The delay in holding a vote potentially sets up a clash over taxes in Congress's lame-duck session following the election.

WSJ: More Democrats Urge Broad Tax Breaks

Concerns about national security have been a factor in the 20-month delay in holding Williams' inquest, and an agency more used to working in the shadows has had an uncomfortably bright light shone into its practices.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

In April 2009, when talks about saving Chrysler through a bankruptcy filing bogged down, the president faulted bond-holding hedge funds for the delay.

WSJ: Financiers Switch to GOP

The reason for holding the referendum now was to delay, even by a few months, the loss of Kosovo.

ECONOMIST: Serbia and Kosovo

Holding a post-mortem could delay a stillborn baby's funeral by at least two weeks, with a further six to eight-week wait for the results.

BBC: Stillbirth rate 'unacceptably high' in Wales say AMs

Russian space officials refused to delay Saturday's launch but agreed to put the Soyuz in a holding pattern if the shuttle was still at the space station on Monday.

CNN: Space tourist feels 'great' in orbit

Holding off is a personal decision, but it could result in unmade repairs and a delay in the region's rebuilding, said James Rivera, associate administrator for SBA disaster assistance.

WSJ: Aid Shows Sandy's Reach

But getting clearance from the commission may seriously delay or even derail the programme, judging by another of Mr Monti's inquiries which is now holding up some plans for urban regeneration.

ECONOMIST: Europe and the regions