London, November 18
Admitting that the western forces had been powerless in containing violence in Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the invasion had been "disastrous".

Challenged in an interview on Al-Jazeera's new English-language channel that the western intervention in Iraq had "so far been pretty much of a disaster", Blair said: "It has."

Blair admitted that western forces had been powerless to stop the violence, but stopped short of accepting the blame for plunging Iraq to the brink of civil war - blaming instead the insurgent uprising that has killed 125 British troops.

But the admission in the interview will be seen as an historic climb-down for Blair, who has always fought to put a positive gloss on often disastrous events.

Blair went on to say: "It has, but you see what I say to people is why is it difficult in Iraq? It is not difficult because of some accident in planning, but there is a deliberate strategy, Al-Qaida with Sunni insurgents on the one hand, Iranian-backed elements with Shia militia on the other, to create a situation in which the will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war." According to a report in The Times, his frank remarks came on the day that one of his most loyal ministers was reported to have described the war as "his big mistake in foreign affairs".

Margaret Hodge was said to have accused Blair of espousing "moral imperialism", remarks that she denied through an aide but which were recalled by people who attended the private meeting at which she was alleged to have made them. — PTI

Nablus, November 18
Israeli troops conducting an arrest raid in the northern West Bank opened fire at a crowd of Palestinian rioters, killing three persons and wounding more than 30 others, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

The army said a crowd of about 200 rioters confronted the soldiers shortly after they arrived in the town of Qalqiliya late last night and surrounded a house. Palestinian officials said a wanted Hamas militant was inside the house.

The army said the crowd attacked the soldiers with rocks and firebombs, and the soldiers responded with warning shots and live fire. A firefight with Palestinian gunmen followed, the army said. The army said it received reports from Palestinian medics that two rioters were killed and 11 wounded. — AP

Islamabad, November 18
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said at least 60 terrorist camps have been destroyed in Baluchistan.

Terrorists trained at the camps had taken part in anti-state activities like bomb blasts and blowing up of electricity pylons, gas pipelines and railway tracks, he said yesterday addressing eminent people at port town of Gwadar in Baluchistan where the nationalists are involved in a violent struggle against government forces.

Violence in the restive tribal province has increased after the killing of Baluch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti. Baluch nationalists accuse the government of neglecting the province's development and have demanded more autonomy.

Announcing a slew of development projects, Musharraf said Gwadar port being built with Chinese assistance would soon be operational and the government was in the process of selecting a suitable port operator.

An oil refinery would be established in Gwadar where container terminals would also be set up, he was quoted as saying in the media here. — PTI

Paris, November 18
The Church of Scientology provides for several kinds of wedding ceremony for its followers, but according to the most traditional the husband "may promise to provide her (his wife) with "a pan, a comb and perhaps a cat." US actor Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes will provide perhaps the most high-profile Scientologists' wedding to date this weekend.

And according to unconfirmed reports in the Italian media, American Scientology leader David Miscavige will fly in from Los Angeles to preside over the event.

According to the Scientologists' book "The Background, Ministry, Ceremonies and Sermons of the Scientology Religion", there are five versions of the Scientologist wedding ceremony: traditional, informal, single ring, double ring, and concise double ring, all of varying length and formality.

Scientology's "traditional ceremony" includes such advice to the groom as "Now -----, girls need clothes and food and tender happiness and frills, a pan, a comb, perhaps a cat. — AFP

BRIEFLY

Muslims ban burqa
AMSTERDAM: The Dutch Government on Friday agreed a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. — Reuters

12 feared dead in plane crash
JAKARTA: A small twin-engine passenger plane has crashed in Indonesia’s remote eastern province of Papua and all 12 on board are feared dead, Papua police spokesman Kartono Wangsadisastra said on Saturday.— Reuters