Senate approves bill to avert "fiscal cliff"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday, two hours after a December 31 deadline had lapsed, approved legislation aimed at averting the “fiscal cliff” by stopping most tax hikes and across-the-board spending cuts that were due to begin with the new year. The House of Representatives still must approve the measure, possibly on Tuesday. (Reporting by Richard Cowan and David Lawder; Editing by Eric Walsh)

House will consider Senate’s fiscal cliff bill: Boehner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives will consider legislation to avert the “fiscal cliff” if the Senate passes such a measure, House Speaker John Boehner said on Monday. “The House will honor its commitment to consider the Senate agreement if it is passed. Decisions about whether the House will seek to accept or promptly amend the measure will not be made until House members … have been able to review the legislation,” Boehner and other House Republican leaders said in a statement. A House vote could come as early as Tuesday. …

Democratic senators see support for "fiscal cliff" deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic senators emerged from a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden late on Monday saying there was strong support for quickly passing legislation aimed at averting the fiscal cliff. Senator Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, and Senator Charles Schumer, of New York, who is a member of the Senate Democratic leadership, both said the Senate would aim to pass the newly struck deal by a midnight (0500 GMT Tuesday) deadline. If it passes the Senate, the House of Representatives would still have to approve it. A vote in that chamber could come on Tuesday. …

Venezuela’s Chavez in stable condition, says son-in-law

A supporter of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez holds a picture of him, as he attends a mass to pray for Chavez's health in CaracasCARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is in stable condition and spent Monday with his daughters, the cancer-stricken leader's son in law said in an appeal for supporters to ignore rumors about his condition. Chavez has not been seen in public nor heard from in more than three weeks. The vice president said on Sunday that the 58-year-old was suffering a third set of complications after surgery in Cuba on December 11, his fourth operation in 18 months. …

Sour end to 2012 masks positive trends in America

Fireworks explode over Times Square as the crystal ball is hoisted in New YorkCHICAGO (Reuters) – Many Americans seem to be in a sour mood as 2013 begins, after Hurricane Sandy ravaged parts of the East Coast, a gunman massacred 20 school children in Connecticut and a long, contentious election campaign was followed by failure to resolve the "fiscal cliff" issue by year-end. Americans have not been very optimistic since the Great Recession of 2008-2009, but the gloom had begun to lift this year until the blast of bad news as 2012 ended, IPSOS pollster Cliff Young said on Monday. IPSOS polling showed that some angst set in as the year ended. …

Clinton suffers clot behind right ear, full recovery seen

File photo of U.S. Secretary of State Clinton delivering a speech at Dublin City University in IrelandWASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suffered a blood clot in a vein between her brain and skull behind her right ear but is expected to make a full recovery, her doctors said on Monday in a statement released by the State Department. Clinton did not suffer a stroke or neurological damage as a result of the clot, the doctors said, adding that "she is in good spirits, engaging with her doctors, her family and her staff." The U.S. …

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