Iraqi authorities say at least five people have been killed and at least 20 others injured in a suicide car bomb attack today (Friday) in central Baghdad. Officials say the attacker detonated the bomb as a police convoy drove up to a checkpoint on the eastern side of the Tigris river.
Meanwhile, U.S troops have been battling insurgents in central Baghdad, where U.S. and Iraqi troops have been carrying out raids on suspected militant hideouts. Elsewhere, U.S military officials said U.S. forces launched air strikes overnight on buildings in Fallujah said to have been used by militants linked to Jordanian-born accused terrorist Abu Musab Zarqawi. U-S officials said as many as 60 militants were killed.
Police in Indonesia say they have arrested a man suspected of having a direct link to last week's deadly car bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. Indonesia's national police chief, General Da'i Bachtiar, said the man, arrested in West Java, is suspected of transporting the explosive materials used in the suicide bombing, which killed nine people.
Earlier, Indonesian police said they detained at least six people with suspected terror links in recent days. It is not clear if the six are being held in connection with the Jakarta bombing. Authorities have named two Malaysians as prime suspects in the bombing, and have offered large rewards for information leading to their arrests.
President Bush has removed Thailand from a U.S. list of major drug trafficking and drug producing countries. The White House praised Thailand for its efforts in reducing opium poppy cultivation and heroin processing. Twenty-two countries remain on the U.S. list of major drug producers or transit points, including Burma, Laos, Vietnam and Afghanistan. The White House accused Burma of failing to adhere to international counter-narcotics obligations.
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