Violence killed at least 34 people in Iraq, including a US soldier, as efforts to finish choosing the new cabinet bogged down yesterday in a web of conflicting interests.

AN apparent rocket strike on a helicopter in Iraq claimed the life of the first British servicewoman killed in action for more than 20 years, it emerged last night.

Two Iraqi journalists were found dead south of Baghdad today a day after they were stopped by men wearing police uniforms, the manager of their television station said.