37 hostages killed in church drama, Baghdad

Thirty-seven people taken hostage by militants in a Baghdad church were killed and 56 wounded in a drama that was ended when US and Iraqi forces stormed the building, a government official said on Monday. "The latest toll is that 37 of the hostages were killed and 56 wounded," an Iraqi interior ministry official said after Sunday's attack on the church, claimed by an Al-Qaeda group.

He said that seven security forces personnel also were killed and 15 wounded, but did not specify if any were Americans.

Five attackers were killed and eight arrested, he said, adding there had been more than 100 worshippers at the Sayidat al-Nejat church in central Baghdad when the hostage-takers stormed in.

The SITE monitoring group said that Al-Qaeda group The Islamic State of Iraq claimed its fighters were behind the attack.

Counter terrorism one of the top agenda for Obama in India: White House

Counter-terrorism co-operation between India and the US would be on top of the agenda of President Barack Obama when he travels to Mumbai and New Delhi next week, the White House said on Friday. "Our first stop is a ceremony that commemorates the lives lost on November 26, 2008, in a horrific terrorist attack," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters at his daily news conference.

"We have unprecedented cooperation with the Indian military. We do more exercises now than we have ever before with them. And our relationship on counter terrorism and subjects of the like is tremendously important," he said.

"This will be the subject of some of the talks that the President has with Prime Minister Singh and the subject to the very first stop on the trip," Gibbs said in response to a question.

"This is a rapidly growing region of the world; Asia and India is a rapidly growing -- it’s the largest democracy in the world. Its economy is moving quickly. And our investment -- our partnership is paying benefits in our ability to increase our exports and create -- and support jobs here in America. Both of those will be highlighted by the President on this trip," Gibbs said.

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