WASHINGTON: US fighter jets fired missiles at Iraqi warplanes in a no-fly zone over southern Iraq today but it was not immediately known if any Iraqi jets were hit, US defence officials said.

The incident, which followed two missile exchanges with Iraqi missile batteries over the last eight days, involved F-14 navy jets from the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and F-15 jets based in the region, the officials said.

Earlier, Iraq had asked the UN to withdraw its US and British staff from Baghdad saying it could no longer their safety.

8 killed in mishap near Virar

MUMBAI: Eight labourers were killed and at least 13 injured, when the tempo carrying them back from work overturned near Virar this evening. Those killed included two children. The incident occurred at Sakvar village on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, when the tempo carrying 21 workers to Virar approached a subway. According to the Virar police, a scooterist coming from Mumbai overtook anothervehicle, but found himself in front of a tempo. The driver of the tempo swerved to avoid the scooterist, but this led to its overturning.

Laloo bail

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today reserved orders till January 7 on the bail pleas of Rashtriya Janata Dal president and former Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and five others in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam case. The order was reserved after the judges heard arguments of the CBI and counsel for the accused.

Ultras kill teacher

AGARTALA: A school teacher was killed and six others kidnapped by suspected insurgents of the All-Tripura Tiger Force at Kanurampara on the outskirts of the city today.