No sign of fiscal cliff progress in US

US President Barack Obama and the top Republican in Congress appear no closer to giving ground in negotiations aimed at avoiding the December 31 austerity measures of big tax increases and deep spending cuts that threaten to push the nation into a new recession.

With just 18 days remaining until the so-called “fiscal cliff” deadline, Mr Obama’s schedule showed no meetings over the issue, and a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner said the two men did not have any follow-up talks on Wednesday after talking twice by phone on Tuesday.