Us Senator Kelly Ayotte

Even among the fried dough stands and pig pens of New Hampshire's summer fairs, the Republican senator faces difficult questions about her party's presidential nominee, a celebrity businessman who threatens to weigh down swing state Republicans at every level this fall.

Senators accused General Motors of "criminal deception" over a decade-long ignition problem linked to 13 deaths, as the US automaker's boss faced a second straight day of congressional anger today.

Republican and Democratic leaders in the US Senate struck an agreement on Wednesday to end a fiscal impasse, hours before Washington hits its debt limit, a senator said.

Even among the fried dough stands and pig pens of New Hampshire's summer fairs, the Republican senator faces difficult questions about her party's presidential nominee, a celebrity businessman who threatens to weigh down swing state Republicans at every level this fall.

Senators accused General Motors of "criminal deception" over a decade-long ignition problem linked to 13 deaths, as the US automaker's boss faced a second straight day of congressional anger today.

Republican and Democratic leaders in the US Senate struck an agreement on Wednesday to end a fiscal impasse, hours before Washington hits its debt limit, a senator said.