PRESIDENTIAL RACE-TRUMP-MUSLIMS

MOUNT PLEASANT, South Carolina — Donald Trump calls for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," a dramatic escalation of his rhetoric on Islam and an idea widely condemned by his rival Republican candidates for president and others in the Republican Party. 

CONGRESS-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

WASHINGTON — U.S. food companies are mounting an aggressive year-end push to head off mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods. The food industry wants the labeling to be voluntary, and it hopes to get a provision in a massive spending bill that Republicans and Democrats want to wrap up this week. If that occurs, companies would not be forced to disclose whether their products contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. 

VENEZUELA-ELECTIONS

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela's opposition rejoices after its shock triumph in legislative elections and waits anxiously for the final tally to see whether it secured a two-thirds supermajority that could dramatically wrest power from President Nicolas Maduro after 17 years of socialist rule. 

KILLINGS BY POLICE-CHICAGO

CHICAGO — Responding to deepening mistrust of one of the nation's largest police forces, the U.S. government opens an investigation into the Chicago Police Department, while authorities said they would not charge an officer in the death of a 25-year-old black man who was shot in the back last year. 

HAITI-POLITICS

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The banana exporter who is the leading candidate in the disputed first round of Haiti's presidential vote said Monday that critics aren't providing evidence to back up their allegations of "massive fraud."