Newly formed Tropical Storm Gamma threatened the coasts of Belize and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula today after its rains killed two people and forced evacuations across much of Central America.

The recovery of Royal & Sun Alliance gathered pace today after the UK-based insurer posted a doubling of profits in the first nine months of the year.

The British Aviation Authority highlighted the “lingering effects” of the London bombings today as it said demand for flights at its seven airports weakened last month.

Bruce Springsteen has been forced to cancel his Sunrise, Florida show tonight due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Wilma.

Rockers Depeche Mode have scrapped the first date of their US comeback tour due to power problems created by Hurricane Wilma.

Tropical Storm Beta is now a Category One hurricane.

In the Keys island chain, where Wilma’s storm surge caused extensive flooding, plans were announced to welcome tourists beginning today, as power was restored to nearly half the South Florida homes and businesses that lost it during Hurricane Wilma.

The once-huge throngs of tourists desperate to leave Mexico’s Caribbean coast have diminished in the wake of what Mexican insurance companies described as probably the country’s most costly disaster ever.

With many Floridians still struggling to find food, water, ice and fuel after Hurricane Wilma, Governor Jeb Bush took responsibility for frustrating relief delays in a state all too familiar with powerful storms.

BY bus and charter flights, thousands of tourists streamed out of this Caribbean resort city that was pounded by Hurricane Wilma, but thousands more remained stranded yesterday.

Beginning an agonising, all-too-familiar process, Floridians lined up for generators, chain saws and other clean-up supplies only hours after Hurricane Wilma cut a costly, deadly swathe across the peninsula.

BREEDERS’ CUP Turf favourite Azamour has touched down in America safely ahead of the big race at Belmont Park on Saturday.

TROOPS and federal police moved in yesterday to quell looting at stores and shopping centres ripped open by Hurricane Wilma, while hunger and frustration mounted among residents and tourists stranded in one of Mexico’s most prosperous resorts.

RESCUERS in inflatable rafts and amphibious vehicles pulled nearly 250 people from flooded homes yesterday after huge waves churned by Hurricane Wilma flooded the capital’s coastal highway and adjacent neighbourhoods of old, crumbling buildings.

SOME residents of the Florida Keys were rethinking their refusal to evacuate for Hurricane Wilma today after the storm isolated them, submerged streets under up to five feet of water and turned out their lights.

Wall Street staged an impressive rally today after the nomination of top White House economist Ben Bernanke as the next Federal Reserve chief.

Some residents of the Florida Keys were rethinking their refusal to evacuate for Hurricane Wilma today after the storm isolated them, submerged streets under water up to 5 feet deep and turned out their lights.

A surge in the value of oil and mining stocks helped propel the FTSE 100 Index back above the key 5200 barrier today.

Hurricane Wilma crashed ashore early today as a strong Category 3 storm, battering south-west Florida with 125 mph winds and pounding waves as it began a dash across the state.

Catering giant Compass pointed the way to positive territory for the London market today after reports suggested it was a takeover target.

Hurricane Wilma’s strongest winds began hitting Florida early today at the start of what forecasters said would be a speedy and potentially devastating strike on a storm-weary peninsula, with its outer bands spewing torrential rain, spawning tornadoes and spreading fear.

Rain pounded Key West early today as Hurricane Wilma accelerated towards storm-weary Florida, threatening residents with 115mph winds, tornadoes and a surge of seawater that could flood the Keys and the state’s south-west coast.

A hurricane warning was issued today for the southern Florida peninsula, the Florida Keys, Florida Bay and the Dry Tortugas.

Residents evacuated, owners boarded up homes and businesses and emergency officials prepared rescue and relief plans as forecasters predicted Hurricane Wilma would pick up speed on a course toward Florida.

Mexico’s popular Cancun resort area has taken a battering from Hurricane Wilma as tourists huddled in hotels and shelters amid howling winds and shattering glass.

Residents began fleeing the Florida Keys and parts of the United States mainland today as Hurricane Wilma headed towards Florida.

London’s leading shares finished a miserable week in the red today as stocks lost favour with investors.

Oil prices dipped below the 60 US dollars a barrel mark in New York today as fears over supply shortages eased.

Desperate tourists, trapped after Mexico’s Cancun airport closed, shuttled from luxury hotels to emergency shelters ahead of Hurricane Wilma, which forecasters say is growing stronger.

HURRICANE WILMA’S outer edge battered Cancun’s white-sand beaches yesterday as officials ordered guests out of hotels, tourists jockeyed for spots on the last flights out, and tens of thousands of people from Honduras to the Florida Keys evacuated ahead of the “extremely dangerous” storm.

The governor of Florida today declared a state of emergency ahead of approaching Hurricane Wilma, but the state got a little breathing room when the storm’s slower pace postponed its likely landfall.

Thousands began fleeing Florida once again today as Hurricane Wilma hurtled towards the US coast.

MTV has postponed its Latin America Music Awards ceremony in Mexico due to the approach of Hurricane Wilma.

Hurricane Wilma weakened slightly as it roared toward Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula and southern Florida today, leaving at least 12 people dead in its wake and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands in coastal areas from Honduras to the Florida Keys.

OIL steadied above $63 (€52.63) a barrel yesterday as Hurricane Wilma seemed to set its course away from vulnerable rigs and refineries in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Wilma, the most intense storm to form in the Americas, lashed the coasts of Central America and Caribbean islands today as it lumbered toward Mexico’s Cancun resort and Florida.

Monroe County officials have ordered visitors out of Florida Keys ahead of Hurricane Wilma, the first US evacuations caused by the Category 5 storm.

Hurricane Wilma has rapidly strengthened into a Category 5 storm, posing a significant threat to the Caribbean and Florida coastline.

Hardware stores that sent supplies to areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita restocked their shelves for anxious Floridians waiting to see if Hurricane Wilma would turn toward the peninsula, which forecasters said could happen by the weekend.

Oil prices eased today amid signs that the latest hurricane was likely to miss oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

Wilma, the record-equalling 12th hurricane of the Atlantic season, is poised to become a major category four storm as it steams along a track that will take it past Central America, Cancun, Cuba and eventually into Florida.