IRAQ-CONFLICT: Seven British helicopter crew confirmed dead

Seven British helicopter crew died early Saturday when their Sea King helicopters collided over international waters in the Gulf, a British military spokesman said.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Saddam orders treatment of POWs according to Geneva

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has ordered that US and British prisoners of war captured by Iraqi troops be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Fall of southern port of Umm Qasr denied

Iraqi Information Minister Mohmmed Saeed Al-Sahaf has dismissed claims by the US and British military that the southern port of Umm Qasr had fallen, saying fighting was still continuing on Saturday.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Baghdad bombing continued through the night

US bombers and fighters carried out a fresh raid on Baghdad at dawn on Saturday, and Iraqi anti-aircraft guns answered with sky-lighting blasts. Sirens were heard off and on as the sun rose.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: US troops attack northern Islamic group

US forces attacked the militant Ansar el Islam group in northern Iraq, near the Iranian border, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television reported Saturday.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Denmark declares war on Iraq, commits two naval vessels

The Danish Defense Ministry announced Saturday that the country is officially at war with the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the German News Agency (DPA) reported.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Turkish troops cross border, no comment from Washington

Around 1,000 Turkish troops have crossed the border into Iraq from at least two base camps, CNN Turk television reported early Saturday morning.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Sixteen British and US soldiers killed in helicopter crash

-A US C-H 46 helicopter went down in Kuwait at awn Friday killing all sixteen soldiers on board, US sources said.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: 36 wounded including children and women in US attacks

A total of 36 Iraqis were wounded in the US attacks on Baghdad on Thursday.

PALESTINE-ISRAEL: Hamas military leader arrested

The Israeli occupation forces today arrested Raed al-Hawtadi, the leader of the Islamic Resistance Hamas movement in the city of Qalqiliya, north of the West Bank, together with 12 others through a campaign of arrests and combing they carried out throughout the West Bank, Radio Israel said.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Washington seizes Iraqi assets in US banks

US President George W. Bush last night signed a decree providing for the confiscation of some 1.74 billion US dollars of Iraqi assets deposited in some 20 US banks.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Nationals returning home outnumber fleeing fellows

So far, none of the massive exodus of refugees widely anticipated to stream into neighboring countries once sirens were sounded has yet to be observed along any of Iraq's borders, news reports said.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Saddam puts price on heads of US, British foes

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein offered on Friday to reward any Iraqi who shoots down a US or British aircraft, or kills or captures a pilot or soldier.

YEMEN: Police fire live bullets to disperse anti-war protestors

Yemeni police have reportedly fired live bullets and hurled tear gas to disperse thousands of angry demonstrators protesting against the US-led war against Iraq.

KUWAIT: Authorities say 10th Iraqi Scud missile intercepted

A Kuwaiti Military spokesman said air defenses have successfully intercepted an Iraqi missile fired at Kuwait.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Kuwait denies fire at its northern oil wells

A Kuwaiti official here on Friday said that the columns of black smoke in Kuwait's sky were not from the country's oil wells to the north.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Rockets hit one of Saddam’s homes

Iraq's information minister Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahaf acknowledged Friday that one of Saddam Hussein's homes was hit in the US bombardment, but said no one was hurt.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: France refuses to expel Iraqi diplomats

France will refuse to give in to US demands to expel Iraqi diplomats, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau said Friday.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: US marine confirmed killed

A US military spokesman today confirmed the death of a US marine troop during the US invasion of Iraq.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Iran closes its airspace to combat warplanes

Iran today announced that it has closed its airspace to US and any other foreign warplanes involved in the military onslaught against Iraq, the Iranian News Agency (IRNA) reported.

IRAQ-CONFLICT: Vatican deplores start of war

In its first official reaction to the start of the Iraq conflict, the Vatican said it was deeply pained by the outbreak of war and deplored the interruption of efforts to bring about a peaceful solution.