The United States can expect a terror attack using nuclear or more likely biological weapons before 2013, reports a bipartisan commission in a study briefed today to Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

A trial run of the emergency services' response to a chemical, biological or nuclear attack is taking place in Co Kildare today.

The world faces an estimated 50% chance of a nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological attack over the next five years, according to US national-security analysts surveyed for a congressional study released yesterday.