Usa: fiscal cliff, Republicans open on tax hikes, deal possible

An agreement to avoid the 'fiscal cliff', which would cause tax increases and reductions in public spending in January, is possible, but tax revenues and cuts must be discussed in parallel. "I think the fiscal cliff can be avoided," House Speaker John Boehner said after his White House meeting with President Barack Obama. The Republican minority leader in the Senate Mitch McConnell took the same line: 'the meeting was constructive', adding that the Republicans are 'ready to discuss tax revenues', but that they must be combined with cuts.