http://192.168.2.6/english/20061216BBC.mp3

After days of rising tension between the main Palestinian faction Hamas and Fatah, it's emerged that diplomatic mediation effects are underway. Hammas sources say that the groups had talks with Egyptian officials. Hammas and Fatah have accused of each other of carrying out deadly attacks recently. The convoy of the Prime Minister and Hammas leader Ismail Haniya were shot at on Thursday. Mr. Haniya told a huge rally in Gaza that those behind the attack would be brought to justice. Meanwhile, a senior Fatah politician S.A. warned of the dangers of the escalating tensions.

What's taking place now in our streets in Gaza, Ramallah and elsewhere is applying to a destructive internal war which will reach havoc. This will not be resolved with half-truce or by issuing blame and making ready-made accusations.

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in Turkey at a start of a regional trip during which he is testing support for a peace initiative across the Middle East. Mr. Blair said that ending the Israeli-Palestinian god conflict is the key to stabilising Iraq and that's made the search for a settlement a priority before he stands down next year.

The American administration has been giving details of its plan to boost its troop levels in Iraq in the new year. A senior US official said additional troops could be sent to try to contain the insurgency and support effects against militia groups. From Washington, Adam Brook reports.

President Bush's new war plan for Iraq seems to be taking shape. It's been clear for some days that he's been considering sending more troops to Iraq. But now a senior administration official has said that up to 25,000 additional American troops could be deployed. Their mission would be 3-fold: first to help secure Baghdad; second to renew the military effort in A., the western Iraqi province where the Sunni insurgence is out of control; and third to support efforts against the armed militias.

The American military in Iraq says it's looking into allegations that its forces have been harassing members of the Iraqi Red Crescent and attacking their offices and vehicles. The accusations were made earlier in Geneva by the Vice President of the Iraqi Red Crescent J.K. He said its relief workers have been disrupted by these attacks and many on clearly-marked property.

People across Iran have been voting in elections for local councils and the assembly of experts, the body of Islamic FL, which selects the supreme leader. The assembly is almost certain to remain under the control of the conservative clerics. But the BBC correspondent in Iran says the outcome of the council elections is far from certain.

This is BBC news from London.

At least 20 people have been injured in clashes between government and opposition supporters in Bolivian second city, Saint Cruze. The violence broke out when pro-government supporters in the town near Santa Cruz set up road blocks to prevent opposition supporters from attending mass rallies over regional autonomy and constitutional changes. From Santa Cruz, D.K. he reports.

"Autonomy, autonomy was the cry" as the crowd followed through the central Santa Cruz, towards the city central monument, a giant statue of Jesus Christ. The green-and-white colours of the state are everywhere, every march has a flag, most also have a T-shirt and a baseball cap. They are calling for regional autonomy and similar protests are taking place in three other states.

The governor of the American state of Florida Jeb Bush has suspended all executions following a frawed process on Wednesday on a convicted murderer whose death by lethal injection to twice as long as expected. Governor Bush said he wanted to ensure that the process of executing people by lethal injection didn't constitute cruel and unusual punishment. A.G. reports from Miami.

In the case of convicted killer Angel N. Diaz, his execution took more than half a hour. During that time, the 55-year-old was given a second lethal dose. According to a medical report, the needles were inserted straight through his veins and into the flesh of his arms. Under normal circumstances, those injected should lose consciences in 3 to 4 minutes. There are reports that Mr. Diaz was still moving and mouthing words after 20 minutes.

75 police officers in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have been arrested on suspicion of having links to drugs-trafficking and organised crime in the largest operation of its kind in the city. They were all members of the state's heavily-armed para-military units. Up to 500 officers took part in the raids.