Republican White House hopefuls have set their sights on President Barack Obama’s home state of Illinois in the hope of shaking up the plodding race to become their party’s standard-bearer.

The Democratic victory in the US elections was seen in Asia as a well-deserved rejection of the war in Iraq, but was not expected to have a major impact on American foreign policy.

US SENATOR John Kerry yesterday turned his attention to the 'Super Seven' battle as his runaway New Hampshire victory made him the man to beat in the Democratic presidential race.