Backstabbing? Pope Francis does not approve and John O'Malley, S.J., on a Vatican II pope.
Looking at stories of federal shutdowns past and Mr. Cruz goes to town on Washington with Robert David Sullivan.
JP Morgan grand pubah James Dimon is in Washington today for a discussion with the Justice Department that could result in a $11 billion settlement to end criminal and civil investigtations related to "past abuses in residential mortgage-backed securities," you know, the epic Wall Street scams that propelled the 2008-10 economic crisis that crushed America's middle and working classes. Still no word on whether or not anyone at any bank or any brokerage house at any time will ever be held personally, criminally responsible for the devastating "adjustment" of 2008. (Does that read "bitter"?)
There is growing discord within the Syrian opposition to Bashar al-Assad.
"The U.S.-Iranian diplomatic train is rolling fast," says WaPo's David Ignatius, "with President Hassan Rouhani talking Wednesday about a three-month timetable for a nuclear deal.
Disturbing allegations about sex abuse emerge from the Dominican republic. Meanwhile Pennsylvania lawmakers are pushing to extend the statute of limitations for child sex abuse; a priest from Scranton was arrested on Spet. 20.
Jeffrey Sachs is still optimistic about ending poverty.
And a cautionary tale for our times: when tweets attack!