Officials are ready for a summit that drags into the weekend or one that breaks up much earlier if a deal proves impossible.

BBC: David Cameron and the EU budget meeting

The combative Mr Lafontaine resists cuts in taxes for the rich so long as Mr Kohl's loophole-closing plan does away with the current tax breaks for night, weekend, holiday and other work which, the Social Democratic leader thinks, his own supporters have particularly enjoyed.

ECONOMIST: Germany

The figure breaks records for the UK's biggest three-day weekend, the biggest Friday result, the biggest Saturday result and biggest single day figures.

BBC: Harry Potter film breaks UK box office records

But the Democrats were out over the weekend with new talking points, saying that Republicans are in the pocket of big oil, that they want tax breaks for the companies, like Exxon, making record profits.

NPR: Analysis: Congress And The Cost Of Energy