Obama hits campaign trail

Barack Obama today launched his election fightback after a fall in his approval ratings during the US debt crisis.

The President criticised his Republican rivals' economic policies at the start of a tour of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois before next year's election.

Mr Obama began his campaign after months of bitter negotiations with a Republican-dominated Congress over the best way to tackle Wall Street turmoil, high unemployment and the downgrading of America's credit rating by Standard and Poor's.

The President encouraged the Midwest to rise up against congressional inaction, saying: "If your voices are heard, then sooner or later these guys have to start paying attention." He also attacked the eight Republican presidential candidates, who have all ruled out tax increases. "That's just not common sense," he told a crowd in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.