White House says no to tax hike for middle class

WASHINGTON -- In a rebuke to the Treasury secretary, the White House said Monday that President Barack Obama remains opposed to any tax hike for families earning up to $250,000.White House press secretary Robert Gibbs restated the assurance after Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers appeared Sunday to leave open the possibility Obama would tap middle-class Americans' income to reduce the deficit or help pay for a health insurance overhaul."I'm going to deal with this and I'll do this one more time," Gibbs said after repeated questions from reporters about the differences between the economists and...

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Australia 'foils suicide attack on army base'

Australian police arrested four people last night who were planning a suicide attack on a military base. Police said members of a Melbourne-based group had 'been undertaking planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia' Photo: EPAAbout 400 officers from state and national security services took part in at least 19 predawn raids on properties in the southern city of Melbourne, Victoria state police said in a statement.Police said members of a Melbourne-based group had "been undertaking planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia."The group was allegedly linked to hostilities in Somalia, the statement said without giving further...

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