He served in the post from 1989 to 1995, when he was ousted in the "Republican Revolution" led by his successor, Newt Gingrich.

In 1977, she moved into a 10-by-10-foot cell at Tijuana's notorious La Mesa penitentiary, where she came to be known as "La Mama" by the prisoners, whom she called her children.

Indian authorities say the vessel was intercepted last week carrying arms that had not been declared.

One U.S. citizen was among the passengers in the turboprop that crashed into the Mekong River in southern Laos on Wednesday.

The family of the convicted drug smuggler found him still breathing in a morgue after he was hanged last week.

Although a debt default has been at least temporarily averted, the knock-on effect for the economy will still bite.

"There was no economic rationale for this," the president said of the 16-day federal government shutdown, which he said cost billions of dollars.

After weeks of partisan bickering and a very public airing of deep divisions within the Republican party, the bipartisan deal brings to an end an episode that once again exposed Washington gridlock at its worst. President Obama said he would sign the bill and open the government immediately.

Weapons inspectors are still in Syria assessing the country's stockpile and how to destroy it. It's unclear where the weapons would go if they were sent abroad, but there are signs that such a move is under consideration.

With hours left before the country tops its borrowing authority, the Senate-crafted, bipartisan measure moves to the chaotic lower chamber. Party leaders are hoping to pass it with a coalition of votes from Democrats and Republicans. The bill — which makes no major changes to the new health care law — would end the first government shutdown in 17 years and avert a default.