US Senate passes bill to end debt ceiling stand-off and avoid default

The US Senate has approved a fiscal deal between the White House and congressional Republicans, ending a weeks-long political stand-off that risked triggering an unprecedented debt default in the world’s largest economy.

Lawmakers in the upper chamber passed the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support on Thursday evening, with 63 backing the legislation and 36 opposed. The House of Representatives had given its green light to the agreement on Wednesday night.