Vote on US debt deal delayed to allow more talks

A test vote in the US Senate on a Democrat plan to increase the US debt limit has been delayed.

The Leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Harry Reid, said it would give negotiators more time to work out a deal.

Politicians in Washington remain divided on how to tackle America's debt crisis with Tuesday's deadline to raise the country's debt ceiling above $14.3 trillion looming.

Speaking to the Senate, Mr Reid said that negotiations between congressional leaders and the Obama administration were still going on, but that there was "still a distance to go" before a deal might be reached.