LONDON – Iraqi refugees who are running out of money in Syria may head for Europe if the international community fails to supply sufficient relief funding, the United Nations said on Thursday.

KERBALA, Iraq – Iraqi officials said on Thursday they had defused three car bombs aimed at some of the 7 million pilgrims visiting Kerbala for one of Shi’ite Islam’s most important rituals.

CAIRO – Egypt will send a team to assess security in Baghdad with a view to upgrading its diplomatic representation, reduced after the 2005 killing of an Egyptian diplomat, Egypt’s foreign minister was quoted as saying.