George Bush has been given the go-ahead by a court to continue his domestic spying programme while his administration appeals against a ruling that it is unconstitutional.

A US government appeals court panel refused to order the reinsertion of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, hours after her father said she was weakening and down “to her last hours”.

A US federal appeals court in Atlanta today refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, denying an emergency request by the severely brain-damaged woman’s parents.

Scotsman Kenneth Richey, on death row for murder in the US, has had his death sentence and conviction overturned because he received incompetent counsel at his trial.