At least 25 people have been killed and 50 injured in a series of attacks near the government and diplomatic "Green Zone' in the centre of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, the police said.

• Witnesses said that the first suspected bomb blast on Wednesday went off near the foreign ministry and minutes later the second took place near the finance ministry.
• Two mortars also landed inside the heavily-protected area, while a third landed outside.
• Officials told The Associated Press news agency that one of the explosions was caused by a car bomb parked near a joint Iraqi police and army patrol.
• Television footage showed that the force of the explosions had blown out some of the windows of Iraq's parliamentary building.
• The area, the site of government ministries and foreign embassies, has frequently been targeted with rocket and mortar fire.
• Mortars also reportedly landed in the Salhiya district of central Baghdad, home to army bases and the offices of a national television station.
• Despite a reduction in violence in recent months, attacks on security forces and civilians remain common in Baghdad and the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk.
• The number of violent deaths fell by a third last month to 275 from 437 in June, following the pullout of US combat forces from urban areas at the end of the month.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies