Category 4: Central coast states already soaked and flooded by heavy rains are bracing for the possible arrival of Hurricane Joaquin, which has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm with sustained winds up to 130 miles per hour. Virginia, …

The Russians Are Coming: Russian aircraft have made their first strikes in Syria, attacking rebel forces supported by the United States and further complicating the Middle East’s many-sided conflict. The US is protesting an attack on a CIA-trained rebel group. …

Death in Georgia: Despite pleas from the Pope and her lawyers, Georgia last night executed 47-year-old Kelly Gissendaner, the first woman executed in the state in 70 years. Gissendaner was convicted of plotting the murder of her husband in 1997. …

Disunited Nations: President Obama and Russia’s Vladimir Putin delivered clashing views on the Syrian crisis yesterday at the United Nations, with Obama taking a smack at Putin’s support of the dictator Bashar al-Assad “The United States is prepared to work …

Impolitic: Exiting House Speaker John Boehner, interviewed yesterday on CBS, condemned the uncompromising “false prophets” who drove him out of Congress. “The Bible says beware of false prophets,” Boehner said, “And there are people out there, you know, spreading noise …

The Circus: Washington’s power players are angling to deal with the departure of House Speaker John Boehner and how it might fan the flames of partisan politics. The Republican Party’s far right wing can claim a victory, finally toppling the …

The Gavel Drops: House Speaker John Boehner said he woke up yesterday morning, prayed, and decided to resign from Congress. His announcement that he will leave Oct. 30th shocked Washington and opened the door for the Republican far right to …

Change and Climate: Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington today is expected to announce a national “cap and trade” program that will both limit and put a price on the emission of greenhouse gases. China is the world’s largest polluter. …

  PopeTour: After drawing crowds in the streets of Washington yesterday, Pope Francis this morning is to become the first Pope to address a joint session of Congress. He’ll be speaking to one of the most divided political bodies in …

The Great Migration: European Union ministers have overruled some of its members in a vote to apportion 120,000 refugees now in Greece, Hungary, and Italy among its member countries. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia voted “no” while Finland …