Obama heads to Washington

Published on 27/12/2012 00:00

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama cut short his Christmas holiday in Hawaii to return to Washington last night as he and lawmakers consider how best to prevent the American economy from going over the so-called “fiscal cliff.”

Congress is also expected to return to Washington tomorrow.

Unless Mr Obama and Congress can reach a deal to avert the “fiscal cliff,” automatic budget cuts and tax increases are set to begin in January, which, many economists say, could send the US back into recession.

So far, the Democrat president and congressional Republicans have been unable to reach agreement on any alternatives.