Iraqis zeroed in today on President George Bush’s pledge to stay the course in Iraq, with some expressing anger that he didn’t announce a troop withdrawal and others believing the Americans had little choice but to stick it out here to prevent civil war.

Suicide bombers struck Iraq today, killing at least 28 and wounding dozens more in three attacks on an army recruiting centre, a police convoy and civilians, authorities said.

A car bomb exploded in an upscale shopping district of Baghdad today, killing at least six Iraqis and setting fire to an apartment building, in a surge of violence that has left at least 127 people dead since a new government was formed last week. A British soldier died in fighting in southern Iraq.

A day after insurgents killed at least 36 Iraqis in a series of attacks, including the bombing of a funeral, militants set off three explosions in Baghdad today, including one that narrowly missed a top Iraqi security official, police said.

A suicide car bomber struck at a religious ceremony in western Baghdad today, killing at least seven people and wounding 10 more, police and medical officials said.

A car bomb exploded in front of a hospital south of Baghdad today, killing 17 and wounding 16, police said, a day after 23 were killed in two attacks aimed at the Shiite community.

The deadly showdown between US troops and Iraqi militants in Najaf dominated Iraq’s national conference, with tribal and religious leaders deciding to send 60 delegates to the holy city to persuade a radical Shiite cleric to call off his fighters.

A tribal chief in the turbulent Iraqi city of Fallujah led a raid that freed four Jordanian hostages kidnapped a week ago, it emerged today.

Two car bombs exploded in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul today, killing 10 and injuring 100, the US military said.

Two car bombs have exploded in Iraq today, with at least five people killed, including a US soldier.

At least 55 people were killed today and 238 injured – including four British soldiers – after a series of explosions in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

Ten Iraqi children on their way to primary school were among the 40 dead in a series of simultaneous explosions in Basra today.

A SUICIDE attacker blew up a car in a crowd of hundreds of men waiting outside a Baghdad army recruiting centre yesterday, killing at least 46 in the second bombing in two days targeting Iraqis working with the coalition.

JOY at the capture of Saddam Hussein gave way to resentment toward Washington yesterday as Iraqis confronted afresh the bloodshed, shortages and soaring prices of life under American occupation.