http://192.168.2.6/english/1111/20061110VOA.mp3

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.

Two US media organizations have declared that the Democratic Party has won a majority in the US Senate, and with it control of both Houses of the US Congress following Tuesday's midterm elections. NBC and the Associated Press say Democratic challenger Jim Webb is the winner over Republican Senator George Allen in the southern US state of Virginia. In the Senate, Democrats and Republicans will each hold 49 of the Chamber's 100 seats, two independents have pledged to vote with Democrats. The Democrats had already swept to victory in the House of Representatives. President Bush is expressing disappointment with the election, but called on both political parties to work together.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is said to deliver a speech today one day after President Bush said he has decided that it is time for a new leadership at the Pentagon. Rumsfeld's speech in the Midwestern US state of Kansas is expected to focus on the war against terrorism. The defense secretary who has been highly criticized for his handling of the war in Iraq is stepping down in a week of the Republican Party's defeat in Tuesday's congressional elections.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have joined funeral processions for 18 people mostly women and children, killed by Israeli artillery fire in the northern Gaza Strip. The groups of militants accompanied the marchers in the town of Beit Hanoun where the attack took place early Wednesday. The militants massed, fire their weapons into the air and vowed revenge. Some militant groups are threatening to resume suicide bombings and retaliation for the incident. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed regret for the deaths.

France's defense minister says French troops stationed in Lebanon barely avoided a(\) firing on Israeli planes when the planes suddenly swooped down on them. Lisa Bryant reports from Paris. Israeli says the flights are necessary to ensure the Hezbollah militia does not rearm.

In remarks before the French National Assembly, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said the French peacekeeping forces almost fired on Israeli fighter planes that suddenly nose-dived over them on October 31st. Ms. Alliot-Marie said the planes were clearly in an attack position and normally French troops would fire in self-defense in such a situation. They did not, for reasons that remain unclear. But the minister says French forces barely avoided a catastrophe. The French troops are part of the UN peacekeeping operation in Lebanon, put in place following fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah in July and August. A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in France, Nina Benami, said Israel had not(\) no intention of harming the French troops or any other of the UN forces stationed in Lebanon. Lisa Bryant for VOA news, Paris.

Iraqi police say at least 10 people were killed and many more wounded in a string of attacks in and around Baghdad today in one of the bloodiest incidents. Police say a car bomb killed at least 6 people and wounded 27 in downtown Baghdad. At least 3 people were killed and 12 wounded when a suicide attacker blew up his car near a central market in Baghdad.

Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has signed a new constitution that will limit his powers while strengthening those of parliament. VOA's Lisa McAdams has more from Moscow.

By signing the new constitution, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev appears to have staved off the first major threat to his rule since taking office 16 months ago. Mr. Bakiyev approved the new constitution Thursday after swift but tense negotiations with the opposition. The president says the document is the result of good sense and wisdom. Parliament passed changes to the constitution late Wednesday reducing the president's powers. Opposition lawmakers had pushed for the amendments, saying Mr. Bakiyev failed to deliver on promises of democratic reforms. The move appears to have defused growing unrest which brought protestors out onto the streets of the capital. Lisa McAdams, VOA news, Moscow.

Afghan officials say at least 22 suspected Taliban militants have been killed in a NATO airstrike in the southern province of Kandahar. Officials said today Afghan police and NATO forces targeted Taliban militants in Zhari district on Wednesday.

I'm David Deforest, VOA news. More news on the Internet at voanews.com.