THREE BLASTS ROCK BAGHDAD CLOSE TO HOTELS HOUSING U.S. JOURNALISTS

Three blasts rock central Baghdad

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/201012512552630141.html

The blasts went off near the fortified Green Zone where government buildings are located [Reuters]

At least 36 people have been killed in three suicide car bombings, which took place within 10 minutes of each other, near hotels in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, police said.

At least 71 other people were wounded in the blasts, which came during rush hour on Monday.

The blasts happened close to the Sheraton and Palestine Hotels in the centre of the city, and the Babil hotel in the south.The hotels are located outside the heavily fortified Green Zone, where many government and international agencies are situated.