WORLD

There was little good news on the debt deal front early Wednesday: Democrats and Republicans are working on separately debt reduction plans, neither of which is likely to pass both chambers. A debt deal at this late stage is looking increasingly less likely.

A Republican plan to cut the U.S. deficit faced delay and stiff opposition on Wednesday, piling anxiety onto investors and ordinary Americans hoping for a late compromise to avoid a crippling debt default.

Norwegian mass killer Andres Behring Breivik, who killed at least 76 people in his bombing and shooting spree in Oslo, wears his Indian connection on his arm and chest in some of his photographs.

Ander Breivik, the Norway shooter asked his lawyer how many people he killed because he had taken drugs before he did the mass killing, his lawyer revealed.

Gold prices hit a record high at more than $1,623 an ounce and Asian stock markets were largely flat, as news out of Washington indicated politicians were making little progress in ending the deadlock over lifting the U.S. debt ceiling.

First Lady Michelle Obama during her visit to Utah next week might wear a dress created by a 12-year-old Texas boy.

Democratic Rep. David Wu of Oregon announced on Tuesday that he would be resigning from Congress, following allegations of sex encounter with a teenage girl.

Olympic skiier Jeret ?Speedy? Peterson, who committed suicide Monday night, first called 911 before shooting himself, according to police.

Elizabeth Warren, the law professor who persuaded the Obama administration to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will step down on August 1 from her role setting up the controversial new regulator, the Treasury said on Tuesday.

Will the sky fall on August 2 if the U.S. Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling?

Tea Party activists demanded House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner deliver on budget cuts at a rally on Monday at his Ohio offices, urging the Republican leader to "stand strong" in debt negotiations.

Paul Light has worked in and studied the institutions of government in Washington for more than three decades. He has written papers and taught about the great American legislative battles of modern times, where compromise has nearly always prevailed.

Oregon Democratic Congressman David Wu, accused of an unwanted sexual encounter with a campaign donor's teenage daughter, said on Tuesday he will resign his seat to defend himself against "these very serious allegations."

An official said the reported NATO airstrike was on a small clinic in Zliten, east of Tripoli. Additionally, the government said that airstrike killed at least seven people.

Even as the first major bomb attack in the country after the World War II jolted Norwegians badly, another monstrous and mindless attack was about to happen in a tiny island 50 miles from Oslo.

The United States will lose its top-notch AAA credit rating from at least one major rating agency, according to a Reuters poll that also found wrangling over the debt ceiling has already damaged the economy.

As central Oslo reeled from Norway's worst massacre in modern history, a blond man in the grieving crowd asked Iraqi-born Iman al-Kofi, wearing a headscarf, for a hug.

President Barack Obama's Democrats and their Republican rivals were further apart than ever on Tuesday in an impasse over the government's debt limit as investors braced for a looming default and downgrade.

Anders Behring Breivik, the 32-year-old Norwegian right-wing fanatic responsible for both the bombing and the youth camp shooting rampage in Oslo, Norway on Friday, has made his first appearance in court.

If the reactions to the Amy Winehouse and Dominique-Strauss Kahn stories have showed us anything, it's that all standards and decency go out the window in pursuit of extra Internet traffic and money.

A slideshow which shows the human face of an inhuman tragedy.

Breivik was launching what he saw as the opening volley in a war between Islam's ascendance and traditional European values.

Utoeya Island survivors have criticized the police for failing to respond to the attack by Breivik sooner.

A look into Breivik's manifesto.

On Monday, Missouri Republican Bill Long tweeted: "No one could reach [hash mark]AmyWinehouse before it was too late. Can anyone reach Washington before it's too late? Both addicted -- same fate???"

President Barack Obama's Democrats and their Republican rivals were further apart than ever on Tuesday in an impasse over America's debt limit as Wall Street braced for a looming U.S. default and credit downgrade.

The United States has no wiggle room on the debt after next week's default deadline, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Tuesday, adding he expected a deal to be reached through compromise before then.

Peres, who has now real power in Israeli government but nonetheless is widely regarded as the country?s number one political voice, made his comments during an unprecedented news chat with about 30 Arab media members.

A botched federal program that funneled more than a thousand firearms to Mexican drug lords became the target of bipartisan denunciations at a Congressional hearing on Tuesday.