US president Barack Obama has secured a landmark foreign policy victory amid opposition from Republicans and Israel. The win was achieved when Democratic senator Barbara Mikulski became the 34th vote to back the Iran nuclear deal.

Senate leaders took command of efforts to avert a US Treasury default and end the partial government shutdown last night after a last big effort by Republicans abruptly collapsed.

THE clamour over a plan to abandon the Hubble Space Telescope and along with it, the most striking images of the universe ever seen has been so loud that NASA’s chief says the decision will be reviewed.