Hurricane Dean ploughed into the Caribbean coast of Mexico today as a roaring Category 5 hurricane, lashing ancient Mayan ruins and heading for modern oil installations.

Officials in the US state of Texas are today preparing for Hurricane Dean.

Recovery efforts were in full swing today as water-logged Texas dealt with the rainy remnants of Tropical Storm Erin, which authorities blamed for at least four deaths and said could be a prelude to

The man shot by US Vice President Dick Cheney experienced a heart irregularity after birdshot moved into his heart and was moved back to the intensive care unit for further treatment this morning.

Thousands fled as the outer edge of Hurricane Emily lashed coastal areas around the Texas-Mexico border and its already powerful centre continued to strengthen just offshore.

Howling wind and rain from Hurricane Emily lashed beaches in the Mexican resort of Cancun today, after thousands of tourists, many of them Britons, were evacuated from their hotels to improvised shelters at schools and gymnasiums.

President George Bush has told Iran that US humanitarian aid to earthquake victims should prove that America is compassionate, even though it lists the country as a state sponsor of terrorism.