THE surviving relatives of four family members killed when a Marine fighter jet crashed into their San Diego home in 2008 were awarded $17.8 million (€13.7m) by a judge.

A senior US congressman has called on the US Marine Corps to release the maintenance records of all fighter jets of the type that lost power and crashed into a San Diego, California, neighbourhood, killing four members of a Korean family.

A US Navy medic has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his part in the killing of an Iraqi civilian.

Actress and comedian Ellen DeGeneres gave her talk show audience, all of whom were family or friends of US troops serving in Iraq, the gift of a free cruise.