It is 15: 30 Universal Time. I'm Steve Ember in Washington.
[1] Hezbollah guerillas in Lebanon fired a record number of rockets into Israel Wednesday. Israeli officials say Hezbollah fired about 190 rockets. That is the highest number since the conflict between the two sides began three weeks ago. The attack killed one Israeli. Some of the rockets landed in Israeli territory. Others came down in the West Bank. In another development, Israeli airstrikes hit an army position in southern Lebanon. Three Lebanese soldiers were killed. Also Wednesday, Israeli troops captured five Hezbollah fighters in a Lebanese city near the Syrian border. Israel said its forces seized the Hezbollah fighters and killed ten others in a raid in Baalbeck. Hezbollah says those captured are civilians. Lebanon officials say 15 civilians died in the raid.
[2] France says it is too soon to discuss forming an international peacekeeping force for Lebanon. French diplomats say they will not take part in a United Nations meeting this week. The meeting was called to discuss planning for the force. The diplomats said a political settlement to make a truce permanent also must be in place before any peacekeeping troops are deployed. The United States is calling for peacekeepers to be deployed. At the same time, agreement on a lasting truce is reached.
[3] Sri Lankan officials say government forces killed at least 40 Tamil Tigers during a rebel attack early Wednesday in northeastern Sri Lanka. Seventy other rebels were reported wounded. Military officials say five government troops were also killed in the fighting around the port of Trincomalee. The Tamil Tigers say their forces invaded four military positions, but government officials in Colombo said the rebels made no territorial gains. Rebels also fired shells into a civilian area near Trincomalee. At least two civilians were killed.
[4] Indonesian health officials say seven people from a village in northern Sumatra are being treated for what doctors suspect may be bird flu. The seven come from the same area where the disease killed seven members of an extended family in May. Officials say they suspected new cases include three young children. They have been taken to a hospital in the city of Medan. Local officials are testing the seven villagers to find if they have the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus. Indonesia has confirmed 42 deaths from bird flu.
[5] The Indian government has approved laws banning the employment of children less than 14 years of age in homes and eating-places. The government said the laws will become effective on October 10th. Violators could face as much as 2 years in jail and a fine of up to 425 dollars. Government estimates say there are almost thirteen million child workers in India. The government has already banned children from working in dangerous industries, but many children continue to work in such businesses because the rules are not enforced.
You are listening to the news in VOA Special English.
[6] The president of Iraq says Iraqi forces will take control of security for all the country by the end of this year. Jalal Talabani spoke to reporters in Baghdad. Mr. Talabani said he is hopeful that Iraq will defeat terrorism this year. Currently, United States and British forces are responsible for security in most of Iraq. Recently, violence between religious groups has increased, mostly in Baghdad. Last month, the United States announced it is sending an additional 3, 700 troops to Baghdad in an attempt to reduce the violence. On Wednesday, Iraqi officials said three bomb explosions in Baghdad killed three civilians and wounded nine others.
[7] Police in Afghanistan say Afghan and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces have killed 18 Taliban rebels. They died in fighting Tuesday near a village in the southern province of Helmand. One police officer also died. Also on Tuesday, three British soldiers were killed in Helmand province when suspected Taliban resistance fighters attacked a group of NATO soldiers. The alliance this week became responsible for security operations in southern Afghanistan. On Wednesday, a car exploded near Kabul. The explosion killed one person in the vehicle. At least two other people were wounded.
[8] The United States has urged the government of Iran to honor the human rights of all Iranian citizens. The American request follows the death of a jailed student dissident in Teheran. A state department spokesman offered sympathy to the family, friends and supporters of activist Akbar Mohammadi. Mr. Mohammadi died July 30th reportedly as a result of refusing to eat. He was jailed for his part in pro-democracy student demonstrations in 1999.
[9] And United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan begins a visit to Haiti Wednesday. Mr. Annan is to talk with Haitian leaders about ways to improve security across the country. Officials say he will meet with President Rene Preval, other top officials and members of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti. The number of persons kidnapped by armed groups has started to increase after a period of calm. The United Nations says illegal sales of drugs and weapons remain a major problem. Mr. Annan also will travel to the Dominican Republic. He is expected to meet with President Leonel Fernandez and members of the nation's Congress and Supreme Court.
And now briefly, here again is the major news of the hour.
Israeli officials say Hezbollah guerillas fired about 190 rockets into Israel Wednesday. That is the highest number since fighting between the two sides began three weeks ago. Sri Lankan officials say government forces killed at least 40 Tamil Tigers during a rebel attack in northeastern Sri Lanka. Seventy other rebels were reported wounded. And Indonesian health officials say seven people from a village in northern Sumatra are being treated for what doctors suspect may be bird flu.
That's the news in VOA Special English, Steve Ember reporting.
