US President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney will skip the Republican National Convention because of mounting concerns about Hurricane Gustav, the White House said today.

HURRICANE Katrina turned the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) into a “symbol of a bumbling bureaucracy” so far beyond repair it should be scrapped, senators said yesterday.

HURRICANE Katrina turned the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) into a “symbol of a bumbling bureaucracy” so far beyond repair it should be scrapped, senators said yesterday.

Confronting one of the nation’s worst natural disasters, US President George Bush said rebuilding from the massive devastation of Hurricane Katrina would take years and that “the days seem awfully dark” for millions of people suffering across the devastated Gulf Coast.

The terror alert was raised from yellow to orange on the United States’ transport system today as America reacted to the scenes of death and devastation in London.

OIL prices were close to their recent record highs yesterday as strong demand and renewed fears of further terror attacks in the United States unsettled traders.

Oil prices were close to their recent record highs today as strong demand and renewed fears of further terror attacks in the United States unsettled traders.

Hundreds of protesters clashed with police in Indonesia’s capital today as officers re-arrested a militant cleric accused of heading the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network and whisked him away for questioning – on the day of his release from prison.

Travellers by air, land and sea are facing a massive security alert throughout the holiday period as the United States steels itself against a possible terrorist attack that US government officials say al-Qaida has signalled could be imminent.

Wall Street pushed to new 52-week highs today as investors cautiously picked up shares on expectations of stronger growth in 2004. A heightened terror alert limited gains.

Nearly a million people were without electricity on America’s east coast tonight as hurricane Isabel slammed ashore.

The 15-year-old student pilot who crashed a small plane into a Florida skyscraper wrote a note expressing sympathy for Osama bin Laden and support for the September 11 terrorist attacks, police said.

The post of Director of Homeland Security has been created in the US in response to the September 11 attacks.