Obama returns home early due to Irene

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama returned here late Friday after cutting short his vacation to deal with Hurricane Irene, which is lining up a direct hit on the US East Coast.

Obama, originally due to leave Martha's Vineyard on Saturday, left the Massachusetts resort island late Friday and arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington at 10:51 pm (0251 GMT Saturday).

Irene, a category two hurricane, is forecast to make landfall Saturday in North Carolina, where residents were fleeing normally bustling beach communities, and could score a direct hit on New York City.