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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Democrats 'to control US Senate' | Democrats 'to control US Senate' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Democrats appear to have won the final seat needed to take control of the US Senate, the Associated Press reports. | Democrats appear to have won the final seat needed to take control of the US Senate, the Associated Press reports. |
| AP declared Democrat Jim Webb victor in Virginia by 7,236 votes over Republican incumbent George Allen. Official results have yet to confirm a win. | AP declared Democrat Jim Webb victor in Virginia by 7,236 votes over Republican incumbent George Allen. Official results have yet to confirm a win. |
| Democrats have already taken the House of Representatives, and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has resigned. | Democrats have already taken the House of Representatives, and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has resigned. |
| Republican defeat in the mid-term polls has been blamed on the Iraq war, of which Mr Rumsfeld was a key architect. | Republican defeat in the mid-term polls has been blamed on the Iraq war, of which Mr Rumsfeld was a key architect. |
| President George W Bush has named former CIA director Robert Gates as his new defence chief. | President George W Bush has named former CIA director Robert Gates as his new defence chief. |
| The president said the Republicans had taken a "thumping" in Tuesday's vote, in which the Democrats gained control of the House for the first time in 12 years. | The president said the Republicans had taken a "thumping" in Tuesday's vote, in which the Democrats gained control of the House for the first time in 12 years. |
| Correspondents say the election has changed the political landscape in the US, and the last two years of the Bush presidency will be very different from those before. | Correspondents say the election has changed the political landscape in the US, and the last two years of the Bush presidency will be very different from those before. |
| Control of the Senate and its committees would give Democrats the right to ratify treaties, hold hearings and approve presidential appointments, including those to the Supreme Court. | Control of the Senate and its committees would give Democrats the right to ratify treaties, hold hearings and approve presidential appointments, including those to the Supreme Court. |
| 'Tired of failures' | 'Tired of failures' |
| The Senate race has been hanging on Virginia, where a win would give the Democrats the six seats needed for a majority. | The Senate race has been hanging on Virginia, where a win would give the Democrats the six seats needed for a majority. |
| Profile: Robert Gates Press reacts to departure Text of president's speech | |
| AP called the election for the Democrats after contacting election officials in the state's 134 localities for updated figures. | AP called the election for the Democrats after contacting election officials in the state's 134 localities for updated figures. |
| Correspondents say the call reflects the general view that it will be impossible for any recount to change the outcome. | Correspondents say the call reflects the general view that it will be impossible for any recount to change the outcome. |
| Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid claimed victory in Virginia. | Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid claimed victory in Virginia. |
| "The American people have spoken clearly and decisively in favour of Democrats leading this country in a new direction," he said in a statement. | "The American people have spoken clearly and decisively in favour of Democrats leading this country in a new direction," he said in a statement. |
| "In Iraq and here at home, Americans have made clear they are tired of the failures of the last six years." | "In Iraq and here at home, Americans have made clear they are tired of the failures of the last six years." |
| A victory by Mr Webb would give both parties 49 seats in the upper chamber. | A victory by Mr Webb would give both parties 49 seats in the upper chamber. |
| SENATE RACES DEMOCRAT GAINS: McCaskill takes Missouri Casey gains PennsylvaniaBrown gains OhioWhitehouse gains Rhode IslandTester takes MontanaWebb projected to take Virginia | |
| Two independents have said they will vote with the Democrats, which would give the party the 51 votes they need to claim a majority for the first time since 2002. | Two independents have said they will vote with the Democrats, which would give the party the 51 votes they need to claim a majority for the first time since 2002. |
| The reported margin of victory in Virginia is small enough for a recount to be possible, but with 99% of votes now counted, it is thought to be virtually impossible for Mr Allen to make up sufficient ground to win. | The reported margin of victory in Virginia is small enough for a recount to be possible, but with 99% of votes now counted, it is thought to be virtually impossible for Mr Allen to make up sufficient ground to win. |
| Though Mr Allen may be entitled to demand a recount, aides were quoted as saying that he did not want to drag out the process and was likely to make a decision in the coming hours. | Though Mr Allen may be entitled to demand a recount, aides were quoted as saying that he did not want to drag out the process and was likely to make a decision in the coming hours. |
| 'Fresh perspective' | 'Fresh perspective' |
| President Bush said that he and Mr Rumsfeld had agreed that a "fresh perspective" was needed in Iraq. | President Bush said that he and Mr Rumsfeld had agreed that a "fresh perspective" was needed in Iraq. |
| Mr Rumsfeld had faced growing calls to quit as violence in Iraq has continued to spiral, three years after the US-led invasion. | Mr Rumsfeld had faced growing calls to quit as violence in Iraq has continued to spiral, three years after the US-led invasion. |
| "It's been quite a time," said Mr Rumsfeld in a short departing speech. | "It's been quite a time," said Mr Rumsfeld in a short departing speech. |
| Nancy Pelosi, the woman set to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, welcomed the resignation. | Nancy Pelosi, the woman set to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, welcomed the resignation. |
| "I hope the departure of Mr Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new policy in Iraq, signalling a willingness on the part of the president to work with the Congress to devise a better way forward," she said. | "I hope the departure of Mr Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new policy in Iraq, signalling a willingness on the part of the president to work with the Congress to devise a better way forward," she said. |