Here's my illustrated tribute to a very memorable week.

The American people spoke and sent a message to Washington - and it was more decisive than it has been in a while.

I feel very privileged and lucky to have been in Washington at a time of such importance and excitement. Speaking to many individuals it was evident that the result of this election was perhaps even more important than 2008. President Obama delivered a decisive victory, confirming his presidency for a further four years, with the American people choosing a clearly defined domestic and foreign path for their country.

The Republicans need to be careful about making token gestures, either in terms of legislation or candidates. They need deep, and sustained outreach over many years and a new constructive approach to policymaking in this area if they are to be credible and successful.

Women of America, you have totally, utterly inspired me. Between bandaging my fingernails and sighing a huge sigh of relief, I can only think to say: you really really do go, girls.

Your smart money might have predicted that Obama should be nowhere near likely to secure a second term in office. (Unless, of course, the local turf accountants had realised that when Reagan was re-elected it was - as with Obama today - during a sustained period of rising employment). And yet, over the past three years, election after election across the developed world has seen incumbent premiers voted out of office in the wake of the global economic crisis. The fact that Obama has bucked this trend is testament to his - and the team behind him's - ability to persuade the electorate of his economic credentials.

Newspaper bosses in Croatia have apologised after running a headline saying loser Mitt Romney had won the US presidential election . The country's...

The world watches on as America goes to the polls. In what is predicted to be the closest election in recent memory, a deeply divided country must cho...

Democracy depends on rational, mature decisions and should not be shaped by unconscious, gut responses. But the polarization in US politics is such that this is probably a vain hope and race may be the trump card in the final result.

Come on then nerds, how do you plan to see the new administration?

The very nature of Romney's business success means he cannot use the two fundamental sources of his business niche; risk-averse and selectivity, as a claim to be able to run the most powerful country in the world.

The biggest advantage for the incumbent in elections is holding the office. Yes, you have a record that your opponent can bash in every address and, inevitably, something will happen in the course of an election campaign that reflects poorly on your administration. But, as the incumbent you are able to look like you own the position - you aren't running for office. You are the office.

Extreme disasters which occur just before an election, do appear to sway voters, the latest research has found.