RESIDENTS of south Fargo, North Dakota, evacuated their homes early yesterday as the Red River rose to its highest level in 112 years and a crack appeared in a sandbag dike.

Barack Obama, who hoped to woo moderate voters in traditionally Republican territory on his US Independence Day campaign tour, found himself instead defending against criticism that he was wavering on Iraq war policy to win votes.

Authorities evacuated hundreds of homes after a massive wildfire along the Georgia-Florida border jumped a containment line overnight, authorities said today.

Campus threats forced lock-downs and evacuations at universities and schools in eight US states the day after a Virginia Tech student’s shooting rampage killed 32 people.

A SCHOOL shooting survivor in the US said yesterday the gunman aimed with “a mean face” as he shot fellow students, killing five among his nine victims.

VOTERS trying to beat the US election day rush turned out early in such large numbers in many precincts that they created their own crowds, standing in long lines that snaked down the street, sometimes before the polling places even opened.