White House Revels in Fiscal Cliff 'Victory'

Jan 1, 2013 12:13pm It’s hard to find anyone in Washington happy about the outcome of the “fiscal cliff” brinksmanship.But inside the Obama White House, senior officials are elated by what they call a significant presidential achievement:  breaking longstanding Republican intransigence on taxes.The deal passed by the Senate early this morning, with the endorsement...

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Biden, McConnell continue ‘cliff’ talks as clock winds down

Vice President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were close to a deal Monday to cancel historic tax hikes for most Americans. But they were still hung up on spending, with Democrats resisting a Republican proposal to delay automatic spending cuts for just three months. As President Obama prepared to deliver remarks about the “fiscal cliff” at 1:30 p.m. at the White House,...

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Football: Pardew blasts Ba's advisors as star eyes move

LONDON: Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has accused Demba Ba's agents of giving bad advice to their client as the Senegal striker continues to be linked with a move away from St James' Park.Ba, who has scored 13 goals this season, has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave Newcastle if a club bids£7 million and the former West Ham star has been linked with a host of teams ahead of...

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UP government to give Rs 20 lakh compensation for Delhi-gang-rape victim's family

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh (UP) government on Monday announced Rs 20 lakh compensation for the family of the Delhi gang-rape victim who succumbed to injuries two days ago. The compensation will be given from the chief minister's discretionary fund.Earlier, on December 21, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had announced to give Rs five lakh financial assistance to the family of the victim in addition to...

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Space Pictures This Week: Ice “Broccoli,” Solar Storm

Happy TrailsPhotograph by Alex Cherney, TWANAmateur astronomer Alex Cherney captured these star trails as they blazed above Lake Tyrrell, a salt lake in Victoria, Australia in...

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Time's Up: Sides Closing In on 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal

Congressional and White House negotiators are closing in on a deal to avert across-the-board tax hikes and spending cuts that take effect at midnight, as the nation teeters on the edge of the so-called fiscal cliff.An emerging tentative agreement would extend current tax rates for households making $450,000 or less; extend the estate tax at its current level of 35 percent...

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Brahimi says he has Syria plan all world powers may back

CAIRO: International envoy Lakhdar Brahimi warned Sunday that the Syrian war was worsening "by the day" as he announced a peace plan he believed could find support from world powers, including key Syria ally Russia.Brahimi's comments came as Russia despatched a third warship to its naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus in readiness for a possible evacuation of its nationals and as Turkish...

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Haryana khap opposes death penalty for rapists

HISAR: Opposing the demand for death penalty for rapists, a khap in Haryana on Sunday said no law should be introduced in a hurry which can be misused. Speaking at a village here, khap leader Sube Singh said that the authorities should not be carried away by emotions in the wake of the public protests over the gang rape issue and demand for death penalty for rapists. "We have seen the anti-dowry...

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How to Banish That New Year's Eve Hangover

For those of us who enjoy the occasional cocktail, the holiday season would be incomplete without certain treats of the liquid variety. Some look forward to the creamy charms of rum-laced eggnog; others anticipate cupfuls of high-octane punch or mugs of warm, spiced wine.No matter what's in your glass, raising one as the year winds down is tradition. What could be more festive? The problem...

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President Suggests Small 'Cliff' Deal Likely

Dec 30, 2012 11:26am With less than two days remaining for Congress to reach a budget agreement that would avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff,” President Obama today suggested that a small deal remains the best hope to avoid the perilous package of spending cuts and tax increases.In an interview aired this morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press” the president said if Republicans...

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