"Both chambers of Congress are expected to pass a continuing resolution [Friday] to ward off a government shutdown as negotiations over an omnibus spending measure and tax extenders package continue."

"U.S. sales of medically important antibiotics approved for use in livestock rose by 23 percent between 2009 and 2014, federal regulators said on Thursday, fueling concerns about risks to humans from antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

"Under a lawsuit settlement, all Washington children covered by Medicaid will be eligible for lead-poisoning testing if their parents request it — or if they live in old buildings, are recent immigrants or face other exposure risks."

"CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A federal judge is set to hear the state's request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by groups challenging Wyoming laws enacted this year that restrict data collection on open land."

"Florida's Everglades has an ecosystem known for its sawgrass, cypress trees, alligators — and perhaps soon, oil wells."

"Labels on Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice and four of its brand siblings will begin carrying early next year an increasingly familiar certification — the butterfly seal conferred by the Non-GMO Project, a nonprofit group that verifies products as being free of genetically engineered ingredients."

"Dow Chemical and DuPont agreed to combine their operations into one company that will subsequently split into three, marking one of the largest mergers in the history of business."

"About 5,000 oil and gas wells sit on national wildlife refuges — some of the prettiest land that American taxpayers own — and more than a thousand of them are spewing oil and brine because regulations written a half-century ago don’t force owners to plug leaks that are harmful to animals."

"PARIS - Global climate talks are taking longer than planned to overcome disputes and will last an extra day into Saturday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said."