Saturday, April 5, 2003, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Allies seize Baghdad airport
Saddam makes dramatic appearance on streets
Dubai, April 4
Consolidating their hold on Baghdad, US troops today captured the international airport on the outskirts of the city, giving the invading forces a key base of operations in a war to oust defiant Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
In video (28k, 56k)

Graphic: Target Baghdad
Editorial: Iraq after war
World page: Bush gets $ 80 b for war
Mock Statue of Liberty burnt
Arnett to report for pvt channel

A fuel tank burns in a hangar at Saddam International Airport, near Baghdad, on Friday morning as a Bradley fighting vehicle keeps watch. — AP/PTI photo

BJP for end to Iraq war
Indore, April 4
Deploring the “unjustified military action” by the USA, UK and their allies against Iraq, the BJP today said the war should be brought to an end and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq be preserved.

Four die as MiG-23 crashes into houses
Pilot bails out; IAF orders inquiry
Mullanpur Dakha, April 4
Four persons were killed and three others seriously injured when a MiG-23 fighter plane of the IAF crashed in a residential colony in a thickly populated area of the town, about 25 km from Ludhiana, this morning.

This is what remains of four houses after a MiG-23 fighter plane crashed into them in Bank Colony, Mullanpur Dakha, in Ludhiana on Friday morning. — Photo Inderjeet Verma

1 lakh compensation for kin of deceased
Ludhiana page: A date with death and devastation

Top engineers involved
Upper Bari Doab Canal project scam
Chandigarh, April 4
Several senior engineers, who handled the Rs 180-crore Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) remodelling project have been found involved in the scam pertaining to the project. Among them are a Chief Engineer, certain Superintending and Executive Engineers, besides a number of junior officers.

India takes Pak threat easy
New Delhi, April 4
India today dismissed as “knee-jerk” reaction Pakistan’s threat to use “full force” to any Indian “misadventure” and asserted that if Islamabad gave up its politics of terror, there would be no talk of military tension.
In video: Pakistan reacts angrily to Yashwant Sinha's statement. (28k, 56k)

Youth down with pneumonia under observation
Bhopal, April 4
As panic gripped the world over a killer respiratory disease, a pneumonia affected patient in Madhya Pradesh today underwent a battery of tests at a local hospital to ascertain whether he has contracted the deadly Asian pneumonia virus.

Ministries meet over SARS
New Delhi, April 4
The Ministry of Health today convened a coordination meeting with nominees from Ministries of Civil Aviation, Shipping, Home Affairs and External Affairs to deliberate on their respective duties and responsibilities to gear up to face the threat posed by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

H.C. Judge withdraws resignation
New Delhi, April 4
In a curious turn, Delhi High Court Judge Shameet Mukherjee today withdrew his resignation given four days ago in the wake of allegations linking his name to the DDA scam, saying he wanted to clear his name, but would like to keep away from judicial work till then.

Haryana not to have paid seats Admission to engineering colleges Chandigarh, April 4 Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Rohtak, will conduct the common entrance test for admission to engineering colleges in Haryana on June 10. Engineering colleges in the state have about 10,000 seats.