The first minister insisted there were 1190 more police officers than when the SNP took office and the crime statistics were at their lowest for 30 years.

BBC: First Minister's Questions

Capitol Police evacuated the first floor of the Hart Senate Office Building for more than an hour and questioned a man in the area who had a backpack containing sealed envelopes, but the man was not taken into custody.

CNN: Ricin scare rattles Washington

Exit polls showed that 90% of white voters supported Mr Harmon, the city's first black police chief, who was making his first run for office.

ECONOMIST: The St Louis mayor's race