At least 19 people have been killed and 47 wounded following six car bomb blasts in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
Three of the explosions occurred almost simultaneously in the southern district of Dora, leaving five people dead.
Another 15 civilians were wounded in the triple bomb attack, which took place in a wholesale market.
Shortly afterwards another car bomb exploded near a cinema on Sadun Street, leaving four people dead.
It is understood an Iraqi police patrol was nearby at the time of the blast, two police officers were among those killed.
The fifth car bomb exploded in the southeastern Khamsara distict, killing three people and wounding seven.
Two people were killed and four wounded in another car bomb in the New Baghdad district in the east of the capital.
Congressional opposition to Iraq war in US
Three senior US senators have tabled a resolution to oppose US President George W Bush's plan to increase the number of troops in Iraq.
The resolution condemns Mr Bush's new Iraq strategy. It is non-binding but could have a powerful symbolic effect.
The bipartisan resolution was proposed by Democrats Carl Levin and Joseph Biden, both of whom head powerful Senate committees, and outspoken Republican war critic Chuck Hagel.
Meanwhile in the House of Representatives, Democrats have introduced two bills seeking to repeal congressional authorisation for the use of force in Iraq and calling for a full withdrawal of US forces within six months.
Despite growing opposition to what the US President described as a 'surge' of 21,500 troops, the White House seems more determined to press ahead with its plan with or without the support of Congress or the public.
The bills and draft resolution come as an opinion poll shows the US public's increasing discontent with the direction of the war.
The Pew Research Centre found that 62% of those interviewed said things were going badly in Iraq, up from 43% in June.
