Regardless of the outcome of Republican presidential primaries in Michigan and Arizona today, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum appear set for a showdown next week in Ohio.

OHIO, home state of seven US presidents and the state that denied John Kerry the White House, is used to being in the centre of presidential elections.

John Kerry appeared to be preparing to concede election victory to President George Bush this afternoon.

Cities across the north-eastern United States and Canada restored power to millions of people today, following the largest blackout in North American history – only to confront a second series of woes in the aftermath of the enormous power cut.