Republican

It is crisis governance with the entire American economy at stake. Republicans are threatening to shut down the US government at midnight tonight in a battle over Obama’s flagship healthcare law.

US diplomat Richard Haass holds all-party talks in Northern Ireland this week on challenges to the peace process. 15 years after the Good Friday agreement, we look at the challenges that remain.

Jon Snow asks Karen Finney – a political commentator for MSNBC and Democrat strategist – whether the new route of diplomacy over the threat of miltary action is working for the Syrian crisis.

The race has had everything, from sexting scandals to allegations of raicsm. Now it is decision time as Democrats choose their candidate for New York’s next mayor.

“My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line.” As President Obama and western leaders debate action against Syria – how far are their hands tied?

Racism – or just clowning around? Missouri State Fair says sorry after a clown in an Obama mask was paraded before baying crowds, and calls the behaviour “unacceptable”.

A major victory for the anti-abortion movement as the Texas senate approves a sweeping new bill banning most abortions after 20 weeks – but opponents vow to fight back.

New Yorkers are prepared to forgive: or are they? Former governor Eliot Spitzer is trying to return to politics – five years after he resigned amid a prostitution scandal. And he’s not alone.

There’s a new front in the battle over abortion rights – Ohio – where sweeping restrictions have just come into force. And Texas takes up the debate again on a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks.

The US Senate approves sweeping reforms to immigration with a path to citizenship for eleven million undocumented workers. But will one of Obama’s flagship policies be killed off in Congress?

A path to citizenship at last? As Channel 4 News launches its series on immigration – America’s 11 million undocumented migrants hope they will finally get legal status.

This is a shameful day for Washington, President Obama declared – as his efforts to push through stricter gun control laws hit a brick wall in Congress.

The US Senate holds its first debate on major gun control legislation for almost 20 years. But the parties are split: now, even a compromise deal on stricter background checks could fail.

Two cases, two potentially historic rulings on the future of gay rights. Should same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry – and equal protection under the law?