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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| UN chief shaken by Baghdad blast | UN chief shaken by Baghdad blast |
| (1 day later) | |
| UN chief Ban Ki-moon has been left shaken by a blast which interrupted a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in Baghdad. | UN chief Ban Ki-moon has been left shaken by a blast which interrupted a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in Baghdad. |
| As Mr Ban was speaking during the live televised event, a mortar round or rocket landed about 100 metres (330ft) from the building, causing him to duck. | |
| Mr Ban appeared frightened but neither he nor Mr Maliki was hurt. | Mr Ban appeared frightened but neither he nor Mr Maliki was hurt. |
| The UN chief had earlier arrived on his first visit to Baghdad since he took office in January this year. | The UN chief had earlier arrived on his first visit to Baghdad since he took office in January this year. |
| The BBC's Hugh Sykes in Baghdad says buildings and windows shook when the huge bang reverberated throughout the city shortly after 1530 (1230 GMT). | The BBC's Hugh Sykes in Baghdad says buildings and windows shook when the huge bang reverberated throughout the city shortly after 1530 (1230 GMT). |
| He says it appeared to be caused by a mortar or rocket attack on the international zone, otherwise known as the Green Zone, where all the diplomats and most of the US military are, in the centre of Baghdad. | He says it appeared to be caused by a mortar or rocket attack on the international zone, otherwise known as the Green Zone, where all the diplomats and most of the US military are, in the centre of Baghdad. |
| Debris | Debris |
| Iraqi television showed Mr Ban and Mr Maliki seated at a desk, as a reporter asked a question. | Iraqi television showed Mr Ban and Mr Maliki seated at a desk, as a reporter asked a question. |
| Suddenly there was a bang, at which moment the camera shook and juddered to the left. | Suddenly there was a bang, at which moment the camera shook and juddered to the left. |
| Mr Ban flinched and momentarily half-ducked behind the table before recovering his composure. Mr Maliki did not react. | Mr Ban flinched and momentarily half-ducked behind the table before recovering his composure. Mr Maliki did not react. |
| Mapping Baghdad's violence Small pieces of debris could be seen floating down from the ceiling above Mr Ban. | Mapping Baghdad's violence Small pieces of debris could be seen floating down from the ceiling above Mr Ban. |
| Both men continued answering questions following the attack. | Both men continued answering questions following the attack. |
| A UN spokesperson said the mortar or rocket had landed in an open field. | A UN spokesperson said the mortar or rocket had landed in an open field. |
| Earlier, Mr Ban and Mr Maliki held an hour-long talk following Mr Ban's arrival, which had been kept secret. | Earlier, Mr Ban and Mr Maliki held an hour-long talk following Mr Ban's arrival, which had been kept secret. |
| His visit is the first to Iraq by a UN chief since Mr Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan went to Baghdad in November 2005. | His visit is the first to Iraq by a UN chief since Mr Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan went to Baghdad in November 2005. |
| Mr Annan pulled all UN staff out of the country after the former UN ambassador to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other people died in a huge explosion at the UN headquarters in Baghdad in August 2003. | Mr Annan pulled all UN staff out of the country after the former UN ambassador to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other people died in a huge explosion at the UN headquarters in Baghdad in August 2003. |
| In a fresh attempt to control the violence, Iraq's government says it has begun holding direct talks with some militant groups. | In a fresh attempt to control the violence, Iraq's government says it has begun holding direct talks with some militant groups. |
| On Thursday morning, Mr Maliki met Ahmed Shibani, a senior aide to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose political movement plays a key role in Iraq's power-sharing coalition. | On Thursday morning, Mr Maliki met Ahmed Shibani, a senior aide to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose political movement plays a key role in Iraq's power-sharing coalition. |
| Mr Shibani was freed from US custody a day earlier, after being held for more than two years. | Mr Shibani was freed from US custody a day earlier, after being held for more than two years. |