In Iraq, 66 people were killed in different attacks in more than a dozen cities across the nation. The attacks took place in 17 cities and wounded more than 230 people on Monday. Parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi condemned the attacks and blamed security leaders for unspecified violations. In Kut, 40 were killed and 65 wounded in twin blasts. In Tikrit, three policemen were killed and at least seven were wounded when two suicide bombers blew up their explosive-packed vests inside the city's anti-terror headquarters. In the restive province of Diyala, eight people were killed and 35 wounded in a series of attacks in the provincial capital Baquba and five other cities. Four of the dead were soldiers gunned down at an Iraqi army checkpoint in Baquba.