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

Relieved tourists and residents gradually began returning to coastal areas in Alabama and Florida today to survey the damage left by Hurricane Dennis.

Thousands of tourists were evacuated from idyllic US beaches today as a monster hurricane headed their way after hitting the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Thousands of tourists were evacuated from idyllic US beaches today as a monster hurricane headed their way after hitting the detention centre in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Heavy rain drenched parts of Florida early today and heavy surf pounded beaches as Tropical Storm Arlene plodded toward the south-eastern US, chasing a few weather-weary residents into shelters.

Pope Benedict XVI officially launched his stewardship of the Roman Catholic Church today, presiding over a installation Mass that drew tens of thousands of pilgrims and dignitaries to St Peter’s Square.

The death of Terri Schiavo, who died after being in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years, was met with an outpouring of grief in the US tonight.

THE husband of brain-damaged Florida woman Terri Schiavo has ordered an autopsy after she dies to silence allegations his plan to cremate her body is aimed at hiding something, his lawyer said yesterday.

An autopsy will be performed after Terri Schiavo dies to show the extent of her brain damage, her husband’s lawyer said.

TERRI SCHIAVO'S parents know their brain-damaged daughter is dying and are "dealing with reality", a family spokesman said yesterday, even as their supporters pledged to take their fight to Washington.

Their hopes fading and legal options exhausted, Terri Schiavo’s parents appeared quietly resigned to watching her die, but could claim one Easter victory: The severely brain-damaged woman received a drop of communion wine on her tongue – her only sustenance in nine days – after her husband allowed her to receive the sacrament.

Terri Schiavo’s parents asked supporters to return home to spend Easter Sunday with their families as the couple’s severely brain-damaged daughter went a ninth day without food or water.

As Terri Schiavo drew closer to death Saturday, a Florida state judge rejected another attempt by the brain-damaged woman’s parents to reconnect her feeding tube, leaving the couple with little hope they could keep her alive.

While Terri Schiavo lay dying in her hospice bed early today, the US Congress gave a boost to the hopes of the brain-damaged woman’s parents that her feeding tube would be reinserted.

The Bush administration broadened its response to the earthquake and tsunami disaster in South Asia and Africa with plans for Secretary of State Colin Powell to visit the region and assess what more the United States needs to do.

EARLY voting for the US presidential election began in Florida yesterday as activists urged people to opt for early ballots to avoid a repeat of the 2000 election fiasco, but computer problems and queues soon emerged.

US President George Bush today questioned Senator John Kerry’s “ability to lead our nation” raising the Democratic challenger’s year-old opposition to emergency funding for the Iraq war.

Hurricane Frances weakened to a tropical storm today and crawled inland with heavy rain after leaving two people dead and more than five million without power.

Hurricane Frances swept across Florida today submerging entire roads, tearing off rooftops and leaving more than four million people without power.

Hurricane Frances pounded Florida with high wind and heavy rain today after it smashed across the state’s east coast, knocking out power to four million people, shredding roofs and uprooting trees.

Hurricane Frances ripped apart roofs, shattered windows and toppled trees as it raged through the Bahamas yesterday with violent winds that sparked panic and drove thousands to flee. At least one man was electrocuted in the storm.

Hurricane Frances churned its way toward the Bahamas today after forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes in the nearby British territory of Turks and Caicos as the Caribbean faced one of its strongest storms in years.

Nearly half a million people were ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Frances swirled toward Florida today just three weeks after Charley’s devastating visit, threatening to deliver the most powerful double punch to hit a state in at least a century.

SIX days after Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube was removed at the request of her husband, a hospital began again pumping fluids into the brain-damaged woman on orders from Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

The US presidential helicopter flew low over destroyed homes, downed power lines and uprooted trees today,as George W. Bush and his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush got a bird’s eye view of the destruction caused by Hurricane Charley.

HURRICANE Charley slammed Florida’s west coast with winds of 145mph last night, striking south of populous Tampa and threatening to swamp the vulnerable shore with a 15-foot tidal surge.

More than two million people were told to flee from the path of 110 mph Hurricane Charley as it roared toward Florida’s west coast tonight.

TROPICAL storm Bonnie began to make landfall in Florida’s Panhandle yesterday, while residents in the Florida Keys and southwest Florida prepared to meet the stronger Hurricane Charley.

A state of emergency was declared for all of Florida today as a tropical storm and then a hurricane raged closer, the first time the state has faced such a potentially disastrous plight in almost 98 years.

Florida

Fine Gael TD Gay Mitchell has called on authorities in the US state of Florida to lift the death sentence imposed on anti-abortion activist Paul Hill.

A JUDGE postponed debate on Wednesday night over whether a guardian should be appointed for the six-month-old foetus of a mentally disabled rape victim, in a case that has attracted the involvement of Governor Jeb Bush and pro-choice activists.

US TV news opted to be safe, not sorry, in covering the election results.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s only daughter, Noelle, was released from jail today, 10 days after a judge ordered her locked up for violating terms of her court-ordered drug treatment programme.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s only daughter was led away in handcuffs today after a judge jailed her for 10 days for violating the terms of her drug treatment programme.

POLITICAL novice Bill McBride has pulled off a huge upset in beating former US Attorney General, Janet Reno, in a Florida Democratic primary marred

President George Bush's niece has been released from a Florida jail.

President George Bush’s niece has been jailed for having prescription pills while in a treatment centre, violating a court-ordered treatment plan.

The FBI is investigating a possible plot to assassinate Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the US President’s brother, with a truck bomb in the state capital Tallahassee.

A three foot two inch radio personality in the US has launched a legal battle to overturn a ban on ‘‘dwarf tossing’’ so he can earn money as a bar room attraction.