An effort to get a short-term budget plan passed through Congress fell apart Thursday, though House Republicans and President Barack Obama had already agreed to negotiate a solution. Senate Democrats blocked the measure they said was unacceptable after meeting at the White House. Debt experts continued to worry the country would see rising interest rates and default on its credit if Congress did not raise the debt ceiling, which needs to happen before Oct. 17.

Libyan gunmen Thursday stormed the Libyan prime minister’s hotel and took him hostage briefly in what apparently was retaliation for a raid by the United States last weekend that captured a Libyan al-Qaida suspect. Prime Minister Ali Zidan’s abduction showed how much power militias in Libya have ever since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011 — a militia took Zidan hostage, and another came to his rescue. Zidan was unhurt and appeared later that day on state television to thank those who helped set him free.

Four former U.S. officials on Thursday went to Russia to visit Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency employee who released classified documents revealing the NSA’s phone and Internet surveillance. The American visitors, who are believed to be the first Americans he has met with in Russia since he was granted asylum there in August, presented Snowden with an award given annually by the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence.

Contact Carrie Blazina at [email protected].