MIAMI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Gustav regained hurricane strength Friday afternoon as it moved from Jamaica to the Caymans.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the Cayman Islands and for much of western Cuba, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica and central Cuba, and a tropical storm watch was posted over the lower Florida Keys from west of the Seven Mile Bridge westward to the Dry Tortugas.

At 8 p.m. EDT, the center of Gustav was 25 miles south of the islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, about 90 miles east of Grand Cayman and about 365 miles east-southeast of the western tip of Cuba. Maximum sustained winds had increased to almost 80 mph with higher gusts.

Gustav is a Category 1 hurricane and is expected to gain strength Saturday and Sunday.

The storm was moving toward the northwest at about 11 mph. Gustav was expected to hit the Caymans late Friday and Cuba Saturday before heading for the Gulf Coast of the United States Saturday night or Sunday.

CNN said authorities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama activated storm plans Thursday, as the forecast five-day track shows an eventual U.S. landfall anywhere between Corpus Christi, Texas, and Panama City, Fla. Preparations included evacuating several thousand people living in trailers after their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

Amtrak announced Friday that it was suspending rail service into and out of New Orleans at least through next Thursday. The Crescent, from New York to New Orleans won't run south of Atlanta, the City of New Orleans from Chicago will terminate at Memphis and the Sunset Limited from Los Angeles to Florida won't run east of San Antonio, with no alternate bus service provided on any route.

Gustav disrupts Amtrak service

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Amtrak said Friday it was temporarily suspending rail service to and from New Orleans because of approaching severe weather and an emergency declaration.

Gustav regained hurricane strength Friday afternoon as it moved from Jamaica to the Caymans and the National Weather Service in Miami said the storm could reach the U.S. Gulf Coast Saturday night or Sunday.

Amtrak said it would make train equipment already in New Orleans available to federal and state authorities for use in evacuation of New Orleans. The action is in keeping with Amtrak's role as a national transportation asset under terms of its contract with the Federal Emergency Management Administration, which is preparing for the evacuation of New Orleans.

Passengers with travel plans through the affected areas on routes of the New York-Atlanta-New Orleans Amtrak Crescent; Chicago-Memphis-New Orleans Amtrak City of New Orleans; and the Los Angeles-San Antonio-New Orleans route of the Amtrak Sunset Limited were advised to call Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL.

Amtrak said it was contacting passengers with telephone contact information in their reservations to offer other travel options. Ticketed passengers affected by the service suspension may receive refunds, Amtrak said.

McCain, Palin hit the stump this weekend

DAYTON, Ohio, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The likely Republican presidential ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin will be on the stump the weekend before the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn.

The senator from Arizona introduced Palin, the governor of Alaska, as his vice presidential pick Friday during a rally in Dayton, Ohio.

"Road to the Convention" rallies are scheduled in Pennsylvania Saturday and in Missouri Sunday, McCain's campaign Web site indicated.

McCain said Palin, 44, who was elected governor in 2006, "is exactly who I need. She's exactly who this country needs to help me fight the same old Washington politics of me first and country second."

Palin made an appeal to disgruntled supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., who ran a bitter campaign against Barack Obama.

Noting her selection was made 88 years after women won the right to vote, and referencing Clinton's "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling," Palin said, "It turns out the women in America aren't done yet and we can shatter that ceiling once and for all." McCain and Palin are poised to accept the top two spots on the Republican ticket next week during the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to begin Monday.

McCain's VP choice under investigation

JUNEAU, Alaska, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The office of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is the target of an investigation involving the firing of the state's top public safety official, authorities said.

The investigation arises from Palin's firing in July of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, who has said he felt the governor's office pressured him to fire Palin's ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, a state trooper who engaged in a child-custody battle with Palin's sister, the Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News reported.

Palin said her decision to release Monegan in July had nothing to do with his refusal to fire Wooten. In an interview with CNBC Aug. 1, Palin said, "It is a governor's prerogative, a right, to fill that Cabinet with members whom she or he believes will do best for the people whom we are serving. So I look forward to any kind of investigation or questions being asked because I've got nothing to hide."

Palin revealed this month that Boards and Commissions Director Frank Bailey made a call in February to a state trooper lieutenant, during which Bailey outlined complaints against Wooten, indicating the governor and her husband wondered why he was still on the force, the Daily News reported.

The governor said the call could be perceived as her office pressuring the Public Safety Department but added that exerting influence wasn't the case, the newspaper said.

Palin's office last week announced Bailey was relieved of his duties, pending a legislative investigation. Before the legislative probe, however, the governor directed the Department of Law to conduct its own inquiry.

"Obviously the governor is not happy with that phone call but we don't know what the investigation is going to show in total," said Palin spokesman Bill McAllister.

Palin has said she was shocked to learn of the call, adding it was "absolutely inappropriate that he appeared to be representing me."