Washington’s last-minute scramble to step back from a “fiscal cliff” ran into trouble last night as Republicans in the House of Representatives balked at a deal to avert a budget crisis.

A Republican congressman said in videotaped remarks that evolution, embryology and the Big Bang theory are “lies straight from the pit of hell” meant to convince people that they do not need a saviour.

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, who has emerged as Mr Romney’s leading challenger in the Republican presidential race, clashed over the US federal government’s power in a high-stakes debate that might have been the last in the roller-coaster campaign to challenge President Barack Obama.

Representative Gabrielle Giffords, shot in the head in a shooting spree in Tucson a year ago, said yesterday she will step down this week from the US Congress to focus on her recovery,

TEA PARTY conservatives scored their biggest political triumph with a debt-ceiling deal that cuts federal spending, but their tactics could risk a voter backlash in the 2012 elections.

Embattled Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner is telling friends he will resign amid the row over his sexually charged online relationships with several women.

Representative Anthony Weiner announced yesterday he is entering professional treatment at an undisclosed location and requested a leave of absence from the US Congress as he came under fierce pressure from fellow Democrats to resign in a sex texting scandal.

Mitt Romney formally declared his candidacy to challenge President Barack Obama in next year’s US election, but the presumed front-runner for the Republican nomination will likely face some big-name competition for his party’s backing.

US President Barack Obama is directing his administration to ramp up oil production in the face of continued public unhappiness over fuel prices.

The Houston hospital treating Representative Gabrielle Giffords said the US congresswoman’s condition has been upgraded from serious to good and she will be moved to a rehabilitation hospital today.

The neurosurgeon treating Representative Gabrielle Giffords says doctors are “actually confident” she’s making progress in her recovery.

The youngest victim of the mass shooting in Arizona was remembered at her funeral for her love of baseball, animals and swimming with her brother.

The 22-year-old man accused of trying to assassinate Representative Gabrielle Giffords in a deadly shooting rampage wrote “Die, bitch” in a note found at his home, a sheriff’s official said.

Republicans captured Democratic governorships in at least 10 states, including some prime presidential battlegrounds, and hoped for even more gains.

A North Carolina congressional candidate apologised to Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman after falsely claiming the actor had done a voice-over for a campaign ad.

Signalling its willingness to discuss improved relations with the US, Cuba granted three visiting members of the Congressional Black Caucus the first meeting with Fidel Castro by American officials since he fell ill in 2006.

Barack Obama urged Americans to look to the future today as they make up their minds with just 10 days left in the race for the White House.

Frustrated Republicans voiced concern with their own presidential candidate, John McCain, as he continued to blast frontrunner Barack Obama as harmful to the middle class.

Barack Obama effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination tonight, becoming the first black candidate to lead a major party into a campaign for the White House.

One of the hardest-fought and most expensive primary seasons in memory was drawing towards an end today as Barack Obama looked poised to claim his place in history as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.

Mattel has extended its worldwide recalls of Chinese-made toys to more than 18.6 million, including popular Barbie and Polly Pocket, and warned that more could be ordered off store shelves because of lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed.

The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives failed to override President George Bush’s veto of an Iraqi war spending Bill with timetables for US troop withdrawals.

DEMOCRATS challenged Republicans for control of Congress for US President George W Bush’s final two years in office last night in elections shadowed by war in Iraq and scandal at home.

US police sealed off the Capitol today after receiving reports of gunfire in a House office building across the street.

Postcards showing scantily clad women alongside Rio de Janeiro’s famous landmarks have been banned under a new law in the state famed worldwide for Carnival.

AMID new questions about US President George W Bush's determination to remove Saddam Hussein as Iraq's president, several US Democrats have called for an official inquiry to determine whether he intentionally misled Congress.

Amid new questions about George Bush’s determination to remove Saddam Hussein as Iraq’s president, several US Democrats have called for an official inquiry to determine whether the President intentionally misled Congress.

Republicans tightened their grip on the US Senate today, capturing a string of Democratic seats while extending their decade-long hold on Congress.

Taoiseach and President of the European Council, Bertie Ahern, accompanied by President Romano Prodi of the European Commission and EU High Representative Javier Solana, is leading the EU delegation to Ottawa for the EU-Canada Summit today.

President George Bush tonight offered the US a $673bn (€646bn) “growth and jobs” plan to stimulate the economy.