Iraq Cabinet member escapes bomb in Baghdad

Iraq's minister of higher education escaped injury Thursday when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy in central Baghdad, police said. A government security guard was killed and four people were wounded in another blast. The minister, Abed Theyab, was traveling to work Thursday morning when the blast occurred in the Karradah district of eastern Baghdad, the police said. No one in the convoy was hurt but three civilian bystanders were wounded, they added. In the other attack, the security guard died when a bomb exploded on Nidal Street near Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, police reported. The target was believed to have been a convoy of employees of the Housing Ministry. All the police officials giving the toll spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release the information to media.