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Democrats and Republicans say signs of progress are emerging in urgent negotiations to avert the looming 'fiscal cliff' ahead of a midnight deadline. A person familiar with the negotiations says Democrats have offered to extend tax cuts for families making up to $450,000 a year and individuals making up to $400,000. President Barack Obama originally wanted the tax cuts to be extended only for families making up to $250,000 a year. Unless an agreement is reached and approved by Congress by the start of New Year's Day, more than $500 billion in 2013 tax increases will begin to take effect and $109 billion will be carved from defense and domestic programs The person familiar with the talks requested anonymity in order to discuss the internal negotiations.

President Obama reached out to crucial young voters here and in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Tuesday with a promise to keep college affordable, in the first two of three campus appearances in battleground states this week spotlighting this key voting group. Speaking to capacity crowds at the University of North Carolina's flagship campus and later in the day at the University of Colorado, Obama made his case that congressional leaders must take action before July to prevent interest rates on federal student loans from doubling. On Wednesday, the president will give a similar address at the University of Iowa. "College education is one of the best investments America can make for our future," Obama said in Chapel Hill. "This is important for all of us. We can't price most Americans out of a college education. We can't make higher education a luxury. It's an economic imperative. Every American should be able to afford it. So that's why I'm here....

Mitt Romney will win all five Republican presidential primaries Tuesday night, completing a sweep of contests in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Romney boasted more than 50 percent of the vote in all five states, according to early returns. In Connecticut, with 90 percent of the expected votes in, Romney led Ron Paul 67 percent to 13 percent. In Rhode Island, with most of the expected votes counted, Romney led Paul 63 percent to 24 percent. In Pennsylvania, with nearly all of the votes in, Romney had 56 percent. Rick Santorum, who dropped out of the Republican presidential contest earlier this month, followed with 20 percent of the vote. In Delaware, with most of the votes counted, Romney led Newt Gingrich 56 percent to 27 percent. And in New York, with 51 percent of the expected votes in, Romney led Paul 60 percent to 17 percent. Romney is likely to add more than 200 delegates to the 692 estimated delegates he had already secured before the even...

Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney said Tuesday he was surprised by Rick Santorum 's departure from the nomination race and that he has yet to turn to matters such as gathering names of possible running mates. "I do not even have a list," a buoyant Romney told Delaware voters a few hours after Santorum suspended his campaign and cleared the path for Romney's nomination. Romney told about 300 people in a steel fabrication plant that Santorum's announcement was unexpected. When a woman asked about his picking a running mate, Romney laughed and said, "I can't tell you when, and I can't tell you who." Romney said Santorum will continue to play an important role in the Republican Party and the nation's politics. He said he spoke to Santorum earlier in the day and that they discussed ways to move the nation forward. "This has been a good day for me," he said. Santorum's announcement in Gettysburg, Pa., d...