More than 40 die in violence across Iraq

Attackers descended on a police chief’s house north-east of Baghdad today, killing the official’s wife, two brothers and 11 guards, and kidnapping three of his adult children, Diyala provincial police reported.

The attack outside Baqouba, which came when the police chief was not at home, was one of the boldest and bloodiest in months of stepped-up violence around the city, where al-Qaida in Iraq and affiliated groups have been fighting US and Iraqi forces and local insurgents who have turned against al Qaida.