Cologne, Germany  - Turks living in Cologne, Germany, are forming an association to restore decency to the Rhein city's carnival, an annual festival of parties and parades with its roots in Christianity.

"We absolutely want to be part of the fun, but we want to adapt it a bit to our own way of life," said Katharina Starke, spokeswoman for the Turkish Carnival Association of Germany, ahead of the group's launch Thursday.

Tel Aviv/Gaza  - Israel welcomed Wednesday a Franco-Egyptian proposal to end 12 days of fighting in the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds and injured thousands, but continued to attack the enclave.

"Israel welcomes the (Franco-Egyptian) initiative and is working on it and is interested in its success," government spokesman Mark Regev said.

Israel insisted on a halt to all rockets launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip and a weapons embargo to be imposed on the Islamist movement, he said.

London  - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he believed his side will reach the Carling Cup final despite their 1-0 defeat at Derby in the first leg of the semi-final on Wednesday.

United were beaten by Kris Commons' superb shot after half an hour, but Rob Hulse missed a good chance to extend their lead later on.

Ferguson said the Championship side could live to regret their missed opportunities.

"I think we are lucky," Ferguson said. "We could have lost by more.

Buenos Aires  - Qatari driver Nasser al-Attiyah recaptured the lead of the Dakar Rally Wednesday, after coming in fourth in a stage marked by tragedy after French motorcycle competitor Pascal Terry was found dead.

South African Giniel de Villiers won the stage, a 506-kilometre mountainous stretch between the Argentine cities of Neuquen and San Rafael.

De Villiers, driving a Volkswagen Touareg, beat the German Dieter Depping by 2 minutes and 18 seconds in the fifth stage of the famous race.

Tel Aviv/Gaza  - Israel dropped leaflets over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday, telling resident to leave the area until the next morning.

Witnesses said thousands of people fled after the leaflets were dropped. Some were heading to the northern part of the city, farther away from the border where many tunnels used for smuggling are located.

One witness said more than 100,000 leaflets were dropped and many of the residents were seeking refuge at UN schools in the area.

Jerusalem  - Israel told foreign diplomats Wednesday that Palestinian militants had not fired rockets from within a United Nations' school, a UN official said.

Israeli military officials said on Tuesday that militants had fired rockets from within the school, and that attack provoked Israeli artillery fire which landed near the school and killed more than 40 Palestinians in the Jabalia refugee camp, many of whom were seeking refuge from fighting.