It's 15:00 Universal Time and here is the news from the Voice of America.
I'm David Deforest from the VOA news center in Washington.
Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike in southern Lebanon today despite a promised 48-hour suspension of aerial bombing. Israeli officials say the airstrike was ordered to support ground troops battling Hezbollah militants after an anti-tank missile hit an Israeli armored vehicle and wounded three soldiers. Meanwhile Israeli naval forces fired on a Lebanese military position today, north of the port city of Tyre, killing one Lebanese soldier and wounding three. And reports from the other side of the border say several Hezbollah rockets hit the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, but caused no casualties.
President Bush meanwhile says the United States wants a lasting, sustainable ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah guerillas. Mr. Bush said during a visit to Miami, Florida today Iran and Syria must end their support of terrorist groups such as Hezbollah.
"As we work with friends and allies, it is important to remember this crisis began with Hezbollah's unprovoked terrorist attacks against Israel. Israel is exercising its right to defend itself. And we mourn the loss of innocent life both in Lebanon and in Israel."
Mr. Bush resisted growing international calls for an immediate ceasefire and avoided criticizing Israel. Earlier today in Jerusalem, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she believes a full ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah can be reached this week.
NATO forces took over security operations today from the US-led coalition in six key southern Afghan provinces. The number of NATO troops in Afghanistan will nearly double to around 18,000 by mid-August. US forces will provide combat support for the alliance in the south and continue their own hunt for terrorists. Meanwhile in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad today, a car bomb exploded outside a mosque, killing at least six people and wounded 16.
Iraqi authorities say gunmen wearing Iraqi police uniforms kidnapped at least 25 people in a crowded Baghdad neighborhood today. They say those abducted included the head of the Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and 11 of his employees. In other violence insurgents killed at least 16 people in attacks across Iraq today. In one attack, a suicide car bomber killed four Iraqi soldiers at an observation post near the northern city of Mosul.
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution giving Iran until the end of August to suspend nuclear enrichment work or face possible sanctions. The resolution was approved today by a vote of 14 to 1. Qatar voted against the measure. US Ambassador John Bolton called for Iran to comply with the resolution.
"We look forward to Iran's full unconditional and immediate compliance with this resolution. We hope that Iran makes this strategic decision that the pursuit of programs of weapons of mass destruction makes it less and not more secure. "
The resolution says the council will consider measures against Iran if it fails to comply. Sanctions would include a ban on the import of materials and technology that could be used for nuclear activities as well as travel restrictions on Iranian leaders.
Election officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo are working around the clock to prepare results from most polling centers in the country's first election in more than 40 years. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from Kinshasa.
Kinshasa was calm and many campaign posters had already been torn down. At polling stations election officials were still working, putting sheet results of each of their centers into large envelopes, waiting for other officials to pick them up.
This official said he had not slept in more than 48 hours. Results in Kinshasa indicate former Uganda backed rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba is ahead in the capital which accounts for about 1/8 of all national votes. Trailing him in Kinshasa is President Joseph Kabila who appears have done well in the former Rwanda controlled city of Goma. There were 30 other candidates but none seems to have a chance to make it to a second round. Congolese are hoping to get a clear idea of results in the coming days through local media but election officials say only their results which will be made available at the end of August will be reliable. Nico Colombant, VOA News, Kinshasa.
Meanwhile, election officials have reopened the polling booths in one city where violence disrupted the elections on Sunday.
I'm David Deforest, VOA News. More news on the Internet at
