US president George W Bush said today he is eager to sign legislation that triples money to fight Aids and other diseases around the world – an initiative that has won the US President praise from some of his harshest critics.

Disclosures about alleged links between Iraq and the al-Qaida terror group have so far been viewed with some scepticism, and been seen as part of an attempt to win over public opinion in the build-up to military action.

WAR is the main item on the international agenda for the markets as investors, advisors and commentators try and price-in the effect of the real possibility of Gulf War II.