ABOUT a year ago, in the middle of a TV sports report in Florida watched by the man in my life, up popped the inventor of the Jarvik artificial heart.

Democrats strengthened their majorities in both houses of Congress, assuring president-elect Barack Obama a stronger hand in enacting his agenda of change.

STEVE SCHMIDT is taking over the day-to-day operation of John McCain’s campaign, according to campaign sources.

BUSH administration officials, trying to calm a political furore over allowing a United Arab Emirates company to take over six US seaports, told Congress yesterday they spent three months reviewing the deal and said all concerns about security were satisfied.

SHE is leading the polls for her party’s White House nod in 2008.

The people of the United States will vote for their next president today, but that is just the start of a complex procedure which ends with the official swearing-in ceremony in January.

US president George Bush has criticised a TV commercial that accused Democrat rival John Kerry of inflating his own Vietnam War record, saying broadcast attacks by outside groups had no place in the race for the White House.

A popular advertisement for Visa credit cards featuring Martin Sheen has been pulled from American TV – reportedly because of the vocal actor’s outspoken anti-war stance.