President's niece held over drugs

Noelle Bush, niece of president George W Bush, has been arrested for trying to obtain drugs with a fake prescription. She was said to be trying to get hold of anti-anxiety drug Xanax in Tallahassee, state capital of Florida, where her father, Jeb, is the governor.

After her arrest at a drive-through pharmacy, she was held for several hours at a police station, before being charged and released. Last night, Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba, appealed for understanding. 'This is a very serious problem,' they said in a statement. 'Unfortunately, substance abuse is an issue confronting many families across our nation.'

The arrest of Noelle, 24, came after President Bush's 19-year-old twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, were arrested for underage drinking in Texas last summer. Barbara was fined but Jenna was placed on probation for three months. It also came as Mr Bush prepared for his State of the Union address, the most important presidential speech of the year.