A suicide bomber breached Baghdad’s heavy security presence again Thursday, killing a dozen people in a mostly Shiite district a day after more than 230 people died in one of the war’s deadliest episodes of violence. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called the violence in Baghdad an “open battle” – nine weeks into a U.S.-led effort began to pacify the capital’s streets.
Flu vaccine manufacturers expect to have a record 132 million doses ready for the 2007-08 flu season, and there could be even more available if a fifth company joins their ranks, officials said Thursday. CSL Biotherapies, an Australian company, applied last month for federal approval to sell its inactivated flu vaccine in the United States this fall.
A recall of Magnetix building sets has been expanded after more children swallowed the tiny magnets in them and were seriously injured, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Thursday. In March 2006 Mega Brands Inc. recalled 3.8 million of the magnetic building sets when one child died and four others were seriously injured after they swallowed the magnets. In total, the CPSC and Mega Brands know of the one death, one aspiration and 27 intestinal injuries.\nGov. John Lynch said Thursday he will sign legislation establishing civil unions for same-sex couples in New Hampshire. New Hampshire would become the fourth state to adopt civil unions, following Connecticut, Vermont and New Jersey. Massachusetts established same-sex marriage.
Fighting between Ethiopian troops and insurgents left at least 12 people dead in Somalia’s capital Thursday, while a suicide car bomb exploded at an Ethiopian army base, officials and witnesses said. Fighting in Mogadishu has killed hundreds of people since Ethiopian forces helped Somalia’s fragile interim government oust an Islamic militia in December. Remnants of the Islamic group have vowed to wage an Iraq-style insurgency.
