Ebola: President Obama is expected today to announce a dramatic step-up in aid to stop the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. He’s sending 3,000 military personnel for medical and logistical help. The aid also would include five treatment centers …

Bergdahl: Army doctors say Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is physically able to travel but not yet emotionally prepared to go home, according to a report in the NY Times. Bergdahl is in a military hospital in Germany. The paper says Bergdahl …

Shop Till You Drop: A crowd of 15,000 waited outside Macy’s on Herald Square until the doors opened at 8 pm. Big chain retailers across the country opened for a 24-hour shopathon. Wal-Mart opened at 6 pm, two hours earlier …

Syria: The US military is ready to strike Syria at a moment’s notice, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said yesterday. Air strikes would probably come from ship-based cruise missiles because Syria’s strong air defense could knock down bombers. Softening the political …

Guns: President Obama today proposed a new ban on assault weapons, a ten-round magazine limit, and universal background checks for all gun sales, including at gun shows. The President, and Vice President Biden, spoke to an audience that included parents …

OscarNoms: Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” collected 12 Oscar nominations this morning, including Best Picture. Also up for Best Picture, “Argo” and “Zero Dark Thirty”, both of which were stiffed for Best Director. Gunbeats Along the Potomac: The White House might be …