**At least 40 people have been killed in two bomb blasts in the Iraqi town of Khalis, as the country awaits final parliamentary election results.**More than 60 people were also reported hurt in the attack in Diyala province, 70km (43 miles) north-east of Baghdad.
Election officials in Iraq had said earlier that they planned to release the full results of the 7 March poll despite fears it could spark violence.
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is in a tight race with challenger Iyad Allawi.
The Iraqiya political bloc of Mr Allawi, a former prime minister, was ahead by about 11,000 votes nationwide with 95% of the votes counted.
Speaking ahead of the announcement of the final results, the UN’s envoy to Iraq, Ad Melkert, described the election as “credible” and a “success”.
He called on Iraqi parties to “accept the results”, the Associated Press reports.
Restaurant targeted
Mr Maliki’s supporters have staged protests calling for a recount.
But the head of Iraq’s election commission on Thursday ruled out holding a manual recount of all the votes cast.
No single group is expected to win a majority, renewing fears of a protracted political crisis and fresh violence.
A security official told the AFP news agency that women and children were among those caught in Friday’s twin blasts in Khalis.
The attack appeared to target a popular restaurant in the town, near the provincial capital, Baquba.
A police official, Salah Mohammed, told AP that one of the blasts was caused by a car bomb and the other a suicide bomber.