From the World-Wide Resourses of the Western Australia Reserch Senter(*) OIL THE NEWS THAT FITS MY VIEWS #25 =============================== In the Run-Up to World War III, Reliably Reporting the News Relevant to Extreme Right-Wing Democratic Socialists Everywhere (validated for RiteThink(tm) by the Office of Our Man in Can-berra). Visit Our Home Page At: http://www.chickenhead.com/loserscopes/0103.asp See the Undeniable Evidence At: http://www.evil-doers.org/evidence Kindly Archived At: http://www.kymhorsell.com/BOZO/archives/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Selecting latest news stories and other data for you... ------------------------------------------------------------ Incredible television right now. -- Fox announcer, 23 Mar 2003, as an intrepid but breathless war reporter, Col Ollie North, continues to struggle into his chem weapons gear. The activated charcoal not only absorbs the chemical and biological weapons that Saddam Hussein might use... is also absorbs the smell of our bodies that have not been bathed in some time. -- Col Ollie North, 23 Mar 2003, intrepid cub reporter for Fox News, covering the dangers of GWII. Be brave, be aware, and stay with Fox. -- News announcer, 23 Mar 2003, Fox Folksy Video-War coverage. When you have a bunch of people that goes against peace... that is a problem. -- Able seaman, 24 Mar 2003, as guided missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay launches salvos of Tomahawk cruise missiles on targets in Baghdad. This is not a platform for propaganda... but for truth. -- Gen Tommy Franks, briefing #2, 25 Mar 2003. Speaking from a $600,000 Hollywood-designed set in Doha. This is not about one man... it's about an oppressive regime. -- Gen Tommy Franks, briefing #2, 25 Mar 2003. Explaining it's not primarily about terrorism or WMD. Iraq is armed with weapons... that could kill 1000s of people. -- Pres Bush Jr, 26 Mar 2003, asking Congress for $75 bn to disarm a brutal tyrant but indicating that no WMD have yet been found in Iraq. ---------------------------------------- Mon, 24 Mar 2003. China mine toll climbs 24 killed in Kashmir Hindus killed in Kashmir 5 wounded by gunmen Assassin group named Blast at naval base Aussie RAN Aussie RAAF Aussie beef Protesters invade fed parl The world calls for an end to war Civilians count dead and wounded Oil rises as optimism of swift war wavers Fox reports chem weapon plant Troops uncover chem weapons factory US examines possible Iraqi chem weapons factory Chem weapons plant reports "premature": Pentagon Late-night bombing raids strike Baghdad US tells of white flag ambushes southern oilfields secure AUS could face an oil shortage in the next decade Govt opens new areas for oil exploration US attack US special forces dropping into N Iraq Computer virus bring spread by Iraq conflict Pentagon denies report on napalm Russia sold sensitive equipment to Iraq "We aired news": TV station justifies PoW film HK hospital chief ill with pneumonia, fears spread Don't send negative emails to Aust troops: Govt Calls for release of health study of Gulf War veterans Aust-Singapore FTA a model for future bilateral deals Wild weather brings stock losses Heroin drought Dengue WA bushfires Markets Continuous war coverage Beijing. CHINA MINE TOLL CLIMBS! Authorities say the death toll from a weekend blast in a coal mine has risen to 50. Another 22 are still missing after a gas explosion in the mine in Shanxi prov in N China on Sat. [Xinhua later reported the death toll has climbed to 53, with 19 still missing]. Srinagar. 24 KILLED IN KASHMIR! 24 people have been killed by un-ID'd gunmen in Kashmir. Indian police say the attack was in the village of Nadi Marg, S of Srinagar, summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state. Police say the dead incl women and children. At least 38,000 people have died since a revolt began in 1989 against Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. Hindus killed in Kashmir 24 Hindus have been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Indian Kashmir, in the worst outbreak of violence since elections were held to try to bring peace to India's only Muslim-majority state. Police said women and children were among the dead. The attack was in the village of Nadi Marg, south of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state. Indian police in Srinagar said gunmen disarmed police guarding the village before the attack. They said the dead included 11 women. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan came close to war last y over Indian accusations that Islamabad funds, trains and arms militants fighting in Kashmir. Pakistan denies the charges. At least 38,000 people have died since a revolt began in 1989 against Indian rule in Kashmir. Indian analysts said Pakistan, which promised Washington last y to stop infiltration into Indian Kashmir, might take advantage of US attention being focused on Iraq and step up support for Kashmiri separatists. Islamabad says it gives only moral support to what it calls the Kashmiri "freedom struggle". State elections held in Sep and Oct brought in a new govt whose chief minister, Mufti Mohammad Syed, promised to bring a healing touch to the state. But the violence has continued. The latest attack follows the killing on Sun of Muslim rebel leader Abdul Majid Dar, shot dead by Muslim militants. Sao Paulo. 5 WOUNDED BY GUNMEN! 5 people have been wounded in Brazil after gunmen opened fire on a group of soccer fans following the tense final match of the SP state c'ship. Police say 1 person remains in a life-threatening condition. A rep says about 30 fans of the winning team stood at a bus stop in S SP after the match late yesterday when 5 gunmen, incl 2 teens, started to shoot into the crowd. 5 young men suffered bullet wounds and were brought to a nearby hosp. Belgrade. ASSASSIN GROUP NAMED! Serb police have confirmed a Belgrade criminal group controlling the local drug trade is behind the killing for PM Djindjic. A police statement says the group, named the Zemun gang after a suburb of Belgrade, was also the main drug cartel supplying and selling cocaine, heroin and other narcotics to the entire region. Belgrade media has reported that a shortage of drugs in Serbia following massive police arrests has doubled the street price of illegal cocaine to $A105/g. Quito. BLAST AT NAVAL BASE! An explosion has ripped through a naval base in Ecuador, shooting off munitions into nearby coastal slums and wounding at least 30 people. A military official says the blast tore through the naval baser in the port city of Guayaquil on the Pacific coast. He says the cause of the explosion is not yet clear. A navy rep says at least 30 people were injured in the blast, 12 of them suffering 1st and 2nd degree burns. Doha. AUSSIE RAN! RAN clearance divers [yes, Ray Loyzaga, special forces!] have begun checking Iraq's S port for mines. Cmdr of AUS Middle E Forces, Brig Maurie McNarn, says Aussie forces have discovered 139 sea-mines both on vessels and in warehouses. He says it must be assumed that Iraqi forces have succeeded in laying at least some mines in the waterway known as the Khawr Abd 'Allah, which leads to the port of Umm Qasr and Iraq's 2nd-largest city of Basra (aka "Basrah"). Canberra. AUSSIE RAAF! Def officials say Aussie F/A-18 Hornets have led bombing raids on ID-ed targets in Iraq. Def rep Brig Mike Hannan says the Hornets dropped 900 kg LGB's on the targets o'night. He says the Hornets worked closely with a number of other coal'n aircraft during the attack, and returned to based safely after a 6-hr mission. RAAF chief Air Marshal Angus Houston says the mission didn't relate to targets in Baghdad. Canberra. AUSSIE BEEF! An ind'y analysis says AUS beef sales to Japan could improve at the expense of the US. Meat and Livestock AUS says in its weekly market analysis there are growing signs of better prices in Japan. The J market, AUS's 2nd-largest market after the US, has been hard-hit over the past 18 m since the 1st confirmed case of MCD in the Japanese herd. Canberra. PROTESTERS INVADE FED PARL! 100s of [BCC says 400] anti-war protesters have stormed Parl House today as it resumed after a break. There were scuffles with about a doz police in the lobby, and one officer was attacked with "mace". Other protesters climbed onto the Coat of Arms, installing a new anti-war motto. More than 1 doz protesters entered the public gallery and proceeded to hurl abuse at the PM. As Question Time tried to proceed, interjectors from the gallery called on Mr Howard to stop the war. Proceedings were stopped repeatedly. The PM was angered, and left the House after Question Time was cut short. Observers say the incident may force the re-think on the open-door policy of Parl House. Some MP's say the "people's house" should remain freely available to the people. The world calls for an end to war Sydney. Families and friends, ex-soldiers and religious figures, were among those who gathered around the country yesterday to demand an end to the war in Iraq, joined by more than a mn worldwide. About 80,000 people marched in state capitals, well down from the pre-war marches in mid-Feb when 100s of 1000s of Aussies took to the streets. This time, as well as anger at the Howard Govt for AUS's participating in the invasion, protesters called for troops to be brought home. In CBR, rose petals marked out a circular peace sign on the lawn outside Parliament House where about 5000 people gathered. In SYD, organisers reminded the 40,000 protesters that it was almost dawn in Baghdad and the crowd observed one minute's silence for those who would endure more bombing in the coming day. "Stop the mad cowboy disease" and "Shocked but not awed" were among the placards on display and, once again, a larger-than-life papier mache George W Bush trailed a John Howardesque lapdog. Protesters gathered at the Domain, where Vietnam veteran Gerry Binder, 56, returned his Active Service and Vietnam medals. In MEL, children clad in anti-Howard T-shirts and babies in prams covered with anti-war slogans held a Babies Against the Bomb rally outside govt offices. Addressing the protest, Greens rep Pamela Curr spoke of the terror for the families living in the city of Basra, the coal'n forces' 1st major target. Cradling 2-mo Ada in her arms, new mother Amy Walker said she feared the war in Iraq could lead to a global conflict. In Adel, protesters poured blood over an American flag to mark the "moral death" of the US. As people set out from Vic Square to Parliament House, a number of marchers carried a coffin marked: "R.I.P. Iraqi child. Died in aid of U$ oil and arms profit." The protests were mirrored around the world as more than a mn people marched and scores were arrested or injured. About 50 people, including 18 police, were injured during clashes in C Madrid after a 250,000-strong protest. About one mn people protested throughout Spain, calling for the resignation of PM Jose Maria Aznar, who has strongly supported the war. In London, police put numbers at 100,000, but organisers claimed more than 700,000. In NY, about 70 people were arrested on Sat at a rally by 125,000. Up to 20,000 protesters thronged San Francisco, 3000 people picketed the CNN studios in Los Angeles, 2500 marched in Chicago and 200,000 in Montreal. In Indonesia, more than 1000 people staged a peaceful rally at the US embassy in Jakarta. Civilians count dead and wounded Safwan, Iraq (LA Times). Amid the jubilation as US and Brit troops streamed north, a panicked woman waved her arms and wailed in grief as the battered utility she was riding in skidded to a stop. On the floor were 2 dead men, their blood splattered over women supporting their bodies. "It came from the foreign helicopter," one woman said. "It came right into the house." The view from this small corner of the conflict suggests some Iraqis may pay a far higher price than advertised for regime change. Claims of a dozen civilian deaths, and several times that many injuries, over the past 3 days could not be confirmed. In this village, the 1st Iraqi settlement N Kuwait, residents were seeking medical care and other help. "He was such a good son, my only boy, Khamat, always taking care of me," said Fizah Abuaid Thekyal, 74, pounding his chest at the gates of the Safwan mosque as his son's body was being brought in from the truck. "We had a white flag on the house," Mr Thekyal said. "I don't understand. I want to see my son." The imam led Mr Thekyal into a small room behind the main hall where his 35-yo son's body was arranged on a stone slab. The figure lay face up, part of his intestines exposed, his right hand separated from the arm. A dozen shrapnel wounds cut gashes in his legs. Meanwhile, a stream of injured villagers made their way to a run-down health C, where Abbas Fadel, 20, a student, lay stomach-down on a bed without sheets, gunshot wounds in his back. Oil rises as optimism of swift war wavers Singapore (Reuters). Oil prices rose on Mon after hitting 4-m lows as optimism for a quick Iraqi war wavered with news US-led forces were meeting resistance on the road to Baghdad. As bombs pounded the Iraqi capital for a fifth day, crucial Gulf crude exports flowed uninterrupted. Brokers said the market was volatile and prices were being driven by headline news. US light crude jumped almost 80 cents to $27.70 a barrel before easing by 12.52 am EST to $27.42, up 51 c on the day. London's Brent crude was up 35 c at $24.70 a barrel. "The oil market has been behaving as if peace has broken out but the level of Iraqi resistance so far suggests the war could drag on with consequences for oil prices," said Adam Sieminski, oil analyst at Deutsche Bank. Prices dropped to 4-m lows on Fri, taking crude's losses to 30% in a wk as optimism grew that the war would be swift with little damage to Iraq's oil infrastructure and no disruption to oil supplies from the Gulf producers, which pump about 40% of world exports. But over the weekend, Iraq paraded US prisoners of war on TV and inflicted its heaviest casualties so far on the invaders as resistance to the US-led forces stiffened the closer they drew to Baghdad. "Prices are very volatile and that volatility will continue. Until some kind of clarity emerges it will be difficult to get stability," said Yasser Elguindi of Medley Global Advisers in NY. Washington. FOX REPORTS CHEM WEAPON PLANT! Coal'n forces have reportedly found a huge chem weapons factory at An Najef, some 360 km S of Baghdad. Fox TV News has reported the find, citing a snr US defence official. Fox News reports that coal'n forces are holding the Iraqi general in charge of the facility. Centcom has not denied the report by the Jerusalem Post newspaper that the 3rd Inf has captured what could be the 1st chem weapons plant uncovered since the start of Gulf War II. [Other reports cast doubt on the "find", incl comments from the US Admin. There were known chem weapons c1990 in Karbala, about 100 km NW of Najaf]. Troops uncover chem weapons factory Qatar. US troops have found a suspected chem factory in Iraq, according to unconfirmed reports. The plant is nr the city of An Najaf, which US troops reached yesterday on a push to Baghdad. Coal'n soldiers are said to be questioning the general in charge of the facility, about 100 miles south of Baghdad. Weapons experts are also reported to have arrived at the site. Were the plant to be confirmed as a chem weapons factory, the discovery would be a major boost to coal'n morale after a series of military setbacks. However, US Centcom said in a statement that troops were examining "sites of interest," refusing to confirm or deny the speculation over the An Najaf site, and describing reports that the site was a chem weapons factory as "premature." The discovery was 1st reported in the Jerusalem Post, which has a reporter travelling with the unit from the Army's 3rd Infantry Division that reached the alleged chem plant. The newspaper reported that about 30 Iraqi troops, including a general, surrendered at the plant. UN weapons inspectors are not aware of any large-scale chem sites that could be used to make chem weapons in An Najaf, said Ewen Buchanan, rep for the inspectors. However, there are many such dual-use sites in other parts of the country because of Iraq's petrochem industry. Inspectors visited a cement plant in An Najaf earlier this y but did not report finding anything. Weapons inspector Scott Ritter expressed doubt over the claims, but added: "If that's true it would legitimise in one fell swoop the Bush administration's stance on Iraq." Pres George W Bush and other US officials say ridding Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's regime of chem and bio weapons is the main objective of the war. Iraqi officials insist they destroyed all the chem and bio weapons they made after the 1991 Gulf War. US examines possible Iraqi chem weapons factory Washington. US forces in Iraq are examining a chem factory in C Iraq to see if it manufactured chem weapons, a Pentagon rep said. "The factory is being checked to see what is being produced," said Pentagon rep Lt Dan Hetlage. Earlier, officials at the US Centcom described as "premature" reports of US-led forces having discovered a "huge" chem weapons factory in C Iraq. US TV networks ABC and Fox reported that US forces discovered the factory at An Najaf, some 160 km S of Baghdad. Fox reported that US soldiers were holding the general in charge of the site. According to ABC News in America, one US official said the general could be "a potential gold mine" of information about the production and location of weapons of mass destruction that the Pres George W Bush has accused Iraqi Pres Saddam Hussein of hiding. Since the US-led war was launched on Baghdad early Thu, no WMD have been found in Iraq. Chem weapons plant reports "premature": Pentagon Washington. Reports of allied forces having discovered a "huge" chem weapons factory in C Iraq are "premature", the Pentagon has said. Earlier, US officials said US troops had found a suspected chem factory in Iraq, and officials were trying to determine whether it was involved in making chem weapons. The plant is nr the city of An Najaf, which US troops reached today on a push to Baghdad, the officials said. Asked at a news conference in Qatar today about reports of the chem plant, Lt Gen John Abizaid of US Centcom declined comment. He said top Iraqi officers had been questioned about chem weapons. "We have an Iraqi general officer, 2 Iraqi general officers that we have taken prisoner, and they are providing us with information," Abizaid said. The Pentagon has downplayed reports of allied forces having discovered a "huge" chem weapons factory in C Iraq. "Media reports are premature," the US Centcom said, in a brief statement read by Pentagon rep Major James Cassella. But he added: "We are looking into sites of interest." Ewen Buchanan, rep for UN weapons inspectors, said the weapons inspectors are not aware of any large-scale chem sites which could be used to make chem weapons in An Najaf. However, there are many such dual-use sites in other parts of the country because of Iraq's petrochem industry. UN inspectors visited a cement plant in An Najaf earlier this y but did not report finding anything. The US military's discovery was 1st reported in the Jerusalem Post, which has a reporter travelling with the unit from the Army's 3rd Infantry Division that reached the chem plant. The newspaper reported that about 30 Iraqi troops, including a general, surrendered at the plant. One soldier was lightly wounded when a booby-trap exploded as he was clearing the sheetmetal-lined facility, the report said. The 40-hectare complex is adjacent to military barracks and surrounded by an electric fence. It was not immediately clear what chem were being produced at the facility, but reports said the Iraqis had tried to camouflage the facility so it looked like the surrounding desert and would not be spotted from the air. ABC News cited one unidentified official as saying of the captured Iraqi general: "He is a potential gold mine of evidence about the weapons Saddam Hussein said he does not have." Late-night bombing raids strike Baghdad Baghdad. C Baghdad was today rocked by some of the biggest explosions in the conflict so far, as US and Brit forces began a fifth day of bombing runs against Iraq. A series of blasts shook the C of the Iraqi capital at around 3.10 am, with no prior warning from air raid sirens and no sign of anti-aircraft fire. The explosions appeared to hit targets in the C and SE of Baghdad, sending plumes of smoke into the night sky. The last 24 hours has seen at least 3 air raids on the capital. One bomb damaged a building at Mustansiriya University, one of the oldest schools in the Arab world. Classes, however, were closed down, like much of Baghdad, for fear of the attacks. "This is real terrorism. Innocent people are sitting in their homes and bombs fall on their heads. I ask America, isn't this terrorism?" said one Baghdad resident. Officials have reported 3 deaths from raids in the capital and about 250 wounded. Red Cross workers saw about 200 people described as war-wounded in Baghdad hospitals. Iraq also said 77 civilians died in Basra, mostly victims of cluster bombs, and air raids killed 4 in Tikrit, Saddam's home town. There were also air raids on Mosul in the north. US tells of white flag ambushes Baghdad (AP). Iraq used ambushes and even fake surrenders to kill and capture US troops, inflicting the 1st significant casualties on the allied forces driving toward Baghdad, according to US officials. But Centcom declared the invasion on target despite growing resistance. Up to 9 Marines died and a dozen US soldiers were taken prisoner yesterday in surprise engagements with Iraqis at An-Nasiriyah, a S city far from the forward positions of the allied force. On the 3rd day of the ground war, any expectation that Iraqi defenders would simply fold was gone. "Clearly they are not a beaten force," said Gen Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "This is going to get a lot harder." Even so, the US-Brit coal'n fought to within 160 km of Baghdad and tended to a growing N front. Allied soldiers came under attack in a series of ruses, US officials said, with one group of Iraqis waving the white flag of surrender, then opening up with artillery fire; another group appearing to welcome coal'n troops but then attacking them. Lt Gen John Abizaid of US Centcom said a faked surrender nr An-Nasiriyah, a crossing point over the Euphrates River NW of Basra, set off the "sharpest engagement of the war thus far". Up to 9 Marines died before the Americans prevailed, he said. 12 US soldiers were missing and presumed captured by Iraqis in an ambush on an army supply convoy at An-Nasiriyah, Centcom said. US and Brit officials said some of the stiffest resistance was coming from paramilitary guerrillas known as the Fedayeen Saddam and from Saddam Hussein's personal security forces. Pres George W Bush kept his eye on the big prize -- the removal of Saddam's govt and Iraq's eventual disarmament. "I know that Saddam Hussein is losing control of his country," Bush said upon his return from the Camp David retreat in Maryland. "We are slowly but surely achieving our objective." He demanded that US prisoners of war be treated humanely. With allies closing in, Iraqi leaders appealed for a united Arab front to condemn the invasion but knew they wouldn't get it. "There is no hope in these rulers," Iraqi VP Taha Yassin Ramadan said. Russia's and China's foreign ministers reasserted their view that the invasion has no legal basis and asked for an immediate halt. In the most notable gain for the coal'n, soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade moved 370 km in 40 hours, killing scores of Iraqi militiamen who engaged them with machine guns, to take positions less than a day's journey from Baghdad. The brigade raced day and night across rugged desert in more than 70 tanks and 60 Bradley fighting vehicles. No American injuries were reported in that battle. Iraqi Defence Min Lt Gen Sultan Hashim Ahmed expressed confidence his troops can hold the capital. "If they want to take Baghdad they will have to pay a heavy price," he said. Several other allied units engaged in intensive gun-battles yesterday. In S Iraq, a soldier from the 3rd Infantry Division died in a vehicle accident. Efforts intensified to assemble forces in N Iraq, where air strikes have gone after radicals linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist network but prospects for ground assaults have been limited because neighbouring Turkey balked on becoming a staging ground. Iraqi TV reported that Saddam Hussein's home town, Tikrit, had been bombed several times. Near the Persian Gulf, Marines seized an Iraqi naval base yesterday morning at Az Zubayr. In the command C, Marines found 1/2-eaten bowls of rice and other still-warm food. Near Basra in the S, Marines saw 100s of Iraqi men -- apparently soldiers who had taken off their uniforms -- walking along a highway with bundles on their backs past burned-out Iraqi tanks. Allied forces have captured Basra's airport and a bridge. But cmdrs say they are in no rush to storm the city, hoping instead that Iraqi defenders decide to give up. Although Iraq was getting little help diplomatically, many in the Muslim world expressed anger about the war. Anti-war protests continued in many cities around the world, one of the biggest in Pakistan. Children in Lahore chanted anti-American slogans and other demonstrators carried portraits of Osama bin Laden and Saddam as more than 100,000 people joined in a peaceful rally. Ramaliah. SOUTHERN OILFIELDS SECURE! US and Brit forces tightened their grip at the weekend on Iraq's S oilfields and key exporting terminals and began to assess how to restart exports. Iraq was ranked seventh among crude exporters before the war, exporting about 1.8 mn barrels per day (bpd), under UN supervision, from output of 2.5 mn bpd. The N and S Ramaliah oilfields in the south of the country are capable of pumping more than one mn bpd. The N oil hub of Kirkuk has yet to be secured by US and Brit forces. Fears Iraqi soldiers might repeat the sort of damage to oil wells seen in their retreat from Kuwait in 1991 have so far proven unfounded. The US has estimated that fewer than 10 Ramaliah wellheads have been sabotaged. "There could still be some issues in the north or a counter-attack in the south, but the worst case scenarios, such as torching the oilfields, are not playing out," said Raad Alkadiri of PFC Energy in Washington. OPEC exporters, especially Saudi Arabia, have hiked output in the past few m to cover the loss of exports from strike-hit Venezuela and to cool high prices fuelled by war fears. Demand for oil normally drops in the 2nd quarter of the y at the end of the N hemisphere winter. Tribal warfare in OPEC member Nigeria has shut down about 29%, or a little more than 570,000 bpd, of the African country's output, offering further support for prices. Price hawks in OPEC are already concerned about the slump in oil, which had been close to $40 late in Feb. The price dive has revealed deep splits in the 11-member Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC Sec Gen Alvaro Silva said on Thu members had been authorised to use spare output capacity if necessary to make up a shortfall in Iraqi supply. But an adviser to Iran's oil ministry, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, said any output hike would be a "violation" since no decision had been taken to raise OPEC quota limits. Saudi Arabia, the world's top exporter and a key US ally, is pumping more than a mn bpd above its quota of 8 mn bpd, according to independent estimates. AUS could face an oil shortage in the next decade Melbourne. AUS faces an oil shortage in the next decade and will become reliant on imported crude oil, experts warn. Delegates from the world's premier oil production centres -- Texas, the Middle E, Indonesia and AUS -- are meeting this wk in MEL for the Assoc of Petroleum and Prod'n and Expl'n Companies conference. Assoc chief executive Barry Jones told the conference this morning AUS will become increasingly reliant on imported crude oil as domestic reserves wane. He says in the next 10 y imported oil will make up 80% of AUS's consumption. The Middle E is the world's biggest producer of oil and Mr Jones says the war in Iraq will only tighten world oil supply. Oil price continues fall Meanwhile the price of oil has continued to fall as expectations build of a short war in Iraq. The value of crude oil dropped more than 20% over the past week, to close on Fri at just below $US27 a barrel. Govt opens new areas for oil exploration Canberra. The Fed Govt has opened up a further 35 new areas in AUS waters for petroleum exploration. The move comes as industry leaders warn AUS's oil reserves will dry up in five y at current production levels, leaving the country with a massive import bill. The AUS Petroleum and Exploration Association is calling on the Fed Govt to offer more incentives for companies to invest in AUS exploration. Oil prices recently surged to over $US40 a barrel, but have fallen 25% since the start of the conflict in Iraq. Chamchamal. US ATTACK! US warplanes are reported to have launched a major air strike on Iraqi front lines nr a town held by Kurdish rebels in N Iraq. An AFP reporter says jets were heard o'head and a series of massive explosions were seen on an Iraqi-held ridge just 1.5 km from Chamchamal. It's a front line town controlled by the pro-US PUK. Chamchamal is just 40 km E of the city of Kirkuk, which produces about 1/3 of Iraq's oil. US special forces dropping into N Iraq Kurdistan (AFP). The US has begun flying in special forces into Kurdish-held N Iraq to follow up from 2 nights of airstrikes against an alleged al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group and prepare for a N front against Baghdad, senior Kurdish officials said today. A top political official from the pro-US Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said 4 transport planes carrying "scores" of US personnel flew into an airstrip outside Sulaymaniya overnight yesterday. "There were 4 planes carrying scores of US personnel, primarily special forces. They are being deployed across the region," said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity. Another source said the planes that flew into a small airstrip outside the city under cover of darkness were carrying 280 lightly armed troops, adding many have been deployed around the town of Halabja, where the PUK is battling Ansar al-Islam (Supporters of Islam). A representative of a French aid organisation later told an AFP correspondent he had seen some lightly equipped 100 W troops in uniform heading aboard 2 trucks and 2 buses NW from Sulaymaniya towards Arbil. Gerard Gauthier said the convoy was spotted on a mountain road about halfway between the 2 main cities in Iraqi Kurdistan. Al-Ansar, which controls an area between Halabja and the Iranian border and models itself on Afghanistan's deposed Taliban militia, is allegedly linked to both Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network and Saddam Hussein's regime. Its enclave was blasted by US cruise missiles and bombs on Fri and last night, and a ground offensive by some 3000 PUK fighters backed by US special forces is expected to follow in the coming days. "Ansar is a deadly terrorist organisation that will stop at nothing," the PUK's prime minister Barham Salih asserted. The road to Halabja was closed to journalists today, the day after an AUS TV cameraman, Paul Moran, was killed in a retaliatory suicide bombing nr territory held by Ansar and a 2nd Islamist group targeted, Komala Islami Kurdistan (Islamic Society of Kurdistan). The attack on Komala -- a mainstream Islamist group that had attempted to keep out of the PUK-Ansar dispute -- left at least 50 people dead. Witnesses said all the dead were Komala officials. The PUK said dozens of Ansar members were also killed. Salih justified the strike on Komala, saying the group had been warned to evacuate the area and stop providing Ansar members with safe passage. Komala's headquarters at the small town of Khormal lies between PUK and Ansar territory. "We told Komala to distance themselves from Ansar politically, militarily and geographically. This advice they did not heed," Salih asserted. "We told them that they cannot have it both ways." Komala has denied links with Ansar and other Kurdish sources have accused the PUK of settling scores with the group with US help. PUK officials said they hoped to "finish off" Ansar before turning their attentions to the key oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The PUK, one of the Kurdish groups that has been running the Kurdish north outside Baghdad's control since 1991, are positioned just 40km from Kirkuk. US military planners have been touring the frontlines for a number of weeks, and are believed to have been conducting intelligence gathering and identifying targets. Small teams are also believed to be operating nr Kirkuk, which was hit by a major airstrike late on Fri. Salih said there were "many dead" in a military complex nr Kirkuk that was targeted, and said "the situation in the city is chaos". However the opening up of a N front has been complicated by the complex negotiations with Turkey over the use of its airspace and territory. Washington has abandoned plans to send an army division into N Iraq via Turkey. Computer virus bring spread by Iraq conflict LA. The Iraqi war is also causing the spread of a computer virus by e-mail. Experts say the bug named "W-32 / Ganda-A" is a worm that takes the form of a message, luring users into activating it through their interest in the war. If opened, it will replicate by sending itself to addresses found on the computer's Microsoft Outlook e-mail files. The experts say the worm will also try to kill off anti-virus files on the computer's hard disk, and may cause the Microsoft Word program to crash. However, they say it is considered a low-level threat at the moment. Pentagon denies report on napalm Washington. The Pentagon has a denied a report in The Age on Sat that napalm was used in an attack by US Navy planes on an Iraqi position at Safwan Hill in S Iraq. A navy official in Washington, Lt-Cmdr Danny Hernandez, said: "We don't even have that in our arsenal." The US military says it last used napalm in 1993 and destroyed its last batch of the weapon in 2001. The report was filed by Age correspondent Lindsay Murdoch, who is attached to units of the First US Marine Division. Murdoch's report was based on information from 2 marine officers, who said napalm was used in the air strike on the hill. One of the officers repeated that napalm was used when Murdoch was asked by The Age foreign editor to confirm the story on Fri. Russia sold sensitive equipment to Iraq Washington (AP). The US State Dept protested that Russian companies sold sensitive military equipment to Iraq in the run-up to US-led war against Saddam Hussein's regime. One Russian firm is helping the Iraqi military deploy electronic jamming equipment against US planes and bombs, while 2 other Russian firms have sold anti-tank missiles and 1000s of night-vision goggles in violation of UN sanctions, The Washington Post reported in Sun editions. The State Dept today said it had raised the issue with senior levels of the Russian govt a number of times, particularly over the past 2 weeks because the equipment could pose a direct threat to coal'n forces. Moscow's response has been unsatisfactory, the State Dept said. The Post identified 2 of the firms as KBP Tula and Aviaconversiya, a Moscow-based company, saying that KBP supplied antitank guided missiles and Aviaconversiya provided the jamming devices. Established a decade ago, Aviaconversiya develops and produces jammers to suppress different kinds radio systems, including the global positioning system guidance gear used in aircraft and bombs. GPS receivers rely on signals from orbiting satellites. The US govt last y imposed sanctions on KBP for allegedly selling antitank weapons to Syria. KBP's laser-guided Kornet-E anti-tank missiles are designed to destroy armoured vehicles and tanks at a distance of up to 6,000 metres. "We aired news": TV station justifies PoW film Qatar (Reuters). The Arab satellite channel al-Jazeera has justified broadcasting pictures of what it says are American dead and prisoners of war by stating: "We did what our professional duty calls upon us to do. We aired news." US Def Sec Donald Rumsfeld said today it would be "unfortunate" if other TV networks carried the same pictures and American TV networks indicated they were treating the al-Jazeera footage, shot by Iraqi TV, with caution, with some opting to show only a still image of the dead soldiers or only limited excerpts of the questioning of POWs. CNN initially said it had decided not to air footage of the dead soldiers in the US and would show only a single frame which did not allow identification. But later today it ran brief video of one of the captured soldiers being questioned by the Iraqis, saying it had confirmed the relatives of the man had been notified of his capture. "We make this decision because reporting on the captives' treatment is an important part of the coverage of the war in Iraq," a CNN statement said. Rumsfeld said it was a breach of the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war to show "humiliating" footage of the American military captives. Sources at Centcom in Qatar said the US had e-mailed media organisations to formally ask them not to broadcast the pictures of the US dead or captured. Rumsfeld was shown a brief extract from the videotape while he was being interviewed on CBS's Face the Nation where he outlined Article 13 prohibitions on publicity surrounding POW's. Interviewed later on CNN, Rumsfeld said, "and needless to say, TV networks that carry such pictures are, I would say, doing something that's unfortunate". The Internat'l Committee of the Red Cross agreed the footage violated the convention. But reps also said it could be argued US news footage and front-page pictures showing an Iraqi soldier being given water by US troops also violated the Conventions. An official at Qatar's al-Jazeera, the most widely watched news network in the Arab world, defended the decision to air the footage and took a swipe at the US for citing UN conventions while waging a war with no UN backing. "Countries all over the world should abide by all UN conventions. You can't pick and choose as you please," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "We did what our professional duty calls upon us to do. We aired news." The tape showed some US soldiers being interrogated and some dead from gunshot wounds to the head. US officials said a small number of US soldiers had been seized. There was no confirmation of reports that the capture involved as many as 10 troops from an Army maintenance unit. Despite the controversy over showing pictures of US prisoners, images of Iraqi prisoners have appeared in US and Brit media in the past days, although some had their faces deliberately blurred. A spokesperson for Fox News said the network had "no plans to air the POW footage at this point". She said Fox had decided to show a single still image of dead US soldiers in which the dead were unrecognisable. Barbara Levin, a rep for NBC, said the network was deciding what to do with the videotape. Asked if the network would be swayed by Rumsfeld's views, she said NBC was a news organisation that made editorial decisions "all the time". ABC said it had not aired the footage. CBS said it had only shown a few seconds of the tape while Rumsfeld was in the studio, because the pictures were felt to be newsworthy. CBS rep Sandy Genelius said the company had agreed to show the tape subsequently with the faces of the prisoners blurred out. It had also agreed to wait until next of kin had been contacted by the Pentagon before ultimately deciding what to do with the film. "I think we'll make those decisions in real time," she said, adding that Rumsfeld's criticisms appeared to be aimed at al-Jazeera. CNN Internat'l, which airs abroad and has few viewers in the United States, said it had shown parts of the "disturbing" video of the POW interviews, after having given the Pentagon time to notify the families. CNN Internat'l said it would not show the video of the dead bodies but would air a single image with no identifiable features. Iraq promised to respect the Geneva Convention and said it would not harm the prisoners. Pres George W Bush warned Iraqis they would be treated as war criminals if they mistreated the prisoners. A senior US officer, Lt Gen John Abizaid, said he was "very disappointed" that al-Jazeera had chosen to air the picture in breach of the Geneva Convention. "It is not right and we will hold those (responsible) accountable for their actions," he told a news briefing in Qatar. HK hospital chief ill with pneumonia, fears spread HK (Reuters). HK's hospital chief has been hospitalised with symptoms of pneumonia, fuelling fear that a killer respiratory virus could be spreading faster in the territory of nearly 7 mn people than 1st thought. William Ho, chief executive of the Hospital Authority, was admitted on Sun, a govt rep said on Mon. A senior HK doctor blasted the govt for not doing enough to contain the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus that has killed 18 people worldwide and infected 100s. It has also taken a heavy toll on tourism. The virus has spread to HK, Vietnam, Singapore, Canada and Germany after 1st showing up in S China late last y. Suspected cases have been reported in the US, Brit and AUS. In HK, 247 people are infected, with 242 having developed full-blown pneumonia. Ho, chief executive of the HK's Hospital Authority, had been working on the outbreak for the past few weeks, visiting hospitals, briefing snr govt officials, including leader Tung Chee-hwa, and meeting the press. The govt rep said it was not yet known if he was suffering from SARS, which has killed 8 people in HK. The S China Morning Post said 3 office workers had apparently caught the disease from a colleague -- the sister of an airport employee who had spread it to dozens of staff at a hospital. It was believed to be the 1st time that people had been infected by a co-worker in an office. Workers disinfected a handful of schools over the weekend after 6 children were taken ill with the disease and will begin cleaning about 2,000 more schools on Mon. Experts believe the disease is caused by a new virus from the paramyxovirus family, a large group of microbes that includes germs that cause measles, mumps and respiratory infections. Initial symptoms include high fever, dry cough, chills and severe breathing problems. Even healthy, athletic adults can end up on a respirator within five days. Education Secretary Arthur Li has ordered about 180 children with infected family members to stop attending classes for a wk from Mon. Fears of a wider outbreak have been growing since 6 school children and a growing number of private clinic doctors and nurses were taken ill. While the disease is believed to have started late last y in S China, killing five and infecting 300 others, HK is now at its epicentre. Airports and airlines around the world have begun barring passengers showing flu-like symptoms. HK doctors have been treating patients with ribavirin -- an anti-virus drug -- and steroids. They say the regimen works for most patients if treated early. A delegation of five experts from the World Health Organisation met health officials in China on Mon, but no details of their talks were immediately available. Washington urged US citizens on Sun to consider leaving Vietnam because of the disease and said it was offering free flights out of the country to family members of US diplomats. Two people, a doctor and a nurse, have died from the pneumonia in Vietnam, which has more than 50 cases. Singapore had 51 cases as of Sun. Don't send negative emails to Aust troops: Govt Canberra. The Fed Govt says negative messages from the public will not be passed on to AUS troops in the Middle E. The Defence Dept has established an email address so people can send messages of support to the troops. The Min assisting the Min for Defence, Danna Vale, says more than 6,000 emails have arrived since last Tue with the majority being positive. She says people should think twice before sending a negative message. "There are some negative ones but of course, they are looked at very closely and they are not sent on to the troops because the idea is to be supportive of the troops," Ms Vale said. "That doesn't mean that people don't have a right to express their messages against what they believe is happening, but there are other forums where they can actually do that. ...as the PM has very clearly said on many occasions, if you have a beef with the war, take it up to us -- we're the ones that you should be saying it to, not the troops. They are doing as they are ordered." Calls for release of health study of Gulf War veterans Canberra. There are renewed calls for the release of the health study of 1991 Gulf War veterans. The Opposition says the Fed Govt has had the final report for 4 m, but a rep for the Veterans Affairs Min, Dana Vale, says it is still being considered and will be released as soon as possible. Labor backbencher Graham Edwards, a Vietnam veteran, says AUS troops should have seen the results of the study before they left for the Middle E. "There is information in that report which goes to the health and well being, not just of people being deployed currently, but those people who were deployed in that same region over a decade ago," he said. Aust-Singapore FTA a model for future bilateral deals Canberra. AUS says its new free trade agreement with Singapore is a model for bilateral deals with the rest of the Asia Pacific. AUS's chief trade negotiator Stephen Deady says the document signed in Singapore last m is strong and comprehensive. Mr Deady told Fed Parliament's Treaties Committee that the Singapore agreement is a model for bilateral free trade deals being negotiated with Thailand and the US. "It does provide I think a very good template for further bilateral free trade agreements that may be negotiated between AUS and other countries in the Asia Pacific region," Mr Deady said. "There's a very strong legal basis for the agreement. "It's based very strongly on the WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules. "As I said it's fully consistent with those rules. "It also demonstrates I believe that free trade agreements can complement our multilateral efforts. "They can deliver results in a shorter time period than in possible in multilateral negotiations." Wild weather brings stock losses Adelaide. Reports of widespread stock losses are coming in after last week's severe weather. Thunderstorms dumped more than 25 mm of rain across much of the mid and lower SE SA last Wed, with some areas getting more than 100 mm. John Kidman, from nr Penola, says he lost more than 1,000 sheep, including key breeding stock. Canberra. HEROIN DROUGHT! A new report says AUS's continuing heroin drought is seeing users turn to prescription and other drugs. The AUS Illicit Drug Report for 2001/2 says around 420 kg of heroin was seized during the y, almost double that of the prev y. More than 90% of the heroin seized -- just over 378 kg -- was taken in a single sting in Bris. Justice Min Chris Ellison says that while the number of heroin users are down, there's been an increase in the diversion of prescription medication cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine. Townsville. DENGUE! The Tropical Pub Health Unit says 140 people have now been struck down with dengue fever in the FNQ city of Cairns. A rep says the disease is still confined to the inner city and pockets of the N beaches. Dengue fever, which is spread by mosquitoes, was eradicated from N AUS in the 1950s but returned in the 1980s. Its symptoms incl headache, high fever, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and vomiting. Jeez! That's what it is! Perth. WA BUSHFIRES! Firefighters are still battling a massive bushfire despite o'night rain in SW AUS. The fire's raged through 5,000 ha nr the community of Walpole. The blaze was sparked by lightning strikes in dense forest on Sat, and force the closure of a section of the SW Highway nr Manjimup, 350 km SW of Perth. A Conservation and Land Mgt rep says o'night rain has slowed but not stopped the fire. Sydney (close). MARKETS! The All Ords closed down 10 pts to 2,828. In Japan, the Nikkei roared up 3%. The FTSE was down more than 60 pts o'night at 10 pm. West Tex crude rose to just over $US28/bbl of fears the war may not be as quick as 1st thought. Gold tumbled to 3 m low at $US329/oz. The AUD is trading around 59.45 US cents. *** START CONTINUOUS WAR COVERAGE *** 21.30 A US missile has hit a bus, killing 2 Syrians fleeing the war in Iraq. There has been no response from the Coal'n to the reports. Iraqi TV has been showing an Apache Longbow chopper, downed 75-100 km S of Baghdad. The machine still has its Hellfires intact. It appears undamaged, in fields surrounded by jubilant Iraqis. The Iraqi Info Min says it was brought down by small-arms fire from a farmer. Observers say it probably was taking part in attacks on Rep Guard units. The Info Min says "maybe" Iraq will later display the captured pilots. Or maybe not. He also says a 2nd coal'n Apache was also shot down, but was not shown on TV. The US military says the footage is authentic, but speculate the choppers ran out of fuel. There is also some doubt the pilots have been captured. 4 Iraqi missiles have headed in to Kuwait City from Iraq. 10.30 pm Air raid sirens are sounding in Baghdad. 11 pm US networks are reportedly mostly following a Pentagon request not to show pictures of dead or captured Americans. The Pentagon has admitted that 2 T'Hawks have "mis-fired" and landed nr a Kurdish town in N Iraq. 11.30 pm There have been artillery exchanges between Coal'n and Iraqi forces nr the S port city of Basra. Saddam Hussein has appeared again on Iraqi TV. He appeared much more confident that his 1st appearance after the 1st night of attacks on Baghdad, incl a strike on his command bunker and homes. He said US & Brit forces had been met by the "heroic resistance" of Iraqi fighters. He said the Coal'n would be trapped in a "quagmire". Saddam said Iraqi would win. He called on his troops to "hit their heads off" and "be patient". The Pentagon is not sure the picture is current, despite Saddam mentioning the fight for Umm Qasr. Support for Pres Bush is touching 70%, up an incredible 19 pts in the past 10 days. 11.50 The WashPost has raised questions about the US war strategy, saying officials had re-assured everyone American troops would be greeted as liberators, but that hasn't happened. The official Syrian news agency says 5 people have been killed and 10 injured on a bus that was hit by a US missile. The Syrian bus was nr the Iraqi town of Rutba, and was about to cross to Syria when it was hit by the missile on Sun night. ---------------------------------------- Tue, 25 Mar 2003. Continuous war coverage Markets No, not the oil Coal'n casualties mount Aussie troops are safe US regrets blowing up bus US condemns massacre Explosion nr US base Kurds fear chem attack Pres to ask for $A126 bn Suspects released from Cuba Baghdad bombarded for 5th day Aus Sp Forces may have jumped the gun Saddam says he will win US forces 80 km from Baghdad Basra under siege N Iraq under coal'n attack More missiles launched from Iraq Resupply column starts out for Basra Arab countries call UN meeting Finger lickin good Killer flu in US Angry passengers will say on the ground Howard creams Crean 26 children injured in bus accident Shake Aus and Chile sign deal Tourism up Explosives found Volunteer firebug Parole cancelled Continuous war coverage *** RESUMING CONTINUOUS WAR NEWS *** midnight It's DAY FIVE. Up to 1,000 Iraqi soldiers are said to be inside Basra, currently exchanging artillery fire with Coal'n forces for the 1st time. Electricity and water have been cut off for 3 days, as Coal'n forces lay siege to Iraq's 2nd city. Coal'n forces have been confirmed at the city of Karbala, about 100 km S of Baghdad. Karbala was known for manufacture of chem and bio weapons in the 80s. The Coal'n says the S Iraqi oil fields are not secure. The admission comes 2 days after the fields were said to be secured. Govt buildings in Baghdad were hit o'night, in what was described by BBC World News as the 2nd-heaviest night of the bombardment so far. Reporters say there have also been explosions since dawn. For a 3rd day, acrid black smoke is rising from oil fires surrounding the Iraqi capital. Coal'n officials say the air defences of Baghdad are noticeably weaker, with Iraqi AAA now shooting blind. They say Iraqi radar is not being switched on because it fears being knocked out by Coal'n radar-seeking missiles. 0.20 am US Marines say they're battling to take the S town of Nasiriyah and are meeting resistance. The embed says an artillery exchange has been going on for several hrs. The Marines say they have control of the 2 key bridges in the area, but are continuing to take fire. Some Marine units have moved up, prepared to take control of the town. Marines say "over 500" Iraqi fighters were in the town yesterday, but they believe militias have been brought in o'night to stiffen the regulars stationed in the town. 0.25 am USS Mobile Bay, in the Gulf. Missile crews are preparing for the night's business. It's presently mid-afternoon. They have a "substantial number" of T'Hawks left, and will continue to deliver them to key military targets in Baghdad and other major cities in Iraq. The embed says pics of captured Coal'n soldiers on Iraqi TV has hardened the attitudes of all on board. There is also an alert for a "suspicious vessel" on the horizon that may be trying to target the large guided missile cruiser. UNHCR says water supplies and electricity have been cut off in Basra for days and the sit'n is grim for the 1.9 mn inhabitants. Because of the continued fighting around Basra, supplies can't be moved forward for humanitarian relief. They are worried that not only are the roads dangerous to travel for refugees, but they don't have the same means of transport they might have had 12 ya. Border teams are monitoring Iran/Iraq border and other borders. Right now, people are not headed to frontiers, but are staying in their communities or as close-by as possible. B-52's have taken off from England for more raids on Iraq. 14 of the bombers have been at RAF Fairford since the start of Mar, and have been seen taking off every day since the air strikes began. 12.35 Brit cmdrs say Coal'n tanks have destroyed some Iraqi tanks on the outskirts of Basra. But they complain Iraqi forces are not fighting clean, saying enemy forces have taken off their uniforms and retreated into the city, and are now firing artillery at Coal'n positions outside the city. Cmdrs say they are trying to be as precise as possible, but are firing artillery back into the city centre. They have also mounted loud-speakers and are about to drop leaflets to win a PR campaign against what are presumed to be elite Iraqi fighters in the city. Oil engineers flown into the Ramaliah oilfields say the equipment has been extremely run down over the past decade. Brian Krause says with 5-10 y work the fields could become the "premier oilfields in the world". Iraq currently taps about 10% of its suspected oil reserves. Brit cmdrs say the speed of their advance stopped retreating enemy from destroying more than a handful of wells. BBC reports Ansar-al-Islam fighters control about 40 villages in N Kurdish Iraq. But bombing o'night has only managed to kill about 60 fighters from rival Islamic groups. Ansar fighters have reportedly withdrawn from all their obvious targets days before the US bombardment began. The Ansar are blamed for a string of outrages, incl the suicide bombing of an Aussie camera crew last wk. American special forces are believed to have started arriving in Kurdish-controlled air strips in the region. Several 100s are expected. But the fighting will be done by the Kurds. Relations between the US and Turkey are at rock-bottom as Turkey starts to move troops across the border into N Iraq. In the closest Turkish town to the border, the military presence is high-profile. But 10s of 1000s of other Turkish troops that are ready to cross to provide what they say will be "humanitarian assistance" to the Kurds are diplomatically out of sight. India has called an emergency meeting of its Security Committee after 24 Hindus were killed by suspected Muslim rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir. The US military say they're looking for the 2 crew of an Apache helicopter missing nr Karbalah, S of Baghdad. Coal'n armour are reportedly already in the area. Earlier, a downed Apache was shown on Iraqi TV. 2 Brit soldiers are MIA in S Iraq after they came under fire. 1.05 am Doha. Gen Franks to give his 2nd briefing [40 mins]. Started by offering condolences to families and wounded. Forces are operating t'out Iraq. Coal'n forces in the oilfields, protecting Iraq's future. Air attacks on military targets. Major land formations continue to move. Progress has been rapid, and some places dramatic. De-mining has cleared 1/2 the channel to Umm Qasr. Humanitarian assets will be delivered within next few days. Sporadic resistance on the battlefield. There has been and will be Coal'n casualties. Intentionally by-passed enemy troops. Clean-up will continue "across the days". Contact with Iraqi guerrillas is not unexpected. Gen Vince Brooks then gave pics of ops in C and E Iraq. Attacking armoured formations [seemed to be single tanks and APC's in C Iraq], a MiG on the ground, and a military bunker. Before and after pics of "regime targets" attacked over past several days. Hunting for WMD and ballistic missile systems. "On track". Showed maps of positions. Attack helicopter downed N of Nasiriyah. Basra airport secured. Pic of chopper towing mine sled in the Gulf. No conf of mines laid [contradicting Gen Franks who said 1/2 the channel had been "cleared"]. Showed examples of some of the 28 mn leaflets dropped. Different themes. E.g. warning to unit that equipment will be destroyed unless they abandon it. Calls for Iraqis not to dump oil in waterways. Capitulation instructions and signals not to attack. Were some examples of enemy demolitions on well-heads and blowing them. Assessment team was able to work and able to shut one fire off by turning off separation plant. Only 7 fires in field of 500 well-heads. Franks said a "great many" enemy had laid down weapons and walked away. POW count now approx 3,000, he said. Still in contact with a number of Iraqi unit leaders. Missing Apache was one of 30-40 moved into that target set. Crew of 2 is MIA. Denied isolated Iraqi units was moving fight to their terms. Said some enemy were exhibiting "criminal behaviour" in placing men and equipment nr civilian areas. Warned there may be civilian casualties as a result. In answering a question about a downed chopper, seemed to indicate there may be multiple aircraft down because is spoke in the plural about "events" when denying that it had been farmers that were responsible for shooting down the aircraft. Reports that chem plant at Najaf contained no chem. Franks said "several handfuls of bits of information" about "potential locations" of WMD. Said they were based on speculation. It's a bit early for finding anything yet. Indicated did not have info from anyone that had actually been involved in WMD. Said "fear tactics" were being applied in cities and towns explained why no Iraqis had risen up to overthrow Saddam. Said he is a "fan" of embedded reporting. BBC reporters complained over lack of detail. Pointed to claims by Gen Brooks Ramaliah oilfields were under control. We have been told that 2-3 days ago, said one reporter. Why does the Coal'n need to tell us that again? He said it indicated the campaign may have stalled. Said it was significant Iraqis could continue to launch missiles into Kuwait on Day 5 of the conflict. 2 am One Baghdad hosp said 27 injured people had been brought in from bombing around the city in the past 12 hrs. A doctor said many of the victims were critical. 3 have reportedly died. Iraqi TV showed several homes that had been demolished in residential areas by Coal'n bombing. The latest attacks were "criticised" by locals, who said Coal'n forces would not be welcome in Baghdad. Marines say there were 10 killed and 40 wounded in the action to take the bridges at Nasiriyah. They say they now have control of the bridges. Their biggest problem now is snipers. 2.10 am There are reports of 1st engagements between US troops and Republican Guards just S of Baghdad. NBC's David Blood with the 3rd Inf says the troops are getting tense, seeing enemy on the roofs of nearby buildings. There are also signs that enemy artillery has been firing on other Coal'n troops that came through before them. Journalists were taken to Baghdad hospitals today. They saw many civilians in obvious distress. Iraqi officials said there had been no new deaths in bombing o'night, but 194 had been injured. 2.50 am A sandstorm has kicked up in N Kuwait, but reporters in the area say it won't affect operations. NBC TV showed an "interview" with selected Egyptians on the war with Iraq. All seemed hostile to American policy toward Iraq, and labelled the war illegal, immoral and unjustifiable. 3 am Reporters say they've heard one large explosion S of the city, and a series of other, more distant, explosions. Don Rumsfeld says Coal'n forces may start targeting TV and radio stations in Iraq. 12 injured US soldiers have been flown into a US base in Germany. They are reported to incl 7 combat injuries and others related to a "fragging" attack. 3.05 am UN Sec-Gen Kofi Annan has called for electricity and water to be restored to Basra ASAP. 15th Marines exped unit outside Umm Qasr says they've exchanged fire with Iraqi guerrillas. Following one exchange a number of enemy "surrendered" with a white flag. The men then turned around and disappeared into a building about 1/2 km away. Embed Jason Bellini said cmdrs are complaining of "dirty tactics". It's now pitch black, and Marines can't find the men with night vision glasses. They have been using wire-guided missiles and heavy machine-guns. They say they've seen women and other civilians in the area, and cmdrs are unsure who they are, but believe most are non-combatants. This has been the scene for about 3 days, says Bellini. Cmdrs are getting impatient and say they must go in, regardless of civilian casualties. Snr politicians in Washington are saying the US war strategy has concentrated so much on reducing Iraqi civilian casualties it is now putting the lives of US forces at risk. Baath Party HQ in the town of Umm Qasr has been captured by Coal'n troops. Russia, noting the conditions that certain US prisoners were being detained under in a US base in Cuba, has urged Iraq to observe all Geneva conventions. In a press briefing, Whitehouse mouth Ari F says there is "credible evidence" that Russia has supplied special equipment to Iraq, which is now being used on the battlefield. The equipment incl night vision goggles, anti-tank missiles, and GPS jammers. US officials say they've seen evidence of the GPS jammers, that affect JDAMS satellite-guided bombs, cruise missiles and warplanes. Russia has denied it supplied Iraq with equipment in breach of UN resolutions. A snr Russian official says Washington has brought this up to deflect away from the fact that the war is "not a picnic". Russia says Iraq could have home-grown GPS jammers or they may have purchased it from the former Yugoslavia. A reporter nr Nasiriyah says Iraqis are using "classical guerilla tactics" by running out to slow down trucks in the continuing Coal'n convoys, which are then attacked by snipers. 3.15 am In C Iraq, an embed says Apache helicopters have been checked for damage after they took some hits on missions yesterday. Cmdrs described the mission as running into a "hornet's nest". The attack choppers were trying to destroy Iraqi tanks and Republican Guard units in C Iraq, nr Karbala. Cmdrs have looked at gun-camera images. They say the Apaches destroyed 7 or 8 enemy troop carriers and some trucks. They say the main problem on the mission was AAA fire has damaged all choppers that flew the mission. The AAA fire was coming from "civilian areas". Pilots complained they spent most of their time trying to out-manoeuvrer Iraqi fire. 3.26 Cmdrs in Qatar say 1 Brit soldier has been killed in action today, S of Basra. It's the 1st Brit combat casualty. 2 other Brits are MIA. Cmdrs said 12 enemy T-55 tanks were destroyed and, they presume, their crews. [The MoD ID-ed the dead soldier as Sgt Steven Mark Roberts, 33, from the 2nd Royal Tank Rgt. He was from Bradford. According to the Telegraph, Sgt Roberts was shot while trying to calm rioting Iraqi civilians at Az Zubayr, nr Basra]. CNN reports that 2 missing journalists that were with an ITN presenter that was killed outside of Basra, may be injured and in an Iraqi hospital in Baghdad. 3.40 The Arab League, meeting in Cairo, has condemned the US invasion of Iraq, calling for a complete and immediate withdrawal. It said the war was illegal and in contravention of the UN Charter. It announced it would reject any move to turn the UN into a body that dealt only with providing humanitarian aid. The world body should continue to work to support world peace, it said. Iraqi For Min Naji Sabri told a press conf that Coal'n forces were mis-treating civilians in S Iraq, forcing them to the ground to undergo hard physical searches. He called on Arab countries to stop allowing Coal'n forces from using their territories. 3.50 Baghdad has suffered its 4th air raid of the day. It came without air raid warnings. Iraqi authorities say 62 civilians have been killed and about 400 injured in the last 24 hrs. Most were outside Baghdad, they said. 4.14 Nasiriyah. The latest cas figures from the biggest fight the US forces have faced so far in Iraqi Freedom are 10 dead, 12 wounded, and 16 MIA. Pics of 2 burned-out US APC's have been shown, along with the remains of trucks in a supply convoy that was attacked yesterday. Cmdrs say the numbers are likely to be revised up. At present Iraqi regulars and paramilitaries are engaged in a mortar attack on one group of Marines. The US forces are replying with their own mortar fire, and have called in air support. The USAF says it's conducted 7,000 sorties into Iraq. They say none has been hit by enemy fire. 1,000 sorties will fly into Iraq, 80% of them will hit Republican Guard positions in the Baghdad area. A-10 Warthogs are preparing to fly out of a "base near Iraq" to attack ground positions with their 30 mm canon and AGM-65's. 4.22 Sirens are being heard again in Baghdad. It's Mon, 8.20 pm. The lights are still on, and Iraqi TV is still b'casting. The Aussie SAS has been shown on TV, allegedly working in W Iraq, looking for missile launchers that might threaten Israel. 4.50 The US State Dept is still "working" on claims from Iran that 2 T'Hawks landed in that country over the past 2 days. Dick Boucher says Iran is still not sure the missiles were US cruise missiles. *** END CONTINUOUS COVERAGE *** Sydney (noon). MARKETS! The price of oil spiked higher o'night, on fears the war may not release Iraqi oil as soon as prev expected. Today, stocks in AUS are falling, following the lead from O/S markets. The All Ords is currently down 18 pts to 2,810. After an 8-day run, Wall St was down 3.6% o'night with the Dow closing at 8,214. The Nasdaq was also down 3.8%. In Brit, the FTSE was down 118 (3.2%) to 3,743. Germany was down 6%. Switzerland was down 5%, with traders saying they were 100% concentrated on Iraq. Today, the Nikkei is down. Gold is trading around $US330/oz. Oil is rising, currently at $US28.29/bbl. The AUD is trading around 59.48 US cents. [The All Ords rallied slightly, to close down only 6 pts. The Nikkei closed down another 2%]. Lagos. NO, NOT THE OIL! Oil majors say they have shut down well producing more than 1/3 of Nigeria's oil exports, as ethnic militants in the Niger Delta threaten to destroy the firms' evacuated facilities. Meanwhile, the W Af country's army claims to have gained the upper hand in its battle with heavily-armed Ijaw fighters who want increased political representation. Despite the army's reassurances, Ijaw leaders have warned their struggle is far from over, and the Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell has evacuated 4 more facilities in the troubled region. Doha. COAL'N CASUALTIES MOUNT! As of midday Coal'n casualties included 39 dead and 12 MIA, including those POW's shown on Iraqi TV. Sydney. AUSSIE TROOPS ARE SAFE! ADF Chief Gen Peter Cosgrove says all Aussie troops serving in Iraq are safe. However he told Ch 7 the pockets of resistance facing Coal'n forces is unexpected and puts them at very grave risk in the march to Baghdad. Gen Cosgrove says the simplest thing to do would be to attack and eradicate the resistance. He says the Coal'n is taking a more patient approach in the hope that a lot of Iraqis will surrender when they realise it's a final campaign. Doha. US REGRETS BLOWING UP BUS! US officials have regretted blowing up a bus packed with civilians trying to escape the war. Reports by the official Syrian news agency SANA said a bus packed with 37 Syrian nat'ls was about 160 km from the Iraq/Jordan border, when it was hit by a US missile, launched from a warplane. The blast killing 5 people. The bomb was meant to hit a bridge. Washington. US CONDEMNS MASSACRE! The US has condemned a massacre by suspected Islamic militants of 24 villagers in Indian-administered Kashmir. State Dept rep Dick Boucher has called the attack "cowardly" and "terrorist". He says it appears aimed at disrupting the Kashmir state govt's attempt to restore peace and religious harmony to the troubled region. Don't have a cow man! Think of them as more "collaterals"! Brit, the EU and Germany have also hit out at those behind the killings. Bahrain. EXPLOSION NR US BASE! An explosion nr a US base in Bahrain has been blamed on anti-US protesters. US authorities were investigating whether the attack represents a threat to the US 5th Fleet C Command, stationed in Bahrain. There are no reports of injuries. It's believed the blast occurred when someone threw a gas-filled cooking container into a rubbish bin. Dohuk. KURDS FEAR CHEM ATTACK! 100s of Iraqi Kurds have abandoned their homes in N Iraq and headed for caves, fearing a chem attack from Iraqi troops. Washington. PRES TO ASK FOR $A126 BN! US Pres George Bush Jr is expected to ask Congress for about $A126 bn to pay for the war with Iraq and to strengthen counterterrorism efforts at home. Lawmakers and congressional aides say more than $A105 bn is earmarked for the DoD. They say the figure is based on an assumption the US-led effort to oust Saddam Insane will take 30 days. Kabul. SUSPECTS RELEASED FROM CUBA! 18 men who were confined on suspicion of terrorism in the US military jail at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been returned to Kabul. They are presently in jail, pending confirmation of their ID's. In the largest "release" of detainees by the US, the men were flown to agram AFB in Afghanistan on Sat. They had handcuffs removed and were served tea before being taken to the local jail. Baghdad. BAGHDAD BOMBARDED FOR 5TH DAY! Heavy explosions have again rocked Baghdad, sending some huge fireballs into the sky as AA batteries fired SAM's in defence of the Iraqi capital. Reuters corresp Nadim Ladki says he saw at least 2 missiles arc into the sky as about 6 large blasts shook the city. Ladki says 3 appeared to have hit the C of the city, while others were heard to the S. Canberra. AUS SP FORCES MAY HAVE JUMPED THE GUN! In a press conf today Lt Gen Peter Leahy has hinted Aussie special forces may have been operating in Iraq ahead of the declaration of war. Previously, Gen Peter Cosgrove has said Aussie forces were not in Iraq before the AUS govt officially committed troops, hrs after Pres Bush gave Saddam Hussein 48 hrs to quit Iraq. At the press conf today Lt Gen Leahy kept using a carefully-prepared phrase that Aussie special forces had "reacted to" the announcement of war by the fed govt, and wouldn't deny a direct question from a reporter that they were operating in Iraq prior to the declaration of war. Baghdad. SADDAM SAYS HE WILL WIN! A defiant Pres Saddam has promised to hand Iraq a swift victory. In his 2nd address in the prev 24 hrs, a uniformed and solemn Saddam told the nation that victory was near. He says the more the allies advance into Iraqi territory, the more they are heading into a dead end, following reports that Coal'n forces are just 150 km from Baghdad. Karbala. US FORCES 80 KM FROM BAGHDAD! US-led forces have advanced to within 80 km of Baghdad as warplanes and attack choppers target Republican Guard units guarding the capital. 3 separate columns of Coal'n armour are reportedly advancing on Baghdad. However 5 days unto the war to topple Pres Saddam Hussein's regime, strong Iraqi resistance has kept Brit and American troops from entering the S city of Basra. Iraqi TV has also show what's apparently the 2 man crew of a downed Marine Apache attack chopper prev shown in the C of a grassy field nr Karbala. Iraq says the men are now POW's. Basra. BASRA UNDER SIEGE! W journalists have been shown the damage in Basra, currently under virtual siege by Coal'n forces. Iraqi officials showed a girls school that had been blasted by artillery fire. Reporters also saw Iraqis dancing in the streets, supporting Saddam. The gunmen defending the city was also shown, in civilian clothing. The inhabitants of the city are said to be living in wretched conditions, with electricity and drinking water still out. Some reports say 40% of the water supply has been restored, but that's from a local saline supply and is suitable only for washing. Outside the city Brit troops have set up defensive positions. They're checking cars coming and going from Basra. They've also been destroying un-exploded ordinance to make it safer for troops to come up in support. Brit cmdrs are worried about a growing guerrilla insurgency in the area They say "fanatical zealots" come out of Basra to harass troops with gunfire, and then go back to suppress the civilian population. Elsewhere, Iraqi gas masks were shown after they were found on the battlefield. Reporters say it suggests Saddam's own soldiers were expecting the use of poison gas against the Coal'n. So far, no WMD have been discovered anywhere in S Iraq. Kalak. N IRAQ UNDER COAL'N ATTACK! The N Iraqi city of Mosul has reportedly come under attack again. A Reuters witness says aircraft have carried out raids on targets in or around the city in a series of sustained attacks lasting at least 45 mins. Mosul, 350 km N of Baghdad, has been struck with repeated air raids since US-led forces began a war on Thu aimed at overthrowing the Iraqi Pres. Kuwait. MORE MISSILES LAUNCHED FROM IRAQ! In what has been seen as a further embarrassment for Coal'n officials that claim the region is "secure", 3 missiles have been fired from S Iraq into Kuwait. 2 of the missiles were downed by a US Patriot battery, and the 3rd was allowed to land harmlessly in the N Kuwaiti desert. A Kuwaiti Def Min'y rep says a 4th missile was launched from Iraq [some reports say "N Iraq"] but did not enter Kuwaiti airspace. A US military statement says 2 bright orange flashes were seen over Kuwait and the engaging Patriot missiles destroyed them. S Iraq. RESUPPLY COLUMN STARTS OUT FOR BASRA! The ABC (AUS) embed says the 1st major re-supply convoy has left Kuwait, headed into S Iraq. 70 trucks started out o'night. The Marine column cmdr, Maj Ballard says it's the largest convoy to leave for the front so far. But the convoy took a wrong turn in the dark, shortly after starting out, losing several hrs. In the morning, they came under sniper fire before even reaching the Iraqi border. The convoy had to stop while troops tried to find the sniper or snipers somewhere out on the desert. They didn't find anyone. The trucks crossed into the DMZ, seeing signs of the former regime -- a deserted UN observer post. They also found signs of civilian casualties, just over the Iraqi border. A ute had been blown apart after it was apparently hit by a shell. 2 bodies were covered with a blue tarp nearby. US Marines said the sight was "motivating". Whoever it was that shelled the car must have seen it as a threat and took it out, they say. The convoy passed blasted Iraqi tanks still mouldering in the desert from Gulf War I. They also saw dozens of Iraqi POW's in the distance, sitting on the ground in temp camps, surrounded by barbed wire. The column is moving on toward Basra. Re-supply convoys will allow Coal'n forces to fight on indefinitely. It's estimated just the US forces outside Baghdad will require about 1.9 mn L of fuel per day. Each Abrams tank uses about 6-12 L/km. NY. ARAB COUNTRIES CALL UN MEETING! Arab ambassadors to the UN are calling for an emergency Sec Council meeting to demand an end to the US-led war in Iraq. Syria's UN Amb Mikhail Wehbe, whose country is the only Arab member of the Sec Council, says the Arab group wants the US and Brit to withdraw their troops from Iraq immediately and unconditionally. It follows a similar call by Arab For Mins in Cairo. Oslo. FINGER LICKIN GOOD! Norway has expanded its trade in whale meat, despite an internat'l ban. Norway is the only nation that hunts whale commercially and gave the green light today for meat exports to the Danish Fareo Is. Norwegian whalers, who have govt permission to kill 711 whales this y, started exporting whale products to Iceland last y and hope to expand into the huge Japanese market. Washington. KILLER FLU IN US! US health authorities say they have detected a virus that is probably the cause of a mystery pneumonia that has killed up to 17 people around the world. The govt's CDC says the rogue virus is from the coronavirus group. CDC Dir Julie Gerberding says they have more work to do, but think they are on the right track. Gerberding says the collaboration among scientists led by the WHO is "unprecedented". Sydney. ANGRY PASSENGERS WILL SAY ON THE GROUND! Attention drunken yobbos and belligerent foreigners! Qantas passengers in airport rage incidents will be left on the ground under an agreement reached the airlines and workers. The no-fly police will be strictly enforced whenever security screeners are assaulted or are victims of airport rage. The Liquor, Hosp'y and Misc Workers Union struck the deal with Qantas and major airport security contractors to protect passengers and workers. Sydney. HOWARD CREAMS CREAN! A new poll shows PM Howard has recaptured his post-Bali approval levels as the majority of Aussies for the 1st time support the war in Iraq. The Newspoll, published in The Australian, shows 50% of Aussies support the war, while those opposed slipped from 75% to 42%. Last weekend's poll found shifts in how women, younger people and ALP supporters were thinking about the war. 60% of respondents preferred Mr Howard as PM, while Mr Crean's support slumped to 19% -- levels where Mr Howard was 1st dumped as Lib leader 20 ya. The Coal'n has also opened up a healthy lead over the Opp'n. The poll found 53% of Aussies prefer the Coal'n as the fed govt, while only 41% pref the ALP. Melbourne. 26 CHILDREN INJURED IN BUS ACCIDENT! 26 children have been taken to hosp after a school bus accident in inner MEL. A Metro Amb Serv rep says the accident happened just after 9 am when the bus and a truck collided at the intersection of Royal Pde and MacArthur Rd in Parkville. The rep says 51 children were on the bus. He says 26 were taken to Royal Children's Hosp with bruising and minor injuries. The children from St Paul's PS in Mildura were in C MEL on their annual major excursion. Perth. SHAKE! A small mag 4 quake has shaken residents E of Perth o'night, with the effects being felt 50 km from its epicentre. Geoscience AUS says the quake occurred in Meckering, around 120 km E of Perth at 1950 WDT with residents as far as Northam, York and Caunderdin feeling the effects. Duty seismologist Dr Mark Leonard says it's not expected to have caused any structural damage. Canberra. AUS AND CHILE SIGN DEAL! AUS and Chile have signed a social security agreement that will see Aussies working in the S Am country to receive pensions. Family and Comm'y Serv Min Amanda Vanstone says the agreement will ensure Aussies working in Chile receive the correct pension and didn't double up on superannuation payments. The agreement, which also allows Chileans working in AUS to receive pensions, currently affects about 550 people in the 2 countries. Brisbane. TOURISM UP! New data shows the number of internat'l visitors to AUS in Jan was 4.5% above the same time last y. The ABS says 396,600 O/S visitors landed in AUS in Jan, up 17,300. Among AUS's largest tourism markets, the number of Japanese have risen 11.5%, while arrivals from Brit are up 4.1%. The number of tourists from the US has declined 6.4%, and there are 2.4% fewer NZ visitors. Sydney. EXPLOSIVES FOUND! Police have disposed of a cache of explosives found in a shed in the NSW Hunter Valley. The bomb disposal unit was called to a house in Abermain yesterday after a new tenant found a bag filled with explosives. Officers evacuated nearby homes while they dealt with the find, and a subsequent search uncovered a 2nd suspicious device. Perth. VOLUNTEER FIREBUG! A volunteer firefighter has been charged with lighting 4 fires nr Perth. Authorities became suspicious when the man said he'd been attacked by a firebug with a knife. Brisbane. PAROLE CANCELLED! Paroled convicts suspected of being a risk to the community will have their parole cancelled under laws to go to Qld Parl this wk. Corrections Min Tony McGrady says the laws would apply to all prisoners on parole, in home detention or in work camps. Mr McGrady says the new measures show the govt is making community safety a top priority. *** START CONTINUOUS WAR COVERAGE *** 4 pm Pres Bush has made an angry telephone call to Russian Pres Putin, accusing Russia of providing proscribed equipment to Iraq, even in past wks. Commentators in Russia say the Kremlin has been warning about a resumption of Cold War conditions following the re-start of US spy flights this wk. They say U-2's have started flying again along the S Russian border. 4.30 pm Behind front lines Iraqis have launched fresh counter-offensives at Nasiriyah. Fighting outside Basra is also said to be "intense". B-52's have been dropping payloads of bombs onto Republican Guard positions on the S edge of Baghdad. But reporters say the resistance to the presence of Marines about 75 km S of Baghdad have been increasing. They say they've come under fire from civilians in unmarked cars and trucks. They say there's a big difference between the "cordial reception" in the S and it's now "anything but that". Coal'n cmdrs say they fear Saddam is preparing to use chem weapons. However, analysts say modern armies have nothing much to fear from chem or bio weapons, it will just slow their advance. The weapons are more likely to injure the Iraqi forces that try to use them. But their affect on nearby civilian populations will be disastrous. 4.35 pm Reporters have cast doubt that gas masks found in S Iraq mean Iraqi troops expected Saddam to use chem weapons. The masks have turned out to be decades-old, and reporters speculate they were part of the std kit. They would not have been abandoned if troops feared they would be needed. [Other gas masks were later show that were dated 2002. At least 1 pack displayed contained atropine. Soldiers said it indicated some Iraqis expected to be hit with nerve agents]. 40,000 Germany protesters have marched along the route in the E city of Leipzig protesters used to bring down the Wall in 1989. Protesters said they were happy German soldiers were not in Iraq. Some feared the conflict might spark WWII. They said they were happy their govt was standing up to the US over the war. But some said they should go further, withdrawing overflight rights. A new poll finds 81% of Germans support their govt's anti-war stance. For the 1st time in 6 m Schroeder has also overtaken his chief opponent in the opinion polls. The US and Brit have finished the expulsion of all Iraqi diplomats. Greece, Italy and the Czech Rep have ordered the expulsion of more Iraqi diplomats, but have continued to allow Iraqi Embassies to operate, against requests from the Bush Whitehouse. 5 pm A fierce battle is taking place between Marines and enemy units units about 120 km S of Baghdad. But it's understood the elite Republic Guard has not yet been engaged by ground forces. 2 Divisions are positioned about 75 km S of the Iraqi capital. Coal'n cmdrs say the battle here may be decisive. Brit PM Blair is to travel to Camp David on Wed for a war summit with Pres Bush. It will be the 1st meeting between the 2 since the start of GWII. BBC reporters in Baghdad say although last night's bombings appeared to be distant, they still shook their hotel. They can only imagine the Hell that has been visited on Iraqi troops to the S of the capital. Citizens are apprehensive. They know the Battle for Baghdad is imminent. Reporters say they've seen 6 govt Mins in the flesh and say they believe the regime is in full control, despite propaganda from Centcom and Washington. They say the Mins are travelling incognito around the city. US networks have been relaying Iraqi TV images of 2 captured US chopper pilots. They have shocked America, just a day after other POW's and dead troops were briefly shown in US media. Many Americans are now resigned to the war being longer and bloodier than they previously thought. And they're blaming the Whitehouse. In Doha, Centcom is preparing Americans for even worse to come. Although Iraqis have been staying home, leaving a refugee camp on the Jordan border almost empty. It was designed for 10,000. But nearby, in a separate camp for "foreigners", several 100 people that called Iraq home for years are trying to return home. Many are women and children. They're Sudanese, Somalis and other guest workers from Africa. Some say they've called Iraq home for 16 y or more. They fled Sudan because of civil war there. Now it's followed them to their new home, and they're trying to return to Sudan again. Most say they left Baghdad or other Iraqi towns with nothing. 5.20 pm Nasiriyah. A large convoy of Coal'n forces is pushing through to Baghdad, bypassing the township. 50-70 tanks are guarding the bridges and convoy. 1000s of Marines were spotted, lying prone on the ground, preparing to guard convoys coming through. Reporters say Marines have come under fire from enemy in plain clothes that have driven to the area in taxis. The area isn't secure. Cobra gunships have been seen firing at ground targets. P&O says its bid to rebuild the port of Umm Qasr has been rejected by the US group financing the project. The company is one of the world's major port operators. The move has aroused fears that non-US companies will be frozen out of $US900 mn of rebuilding projects already on the drawing board. Meanwhile, a former Iraqi Oil Min, now heading up a global energy think-tank in London, says US companies are not necessarily going to get the lion's share of Iraq's oil contracts after the war. While the US presently imports about 2/3 of Iraq's production under the oil-for-food restrictions, he says the post-war division will depend on the govt policy of post-war Iraq. [Stevedoring Services of America won the contract]. 5.30 pm Def Min Sen Robert Hill says more Aussie troops could be sent to the Gulf if the war drags on. The PM says the war is going well, but the next phase will be the most difficult to date. BBC World News says of the $75 bn Pres Bush has asked Congress for to fund the Iraqi war, only $1.5 bn is for post-war reconstruction, and only $500 mn will go toward humanitarian aid. The aid and reconstruction numbers "may present a problem", say observers. An estimated $2 bn in US ammo has so far been expended. 6 pm Singapore. An emergency meeting at the Bank of Japan concentrated on the effect of the Iraqi war on the J economy. But it's left traders unimpressed. The govt announced $25 bn in spending to buy back shares from big & indebted J banks. But the sell-of has continued, with the Nikkei falling another 2.3%. Exporters led the market lower, with the USD at its lowest level since the start of GWII. 6.15 pm Brit troops are reportedly entering the city of Basra. The change of policy is due to the growing humanitarian crisis in the city. Residents have been without drinking water for 3 days. In Washington, Dep Sec of Def Paul Wolfowitz today told BBC World News there would be an "explosion of joy" when the city was liberated from Saddam Insane's evil regime. Severe sandstorms in C Iraq have blown up in the past few hrs and may delay the start of the battle for Baghdad for days. The dust makes it difficult for the Apache choppers to "see", even with their high-tech eyes. In another worrying sign an unexpected 2nd front may open up in N Iraq, the Turkish Chief of General Staff has announced he will visit a closed zone on the border with N Iraq. Observes say it appears to be part of a tussle between the military and civil parts of the Turkish govt for control of govt policy. Iraqi TV has shown pictures of a downed US unmanned aircraft. Mike Waters, father of one of the POW's paraded on Iraqi TV, has berated Pres Bush on US TV. Holding a photo of his boy, he said the US Pres had taken his only son from him. In Hamburg, a group of anti-war protesters broke away from the main body of around 20,0000 and made for the US Embassy. Police used water canon to persuade them to go home. It didn't work. The US has rebuked the Myanmar govt after a bug was discovered in a prison nr Rangoon. A UNHCR rep had cut short his visit to the country after he discovered the bugging equipment in a room he was using to speak "privately" to political prisoners. 10 pm The Iraqi Info Min says Iraq has shot down 3 more Coal'n helicopters, and destroyed 30 Coal'n vehicles. He claims 8 Coal'n soldiers were killed. He also says 16 civilians have been killed, and 91 wounded in Baghdad since Mon as a result of Coal'n attacks. Brit forces at Umm Qasr claim that have complete control of the township. "Open and secure". Reporters don't know what it might mean in std English. A Marine Div have reportedly forced their way through a defensive ring around Nasiriyah after fierce fighting, incl tank duels and strafing runs of enemy positions by helicopter gunships. At least 17 Marines have been killed. 16 more are MIA. Reporters say up to 30,000 Coal'n troops have now crossed the bridges on the way to Baghdad. Brit paras have dropped in nr Baghdad and a Marine Div is also ready to meet the Rep Guard units ringing the Iraqi capital. But sandstorms in the area threaten to halt proceedings for up to 3 days. The Pentagon says Saddam has drawn a red line on a map, telling his elite troops that if Coal'n forces cross it they are to use chem weapons. There is no confirmation of the report. The "red zone" is believed to between Karbala and Kut, about 80 km SW and SE of Baghdad, resp. An Apache downed nr Karbala has been destroyed by Coal'n warplanes. Baghdad. Soldiers and civilians were seen hunting for an aircrew that had been rumoured shot down over the city. TV pics showed soldiers running along streets nr the Tigris, opposite the Palestine Hotel, and firing rifles. No-one was found. The Iraqi govt has called for the UN to re-start the oil-for-food program. The govt says it doesn't need humanitarian aid, adding it has enough money to pay for food for up to 2 y. In rejecting foreign aid, the Baath party hopes to make it harder for Coal'n forces to win the support of the Iraqi public. But getting food aid into the country will be enough of a challenge for the Coal'n, anyway. TV pics have shown US APC's moving along the highway to Baghdad, shrouded in a sandstorm. The embed reports that the funny noise in the background are snipers in the trench beside the road taking pot-shots at them. He sounds nervous, because his vehicle is a "thin skin", and could be pierced by high-powered rounds. 23.15 Washington says Russian technicians are on the ground, helping the Iraqi regime. The Whitehouse has asked Russian Pres Putin to do something about it. 23.37 In a press conf, PM Tony Blair said the strategy unfolding in Iraq is exactly the strategy that was set out ahead of time. Mr Blair had a special message for the Shi'ites in S Iraq, who had been betrayed last time when they were brutally repressed after being encouraged to rise up against Saddam in 1991. Mr Blair said they would not be let down this time. Observers say Mr Blair was indicating Coal'n forces would be staying. Mr Blair also talked about rebuilding "Iran". [What kind of mistake was that?] The PM said it's not about regime change, but about removing WMD. With a smile, he went on to say that after the regime is changed, he hoped the Iraqi people would discover how much they've been repressed when their country is changed to a W-style democracy. He said that presently, 1/2 the population was unemployed. He indicated that would change after the Coal'n wins the war. He also said the regime change would "send a signal to the rest of the world". 23.48 Brit cmdrs outside Basra say the city of about 1.5 mn is now a military target. They say "raiding parties" will be sent into the city to confront irregular troops that have been coming out to challenge them. Cmdrs said they still have no plans to enter the city in force. Iraqi VP Ramadan has called on Arab states to close their land, sea and air space to the Coal'n, and to stop selling oil to "the aggressors". He called on Arab countries to close US and Brit embassies, rather than killing their own people when they demonstrate against the war. Colin Powell has told the Americans to remain confident, that their troops would win the war in Iraq. He said there always came a stage in a conflict when it stopped looking like a video game and became serious. [This stage comes for many when it stops being a matter of gleefully capturing or killing off opponents wholesale, to one where one of "us" has been captured or killed]. Public funerals in Baghdad for bombing victims have turned into demonstrations against the invading forces. There is a question whether the Coal'n will ever be accepted in the Iraqi capital. ---------------------------------------- Wed, 26 Mar 2003. Continuous war coverage Markets Uprising in Basra Friendly fire kills 2 tank crews US targets Iraqi TV China mine toll rises Sandstorms slow progress Congress slashes Bush tax cut Biggest aid package ever GM canola report Gas project to start AUS higher ed AUS not confident *** RESUME CONTINUOUS WAR COVERAGE *** midnight It's DAY SIX. The port of Umm Qasr has been checked for mines and has been declared safe and open. Analysts say Coal'n forces are massing on the SE and SW corners of a box surrounding Baghdad. While the Coal'n has indicated they will wait for some days for sandstorms to clear, analysts say the pincer movement could go earlier. Coal'n reinforcements are also headed up the road from Nasiriyah, and will probably arrive in the next 24-48 hrs. In Baghdad there's a murky brown haze over the city. Reporters can't see from their hotels to the other side of the R. The bombardment of positions on the edge of the city hasn't stopped, however. Reporters say heavy bombs are apparently being dropped about 20 km away, but are still shaking the ground in C Baghdad. No air raid sirens have been sounding. There have been no blasts for 30-40 mins. There are explosions every 40 mins or longer in the city. AAA activity has dropped off. Some observers say the Iraqis have found it ineffective against high-flying bombers. Reporters say there's a real air of confidence from the Iraqi leadership, who've been giving numerous press conferences on TV over the past 36 hrs. 0.28 It's started to snow in Amman. SM Preston says his men have killed about 500 Iraqi troops in the past 2 days in the S of the country. He says the enemy troops he's found were "not very motivated". The FBI says it's conducted a total of 5,000 "voluntary interviews" with Iraqis living in the US. US officials say Saddam may be planning to use chem weapons against his own population and try to blame the US. Analysts say the Iraqi regime has prepared a major circle of defences about 80 km from the city. Reporters also say a deep trench has been dug on the outskirts of the city. 1 am Centcom, Qatar. Press briefing #3. Vince Brooks shows more slides. Maj Gen Renuart said 6 GPS jammers have been destroyed in the last few nights. He said they had no effect on operations. One jammer was destroyed with a GPS weapon. He said there had been some new casualties but would not confirm numbers. He said it was not safe for the civilian population to drive out of towns or cities to attempt to escape. He indicated if Coal'n troops see buses or cars are seen outside cities they may be confused with civilian vehicles being used by guerrillas. Gen Brooks prev described civilian cars and a bus that had joined a battle N of Basra. Gen Renuart said the N front remained stable, with the Kurds working with Coal'n troops. There was still no evidence of WMD, although mines had been found on a dhow. NBC keeps saying 20 US soldiers are KIA, 7 are MIA, and 7 are POW's. 1.45 am Gen Bazza McCaffrey has told an NBC audience the current strategy is "risky". He says the Marines have borrowed equipment from the Army, and it hasn't been optimised for the theatre. The supply lines are too stretched, and there hasn't been enough attention paid to securing positions behind Coal'n lines. Gen McCaffrey says psy-ops and air-power have been used to make up for the deficits. While he predicts a Coal'n victory, he indicates the strategy is screwed up. 2 am The weather in Baghdad has turned "ugly". The sand storms have picked up, and visibility has been reduced to 100s of m. It's also drizzling rain. ABC also says 2 missions flying from a/c had to be recalled because of the worsening weather, and a doz aircraft returned without even reaching Iraq. 2 Al Jazeera reporters have been cut from covering the US Stock Exchange. Officials say it wasn't due to the news agency's coverage of the war, but for "security reasons". At the Centcom briefing yesterday, an Al Jazeera reporter challenged Gen Franks, asking whether the Coal'n was just using a strategy of lies and deception, or had just been surprised by the Iraqi military. Doctors at a US base in Germany say they've received a total of 23 injured from Iraq, 8 of them critical. A range of injuries presented. 2.10 am It's dusk in Baghdad. Visibility is down to several m. On the outskirts of Baghdad, reporters were taken to the sprawling Brit-built Duuora oil refinery this morning. Apparently it had been targeted by Coal'n bombing. It's still working. All around were burning oil-filled trenches. Contradicting prev reports, BBC says some mines have been detected on the sea floor inside the port of Umm Qasr. Shipping will not be able to dock until they are removed. Brit troops also found a patrol boat with mines on board, and rails set up ready to disperse them. Analysts are saying the battle for Basra has been enlightening today. They say the battle has involved more than the "irregulars" that have characterised Coal'n reports for 2 days. They say the latest exchanges -- which were reportedly repelled to the N of Basra -- have involved regulars with up to 50 tanks. Somehow, these forces have been able to organise and arrive outside the city. Somewhere, analysts say, there must be re-grouping Iraqi forces that may be getting ready to challenge Coal'n forces outside Baghdad or elsewhere. There was an alert on the USS Mobile Bay today. It was the 1st of the conflict. An un-ID'd vessel appeared on the horizon and approached the missile cruiser. Seamen manned the guns. But the other ship turned out to be an armed Iranian vessel. Cmdrs now think Saddam has no naval forces of his own. But they are still on the look-out for small boats, possibly with suicide bombers on board. A Marine cmdr says 4 days of fighting have left about 100 Iraqis dead at the key Euphrates bridges nr Nasiriyah. 2.35 am Pentagon. Pres Bush has announced a "supplemental" request for $75 bn in funds needed for the US's global war on terrorism. The money would pay for fuelling US ships and aircraft, and transporting supplies to the other side of the world. He said the war continued in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines, and elsewhere. The money would also be used to fund security programs at home. Pres Bush said the money was needed to fund the war, and the peace that would follow. He urged Congress to approve the funds ASAP. The Pres said every dollar would be spent well. It's understood about $1 bn of the money will go to Syria, about $2 bn to Afghanistan, and $4 bn to Israel. Incl the funding, the US deficit will reach $400 bn this y. Observers say while the Pres has mentioned only 30 days for a period of the Iraqi war, but the funding requested by the Pres would last 5 m. They say it's been calculated that funding to pay for the peace in Iraq could cost around $550 bn. Reports from 2 NBC embeds between Nasiriyah and Baghdad say visibility is down to a matter of m and they are hunkered down. Winds are about 80 kph. One embed said a fire-fight nr a bridge had resulted in the death of 1 Navy corpsman, and 8 injured Marines. About 80 Iraqi prisoners had been taken and were being interrogated. Brit forces have been securing locations along the Iran/Iraq border, to ensure Iraq's neighbour doesn't try to take advantage of the war. A BBC embed was choppered in with Brit troops. He saw a border area littered with bomb carters. Not from the current conflict, but from the 80s war between the 2 neighbours. 3 am The Rumanian For Min has given a press conf after meeting with PM Blair and For Sec Jack Straw. He encouraged the effort to remove the regime from Baghdad. He said the Israeli/Palestinian conflict was a major concern for his country. He indicated he would support a UN Res for the post-war reconstruction of Iraq. Jack Straw was confident there would be a role for the UN in post-war Iraq. There is a report that Iran fired a missile this morning. It's unclear where it was aimed. Yesterday a rogue Coal'n missile reportedly landed in Iranian territory. A US F-16 has mistakenly attacked a Patriot missile battery about 50 km S of Najaf. A statement from the Pentagon said no-one was injured in the attack. It is now under investigation. It's the 2nd "friendly fire" incident involving a Patriot missile battery. 3.15 am A CNN embed with the 3rd Sq, US 7th Cav has described increasing resistance as his unit heads toward Baghdad. As they crossed the Euphrates, nr Nasiriyah, they came under heavy fire but kept going. Last night, as the convoy stopped, snipers opened up. A sapper was shot after he snuck up in a drainage ditch, threatening the journalists. Today, after the convoy crossed a bridge, they were bombarded with mortars and fire from positions about 300 m from the road. Fortunately, the weather intervened and they were able to escape without injuries. The US air war has shifted to "targets of opportunity", and the support of ground troops. K-Mart has posted a $3.3 bn loss for the FY. 3.30 am A new ABC News poll taken after US POW's were seen on TV shows support for the Pres is still strong. About 70% of Americans think Mr Bush is doing a good job. But 54% think the US will continue to sustain significant casualties, up from 37% last Thu. 45% now think the campaign will take months, not week. This is up from 37% last Thu. 80% think it will be a difficult fight to take Baghdad. 3.35 There are reports that a Blackhawk and an Apache are missing over C Iraq. A sandstorm was blowing at the time. 5 other Blackhawks returned from a mission to an undisclosed point S of Nasiriyah. The Saudi For Min says he's proposed a "peace plan" to the US and Iraq. He said he's not heard back from either side as yet. No details of the plan were announced. CNN reports no Coal'n aircraft has been hit by AAA or SAM fire in 1,000 of sorties flown over Iraq. They say not a single Iraqi aircraft of an estimated air force of 300 has been seen. Iraq is being described by USAF cmdrs as a "no-flight zone". About 1,400 sorties were flown today, down from 2,000 flown yesterday. One AFB in a "nearby country" that doesn't want to be ID-ed is presently experiencing rain and thunderstorms, with winds at 60 kph. 4.15 AUS PM John Howard has reportedly decided not to join Brit PM Tony Blair at Camp David tomorrow. Pres Bush has "invited" Blair and Howard to attend a briefing on the progress of the war. Mr Howard's office has declined the invite, saying the PM feels during a time of war it is "more proper" for him to remain in Australia. [As a cynic, I think people might also be using poodle calls from the public gallery in Parliament if he *did* go, and he knows that, too]. At a press briefing with Don Rumsfeld, Gen Myers said "plans" have been drawn up by Gen Franks if Iraq used chem weapons against Coal'n troops. He would not elaborate. Mr Rumsfeld said he didn't know whether or not chem weapons would be used. He also denied suggestions the Coal'n didn't have a large enough ground force to do the job. Rumsfeld said there are reports of a civilian uprising in Basra. Iraq says it's killed 8 Coal'n troops in S Iraq in the past 24 hrs. 6 am For the 1st time, Coal'n war plan has used precision guided munitions to attack a building in Basra. *** END CONTINUOUS WAR COVERAGE *** Sydney. MARKETS! The ASX marched into positive territory this morning, buoyed by gains on Wall St o'night. By 10 am the All Ords were up 7 pts to 2,829. Wall St closed modestly up o'night, following a big plunge the prev session. Gold is trading higher, oil is higher, and the AUD is trading around 59.75 US cents. Qatar. UPRISING IN BASRA! The Brit military says Iraqi civilians have apparently staged an uprising in the S city of Basra, and says it's the 1st sign the tide of Iraqi opinion may be turning against Saddam. Maj Gen Peter Wall, Brit Chief of Staff at Centcom, says the rebellion seems to be in its infancy. He says Brit troops are keen to exploit its potential. The evidence for the uprising comes from radio chatter. Brit troops say they've also seen "horizontal artillery fire" in the city being directed into crowds of people inside the city. Baghdad. FRIENDLY FIRE KILLS 2 TANK CREWS! 2 Brit tank crews have been killed after they were fired on by comrades in another Brit tank. The friendly fire incident occurred when the 4-man crew of one Challenger II tank were locked in a battle with Iraqi forces W of Basra. The Brit army says a single tank round killed 2 of the 4-man crew. The other 2 were seriously injured and were undergoing treatment at a military hospital last night. Baghdad. US TARGETS IRAQI TV! Iraqi state TV and another channel run by Pres Saddam Hussein's son have been knocked off the are by US-led air raids on the capital, Baghdad. However Iraqi satellite TV is still broadcasting normally. State TV, as well as the "youth channel" run by Uday, went off the air shortly after AFP reporters in the capital heard explosions from the latest raids. Beijing. CHINA MINE TOLL RISES! The death toll from a weekend blast in a N China coal mine has reached 60 as rescuers dig through the rubble have found more bodies. State media reports that 12 other miners remain missing, while 15 managed to escape or were rescued. Karbala. SANDSTORMS SLOW PROGRESS! Sandstorms have slowed US/Brit forces to a crawl and thwarted air missions as Coal'n forces edge closer to the Iraqi capital. The US military estimates 500 Iraqis were killed [later reports say about 300] during a 2-day sweep past the city of Najaf. At last 20 US troops have also been killed, and 14 are captured or missing since the operation began. Washington. CONGRESS SLASHES BUSH TAX CUT! The US Senate has reversed itself, voting to slash more than 1/2 of Pres Bush Jr's $A1.2 trillion tax cut and dealing a blow to the keystone of his economic recovery plan. The vote is a major victory for Democrats. A wk after refusing to do so, senators voted 51-48 to reduce the tax reduction's price tag to $A588 bn through to 2013. The vote came after the Pres announced a request for $US75 bn to win the war in Iraq, this law-makers predicting another, similar, amount might be needed to win the peace. Rome. BIGGEST AID PACKAGE EVER! A UN aid agency will make the biggest single request for cash in its history -- almost $A1.7 bn -- to help feed war-stricken Iraq for about 6 m. World Food Program rep Trevor Rowe says 60% of Iraq's 27 mn people, are totally dependent on food handouts. UN officials pulled out of Iraq after the start of the US-led war last wk, and the agency estimates Iraqis have about 5 wks of food left from the last distribution. Canberra. GM CANOLA REPORT! A new report has found Aussie farmers will produce $135 mn more from canola and wheat if they're allowed to use genetically modified canola. The report, compiled by Mel Uni's School of Ag and Food Systems, says GM canola would cut the use of a dangerous chemical while also boosting conservation farming techniques. AUS's GM watchdog is considering 2 applications to approve the use of canola which has been genetically altered to make it resistant to broad-scale herbicides. Darwin. GAS PROJECT TO START! The NT govt has given the environmental green light for the 1st stage of the Sunrise Gas Project. Stage One deals with the extraction of oil and gas from the Sunrise field by Woodside Petroleum in partnership with Shell, ConocoPhillips and Osaka Gas. NT Env and Heritage Min Chris Burns says the govt has accepted the Env Imp Ass Report for the 1st stage, incl a number of recommendations and conditions the project must meet to proceed. Canberra. AUS HIGHER ED! Fed Ed Min Brendan Nelson says AUS should not be frightened to turn knowledge into money. He also says unis are the best places to turn that knowledge into commercial success through patents and their ownership of intellectual property. Dr Nelson's released 2 dept reports showing unis' commercialisation processes and intellectual property mgt are "improving". Sydney. AUS NOT CONFIDENT! A global survey of confidence among workers has shown Aussie are quite insecure about their jobs, despite a strong local economy. Worldwide organisational consulting firm Right Management Consultants says 1 in 5 Aussie workers believe there's a possibility they will lose their job in the next 12 m. This is the 5th-highest number of the 17 countries surveyed. The most pessimistic workforce was is GB. ======================================== (*) Who is responcible for W.A.R.S? A small group of dedicated sandgrubbers, bannana-lickers and 5th columnists on the run from support payments and sundry legalese in their home countries. Mention us at any Uncle Harry's Suburban Bunker and get a 10% discount on cop-killers! All speling macroizated for correctitood by Mcrosotf Speelchek. *** IDENTIFY: FRIEND OR PIE? ***