WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Only 41 percent of Americans approved of President George W. Bush's performance in office, while 53 percent disapproved, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll published on Thursday showed.

    The figures were in line with other national polls conducted last week, roughly equal to the worst ratings Bush has ever received.

    For the first time, just half of Americans approved of Bush's handling of terrorism, which has been his most consistent strength since he scored 90 percent approval ratings in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

    The findings suggested that the slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina has increased public doubts about the Bush administration's effectiveness. Fifty-six percent of Americans said they were now less confident about the government's ability to respond to a terrorist attack or natural disaster.

    More than six in 10 said they were uneasy about Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the war in Iraq, and half expressed similar unease about his ability to deal with the problems of the storm's victims.

    Over all, 38 percent of Americans approved of his handling of foreign policy; 35 percent of his handling of the economy; and 36 percent of his handling of the situation in Iraq.

    The poll was conducted Friday through Tuesday with 1,167 adults, and has a margin of sampling error at plus or minus three percentage points. Enditem