Hurricane Arthur has weakened to a Category 1 storm in the Atlantic after bringing flooding and power outages to North Carolina’s Outer Banks overnight.

Thousands of holidaymakers on the US east coast have been ordered to head home as Hurricane Irene approaches.

THE great world spins towards another All-Ireland Sunday. Around the world – for an hour or two at least – Irish feet will not make footprints on the fine sands of southeast Asia’s beaches.

POWERFUL Hurricane Earl wheeled toward the East Coast, driving the first tourists yesterday from North Carolina vacation islands and threatening damaging winds and waves up the Atlantic seaboard over Labour Day weekend.

US President George W Bush today declared North Carolina a disaster area as Hurricane Isabel ploughed into coastal islands on the US eastern seaboard with 100 mph winds.