Northern Iraqi children go back to school

Schoolchildren in northern Iraq returned to class today for the first time since US-led forces attacked Iraq last month.

The UN children's relief agency UNICEF said it may be a sign that stability is returning.

Several hundred thousand Iraqi Kurds fled their homes ahead of the war, making it impossible for schools to operate.

'Will of people' to decide government

The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has said the will of the Iraqi people will be the main consideration in the formation of a new administration there.

The US has called a meeting in Nassiriyah tomorrow to begin discussions on establishing an interim Iraqi government.

In the House of Commons this afternoon, the British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that Saddam Hussein's army had collapsed across Iraq.

Mr Blair said those who were still fighting against US and British forces were foreigners.

The British Prime Minister has also set out a three-phase plan for Iraq's reconstruction.

In phase one the coalition would be responsible for security and humanitarian needs.

Phase two would see the establishment within weeks of a broad-based interim Iraqi Authority.

In phase three, a fully representative Iraqi government would be set up, with elections possibly a year after the interim authority had been established.

Marines seize control of Tikrit

Earlier today, US Marines seized control of Saddam Hussein's native city, Tikrit, the last stronghold of the Iraqi President.

American armoured vehicles are reported to be occupying key positions in the centre of the city.

The US military said occasional resistance had been encountered on the outskirts.

The Qatari Arabic language television station, al Jazeera, broadcast live pictures of US troops walking through the city centre and of tanks taking up position in a central square.

There was also an overnight firefight between US troops and snipers in the centre of Baghdad, near a hotel used by many members of the international media.

Baghdad police on patrol

Iraqi police cars, escorted by US forces, started joint patrols of Baghdad's streets today for the first time since the city came under American control.

Five Iraqi police cars, accompanied by two US Marine Humvees, left the east Baghdad headquarters of the Iraqi police academy to patrol different areas of the capital.

Four Iraqi policemen rode in each car.

Earlier, more than 2,000 Baghdad policemen reported back for work to try to restore law and order.

Baghdad's police commissioner at the Interior Ministry under Saddam Hussein urged police to get back to work immediately, patrolling city streets, manning checkpoints and keeping traffic flowing.

Baghdad would normally have a police force of around 40,000.