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Sana'a, Yemen  - Yemeni tribesmen have released a South African tourist and her two sons unharmed, a day after they kidnapped them in the southern province of Abyan to press for the release of a jailed fellow clansman, police officials said late Saturday.

The woman, the boys, ages 10 and 13, as well as a Yemeni driver were kidnapped on Friday as they drove on a highway from the south- eastern province of Hadhramout to the port city of Aden.

Armed tribesmen from the al-Maraqisha tribe stopped the family's vehicle near al-Khubar, 170 kilometres east of Aden.

Washington  - The US State Department is seeking a ceasefire in the current Mideast conflict in the Gaza Strip that eases the humanitarian crisis for Palestinians while preventing rocket fire at Israel, spokesman Sean McCormack said late Saturday.

He blamed the conflict on the Islamic militant movement Hamas, which controls the territory, while pointing out that Washington has urged Israel to prevent civilian casualties as it moves forward with a ground offensive launched Saturday.

Paris  - The French government late Saturday sharply criticized Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip, saying it "complicated" peace efforts.

"France condemns Israel's ground offensive against Gaza just as it condemns the continued rocket attacks" by Hamas against Israel, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ground attack "complicates efforts undertaken by the international community, especially the European Union and France, the members of the (Mideast) Quartet and the countries in the region to end the conflict (and) provide immediate aid to civilians," the statement read.

New York  - The United Nations Security Council was due to begin meeting late Saturday at UN headquarters in New York to discuss the Mideast conflict, hours after Israeli troops launched a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip.

Details of the hastily arranged, closed-door meeting were not available.

The Security Council has been unable to reach agreement on the violence since an Israeli bombing campaign began on December 27, in response to stepped up rocket fire toward southern Israel by Gaza militants.

Madrid  - Spanish leaders Barcelona kicked off 2009 with a 3- 1 comeback at home over lowly Mallorca on Saturday, with goals from Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta and Yaya Toure.

Record-breaking Barca now have 44 points from 17 games - the highest-ever total at this stage of the season - 11 more than Valencia, who moved up to second late Saturday with a 3-1 defeat of Atletico Madrid.

"It was a great way for us to start the year," said Henry, in his best form since joining Barca from Arsenal in 2007.