Newly re-elected President Barack Obama will once again deal with a divided Congress as Democrats retained control of the US Senate, while Republicans kept their solid majority in the House of Representatives.

Republicans have lost two seats in the Senate, boosting Democratic prospects for keeping control of the upper chamber.

The female vote will be a huge factor in the US presidential election. Has the tone of the gender debate swung it far enough in President Obama’s direction? John Riordan reports

US President Barack Obama seized on a Republican Senate candidate's controversial remark about rape and pregnancy in an attempt to shore up his support among women.

A spokeswoman for Mitt Romney said today the US presidential hopeful disagreed with comments made by Indiana Republican senate candidate Richard Mourdock about rape and pregnancy.