Uncertainty about the outcome of a budget battle in Washington pushed world stock markets lower on Monday. Chinese shares dived amid moves to cool high housing prices.

President Barack Obama and his political opponents have failed so far to agree on a way to roll back automatic spending cuts that took effect Friday. Those cuts slash $85 billion from the nation's budget, which could slow down the economy.

It's the world's highest glass ceiling. Of the 3,755 climbers who have scaled Mount Everest, more than half are Nepalese but only 21 of those locals are women.

Aiming to change the all-male image of mountaineering in this country, a group of Nepalese women have embarked on a mission to shatter that barrier by climbing the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents.

Frustrated and maybe a bit embarrassed, Lauren Silberman fought back tears after kicking her way into NFL history.

She became the first woman to try out at a regional combine Sunday, but she lasted all of two kicks — none of which traveled even 20 yards. The 28-year-old Silberman hurt her right quadriceps while preparing for the tryout earlier in the week, and attributed her struggles to that injury.

In the midst of the urban hustle of Nigeria's largest city, the grassy field where horses run stands out as a rare bit of green in a city of gray concrete.

This is the Lagos Polo Club, located on Ikoyi Island, a remnant of Nigeria's colonial British rule. But after Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the oil-rich nation's political and business elite quickly adopted the equestrian game.

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant scored 35 points as the Thunder held off a late rally by the Los Angeles Clippers to win 108-104 in Sunday's clash of NBA divisional leaders.

Russell Westbrook had 29 points and 10 assists as the Thunder ended a three-game road skid, bouncing back less than 48 hours after losing at Denver. They also completed a season sweep of Los Angeles.

Spanish airline Iberia says some 1,300 flights will be canceled this week as workers begin a second round of strikes to protest the loss-making company's plans to lay off almost a fifth of its workforce.

The government has ordered a minimum amount of services should remain, meaning 85 percent of long-haul flights, 62 percent of medium-haul and 47 percent of domestic flights are guaranteed.

There was a toughness in the air on the Paris catwalks Sunday.

But it wasn't just in the black or the more grown-up styles that continued to dominate fall-winter shows.

A baby born with the virus that causes AIDS appears to have been cured, scientists said, describing the case of a child from Mississippi who's now 2½ and has been off medication for about a year with no signs of infection

There's no guarantee the child will remain healthy, although sophisticated testing uncovered just traces of the virus' genetic material still lingering. If so, it would mark only the world's second reported cure.

British customs agents made a creepy discovery when an airline passenger was found with 94 kilograms (207 pounds) of caterpillars in his luggage.

The man claimed they were intended as food for personal consumption.

At 37 pounds (16 kilograms), Biscuit the cat is about the right weight for a 4-year-old — human, that is.

A U.S. animal shelter is trying to find him a new home.