A suicide bomber rammed a police checkpoint in northern Iraq with an explosives-laden vehicle today, killing more than a dozen people, the deadliest attack on a day when at least 25 people died in violence around the country.

Gunmen raided a parking garage in north-east Baghdad today, killing 18 people and injuring at least 37, police said.

ITALY is to start withdrawing its troops from Iraq, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced last night.