http://192.168.2.6/english/20061204BBC.mp3

BBC world news, I'm Nile Nunus.

A heavy turnout in the presidential election in Venezuela has meant that voting is being extended in some areas beyond the normal closing time for polling stations. Under the country's rules, everyone waiting to cast their ballot must be allowed to do so. The Venezuela people are deciding whether to give the incumbent President Hugo Chavez another 6-year term in office. Reporting from Caracas, here is Grag Mosback.
Voters have been standing in line patiently, some for hours. They realize the importance of this election. They are making a fundamental choice about what kind of country they want to live in. If they choose the President Chavez option, they will be opt in for a socialist version. If they decide to go with Manuel Rosales, the veteran social democratic leader, they will be saying no to socialism and yes to capitalism.

Doctors treating the former Chilean military leader Augusto Pinochet have ruled out performing a second operation on him saying it would be too risky. General Pinochet who is 91 underwent a surgery early on Sunday hours after he suffered a heart attack. Doctors later performed what they called a follower procedure. From Santiago, Jame Chambers sent this report.
A member of general Pinochet's medical team said that he was in a serious but stable condition, and the next 24 hours would be critical. On sunday afternoon, the team of medic examined his artery to assess his progress following his early operation. His youngest son Marco Antonio said his father had been virtually rescued from death and a spokesman said that the general had [] his last right. General Pinochet is a patient to the military hospital in Santiago where hundreds of supporters gathered outside to wish him safe recovery. His critics are also there, but in smaller numbers.

NATO forces in Afghanistan say they inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban fighters who attacked Danish soldiers in the southern province of Hilmand. A NATO spokesman said the Danish patrol called in air support following the incident close to the town of Mosacali. Mike Damit reports now from the capital Kabul.
A patrol of Danish troops serving alongside a British contingent came under small arms, rockets and mortar fire. They radioed for attack helicopters. During a fire fight of nearly 4 hours, NATO estimated that between 70 and 80 Taliban were killed. It's not possible to independently verify these details. The battle took place outside the town of Mosacali, where in October, the government, the British and the Taliban struck a controversial truce. Both sides agreed to withdraw and leave the town elders in charge. The voilence is likely to fuel concerns that the Taliban can use Mosacali as a safe heaven.

Votes are being counted in Madagascar after a presidential election, the first since a major political crisis 5 years ago. 7 million people registered to vote, but torrential rains on the island's nation's capital Tananarive flooded many streets and some polling stations stayed open later than expected to allow people to continue voting. Bad weather also calls power cuts in some areas, forcing officials to start counting ballots by candle light.

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President Bush is considering a list of suggestions for policy changes in Iraq that was put forward by his former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld shortly before he resigned last month. In a memorandum, Mr.Rumsfeld said that what US forces were doing in Iraq was clearly not working well enough or fast enough. He said it was time for a major adjustment.

The Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Musa has said that the Arab world must not allow Lebanon to descend into chaos. Mr.Musa said stability in Lebanon was an important issue for the whole region. He is visiting Lebanon for talks on the third day of anti-government protests. The opposition protests are led mainly by the Shiite militant political movement Hezbollah and its Christian allies. They are insisting that the Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora step down. Mr.Musa said that stability in Lebanon was vital.
"The Arab world can not be considered as a bystander or sits as a bystander, just watching what's going on. Lebanon is an important component of the Arab world and Arab society of nations. The stablility in Lebanon moving towards a solution that would bring about a short future for the country is one of our concerns."

2 firefighters have been killed and another 12 people injured in a huge blaze at a fireworks factory in southern England. The fires set off a series of explosions that sent a huge column of smoke into sky. As darkness fell and the fire contined to burn, rockets and other fireworks could be seen bursting into the night sky. The owner of the factory told the BBC that firefighters had stopped tackling the flames.