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BJP asks US, others to stop war on Iraq

          New Delhi, Apr 7: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday asked the US-led coalition forces to immediately halt their operations in Iraq, which has entered its climax. "Our party said in Indore that we want the war on Iraq should end soon," BJP legislator Vijay Kumar Malhotra told the Lok Sabha which resumed its Budget session after a one-month recess. The BJP's national conclave which concluded in Indore on Saturday had deplored the assault on Iraq. (Contd)

US troops storm into Saddam palace in Baghdad

          Baghdad, Apr 7: American tanks and armoured vehicles penetrated deep into the centre of the Iraqi Capital on Monday, raiding President Saddam Hussein's main palace and attacking several other sites. There were over 100 armoured vehicles, including up to 70 tanks, supported by tank-busting A-10 Warthog planes and pilotless drones, US military sources said.

          A Pentagon official told the BBC that the US military operation was a "show of force" that sent a powerful message to the Iraqi regime - but was not necessarily the "battle for Baghdad". As the US military operation continued, Iraqi television broadcast footage of a meeting chaired by Saddam Hussein at an undisclosed location. Also filmed at the meeting were the President's son Qusay, Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan.

           US Central Command refused to comment on how long troops would stay in the city. Spokesman General Vincent Brooks said commanders on the ground "will make decisions on what parts of Baghdad they will retain control of". The BBC correspondent in Baghdad said weapons fire during the battle was so continuous it "almost sounded like an ammunition store going off". He said he heard heavy machine-gun fire and mortars during a fierce battle raging near the presidential palace on the bank of the River Tigris. The presence of American armour on the edges of the presidential compound was "highly symbolic", the correspondent added. No figures of Iraqi casualties were available.

           Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed Sahaf denied that Baghdad's defenders have lost ground, claiming that Iraqi forces have "slaughtered" columns of US troops. "Don't believe these invaders and these liars. There are none of their troops in Baghdad," the minister told reporters at an impromptu outdoor press conference.

No justification for military action against Iraq: Pope (Go To Top)

          Vatican City, Apr 7: Pope John Paul-II expressing concern over the human loss has said there is no justification for the military action against Iraq. He said that he was anxious about the implications of Iraq war on the mutual relations between Muslims and Christians.

Heat wave tells on coalition forces (Go To Top)

          Baghdad, Apr 7: The coalition forces have been suffering from various diseases caused by severe heat wave in Iraq. The worst hit area for allied forces was stated to be Nasiriya. A doctor said that most of the soldiers were suffering from headache, stomach problem and other diseases.

           Meanwhile, the coalition forces were said to have met tough resistance from the Iraqi troops in the western part and near Dajla river. A British TV reported that Iraqi tanks and armoured personnel carriers were seen destroyed in the city.

           Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf has said Baghdad is strong, fortified, safe and firmly in Iraqi control. Addressing a press briefing in the middle of the road in the city, he said the Iraqi troops have taught them an unforgettable lesson. The US troops were eliminated and God has blessed the people of Iraq with victory. He said the allies' claim of capturing the Al-Rashid Hotel, foreign and information ministries was a lie as those places were still in our firm control.

Another MiG-21 crash near Ambala in a week (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Apr 7: A MiG-21 fighter jet crashed near Ambala on Monday. Though the pilot bailed out successfully, five persons, including two children, were injured on the ground. Sources said the plane caught fire immediately after take-off from Ambala air base. The jet landed on a milk plant in Baldev Nagar near Ambala in the morning. This was the second MIG crash within a week. Last Friday, a MIG-21 aircraft had crashed near Ludhiana killing five persons.

           An Indian Air Force (IAF) spokesman said, "a MiG-21 IAF plane was involved in an accident right after takeoff from the Ambala air base." He said the plane might have crashed due to fire in the engine. The pilot was admtted to a military hospital for check-up.

Malaysian cops to be penalised for harassing Indians (Go To Top)

          Kuala Lumpur, Apr 7: The Malaysian authorities have decided to penalise at least six policemen who allegedly maltreated Indian IT professionals last month. What action would be taken was not disclosed. The erring policemen had reportedly kept over a hundred Indians under unlawful detention saying "they were checking their visa details."

          The Malaysian police had doubts that some of the Indian nationals were 'overstaying' there. Later it was found that most of them possessed valid immigration documents. Taking a strong exception, the Indian embassy in Kuala Lumpur had registered protests against the Malaysian police's behaviour demanding immediate action against the erring police officials. The detained Indians had claimed that police detained them for at least 10 hours, roughed up some of them and defaced their immigration visas. They also alleged that the policemen kicked and hit them.

           Giving details, Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai on Monday said disciplinary action would be taken against six officers for they "committed mistakes during the operation." The incident had created much bitterness between the two nations.

India well-equipped to deal with SARS, says WHO (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, Apr 7: World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday it was working in concert with Indian authorities to deal with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), or Killer Pneumonia, which has claimed about 90 lives world-wide. Talking to reporters on the occasion of World Health Day in the Capital, Director-General of World Health Organisation Gro Harlem Brundtland said the organisation was extending all possible help to the Indian authorities against any possible attack of SARS. The epidemic has so far claimed 90 lives and affected more than 2600 people worldwide, spreading to 19 countries. Scientists have been struggling to identify the virus as a first crucial step towards trying to control its spread.

           "As far as this moment we do not know that there has been any case in India and so far India seemingly has been lucky but I hope now ... I know also that the preparation has been done with the Indian government and WHO has advised them. So if it happens, I believe the Indian authorities are ready to deal with it with our support," Brundtland told reporters. Although WHO says the disease is less infectious than influenza and the death rate from SARS so far has been between three and four per cent, experts say patients in areas without good medical facilities face a higher mortality risk.

           The WHO has issued an unprecedented warning against travel to Hong Kong and Chinese city of Guangdong and foreign diplomats and businessmen have shipped their families back home. Meanwhile, senior officials of the health and civil aviation ministries met in New Delhi to tighten screening measures for all travellers to the country at its airports. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussein said staff at immigration counters have been asked to use masks as a precautionary measure. "Doctors will be available at all immigration counters and we are planning that the staff at immigration counters should use masks. Other than this nobody has been asked to put masks.

           Secondly, now it is mandatory for all passengers arriving in India to fill a form which will be provided to them. Nobody can pass immigration counter without filling that form, this has been decided," said Hussein. Though, India has not reported a single case of the pneumonia so far, the disease has caused widespread fear, particularly in east Asia, where most of the deaths occurred, and forced Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada to impose sweeping quarantine measures.

           The Health Ministry has asked all international airports and seaports to screen passengers coming from the 15 identified countries, where the pneumonia is prevalent. Airline crews have been alerted to look out for any passengers with symptoms and asked to report such cases to the medical units available at the disembarking points. India-bound passengers are also being asked to fill up an additional proforma on their medical history and travel details during the immediate past. All Indian missions abroad have been asked to screen visa-seekers for possible carriers of the killer virus.

Kumaratunga confers with Jayalalitha in Chennai (Go To Top)

          Chennai, Apr 7: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who arrived on a four-day official visit to India on Monday, held a meeting with Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha. Kumaratunga was accompained by former foreign minister and her foreign affairs adviser, Lakshman Kadirgamar. Local media reports said she discussed a wide range of issues with Jayalalitha, including the Sri Lankan peace process.

           A Norwegian-brokered ceasefire signed last year has halted the hostilities between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam rebels, and has led to six rounds of peace talks. The next round is scheduled from April 29 to May 2 in Thailand. India is not directly involved in the peace efforts. However, 56 million ethnic Tamils live in Tamil Nadu, which neighbours Sri Lanka, and they have family and cultural ties with the Sri Lankan Tamils.

          Kumaratunga is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, besides other senior leaders. The discussions are expected to centre on the entire gamut of bilateral issues and international and regional developments. Kumaratunga would also brief the Indian leaders on efforts for a negotiated political settlement to the ethnic conflict and several other issues of mutual interest to the two countries.

BJP asks US, others to stop war on Iraq (Go To Top)

          ...(Contd) The Congress party is likely to table an adjournment motion to press for immediate discussion on the Iraq situation and plead for a common resolution on the issue to be passed by the House.

          On the 19th day of the war aimed at ousting President Saddam Hussein, American soldiers entered the heart of Baghdad and drove two tanks deep inside two palace complexes of Presidential palace. Iraqi troops were seen fighting back even as several big explosions rocked the palace. The US forces have tightened their noose around Baghdad since capturing the international airport south-west of the Capital on Friday and seizing control of most of the highways leading in and out of the sprawling city of five million people.