Iraqi opposition leader urges US troops to stay until elections

WASHINGTON, April 20 -- An Iraqi opposition leader Sunday urged US troops to stay in Iraq until general elections areheld in the country.

"The military presence of the United States in Iraq is a necessity until at least the first democratic election is held, and I think this process should take two years," Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress, said in an interview with the ABC television network.Chalabi, who returned to Iraq shortly after the Iraq war broke out, said Islamic religious parties in Iraq could have a role in postwar Iraqi politics.

"There is a role for the Islamic religious parties ... because they have some constituencies. But they are not going to be forcing any agenda or any theocracy on the Iraqi people," he said.Chalabi, who is widely believed to be favored by the Pentagon but disapproved by the State Department, reiterated that he would not be a candidate for office in an interim authority to be set upunder US guidance.

"I am not seeking a political position in Iraq at this time. I want to focus on building civil society, I want to focus on building democratic institutions," Chalabi said. Enditem

US intends to maintain military presence in postwar Iraq: paper

WASHINGTON, April 20 -- The United States, planning to have a long-term military relationship with the postwar Iraq, intends to maintain its military presence in the oil-rich country,the New York Times reported Sunday.The planned long-term military relationship with the emerging government of Iraq would grant the US access to the Iraq military bases, the paper quoted senior Bush administration officials as saying.

The US military officials mentioned four bases in Iraq that could be used by the US military forces in the future.One is at the international airport just outside Baghdad; another at Tallil, near Nasiriya in the south; the third at an isolated airstrip called H-q in the western desert, along the old oil pipeline that runs to Jordan; and the last at the Bashur air field in the Kurdish north, according to the paper.

The military foothold in Iraq would give the US access to projecting its influences into the heart of the Middle East region.Meanwhile, Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress,called for US forces on Sunday to remain in Iraq until the country holds elections. "The military presence of the United States in Iraq is a necessity until at least the first democratic election is held, and I think this process should take two years," the exiled Iraqi politician said in an interview on ABC television's "This Week" program.

Chalabi is widely seen as a pro-American Iraqi politician and is the one whom analysts have said is the US choice to lead Iraq. He is also the first major exiled politician to return to Baghdad since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's government.

Britain launches inquiry into UK soldier's death

LONDON, April 20 -- British army had launched investigation into the death of a British soldier shot in Iraq after his colleagues claimed that he and some other soldiers were not issued with correct body armor, The Sunday Telegraph reported. "We are expecting answers to the most important questions in a few days and his family will be the first to be informed," the newspaper quoted a military officer as saying.

Sergeant Steven Roberts, 33, a tank commander with the Desert Rats, was shot in the chest during a riot near Zubayr in southern Iraq on March 23. He was the first British soldier to die in combat in the Iraq war which began on March 20. Roberts' colleagues complained that Roberts and some other soldiers should have been issued with ceramic plates, which were worn inside flak jackets for extra protection, the military officer said.

"We are trying to establish if he had it and chose not to use it or whether it was not made available to him," he said. During the military build-up to the Iraq war, many British soldiers had complained about kit shortages, the paper added. "There have been problems with the supply of some equipment, and the flow of desert combat gear has been too slow," the officeradmitted.

"If mistakes were made that led to his death, we will want to make sure they do not happen again," he added. All British soldiers in combat zones are under strict orders to make sure their flak jackets are fitted with the ceramic plates. Failure to do so is usually a punishable offense.Although a flak jacket without ceramic plates may stop shell splinters, it offers little protection against bullets .

11 killed as tourist ship sinks in Brazil

BRASILIA, April 19-- A ship with 45 people aboard returning from a trip around the Los Lagos region sank off the coast of Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, killing 11 and injuring several others, mostly tourists, authorities said.Rio de Janeiro Municipal Secretary of Tourism Carlos Mendes told reporters that the ship was carrying tourists from neighboring Sao Paulo state, who had visited Papagayo Island, a popular tourist attraction.

The 40-meter long ship sank at 11:00 a.m. local time (1400 GMT) and the cause is not yet known, Mendes said.Firefighters involved in the rescue operation said the roughness of the sea could have caused the accident, which took place just 500 meters off the coast in the Itajuru channel in CaboFrio, 80 km north of Rio de Janeiro.Authorities said the injured were taken to hospitals, and rescue operations were still going on.

Italian helicopter crash kills six people

ROME, April 19-- An Alpine helicopter crashed Saturday in the mountains near the resort of Sestriere in northernItaly, killing six people.Rescue squads said one person was injured seriously in the crash, which took place as weather conditions were deteriorating.

The dead were reported to be four skiers, flying up to high slopes, as well as the pilot, Aldo Saglia, and a guide, Mario Perona.None of the skiers was identified but the injured survivor was said to be 70 years old. He suffered multiple internal injuries but was breathing without assistance.The helicopter crashed into a mountain ridge between two other resorts, Sauze d'Oulx and Cesana, at an altitude of 3,000 meters Investigators said the pilot may not have seen the ridge because of thickening fog. Rescue teams said they would not be able to get the bodies downthis evening because of worsening weather.

Twenty-eight hurt in ferry accident at English harbor

LONDON, April 18 Twenty eight people were injured late Friday after a cross-English Channel ferry hit a wall in Dover harbor, southeastern England, operating company P&O Ferries announced. P&O spokesman Chris Laming said the Pride of Provence, carrying 489 passengers and 159 crew altogether, was arriving from Calais around 1630 GMT when it collided with the breakwater of the harborat Dover.

"Twenty-eight people have received minor injuries, including 18passengers and ten crew," he said. "I think the worse injury seems to be a broken nose," he told BBC News 24, adding that other injuries included whiplash, bruising and shock. However, nine of the hurt were taken to a local hospital and the others were treated by paramedics on board the vessel, said Laming. Laming said the ship was able to dock normally and is in no "physical danger." "We will launch an immediate inquiry but we are not speculatingas to the cause," he said. The British coast guard said seas were clam in the channel on Friday.

Built in 1983, the Pride of Provence has a maximum capacity of 2,036 passengers and 530 cars. It sails up to 35 return journeys between Dover and Calais a day, a 75-90 minute one-way journey. The 28,559-ton ferry left Calais at 1500 GMT