Bombed trade centre may close for a month

NEW YORK (AP) - The World Trade Center will remain closed for at least a month while repairs continue and investigators look for clues to the bombing of the twin towers, an official said yesterday. 'Our target date to begin moving people back into the towers is about a month from now,' said Anthony Shorris, the Port Authority's deputy executive director.

By one estimate, a month-long delay in reopening the towers could cost businesses dollars 1bn (pounds 704m). The landmark twin towers have been shut down since last Friday's bombing. The Serbs and Palestinians have denied reports that they were involved with the bombing that took five lives. The New York state governor, Mario Cuomo, who has offices on the 57th floor of one of the 110-story towers, will be the first tenant to return, Mr Shorris said. The rest of the buildings' tenants will return gradually.