Multiple explosions have rocked a western Baghdad district, killing at least 41 people and wounding scores of others.
Arabic language al-Jazeera television is reporting that militants in Iraq have taken 10 more people hostage.
A spokesman for Thailand's ruling party is claiming that a group is planning a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Southeast Asian nations have endorsed Thailand's foreign minister, Surakiart Sathiarathai, as their candidate to succeed U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan when his term ends in 2006.
President Bush and Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator John Kerry are in the southeastern state of Florida, where they will hold their first debate of the election campaign later today (Thursday) in Miami.
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