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. The boyfriend who killed Gissendaner’s husband pleaded guilty and got life in prison, but she went to trial and got death.

Gissendaner’s lawyers filed three appeals with the Supreme court, the last asking, “Have societal standards of decency evolved to the point that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments now prohibit the execution of a capital defendant who did not physically participate in the murder of her victim?”

Permawar: The Taliban have repulsed Afghan soldiers trying to re-take the northern city of Kunduz. The Muslim extremists are reported to be freely operating in the city while surrounding Afghan soldiers and civilians who retreated to the local airport. The US has conducted at least two air strikes against the Taliban.

President Ashraf Ghani’s government and the US are facing questions about how a few hundred fighters managed to quickly defeat the army, police, and militia. Pentagon press secretary, Peter Cook, said in a news conference that “Obviously, this is a setback.”

Nation: With Planned Parenthood in the political crosshairs, the organization’s President Cecile Richards yesterday stood up to a House committee critical of how the non-profit spends its money.

House Republicans and Republican presidential candidates are targeting Planned Parenthood after the production of a series of videos purporting to reveal that Planned Parenthood illegally sells fetal tissue for research. “The outrageous accusations leveled against Planned Parenthood, based on heavily doctored videos, are offensive and patently untrue,” Richards said. The videos have been discredited, but the accusation they make lingers.

Federal money can’t pay for abortions. Richards said that Planned Parenthood gets about $400 million for Medicaid reimbursements and health care for women.

RealPolitik: The Congressman who is the chief antagonist to Hillary Clinton in investigations of her use of personal e-mail and the Benghazi attacks may be running for Majority Leader, a position second only to Speaker of the House. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina is getting a push from conservative Republicans to step up to the plate.

With the departure of Speaker John Boehner, the uncompromising conservatives want their way. Both the Democrats and moderate Republicans are worried. Author Geoffrey Kabaservice writes in the NY Times that, “The extremists have the ability to disrupt the Congress, but not to lead it. Their belief that shutdowns will secure real concessions is magical thinking, not legislative realism.”

The Runway: Sources close to the hemline report that designer Ralph Lauren, who built an empire on cowboy chic and preppie duds, is stepping down as CEO of the clothing and goods company that bears his name. The 75-year-old Lauren says he plans to stay on as the chief creative officer.

The company’s stock is down by half this year and Lauren’s move is a recognition that he needs help. Taking over is Stefan Larsson, who used to work for H&M and is now head of Old Navy, The Gap’s cheapo chain.

The Obit Page: Catherine Coulson, the character actor who played the Log Lady on the 1990 television series “Twin Peaks,” has died at age 71. In the series that became a cult classic of television, Coulson played the woman who carried around a small log that communicated with her. Coulson described the Log Lady the “only normal person on the show.”

Speaking to the police officer investigating the death of high school girl Laura Palmer, the Log Lady said, “One day my log will have something to say about this. My log saw something that night.”

Papal Blessing: Lawyers for Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refuses to issue same sex marriage licenses, met secretly with Pope Francis in Washington last week. Francis is reported to have told Davis to “stay strong.”

140 Plus: Reports have surfaced that Twitter is developing the ability for its users to post messages longer than 140 characters, bringing new depths to shallow communication.