WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led Congress narrowly passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays and punting disputes on immigration, health care and the budget to next year….

PARIS (AP) — Russian television anchor Pavel Lobkov was in the studio getting ready for his show when jarring news flashed across his phone: Some of his most intimate messages had just been published to the web….

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to denounce President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, largely ignoring Trump's threats to cut off aid to any country that went against him….

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Symphonies in Boston, San Francisco and Sydney have severed ties with world-renowned conductor Charles Dutoit. Classical orchestras in New York, Chicago and Cleveland have announced that he's withdrawn his services for upcoming concerts. The reaction has been swift in the classical music world following graphic sexual assault accusations made by three opera singers and a classical musician to The Associated Press….

BEIRUT (AP) — At a news conference announcing the end of yet another fruitless round of peace talks in Geneva last week, the U.N. envoy for Syria held up a color-coded map showing the divisions of territorial control in the war-torn country….

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Elections in Catalonia have failed to clarify the restive region's immediate future, exposing a deep and broad split between those for and against independence from Spain….

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans and Democrats are waging a partisan messaging battle in the final days of the year to establish an enduring narrative on multiple Russia investigations and the integrity of the investigators. The fight has intensified as special counsel Robert Mueller has appeared to focus more intently on President Donald Trump and his inner circle….

TAPRON SPRING, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Stansbury propped his rusty bike against a live oak tree and cast his fishing line into the rushing waters of Florida's Anclote River….

ISTANBUL (AP) — It was mid-afternoon when the Chinese police officers barged into Ali's house set against cotton fields outside the ancient Silk Road trading post of Kashgar. The Uighur farmer and his cowering parents watched them rummage through the house until they found two books in his bedroom – a Quran and a handbook on dealing with interrogations….

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence swooped into Afghanistan for a secret meeting with Afghan leaders and a visit with U.S. troops, pointing to progress four months after President Donald Trump announced a new strategy to end a stalemate in America's longest war….