Nation, world briefs 11/11/15

Senate passes bill for veterans, bases

WASHINGTON -- The Senate passed its first spending bill of the year Tuesday, a popular $80 billion measure for veterans' programs and construction projects on military bases long delayed by infighting over the broader budget. The 93-0 vote sends the measure into House-Senate negotiations, where it is likely to serve as a vehicle for a $1.1 trillion catchall bill that would include 11 other spending bills comprising about one-third of the budget that passes each year at lawmakers' discretion. The bill exceeds President Barack Obama's request by $1 billion after getting a $2 billion influx of money from the recently enacted bipartisan budget agreement between Obama and Capitol Hill leaders of both parties. All told, programs covered by the measure would get $8 billion more than current levels.

Russia ban on Egypt flights to persist

MOSCOW -- Moscow's ban on all flights to Egypt in the wake of a Russian plane crash will last at least several months, the Kremlin chief of staff said Tuesday, dealing a severe blow to Egypt's struggling tourism industry. President Vladimir Putin's chief of staff, Sergei Ivanov, said on a visit to Finland it would be impossible to revise radically Egypt's security system in a short time, according to Russian news reports. Putin suspended all flights to Egypt on Friday amid security concerns after the Oct. 31 crash of a Russian airliner that killed all 224 people on board. Other airliners from Britain and Western Europe also are bringing their nationals home, after several countries and airlines last week suspended new flights to Egypt amid suspicions a terror attack could be the cause of the crash of the Airbus A321-200 operated by Metrojet.

Attacks return to Jerusalem after lull

JERUSALEM -- Two Palestinian boys, age 11 and 14, stabbed and wounded an Israeli guard on a train who responded by firing and wounding one of them Tuesday. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces killed two other Palestinians who carried out knife attacks, police said, as violence returned to Jerusalem after a two-week lull. The train attack was reminiscent of a similar case from October which two young Palestinian cousins stabbed two Israelis in east Jerusalem. That case became fodder for the ongoing war of words between the Palestinian and Israeli governments, and the trial of one of the attackers began Tuesday.

Trans woman files complaint on hotel

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A transgender woman has filed a complaint against a hotel in central Iowa, accusing staff of discriminating against her because of her gender identity and race. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint Tuesday with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission on behalf of 23-year-old Meagan Taylor. Taylor, a black transgender woman from the St. Louis area whose legal name is Derez Flowers, said staff at the Drury Inn & Suites in West Des Moines discriminated against her and another transgender woman in July. Taylor said staff contacted police and reported they suspected the women were engaging in prostitution because of their appearance. Taylor was arrested and jailed for several days. Charges later were dropped. A message left with Missouri-based Drury Hotels was not returned Tuesday.

-- From wire reports