NEWS

* U.S. forces thrust into southern Iraq, meeting sporadic resistance; Britain says hopes U.S., British forces will be in Baghdad in three to four days

* Saddam survived U.S. air raids on his family's houses, Iraqi minister says; Baghdad will be "incinerator" for invading troops, interior minister says

* Kuwait says Scud missile shot down by Patriot missile

* Britain says up to 30 oil wells set on fire in Iraq, not as bad as feared

* U.S. troops take key new port of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq; Britain says at least 250 Iraqis surrender; nearby old port still in Iraqi hands

QUOTES

Iraqi information minister: "We will not let them (U.S. and British troops) leave the swamp they have entered. They will meet their fate."

UK Defence Secretary Hoon: "This is a campaign that is inevitably, as they always are, working out slightly differently from the plans that were drawn up initially...But nevertheless it is going extremely well."

EVENTS (ALL TIMES IN GMT)

Friday -

* Security Council holds closed consultations on oil-for-food programme for Iraq (1500)

* Schroeder gives speech on war (1940)

* Final day of EU heads of state summit in Brussels

Monday -

* Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo

MILITARY ACTION ON DAY TWO

U.S. and Britain launch fresh cruise missile attacks on Baghdad after nightfall, Saddam's son's compound devastated. U.S. and British marines cross from Kuwait into Iraq after artillery barrages.

One armoured U.S. column now 150 km inside Iraq, racing north in the direction of Baghdad with no resistance and no prisoners, says Reuters correspondent with the troops.

A U.S. unit held up on the Kuwait border for two hours, but advances after artillery support, witnesses say.

The crash of a U.S. military helicopter kills eight British and four American soldiers; no evidence the helicopter crashed because of enemy fire, British military spokesman says.

U.S. troops take key new port of Umm Qasr in southern Iraq while nearby old port remains in Iraqi hands. British troops storm the Faw peninsula at head of Gulf, secure key oil installations.

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