Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke is testifying before the Senate Budget Committee Tuesday morning about the state of the U.S. economy and the nation’s fiscal health. Bernanke is expected to warn lawmakers against impeding near-term economic growth in the name of cutting a long-term budget deficit. And he is expected to defend the Fed’s policy of keeping interest rates near zero to stimulate the economy — all in line with Bernanke’s testimony last week before the House Budget Committee. Read full article > >

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Bernanke expected to warn lawmakers against hampering growth

TAMPA — There’s no question the Washington Capitals would rather have picked up two points here Tuesday night instead of only one in an overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning . But the mood in the visiting dressing room was more positive than morose as the Capitals prepared for the second leg of back-to-back games in Florida. Read full article > >

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Capitals vs. Lightning: Washington rallies from two-goal deficit before falling in overtime at Tampa Bay, 4-3

The campaign trail can be a lonely place, so Mitt Romney frequently invites friends to accompany him. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is an occasional companion. So is Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. But more often, Romney brings a large clock. Read full article > >

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Doing the math on Obama’s deficits

Raising revenue remains the draw for most, but some wonder whether profits from Internet play would make any significant differences to deficits.

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More States Look to Legalize Online Gambling

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls says Labour will support a pay freeze for public sector workers in order to help reduce the deficit.

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Balls supports public pay freeze

ATHENS — Deeply indebted and nearly bankrupt, this Mediterranean nation was forced to adopt tough austerity measures to slash its deficit and secure an international bailout. But as the Greek economy slides into free fall, critics are scanning the devastated landscape here and asking a probing question: Does austerity really work? Read full article > >

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In Greece, fears that austerity is killing the economy

Romney’s proposal will ad $180 billion to deficit.

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Republican Tax Plans Will Increase Debt

Families with children will be hardest hit by the government’s tax and benefit changes aimed at cutting its deficit, a charity argues.

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Tax changes ‘will hit families’

An unpopular subsidy that had long seemed untouchable is allowed to die amid concern for deficits and debt.

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After Three Decades, Federal Tax Credit for Ethanol Expires

New York officials welcomed a legal opinion removing a big obstacle for states that want to sanction Internet gaming to help fix their budget deficits.

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Online Gaming Loses Obstacle at Justice Department

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Just when the Dallas Cowboys seemed to have the NFC East race all but wrapped up, the New York Giants made it a competition again. The Giants erased a 12-point deficit in the game’s final six minutes and beat the Cowboys, 37-34, here Sunday night to move into a first-place tie. The two teams have matching 7-6 records with three games left in the regular season. The Giants ended a four-game losing streak and handed the Cowboys their second defeat in a row. Read full article > >

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New York Giants stun Dallas Cowboys with fourth-quarter rally, move into tie for NFC East lead

As part of Friday’s plan to save the euro, member states now have to wrestle their “structural deficits” (what their deficits would be without a boom or recession) to 0.5 percent of GDP. What’s more, the nations need to start hacking down their public debt drastically — each year, reducing debts by one-twentieth of the difference between their current debt-to-GDP ratio and the target of 60 percent. That all sounds complicated, but the bottom line, for many analysts, is that this is going to prove extremely difficult to pull off. Read full article > >

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Are Europe’s new debt rules impossible?

The UK’s trade deficit narrowed in October, as the value of exports hits a record high, official figures show.

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UK exports hit a record £26.5bn

Comments by a Chinese vice minister suggested that Beijing was in no hurry to help European countries finance their budget deficits.

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China Signals Reluctance to Rescue E.U.

Minnesota is now projecting a $876 million surplus over the next two years, a stunning turnaround after a bruising partisan battle that shut down the government for 20 days over the summer. The saga drew in national political figures as the state’s dilemma ignited a broader debate over how the country should approach government spending. Minnesota’s shutdown, the longest in recent history, locked Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican-controlled legislature in an impasse over how to reduce the state’s projected $5 billion deficit. Read full article > >

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Months after shutdown fight, Minnesota projects an $876 million surplus