Allies Hit ISIS in Syria: In a major escalation, the US and its allies hit ISIS militants inside Syria early today in a combined attack using cruise missiles, drones, and precision-guided bombs in the area of Raqqa. The attacks targeted weapon stashes, barracks, and command centers. It’s a big step for President Obama, who previously has avoided direct military action in the Syrian civil war and has hit ISIS only within Iraq.

ISIS has proved to be a tough opponent. Six weeks of air strikes in Iraq have failed to produce significant territorial progress for the Iraqi army.

And in what may be a related event, Israel said today that it shot down a Syrian fighter jet that entered Israeli airspace.

Israel: Security forces say they killed two Palestinian men suspected in the murders of three Israel teenagers last June. The Israelis arrived with a large force outside a building in Hebron to arrest the two, but it turned into a shootout.

The Job Creators: The Treasury secretary yesterday announced new rules to make it harder for US companies to dodge taxes by moving their headquarters overseas. What are called “corporate inversions” are the latest in tax evasion. President Obama said his administration acted because Congress has been unable to close loopholes and lower corporate tax rates. He said, “While there’s no substitute for Congressional action, my administration will act wherever we can to protect the progress the American people have worked so hard to bring about.” 

Nation: Three Afghan army officers who went AWOL during a training exercise on Cape Cod were detained at the Rainbow Bridge which crosses between the US and Canada at Niagara Falls. They had been last seen at the Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis. The men are being questioned, but so far there’s no explanation for why they skipped. It happens. Thursday two Afghan police officers who went missing from training in Quantico, Va. were picked up outside Buffalo.

Big Bite: Apple says it has already sold 10 million of its new and larger iPhones. Cellphones account for 70 percent of the company’s profits, so big sales in the opening week for a new device is like a hit movie for Apple.

The Obit Page: Robert Poli, who led the air traffic controllers to strike in 1981, resulting in the firing of 11,500 controllers by President Ronald Reagan, has died at age 78. The strike for more pay and better work conditions was illegal because they were public employees. Poli and the leadership had reached an agreement with the government, but the union rejected it and Poli led the strike, saying he was willing to go to jail for his members. What the union did not anticipate was that Reagan would fire the controllers who refused to return to work, about 65 percent of them. It was a turning point that led to the weakening of organized labor.

>Guinter Kahn, the dermatologist who created minoxidil, the anti-balding elixir sold as Rogaine, has died at age 80. Kahn was bald himself, but he was allergic to his own cure.

Signing Off: A local news anchor in Anchorage, Alaska dramatically quit her job on air after a segment on marijuana. Charlo Greene admitted that she was the owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club and would be dedicating herself to legalizing marijuana. That was off script right there, but then she said, “And as for this job, well, not that I have a choice but, fuck it, I quit.” Sources close to the anchor desk told The Rooney Report that her boss was shocked to see her commit career suicide on live television.

National Security: After an intruder jumped the fence and entered the White House last Friday night, the decision has been made to lock the front door of the house where the president of the United States and his family live.

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