Dozens of tornados and intense thunderstorms have swept across the US Midwest, killing at least six people, causing extensive damage in several communities and darkening Chicago city centre.

More than 90 people are feared dead, including 20 children, after a huge tornado ripped through an Oklahoma town destroying scores of homes and a primary school.

Charities are warning of crippling food price rises here and worldwide if immediate action is not taken to counteract the effects of climate change.

A DEVASTATING drought deepened over the last week in many areas of Texas, spreading through more of the plains and going into the Midwest, as triple-digit temperatures baked already thirsty crops and livestock.

A massive storm system has spawned tornados along a broad swathe of the US Midwest, with one city in Missouri hit with such force that dozens of cars were overturned and entire neighbourhoods razed to the ground, leaving only a forest of splintered tree trunks behind.

At least one person was killed and 20 others injured when a tornado ripped across part of New Zealand’s largest city today.

The Cedar River, which burst its banks after torrential rain, has forced at least 20,000 people from their homes in the US state of Iowa, officials said today.

Snow-laden western New York state braced for another wintery onslaught today, while in communities from the US Midwest to the Northeast storms closed schools, hit motorists and knocked out power.

A winter storm that slathered the US Midwest and Plains under a thick coat of ice crashed into the North-east today, downing power lines, making roads treacherous and chasing away spring-like temperatures.

IMPORTING of giant pouched rats was banned in the United States after the exotic animals were blamed for the spread of monkey pox — but back home in Africa the animals are being trained for humanitarian work...sniffing out land mines.

Swarms of violent thunderstorms and tornados crashed through the US Midwest, killing at least 32 people in the states of Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee.

US President George W Bush fainted briefly in the White House residence after choking on a pretzel while watching an American football game on television, White House physician Dr Richard Tubb said.

Storms which swept through America's Midwest have left one person dead and caused severe flooding.