In brief: Rockets strike Israeli soil

JERUSALEM – The military says three rockets have been fired at northern Israel from Lebanon, and at least two of them struck Israeli soil.

The military says the incident early today was the first rocket fire from Lebanon since October 2009. No casualties or major damage were reported.

The military says it fired artillery toward the origins of the fire. The military says it doesn’t expect the incident to touch off a wider conflict. Its statement, however, said it regards the attack as “severe” and holds the Lebanese government and army responsible for preventing rocket fire at Israel.

Top drug suspect captured

CARACAS, Venezuela – A top Colombian drug trafficker has been captured in Venezuela and will be turned over to U.S. authorities, officials said Monday.

The U.S. had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maximiliano Bonilla Orozco, known as “Valenciano,” who was also on Colombia’s most-wanted list.

The arrest was announced by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos as he met with Venezuela President Hugo Chavez.

U.S. officials say Bonilla has sent tons of cocaine to the United States through Central America and Mexico, dealing extensively with Mexico’s Zetas drug cartel.

Violence may mar Congo vote

KINSHASA, Congo – Voting materials arrived late or sometimes not at all in precincts throughout the country Monday, but Congo’s elections went ahead, raising doubts about the legitimacy of a poll that already has seen at least nine people killed and could drag sub-Saharan Africa’s largest nation back into conflict.

Country experts and opposition leaders had urged the government to delay the vote due to massive logistical problems. Some districts of Congo, which has suffered decades of dictatorship and two civil wars, are so remote that ballot boxes had to be transported across muddy trails on the heads of porters, and by dugout canoe across churning rivers.

There are fears that the Central African nation, whose rain forests are still inhabited by rebel armies, could be plunged into violence again if it is unable to agree on the results of the presidential and legislative election.

Violence over the weekend and through Monday left at least nine people dead.