Barack Obama cuts short holiday to tackle budget crisis as country faces breaching its $16.4tn debt limit

US president is to leave family in Hawaii to return to Washington days before fiscal cliff deadline

Transplant ‘tourism’ keeps Istanbul cosmetic surgeons and tour agencies busy providing means to manly beards and whiskers

Neighbourhood in Webster evacuated and Swat teams called in after first responders are targeted by ‘one or more shooters’

Hope rests with Senate with a week to go until deadline to avoid tax rises and the Christmas holiday beginning

Deadlock in Washington discussions on debt and spending jeopardises deal being reached before 1 January deadline

Republican House Speaker concedes there weren’t enough votes to pass his ‘Plan B’ tax bill as it is abandoned by the party

With MTA Chair Joe Lhota stepping down to prepare, let’s have a look at the field for America’s premium mayoral contest

House Republicans meet to discuss latest offer by White House while John Boehner floats a ‘plan B’ stopgap on taxes

Review of 2012 – world news: China completes its leadership transition, France rejects Sarkozy, Vladimir Putin returns in Russia, and everybody hears Gangnam Style