St Paul, Minnesota - US First Lady Laura Bush gave a first jolt of energy to Republican delegates starved of star power on the first day of the centre-right party's presidential nominating convention.

She has remained a popular national figure across party lines, even with approval ratings for her husband, President George W Bush, languishing around 30 per cent.

The president and Vice President Dick Cheney were due to headline the first night of the four-day convention before Hurricane Gustav's landfall on the Gulf Coast led Republicans to scuttle Monday evening's speeches.

St Paul, Minnesota - The monster hurricane Hurricane Gustav has prompted last-minute changes in the Republican presidential nominating convention, despite the 
2,000 kilometres that separate the midwestern state from the US Gulf Coast.

Mindful of avoiding political rhetoric and celebrations as the country watches a natural disaster unfold in New Orleans and the surrounding region, Republican delegates will only meet for two hours on the convention's opening day Monday to take care of essential business, the campaign manager for Senator John McCain, Rick Davis, said Sunday.

Minneapolis, Aug. 30: John McCain's choice of Republican running mate -- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin -- has made a key evangelical leader and a foe of him, a believer, the New York Times reports.

James Dobson told The Washington Times on Friday that he now fully supports McCain.

"If flip-flopping is a sin, I'm a sinner. As you know, I once said I don't see how I could ever come to support John McCain," Dobson was quoted, as saying.

Islamabad, Aug 30: Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman has said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has the required amount of support to win the September presidential election.

The Daily Times quoted Rahman, as saying that our party has the most representation in all provinces. We have the support of a comfortable majority and our opponents are only spreading misinformation.

Islamabad, Aug 30: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq has said that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) should pull out of he Punjab Government following the PML-N's exit from the ruling coalition.

Haq said his party would continue to run the Punjab government.

"The PML-N will not again join the PPP-led ruling coalition," The Daily Times quoted Haq, as saying.

Speaking about the presidential candidate, he said the party would not withdraw its presidential candidate.

Washington, Aug. 30: John McCain's choice for vice-president -- Alaska Governor Sarah Palin – seems have an interesting, if not daring background.

A mom of five, bespectacled Palin, who was elected governor in 2006, smoked pot or specifically marijuana in her youth, has been a beauty pageant contestant who didn't win the Miss Wasilla, Alaska, title in 1984, loves eating moose burgers and watching hockey.

She admits she tried pot, but didn't like it - when marijuana was still legal in Alaska.