i'm kathryn kobayashi in tokyo. a fuel laden tanker truck has rammed into a gas station in central iraq triggering a huge explosion. local police say at least 74 were killed and 24 others injured. the attack occurred on thursday in the city of hela, about 100 kilometers south of baghdad. islamic state militants issued a statement saying they carried out the attack against shias. the latest in a series of terror strikes in iraq. on november 14, two car bombs hit fallujah killing seven. three days later, another car bomb struck a wedding near the city killing 16 people. the i attacks have come ass eiri forces are gainitrying to draw attention away from mosul where iraqi government forces are continuing operations to retake the northern city. so far they have managed to regain a section of the city's eastern region. the director of humanitarian affairs say that 16 million people have fled the area in the last six months. >>> new york's 90th macy's thanksgiving day parade went off without a hitch amid tight security on