Bombs kill up to 45 Shiite pilgrims in Iraq

Two separate car bombs killed up to 45 pilgrims on Thursday near Iraq's holy Shiite city of Kerbala ahead of the culmination of a major Shiite Muslim religious rite, a provincial official said.

About 150 people were wounded in the two explosions, which occurred on the outskirts of the city, 80 km (50 miles) south of Baghdad, on different roads, said Mohammed al-Moussawi, head of the Kerbala provincial council. "Two cars parked outside the checkpoints to the city exploded at the same time," Moussawi said. (Reuters)