Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday branded new sanctions approved by the U.S. Congress against Russia as hostile.

"This move by the United States is of course hostile," he told Interfax news agency in an interview. "The President (Barack Obama) now has a choice whether or not to sign this law."

President Nicolas Maduro charged Saturday that tighter, "stupid" new U.S. sanctions are just further straining to undermine military staff loyalty after Venezuela derailed a bid to oust him.

"These sanctions are a threat -- to see if they can break the morale of leaders of our armed forces... In March, I announced that we put down an attempted coup, thanks to our brass's loyalty," Maduro said at a speech in Caracas.

The Democratic-led Senate was expected to approve a massive spending bill that would prevent a U.S. government shutdown, despite strong objections from liberals to provisions rolling back bank regulations imposed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

The fight over the $1.1 trillion spending bill reflected the Republicans' newly gained leverage after their sweeping victories in last month's midterm elections.

U.S. President Barack Obama called Friday for South Sudan's leaders to "end the cycle of violence" and work towards reconciliation in the world's youngest nation after a year of civil war.

"Last December, when a political conflict erupted into violence in South Sudan, the hope and optimism the world felt with the founding of the new nation in 2011 was overtaken by images of bloodshed and grief," Obama said in a statement.

Democrats on a Senate panel on Thursday unanimously supported a new authorization for military force against Islamic State jihadists without U.S. ground troops, signaling their willingness to tie President Barack Obama's hands on war policy.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday ordered his country's tax chief to sue the top U.S. diplomat in Budapest for defamation over corruption allegations.

Orban's ultimatum to Ildiko Vida is the latest twist in a row with Washington. Ties have been worsening since U.S. President Barack Obama in September criticized Budapest's moves against civil society.

Britain's Prince William met U.S. President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on Monday as well-wishers braved the freezing cold to glimpse his pregnant wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, in New York.

The royal pair parted company on day two of their second visit as a couple to the United States as they mix diplomacy with supporting their favorite causes and promoting British business.

Prince William will hold Oval Office talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday, during his first visit to the U.S. capital.

The British royal is traveling to New York with his wife Kate from Sunday through Tuesday and will be going to Washington on a solo day trip.

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica confirmed Friday that his country would take in six Guantanamo inmates, using the occasion to urge President Barack Obama to lift the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

In an open letter published the day after Uruguayan media reported the prisoners would be transferred by the end of the year, Mujica confirmed the deal -- though without giving a date -- and called on Obama to end the "unjust and unjustifiable embargo on our sister republic of Cuba."

Jordan's King Abdullah II warned Friday that the fight against Islamic State militants is a "third world war," as President Barack Obama pledged a sizable U.S. aid increase to his country.

As the two men met at the White House, Obama promised to increase U.S. aid to Jordan from $660 million to more than $1 billion per year.