A bomb on a minibus travelling south from Baghdad to the town of Hilla this morning killed 11 passengers.
Another three people were killed and 20 injured when suspected insurgents fired a salvo of mortar shells into a residential area of Mahmudiyah, 30km south of Baghdad.
A third mortar attack was launched against a primary school in the neighbouring town of Iskandiriyah, killing a young girl and injuring her teacher.
In a separate attack, four people from the same family were injured in a bomb blast targeting a house of a policeman in the same area.
Bush vetoes Bill over timetable
US President George W Bush last night vetoed a bill approved by both Houses of Congress that links funding for the war in Iraq with a timetable for withdrawing US troops from the country.
It is only the second time since taking office seven years ago that he has used the presidential veto power.
Explaining his decision, Mr Bush said setting a deadline for withdrawal would be a prescription for chaos in Iraq.
