Top story: A series of at least six bombings this morning killed at least 112 people and wounded hundreds more. The targets included a police patrol, an outdoor market, the interior ministry and two universities.
The attacks show the ease with which militants continue to evade checkpoints to carry out bombings in central Baghdad. They also mar a week of political progress that included the passage of an election law and an upcoming oil field option.
Today's bombings are Iraq's worst since the attacks on city administration building's in October that killed 155. While those attacks were blamed on loyalists to Saddam Hussein's Baath party, there are increasing fears of a resurgence of Sunni militants led by al Qaeda in Iraq, who could be trying to discredit authorities before the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Global warming: As the debate continues in Copenhagen, a new analysis by the World Meteorological Organization shows that the 2000s were the warmest decade in modern history.
Asia
- A double suicide bombing killed dozens at a market in Lahore, Pakistan. An earlier bombing killed 10 outside a courthouse in Peshawar.
- President Barack Obama's envoy Stephen Bosworth is headed to North Korea today.
- The Philippine government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation front have restarted peace talks.
- Defense secretary Robert Gates made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to meet with President Hamid Karzai.
Middle East
- Campuses across Iran have erupted into anti-regime demonstrations. They are now more widespread than the demonstrations that followed last summer's elections.
- Iraq has set March 6 as the date for parliamentary elections, seven weeks later than the original date.
- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erodgan refused to support new sanctions against Iran at a meeting with President Obama.
Americas
- Amnesty International is set to release a report accusing Mexican authorities of extrajudicial killings in the drug war.
- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's own brother is linked to a banking scandal the prompted the government takeover of several banks.
- Chile has charged six for the murder of former President Eduardo Frei Montalva.
Europe
- The EU is debating a controversial proposal to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.
- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin publicly criticized local officials over last weekend's nightclub fire.
- The European Union has agreed to upgrade its relations with Serbia.
Africa
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon phoned Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir -- under indictment for crimes against humanity -- to ask him to secure the release of two captured U.N. employees.
- The North-South Sudan peace deal appears in danger of collapse as anti-Bashir demonstrations spread throughout the south.
- Malawi was hit by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake.
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