HURRICANE ISABEL screamed ashore in North Carolina yesterday as furious winds and torrential rains forced evacuations throughout the US mid-Atlantic region, the cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights and shut down the federal government in Washington.

PEOPLE in Northern Ireland must be unequivocal in their condemnation of murder and support the forces of law and order, mourners at the funeral of a man who died after being beaten in Belfast were told yesterday.

The UN was today given a stern warning by US President George W Bush to “show some backbone” and confront Saddam Hussein over Iraq.