New York  - The United Nations on Monday appealed to the Israeli government to institute longer lulls in the fighting so more humanitarian assistance can be provided to the population in Gaza Strip.

The Israeli Defense Forces repeated a three-hour lull on Monday to allow dozens of trucks carrying relief supplies to enter Gaza. But John Holmes, the coordinator for UN humanitarian operations, said the lull should last 24 hours and be renewed.

"The three-hour lulls have continued but they are far from satisfactory," Holmes said at UN headquarters in New York. "The time has changed and in some occasions have caused confusion for aid agencies and the population, of course."

Beirut  - Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr said Monday material confiscated from a garbage truck near a UNIFIL post in the southern town is a "non-explosive material."

"After examining the material which were disovered in a carbage truck trying to enter a UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon the tests showed they contain no explosive material," Murr said as he entered a cabinet session.

He added the Lebanese security forces have released the suspects arrested in connection with the incident.

Berlin  - The crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, voiced Arab anger over the Gaza crisis on Monday in Berlin to Chancellor Angela Merkel and other German officials.

Merkel's spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said she and the crown prince had "an extensive discussion." Both had been "very concerned" at the continuing fighting between Hamas and Israel and the humanitarian crisis.

Prague - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said Monday he is to replace four ministers in his three-party center-right cabinet as the country holds the six-month rotating EU presidency.

Next to Vice-Premier Jiri Cunek, who announced his resignation earlier Monday, Topolanek sacked Minority Minister Dzamila Stehlikova, Transport Minister Ales Rebicek and Health Minister Tomas Julinek.

Cunek's resignation earlier in the day unblocked Topolanek's plans to overhaul the government.

Detroit  - General Motors Corp cannot rule out the possibility it will need another cash injection from the US government after the Bush administration threw ailing automakers a lifeline late last year, GM President Frederick Henderson said at the Detroit auto show on Monday.

GM and Chrysler were given a 13.4-bilion-dollar loan from the government through the end of March, and Henderson said he could not say whether additional help would be need after that.

Chief Executive Rick Wagoner earlier also did not rule out that possibility.

London - William Stone, one of four surviving British veterans from World War I, has died at a care home aged 108, the Veterans' Association said Monday.

Stone, who was known as Bill, joined the Royal Navy in Plymouth, southern England, as a stoker in 1918, at the age of 18. He also served in World War II during which he took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940.

His death Sunday afternoon was confirmed by Dennis Goodwin, secretary of the World War One Veterans Association.