1.   It was the first heavy fighting reported by the government since early August shortly after a cease-fire arranged by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter expired.

2.   It was the first heavy fighting reported by the government since early August, shortly after a cease-fire mediated by former President Carter expired.

3.   The finds followed heavy fighting Friday in the Chebaa Farms area, in which Hezbollah militants fired mortars and machine guns at Israeli troops on the Golan.

4.   In other developments, heavy fighting resumed Thursday north of the capital Sarajevo, with hundreds of explosions rocking the suburb of Sredrenik, Sochacki said.

5.   The Taliban Islamic militia claimed Friday to have captured the strategically important eastern Afghan town of Azra after heavy fighting with Kabul government forces.