Hurricane Ike roared across Cuba today, blowing buildings to rubble and sending waves surging over homes.

News of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death trickled in to the US Marines camp outside the battle-scarred city of Fallujah today, bringing the troops a vague sense of satisfaction.

Two former guards convicted in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal testified at US Army Pfc. Lynndie England’s military trial that she was impressionable and under the sway of her soldier boyfriend, Private Charles Graner, labelled the ringleader of detainee abuse by the prosecution.

The spectre of friendly fire deaths has surfaced at almost every recent American military briefing in the Gulf, and the Pentagon has taken steps it hopes will help counter the threat.