America’s CBS News has mounted an aggressive defence of its report about President George Bush’s service in the Air National Guard, saying broadcast memos questioned by forensic experts came from “what we consider to be solid sources”.

US President George Bush was given special treatment to avoid being sent to war in Vietnam as a young man, was suspended from the Air National Guard because he failed to meet standards and ignored an order to take a physical.

US President George Bush was given special treatment to avoid being sent to war in Vietnam as a young man, it was claimed today.

The increasingly bitter presidential election race stepped up a gear today as the Republican National Convention ended and campaigning resumed.

JOHN FORBES KERRY, the new JFK, essentially wrapped up the Democratic nomination for the US presidency this week by winning nine of the 10 party primaries on super Tuesday.

Amy Westfeldt, New York

Police in the US have stepped up security at airports, subways and hotels after the country was put on heightened terrorist alert and law enforcement officials indicated New York was a possible target.

Two US Air Force `weekend-warriors' are to face criminal charges for bombing Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, killing four.

A US National Guard pilot who mistook Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan for enemy forces thought he was acting in self-defence when he dropped a 500lbs bomb on them, killing four and wounding eight, US officials said.

Four Canadian soldiers were killed and eight wounded when an American fighter jet mistakenly bombed them during a training exercise in Afghanistan, officials said.

Aircraft carriers and guided missile destroyers moved into the waters near New York and Washington after President George Bush placed the US military on its highest alert status.