John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin unlawfully abused her power as Alaska's governor by trying to have her former brother-in-law fired as a state trooper, US officials said.

Another band has complained about John McCain’s unauthorised use of their song to promote his campaign.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s comments that “you can put lipstick on a pig” were “offensive and disgraceful”, his rival John McCain’s campaign said today.