US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia lost to a Tea Party challenger in a stunning Republican primary upset that sent shockwaves through Congress and gave the conservative movement a landmark victory.

Computer files to create a plastic handgun almost entirely from parts made with a 3D printer have gone online, alarming gun-control advocates after it was successfully test-fired by its inventor.

Representative Anthony Weiner announced yesterday he is entering professional treatment at an undisclosed location and requested a leave of absence from the US Congress as he came under fierce pressure from fellow Democrats to resign in a sex texting scandal.