International Top Stories from Associated Press (AP)

President Obama sent his Treasury Secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, to Capitol Hill on Thursday to make Republicans an offer they could only refuse. The administration's proposed deal consisted of $1.6 trillion in new taxes, no spending cuts, a limitless debt ceiling and a multiyear stimulus plan that opened with a $50 billion binge just for 2013.

Immigration has leapt to the forefront of political discussions after Latinos in key battleground states voted overwhelmingly for President Obama. The Republicans walked away with a clear message about the demographic realities of America and the future kingmaker clout of American Hispanics. This bloc will only become more influential in future elections.

JERUSALEM (AP) , Israel responded swiftly Friday to U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state, revealing it will build 3,000 more homes for Jews on Israeli-occupied lands that the world body overwhelmingly said belong to the Palestinians.

NEW YORK (AP) , Before purchasing a shirt, shoppers will run their hands over the fabric, look at the price tag and wonder how it will hold up in the washing machine. Some might even ask if it makes them look fat. The one detail, however, that is rarely considered: What are the conditions like for the workers making the shirt?

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said Friday she was "not surprised" that a coalition of immigrant-rights advocates had filed a lawsuit against her seeking to overturn an executive order denying driver's licenses to illegal immigrants who avoided deportation under a new Obama administration policy.

House Speaker John A. Boehner on Friday said ongoing budget talks between the White House and Republicans intended to head off a "fiscal cliff" have hit a wall, and accused President Obama of failing to negotiate in good faith. "There's a stalemate, let's not kid ourselves," said Mr. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, during a Friday news event at the Capitol. "Right now we're almost nowhere."

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) , The United Nations voted overwhelmingly Thursday to recognize a Palestinian state, a victory decades in the making for the Palestinians after years of occupation and war. It was a sharp rebuke for Israel and the United States. A Palestinian flag was quickly unfurled on the floor of the General Assembly, behind the Palestinian delegation, as the final vote was cast.

CAIRO , Tensions heightened in advance of massive anti-government protests scheduled for Friday and Saturday after an Islamist-controlled panel hurriedly approved Thursday a final draft of Egypt's constitution that, among its new dictates, would grant Muslim clerics a role in interpreting some legal matters - angering critics and worrying minorities in this secular Islamic nation.

HOUSTON , Former President George H.W. Bush has been hospitalized in Houston for treatment of a lingering cough. Mr. Bush's chief of staff, Jean Becker, said the 88-year-old former president is being treated for bronchitis at Houston's Methodist Hospital. He was admitted last Friday and is expected to be released by the weekend.

Four female members of the armed services have filed a lawsuit against the Defense Department, saying its "outdated" ban on women serving in combat is unconstitutional and hurts their military careers. Each of the four women, who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), has served at least one tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

PARIS (AP) , French actor Gerard Depardieu was detained Thursday for allegedly driving drunk on his scooter, police said. The 63-year-old actor, who has appeared in more than 150 films, was brought in to a Paris police station Thursday afternoon, an official with the Paris police department said.

If the Supreme Court fails to hear Hollingsworth v. Perry, also known as the Proposition 8 case, it will be approving injustice. In 2008, the California Supreme Court said the state's constitution required marriage to be redefined to include homosexual couples.

As 2012 draws to a close, it is that time of year when we take stock of what we've accomplished and look ahead to the future. For pro-life Americans, the victories are numerous, and despite the November election, the outlook is bright.

The nation's capital has joined more than 40 states in calling for a ban on synthetic marijuana and bath salts, a pair of drug genres that have raised eyebrows among law enforcement, parents and antidrug advocates alike because of their off-the-shelf accessibility and frightening effects.