Senators Near Fiscal Deal, but the House Is Uncertain  —  WASHINGTON — Senate leaders neared the completion Monday night of a bipartisan deal to raise the debt ceiling and end the government shutdown while the rest of the world braced for the possibility of an American default that could set off a global financial disaster.

What Barack Obama, Republicans get with a deal  —  It's not a perfect deal for the White House — but it's a worse deal for Republicans.  —  Democrats won't say it too loudly just yet, but the emerging budget agreement leaves Republicans with remarkably little to show for forcing …

The default has already begun  —  The big question in Washington this week is whether, in the words of the NYT, we're going to see “a legislative failure and an economic catastrophe that could ripple through financial markets, foreign capitals, corporate boardrooms, state budget offices and the bank accounts of everyday investors”.

Reid, McConnell near deal to end shutdown, raise $16.7T debt limit  —  An emerging Senate deal would raise the nation's $16.7 trillion debt ceiling until mid-February, according to Senate aides.  —  There were conflicting claims on how long the extension would last, with one aide saying …