US Republicans confident about deal on US debt limit

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said there was "a level of seriousness with the right people at the table".Republican leaders have expressed confidence that a deal can be struck to raise the nation's debt limit before Tuesday, and avert possible default.In a sign of the level of anxiety over the issue, troops in Afghanistan asked Adm Mike Mullen if they would be paid.Senior Senate Democrat Richard Durban spoke of "a more positive feeling".The admiral, who as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is on a visit to southern Afghanistan, said he did not know whether that would be the case if the US fails to raise the $14.3tn (£8.7tn) limit by 2 August.Democrats and Republicans have so far rejected each others' proposals for cutting spending and raising the debt limit.Late on Saturday, Mr Reid said he was postponing a planned procedural vote on his bill in the Senate.President Barack Obama backs Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposal, which would cut $2.2tn from deficits and raise the debt ceiling by $2.7tn, meaning the issue would not have to be revisited until after the 2012 elections.