CAR BOMBS KILLED AT LEAST 62 IRAQIS ON SUNDAY AS PRIME MINISTER NURI AL-MALIKI PREPARED FOR A WHITE HOUSE VISIT, REUTERS REPORTED. TWO SEPARATE BLASTS KILLED 42 CIVILIANS IN SADR CITY, A SPRAWLING BAGHDAD SLUM THAT IS A STRONGHOLD OF THE SHI'ITE MEHDI ARMY MILITIA. IT CAME A DAY AFTER THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF A COMMISSION TO DEVELOP RECONCILIATION STRATEGIES FOR IRAQ'S RIVAL ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS FACTIONS ENDED WITH NO OBVIOUS RESULT. ANOTHER CAR BOMB EXPLODED IN THE NORTHERN CITY OF KIRKUK, KILLING AT LEAST 20 CIVILIANS OUTSIDE A COURTHOUSE, POLICE AND WITNESSES SAID. KURDS, ARABS AND OTHERS ARE CONTESTING CONTROL OF THE CITY, WHICH SITS ATOP ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT OIL LAKES. IN EAST BAGHDAD, SHATTERED VEHICLES SHOWED THE POWER OF ONE OF THE BLASTS, WHICH KILLED 34 PEOPLE. BLOOD LAY IN POOLS. SOME WITNESSES SPOKE OF A SUICIDE BOMBER DRIVING A MINIVAN. BUT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SAID IT WAS A CAR BOMB. THE SECOND EXPLOSION, A ROADSIDE BOMB TARGETING THE LOCAL COUNCIL, KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE.
