Alaska Governor Sarah Palin blamed Bush administration policies for the Republican presidential defeat and prayed she would not miss “an open door” for her next political opportunity.

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

A NEW ethics complaint has been filed against Sarah Palin, accusing the Alaska governor of abusing her power by charging the state when her children travelled with her.

The US Senate today narrowly blocked a Republican plan to tap into the nation’s largest untapped reservoir of oil beneath the frozen tundra of an Alaska wildlife refuge.

The United States Congress has given final approval for $87.5bn (€76.4bn) for military operations and aid in Iraq and Afghanistan, a day after Americans in Iraq endured their worst casualties since March.