The US Supreme Court said today it will consider the constitutionality of banning a type of late-term abortion, setting up a contentious issue for a newly-constituted court.

The US Supreme Court steered clear of a major ruling on abortion today, instead giving the northeastern state of New Hampshire a chance to save its parental notification law.

THIS morning, as the fog of uncertainty begins to rise (and there’s no guarantee of that), either John Kerry or George Bush will emerge as the leader of the world’s most powerful nation for the next four years.

The same sense of humour that helped President George W Bush as a father of twin teenage daughters has eased his transition in Washington, his wife said.