After a last minute delay of the execution of Troy Davis, the US Supreme Court refused to grant Davis a stay of execution.

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The scheme was supposed to launch last year, but organisers announced a last-minute delay, which they blamed on Hurricane Sandy disrupting final tests.

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The alliance first signaled its intentions two years ago, detailed its first markets one year ago and faced a last-minute delay.

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The Caribbean habit is years of delay and committees, then a last-minute dash.

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There was a last-minute effort on Tuesday by some EU politicians to delay the court ruling, but those efforts quickly failed and the ruling will occur Wednesday.

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The automatic spending cuts were originally set to take place on 1 January, before Congress passed a last-minute deal to prevent tax rises on most Americans and delay the cuts for two months.

BBC: Jack Lew urges US to avoid spending cuts