Bomber attacks Iraqi courthouse

A suicide bomber has killed at least nine people outside a court in the Iraqi city of Baquba.

More than 20 people were hurt in the attack in the provincial capital of Diyala on Wednesday morning.

The attacker was thought to be female, but a police official said it was too early to confirm as bombers use women's clothing to avoid detection.

A lawyer at the court said the bomber was wearing traditional Arabic dress.

"I was going out to get photocopies," Mohammed Timimi told AFP news agency.

"I saw a woman dressed in an abaya. As I stepped out she blew herself up. There was a police car and soldiers in the compound at the time."