US lawmakers to resume talks to avoid fiscal cliff

US senates plan to resume budget talks ahead of a yearend deadline for the so-called fiscal cliff.

US President Barack Obama is cutting short his Christmas holidays to continue the negotiations to avert drastic budget cuts and tax increases.

Obama is to return to Washington on Thursday after Congress ends its Christmas vacation.

Whether the Democrats and Republicans can make a deal still remains uncertain.

Their talks went off track last week when the Republicans cancelled a vote in the House on a compromise plan, as many of the party's members remain opposed to tax hikes.

Obama asked congressional executives to compile a compromise plan featuring continued tax cuts for the middle class. His policy had called for higher taxes on the wealthy, along with measures to cut the fiscal deficit.