http://192.168.2.6/english/1104/20061102VOA.mp3

It's 15: 00 Universal Time, and here is the news from the Voice of America.

From the VOA news center in Washington, I'm Frances Alonzo.

South Korea and Japan have welcomed a North Korean decision to return to multi-lateral talks on its nuclear program but say they will continue to enforce sanctions opposed by Pyongyang after its nuclear test. South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister warned today that UN sanctions on North Korea will only be lessened if the six-nation talks are productive in eliminating Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. Japan's government spokesman issued the same message in Tokyo, saying Japan will maintain these sanctions until the talks / progress. Meanwhile President Bush has welcomed an agreement to resume those multi-lateral talks on North Korea's nuclear program. Mr. Bush says China deserves credit for getting the negotiations back on track. VOA White House correspondent Palor Wolfson reports.

The surprise announcement was made in Beijing where envoys from North Korea, China and the United States had been holding unpublicized talks. In Washington, President Bush hailed the news.

"I'm pleased and I want to thank the Chinese for encouraging the meeting that got the agreement to get the six-party talks restarted. "

Mr. Bush acknowledged the path ahead will not be easy and stressed there's plenty of work to do. But he left no doubt he considers the announcment to resume the six-party talks to be a major development.

"We always feel like it is important for the United States to be at the table with other partners when it comes to time to addressing this important issue. "

During a brief session with reporters, Mr. Bush made no mention of concessions to North Korea, such as a possible world-backed sanctions imposed after Pyongyang's Oct. 9th nuclear test. Palor Wolfson VOA news, the White House.

A privately produced report says international attention should be paid to the human rights situation in North Korea which the report's authors say amounts to the crimes against humanity. VOA's Steve Herman reports from Tokyo with the groups spoke to reporters.

The report says humanitarian concerns in North Korea including widespread starvation and political oppression should no longer take a back seat to security issues. International attention is again focused on North Korea after it agreed Tuesday to rejoin six-nation talks on its nuclear program. The agreement came three weeks after the North defied international warnings and conducted its first nuclear test. The report was commissioned by three prominent human rights campaigners, former Chad President B K, former Norwegian Prime Minister H B and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate A W. The report calls for the United Nations Security Council to adopt a nonpunitive resolution requesting Pyongyang to allow access to humanitarian relief programs in the country and to release political prisoners. Steve Herman VOA news, Tokyo.

Israel's military says ground troops backed by helicopter gunships have killed at least 8 Palestanians in a major operation in northern Gaza. An Israeli soldier was also killed today in the operation, which is one of the largest military operations in Israel's former incursion in Gaza. Israeli troops entered the northern Gaza town of Beit Hano early today and exchanged fire with the Palestinian militants.

Iraqi officials say attacks and bombing across Baghdad have killed at least 13 people. Bomb blasts, mortar attacks and drive by shootings today targeted civilians, police and Iraqi soldiers. Local police also reported finding ten bodies on Baghdad's streets and in the T's river. Hospital officials said 12 more people died from their wounds from Tuesday's bomb attack on a Shiite wedding in Baghdad, raising the death toll in that blast to 23.

Human Rights Watch is calling for the Pakistani goverment to allow an independant investigation into an air raid in Islamic seminary that killed 80 suspected militants. In the statement issued today the organization said investigators should visit the site in the D tribal district to determine who was killed in Tuesday's attack. Pakistan's President has said that all the people killed in the attack were militants undergoing terror training.

US stocks have opened slightly higher today. The Dow-Jones Industrial Average was up 36 points at 12116. The SMP 500 rose 3 points 1381. And the NASDAQ Composite Index was up 6 points at 2372.

You can read details on these stories and more on our website 24 hours a day at voanews. com.

I'm Frances Alonzo, Washington. You are listening to VOA news.