as they took photographs on New Zealand's Fox Glacier on Thursday.

The men, in their early 20s, were with their parents and extended family on a vacation trip to New Zealand.

A 30-metre wall of ice collapsed on top of them after they crossed safety barriers to get a closer look at the terminal face of the 14- kilometre long glacier.

Oslo  - Norwegian police used teargas Thursday to disperse counter-protesters in connection with a public rally in support of Israel in downtown Oslo.

Siv Jensen, leader of the opposition, populist Progressive Party, was a keynote speaker, saying that "war is the worst thing there is," but insisting Israel was "exercising the right to defend itself."

Several hundred people including several parliamentarians attended the rally that was organized by pro-Israel groups including With Israel for Peace.