Shutdown: Day 7: House Speaker John Boehner is shifting the political fight to the national debt ceiling, now saying that unless the president sits down to discuss the deficit, “The nation’s credit is at risk.” Boehner said on ABC News that unless the president comes to the table, Republicans might be willing to let the country default on its debt. “That’s the path we’re on,” Boehner said.

A US default could damage not just the US, but the entire world economy. Businessweek Magazine says a default “will be an economic calamity like none the world has ever seen.” Republicans say they are fighting to reduce the national deficit, but raising the debt ceiling does not necessarily raise the debt. It allows the government to borrow money to pay its obligations. The US deficit did shoot up during the first years of the Great Recession and the Obama administration, but has been falling this year at the rate of about 35% with improvement in the economy and higher tax collections. Defaulting on debts could actually raise the deficit by lowering the US credit rating and costing the government higher interest rates.

At this point the Republicans are not necessarily out to get what they set out for, destruction of the Affordable Healthcare Act. Boehner seems to be suggesting that they will take any major concession from the administration to justify having let the government shut down.

Libya Angry: Libya’s rickety temporary government is unhappy that the US snatched a wanted terrorist from its streets in broad daylight. Over the weekend US authorities captured a man wanted in the 2008 bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The NY Times reports that the arrest is a signal that the Obama administration is no longer waiting for cooperation to catch high profile targets. That might include the people responsible for the attack on the US embassy in Benghazi, and the killing of Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

Egypt Violence: Gunmen and a car bomb killed 10 Egyptian soldiers today as political violence escalates. On Sunday, as many as 50 people died and hundreds were injured, in clashes between authorities and supporters of deposed President Muhammed Morsi. About 200 people were arrested.

Flamers: The Olympic torch arrived in Moscow on its way to the Sochi Winter Olympics, but went out while someone was running the torch through the Kremlin.

Color of Money: The Federal Reserve plans to start issuing a new, more colorful, $100 bill that is harder to counterfeit. The $100 bill is the one most commonly circulated and counterfeited outside the US. The new bill has features that change color when you alter your viewing angle.

It’s a Croc: The AP reports that crocodiles, which are to Jamaica what the eagle is to America, are disappearing from the southern coast of the island country. Crocs and their eggs are increasingly popular to eat. Crocodiles are part of the country’s coat of arms and decorate military license plates, but they are also on the national dinner plate.

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