41.   Four civilians were killed and nine injured when Taliban fighters besieging Kabul launched a rocket barrage on the city, witnesses and hospital staff said Sunday.

42.   Incoming rocket barrages were mostly limited to the frontline areas, with the western Kabul suburbs of Khair Khana also coming under fire in the morning.

43.   Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres warned Syria on Tuesday to halt attacks by Hezbollah guerrillas after a second rocket barrage in two days wounded eight people.

44.   Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres warned Syria on Tuesday to halt attacks by Hezbollah guerrillas on northern Israel after a second rocket barrage in two days wounded eight people.

45.   Afghan government troops launched a massive attack on the Taliban militia besieging Kabul, triggering a rocket barrage on the capital, army and defence officials said Monday.

46.   Before the rocket barrage, the Taliban launched two offensives against forces loyal to President Burhanuddin Rabbani from the southern fringes of the Afghan capital, the broadcast said.

47.   But there was no confirmation of who was behind the eight rocket barrage late Saturday.

48.   The Taliban have claimed responsibility for several rocket barrages and bombing raids, saying thay were aimed at military targets.

49.   The rocket barrage followed the first face-to-face encounter between Syrian and Israeli ministers for four years at the Barcelona Euro-Mediterranean conference on Monday.

50.   The rival factions stepped up their fighting, with Kabul the prime target of rocket barrages.