In the US, the top tier Democrat candidates have traded barbs in the
final debate before states begin to vote on who should take on
President Donald Trump in November's election.
It was billed as a make-or-break two hour televised debate, but the
candidates played it safe, careful not to antagonize potential future
running-mates or alienate voters.
But with only six candidates, and all of them white, there's been
criticism of a lack of diversity from a party that prides itself on
being more diverse than its Republican rival.
US correspondent Nick Harper reports.
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With no clear favorite among the top four - Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders,
Elizabeth Warren, and Pete Buttigieg - each was aiming to make their
mark.
Following recent tensions with Iran, foreign policy dominated more
than a quarter of the debate.
Joe Biden said Washington's confrontation with Tehran had weakened America.
BIDEN 1
Pete Buttigieg drew on his own personal military experience, something
President Trump doesn't have.
BUTTIGIEG 1
A rift between progressives Warren and Sanders emerged this week -
over whether he'd once told her a woman could never be president.
When asked about it Warren quickly defused the situation.
WARREN 1
But did say history showed the females on stage were better placed to win.
WARREN 2
Even so, it was hardly the ugly brawl predicted.
There were plenty of disagreements.
But even blunt Bernie handled them politely.
SANDERS 1
But it was the smallest, whitest debate so far.
Asian American Andrew Yang failed to qualify. African American Cory
Booker dropped out this week.
For the candidates this was their final face-to-face meeting. Now
there'll be 3 weeks of intense campaigning before the Iowa caucus on
the 3rd of February.
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