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.

Following are security developments in Iraq at 9:30 a.m. EST on Thursday.AMARA – Gunmen in two cars kidnapped a senior official of Iraq’s electricity ministry after he left work in Amara, 365 km (230 miles) southeast of Baghdad, police said. The official was identified as Mutar Thamer, director of electricity …