Baghdad- US vice president-elect Joe Biden arrived in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, Iraqi radio reported.

The status of Kirkuk, which is home to a mix of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen, as well as 10-20 per cent of Iraq's proven oil reserves, has long been a source of dispute.

Many Kurds hope the city will eventually become the capital of an autonomous region in northern Iraq.

Iraqis are expected to watch Biden's comments closely, particularly given the senator's previous support for partitioning Iraq into three semi-autonomous regions.

Baghdad  - At least 10 people were killed and another 12 were injured on Monday in two bombings in Baghdad and a shooting in Mosul

Two policemen were killed and six other people were wounded in an explosion in downtown Baghdad, the second to hit the capital on Monday, Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency reported, citing police sources.

VOI said the bomb went off near Kahramana Square in central Baghdad.

It was the second bombing of the day, after a suicide bomber killed himself and four others, the news agency reported.

Baghdad  - Three policemen were killed and four wounded Sunday in two separate attacks in Mosul.

Gunmen fatally shot three policemen in the city centre, a police source said.

The policemen were shot in a popular restaurant near their patrol vehicle, the source told Voices Of Iraq (VOI) news agency.

A car bomb wounded another four policemen on patrol in southern Mosul, the Iraqi news agency reported.

In a separate incident Saturday night, a roadside bomb killed a US soldier in eastern Baghdad, coalition forces confirmed Sunday.

Baghdad  - A roadside bomb killed a US soldier in eastern Baghdad on Saturday night, coalition forces confirmed Sunday.

Amman/Doha/Baghdad - Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to streets in the Arab world following Friday prayers to show their support for the people of Gaza and denounce the nearly two-week Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Demonstrators in Doha, Baghdad and Amman carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in support of Gaza.

The largest demonstrations took place in Amman, where tens of thousands of demonstrators carried photos of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who expelled his country's Israeli ambassador.