US firefighters battled huge blazes early today, including one that burned homes and forced residents and visitors on Santa Catalina Island to flee the resort off the southern California coast.

Al-Qaida-linked Sunni insurgents today claimed responsibility for the downing of a US military helicopter north west of Baghdad.

A WOMAN has been convicted of murdering her US Marine husband with arsenic so she could cash in on his $250,000 life insurance policy, some of which she used to have her breasts enlarged.

An American woman was convicted today of poisoning her Marine husband with arsenic so she could use his 250,000 dollar life insurance policy to throw wild parties and have her breasts enlarged.

Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he may be ready to name his nominees for defence and interior minister, the two men who will likely lay the groundwork for carrying out his pledge to take over security around within 18 months, and eventually open the way for US troops to go home.