Hillary Clinton and John McCain won a major endorsement today ahead of key primary elections in their parties’ nomination contest.

BARACK OBAMA, flush from his stunning victory in the Iowa caucuses, charged to New Hampshire yesterday fired up for the second leg of his fight to be America’s first black president.

Hero baggage handler John Smeaton has arrived in the US to take part in the ceremony marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Terror attack hero John Smeaton sets off for the US today to take part in a ceremony marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Five years after terrorists wrought death from clear skies, the US began its observation of a solemn anniversary today, with plans for silent reflection and fresh mourning for the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001.

The emergence of Asia is changing the world economy and compelling advanced countries to improve their skills or fall behind, chancellor Gordon Brown said today.

FORMER New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani told Zacarias Moussaoui’s death penalty trial, yesterday, that he was unwilling to believe people were jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center until he saw it with his own eyes.

Bob Geldof and U2 frontman Bono are among a near-record 191 nominations for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

Two thirds of Americans believe Hillary Clinton will run for president but only a third think she can win, according to a new poll.

An actor who once played an aspiring mobster on The Sopranos faces murder charges along with another man in the death of an off-duty police officer, authorities said.

International terrorist Osama bin Laden says to drive nice – or else.

Rudolph Giuliani, New York City’s former mayor, plans to return to politics, he said today, but argued it’s too early to say if that will be for the 2008 presidential campaign.

Controversial plans to build an International Freedom Centre at Ground Zero in New York have been abandoned after a long and bitter dispute.

AMERICA grieved the victims of September 11 yesterday as the families of the dead recited their loved ones' names and messages of remembrance to a weeping crowd at the site where the World Trade Center once stood.

Before New Orleans was swamped by flood waters and anarchy the world had never heard of Ray Nagin, a small time official on the giant stage of American politics.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani told an international business forum today that he will probably decide next year whether to run for the presidency of the United States.

Nicole Kidman is to become the highest paid public speaker in history after negotiating a staggering $435,000 (€362,600) for a 25 minute corporate speech - and she might not even turn up.

FORMER Mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani said the London terror strikes were an “eerie reminder” of 9/11.

Former Mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani said the London terror strikes were an “eerie reminder” of 9/11 .

SHE is leading the polls for her party’s White House nod in 2008.

IT was third time lucky for Donald Trump as he wed Slovenian beauty Melania Knauss in one of the most extravagant society weddings in recent memory.

It was third time lucky for Donald Trump today as he wed Slovenian beauty Melania Knauss in one of the most lavish society weddings in recent memory.

Donald Trump was marrying Slovenian model Melania Knauss tonight in a “fantasy” ceremony of glamour, glitz and gold.

The murder rate in once crime-ridden New York is set to drop to an historic low, according to figures out today.

US President George Bush arrives at work today knowing he needs to find a new Attorney General after John Ashcroft announced his resignation.

NOW the result of the 2004 election is finally confirmed, the possible candidates for the 2008 race will begin jockeying for position.

Now the result of the 2004 election is finally confirmed, the possible candidates for the 2008 race will begin jockeying for position.

DEMOCRATIC challenger John Kerry turned President Bush’s own words into a weapon yesterday and said it was the Republican incumbent who had jumped to conclusions in Iraq, disqualifying him from being commander-in-chief.

In a stinging exchange, President Bush criticised Democratic challenger John Kerry as “the wrong man for the wrong job at the wrong time” today.

With quavering voices, parents and grandparents of those killed at the World Trade Center in New York slowly read the names of the victims today to mark the third anniversary of the attacks that brought down the twin towers.

On the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, dignitaries, community leaders and relatives of victims stood at ground zero and gave voice to the names of the dead. Last year, the children of victims took up that task.

Security officials have identified six of the militants who seized a school in southern Russia as Chechens, drawing a strong connection to the rebels who have been fighting Russian forces for years.

Republicans are turning to conditions at home today after saluting President George Bush as a wartime president whose leadership is “rock solid”.

Left wing film-maker Michael Moore faced a barrage of jeers and boos at the Republican National Convention today.

THE Republican Party convention opened in New York yesterday with a gloves-off attack on their Democratic rivals and a bid to portray President George Bush as a strong war leader.

Republicans marshalled their forces to bolster President George Bush’s image as a strong leader in treacherous times as they open their national convention in the city that felt the brunt of the worst terrorist attacks in US history.

FORMER New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who won worldwide respect for his handling of the aftermath of September 11, was once the target of a Mafia assassination plot, it was reported yesterday.

Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who won worldwide respect for his handling of the aftermath of September 11, was once the target of a Mafia assassination plot, it was reported today.

RELATIVES of World Trade Center victims angrily heckled former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani yesterday.

Warnings of a possible terrorist attack on New York contained in an August 2001 White House briefing paper never reached City Hall, but probably would not have changed local security precautions, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani told the September 11 commission today.

RESCUERS on September 11 were forced to make rapid-fire, life-and-death decisions based on incomplete communications, according to a new report by the federal commission investigating the attacks.

Gaetano Badalamenti, once described by US authorities as the “boss of all bosses” of the Sicilian Mafia, has died, a Justice Department spokesman said.

A day after he implied that Ireland should not follow New York City’s example and pass a ban on smoking in all workplaces, Rudolph Giuliani called Mayor Michael Bloomberg to say that was not what he meant.

THE former Mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, arrived in Cork last night for a week-long visit to Ireland — his first stay in this country.