http://192.168.2.6/english/1104/1101.mp3

BBC World News, I'm S.G.

The leader of the Hezbollah guerilla movements in Lebanon says that Syria's indirect negotiations are taking place with Israel about possible exchange of prisoners. Hassan Nasrallah said they have reached the stage of exchanging ideas, proposals or conditions. He said the talks will be conducted through mediators appointed by the United Nations in September and progress was being made. Hezbollah's capture of 2 Israeli soldiers in July provoked conflict with Israel, the broad widespread deaths and destructions to Lebanon.

The former South African President P. W. Botha has died the age of 90. In the [屏蔽]s, Mr. Botha promised South Africans reforms in the face of ever rising tensions and conflict over apartheid. But he failed to satisfy those in neither side of the country's racial divide or international opinion and eventually resigned after power struggle within his cabinet. From Johannesburg, here's Peter Biles.

P.W Botha died peacefully at his home in the Cape. He recently been admitted to hospital for a routine checkout but was then discharged. A family friend says the death has been unexpected. Mr. Botha had lived quietly at his seaside home for the past 17 years. Even though in retirement, he refused to cooperate with the country's Truce and Reconciliation Commission. An interview, which he gave on the occasion of his 90th birthday, suggested that he had no regrets about the way he run the country during the days of apartheid. As a former president, P.W Botha will be given a state funeral. It would be the first in South Africa for more than 20 years.

President Bush has thanked China for its role in persuading North Korea to return to stored six-party negotiations aimed at securing the dismantling of its nuclear program. Mr. Bush said that at the talks, the US would insist that Pyongyang abandon its nuclear weapons program. The announcement of the breakthrough came after the chief United States envoy to the talks Christopher Hill met North Korean officials in Beijing for the first discussions since the North test of a nuclear weapon earlier this month. The US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said that the current sanctions against North Korea imposed by the UN Security Council would remain in place until more progress was made.

"I think the resolution was very clear. The temporary returning to the six-party talks is not gonna be sufficient to change the terms of the resolution. The president made clear this morning that he wants to see substantial progress and we have yet actually scheduled the six-party talks so we'll wait to see if the talks take place and then we'll see what comes out."

You're listening to the world news from the BBC.

American-led Iraqi troops have been dismantling roadblocks in checkpoints around the Shiite district to Sadr city in Baghdad after being told to remove them by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Residents celebrated in the streets of the roadblocks removed from the stronghold of the radical Shiite Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. His supporters said a barbaric siege had been lifted. US forces sealed out Sadr city last week as the search for a missing soldier. American officials in Iraq denied that they have been forced to lift the blockade.

The British government has avoided the defeat in the debate over opposition demands for an immediate inquiry into its handling of the war in Iraq. The opposition motion was defeated by 25 votes. The government has said that such a review would be demoralizing for British troops in Iraq.

The American Space Agency NASA has announced it will send a group of astronauts to repair the aging Hubble space telescope which has provided some of the best images of the universe. The mission is expected to extend the life of the telescope for additional 5 years. Our science correspondent S/ reports.

The loss of the Colombia shuttle in 2003 threatened the premature end for Hubble. For reasons of safety, NASA said future shuttle missions had to be able to reach the international space station. This would be possible if the shuttle went to repair the Hubble. Without repairs to its cameras, batteries and stabilizing telescope, the Hubble was expected to shut down completely by 2009. Such has been the out crime among astronauts about the loss of the crucial instrument that the Space Agency have reviewed that decision.

Police in the southern Italian city of Naples have arrested 7 suspected members of the local Mafia of the C/ amid an upsurge of violent crime in recent weeks. The arrest follow 4 street murders in these many days and dissipate arm robberies in broad daylight.

The Arabic Television Station Aljazeera says his English language news channel will begin broadcasting on November 15th. The launch of the channel has been repeatedly delayed. It has been scheduled for earlier this year.

BBC World News.